10 Best Beach Reads for 2026
If there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s pick a book for a beach chair. There’s a very specific recipe to a great beach read for me… it has to be unputdownable but not stressful, swoony but not heavy, and should just feel good!
I’ve been a big reader all of my life and I’d say I’ve spent years hunting down the best summer romance books. First as a reader, and now as an author writing them. So I rounded up the ten beach reads I’d hand to girlfriend (and actually do) if they asked what to pack for vacation. Every one of these is the kind of book you finish in two days and immediately press into someone else’s hands. Starting with the one I’m most biased about. Obviously.
Why trust my picks? I’m Chassity Evans, author of Pink Sand Summer, a summer romance novel set on Harbour Island in The Bahamas. I don’t just read beach reads, I write them, set on the island I love most in the world. These are the books that inspired me, kept me up at night, and earned a permanent spot on my shelf.
The debut novel
Pink Sand Summer
She inherited her grandmother’s island house. Then her ex showed up — and so did someone new. A love-triangle romance set on Harbour Island’s pink sands.
Buy on Amazonor listen on Audible
Available in paperback, Kindle & audiobook
1. Pink Sand Summer by Chassity Evans
Okay, shameless plug first… it’s my book. Pink Sand Summer follows Lucy back to Harbour Island, The Bahamas, where she’s inherited her beloved Gran’s house and is trying to find the inspiration she’s lost in her life and her art. Then two distractions show up: the alluring new guy Noah, and her ex and first love Jack. Exclusive parties, late nights with best friends, a shocking secret – it’s everything I love about a summer love story, set on the island I love most in the world.
If you read one book on this list, make it this one. You know, since you’re here and all.
Want to see the real island behind the book? I took my book club to Harbour Island! We stayed at Coral House and hit all of Lucy’s favorite spots from the story. Here’s our full trip recap and itinerary.
2. Beach Read by Emily Henry
The queen of the genre, and the book that basically defined “beach read” for a generation. Rival writers with writer’s block challenge each other to swap genres for the summer in neighboring beach houses. Witty banter, real emotion, and a love story that sneaks up on you. If you’ve somehow missed this one, your beach bag has a hole in it.
If you loved the writer-trying-to-find-her-inspiration storyline, you’ll love Lucy’s journey in Pink Sand Summer.
3. Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
Childhood friends, one unforgettable summer tradition at a lake cottage, and a second-chance romance years later that will wreck you in the best way. This is the book that launched a thousand “just one more chapter” nights, and the reason Carley Fortune became one of my instant favorites.
If you loved the first-love-never-really-left energy, wait until you meet Jack in Pink Sand Summer.
4. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Two best friends, one annual vacation tradition, and a decade of will-they-won’t-they tension. The tropical getaway chapters are pure sunshine, and the friendship-to-love slow burn is chef’s kiss. Emily Henry earns her second spot on this list and it was even adapted into a movie.
If you loved the best-friends-on-vacation dynamic, Pink Sand Summer has the late nights with best friends plus a love triangle.
5. Happy Place by Emily Henry
A group of friends reunites for one last week at their beloved Maine cottage, and two exes have to pretend they’re still together. Found family, gorgeous coastal setting, and an ending that earns every tear. Three Emily Henry books on one list might seem like a lot. It’s not enough.
If you loved the “one last summer with my people” feeling, Pink Sand Summer bottles that exact nostalgia on Harbour Island.
6. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
Sworn enemies end up on the same honeymoon in Maui after everyone else gets food poisoning. Forced proximity, tropical setting, and banter so good you’ll laugh out loud on your beach towel. The lightest, funniest book on this list, perfect for when you want zero angst.
If you loved the tropical forced-proximity sparks, Noah’s electric energy in Pink Sand Summer will be right up your alley.
7. Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
A romance screenwriter’s movie gets filmed at her house, and she falls for the lead actor. It’s warm, witty, and quietly emotional, the literary equivalent of a perfect golden-hour. A slightly more grown-up beach read for when you want depth with your sunshine.
If you loved a heroine rebuilding her creative life, Lucy’s search for inspiration in Pink Sand Summer will feel like home.
8. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
The YA classic that defined summer love triangles: Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah, one beach house, every summer. Sweet, nostalgic, and impossible to put down. Yes, it’s technically YA. No, that doesn’t matter. Even if you already watched the series read it anyway.
If you loved the love-triangle-that-keeps-you-guessing, Pink Sand Summer‘s Noah vs. Jack will keep you flipping pages.
9. Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan
A woman returns to the beach town where she spent her teenage summers and runs into her first love, while engaged to someone else. Tender, bittersweet, and beautifully written. The quietest book on this list, and maybe the most moving.
If you loved returning to the place that made you, Lucy’s homecoming to Harbour Island in Pink Sand Summer hits the same note.
10. A Happier Life by Kristy Woodson Harvey
Keaton escapes to the coastal town of Beaufort, North Carolina, to restore the historic home she’s inherited, and uncovers her grandmother’s hidden past along the way. Dual timelines, a house full of secrets, and a swoony coastal setting. Kristy is an auto-buy author for me!
If you loved inheriting a house full of history, Lucy’s Gran’s house on Harbour Island in Pink Sand Summer will feel like déjà vu.
Beach Read FAQs
What is a beach read?
A beach read is a light, fast-paced, highly entertaining book, usually a romance or rom-com, that’s easy to dive into and hard to put down. The best beach reads have sunny settings, swoony love stories, and just enough substance to keep you thinking about them after the last page.
What are the most popular beach reads of 2026?
The most popular beach reads of 2026 include Beach Read and Happy Place by Emily Henry, Every Summer After by Carley Fortune, People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry, Dolly All The Time by Annabel Monaghan, and don’t forget Pink Sand Summer by Chassity Evans a summer romance set on Harbour Island in The Bahamas.
What should I read if I like Emily Henry books?
If you like Emily Henry, try Every Summer After by Carley Fortune, Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan, or Pink Sand Summer by Chassity Evans. All three deliver the witty banter, emotional depth, and swoony coastal settings Emily Henry fans love.
What is the best book to read on vacation?
The best book to read on vacation is one you can’t put down but don’t have to work hard at, a great beach read. My top pick is Pink Sand Summer (again, I’m biased, it’s mine), followed by Beach Read by Emily Henry and The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren for maximum fun-per-page.
The bottom line
Any of these will make your beach bag heavier in the best way. But if you want the one with pink sand, sudden storms, complicated love stories, and an island you’ll never want to leave… well, you know which one I’m going to say.
Leave a Reply