Beach Reads 2020 | Sally Anne’s Top Picks
Written by Sally Anne Groomes
For me, one of the greatest simple pleasures of summer is enjoying a light yet captivating beach read. These are the cotton-candy books that are quick and easy. While they may lack the intellectual density of a literary tome, I passionately stand in defense of the importance of a beach read. These books help us shutter our minds, to block out the rigors and demands of daily life and have a brief respite and mental vacation. What I’m looking for in a good beach read is to be transported to a different world where the endings are always satisfying and the characters are quick to come alive off the page. My fiction recommendations follow this formula; however, I have also included several non-fiction books that fit the bill for their light and diverting subject-matter. Also, I deliberately chose backlist titles so that it would be easier to get these from your library, Overdrive, Amazon, or wherever you acquire your books!
Fiction
The Perfect Couple
By Elin Hilderbrand
No perfect couple actually exists in this novel that unfolds as a mystery when a bridesmaid in the season’s most anticipated wedding is found dead in the very first chapter. While aspects of the relational themes dealt with in the book are relatable, the excessive wealth, heightened power, and glamorous societal elements make this book feel like an escape from ordinary life.
The Guest Cottage
By Nancy Thayer
This book reads like a romantic comedy as the male and female protagonist, both reeling from past relationships, have a classic meet cute due to the double booking of their summer cottage rental. Thayer crafts a diverting summer romance that makes me want to make a quick call to Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks and cast them in the movie version.
My Not So Perfect Life
By Sophie Kinsella
Kinsella’s novel is part workplace dramedy and part love story. The plot focuses on Katie’s fraught career journey and struggle to come to terms with the carefully curated images on her social media versus the messy reality of her life. She is a lovable and quirky character that manages to get herself into and out of an array of entertaining situations on her quest to find personal and professional fulfillment.
Into the Water
By Paula Hawkins
This selection is for any of my mystery lovers that long to get lost in the twists and turns of a good whodunnit. This is less intense than Hawkin’s best-selling psychological thriller The Girl on the Train, yet still has similar elements of intrigue, mystery, and a cast of deeply imperfect but compelling characters.
What Alice Forgot
By Liane Moriarty
My favorite book by Moriarty, this novel centers around the title character’s amnesia that takes her back in time 10 years—before her marital issues and the birth of her kids. Comedy and insights occur as Alice comes to terms with the life and decisions she has made in the previous decade and provide her the opportunity to rethink the path she charted.
Non-fiction
I’d Rather Be Reading
By Anne Bogel
A lovely exploration of the reading life, Bogel muses on her favorite books and bookish practices. It is a quick and refreshing ode to literary habits and will have you itching to dig into a fresh stack of books.
The Self-Care Solution
By Dr. Jennifer Ashton
I found this to be a fascinating and light read that catalogues Ashton’s year of self-care. Instead of making one New Year’s resolution, she made twelve; focusing on one goal for each month of the the year. She honestly reveals her successes and failures in her quest to better her mind, body, and overall self.
When Less is More
By Emily Ley
Ley, creator of the Simplified Planner, seeks to find a solution for over-extended, over-planned and under-rested families everywhere. This is not a book that will make you have to reorganize your life and have a mile long to-do list. Instead, Ley offers actionable and simple solutions for paring down our busy lives and creating more space for joy.
I hope that something on the list strikes your interest and provides you with a few hours of a good book vacation. Or if you have found an excellent beach read, shout it out in the comments as I’d love to add it to my list. Happy reading, y’all!
Sally Anne Groomes
Washington D.C.
Sally Anne is a former literature professor who still cannot be caught without a book close at hand. Currently, she is raising her two kids, running many miles, and adventuring around the world one duty station at a time with her husband (a Navy doctor). She loves Jesus with all her heart and is learning daily how to count it all JOY.
Learn more about Sally Anne here and find her on Instagram at @sagroomes21
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Coming off more than a year in pandemic mode I feel like we are all deserving of a fantastic tropical vacation. However, regardless of your summer plans, hopefully you will find time to dive into a good book, whether it be next to a beach, a pool or a toddler sprinkler! With that in mind, I have compiled a list of a few of my favorite fiction and nonfiction picks to help you mentally recharge, restore, and relax.