5 Beach Worthy Reads for Summer 2018

*This 5 Beach Worthy Reads for Summer 2018 themed article includes Amazon Affiliate links. If clicked for purchasing, I will make a small commission off these purchases.

After having read 8 Books to Get Excited for Spring 2018, I moved on to my March BOTM selection. Then, I also found myself returning to a few favorite authors for their newest novels. Plus, I just couldn’t resist Jojo Moyes latest for everyone’s favorite Lou’s latest adventures in the Big Apple. And this Mother’s Day found me finishing up yet another favorite book on my long list!

So, thought it was high time to update all here on my recent Goodreads reading. So read on now for my recent reads and my reviews for the 5 books I read recently.

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5 Beach Worthy Reads for Summer 2018

1. Other People’s Houses, by Abbi Waxman

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Plus this was also my March BOTM book.

This was touted as laugh out loud funny. While wouldn’t say the book was completely that, I did laugh at some points. Plus, the stories of the main families were somewhat realistic up until almost the end of the book. See the novel revolves around 4 core families that live not he same block. The main family of Frances and Michael’s portrayed a family of 5 that showed the ups and downs in a mostly realistic marriage after being married with children quite a few years time.

Next up was Anne and Charlie’s family of 4, which showcased the destruction what appeared to be the perfect marriage to the outside world due to Anne’s extra-marital affair. Her affair, first come to light, when Frances stumbles upon Anne and her lover in an uncompromising position. Frances struggles with how to handle her newfound discovery. But ultimately Anne’s deception comes to light in a very dramatic and public way. This leaves her family situation in peril and all the world she knows hanging by a thread.

We also are given a glimpse into Frances’ cousin’s (Iris) marriage to her wife Sara, as well as their son Wyatt. Iris is a stay at home mom to Wyatt and longs to have another baby. But Sara is more not he fence with this. Plus she is a pretty well-known actress, who is up for a lead role that films in China.

Last, but not least is Bill and Julie and their son, Lucas. It seems these two have a secret of their own. Many speculate that Julie has left Bill as she is no longer living with Bill and pretty much disappeared. But once again all is not how it appears and the reason for Julie’s abrupt departure comes to light, but not until it is practically dragged out of Bill in the most unflattering of moments. 

While I truly enjoyed the drama from here neighborhood families through most of the book, my one complaint comes towards the end of the novel. I don’t want to give away the ending. However, I will just say that how it wraps up, as well as some of the characters at the end are dismissed left me wishing for a more realistic ending to say the least. But still an easy, light read for vacation or beach time.

My Good Reads Summer 2018 Books Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

2. All We Ever Wanted, by Emily Giffin

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. What can I say, but Emily Giffin’s novels and writing style have always been tops for me. So when I saw that, she had a new novel out I just couldn’t help but get excited and want to read it. Thankfully, NetGalley supplied with with an advanced copy. I literally read this in one weekend’s time and couldn’t put it down.

From the moment I began to read about Nina Browning and her seemingly charmed life for those looking from the outside in, I knew I needed to read more. See Nina married into one of the most elite and finest families in Nashville, having married Kirk Browning. But Nina came from humble and definitely not rich, elite beginnings herself. Yet, over the years she has been living the rich girl’s life with her well-to-do husband and perfectly, charming son. But then, one evening it all comes crashing down.

See her husband is anything but perfect as money does have a way bringing out the worst instead of the best in many. Plus, her son (Finch) having grown up in this world where money is no object and is used to get you want ever you want, including getting out of all sorts of trouble. 

The story begins with Finch getting into Princeton and appears that he is the golden boy. But the golden boy takes a pretty incriminating photo of Lyla Volpe. See the pretty, rich boy is entitled and knows it. His story is definitely mired with a father, who believes in throwing money at it. And his mother, who is a good person at the heart of it. But somewhere along the lines almost has forgotten who she once was. Yet with this latest scandal, something has awoken who Nina once was. Plus, her newfound friendship with Lyla’s father, Tom seems to be part of the reason why Nina finds the strength to stand up for what she believes in.

At the heart of, this novel allows us, the readers, to learn exactly what did happen in all the many twists and turns along the way. 

My Good Reads Summer 2018 Books Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

3. As She Fades, by Abbi Glines

Thanks for Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the ARC. Here is the thing I have read quite a few other books by Abbi Glines. Some I absolutely loved and others were so-so. But still always up for giving her books a try as I genuinely enjoy her writing.

That said was so happy to receive the advanced copy of her latest YA novel with the story of Vale McKinley. See Vale and her boyfriend, Crawford were apparently in a pretty bad car accident the night of their high school graduation. This accident supposedly left Crawford in a coma, while Vale survives only to visit him daily, never leaving his side.

However, Vale is convinced as the summer continues to give college a try and leave Crawford. hoping he will eventually wake. Her heart still feels for Crawford. But at college, she is drawn to her brother Knox’s frat brother, Slate Allen. Slate is apparently a ladies man and major player. Still the two somehow are drawn to each.

There are two parts to this book. Without giving away the story here, as the first part draws to a close we are to believe that the story is going in one direction. But as part two open nothing is at it appeared in the first part after all. And just when you think you knew where things were indeed headed all of that is turned upside down.

I will say this, I am still not sure how I felt about said twist. On one hand I think it was clever to an extent. But on the other, I felt a bit let down that all I had read in part one was not as it looked to myself, the reader.

Still I wanted so much to give part two a chance to see the book through. While I think I get the reasoning behind the author switching it up, I still have some doubts and reservations even after having finished this book. I would still recommend. But I would give the reader the insight to make their own conclusions about the story and twist here, as well.

My Good Reads Summer 2018 Books Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

4. Girls’ Night Out, by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC. See I happen to have read a few others by these two very talented authors. So I was extremely excited to get my hands on an advanced copy of their latest. In their newest novel, the authors try their hand at the suspense and mystery genre. While I do realize they do write in this genre once before, I have only really read their other’s that were more women’s literature than mystery. So, I was also intrigued to see how the authors handled this kind of writing.

So the story, begins in Tulum, Mexico. Three lifelong friends (Ashley, Natalie and Lauren), who have had their ups and downs decide to get away for a girl’s vacation in Mexico. At the heart of this is the fact that the ladies aren’t honestly getting along with one another in recent times.

Ashley and Natalie are not only friends, but business partners. They own a beauty company that is currently being courted by Revlon to be bought out. Natalie wants to sell, but Ashley doesn’t. So, their friendship is being put to the test by this. Lauren is on the outs with both Ashley and Natalie after her husband Geoff passed away a year earlier from a sudden, but massive heart attack. See Lauren blames Ashley for this. And she stopped speaking to Ashely and by extension Natalie, as well.

So, this vacation is definitely more tense at the start than fun for these ladies. Add to the mix, that Ashley (married with kids) is being courted by a Mexican local (Marco) that both the other women are less than happy to have him crash their girl’s only vacation. Then, Ashley goes missing. Natalie wakes up on the beach with no memory of what happened. And the dram pretty much unfolds there told switching back and forth between present and past events in Mexico.

So bottom line, I really wanted to love this book as I have loved all the others from these two fine ladies. But something just felt off for me. The beginning definitely found me having trouble getting into the actual story. I forged ahead though and kept reading. As the story picked up, I did find myself more into the novel. I also had to read the ending three times to make sure I got exactly what happened to Ashley. I don’t want to give it away by any means. But there is literally one line in one of the last chapters that explains it perfectly. The said, I did end up enjoying this one. But still, hope these two authors consider returning to their women’s fiction writing for the next time out if possible as the mystery novel itself found me missing that more than anything else.

My Good Reads Summer 2018 Books Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

5. Still Me, by JoJo Moyes

I had my name on a long list for the Kindle version at my local library now for quite some time. Finally, my turn came. 

What can I say about the third installment into Louisa Clark’s story? After having read and adored her character thoroughly in Me Before You, as well as given her another go in the sequel, After You, I just couldn’t resist. Glad I didn’t, but because this might have been my favorite of all three books so far.

In this installment, Louisa heads to NYC to take a job with old former colleague, Nathan from her days with the Traynors. This time, Louisa works for the Gopniks (Leonard and Agnes). She is pretty much the personal assistant to the wife, Agnes. See Agnes is Leonard’s much younger second wife. Agnes is a very complex character. But somehow Louisa seemingly fits right into her new job or so it seems. Along the way, she befriends the doorman, the elder neighbor and even Agnes’ nemesis housekeeper.

However through no fault of her own, Louisa loses her job. Now she is left to figure out what to do next. She also seemingly loses her at home boyfriend, London Ambulance Sam.

So what is a girl to do? Somehow heroine, Louisa bounces back and even finds a new guy to spend her time in NYC with. Still, she has to decide what she wants most in her life now more than ever. 

Honestly, as I said before probably my favorite so far of Louisa’s journey. Because here we really see her come into her own and decide what she wants more than anything in her life. Plus the characters in this installment, are so fresh and real. I am not left hopeful for another chapter still left for Louisa to come. Fingers crossed!

My Good Reads Summer 2018 Books Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Well that wraps up my books read since last time out. I hope out of these 5 Beach Worthy Reads for Summer 2018 I have given some great reading suggestions.

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