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Book Recommendations To Get You Ready For Summer

Easy Reads

The Guncle

This novel by Steven Rowley follows the story of Patrick, who, following the death of his sister-in-law and the admission of his brother into rehab, gains custody of his young niece and nephew for those 90 days. To compare, if you’re a fan of David from Schitt’s Creek, you’re going to love Patrick from page 1. While much of this story handles the grief of each family member losing a loved one, the wit and humor behind the story will get you giggling in no time, making it the perfect poolside or beach read.

The Summer Place

Jennifer Weiner came in HOT with the drama in this perfect-for-summer read! After living together with her parents during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ruby and her boyfriend Gabe decide to get married – and the secrets begin to spill from all corners. Reading like a soap opera, each character in this easy read has any number of secrets just waiting to be exposed, and will keep you entertained from page to page this summer.

Thrilling Reads

The Mother-in-Law

The perfect in-between of a thriller and mystery, Sally Hepworth allows you to see into the minds of strict mother-in-law Diana, and daughter-in-law Lucy both before and after Diana is murdered. Not only are you reading through a classic who-dunnit trope to find out Diana’s murderer, but you’re also getting a deeper look into Lucy and Diana’s relationship, and the perspectives of both sides of this hostile relationship.

Bonus!

If He Had Been With Me

Neither an easy read nor a thriller, we just had to add this one into the rotation of summer reads! Laura Nowlin absolutely takes the cake with her novel dissecting high school friendships, relationships, and the heaviness of dealing with family drama (and trauma) from a not-so-typical angle. You’ll find yourself loving (and hating) just about every character at one point or another as many of their backstories are explained, and by the end, your heart will break for more reasons than one. Tear-warning: this one will bring on the waterworks.

What are you most excited about adding to your reading list this summer at your Newport Beach house rental? Let us know in the comments or on our social media!

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