The Best Books Of Summer 2019

1.  The Enlightenment of Bees by Rachel Linden

At only 26, Mia West believes she has her entire future planned out. But then her boyfriend announces he needs time apart and everything she knows about her life is thrown into chaos. Leaving her heartbreak behind, she agrees to travel the world with her roommate and a group of unique characters who will show her what life is all about. Experiencing the many things the world has to offer, Mia will have a big decision to make when she returns to her complacent life in Seattle. Rachel Linden’s new coming-of-age story is a feel-good book that perfectly complements a day at the beach.

2. The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory

Romance readers will be swooning over this new release from Reese Witherspoon Book Club author Jasmine Guillory. Maddie and Theo hate each other despite their love for their mutual best friend Alexa. With Alexa’s wedding on the horizon, the two will have to learn to get along for the sake of the big day. But their relationship is changed forever after spending a romantic night together. Now unable to stop thinking about each other, they embark on a secret relationship that they promise will come to an end when the wedding is over. When it comes time to go their separate ways, Maddie and Theo begin to think that maybe they could find true love with each other after all.

 

3.  Montauk by Nicola Harrison

It’s 1938 in Montauk, Long Island, and Beatrice Bordeaux’s husband has just left her behind to spend the summer in the city, growing their investments. Now spending her time with Montauk’s high society wives, she soon finds herself disconnected from everyone around her. As she takes up a new friendship with a local laundress, she’s reminded of the life she could have had and the unhappiness she now feels. But everything changes when she meets a new man who is the total opposite of her husband. Historical fiction fans will love this summer read about new beginnings, the dangers of high society and chasing true happiness.

4. Waisted by Randy Susan Meyers

 

Daphne and Alice are consumed by their dismay over their weight and despite their successful lives, cannot come to terms with the people they have become. Due to this unhappiness, they agree to participate in a weight loss program that promises patients they’ll lose a dramatic amount of weight, fast. The only catch? They’re being filmed for a documentary 24/7. As the women start to feel like they’re being taken advantage of by the producers, they regain control by plotting the ultimate revenge. This humorous and touching women’s fiction novel is the perfect beach read for summer.

 

5. The Last Resort by Marissa Stapley

If you love the unexpected twists and turns of Big Little Lies and can’t wait for seaons 2, you’ll love Marissa Stapley’s The Last Resort.Two troubled married couples have just signed up for the ultimate couple’s therapy at a retreat on the Mayan Riviera. But their therapeutic trip is derailed when a dangerous tropical storm moves in and secrets about the host couple are brought to light. Now trapped at the resort, the three couples will come face-to-face with deception, lies and traumatic events that will ultimately change all of their lives forever.

6. The Last Time I Saw You by Liv Constantine

 

Dr. Kate English has the life many envy but in The Last Time I Saw You, her entire world is turned upside down when her mother is murdered in her own home. Reconnecting with estranged friend Blaire at her mother’s funeral, the two are suddenly put on high alert when Kate receives a text threatening her own life. As Blaire tries her best to take the case on and find the person who killed Kate’s mother, she’ll come to learn that life isn’t as perfect as it seems in Baltimore high society. This twisted thriller is the book fans of Ruth Ware will love this summer.

 

7. Sky Queen by Judy Kundert

It’s 1967 and Katherine Roebling is pleased with her life as a Chicago-based stewardess. Caught between her current life that she calls glamorous and her ancestral past, she embarks on an adventure that will take her across the world and make her realize the kind of woman she really wants to be. Meeting a slew of diverse and impactful strangers along the way, her travels end with her uprooting her comfortable life and reinventing herself in Washington D.C. This summer release is the perfect read for anyone who has ever wondered about their true identity.

8. Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck & Fortune by Roselle Lim

When Natalie Tan’s mother rejected her dreams of becoming a professional chef, she left her home in San Francisco’s Chinatown and never looked back. That was seven years ago and now that Natalie’s mother has passed away, she must return to Chinatown to say her final goodbyes. But returning home alerts Natalie to the fact that she has inherited her grandmother’s restaurant and with the help of a new friend and love interest, she’ll have to bring it back to its former glory. This family fiction novel is all about second chances, new love and making amends with the past.

 

 

9. A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell

Michele Campbell returns this summer with a thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat up until the very end. Caroline Stark’s life is perfect, having recently moved into her family’s beautiful beach house in the Hamptons. But everything changes when she suspects her husband is cheating on her and she sleeps with local bartender Aidan. Brushing it off as a casual affair, Caroline doesn’t think much of their one-night stand until Aidan begins to obsess over her, her home and her crumbling marriage. When Caroline’s husband disappears, she becomes a prime suspect, further throwing her life into chaos.

10. The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo

 

This character-driven debut is a touching read for anyone looking for a literary escape this summer. Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson have seen it all when it comes to parenting, raising their four daughters who couldn’t be more different from one another. Now that the girls have all grown up, they’re facing issues revolving around alcohol, unwanted pregnancy, anxiety and lies. Underneath all of these surface issues, each girl is also afraid that they’ll never find the kind of love that their parents have.

 

11. The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay

Madeline Cullen has just inherited her aunt’s bookshop and with family drama clouding her judgment, she decides the best thing to do is fix it up and sell it. But fixing the place up means working alongside her aunt’s loyal employees who don’t want to see their beloved bookshop sold. With a new romance on the horizon and a new appreciation for The Printed Letter Bookshop, Madeline will come to second guess her decision to sell the bookstore. The Printed Letter Bookshop is a touching women’s fiction novel about friendship, family and second chances.

 

12. Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

 

The women behind the popular podcast, My Favorite Murder, are releasing their first book together this summer about their past experiences, dangerous cultural norms and, of course, true crime stories. This new book dives deep into the lives of two women who have made their mark on the world by talking about horrific crimes and important stories from their lives. An inspiring, funny and informative read, this new book is perfect for any woman who indulges in all things true crime.   

 

13. We Never Told by Diana Altman

Sonya is only 14 when her mother leaves her and her sister to live with their maid due to an apparent stomach tumor. But when the maid watching over them has a heart attack, the girls are left alone for weeks, unable to contact their father who doesn’t know he has visitation rights. Years later, Sonya is horrified when she finds out the real reason why their mother disappeared without a trace for four months. We Never Told highlights the tumultuous lifestyle of unwed women in 1950s Hollywood and the children who were given up due to the expectations placed on women.

 

 

14. From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home by Tembi Locke

 

The latest Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick, From Scratch, is a touching memoir that reads like a sweet and heartbreaking romance novel. Tembi and Saro knew they loved each other the moment they met but if it were up to Saro’s family, the two would never have crossed paths. Forging on despite his family’s disapproval, they build a happy life together in Los Angeles. But everything comes crashing down when a cancer diagnosis is made, leading Tembi and Saro’s parents to resolve their rocky past and come together as a family.

 

15. The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt by Andrea Bobotis

Judith Kratt knows that her family has secrets no one can ever know. When her estranged sister shows up, determined to spill the family’s dark past, Judith begins to contemplate the effects secrets like this have on her small cotton town in South Carolina. A story told through the use of flashbacks and present day scenes, The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt explores the impact of secrets and the lengths families will go to in order to keep them—a great pick for your summer book club.

 

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: Contemporary Women Writers, On Writing