Summer is one of my favorite times of the year to read seasonal books. Over the past few years, I’ve tailored my monthly TBRs to include quite a few reads that made me feel as if I were sunning on the beach, sailing the ocean blue, or reminded me of my summers growing up. In hopes of starting a new tradition on Authoring Arrowheads, here are my summer book recs for 2025, compiled from my recent reads all the way back to 2020!

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth

Starting with one of my most recent reads, The Soulmate is an adult domestic mystery/thriller that follows married couple Gabe and Pippa and the mysterious issues that arise when someone jumps off the cliff behind their house in coastal Australia. This was my first read by Hepworth and I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery, as well as the beachy atmosphere the setting offered.

Content Warning: This book is secular and contains language as well as other content not suitable for younger readers. I would personally recommend it for those 16+.

Finding Fireflies by A.C. Williams

This was a recent reread for me in preparation for reading its sequel, Saving Sparrows, later this year. Finding Fireflies is a mix between a Christian romcom and a suspense novel in the best way possible. Awkward and single Trisha is working as a church secretary at the church her father pastors when she gets arrested for an overdue ticket and ends up in jail with a woman who she discovers is a victim of human trafficking. Featuring unmatched humor, scenes at the lake, and a main character you can’t help but love, I highly recommend checking out this hidden gem of a novel if you haven’t already.

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

My most recent mystery/thriller read, set near a marsh in Georgia, felt like summer encapsulated. Willingham’s lyrical descriptions of the setting made me feel like I was standing on the banks of the marsh myself on humid summer nights. This book follows a mother named Isabelle who, after her son was kidnapped from his room one year ago, has suffered from chronic insomnia ever since and is on a quest to find out where he is.

Content Warning: This book is secular and contains sparse language. I believe there was also a fade-to-black scene. I would recommend it for readers 16+.

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

My first Willingham read, which I read in 2023, is another mystery/thriller that I recommend reading during the summer. This one is more fast-paced than All the Dangerous Things and follows the daughter of a convicted s*rial k*ller who is preparing for her wedding when someone begins to copycat the crimes her father committed 20 years ago.

Content Warning: If I remember correctly, this one had more language than All the Dangerous Things and may have contained a skippable open door scene or a fade-to-black scene. For that reason, I would recommend it for readers 18+.

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

If you’ve been searching for summer book recs, I’m sure you’ve already come across this one, but it’s totally worth the hype! This book is the first in Jenny Han’s Summer trilogy and follows a teen girl named Belly (short for Isabel) who navigates a love triangle between brothers Conrad and Jeremiah, friends of her family who she has known all her life, as they spend time together during summer vacation. If you’re looking for a nostalgic summer read, Han has you covered! The author perfectly portrayed what summer felt like as a teenager.

Content Warning: There may be sparse language in this, but overall, it is fairly clean. The sequels have more language and negative content.

Shug by Jenny Han

I recently picked up this middle grade standalone by Han based on the title (Shug is a term of endearment used by those of us in eastern NC and surrounding areas) and I absolutely ADORED it. While The Summer I Turned Pretty perfectly encapsulates what summer feels like as a teenager, Shug brings a heavy dose of what middle school summers felt like for me. Following 12-year-old Annemarie from the summer before she starts Jr. High to a few months later, this book navigates first crushes, dealing with parental problems, and middle school drama. Even though I’m in my early 30s, I was invested from start to finish. While this doesn’t take place primarily in summer, it’s my top pick for middle grade summer books.

Content Warning: While this is a middle grade book, there is a bit of language in this (with Annemarie cussing) and it covers the tough topics of abuse and alcoholism, so I’m hesitant to recommend it to readers under 13 years old.

Under the Magnolias by T.I. Lowe

I recently recommended this book in my post for YA Books about Grief, but every time I see the cover of this book, I’m reminded of the main character, Austin, working in the tobacco fields throughout the story, which in turn makes me think of my parents’ stories of working in the tobacco fields when they were growing up. This is a Christian YA novel set in 1980s South Carolina that covers grief and other tough topics.

Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Last year, I picked up this book after eyeing it for around a decade. Since You’ve Been Gone follows high schooler Emily who is on a quest to figure out why her best friend Sloane has disappeared. The only thing she has to go on is a summer bucket list Sloane left for her to complete that is meant to break Emily out of her shell. If you’re looking for a cute young adult romance this summer, be sure to add this one to your TBR!

Content Warning: This book contains mild language. I’d recommend it for ages 13+.

The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen

I think I may have recommended this young adult romance in a previous post, but I can’t remember which one. Either way, if you’re looking for a read with a lake town setting rather than a summer book that’s set at the beach, this is the perfect pick. This book follows a girl named Emma (also known as Saylor) who has been sent to stay with her maternal Grandma in her momma’s hometown of Lake North. On the opposite side of the lake resides North Lake, the luxurious tourist trap and polar opposite of Lake North that Lake North locals despise. I enjoyed the family bonds in this book and how it featured lake lore from when Emma’s mom was her age.

Content Warning: This book contains language and underage drinking, and if I recall, possible drug use. I recommend it for ages 16+.

On the Fence by Kasie West

Also featured as one of my recs for YA books about grief, On the Fence is one of my favorite YA romances by Kasie West. This book follows tomboy Charlotte who navigates grief from her mother’s death, her new job at a boutique to pay off her speeding ticket, and a crush on the boy next door. Though I read it a few years ago and the details are fuzzy, I remember falling head over heels for the romance in this and thinking it was the cutest thing ever. ❤

100 Days of Sunlight by Abbie Emmons

If you’re looking for a book that screams sunshine and positivity, 100 Days of Sunlight is it! Poetry blogger Tessa, who is temporarily blind thanks to a wreck she and her grandma were involved in, meets perpetually peppy Weston when her grandparents hire him to help Tessa type up her blog posts. Though this book doesn’t take place at the beach, the story and romance scream summer.

Content Warning: Emmons herself recommends this book for ages 12+ for mild language and thematic elements based on the link provided in her Goodreads review.

How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

Yet another YA romance that I’ve reread, How My Summer Went Up in Flames follows New Jersey native Rosie as she joins her neighbor Matty and his two friends on a cross-country road trip as punishment for setting her ex-boyfriend’s car on fire. It sounds a little crazy, I know, but this book is a lot of fun, especially if you’re looking for a good road trip read. One of my favorite aspects was how the author described each of their stops in different states and all of the touristy things the teens did on their journey.

Content Warning: There is strong language throughout this book, and I believe an implied spice scene between older teens (they may have been 18, I can’t remember). It’s been a few years since I last read it. I would recommend this one for readers 17+ because of that.

The Off the Itinerary series by M. Liz Boyle

If you’re in search of a series about summer vacations and outdoor adventures, my author bestie M. Liz Boyle has you covered with her Christian YA series! These books follow the Miles and Stanley families as they meet up for joint vacations, only for outdoor mishaps to ensue that lead to dangerous circumstances. This series is completely clean, and I recommend it for readers 10+, though readers younger than that may enjoy the books too.

Meet the Sky by McCall Hoyle

For my last contemporary YA romance rec, Meet the Sky tackles an unsavory aspect of summer: hurricane season. Set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, this book follows Sophie and reckless Finn when they miss being evacuated from the island as a Category 3 hurricane blows in. It’s been forever since I read this one and I’m craving to reread it, but I absolutely loved it the first time I read it. This book is a clean read with no language, and I recommend it for readers 12+.

Eloise and the Grump Next Door by Emma St. Clair and Jenny Proctor

Also featured in my recent clean romcom recs post, Eloise and the Grump Next Door is the first book in the Oakley Island series and like its Goodreads description says, it has “sizzling chemistry but no spice”. I loved the couple in this grumpy/sunshine romcom, the secluded, small town of Oakley Island, and the summertime antics that ensued.

The Paid Bridesmaid by Sariah Wilson

Featuring a destination wedding in a tropical paradise, The Paid Bridesmaid is a clean romcom that follows Rachel, a bridesmaid-for-hire who is pretending to be the best friend of a social media influencer. During the wedding week, the best man starts to think she’s a corporate spy who has her eye on his tech company. In all this crazy mix, a romance blossoms between the two, of course, and it’s a hilarious time. This book was also featured in my clean romcoms post.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

One of my all-time favorite books, I can’t think of The Help without thinking of summer. Though the book takes place over the course of a couple of years, the majority of the scenes, if I remember correctly, take place in the blistering Mississippi heat. If you love historical fiction with lovable main characters, multiple points-of-view, and an emotional, gritty story, you need to check this one out!

Content Warning: This is a secular novel that contains strong language, depictions of abuse, depictions of miscarriages, and depictions of racism throughout (shown in a negative light, as this is a story about fighting against racial injustice during the 1960s). The book is a bit grittier than the movie, so I’d recommend it for readers 18+ due to the heaviness of the topics it covers and other elements.

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

Part contemporary romance, part thriller, Safe Haven follows Katie, a victim of an abusive husband who has fled her home state for the small coastal town of Southport, North Carolina to make a new life for herself. While there, she meets local widower and store owner, Alex, who she slowly begins to fall for. I’ve read all of Sparks’ fiction books to date (as of the summer of 2025) and this is among my favorites of his.

Content Warning: This is a secular novel that contains language, vivid depictions of abuse including 1 or 2 mild open door scenes, stalking, and violence (if I remember correctly, as it’s been a couple years since I last read this). I’d recommend this for readers 18+ due to the open door scenes, though they can be skipped.

Fable by Adrienne Young

Y’all know I’m not much of a fantasy reader, but Adrienne Young creates the PERFECT pirate atmosphere in Fable. The main character, Fable, is the daughter of a powerful pirate, Saint, who abandoned her on the docks of an island the day after her mother died. Fable is determined to get off the island, locate her father, and become a part of his pirate crew. Young excels at writing descriptions that place readers on the ship or in the ocean alongside Fable throughout her quest. Fable is book 1 in Young’s The World of the Narrows series, which features several titles. I’ve only read Fable and Namesake so far.

Content Warning: This is a secular novel that contains sparse language with no f-words. However, due to the nature of this being a pirate story with characters who engage in realistic pirate behavior, I recommend this for readers 15+.

Shallows by Denver Evans

Last but not least, Shallows is the first book in a clean fantasy trilogy by Indie author Denver Evans. Inventor Emerson Kadwell has been told to stay away from the sea, home of mermaids that never surface. When he finds a mermaid stranded one day, Emerson takes it upon himself to help her. If you’re in search of an enchanting mermaid story this summer that’s both clean and fun-filled, you’ll fall in love with Emerson and the adventure he embarks on in this book.

Talk to Me, Arrowheads!

Do you have any summer book recs for me based on these? Please share them in the comments!

Aim high, stay strong, and always hit your mark.

-Allyson 😀