On May 15th, I was scanning news articles and came across this headline in Newsweek: “Want to read more books? A company will pay $200 for every novel you finish.” Of course I want to read more books! This gig was a dream come true. Sign me up! Let’s get this bread! A company looking for a slew of “bibliophiles-at-large to devour popular reads?” I am in! 

Well as they say, “Don’t quit your day job, kid.”  I never did get the call to be a paid bookworm. I will have to just keep reading for pleasure and put my energy into creating these book lists for my friends and friends of friends. 

My list is simply a collection of suggested books to pack in your beach bag this summer. I choose books I have read this year or books I plan to read this summer. I consult some of my trusty book friends for suggestions and I browse my favorite book sites for ideas. I make a list on a yellow legal pad and I cross things off the list over and over. To make the cut, a book needs to have been published in the last two years, cannot be dystopian (screw dystopian novels, our world feels too dystopian these days) and can be fiction or nonfiction, but not political. Never political. 

I hope you can find a gem from this list to enjoy. Pack some sunscreen, your book of choice and go make the most of a summer day. Let’s commit to making these days count.

XO

Cherylann

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

This is my good friend Jen Sullivan's book pick. She is a book-seller extraordinaire at our local bookstore (Barrington Books) and always selects a fabulous pick for the summer list. Jen says, "I inhaled this book in a day. A beautiful book about the unending bond between mother and daughter. Although it explores life after loss and feelings of anxiety and confusion, it never sat too heavy with me. Rebecca Serle struck that perfect balance by setting the story in Italy. Aside from the stunning descriptions of the food, wine, salt and sea of picturesque Positano, it covered some big themes that had my emotions on a bit of a roller coaster from beginning to end. I really liked this one! Perfect summer read."

Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Alison Espach

This is the Barrington Bookstore Book Club book for June. The author is coming to the book store on June 30th. Want to read this book and meet the author? Check out the details @ Barrington Books (Book club picks are 20% off.) I am so excited for this event and I hope to see some friends in the crowd. 

Described as a "must-read," this book is an emotional, but very readable and hard to put down story about loss, grief and finding how to move on after tragedy strikes. 

I can't wait to read this book and I am so happy Jen Sullivan shared her excitement for this book and the author's event.

Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen

This is my great friend Reese Witherspoon's book pick for summer. Of course, by great friend I mean the celebrity star of Reese's book club that I faithfully follow on Instagram, but hey that makes us great friends, right?

Seriously I do love Reese's book picks. I am currently reading this addictive book that I can't wait to finish. Vogue describes this book as, "Propelling and captivating...a provocative story of fashion, friendship and fakes(in more ways than one)." Get your sunscreen ready for this sizzler and pack it in a designer bag (fake or real, no judgement here). 

True Biz by Sara Novic

Another book pic from my BFF Reese. Lots of book friends I know can't wait to read this gem. Reese summed it up eloquently for her Book Club members: "An eye-opening and heartfelt story about the human connection and the beauty and adversity woven into the deaf community and culture." 

Many say this book about the deaf community is the most anticipated book of 2022! Oh man...I cannot wait to devour this book.

The Paper Palace by Miranda Crowley Heller

My avid-reader friend Carolyn McGarry picked this gem for her summer reading list suggestion. Carolyn faithfully reads daily and has started logging all of her reads. She shared, "I love this book about the crossroads of a woman's life as she grapples with a farewell to childhood memories, the road not taken and the choice of two loves-past and present. Set in the family vacation home on the Cape, it is part love story, part family drama. The author does a wonderful job of making you feel the emotions of the characters as well as imagine the setting of the simply woodsy family home. I couldn't put this book down- my favorite in a long list of reads this year!"

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Now this is a summer beach read! Written by the author of Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation, this book is described as a "rom-com" you can't put down. I am a sucker for books and Hallmark movies that feature a successful city slicker who comes to a small town and finds love! Definitely a light read that takes you to an adorable town with love and books in the air. Do we need more in life???

The Lost Summers of Newport By Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White

The New York Times describes this book as, "A novel of money and secrets set among the famous summer mansions of Newport, spanning over a century from the Gilded Age to the present day."

I am planning to read this engrossing book under an umbrella at Second Beach in Newport this summer. I love, love, love Newport and I am looking forward to this historical fiction book.

Nonfiction:

Fly Girl by Ann Hood

My dear friend Kate Lentz is director of Rhode Island Center for the Book and I always ask her for a book pick to add to the summer list. Kate says, "I hate to fly, but I loved this book. I'm a huge Ann Hood fan and this is her memoir of her experience as a flight attendant. This book is a delight!"

Kate and I agree on this book pick for sure. I loved this book and I found myself wishing I could fly somewhere amazing in first class with a glass of champagne and a hot towel to pamper me while I read a spectacular book. A girl can dream, right?

Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty by Anderson Cooper

My bookish friend Jodi Helman-Multer enthusiastically gives me book picks for children, but this year she is contributing to the beach bag book list.

Jodi shares, "Take a trip back in time to one of our country's wealthiest and most fascinating families. From Cornelius' humble beginnings in the 17th century in Staten Island, through the glitter of the Gilded Age and the mansions on Fifth Avenue, all the way to the author's life as a son of a glamorous designer, Cooper takes you deep into the historical world of a great American family. From the estates of Newport to the iconic era of 'Capote's Women,' Vanderbilt is a page-turning walk through the dynasty that shaped America's commerce, society and fashion." 

Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad

Author Tara Westover says, "This book will resonate with anyone who is living a different life than they planned to live. This is a propulsive, soulful story of mourning and gratitude." 

I loved this candid memoir and now I faithfully follow Suleika and her journey on Instagram. She is married to the dynamic musician Jon Batiste. I cheer for her recovery and want her to win the medical battle. Go Suleika, You've got this!

Happy Reading! Happy Summer!

CB