Hold Onto Summer Book List - Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Pumpkins may be pushing pool noodles from the shelves, but there is still summer to be had! The sun is still blazing, our legs are still sticking to the car seats, and more importantly, there are still some great beach reads to be devoured.

Now when we say “Beach Reads” we are not talking about bare chested studs astride white stallions. We’re talking about novels that are easy to get lost in—the ones that leave you wanting the next page and sad when they are over. They are easy, enjoyable reads with interesting stories and rich character development.

Actually, they’re just good, solid books perfect for any time, but why not use a last hurrah to summer as the perfect excuse to load up your Kindle or pile up your nightstand?

A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams

While the intrigue may not be so deep that you are profoundly shocked, this sweeping saga still pulls you through the pages and leaves you deliciously wondering from time to time. But the real charm of this novel lies in its richly sculpted characters and relationships. Williams examines class standing, prejudice, and the complicated nature of female relationships in a truly satisfying way. Set in the socialite scene of the 1930s, this novel is as glamorous as it is gritty as it plunges into the treachery of family secrets and true love.

The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner

This is the perfect Hollywood success story with the gilt of perfection delightfully rubbed bare in a number of places. You’ll love the quirky main character, Ruthie, the screenwriter with the tragic back story, whose real heart and soul inspire you to cheer for her from the very first page. How can you not love a character whose grandmother will follow her across the country to help her realize her dream? This book has it all–love, betrayal, and a delightful comeuppance. This peek behind the Hollywood curtain will have you missing 30 Rock a little less.

Beautiful Day by Elin Hildebrand

This is the story of planning a wedding day, a real wedding day rife with disasters, not the stuff of princess dreams. Money is no object, so everything should be falling into place, but everything is actually starting to unravel. At the heart of the story is The Notebook, the instruction manual the bride-to-be’s mother wrote for her before she died. This tale is at times wistful and sometimes heartbreaking, but it is written with a light touch and is always entertaining. At first it seems like each character has his or her own side story going on, but it soon becomes apparent that each tale is part of the messy tapestry woven when two families join through marriage. It is the multiple points of view that make this novel as tasty as a slice of wedding cake.

Defending Jacob by William Landay

This book was so popular among Erin’s family and friends LAST summer that it took us a year to track it down.

Totally worth the wait.

A legal thriller that would feel right at home next to your favorite Grishams and Turows, this one will keep you guessing and turning pages until the end. Landay may delve into some of the fears and insecurities of modern parenting and he may write very believable, relatable characters, but ultimately you will devour this one because it’s a good old-fashioned whodunit and that’s always a good read.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Who’s looking for some book crack?

We found it!

Erin laughed, cried, and ignored her kids for three days to finish this one in the big, sloppy gulps it demands. You know from the beginning that there has been a terrible tragedy at the local school’s Trivia Night, because Moriarty leaves little crumbs at the end of each chapter. But that’s not the story here. This is NOT another legal thriller.

A big, sprawling character study of modern moms, it may be. An ironic, funny take on modern parenting, it definitely is! It’s also a rollicking good time. You’ll laugh and cringe at just how right Moriarty gets all the characters hanging out in the school parking lot. A great read to get you ready for back-to-school while still soaking up that last joyful moment of summer indulgence.