The 10 Best New Books to Read in a Hammock

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Summer (hopefully!) means lazy days in the sunshine, relaxing with nothing to do but enjoying yourself…and getting sucked into some really great reading. While some may be lucky enough to do their summer reading on a beach, we’re big fans of opening a book in a hammock. Not only is this somewhere that you can really get into the lazy summer spirit, but you don’t have to get to a coastline (or deal with getting sand everywhere). Instead, all you have to do is lie back, relax…and immerse yourself into one of these incredible new offerings.

My Lady’s Choosing by Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris

Fans of romance novels, Jane Austen and the Choose Your Own Adventure books of childhood will fall in love with this regency novel that puts the reader in charge. Dive into eighteenth century society and choose whether your heroine will pursue the responsible choice of a rich and eligible bachelor, or go for the bad boys of the era…

The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer

Coming of age in the current world of feminism and the #MeToo movement is the central theme of this latest offering from Meg Wolitzer — which may sound like heavy going for a hammock, but don’t let the subject matter put you off. The story of a college freshman who gets a chance to be mentored by a pillar of the womens movement, The Female Persuasion follows our young heroine as she starts to question where she thought her life would go and the high school sweetheart she thought she would spend it with.

This Is Me by Chrissy Metz

For those who prefer a little non-fiction summer reading, everyone is talking about This Is Me: Loving The Person You Are Today. Penned by Chrissy Metz, the star of This Is Us, the book combines biography and inspiration as she talks about navigating the waters of celebrity as a woman (and a character) that is still all too rare on the screen.

When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger

Lauren Weisberger became a household name with The Devil Wears Prada in 2003, and now she’s back with a new novel set in that same universe — but this time, we get to discover the world through the perspective of Emily, the senior assistant in the original book. Now working as a Hollywood image consultant, her latest (rich and suburban) client becomes a new friend, and these women have to figure out how to get back on top.

Still Me by Jojo Moyes

Catch up with the ongoing adventures of Louisa Clark, the heroine of Me Before You and After You, as she travels across the pond to explore the Big Apple. As an assistant to a wealthy socialite, she’s once again struggling with issues of privilege and class in her own inimitable way, while still trying to maintain her relationship back home.

Sunburn by Laura Lippman

Just because the sun is shining, it doesn’t mean that we don’t still love a little murder mystery. This modern twist on the classic noir genre is the perfect choice for those who like their reading to be darker than their sunglasses! The tale of two people running away from their pasts and carrying their secrets with them, Sunburn has passion, romance, secrets and murder all in one great read.

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Definitely a read for those who love romantic comedies, The Kiss Quotient is a perfect light summer read, but with a character who is so much more than the standard quirky lead. Stella Lane has Asperger’s, and makes sense of the world through math — but that might not help her as much as she hopes when it comes to relationships…although the escort she hires to try and figure things out with might be more help than she expects!

Mr. and Mrs. American Pie by Juliet McDaniel

Head back in time for a whole lot of fun with Maxine Simmons, a boozy socialite housewife in 1969, who discovers that her rich husband is leaving her for his secretary. Banished to Scottsdale, Maxine is determined to take on life in this new town in her own way — and that means returning to the world of beauty pagents and finding herself a fake family so that she can enter Mrs. American Pie!

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Based on the greatest gossip of Old Hollywood, The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo will keep you gripped from start to finish, as the ageing starlet Evelyn starts to unspool her life for a ghostwriter, including the tales of the seven men that she married.

Tangerine by Christine Mangan

Christine Mangan’s thriller has already been optioned by George Clooney, with Scarlett Johansson attached to star, so get ahead of the curve by reading the book before it hits the big screen! Tangerine is set in Tangier in the '50s and centers on two women who used to be friends, but had fallen out of touch until Lucy shows up in Morocco. However, things start to go wrong as their relationship once more starts to sour…and then Alice’s new husband goes missing.

What will you be reading this summer? Let us know on Twitter @quirkbooks!