Our guide to the ’20 Best Summer Holiday Reads for 2024′ contains affiliate links.
I think it’s fair to tentatively suggest that summer has arrived in the UK.
Of course, with the arrival of this long-awaited sun comes the prospect of lazy summer weekends, relaxed summer holidays and – best of all – a big pile of new books.
To help you plan your 2024 summer reading list – whether it’s a laugh out loud novel, a gripping thriller, or even a tear-jerker – the list below of the 20 best holiday reads has you covered.
Best Summer Holiday Reads for 2024
1. Fourth Wing, Rebecca Yarrros
I must admit, despite this book going wild on BookTok, I put off reading Fourth Wing for quite some time. Knowing that it had been described as Fifty Shades meets The Hunger Games, I wasn’t sure if this book was for me.
Oh, how wrong was I.
Having just finished Fourth Wing, I can confirm it’s completely addictive and a perfect summer holiday read for 2024. The ideal book for those looking for a bit of escapism, Fourth Wing will transport you to a world of dragons, magic, romance (although not as many sex scenes as Fifty Shades of Grey, may I add) and a twisting plot.
2. The Housekeepers, Alex Hay
Coming in at number two for the best summer holiday reads for 2024 is The House Keepers.
I picked up The House Keepers in Waterstones last week and can’t wait to get onto it. When Mrs King, the housekeeper to a Mayfair residence, is dismissed, she swiftly plots her revenge with the help of a gaggle of colourful female characters.
The perfect summer page-turner.
3. Before the Coffee Gets Cold, Toshikazu Kawaguchi
As far as comforting reads go, this has been one of my favourites this year.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold is set in a cosy Tokyo coffee shop, where visitors are offered the chance to travel back in time.
The story introduces us to four characters, who wish to time travel in order to fulfil various wishes and needs; completing their journey and returning to the present all before their coffee gets cold.
This is a beautiful summer holiday read, offering a thoughtful and gentle narrative that prompts you to ponder life.
4. In Memoriam, Alice Winn
For those looking for the best romance novel of 2024, make sure you add In Memoriam to your cart. I finished this book last month and haven’t stopped thinking about it since. In fact, I’ve been telling anyone who will listen that this is perhaps one of my favourite books of all time.
A bold claim.
A love story, tracing the relationship of two male school friends who move from the safety of school to the war fields of France, this is a special read that will have you blinking back the tears on your sun lounger.
5. My Favourite Mistake, Marian Keys
No blog post on the best holiday reads for 2024 would be complete without adding a Marian Keys to the list. And, fortunately for us, a brand new book from Keyes has recently been released.
My Favourite Mistake follows another of the Walsh sisters, Anna, as she moves from her Manhattan apartment to a small Irish town. As with any good summer romcom, Anna runs into her old flame, Joey Armstrong, once back in Ireland, and with it the mistakes she had tried to leave behind.
An easy, funny read, My Favourite Mistake is definitely one for a lazy summer afternoon or an easy-page turner for a long flight.
As with all Marian Keyes novels, this book is warm, funny and like a warm hug for those who are familiar with the Walsh family characters.
6. You Are Here, David Nicholls
For David Nicholls’ fans, or those who recently binged One Day on Netflix, you’ll have been eagerly awaiting this latest release.
You are Here follows two divorcees who find themselves lost in life in their mid-to-late thirties. While Michael finds solace in wandering the countryside in an attempt to avoid his empty house, Marnie rarely leaves her London flat.
Brought together by a mutual friend and some terrible weather, Michael and Marnie find themselves thrown together on a 10-day hike. As with all good romantic holiday reads, the 10-day hike provides both protagonists with a chance to find what they’ve been looking for; another chance at love.
This is a perfect summer holiday read for 2024.
7. Homecoming, Kate Morton
Kate Morton is one of my favourite authors and so I had to add Homecoming to our list of best holidays reads for 2024.
When journalist, Jess, returns to Sydney to care for her grandmother, she uncovers a true crime book dedicated to a real-life murder mystery that took place in the Adelaide Hills in 1959. The journalist in Jess is ignited when she discovers a disturbing connection between her family and the infamous crime, and she soon finds herself deeply involved in this cold case.
Spanning generations, this is a book that prompts you to consider the lies you would tell to protect a loved ones (especially as a mother) and is a gripping summer holiday read for 2024.
8. The Bee Sting, Paul Murray
If you’re wondering ‘what shall I read this summer?’, then pick this book.
I picked up this book just last weekend at Waterstones and cannot wait to get stuck in, despite the warnings from friends that it’s a lengthy one.
Centred on an Irish family who are facing financial ruin during the 2008 economic crash, this hefty 650 page book spans decades of drama and angst. Underlying the over-riding story line of the family closing down their family business, each chapter is dedicated to an individual family member and their own personal struggles.
I adore any book based around family dynamics and given the high praise this novel has already received worldwide, I’m sure The Bee Sting is set to be a book that I read way past my bedtime.
Definitely add it to your list of recommended summer reading.
9. Funny Story, Emily Henry
The ideal summer read for 2024, Funny Story is on my list for my upcoming pool holiday.
When Daphne finds herself alone in Waning Bay, Michigan – her husband having recently left her for his childhood sweetheart Petra – Daphne doesn’t know what to do next. Despite having her dream job as a children’s librarian, she has no friends or family nearby, and faces moving in with the most unlikely of room mates; Petra’s ex.
Polar opposites, it doesn’t seem that the two new roommates can get on, until a drunken night leads to a plan to post photos of their ‘summer adventures’ together. What started as a cunning plan, of course, leads to more, as Daphne finds herself falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s, ex-fiancé.
Juicy, romantic and funny, what more could you want from a summer read?
10. The Ministry of Time, Kaliane Bradley
In terms of best books for summer reading in 2024, this is definitely one.
The Ministry of Time is my current read and I am completely and utterly addicted.
Drawn in initially by it’s shiny cover, I was completely sold after reading the synopsis.
When a civil servant is awarded a new job working with ‘expats,’ she quickly discovers that these expats are, in fact, time travellers.
Gathering individuals from across time, the government have plucked individuals from across the decades, and brought them to the 21st century to see how the human body and mind fares through time travel.
The Civil Servant is tasked with being the ‘bridge’ to “1847,” otherwise known as Commander Graham Gore. As the two embark on a year of living together, their once awkward relationship turns into love, resulting in repercussions that neither could predict.
This is the perfect beach read for summer 2024.
11. The List of Suspicious Things, Jennie Godfrey
It’s 1979 and Margaret Thatcher is Prime Minster and the Yorkshire Ripper is stalking the Dales. Spooked by the murders, Miv’s Dad wants to move them ‘Down South’ but Miv could never leave her best friend, Sharon.
To thwart her Dad’s plan, Miv makes a plan with Sharon to make a list of all of the suspicious people who live on their street; hunting down the killer.
Sounds simple, right?
As Miv and Sharon make their way through the list, however, they uncover more secrets on their street than they could have ever imagined, including ones far closer to home.
This is a beautiful coming of age story and a lovely, cosy read. It’s therefore perfect for summer reading 2024.
12. The Fellowship of Puzzle Makers, Samuel Burr
This gentle story is the perfect summer read for 2024.
Abandoned at birth on the steps of the Fellowship of Puzzle Makers, Clayton was brought up by a group of eccentric enigmatologists. Now finding himself among the last survivors of this fading institution, Clayton’s world takes an exciting turn when his maternal figure, Pippa, dies, leaving him with one final puzzle.
Not only will this final puzzle reveal his true parentage, but will also help prepare him for leaving the safety of the Fellowship. As Clayton begins to unpick the final puzzle, he discovers something that even the Fellowship hasn’t been able to solve; a secret that could change everything.
A real page turner, this book tops our list for one of the best holiday reads for 2024.
13. Green Dot, Melanie Gray
Green Dot is centred on the life of Hera, a 24-year old lacking a zest for life; viewing her future as nothing more than a series of inevitable and depressing events.
When Hera takes on a new role as a comment moderator for a news outlet, however, she meets Arthur, a middle-aged journalist. Although Hera has dated women for most of her adult life, she finds herself falling hard and fast for Arthur, resulting in a passionate affair.
The fact that Arthur has a wife, and that said wife has no idea of Hera’s existence is, unsurprisingly, an issue that Hera finds herself grappling with.
The ideal beach read for 2024, this is a great book for twenty-somethings, which will leave you sniggering by the poolside, while relating hard to Hera and her journey.
14. A Court of Thorns and Roses, Sarah J Maas
Another BookTok favourite, A Court of Thorns and Roses has been sat on my bookshelf for a few months. Like Fourth Wing, A Court of Thorns and Roses thrusts its reader into a world of magical fantasy, with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure.
Feyre, a nineteen year-old huntress, finds herself dragged to a dangerous, magical land by a terrifying creature when she kills a wolf. As she settles into her new world, she discovers her captor, Tamlin, is in fact an immortal fairie who once ruled her own homeland.
Similar to Fourth Wing, her enemy soon becomes her lover as she begins to learn that not everything she’s been taught about the world of the Fae is true. And, before long, Feyre finds herself in a battle to save Tamlin and his world.
This is definitely one of the best books for summer 2024.
15. Someone Else’s Shoes, Jojo Moyes
Every best holiday reads list needs a Jojo Moyes book, and this year, we’re adding Someone Else’s Shoes to your pile.
The book follows Natasha Cantor, a woman enjoying a life of great wealth, globe trotting and luxury, until her husband files for divorce and cuts all ties. Although Nisha is desperate to cling onto her glamorous ways, she firstly needs to learn how to cope with everyday life.
At the same time, we meet Sam, a woman going through her own struggles, and who has just accidentally taken Nisha’s gym bag – along with her six-inch Louboutin heels. Stepping into the shoes, Sam realises it’s time to take charge of her life and change herself for the better.
I read this book on a holiday last year and found it an easy, funny and relaxing read, the kind of book everyone should have in their suitcase for a lazy summer holiday.
16. Small Things like These, Claire Keegan
A slightly more serious best summer reads for 2024 is Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan.
It’s 1985 in a small Irish town and Bill Furlong, and his family, face a busy Christmas season as coal merchants. During his regular morning journey to drop coal at a local convent, Bill discovers something that forces him to face his past, and the silence of his community that’s governed by the church.
Small Things like These is already an international bestseller and a brilliant holiday read for those looking for a story of empathy and hope.
17. The Marriage Portrait, Maggie O’Farrell
The Marriage Portrait is a book that has been recommended to me time and time again by my friends, and I have it sat on my bedside table ready to read.
Set in Florence in the 1550s, The Marriage Portrait revolves around a young duchess named Lucrezia de’ Medici (a real historical figure). Happy with her life as the third daughter of the grand duke, she suddenly find herself thrust into the spotlight on the eve of her sister’s wedding, when her sister tragically dies.
Forced to take the hand of a duke, Lucrezia finds herself with just one task: to produce an heir to the dynasty.
A story of resilience, beautifully written by Maggie O’Farrell (one of my favourite authors), the Marriage Portrait comes high on the list of our best beach reads for 2024.
18. Really Good Actually, Monica Heisey
I belly laughed my way through this hugely relatable book and couldn’t think of a better summer read than Really Good Actually.
The books follows Maggie, a 29-year old divorcee who is trying to find happiness since the breakdown of her marriage. Witty, laugh out loud, and painfully relatable at times, this is a novel that perfectly encapsulates the experience of modern day romance.
This is absolutely a book to add to your best summer reads for 2024.
19. The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom
If you’re looking for a novel to read by the pool that will leave you in tears, make sure you pack The Five People You Meet in Heaven. I’ve had this book on my reading list for years and finally read it earlier in 2024.
This short novel follows the life (and death) of a fair ground mechanic named Eddie. After dying in a freak accident at the fairground, Eddie finds himself in heaven, where he meets five people who had a major impact on his life.
I looked forward to reading this book every night, and while it’s definitely a tear-jerker in places, the book is a beautiful reminder of what is really important when you reach the end of your life: love.
20. One Good Thing, Alexandra Potter
I read One Good Thing last year, when I desperately needed something light-hearted, easy and comforting.
Written by the author of Confessions of a Forty-Something F*ck Up, this heart warming book follows Liv Brooks, who finds herself newly divorced and leaving London for a new life in the Yorkshire Dales.
As she settles into life in the Dales, the book follows both Liv and the characters she meets along the way who are facing their own struggles. Slowly, Liv finds a sense of community and happiness in the Dales, and as can be expected in any good holiday read, discovers that love lies just around the corner.
The perfect book to end this list of the best holiday reads for 2024.
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