Feels like summer 🎶

Approachable book recommendation #20

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Apologies for an un-original subject line but my brain has melted. I’m starting to write this after being outside for 30 minutes in the 32+ degree London heat, taking a cold shower, plonking myself directly in front of the fan and hiding in a darkened room, so it only felt right to make this the summer book edition. (Although I am sure we’ll be back to grey 20 degree days next week).

pastries always, peony season, ldn backdrop, kricket, ldn city, lemon ice(!), dinners, swims, reads, more reads

I highly recommend doing a ‘best of London bookshop crawl’ with your mum! We had lunch at the infamous (and bookish) Sam’s Cafe in Primrose Hill, strolled to the stacked Primrose Hill Books. Wandered through Regents park to hit up Daunt Books in Marylebone before busing through the chaos of Oxford St to the OG Hatchards in Piccadilly. (We didn’t make it to Cecil Court or Words on Water as we sat chatting for too long and it was a Sunday but, next time!).

Fredrick Backman is everything you want him to be/ think he is. A man who appears to be a burly surly nordic man but is in-fact a deeply feeling introverted softie of a human. It’s no surprise to anyone who has read his books (if you haven’t, go and do so now), that he physically feels what he writes on the page which is why he makes you, the reader, also feel everything he writes so deeply. He is a thin skinned, open hearted gem of a human.

Currently reading: I Want You to Be Happy by Jem Calder

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This month; four books (plus a bonus one I’ve recommended before but now really is the right time to read it) all with “summer” in the title to ensure we are definitely bang on the theme.

For those that are new here (hi, welcome!), I split my book recommendation’s into four categories and include a mix of new releases and books I’ve previously loved that feel timely. Hopefully there’s something for you.

COSY & COMFORTING

A book that has no ulterior motive and is simply a delightful time.

Summer at the Lake by Erica James

Published: June 2024
Summary: If you love an old protagonist storyline plus a 20-something romance this book is for you. After a near-accident, Adam (property developer), Floriana (Oxford tour guide) and Esme (an old, witty and sharp neighbour) strike up an unlikely friendship. This friendship somehow takes them on a weeks holiday to Lake Como where pasts are faced and love is ignited as well as rekindled. It may seem unlikely and far fetched here but it really is a beautiful story.

LOVE & BEING HUMAN

Everything and anything that gives insight and exposes the true messiness of being human..

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

Published: May 2022
Summary: This is Fortune’s fist and most prolific book; it nearly has 1m ratings on Goodreads and a 4+ star review PLUS it’s being made into a Prime 8-episode series due to land on 10th June aka just enough time to read it! (Trailer here)
For good, solid, summer based, romantic stories that have fully formed characters and some grit I can’t recommend Carley Fortune highly enough -

• Every Summer After Barry’s Bay #1(2022)

• Meet Me at the Lake (2023)

• This Summer Will Be Different (2024) (I wrote about this one here)

• One Golden Summer Barry’s Bay #2 (2025)

• Our Perfect Storm (2026)

INTENSE & REWARDING

Books that can fall on the heavier side but really give you something to get stuck into.

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

Published: Oct 2000
Summary: Yes I have recommended Barbara before, and no I won’t apologise as I will highly likely recommend her again. If you want to be fully captivated and immersed this summer, this is the book for you. Like all Kingsolver books, it’s sweeping and while not every page is action filled, every description will be so vivid you will find yourself transported to the humid summer of the fictional Zebulon County of southern Appalachia (Virginia). A masterpiece of subtle storytelling, Prodigal Summer beautifully explores how humanity and the natural world are entirely entwined.

PICK ‘N’ MIX

Anything that doesn’t fit into the other three (e.g. fantasy/ non-fiction) or simply something I want to recommend that fits the theme.

Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner

Published: May 2020
Summary: I loved this book, it’s different but it does it all. If you’re not wanting a sickly sweet summer read, Big Summer features; body shaming, toxic friendships, parasocial relationships, online bullying all whilst also being a murder mystery! It’s set at a should-be idyllic wedding in Cape Cod which will provide the summer elements.

BONUS

☀️ The Summer Book by Tove Jansson just read it, you will treasure it (or if you need another nudge this was my initial review).

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Stay cool out there ❄️

And as always, let me know if you’ve read any of the above or what you’re currently reading 💌
Happy reading xo

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Or if you’d like to read more of my book recommendations on Substack, see my previous posts here:

Season roulette | Go on, try it | Trying to lean in | Lighter days ahead

Or follow me on Goodreads or the Bookshop to keep up to date with my reading:
🔗 Goodreads here 🔗 Bookshop.org here

PS. All previous books recommendations are also categorised into ‘cosy’, ‘love’, ‘intense’ and ‘pick n mix’ shelves on my bookshop.org store (if you buy through any of the links via bookshop.org I may get a tiny kick back commission).

PPS. And if you’re still here, I get an email saying “xyz has liked your post” every time one of you clicks ‘like’ and it quite literally makes my day!