Best Beach Reads 2026
The Ultimate Beach Reads 2026 book list features all the new release books Jackie and I read and loved this year. We also think these books are perfect for the beach or pool. The selection process has become more vigorous than ever, but we wanted to make sure that only the best beach reads are on this list!
Believe it or not, this is my 10th year assembling the best beach reads into one post. Over those 9 years, I’ve learned a thing or two from our readers. You have all told us you don’t love navigating the list and seeing tons of books you can’t yet read.
This year, Ultimate Beach Reads 2026 will be updated 2 times. The first publication will have two books per genre, the update before Memorial Day will add two more books, and finally, right before July 4th, we will release everything else for the rest of the summer. With so many amazing books on this list, you might just need a bigger beach bag.
*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
Fiction Beach Reads 2026
Yesteryear
Author: Caro Claire Burke
Year: April 2026
Genre: Fiction / Historical Fiction
More info: April 2026 GMA Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Natalie Heller Mills is a tradwife, but don’t say that to her. She has millions of followers on social media, showing her lifestyle of collecting eggs from the chickens (The Ladies) and preparing beautiful meals for her 6 children. She prides herself on living a faithful, antifeminist lifestyle.
So what if behind the scenes, she has multiple nannies, a producer, a ranch hand, and more staff to help her life appear effortless. Natalie is convinced the haters are jealous.
When Natalie wakes up one morning in 1855 with children who look like hers, but are not the same, and a husband who is Caleb, but not her Caleb, she thinks it might be a sick prank. Until the realities of living without electricity finally hit her.
Trigger Warnings
Domestic Abuse, Detailed description of pregnancy and childbirth, Sexual assault, child abuse/neglect, and animal abuse.
Why Jackie loves it
I loved this book from the start to the finish. I could not put it down. The book is told in multiple timelines: The present, the past, and Natalie’s time in school leading up to her influencer days. Natalie is a totally unlikeable character, and yet, I rooted for her anyway. The story is complex and had me questioning our society, the pressures on women, and our obsession with tradwives. The book is very well-written. Thank you, PRH Audio, for my copy of this book.
Adaptation Information
Currently, an adaptation starring Anne Hathaway is in development.
Find this book in: GMA Book Club List 2026 / Best Time Travel Books / Best Beach Reads 2026
Go Gentle
Author: Maria Semple
Release Date: April 14, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: April 2026 Oprah Book Club Pick
Bestselling author of Where’d You Go, Bernadette?
Spice Rating:💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Adora Hazzard is a divorcee who works as an in-house philosopher for an extremely wealthy family. She lives in the Ansonia, on the same floor as a group of women she affectionately calls her “coven”. When she meets a handsome stranger at the ballet one night, her world is turned upside down.
She is torn between her desire to be with him and the ethics that have driven her life for the past 15 years. Soon, she is over her head, and she does not know who she can trust when secrets from her past come back to haunt her.
Trigger Warnings
Sexual assault, attempted suicide
Why Jackie loves it
The book is told in two timelines. One in the present, and then we jump to the past to learn about Adora and how she moved from a career in comedy to philosophy. The book deals with serious topics in a humorous way. The characters are well-rounded and hilarious. I absolutely loved this book. #gifted
Find this book in: Oprah Club List 2026 / The Best Oprah Books/ Best Beach Reads 2026 / Ultimate List of Feel-Good Books
Historical Fiction Beach Reads 2026
Wait for Me
Author: Amy Jo Burns
Year: 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: March 2026 Read with Jenna Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Elle Harlow is a folk singer who reached the height of her fame in 1973. After a performance at the Grand Ole Opry, she disappears. Two decades later, when a meteor strikes her small town, Marijohn Shaw, also a folk singer, uncovers information linking her to Elle. Suddenly, Marijohn questions everything she thought she knew about herself.
Told in three parts, Elle and Marijohn each get their own narratives before their stories dovetail for the final portion of the book. From Nashville to Appalachia, this immersive story is filled with tales of the music industry in the 1970s and early 1990s. It’s a story of loss and redemption, and the fight within us all to be seen for who we truly are.
Why Kirsten loves it
I was captivated by Marijohn and Elle’s individual stories, but when they merged, I was swept into their world. You must listen to this story as an audiobook because all the original songs peppered throughout the book are sung with a musical accompaniment. I felt as if I was a fly on the wall watching two extraordinary artists come into their own.
I think this will be the runaway hit of the summer, because it’s a perfect balance of thought-provoking themes and imaginative storytelling. I’d also like to respectfully request an adaptation of this story! #gifted by Macmillan Audio and Celadon.
Find this book in: Read with Jenna Book Club List 2026 / Wait for Me Book Club Questions / Summary of Wait for Me by Amy Jo Burns / Novels About Music, Bands, and Musicians to Love / Books Set in the 70s / Best Beach Reads 2026
The House of Hidden Letters
Author: Izzy Broom
Year: 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
In this dual timeline narrative, Skye is running from a difficult marriage. She buys a dilapidated home on a Greek island for $1 and, with the help of her new neighbors, begins to renovate the property. During the renovation, she uncovers a cache of letters from WWII. While she tries to figure out what happened on the island in the past, she’s also trying to get her own life in order.
Meanwhile, in the WWII timeline, letters show what life was like on Folegandros during the war when the island’s men were fighting the very people occupying their shores.
Trigger Warnings
Domestic Abuse
Why Kirsten loves it
This story reminded me of a mash-up between Under the Tuscan Sun and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. It was heartwarming and thought-provoking without being too heavy, unlike many other WWII stories. I fell for all the characters in this story! #gifted by Berkley.
Find this book in: WWII Books / Best Beach Reads 2026
Summer Fiction 2026
Summer State of Mind
Author: Kristy Woodson Harvey
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Daisy Stevens has left her job as a NICU nurse and moved to Cape Caroline, looking for a different life. She has happy memories of Cape Caroline as a child. On her first day, the baseball coach, Mason Thaysden, finds an abandoned baby and brings her to the NICU, where Daisy is working.
Sparks begin to fly between Daisy and Mason as they bond over the baby they saved. Daisy begins to feel more attached to the child, but knows they have to continue the search for the baby’s parents.
Mason’s Aunt Tilly often finds herself stuck in the past. When Daisy arrives, she becomes fast friends with Tilly, and suddenly, there is someone who is ot family who may be able to keep her in the present.
Trigger Warnings
NICU, Death of a baby
Why Jackie loves it
Harvey has become a must-read author for beach season. Her books are filled with beautiful relationships and lots of heart.
Find this book in: Best Beach Reads 2026 / Books With Summer in the Title
So, I Met This Guy
Author: Alexander Porter
Year: 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: UK Bestseller
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Maggie, a 40-year-old gallery owner, has just been conned by the man she thought was the one. Now, she wants to find him and get it all back. Enter Flick, a charming young reporter who is happy to spend her summer traveling around Europe looking for the villain of Maggie’s (and probably a few other women’s) story.
Why Kirsten loves it
What a fun story! I loved how these women bonded during their Euro summer trip! From planes to cars to boats, this book has all forms of transport, but the road trip bits were my favorite as they allowed Flick to learn Maggie’s backstory. The ending left me smiling. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a fun beach read! #gifted by Zibby Publishing
Find this book in: Road Trip Novels / Best Beach Reads 2026
Sweet Romance Beach Reads 2026
The Ex-Perimento
Author: Maria J. Morillo
Release Date: February 17, 2026
Genre: Romance
More info: Debut Author
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Maria “Marianto” Camacho has the job of her dreams and a boyfriend who is perfect on paper. She is sure her boyfriend is going to propose to her, so she sets up her camera to record. But things do not go as planned and he breaks up with her. When she looses her job the next day, she has to come up with a plan to win them back.
She decides to document experiments to get her ex back. Imagine “How to Lose a Guy in 10 days” but in reverse! Marianto realizes the easiest way to do this is to fake date Simon Arreaza, the lead singer of her favorite Indie band. He has a man’s perspective on what will actually work to win her ex back.
Why Jackie loves it
This is an adorable romance that had me laughing and cringing with every one of Maria’s missteps. I was rooting for her the whole time.
Find this book in: Fake Dating Books / Best Beach Reads 2026
Plot
Melissa Ferguson writes the best clean romances, so I’m excited to read her mystery romance debut! It’s set on a cruise ship when Pip, organizer of an author cruise and personal assistant to a famed writer, finds her employer has been murdered. Soon, she’s using her amateur detective skills to solve the mystery with the help of Nash, her friendly Western author pal.
Why Kirsten loves it
This sweet story kept me guessing until the end. I’ve been loving the new RomCozy trend, and this clean story delighted! I was feverishly trying to solve the mystery alongside Pip while also swooning over Nash’s attempts to keep her out of harm’s way. Delightful as always, and the cruise ship setting was perfect for this one! #gifted by Thomas Nelson
Find this book in: RomCozy Books / Boat Books / Beach Mystery Books / Best Beach Reads 2026
Steamy Romance Beach Reads 2026
Into the Blue
Author: Emma Brodie
Year: 2026
Genre: Romance
More info: April 2026 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
This is the first novel of Jenna Bush Hager’s imprint to be a book club pick – and it was chosen by Reese, not Jenna! This love story spans decades as two summer friends work as acting partners to make it into Hollywood or the SNL scene. Noah, scion of Hollywood royalty, and AJ’s friendship forms over their shared ambition until Noah disappears.
When, years later, AJ is cast to be on Noah’s space-themed TV series, they reconnect. But as their characters grow close, so do they until fiction blurs with reality.
Trigger Warnings
Chronic Illness, Alcoholism
Why Kirsten loves it
I loved this book – I didn’t want it to end, which is saying something because she’s a clonker! This book is so much more than a romance; it’s a book club-worthy novel that looks at first love, sexism in Hollywood, complicated family dynamics, legacy, and chronic illness. This is a true MUST-READ story worthy of everyone’s attention.
I can’t go into much detail without ruining the story, but AJ and Noah’s connection absolutely sizzled. I felt like they were friends of mine as I watched them grow up, grow close, drift apart, and come back together time and again. I’ll be thinking of this one for ages. #gifted by PRH Audio
Find this book in: The Best Reese Witherspoon Books / Reese Witherspoon Book Club List 2026 / Hollywood Novels / Best Beach Reads 2026
No Matter What
Author: Cara Bastone
Release Date: March 3, 2026
Genre: Romance
More info: Part of Dial Delights, bestselling author of Promise Me Sunshine
Plot
Roz and Vin survived a life-altering accident, but have not been able to look at each other since. They both have so much trauma from the accident and they cannot find a way back to each other.
Vin knows that he needs to move out, so Roz signs up to do a drawing class. When Vin offers to be her model, the two start to see each other in a different way. Can they begin the process of healing or are they too far apart?
Trigger Warnings
PTSD
Why Jackie loves it
Promise me Sunshine was one of Beyond the Bookends’ best romances of 2025 so I was very excited to read this book. It did not disappoint. Bastone has a way of writing that makes her romances SO emotional. I felt for Roz and Vin so much. I wanted them to be able to heal and find a way back to each other.
Find this book in: Second Chance Romance Books / Best Beach Reads 2026
Thriller Beach Reads 2026
The Storm
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Release Date: January 6, 2026
Genre: Mystery Thriller
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Geneva Corliss is the owner of the Rosalie Inn, a place famous for surviving every hurricane that comes to St Medard’s Bay, Alabama. When a writer comes to town to research a famous crime, Geneva is hopeful that it may be successful enough to get her some new business. But when August Fletcher shows up with Lo Bailey, a woman accused of murder in 1984, Geneva wonders why Lo really came back home.
Why Kirsten loves it
The dual timeline nature of this book kept me guessing as each layer of the story was pulled back, and the approaching storms (one in each timeline) heightened the tension to a truly high-stakes game. It’s a perfect beach thriller, and the full cast narration made it feel truly engrossing. #gifted by MacMillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press
Find this book in: Novels About Hurricanes / Books Set in the 80s / Beach Mystery Books / Best Beach Reads 2026
My Husband’s Wife
Author: Alice Feeney
Release Date: January 20, 2026
Genre: Thriller
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Spice Rating:💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Eden Fox was out for her nightly jog when she came home to Spyglass to find that the key to her house didn’t fit in the lock. When a woman who looks like her answers the door, her husband insists that the stranger is his wife. Eden watches as the woman attends her art gallery opening with her husband. With no keys, phone, or ID, she has not idea how to prove who she really is.
Six months earlier, Birdy inherited Spyglass from a long-lost grandmother. Inside, she finds a letter addressed to her grandmother with the name of a clinic that can predict anyone’s date of death.
Trigger Warnings
Suicide, cancer, coma
Why Jackie loves it
I was so excited to read this book because I love Alice Feeney. The beginning gripped me immediately, and I hoped that the rest of the book would continue to be just as good. It did not disappoint. I absolutely loved this thriller that is filled with so many twists, turns, and secrets. The book was not predictable and did not follow a pattern (that is often the case with authors who write many books in the same genre). I think this is one of the best books Feeney has written!
Find this book in: Alice Feeney Books in Order / Best Beach Reads 2026
Mystery Beach Reads 2026
A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage
Author: MK Oliver
Year: 2026
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This funny mystery is all about Lalla, a woman trying to do it all – help her husband make partner, get her daughter into an exclusive private school, secure her dream home, and host a damn-good birthday party for her 4-year-old. All of which hits a snag when she murders a thief attempting to break into her house, and kinda likes it. Now she needs to frame a friend, dispose of a body, and figure out how to hide her past from the police.
Why Kirsten loves it
I love to root for an anti-hero, and Lalla is the perfect one! Lalla’s unique inner monologue made for delightful reading, and the increasingly fraught scenarios were humorous and suspenseful at the same time! Lalla’s narration style won’t be for everyone but if you liek Joe’s narration in You or the story Best Offer Wins, then this will be right up your alley. #Gifted by Atria and S&S Audio.
Find this book in: Cozy Mystery Books / Best Beach Reads 2026
Mad Mabel
Author: Sally Hepworth
Year: 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction Mystery
More info: Bestselling author
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is an 81-year-old woman who has worked very hard to conceal her past. No one ever suspects little girls or old ladies of doing anything criminal. When a new little girl moves into Elsie’s neighborhood, she works very hard to become Elsie’s friend. Little does she know that 50 years ago, Elsie was known as mad Mabel, and she hopes that the past will not repeat itself.
Trigger Warnings
Child Abuse, Mental Illness
Why Kirsten loves it
I’m used to Sally Hepworth writing chilling thrillers that keep me guessing, but this story was so much more than that. Instead of a thriller, I was treated to the history of a fascinating woman often associated with death in her past. As Mabel’s story unfolded, my heart went from guarded to wary to absolute tender love for Mabel.
The character arc for Mabel reminded me of that silly saying from the donkey in Shrek – in the best way. The layers of this woman! And I loved the growth of her neighbors and they learned more about her. This is one of my favorite stories of the year so far – especially with the narrator choice of an old and young Mabel in the audiobook. It really brought the story to life. #gifted by MacMillan Audio and St. Martins Press.
Find this book in: Books with Older Protagonists / Best Beach Reads 2026
Sci-Fi and Fantasy Beach Reads 2026
The Astral Library
Author: Kate Quinn
Release Date: February 17, 2026
Genre: Historical Fantasy
More info: Bestselling Author of The Alice Network
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range:
Plot
Alix grew up in the foster care system and took refuge in books at the Boston Public Library. When she finds a hidden door, she enters a hidden library where people can escape into their favorite books.
There, she also meets the Librarian, the guardian of the Astral Library. When an enemy to the library threatens to destroy it, Alix and the Librarian flee through Sherlock Holmes and other literary favorites. Can they determine what the enemy wants before it destroys everything?
Trigger Warnings
Foster Care System, domestic abuse
Why Jackie loves it
2026 really seems to be the year of the book about books. This is unlike any other book by Kate Quinn. This is the perfect mix of fantasy and fiction, with an ode to books themselves. I could not out this book down.
Find this book in: Books About Libraries and Librarians / Best Beach Reads 2026
Magic and Mischief at the Wayside Hotel
Author: Elizabeth Everett
Year: 2026
Genre: Cozy Romantasy
Spice Rating:💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
The Wayside Hotels are magical buildings that hop between worlds, shuttling their magical inhabitants across the universe – like a more epic Knight Bus! But Number Five Wayside is malfunctioning, and it needs a reboot. Too bad it decided to dock itself on Earth – the only nonmagical planet!
Pax, the hotel manager, and his travel companions decide the wayside must be on earth for a reason, so they decide to welcome a human into the fold. When Josie and her young son rent an apartment at the Wayside, they begin to realize things are a bit amiss with their new home. As Pax and Josie grow closer together, it becomes harder to keep the secrets of the Wayside from her.
Why Kirsten loves it
This delightful story had me grinning and giggling. I fell in love with the residents of Number Five Wayside and the hotel’s goofy antics. More than that, though, Josie and Pax’s love story felt magical in a non-magical way. I was rooting for them the entire time and you will be rooting for them too! #gifted by Berkley Publishing.
Find this book in: Hotel Novels / Cozy Fantasy Romance Books / Best Beach Reads 2026
Non-Fiction Beach Reads 2026
Strangers
Author: Belle Burden
Year: 2026
Genre: Memoir
More info: New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Belle and her children are sequestered at their home in Martha’s Vineyard during the COVID pandemic, when out of the blue, her husband reveals his affair and asks for a divorce. Unaware of her husband’s unhappiness and infidelity, Belle is left looking back on her 20 years of marriage for clues that this was going to happen.
She also documents her journey to acceptance, her friends and family’s reaction to the shocking news, and her path forward into single motherhood.
Why Kirsten loves it
Salacious and unputdownable, this story reads like fiction. I was swept into Belle’s mind, and my heart broke as I listened to her gracefully recount her sweeping emotions. I can’t wait to see Gwenyth Paltrow in the adaptation of this one.
Find this book in: Best Beach Reads 2026
Super Nintendo: The Game-Changing Company That Unlocked the Power of Play
Author: Keza MacDonald
Release Date: February 3, 2026
Genre: Nonfiction
Age Range: 12+
Plot
Nintendo, the video-gaming company, was the cornerstone of many a childhood. This book dives into the history of Nintendo, game by game, as it looks at where the company started and where it’s going in the future.
Why Kirsten loves it
I loved learning about my favorite video games. I read this story on vacation, and it sparked all kinds of fun conversations with my family members! It was the perfect vacation nonfiction. #gifted by Knopf
Find this book in: Pop Culture Nonfiction Books / Best Beach Reads 2026
Young Adult Beach Reads 2026
The Faraway Inn
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Release Date: March 31, 2026
Genre: YA fantasy
More info: New York Times Bestselling author of The Spellshop
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 13+
Plot
Calisa is excited to go stay with her great aunt in Vermont for the summer. She needs to get away from the boy who broke her heart. Auntie Zee runs a bed and breakfast, but rather than the cozy inn she was expecting, it is rundown.
Her aunt is also less than welcoming and tells her she can only stay for three days before she has to go home. Calisa decides that we will help her aunt fix the inn and become invaluable. This way, her aunt will let her stay. She quickly realizes that there is something magical about it as well.
Why Jackie loves it
This is an absolutely adorable, cozy fantasy book. I wanted to curl up by the moving fire in the book and not put it down. I can tell that this book is YA because of the small plot points that feel different from Durst’s adult books. However, I loved it. The magical world that Durst creates is so unique and lovely- I wish it were real!
Find this book in: YA Witch Books / The Ultimate List of YA Fantasy Books
The Escape Game
Author: Marissa Meyer & Tamara Moss
Release Date: April 7, 2026
Genre: YA Mystery
More info: Bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 14+
Plot
Season four of The Escape Game ended when Alicia Angelos, a contestant, was found murdered on the set during the finale. Everyone believes her sister, Sierra, who was also a contestant on the show, was the killer. But there was never evidence to convict her.
Now, it is six months later, and season 5 is starting. The show shocks everyone when Sierra is a contestant again. This season, the game is trying to find Alicia’s killer. The teams all compete in escape rooms. Can Sierra’s team stay in long enough to get answers?
Trigger Warnings
Murder
Why Jackie loves it
This book was fun from start to finish. I loved it. The escape rooms were so clever, and the cast of characters is fun and quirky. Each character has their own reason for being on the show, which adds depth to the story. #gifted by PRH Audio
Find this book in: YA Thriller Books / Best Beach Reads 2026
Helpful Tips
- Pick your beach read based on the genre you are most interested in.
- Each of these books is engaging, but easily put down if you want to participate in beach or poolside activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some good summer reads for 2026?
We have a list of dozens of selections, but our current favorites are:
1. Into The Blue by Emma Brodie
2. Summer State of Mind by Kristy Woodson Harvey
3. Go Gentle by Maria Semple
Depending on which genre you like, this is part one of a list of dozens of the best summer reads for 2026. So, whether you like fiction, fantasy, women’s fiction, or non-fiction, this list will have a book you love.
Related Content
Epilogue
What do you think of the beach reads 2026 list? Do you like the new way we are releasing them over 3 separate updates? Do you have any guesses for what will make the list later in the spring?
