We are back! Becca and Meagan rounding up the best of your summer beach reads, or wherever your summer may be taking you. We look forward to May and June every year because the best of the best are launched into the world. We are here for the romance, for the pining, for all the tropes, and happy endings. {Please note that some of these were released prior to 2026 but we felt strongly that they needed a resurgence and deserved their time in the sun!} Enjoy!
Becca’s 2026 Picks:
Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan
Dolly is a 39 year old single mom, working and raising her son in Boston. In her spare time, she makes her way to her dad’s house in the Rhode Island coastal town of Whitfield, to help care for the aging home and her special needs younger brother. While cycling through town, she passes none other than Stewart Whitfield, the scion to the town’s royal family, stranded on the side of the road with a flat tire. Dolly to the rescue! The next day, Stewart approaches Dolly with a proposal; he needs an image revamp and asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend for the summer. Dolly agrees, and soon enough, their fake relationship feels all too real.
After only a few chapters into Dolly, I both regretted I waited so long to pick up one of Annabel’s books, and delighted that I have her entire backlist to binge this summer. Dolly is the best kind of character: a confident, capable, and gritty woman who is used to doing it all herself, but still lets herself be vulnerable when she catches real feelings for Stewart. The fake dating premise is bonkers, but the characters are real and human, with all of their features and flaws on display. And the tiny coastal town setting is summer perfection. I adored this story and can’t wait to read more of Annabel’s books!
These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean
Alice Storm is the estranged daughter of media tycoon Franklin Storm, who hasn’t returned home to her family’s private island off the coast of Rhode Island in years. But now her father is dead, and she’s been summoned back to the family home for the funeral and reading of the will. Instead of a straightforward reading and distribution of wealth, Alice and her siblings discover that Franklin devised a twisted inheritance game for them to play. As they attempt to follow the rules of the game, secrets are revealed and betrayals are uncovered.
I love anything written by Sarah MacLean, and her first contemporary novel is no exception. These Summer Storms is giving Succession, but with actual redeemable characters and a deliciously sexy romance. The story is fast paced, with intrigue and secrets, and I loved getting to know each character through the multi POV format. And I apparently have a thing for Rhode Island coastal settings; MacLean transports you to the craggy coast, with the foamy waves crashing on the shores and gunmetal storm clouds in the distance. This book is best paired with a Houston summer storm crashing outside your window and frosty glass of lemonade!
Elizabeth of East Hampton by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding
Calling all Jane Austen fans! This is a cozy retelling of Pride and Prejudice, starring Elizabeth Bennet, a young woman living in East Hampton with her parents and four sisters. She is an aspiring journalist, but has recently deferred the start of her graduate program to help her father with the family bakery after his stroke. The story begins on Memorial Day weekend, the start of the summer tourist season, and Mrs. Bennett is all aflutter about the eligible bachelor renting a beach house for the summer. Charlie Pierce and his friend, Will Darcy, walk into Bennett Bakery, looking for a cup of coffee. Lizzy and Will immediately get off on the wrong foot, and our classic enemies-to-lovers tale begins.
This book was such a charming read. The authors trade the English countryside for another New England beach town {I have a theme this summer!}. I’ve never been to the Hamptons, but I love the way the authors describe this tiny beach town, where the locals all know one another and are always in one another’s business. Though this is a contemporary retelling, I love how the authors pull in so many details from the original story. Mrs. Bennet’s character is the same hysterical woman with fragile nerves, but in a pair of bedazzled leggings. Lizzy is still the bookish, headstrong sister, but with a penchant for romantasies and surfing. This book is perfect for sitting on the beach, with an iced coffee and one of Lizzy’s sour cherry muffins!
A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera
Luz Alana, a rum distiller from the Dominican Republic, is traveling with her younger sister and best friends to attend the 1889 Paris World’s Fair to showcase her family’s rum, Caña Brava. There, she meets Lord James Evan Sinclair, a Scottish whiskey distiller, who is determined to wrestle ownership of his family’s distillery from his father’s control. In order to claim their inheritances, Luz Alana and Evan need to be married. His proposal? A marriage of convenience to accomplish their own goals, and upon completion, an amicable divorce. Neither plans on catching feelings for the other, and soon, their marriage begins to feel anything but fake.
I love a kick ass heroine, and this book delivers. Luz Alana is a savvy business woman, determined to build her brand and honor the women of her family in the process. She works hard for what she wants and is fiercely loyal to her sister and friends. And a hero who falls all over himself to help those business dreams come true? *Chef’s kiss*. Even though the story takes place throughout Europe, Luz Alana paints a lush picture of her tropical home. You’ll want to read this one curled up in the sun, sipping on some Caña Brava or one of Luz Alana’s pineapple cordials.
Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady
This fun romance features Josie and Ryan, two rival bookstore managers, whose bookstores are connected by a coffee shop. Josie’s store features literary fiction, about which Josie is extremely passionate, almost to a snobby degree. Ryan, on the other hand, manages a romance only store. If you can dream it, Ryan sells it. One day, their landlord drops some bad news: he thinks two bookstores are redundant and wants to merge them. The catch? He only needs one manager. At the end of the summer, he will hire the manager who makes the most in profits, and fire the other. The battle is on. However, what starts out as Ryan and Josie each wanting to destroy the other, quickly morphs into stolen moments in the stock room, cozy dinners at a library themed bar {literally my dream}, and tension-filled kisses on the beach. How will they reconcile their feelings with a competition for their futures?
I love that the author made Ryan, a six foot something dude, manage a romance only store. It was such a fun contrast. He feels so passionately about featuring diverse and inclusive books for any and all readers, and I loved his backstory about why this store and its books are so important to him. It took me a minute to warm up to Josie {who hates on romance novels?!}, but I ended up admiring this heroine for her determination, love of literature, and devotion to her family. And there’s a bit of a You’ve Got Mail subplot that I just adored. Go check out this delightful summer read!
Meagan’s 2026 Picks:
{Disclaimer, Becca is much more adept at book reviews than I am! I tend to just gush and gush without the plots but I’m going to do my best here.}
Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune
It should be well noted here that I will read anything and everything that Carley Fortune publishes. Every Summer After and One Golden Summer are notched up there with the best of beach reads. And every time I read her books, I am literally transported. To another country, another life. Our Perfect Storm checked all those boxes, and more.
Carley Fortune’s Our Perfect Storm delivers exactly what she does best: a nostalgic, slow‑burn second‑chance romance set against familiar Canadian summer magic. Two childhood friends who once hovered on the edge of something more find themselves thrown back together years later, forced to face the history they never quite resolved. As past misunderstandings collide with present chemistry, they navigate family secrets, old wounds, and the undeniable pull that never went away. It’s a story about timing, forgiveness, and the kind of connection that refuses to fade, even when life gets messy. I was so sad when this book ended and truly had book hangover. IYKYK.
Annie Knows Everything by Rachel Wood
This was a new to me author and I found the book a sweet escape. It’s nerdy in a way, a little queen Ali reminiscent, but slightly less aggressive. What makes the book so charming is how personal it feels: Annie’s inner voice, her awkward bravery, her slow realization that she might actually know herself better than she thinks. It’s tender, funny, and just twisty enough to keep you turning pages long after you meant to go to bed. If you love character‑driven stories with heart, humor, and a dash of “wait, what just happened,” Annie’s world is a lovely place to spend a weekend.
Perfect Fit by Clare Gilmore
This is an older publication {circa 2024} but somehow popped back on my list as a potential re-read. And re-read it I did. I am huge sucker for any book with Texas references. Perfect Fit is a smart, modern workplace romance that feels instantly relatable. Mira steps into a new job determined to prove herself, only to collide with Ethan — the coworker who challenges her, frustrates her, and somehow understands her better than she expects. Their banter turns into something softer, their rivalry into something real, and suddenly Mira is facing the possibility that the person who pushes her the hardest might also be the one who fits her best. It’s sharp, tender, and wonderfully satisfying. And again, TEXAS.
The Shippers by Katherine Center
Speaking of Tejas… there are very few authors as Texas as Katherine Center. This is another author that I literally countdown the days until her May releases come through. Not to flex, but I’ve met her and interviewed her for our Houston Moms on the Move podcast {she’s a HOUSTONIAN, y’all!} and she is every bit as delightful as you would hope. The Shippers checks all the boxes. Swoony romance.
JoJo Burton heads into her sister’s cruise‑ship wedding with one goal: finally fix her lifelong “bad at love” streak. Her plan? Get closure with the childhood crush she’s convinced started it all. But when she pulls her childhood best friend, Cooper Watts, into the scheme — the same Cooper who once broke her heart and then disappeared to London — things get complicated fast. Fake flirting, shared cabins, old feelings, and cruise‑ship chaos collide as JoJo starts to realize she might be chasing the wrong guy… and the right one has been beside her all along.*Also marked safe for your tween/teen readers – very closed door but still totally romantic!
Every Beautiful Mile by Ashley Manley
This one has been out for a couple of years, but every summer I return to it. It’s incredibly well-written and highlights a very real mom who is trying to connect with her teen kiddos after the untimely death of her husband and their father. The grief is palpable, and I cry {warning} within the first 20% or so. But it’s a triumph as she discovers herself and reawakens parts of her she thought were dormant. Cannot more highly recommend. Plus, there is lots of food and cocktail descriptions, and I am a total sucker for books that can transport me to places I’ve never been. It is always a 5 Star read for me.
Last Minute MVP for Beach Reads!
This one is approved by both Becca and Meagan, as we both just devoured it this past week. Drumroll, please…
Abby Offsides by Anna McCallie
Oh, ladies. THIS is the book for right now given all the World Cup festivities. Abby’s life blows up after a cheating fiancé — so she does what any of us might fantasize about: quits her job, hops on a one‑way flight to the UK, and gets bangs. {P.S. NEVER EVER get bangs if you are the teeniest bit emotionally unstable.} In Liverpool, she lands a job with a football club and meets Lachlan, the charming Scottish star who makes “just friends” feel… complicated.
When she ends up living in his penthouse {because of course she does}, the chemistry gets harder to ignore — and so do the secrets. Is he falling for her too? And what happens if she lets herself want more?
Abby Offsides is witty, slow‑burn delicious best served with a whisky – no E {IYKYK}, and full of heart — a story about rediscovering yourself, chasing joy, and figuring out what you really want after life knocks you flat. And I’d argue that it’s very much of a love story of this football team. If you love Ted Lasso, then this is IT.
Whether you’re packing for Galveston, lounging by the neighborhood pool, or hiding from the heat in the comfort of your AC, these ten books are ready to keep you company all summer long. From swoony romances to twisty page‑turners, consider this your official permission to toss one {or three} into your beach bag and call it self‑care. Houston moms deserve a good story, and these are the ones you’ll be thinking about long after the sun goes down.
Disclaimer: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates and other Affiliate Programs designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com, Target.com, Nordstrom, ABC Mouse, and other affiliate sites.
