Summer: a word commonly related to enjoyment and relaxation, and what better way to relax than laying out on a towel, sipping on a tasty drink and reading an exciting book? All of these books can be found at any local Barnes & Noble Booksellers and include warm-hearted romances and vacation-filled fiction.
“Just for the Summer” by Abby Jimenez – Romance
Goodreads Rating: 4.47/5
Justin and Emma share the same romantic curse: after breaking up with their partner, that person goes on to find their soulmate directly after the breakup. After Justin makes a famous and viral Reddit post about his terrible hex, Emma decides to slide into his DMs and they come up with a plan. They believe that by dating one another and then breaking up, their “curse” will instead become a benefit, finally allowing them to find their true love. It’s a crazy idea, but it just might work. The two decide to rent a secluded, comfortable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnesota, but then their relationship gets put to the test. Conflict arises when Justin has to assume legal guardianship over his three siblings and Emma’s toxic mom comes knocking at the door. While dealing with their crazed and stressful situations, the two actually come to develop true feelings for each other. What if this time…. their curse can finally be broken?
“Happy Place” by Emily Henry – Fiction/Romance
Goodreads Rating: 4.01/5
Ever since they met in college and their love for each other grew, Harriet and Wyn have been the picture perfect engaged couple. Until one day, they weren’t. At their group’s yearly getaway, a cozy cottage on the lake of Maine, they have yet to tell their friends of their break up, and it’s been over five months since their separation. The two exes find themselves forced to act the part, sharing the same bedroom and still acting like a happy, loving couple. Harriet and Wyn decide to make the best of the getaway by letting go and becoming lost in the moment by separating themselves from their daily lives. Because this vacation has brought them back to each other, it’s very apparent that the two of them still have feelings for each other. Because the cottage is being sold, this is the last yearly getaway the group will have and they can’t find it in themselves to share the disheartening news with their closest friends. It’s a perfect plan. How hard can it be to act in love for a week when you’ve been doing it for years?
“The Five-Star Weekend” by Elin Hilderbrand – Fiction
Goodreads Rating: 4.07/5
Hollis Shaw’s life was picture-perfect: she was the creator of a very popular food blog, Hungry with Hollis, and was married to the drop-dead gorgeous heart surgeon Matthew Shaw. Everything changed after one morning she and Matthew got into an argument. After storming out, Matthew left for the airport and was killed in a car accident. To deal with her grief, Hollis gathers her closest friends and leaves to spend an unforgettable weekend on Nantucket. But the vacation is unforgettable in all the wrong ways. Hollis’ childhood friend, Tatum, decides to bring along Hollis’ first love, Jack Finigan, and they begin to talk of the past and reminisce of old feelings for each other. Hollis brings along her best friend from her time at UNC Chapel Hill, Dru-Ann, who is a popular Chicago sports agent and is handling her comments being misconstrued online. From her time in her 30s, Hollis’ friend, Brooke, has just found out that her husband has been having an inappropriate affair with a woman at work. This friend group will endure many different experiences on this weekend trip, but at least they have each other.
“The Unhoneymooners” by Christina Lauren – Romance
Goodreads Rating: 3.91/5
Olive Torres lives as the unfortunate twin. She always is dealing with unexplainable situations and just recently was let go from her job. This is contradictory to her sister Ami who just managed to pay for her entire wedding after winning a multitude of contests. While Olive is nothing less than happy for her sister, she doesn’t exactly love the idea of spending time with her archnemesis, Ethan Thomas, who is the best man. Determined to put on a good face for her sister’s wedding despite her situation, the whole wedding party falls ill to food poisoning. Surprisingly, the only two who aren’t affected by this plague are no other than Olive and Ethan, who are given the chance to partake in an all expenses paid honeymoon trip together. The two decide to make a temporary truce and put up a facade of a happy, loving married couple. Though, as the trip progresses, Olive eventually doesn’t mind playing pretend. These two take part in an amazing getaway, but how long will it take for the facade to turn into real feelings?
