Best sunshine reads
Escape the grey weather (summer where have you gone?) with a book set in a sunshine location. Whatever your taste - from thrillers to rom-coms - we've rounded up the best books to relax with this summer.
Welcome To Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal
A slice of sunshine in book form! Newly qualified London vet Charlotte takes up a fellowship on a tiny South Atlantic island to study endangered tortoises – but she’s also there to try to track down her dad. The descriptions of the island and its community are particularly gorgeous.
The Orange House by Isabelle Broom
A couple on the brink of divorce return to the house in Mallorca where they met 20 years before in this bittersweet, beautiful novel. It’s a bit of a departure for Broom, and although I love her escapist destination books, this sensitive exploration of marriage and mental health is her best yet.
Love In Provence by Jo Thomas
Escape to the lavender-filled fields of Provence, where Del is fighting to keep her dream of running a bistro alive – and her relationship with her French boyfriend going, despite the fact he’s hundreds of miles away touring with his band. This has everything you want from an escapist read: romance, food and beautiful descriptions of the French countryside.
This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune
Set on Prince Edward Island (there are some lovely references in the book to Anne Of Green Gables, which also takes place there), this is a sizzling story of forbidden love. When Lucy goes to visit her friend Bridget’s family home, she makes a promise not to fall in love with Bridget’s brother Felix – but can she keep her promise?
Ever After by Kate Eberlen
A sequel to Eberlen’s Miss You, this gorgeously romantic story follows Gus and Tess as they try to navigate a new relationship amid the mess of their lives. Read it for the will-they-won’t-they love story and the beautiful descriptions of the Sicilian landscape.
Summer At The Ice Cream Cafe by Jo Thomas
When Beca returns to the seaside town where she grew up, it’s not the happy ending she thought it would be. Her parents’ ice cream shop is under new ownership, her oldest friend Griff is keeping his distance and her dream of giving foster kids a country escape is not going to plan. This story of friendship, family and community is guaranteed to lift your spirits.
The Trip by Rebecca Ley
Six old friends plan a blissful weekend in Marrakech. But two of them have been hiding a dark secret for 20 years and this unfinished business hangs heavily over the group. The beautiful and insightful writing makes this perfect for fans of smart drama.
Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan
The author of word-of-mouth hit Nora Goes Off Script returns with another witty summer read. Sam and her fiancé are back in her home town on Long Island to look at a wedding venue – only to find out that the boy who broke her heart years ago is also there.
Happy Place by Emily Henry
For the last decade Harriet and her friends have escaped to a cottage in Maine every summer. Now the cottage is up for sale and the group are back together again for one last holiday - except Harriet and her boyfriend Wyn broke up six months ago but haven't told anyone yet... Can they fake it for one last week rather than spoil their friends' break? Set in the magical location of Knott's Harbour (fictional but based on a real town in Maine), which is so vividly described you can smell the salt-scented air, this is a gorgeous, escapist beach read.
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The four children of music legend Mick Riva are known for the epic party they throw every summer at eldest sister Nina’s Californian mansion. But each has a secret to reveal, and tragedy looms. This glamorous, compulsive novel is best enjoyed from your sun lounger with a cocktail in hand!
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