15+ Books to Read on the Beach (or Couch!) This Spring Break
With spring break right around the corner, chances are you’ve found yourself in one of the following scenarios recently: panicking about travel plans, shopping every chance you get for family swimsuits, or wondering how in the world you’re going to entertain everyone during a week at home. Whether it will be a week of leisure or adventure, we have to make the most of it. I like to think of spring break as a time to take a deep breath and do something I enjoy that often gets put on the back burner during the craziness of life. One of my favorite things to do is pick up a book on my TBR list and finally get a mental escape.
No matter what your spring break looks like this year, lounging on a beach towel, at the water park with little ones, curled up with a cozy blanket, or something in between, don’t find yourself in the perfect position to be reading a book without having the perfect book in hand. We know ‘perfect’ is a relative term that looks different for everyone. That’s why you deserve options. Maybe a twisted thriller is just the kind of story you need to draw you in, or you want to live out your wildest dreams with an adventurous fantasy, or you’re in need of a spicy romance story. No matter what appeals to you, there’s a book for that.
15+ Books to Read on Spring Break This Year
Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman - While everyone around Chani is advancing their careers in big ways, she’s stuck writing puff pieces. That is until she lands a job writing a profile on celebrity heartthrob Gabe Parker. What’s meant to be a quick interview turns into a 72-hour romance that Chani hasn’t been able to forget in the last 10 years. Now, she’s been asked to meet with him again for a second interview and she wonders if their whirlwind romance was as unforgettable to him as it was to her.
The Women by Kristin Hannah - The book that we can’t stop talking about is a must read this spring break. From the celebrated author of The Nightingale comes a beautiful coming-of-age story. Growing up in a conservative household in the 1960s, Frankie McGrath wasn’t taught to dream big. But, when her brother ships out to Vietnam to serve the war efforts, she joins the Army Nurse Corps. As she learns to navigate the chaos of war, she can’t imagine what life as a veteran back home will be. This story that honors the experience and sacrifice of women veterans is a beautifully necessary read for all.
By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult - Told in intertwining timelines, By Any Other Name, a sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire centers two women who are determined to create something beautiful despite the prejudices they face. Should a writer do whatever it takes to see her story live on . . . no matter the cost? This remarkable novel, rooted in primary historical sources, ensures the name Emilia Bassano will no longer be forgotten.
The American Daughters by Maurice Carlos Ruffin - One of the most moving and inspiring tales, look no further. Ady and her mother Sanite are the best of friends. Enslaved in the French Quarter of New Orleans by a businessman, the two have no one but each other. That is, until they’re separated and Ady is left to fend for herself. When she finds herself at the Mockingbird Inn, her life changes forever. A free Black woman named Lenore takes Ady under her wing and invites her to join a group of spies called the Daughters. With the help of her new group, Ady finds purpose, liberation, and more.
The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston - Florence Day can’t catch a break. It’s her job to ghostwrite for a prolific romance novelist, but after a messy breakup, she no longer believes in love. Her new editor won’t give her an extension, and on top of it all, she has to return to her hometown because her father passed away. While at the funeral parlor, she sees the ghost of her handsome, “mountain of a man” editor who suddenly passed. Seeing him and learning of his unfinished business has her questioning everything she thought she knew about love stories.
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden - In case you haven’t read The Housemaid yet, here’s your reminder that you should. In book one of three, we’re introduced to the Winchester’s maid who lives in the attic of their beautiful home. Mostly satisfied with her life of cleaning and errand running, she finds herself jealous of the wife Nina’s perfect life. After Nina finds out the housemaid tried on one of her dresses, she finds herself locked in her attic room. Little does Nina know, though, there may be more to the housemaid than meets the eye.
The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther - Meredith Fox hasn’t been herself since she lost her sister, but she’s determined to rejoin the world at her annual family gathering in Martha’s Vineyard this summer. While in town, her family will be attending a wedding and playing a traditional family game that her sister loved. Meredith is set on winning the game in honor of her sister, but when she gets paired with a handsome groomsman, she quickly becomes distracted and at risk of losing more than the game.
Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez — There’s no such thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes close. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the wrong thing. There’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong . . . unless he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date, Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and a relationship is impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. Only no amount of distance or time is enough to forget what’s between them. Out today.
One in a Millennial by Kate Kennedy - Millennial mamas need to get their hands on this book as soon as possible. Feel all the nostalgia with the hilarious exploration of everything it meant to come of age in the time of AOL, “going out tops,” the Spice Girls, and more.
Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson - The crime was never solved—and because the Freemans were one of the only Black families in a particularly well-to-do enclave of New England—the case has had an enduring, voyeuristic pull for the public. The last thing the Freemans want is another media frenzy splashing their family across the papers, but when Ebby's high profile romance falls apart without any explanation, that's exactly what they get.
The Hunter by Tara French - After retiring from the Chicago Police Department, Cal Hooper moves to western Ireland. Here, he begins building a home with a local woman named Lena and a troubled teenager named Trey. Their quiet life is threatened when Trey’s estranged father comes into town. While all Cal and Lena want to do is keep Trey safe, she has other plans: her eyes are set on revenge.
The Woman In Me by Britney Spears - It may not seem like that long ago, but it was all the way back in 2021 that the world got to hear Britney Spears speak in court about her life under conservatorship. It felt like, for the first time, the world was finally listening to the pop star. Now she’s more candid than ever about her life, fame, and personal struggles in this memoir.
Expiration Dates by Rebecca Searle - In Expiration Dates, we meet Daphne Bell. For over 20 years, Daphne has received a slip of paper each time she meets a new love interest that has their name and a number that explains the exact amount of time she’ll have with this man. She’s been waiting and waiting for a slip of paper with no number on it when she meets Jake. Is this fate telling her he’s the one? As their love story unfolds and things get more complicated than she could have ever imagined, she starts to wonder if maybe fate got it wrong this time.
Have I Told You This Already by Lauren Graham - Many of us know her as the beloved Lorelai Gilmore, and, as it turns out, Lauren Graham has quite the sense of humor, too! In her book of essays, she shares her life stories that are filled with hilarious anecdotes and plenty of sage advice that we can all take with us throughout the rest of the year.
After Annie by Anna Quindlen - The sudden death of Annie Brown alters the lives of those closest to her in unimaginable ways. Her husband, best friend, and kids each mourn their loved one while trying to find a way to live without her. What gets them through is Annie herself. Over the course of a year, this story follows each character and the ever present voice in their heads of their beloved Annie. Perfectly capturing what it’s like to lose a loved one, this book is perfect to turn to when you just need a good cry.
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones —If you love horror and historical fiction, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter needs to be on your shelf immediately. It’s a chilling historical horror novel tracing the life of a vampire who haunts the fields of the Blackfeet reservation looking for justice. A diary, written in 1912 by a Lutheran pastor is discovered within a wall. What it unveils is a slow massacre, a chain of events that go back to 217 Blackfeet dead in the snow. Told in transcribed interviews by a Blackfeet named Good Stab, who shares the narrative of his peculiar life over a series of confessional visits.
Watch Where They Hide by Tamron Hall - The second book of the Jordan Manning series is sure to be just as page turning as the first, As the Wicked Watch. This time, after Marla Hancock drops her child off at preschool, she goes missing. Marla had recently moved in with her sister Shelly after leaving an abusive ex, and Shelly knows Marla wouldn’t leave her children behind willingly. With little help in finding her sister, Shelly turns to TV journalist Jordan Manning. As Manning begins her investigation, she learns of more secrets and scandals than she bargained for, ones that may put her in personal danger.
So whether you're headed to a sandy shore, curled up on the couch, or somewhere in between, make sure a great book is part of your spring break plan. Reading is one of the easiest ways to hit pause, recharge, and enjoy a little escape, no passport required. With these 20+ picks, you’re bound to find something that keeps you turning the pages well into the night. Here’s to a spring break full of stories that stay with you long after the final chapter.
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