Happy happy MAY BOOK DAY!
This month, I read four books…all fiction…and all a little different.
Did I like them? Did I not? Was one phenomenal? You’ll have to read my reviews below to see 🙂 .
We are officially in my favorite season for reading…SUMMERTIME! As much as I love reading year around (those cozy days of January are super nice!), nothing gets my heart happier than a warm day, a pool or the ocean and a book.
Settle in, grab that iced coffee (try it with a pump of macadamia!) and open up your Amazon app, it’s time to get R-E-A-D-I-N-G!
Book #1:
Happy Place by Emily Henry
Emily Henry knows how to write a cute book. I had this one preordered and delivered to my Kindle the day it came out because…even though her book Beach Read wasn’t my favorite a few years ago, last year’s Book Lovers was super cute. This novel here? Another cutie 🙂 .
This is the story about six college friends who return each summer to one of their father’s Maine coastal home for the week to reconnect. I’m not going to lie, the story gets a little predictable (which is fine, it’s still cute!), but the last sentence of the first chapter shocked me and had me hooked. #didntseeitcoming
On this trip to Maine, the father is planning on selling the vacation home, so this will be their last hoorah in this town, in this house. This book was a super quick, light read, a little Rated R, but the main theme really is about growing up and growing past certain chapters in life…and how that’s okay. As we get older, our lives go in our own directions and things just don’t happen like they used to because we’re different people.
Cute book, easy read, very light, you’ll read it in no time!
Book #2:
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
This novel is by the same author who wrote MY 2ND FAVORITE BOOK OF 2020 (out of the 54 books I read that year!). You guys, I LOVED THIS ONE TOO!!!!
Now, here’s the thing, in the other book, you know right away what the “point” of the book is going to be (not in a bad way, but in a “of course this has to be about the soul survivor of a plane crash” way), but in this book, it took me a long time to really grasp “the main point” as it could have had so many.
This is the story of four sisters (a la Little Women…sort of a nod and a wink), but also about mental health, and about a boy growing into a man who has a complicated past, and about parents, and about moving on and growing away from where your roots were planted…you guys, IT’S SO GOOD! This book covers forgiveness, making choices for ourselves and not for others, it’s about following your heart despite the consequences…it’s rich. The plot spans from the 1960s until 2008, and you won’t want to put it down.
Right this minute, my notes on this book are long, but I will refrain as I don’t want to give too much away. Needless to say, read this novel! Start reading it today.
Book #3:
Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune
Okay, in full disclosure, my opinion of this book changed after I read Book #4 this month, so please bear with me as I explain…
Last year, I read the debut novel by this author and here is what I wrote on my book review:
Well after I finished the last page of this book, I immediately texted three people I know who also read a ton and told them all to read this one. I was shocked to learn that this is the debut novel of this author. It’s written like a seasoned pro of chick lit.
I loved it.
I even referenced that book again in last year’s 2022 BOOK REVIEW RECAP POST, and this is what I said:
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
Oh this book here might be the #1 book I recommended to friends and family this year. This was just everything I love in a fictional story. It’s fabulous! Make sure you read my full review!
If this was my #1 book recommendation for the year.
So, yeah, clearly I LOVED her first book last year and was SO excited about reading this Book #2. I had also preordered this one to my Kindle and dove in as soon as I could. And um, well, I didn’t like it.
Agh.
Here are the reasons why I didn’t like it per my notes that I keep on each book (and then we’re going to circle back, so stay with me): The plot was weak, the main character wasn’t super likeable, the ending seemed way too obvious, I didn’t really love any of the sub characters, kind of boring, too cheesy, not my fave.
I was so bummed by the end of this book. The main character goes back home to her mom’s small resort on a lake in Canada from “the big city” after she dies and has to figure out whether to keep it running herself or sell it…and of course, there’s a boy. I mean, it sounds like a “Shay book” but based on how high I had set the bar after reading her debut novel, I was super disappointed. I wrote my little notes and moved on to Book #4 (review below) and then about halfway through reading that book, it hit me…I was being unfair to author Carley Fortune and super generous to author Nancy Thayer.
The book below is like my 978th Nancy Thayer book to read. I’ve read them all and this is her brand new one for 2023. All of her books are set on Nantucket, they’re all cheesy, the writing is fine but not nearly as good as Elin Hildebrand (who writes pretty much the same type of novel), they are all predictable, all happy, all light, all easy to read and none of them “stellar” but always a good read. I was going to give the book below glowing remarks based on how low I had set the bar when…it’s honestly not any better than Carley Fortunes’ book here, so I need to chill a bit on Carley.
Make sense?
If you’re looking for a great read this summer, grab Every Summer After, if you’re looking for something light and simple, grab her newest book here or Book #4 below 🙂 .
Side note, both of Fortune’s novels are Rated R where Thayer’s are always PG.
Book #4:
All the Days of Summer by Nancy Thayer
And so here we go, this checks all of my boxes for “easy summer reads”.
This novel is set on Nantucket (check!), it’s about a woman finding herself (check!), it’s about delicious food (check!), it’s about family (check!), it feels very beachy and summery (check!) and your mind can read this while resting from the horrors that are surrounding our news these days (CHECK, CHECK!!).
This is the story of a woman in her late 40s heading to Nantucket for the summer after splitting from her husband only to find her son is also going to be there living in the garage apartment over his girlfriend’s parents’ house who are very “well to do” on the island.
If you want an easy beach book, here you go.
Okay, whew! That wraps up my MAY BOOK REVIEW!
Please leave recs for all of your beach books for this summer please! I want all the good book recs on my Kindle, and you ladies, always know which ones I need to read!
One more thing before we go…
…last year, I shared SHAY’S ULTIMATE MAY BOOK REVIEW, and it’s still a MUST READ this year too! I stand by all of these books for your summer reading this year too!
Also, don’t forget…
To see the complete list of books I read in 2015 (all 63 of them), click here.
To see the complete list of books I read in 2016 (all 62 of them), click here.
To see the complete list of books I read in 2017 (all 62 of them), click here.
To see the complete list of books I read in 2018 (all 61 of them), click here.
To see the complete list of books I read in 2019 (all 54 of them), click here.
To see the complete list of books I read in 2020 (all 54 of them), click here.
To see the complete list of books I read in 2021 (all 59 of them), click here.
To see the complete list of books I read in 2022 (all 60 of them), click here.
That wraps up Book Day! I hope you had a wonderful long weekend. I’ll see you all back here tomorrow! xx
Elspeth Mizner says
I can’t wait to read the new Emily Henry book! Sounds perfect for summer!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Kari Anne Maddox says
I read 2 of these books, and I wanted to say that Nancy Thayer’s characters were very unlikeable. The dislike from the girlfriend to the mom was SUPER extreme. The ex husband was practically a cartoon character because how terrible he was. Of course, the lead woman was super sweet, nice, easy to like and it was almost TOO light! I did enjoy Happy Place because it was predictable, but also a cute story line 🙂
Mix and Match Mama says
It really wasn’t her best book, right? I’m glad I read it, but it wasn’t at all like her others.
Alison says
Thank you for book recap day! Happy Place was already on my list and Carley’s new book. Though you scared me for a hot second with her newest novel. I’m definitely going to still plan to read it. Every Summer After was soooo good!
Sue says
I loved Hello, Beautiful. If you haven’t read Ask, Again Yes by Mary Beth Keane, you might really enjoy it as well. I loved Every Summer After and and am halfway through Meet Me at the Lake. Like it, don’t love it.
Sarina says
I also read Happy Place (loved!) and Meet me by the Lake (eh!)… to anyone that reads audiobooks, meet me by the lake has a terrible voice for the male lead. You’ve been warned haha!
I heard Christina Lauren’s book “love and other words” has a similar plot to Every Summer After.
Separately I read the Knockemout series “Things we never got over” and “Things we hide from the light” by Lucy Score. They are romance, slow burns which I love but also have a lot of meat to it! Highly recommend to anyone who like that genre (they are a bit long)
Jody Forsee says
Loved the Knockemout books too but I rate them very R.
Sarina Vinci says
@beachreadsandbubbly calls them a slow burn BRAD (beach read after dark) HAHA!
Shannon says
Love and other words is SO similar to Every Summer after. Somehow I read them back to back last year and it was crazy!
Jayne says
Very similar! If I’m not mistaken, Carley Fortune says in her author’s note how much she admires (and clearly emulates) Christina Lauren.
Erika Slaughter says
Hello Beautiful is on my kindle just waiting for me to read! So glad you liked it!
Kait Walsh says
Every Summer After is set in my little home town of Barry’s Bay, ON Canada! So fun to hear bloggers talk about it♥️☺️
Mix and Match Mama says
It sounded so charming!!!
Kristen says
I just read Minka Kelly’s bio this weekend and it was great! I highly recommend. Also read Curtis Sittenfeld new book ” Romantic Comedy” , very good!!
Kristen Hardison says
My TBR pile for June is gonna be a amazing – once they all arrive! So many authors have books coming out soon! Here’s my list: The Senator’s Wife (Liv Constantine), Same Time Next Summer (Annabel Monaghan), Little Ray of Sunshine (Kristan Higgins), and of course The Five-Star Weekend (Elin Hilderbrand and I’m PRETTY sure there’s no ghost in this one)!! 🥰🥰🥰
Kristen says
I always forget about Liv Constantine.. I love her books!
Kelly M Sites says
I LOVED Hello Beautiful with all my heart. It will be a top favorite for the whole year. I hated Happy Place. Too cheesy and shallow for me :). I realize I am just not a chic lit kind of gal. I like a little more depth and drama.
Did you know Hello Edward is a series now on Apple TV? My husband and I are watching and we LOVE IT. Edward is adorable on the show.
Katrina says
I read the first three recently as well! I feel the same way. I thought Happy Place was very cute, loved Hello Beautiful, and felt the same way about Lake. I loved her first novel too!!!
Erin Rivers says
I read and loved all 4 of these books! Happy Place and Meet Me At The Lake were actually on my list of recommendations for you. LOL!
*Christina Lauren’s new book, The True Love Experiment, might be my most favorite Christina Lauren ever….and she’s a hard one to top.
*Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon – – can a book be both an easy read AND a hard read? Because this one is and it is so so good.
*The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda – – a thriller (not scary, though, because I don’t do scary) with a twist I didn’t at all suspect
*The Plus Ones by Mazey Eddings – – fun, light, easy
Kit says
Shay! LOVE Book Day!! Remember your #1 book of the year from a while back, “My Oxford Year”?? The author Julia Whelan has a new book out called “Thanks for Listening” – you would love it!!
Kay says
I’m so glad to see ‘Hello Beautiful” on your list! I just opened my college alumni magazine to find out the author went to my college and we were there at the same time! (I didn’t know her, though we had the same creative writing teacher). Sounds like a great book.
On my list for the start of summer: Cutting Teeth (Chandler Baker), The Celebrants (Steven Rowley, and if you haven’t read his novel “The Guncle, it’s amazing), The Covenant of Water (Abraham Verghese). These are all a departure from my normal Summer reads (light, happy, fun) so I’m sure I’m going to need some good beach reads once I get through these.
I think you would love Elizabeth Berg if you want happy/cozy/light! I just read her latest, “Earth’s the Right Place for Love.” It’s part of a trilogy but you can read this as a stand alone. It’s a love story, and takes place in a cozy, sweet little town where all the women of the neighborhood look out for our narrator, a young teenage boy with an old soul.
Happy start of summer!
Robin says
Elizabeth Berg is one of my very favorite authors ! Loved all of her books – especially some of the earlier ones . You really can’t wrong with any of them !
Sheaffer says
And once again, I’ve got nothin’. 😉
Patty says
I LOVE book review mainly to read your comments, Sheaffer!
Lauren says
I also recommend Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld. I just finished it and loved it! Carley Fortune’s book is on my list for this month and also Christina Lauren’s new one, The True Love Experiment.
Dawn says
I’m reading Maame by Jessica George and loving it! It’s set in London and has a charming main character. It’s not all happy and light, but I can’t stop reading it!
Sarah says
It’s not just you! I also enjoyed Carley Fortune’s first book much more than this one. It felt like a letdown to me.
One book recommendation that I don’t think I’ve seen here yet is Findlay Donovan is Killing It (by Elle Cosimano). Not a beach read per se, but a pretty light and easy read. I will admit that the hook is a bit better than the overall execution, but it might be worth a try!
Emily Taylor says
I enjoyed Findlay Donovan is Killing it also. A unique story line & lol funny @ times!
Sarah says
Haha – these typos are killing me 🤦🏼♀️ (thanks iPhone autocorrect!)
For anyone who’s interested in reading it the correct spelling is “Finlay Donovan is Killing It”
Melanie Novak says
Love the Finley Donovan series… just fun reads!
Emily says
I must have had too high expectations for Happy Place…didn’t love it 😔 I kept falling asleep every time I sat down to read it. Still like Emily Henry though!
Kara says
Love your recaps and recs, thank you! A recommendation for you if you have not read already, “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin.
K.K. says
Yes, yes, yes… Loving these posts, as always! 🙂
Lynn says
Thank you for your book reviews. I have found so many good reads based on your recommendations. I think you’d enjoy Simu Liu’s biography: We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story. I’m a Marvel fan and I am a fan of the sitcom Kim’s Convenience. After reading his biography, I am now a Simu fan. His humility, gratitude, self-deprecating sense of humor and excellent story-telling skills are evident throughout this book. The next book recommendation I have it for the perfect summer read: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. As part of his job in internet security, Lincoln has to monitor the emails at work. In doing so, he begins to read the email exchanges between Beth and her friend Jennifer. In doing so, he begins to fall for Beth as her sardonic humor, quick wit, and kindness is revealed through her emails. Rainbow Rowell masterfully weaves the story of Lincoln and Beth while also making you fall in love with a whole cast of supporting characters. This book is a favorite that I’ve reread many times.
Holly says
Not a beach read, but Horse by Geraldine Brooks is amazing!
Carol says
This may be unfair, but I thought Every Summer After was way too much like Christina Lauren’s Love and Other Words, which is one my favorites. That really put me off that one, though everyone else seems to love it.
I liked Happy Place, but I couldn’t get past the $$$ in loans. Couldn’t she be a GP on a small town? Haha!
Marie says
I couldn’t agree more – Every Summer After came out years after Christina Lauren’s Love & Other Words … and while I really liked it, I couldn’t get over the fact that it felt very inspired by their (Christina Lauren is 2 people!!) book
For Happy Place – I also felt like small town GP could have been good?!?
Sheila DeSpirito says
I’m so happy you read Hello Beautiful, I read it in April and loved it.
I’m recommending a book I read a couple of weeks ago, The Secret Book Of Flora Lea, by Patti Callahan Henry
I remember you read another book by Patti
And I remember you loved the book, Becoming Mrs Lewis. Patti has a brand new book that I mentioned above. I hope you get a chance to read her new book.
Happy Reading Shay!
Rayne says
I second the Secret Book of Flora Lea! It was great!
Joanne says
I just read Happy Place (while in Maine on vacation!) and enjoyed it a lot. It was super cute.
Melissa O'Brien says
So this isn’t really what I would call a “beach read” but it’s one of my favorite books this year! The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams. It seemed to have a slow start but once I got into it, I didn’t want to put it down. It’s a really sweet story!
Kathleen Lewis says
Loved The Reading List. Definitely a must read!!
KD says
I just finished “I’ll be You” by Janelle Brown and think you may like it – a twin is trying to figure out what happened to her sister and why she’d abruptly leave her in charge of her toddler. It flips from the present to moments from their past. It kind of read like a Taylor Jenkins Reid book to me.
Susanne says
I’m reading that right now. Glad to know it’s so good!
Ashley says
Thanks so much for these book reviews, Shay!! I think I’d love Happy Place (I also loved Book Lovers!) and will definitely put that on my TBR list.
Not sure if you’ve read this one or not, but Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman is an amazing summer read. It’s a thriller though, but just perfect for a beach read!
Make Life Marvelous
Patricia Stanford says
Great books! Some I have read and some are now on my list! Thank you!
My faves for this month that I enjoyed and hope others do as well:
What happened to Kitty Carr? – Historical Fiction, with a little bit of romance and a message.
I Didn’t Do it! – The best who done it I have read in a long time! Fresh idea, not too long, and I could not put it down!
The Book of Charlie – Wisdom From the Remarkable Life of a 109 Year Old Man – This book is on Tam Hanks Favorite books list so I had to see what the hype was. Sweetest book ever about a Washington journalist (living in Kansas) and things learned from his 109 year old neighbor. He and his family learned life lessons as this neighbor made quite an impact on his family. I learned a lot from ready thing!
I look forward to seeing everybody’s recommendations. This is where I get my best ideas ever!
Patti from New Orleans!
Cyndi W says
Shay, I look soooo forward to your book reviews that I scrolled with bated breath in case we disagreed on Hello Beautiful! LOL! We agree it is magnificent! Love your fairness to the author evaluation of yourself and may go back to my kindle/amazon review and give Adochie’s Americanah 5 rather than 4 stars!
Stacy says
Book review day is my favorite day of the month! I think you would love Don’t Let Me Go by Catherine Ryan Hyde. It’s about an apartment complex full of different people rallying around a little girl to keep her from being cast into the foster care system because her mom is battling an addiction issue. Heartwarming! Also her “Have You Seen Luis Velez” is so good too!
Thanks for all the good ideas – I always share them with my book club when we are tying to choose our next book!
mary says
I loved Hello Beautiful! Being from an Italian family of 5 children, 4 girls and one boy, could totally relate! I believe though there was more fighting over clothes and bathroom time then the sisters in the book 🙂 but today we are all grown and we asked which one of us was a sister in the book, I was a combination of Julia and Cecilia
Enjoy!
Lizzie says
Have you read Mad Honey? It’s a Jodi Picoult book that’s verrrrry interesting. If you decide to give it a try, don’t read too many spoilers! There’s an interesting plot twist that will blow you away. It had me staying up late to finish and I’ve been recommending it all the time!
Fawn Burns says
In The Wild Light by Jeff Zentner
SO GOOD. You won’t be sorry:).
KD says
That’s a good one!
Laura says
Yes! Just unbelievably beautiful writing and great story/character development.
Kathryn says
I love book review day! I recently read The Beach Trap and it was so cute! A great, light, fun summery book but with a cute plotline too.
Brook Fuchs says
I agree on your recap of Meet Me at the Lake. I was wondering if I was the only one left a little disappointed. Every Summer After was SO good though! It’s important to establish a likable character or at least a good plot twist.
Mandy Frank says
Thank You For Listening by Julia Whelan is a cute one & perfect for a summer read. I am also enjoying Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson.
Allison says
Look up Elizabeth Passarella! She has a book called Good Apple-Tales of a Southern Evangelical in New York! Basically a collection of stories on parenthood, marriage and her faith and also laugh out loud funny! She also has a new book out called It Was An Ugly Couch anyway.
Mix and Match Mama says
I read this book last year! It was SO GOOD!! I loved reading about her lifestyle and living arrangements especially (her kids’ school, rats in apartment buildings, etc!).
Kelly says
I highly recommend “Local Woman Missing” by Mary Kubica if you haven’t read it yet. It’s a mystery which usually isn’t my favorite genre but I’m so glad my book club pick it to read this month. So good that I couldn’t put it down.
Laura says
I’m so glad you loved Hello, Beautiful! You know when there’s that book you love so much that you’re actually offended when people don’t like it, as if you wrote it? Haha, that’s this one for me! Just loved it so, so much!
Sara says
I discovered the author Clare Pooley recently- I read Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting and I loved it! Now I’m reading her first book, The Authenticity Project, and I’m loving that one too. Her books take place in England, and they’re just cozy and heartwarming!
Deb says
I’m reading Lessons in Chemistry right now and I highly recommend it! I am concerned something might happen to the dog bc I love dogs but it’s so good!