Top Books to Read on Your Beach Vacation
Save for one college, spring break in Panama City where I drank until my tonsil got an abscess, and I had to sip my meals through a straw for two weeks, I told myself I wasn’t a beach vacation type of gal.
I lived under that delusion for 15 years, choosing Italy and France over Turks and Caicos whenever I’d saved up enough pennies for a trip.
On my 38th birthday I broke the streak. I woke up and decided, I should go to Tulum.
Hypnotically single, I texted one of my best friends, and asked her to go with me. She’s a mom. I caught her at just that right moment in motherhood where her response back was, “I’ll go, but only if you promise we don’t have to come back. My children are monsters.”
Two weeks later we arrived to our sandy, eco resort on Tulum’s coast, where a sleepily handsome porter escorted us to the ocean’s edge. There sat our bungalow. Thatched roof. Sheer bed netting. Outdoor shower. “I’m pretty sure only people who are having sex stay here,” I whispered. “Whatever it takes,” she hissed flatly, “because we’re not leaving….ever.”
It was on that trip that I learned the art of the beach vacation. How had I ever confused a college spring break and the underbelly of those Fuzzy Navels with this? Eggs, pancakes and a piping hot latte brought to my beach lounger. In college I got a beer bong and a stained chair missing one leg. These things are not the same.
We started each morning staking our claim to a pair of beach chairs, where we remained until sundown, relying only on bowls of chips and gauc and mojitos to sustain us.
When we did leave our resort, it was only in the quest of more chips and guacamole and mojitos at other beachside resorts. Our truth north was tequila.
There was even a snorkeling adventure with a sandy haired, younger, and more handsome (if you can believe it) Adrian Grenier and a spa day that resulted in stories that I still tell to this very day at nearly every dinner party I attend. You’ll have to sit next to me one time to hear them. As a little teaser, one line goes a bit like this: “Then they cupped an orb of obsidian up against my goddess chakra, which I learned very quickly is also your vagina.” I’m not saying it’s a night at The Moth, but you might want to rearrange the place cards to hear how that one panned out.
On that trip, I finished two books, Animal Husbandry by Laura Zigman and The Bourne Ultimatum by Robert Ludlum, because I like my espionage served with a side of “You had me at hello.”
And, while I don’t have a beach vacation on the horizon, I do have a lawn chair and a backyard. So, in honor of setting sail, literally or figuratively, here are my picks for fave beach reads of the summer:
Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding because it’s the classic that sparked my first desire to write my own rom com. Whip smart and irreverently funny, it is not to be missed, even if you saw the film.
Becoming by Michelle Obama because she is who I want to be when I grow up; the kind of woman who can raise two amazing girls, (help) run our country, and still manage to have the arms of a gazelle.
Anything by Kevin Kwan. Start with Crazy Rich Asians and don’t stop. His humor is biting and believable, and his storytelling will hold you to that chaise lounger long enough to bronze your skin and beach wave your hair.
Party Girl by Rachel Hollis. I know you all love her megawatt titles like Girl, Wash Your Face. I do too. But, in addition to your never give up, chase your dream, you got this, protein shake, allow yourself a frothy, first sip of champagne. In Party Girl, she uncorks the bottle for you and pours the glass.
Unverified by ME. I couldn’t write this list and not add my own hat in the ring. I’m so proud of this book and my readers have told me how much they enjoyed it too. So, since it’s my list, I’ve decided it makes the cut. It’s funny, fast and full of surprises, none of which involve an orb of obsidian or your goddess chakra. But, don’t be discouraged. It’s just as good, I promise.
"Immensely funny and heartwarming... delivers everything a romantic comedy requires." — Self Publishers Review
“A romantic page turner that will have you laughing out loud. Don’t hesitate with this one!” — Jenni Pulos, star of Bravo’s Flipping Out
"Such a relatable book with something for everyone. Love, friendship, work woes, family drama, pop culture. All the good stuff wrapped up in this page turner. Don’t head to the beach without this book in your bag. A MUST-READ!!!! — Erin S., Illinois
“In a category that rarely surprises you, this book does. I was all in from the first page to the last.” — Katrina B., Ohio
“I couldn’t put it down. I hid out so often in the bathroom reading that my toes went numb sitting on the edge of the tub. My children started to push notes under the door asking me what was for dinner.” — Heather A., Colorado
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