There is nothing quite like getting away from it all, with a few relaxing hours on the coast and a riveting beach read to keep you company.
I don’t know about you, but even if the beach is a bustling hive of activity, tuning in to the sound of the waves and the words on the page seems to take me to a tranquil haven where my mind drifts away into its own sublime quiet space.
Top ten places to read a book
It is no wonder then that ‘the beach’ makes the top ten in pretty much every list of favourite places to read a book. In case you are curious about the others, in no particular order, they are:
- In the bath
- In bed
- During a commute
- At a café
- On the sofa
- By the pool
- At a bar
- At a bookstore
- At the park
I have to confess that while I have read a book in the bath (being careful not to drop it in the foamy bubbles!), I have never considered reading a book in a bar. Clearly, I am in the minority there, though, so perhaps I will give that a try one day.
Does the beach influence book choice?
So what about the choice of book? Does the environment influence the type of book that we choose to read? Having carried out a few searches online, it would appear that go-to beach reads are those that are lighthearted, engaging, but easy to pick up and put down.
The most popular choices range from mysteries and thrillers to romance novels and fiction with relatable characters. These are all considered to offer the perfect mix of escapism and enjoyment, without over-taxing the ‘little grey cells’ too much.
Much like having songs in your music library that you might be too embarrassed to admit to publicly, are beach reads something of a guilty pleasure? If so, is this ‘book snobbery’ something that the authors should be trying to avoid?
Popular authors of beach reads
Is it a good thing to say that the likes of Emily Henry, Mary Kay Andrews, Jennifer Weiner, or Sophie Kinsella are considered writers of ‘beach reads’? I don’t have the answers, by the way, but I will confess to having many a Sophie Kinsella title on my bookshelf.
Another personal favourite of mine is ‘It’s All Greek To Me’ by John Mole, which I have re-read at the beach more times than I can count. Having lived in Crete for a period of my life, I find it all too relatable and laugh-out-loud funny, which can lead to some strange looks!
Beach reads for 2025
If you are looking for your next beach read, the list below contains some of the more popular books for 2025:
Swept Away – Beth O’Leary
The Summer Place – Jennifer Weiner
It’s a Love Story – Annabel Monaghan
Great Big Beautiful Life – Emily Henry
One Golden Summer – Carley Fortune
Fever Beach – Carl Hiaasen
The Love Haters – Katherine Center
Malibu Rising – Taylor Jenkins Reid
If you have read any of the listed books or have a go-to beach read of your own to recommend, we would love to hear about it. Please comment below.
