BOOKS

Spring is *such* an exciting time—with all the dreams and plans for how you're going to spend the sunny months. But between finals, AP tests and the rainy weather (bc sometimes those April showers just bring... May showers), summer can still seem years away.

Even if spring isn't 100% springing just yet, there's no reason why we can't look ahead to the end of the school year and summer break (cue the campouts and s'mores!). Here are some of our fave books set in the summer to bring a dose of that sunshine, ice cream and pool party energy into your life rn.

Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

@bestiebooktalk

Dreaming of a European summer vacay? Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch will get you in that easy breezy (and uber-picturesque!) mood from the first sentence. This book follows Lina on her summer break in Tuscany, where she goes to meet the dad she's never known. When she finds a journal that her mom kept while she was in Italy, Lina ends up unearthing secrets about her parents that will change her life forever.

Love and Gelato will make you feel like you're living in a sun-soaked Italian fairy-tale landscape...a perfect fix for those April days when the gloomy weather seems to think it's still winter.

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Simon & Schuster, $13

In case you haven't heard, we're big Jenny Han girlies! If you heart TSITP or To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian's co-written Burn for Burn shares a similar picture-perfect beachside setting and summery vibes... and plots of revenge.

On Jar Island, amid the oceanfront and cute little shops, Kat, Lillia and Mary all have separate dreams of revenge for things that have gone wrong in their lives. They can't act on their fantasies alone, but together, who knows? Read Burn for Burn for the summer vacay energy *and* the exciting plot.

The Falling In Love Montage by Ciara Smyth

@rosies.book.shelf

Do you love classic teen summer rom-coms? This book has every cute cliché in the book—from swoony sun-filled dates to Ferris wheels to roller skating in the warm evenings—wrapped up in one summer movie montage sequence!

Cynical Saorsie doesn't believe in true love... and when she meets Ruby, the two agree to have a summer of the most cliché rom-com dates imaginable with the rule that they break it off in the fall. But what happens when the falling in love montage actually leads to something real? Come for the fun, flirty vibes and stay for the heartfelt, emotional ending.

We Ship It by Lauren Kay

HarperCollins, $16

We Ship It has TSITP's beachy vibes plus a fun cruise ship setting with a lot of emotional depth.

Olivia Schwartz is determined to get into a prestigious college and follow her dream of becoming a doctor. But when her family takes her on a cruise the summer before her senior year, Olivia meets the charming Sebastian who makes her feel like she can have fun.

But when past secrets come up, Olivia has to navigate the new potential relationship along with her grief over her older brother who died years ago while she learns more about her past and the future she thought she wanted. We Ship It will make you feel all kinds of emotions and has just enough lightheartedness and sunshine in it to make it a thought-provoking read for your beach bag.

Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith

@clockwork_reads

For all the girlies going on fun train trips this summer, this one's for you!

When Hugo gets dumped by his girlfriend, he still has her nontransferable train ticket for a cross-country train trip through the U.S. Aspiring filmmaker Mae ends up going with him on the journey, and the two develop an undeniable affection for each other while they both use the summer to pursue their dreams for the future.

Besides the sweet plot, this book is set almost entirely on a train, so it will def get you in the mood if travel is on your summer agenda (staycations totally count, btw!).

What books are getting you in the mood for summer? Let us know on IG @glbestiebookclub!

Looking for more book recs? We've got you covered!
☀️ Just the perfect TBR (that's tote bag rec) to match your TBR
🌴 5 romantasy books you should be reading rn
⛱️ If you love The Vampire Diaries, add these reads to your TBR

Slider and top image: @haleypham

by Ava Slocum | 4/29/2024