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Books That Feel Like You Summer in the Hamptons 🥂🍾
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items aka what I read when I want to feel expensive 🧖🏾♀️🥂|| if you’ve ever wanted to read something that smells like sea breeze, looks like vintage Ralph Lauren, and tastes like a $17 matcha, this list is for you. these books are full of beach houses, ...
This is dark academia but make it elite. A tight-knit group of super-smart college students gets way too into ancient Greek and ends up committing murder. It’s moody, mysterious, and full of vibes. I read it with a candle lit and classical music play...
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Siblings, surfers, secrets… and one unforgettable party in a Malibu mansion. The characters feel like they walked off a Vogue summer shoot. This book made me want to wear vintage Levi’s, sit on a beach towel, and reflect on life. Fast-paced but still...
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This book screams East Coast old money!! 💵 Set in a brownstone in Brooklyn Heights, it follows a wealthy family trying to hold it all together. Funny, sharp, and full of those “I didn’t know I needed to be rich until now” moments. It’s very prep sch...
Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson
Picture this: summer in 1930s Rhode Island, linen dresses, secret love affairs, and major social tension. It’s historical fiction that still feels like something you’d binge-read in your beach cabana. Very Coastal Granddaughter meets classic romance.
A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams
A wedding in Cape Cod, old friendships, and influencer drama? Say less. This one’s lighter but full of charm. It’s the book you read when you want something fun, stylish, and secretly emotional. You’ll want to pack your overnight bag and crash the fi...
Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
Weddings, tradition, and very proper people trying to keep it together. It’s like reading about what happens after the picture-perfect Instagram post. Quietly funny, deeply smart, and full of moments that make you smirk because you get it.
Seating Arrangements (Vintage Contemporaries)
Historical fiction set on a private Rhode Island island. Secrets, class divides, and summer romance. Feels like silk dresses drifting in ocean breezes. I love this book because every chapter smells like sunscreen and scandal.
The Summer Wives: A Novel: Williams, Beatriz
Four women escape to a medieval castle in Portofino and transform their lives. Quiet, restorative, and elegant. This is good if you want to feel that pure coastal rebirth energy. ⚡️❤️🔥
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim
Turn-of-the-century New Hampshire coast, secret romance, and coming-of-age contrasts wealth and folk life. It’s romantic without being predictable.
Fortune's Rocks: A Novel - Books
A Nantucket food blogger hosts a reunion weekend long-shadowed by secrets and grief. Friendship, class, healing. I read this poolside and felt like I belonged to that circle.
The Five-Star Weekend: Hilderbrand, Elin
A forbidden romance that spans summers. Irish coastal town vibes and grown-up tension. I couldn’t stop thinking about the setting.
This Summer Will Be Different: Fortune, Carley
A twisty family saga in Sicily with sun-soaked mystery and heritage. It’s dramatic, stylish, and full of ancient architecture energy.
The Sicilian Inheritance: A Novel: Piazza, Jo
Soft romantic fiction set at summer retreat with emotional healing and fresh starts. It reads like a pastel sunset diary entry.
Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan
Magical realism meets beachside romance. You get assigned how long a relationship lasts—until someone gets a blank slip. Its very quirky, fun, and oddly soothing.
Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
YA romance set in Martha’s Vineyard. Sibling chaos, coming-of-age, grief, and summer traditions. It’s basically nostalgia and family drama rolled into one.
The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther
Cross-generational romance between neighbors, spanning summers and life changes. It gives coastal wistfulness with an emotional punch.
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
A forced family beach vacation turns into discovery, romance, and reclaimed identity. It teaches you can find solace in summer even when it’s awkward.
Sunkissed by Kasie West
A teen decides to say “yes” to everything one summer. Comes with life-shifting changes, first love, and personal growth. Its very empowering and sweet with lots of sunlit moments.
Say Yes Summer - Culli, Lindsey Roth: Books
YA coastal story on Cape Cod—marine biology internship, aging friendship, and grief. I like how serious summer feels with ocean science and heart.
The Edge of Summer: George, Erica