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So many beach reads. So little time.
There's just nothing like sitting with the toes in the sand and the edges of a book in your hands in the summer and July has a bounty of options for you to choose from. Whether you're into irresistible rom-coms or thrillers with more twists than a pretzel, or are still harboring a crush on Tyler Cameron from The Bachelorette, we've got you covered when it comes to your reading list this month.
So go ahead, slather on the sunscreen, grab an iced coffee and start reading after shopping physical copies of our picks or—because, you know, technology—pulling them up on Kindle Unlimited or through a free trial of Audible.
Here are the 13 books to throw in your beach bag this month...
Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin
If the title alone won't convince you to devour this dazzling debut, may we interest you with this quick description: A proud atheist and animal-loving lesbian who can't stop thinking about death somehow gets a job as a receptionist at her local Catholic church. (July 6)
Falling by T.J. Newman
Anxious fliers may want to take a deep breath before fastening their seatbelts and diving into Newman's heart-pounding thriller. The lives of 143 passengers on their way to New York City are in danger after a pilot's family is kidnapped just 30 minutes before take-off, and instead of money, the perpetrators want everyone on the plane to die. Here's hoping they at least have in-flight entertainment or free booze. (July 6)
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
Set over the course of one summer-soaked day on Cape Cod, 50-year-old happily married Elle must deal with the emotional ramifications after having sex with her oldest friend for the first time...while their spouses were just feet away. But that's far from the only secret Elle has been harboring in her beach house in this page-turner filled with longing and lost love, humor and heartbreak. (July 6)
While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory
Three things in life are certain: Death, taxes and Guillory will always deliver a satisfying rom-com. In her latest love story, advertising exec Ben—whom fans met in 2019's The Wedding Party—and movie star Anna unexpectedly fall for each other when she is picked to star in his next campaign. (July 13)
The Startup Wife by Tahmima Anam
Can true love outlast technology? Newlyweds Asha and Cyrus are put to the test when they build an app that replaces religious rituals and soon find themselves running one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. In this sharp and savage story, Anam deftly explores startup culture and the inherent sexism within the tech industry. (July 13)
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
From the author of The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires comes this fresh new take on a classic horror trope that simultaneously pays homage to and subverts films like Scream and A Nightmare on Elm Street. After surviving a massacre, Lynette Tarkington is an IRL final girl and has spent a decade meeting with five other women who have also lived through tragedy. But when one of them goes missing, they discover someone knows about their group and is determined to wipe out them out. If your podcast feed is all true crime series, this one is for you. (July 13)
A House Full of Windsor by Kristin Contino
Attention, royal watchers, we've got just the book for you. Spanning from 1980s England and the royal wedding of a century to a present-day reality TV show, Contino explores the complicated relationship between a hoarding mother and her three children through the former's life-altering obsession with Princess Diana. (July 13)
They'll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman
They Wish They Were Us was one of our favorite reads of 2020 and Goodman has delivered yet another twist-filled tale about two sisters vying for the top spot on their cross-country team—until a teammate's disappearance, and their possible involvement, throws their lives off course. Clear your schedule now because you won't be able to put this one down. (July 27)
You Deserve Better by Tyler Cameron
Hey girl, did you know that arguably the most popular suitor in The Bachelorette's history wrote a book that is half-memoir, half-self-help? OK, so wrong heartthrob, but same concept as Cameron, who caused millions to swoon while he courted Hannah Brown, divulges tips on how to build a healthy relationship and opens up about his own life beyond what was shown on TV. Forget our rose, he's got our download. (July 27)
Safe in My Arms by Sara Shepard
We've got a secret and we can't keep it: Safe in My Arms might be even juicier than Shepard's bestselling Pretty Little Liars series. Just don't tell A we said that. Equal parts PLL and part Big Little Lies, three moms who feel like outsiders in their ultra-wealthy community come together to uncover the truth about why the principal of their elite preschool was attacked—and why they're being framed. (July 27)
Ready for more summer reads? Check out our book picks for June.