Summer is in full swing!  I admit I love summer, it’s my favorite season.  I don’t even mind the heat or the humidity as much as I hate the cold and the snow in winter. Besides our annual summer trip, one of my favorite things to do in the summer is take my boys to the beach or the pool. My idea of a perfect day is reading while watching the boys swim or while relaxing in a camp chair in the woods.

Of course, I need a very specific type of book for this kind of summer reading. Most of my choices in the summer are romance or women’s lit books. I love a happy ending. Also love it when characters find their true love or overcome a crisis with the support of family and friends. Many of my choices also take place in great summer locations, and usually on a beach!

Each year there are some standout “summer reads” that hit the shelves. One of my favorites from last summer was The Matchmaker by Elin Hilderbrand. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend it.

The first “beach read” I chose for this summer is Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews. This title is strong in the romance department and takes place in Florida.  Both Hilderbrand and Andrews seem to have a new summer read out each year, so check their older titles too!

Blueprints by Barbara Delinsky is also on my list to read this summer.  This one features a mother/daughter relationship, who are co-hosts on a home decorating show.

This year’s book by Elin Hilderbrand is The Rumor. This one takes place on the beach in Nantucket, and focuses on strong female friendships, the beach, a garden and a handsome landscape architect. I always love it when there are several different components to look forward too. This is the

book I am taking with me on my vacation this summer…I can’t wait to read it while relaxing in the Redwood National Forest or while sitting on the beach along the California coast.

What are some of your favorite “beach reads”?