Postcard Getaway

A Curated List of Unforgettable Beach Reads to Relax, Escape, and Fall in Love this Summer

Written by Kaelie Piscitello

While I enjoy exploring new places, at heart, I have always loved relaxing on the beach with my toes in the sand and a great book. 

When I was young, other kids dug holes and built sand castles. However, when my family called for me to swim in the ocean with them, I couldn’t bear to bring my nose out of the book of the day. To this day, I still believe reading for hours is the most relaxing way to spend any holiday.

Today, I’m sharing the beach books I enjoyed last summer and my favorites of all time that I have read multiple times. Did I miss your favorite? Leave a comment below, and I might share it in my next post about books!

Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan

Last summer, before I left for Taiwan, my aunt told me I needed to buy Beneath a Scarlet Sky for the plane because it was the best book she had ever read. So, I found a copy, brought it with me, and read it in South Korea next to the Pacific Ocean. It rocked my world.

The true story focuses on the young Pino Lella’s experience helping Jews escape into Switzerland through the Alps and later spies for the Italian resistance on a Nazi general. Pino Lella’s story brings a fresh perspective to World War II. (I’m sure other people interested in World War II will agree that we readers do not often hear the Italian point of view.) 

Beneath a Scarlet Sky has the perfect mix of love, action, suspense, and heartbreak. The tale remained on my mind weeks and weeks after I finished it (which I did in about two days), so I chose to read it again in September.  While the book seems long, the story moves fast and will instantly capture your heart.

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

I love a good friends-to-lovers story, and People We Meet on Vacation exceeded my expectations. The premise from the book cover enticed me. Two good friends with undeniable chemistry go on vacation together every year until they have a falling out. Then, the magic of one last vacation brings them together one last time. WIll they get together?

On the first page, I fell in love with the main characters, Alex and Poppy, and couldn’t help but root for their relationship throughout the book. I loved learning about the destinations the characters chose to visit, such as Nashville and Vancouver Island, and getting inspiration for my own trips in the future.

Emily Henry has a knack for writing great beach books (and has another named just that). I found this book perfect for lovers of travel and romance.

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

I love any book set in Europe, and One Italian Summer’s cover alone drew me in. The picture of the Amalfi coast made me feel nostalgic for the trip I took with friends there during my semester abroad, and I knew I needed to read it.

The story hooked me on the first page, and I couldn’t wait to learn more about Katy and how she retraces her late mother’s steps as a young woman along the Amalfi Coast. The book tells an incredible story about relationships between mothers and daughters and how, though they seek to know each other, everyone still has their secrets.

The story has a deep overarching theme and will make you cry, but the setting of the Amalfi Coast adds a light-hearted touch and makes it the perfect novel to enjoy against the backdrop of the ocean.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

I have read Anna and the French Kiss several times now, and I must say it remains my favorite book to read on vacation. I find Anna and her love interest, Etinenne, super easy to root for. They have incredible chemistry from the moment they meet, and, of course, they spend the whole book exploring Paris!

Stephanie Perkins captures and romanticizes Paris in her vivid descriptions of the food, the sights, and the love her characters have for the city (even though Anna might not feel this way at first). 

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I couldn’t put Daisy Jones and the Six down. It focuses on a fictional rock band from the 1960s and their trials, tribulations, and love triangles. The documentary interview format Taylor Jenkins Reid chose adds a unique quality to the story and gives the reader more insight into what happens inside the characters’ heads.

I read Daisy Jones two summers ago and loved peeking into the rock and roll industry through Daisy and Billy Dunne, two artists fighting to survive in a job and drug addiction that tries to take everything from them.

Literally Anything Jenny Han Writes

Growing up, I loved reading To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and though I arrived late to the party with The Summer I Turned Pretty, I loved it too once I read it. Many young women empathize with Jenny Han’s characters because she makes them and their experiences so relatable.

Han’s books take common themes and turn them into a powerful message and unforgettable story with heart and youth at the center. Plus, I appreciate a book where the characters love their summer house the way I loved my grandparents’ as a kid.