Everything I Read This Summer (2025)

Summer has come and gone (not technically, I know, but September is the start of fall in my mind, so we’re rolling with it) and I’m in the mood to chat about summer reads today. This morning I took some time to look back over the books I read this past summer and rank them in order from my favorite reads to the books I enjoyed the least.

The books I read over the past few months covered a myriad of genres, including everything from historical fiction and mysteries to romance novels, a dark comedy and even a sci-fi fiction novel. Hopefully one of the books below will pop out at you if you’re looking for a book to read this fall or if you’re like me an always on the lookout for books to add to your library holds list.

And you know I’d LOVE to hear about the books you read and loved this summer!! Fellow bookworms, please chime in and tell me about the best book you read this summer? I’m always on the lookout for my next great read and you guys have recommended some of my all-time favorites!

Everything I Read This Summer

• Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

Genre: Fiction/Mystery/Romance / My rating: A- 

I absolutely devoured this book. From start to finish, it had me hooked. Broken Country is so many things in one — a mystery, a romance, family drama, suspense. It’s a captivating, heartbreaking read and one that kept me guessing until the end. The book is heavy and hard to read sometimes, especially as a mother, as it involves the death of a child which feels important to mention as someone who typically avoids novels that involve bad things happening to children. (The death of the child in this novel is discussed from the very beginning and does not come out of nowhere but it is integral to the the whole story.) I loved the way this book includes complex characters and relationships and the way I felt about them changed and flowed as I turned each page. It’s the kind of book that makes you think and stretches your desire to understand and your empathy. I found myself caring deeply for the characters and anxiously awaiting the end of the day when I could curl up and read this one again.

Synopsis from Amazon: “The farmer is dead. He is dead, and all anyone wants to know is who killed him.”

Beth and her gentle, kind husband Frank are happily married, but their relationship relies on the past staying buried. But when Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, Beth doesn’t realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives. For the dog belonged to none other than Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teenager—the man who broke her heart years ago. Gabriel has returned to the village with his young son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth very much of her own son, who died in a tragic accident.

As Beth is pulled back into Gabriel’s life, tensions around the village rise and dangerous secrets and jealousies from the past resurface, this time with deadly consequences. Beth is forced to make a choice between the woman she once was, and the woman she has become.

A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller, Broken Country is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.

• Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

Genre: Fiction/Mystery / My rating: A-

Whoaaaa what a read! One of my biggest reader friends recommended this book to me with glowing reviews so my expectations were very, very high. I’ll admit that for the first half of the book, I recognized the writer’s talent for capturing beautiful imagery and characters so realistic you felt like they could climb right off the pages… and yet, I was a little bored. This book is the definition of a slow burn for me because it took a while to get going but when it did, my goodness I could not put it down.

I stayed up until 1:30 a.m. reading and reading away once I hit the halfway point because so many important smack-you-in-the-face things started to happen, one of which I never saw coming. The second half of this book had me so wrapped up in the story and characters that it completely redeemed the slower start.

Synopsis from Amazon: Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antarctica. Home to the world’s largest seed bank, Shearwater was once full of researchers, but with sea levels rising, the Salts are now its final inhabitants. Until, during the worst storm the island has ever seen, a woman mysteriously washes ashore.

Isolation has taken its toll on the Salts, but as they nurse the woman, Rowan, back to strength, it begins to feel like she might just be what they need. Rowan, long accustomed to protecting herself, starts imagining a future where she could belong to someone again.

But Rowan isn’t telling the whole truth about why she set out for Shearwater. And when she discovers sabotaged radios and a freshly dug grave, she realizes Dominic is keeping his own secrets. As the storms on Shearwater gather force, they all must decide if they can trust each other enough to protect the precious seeds in their care before it’s too late—and if they can finally put the tragedies of the past behind them to create something new, together.

• The Wedding People by Alison Espach

Genre: Domestic fiction/Dark comedy / My rating: A-

The Wedding People is one of those books I saw everywhere, yet I did not take the time to read anything about the plot and instead just added it to my library holds list. When it became available, I dove in and was surprised when I found myself laughing a lot, considering the semi-dark premise of the book. It has a bit of a clunky start but as I continued reading, I found myself absolutely loving this book. The characters are unique and interesting. The dialog is witty and hilarious. The premise is creative and tucked inside a unique plot are some tender and thought-provoking moments that give the book depth you don’t see coming. The Wedding People is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year.

Synopsis from Amazon: It’s a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She’s immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamed of coming for years―she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she’s here without him, at rock bottom, and determined to have one last decadent splurge on herself. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe and Phoebe’s plan―which makes it that much more surprising when the two women can’t stop confiding in each other.

• The Haters by Robyn Harding

Genre: Mystery/Thriller / My rating: A-

Right after I finished reading The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding, I found The Haters by the same author through my Libby app and flew through it as well. I ended up liking this one even more than The Drowning Woman, as it kept me guessing right up until the very end. The Haters is about an author who publishes her first book, only to find herself horrifically harassed by someone online who rallies people to tear down her book with bad reviews that end up impacting her personal life, too. It’s an everyone’s-a-suspect kind of book that I absolutely flew through!

• The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

Genre: Historical Fiction / My rating: B+

Fiona Davis has a true gift for writing historical fiction novels that evoke such vivid imagery in your mind. Her stories are well researched and interesting and though she’s undoubtedly a verbose author (I do think some of her books are a little unnecessarily long), her novels are always stories I thoroughly enjoy. I’ve never read a historical fiction novel that centers around Egypt and absolutely loved the way the author made me feel like I was on an archaeological dig in the Valley of the Kings. From her detailed descriptions of the dust and heat to the palpable excitement when a new discovery was made, I loved every word. I am also a fan of dual timeline books and while I much preferred Egyptologist Charlotte’s timeline, the chapters centering around Annie, a 19-year-old girl struggling to find herself, included fascinating insight into the Met Gala back in the late 1970s. (The ending, however, I felt wrapped up a little too perfectly but I was okay with it overall.)

I also love the way Fiona Davis’ novels inevitably inspire me to dive deeper into history when I’m done with her novels. In this case, I was fascinated to read that Hathorkare, the fictional female pharaoh mentioned in this novel, was based on Hatshepsut, a real female pharaoh who ruled ancient Egypt. (Just sharing in case you read this book, as I found that incredibly interesting!) 

Synopsis from Amazon: Egypt, 1936: When anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, she leaps at the opportunity. That is until an unbearable tragedy strikes.

New York City, 1978: Nineteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is thrilled when she lands an opportunity to work for former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who’s in the midst of organizing the famous Met Gala, hosted at the museum and known across the city as the “party of the year.”

Meanwhile, Charlotte is now leading a quiet life as the associate curator of the Met’s celebrated Department of Egyptian Art. She’s consumed by her research on Hathorkare—a rare female pharaoh dismissed by most other Egyptologists as unimportant.

The night of the gala: One of the Egyptian art collection’s most valuable artifacts goes missing, and there are signs Hathorkare’s legendary curse might be reawakening. Annie and Charlotte team up to search for the missing antiquity, and a desperate hunch leads the unlikely duo to one place Charlotte swore she’d never return: Egypt. But if they have any hope of finding the artifact, Charlotte will need to confront the demons of her past—which may mean leading them both directly into danger.

• American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

Genre: Fiction, Suspense / My rating: B+

Ooph what a read. I was stressed out, emotionally wrecked, on the edge of my seat, depressed, hopeful, heartbroken and very much wrapped up in this book from start to finish. American Dirt is the kind of novel that takes off running from the very beginning and never slows. It’s far from a light read but rather a story full of grit and perseverance, horrific realities, a mother’s love, grief, death and unthinkable atrocities.

It’s also worth noting that this book is apparently quite controversial. I had no idea about any of the controversy surrounding this book (it came out in 2020) until I went to link to it for this blog post. The controversy surrounding American Dirt is complex and you may read more about it here before deciding whether or not you wish to read this novel, as it definitely had me thinking more critically about my thoughts and opinions on the novel once I was done reading it.

Synopsis from Amazon: Lydia lives in Acapulco. She has a son, Luca, the love of her life, and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. And while cracks are beginning to show in Acapulco because of the cartels, Lydia’s life is, by and large, fairly comfortable. But after her husband’s tell-all profile of the newest drug lord is published, none of their lives will ever be the same.

Forced to flee, Lydia and Luca find themselves joining the countless people trying to reach the United States. Lydia soon sees that everyone is running from something. But what exactly are they running to?

• Roomies by Christina Lauren

Genre: Romance / My rating: B+ 

Christina Lauren, the author-duo behind some of my favorite breezy romance novels, did it again with Roomies. I was looking for a light but entertaining read after making my way through some heavier reads and this novel was exactly what I was looking for in a breezy beach read. You have you suspend your sense of disbelief but that seems to be a theme with a lot of romance novels. The plot wasn’t the most creative (two people agree to get married to help each other out). But I loved the emphasis on the power of music in the novel as well as the slow burn romance. It was cute, funny and entertaining.

Synopsis from Amazon: Holland Bakker is infatuated with Calvin McLoughlin, a subway musician, mainly because of his incredible talent but also because he’s, well, super hot. One night, Holland is rescued by Calvin in the subway, though she’s confused when he doesn’t take any credit and seems to disappear after the event. When Holland learns of an opening for a talented musician in her uncle’s popular Broadway show, she thinks of Calvin. Soon it’s revealed that Calvin is in the country illegally and a plan is hatched for the two to marry. Though their marriage is fake, Holland’s feelings are increasingly real and she wonders if, perhaps, Calvin’s might be, too.

• Beg, Borrow or Steal by Sarah Adams

Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction / My rating: B

This book is the third a series by author Sarah Adams and, having read and enjoyed the previous two novels in the series, I was looking forward to diving into this one as well. The previous two novels read like cozy little Hallmark stories and the third was very similar, though my least favorite of the three. (When In Rome is the first novel in the series if you’d like to check it out. You may see my review in this blog post: Best Books I’ve Read So Far This Year.) All of Sarah Adams novels are wonderful stress-free vacation reads. So this book was one I looked forward to diving into during my time in Jacksonville. It’s another novel that isn’t the most believable. But it’s easy enough to just overlook some of this and enjoy the breezy story.

Synopsis from Amazon: Emily Walker hates having her carefully crafted world disrupted by anyone, most of all her legendary nemesis, Jack Bennett. He’s the opposite of the wonderful heroes she dreams up in her double life as a romance writer, which is why Emily was perfectly happy when Jack left Rome, Kentucky, mid-school year with his fiancée. The last thing Emily saw coming was Jack’s return at the start of the summer after calling off the wedding and ending his relationship. But he’s here to stay—as her colleague and her neighbor.

Jack is glad to be back, eager to renovate his house and work on the next mystery novel under his bestselling pen name. But when he realizes he’s now neighbors with the one woman who has always pushed his buttons, he discovers something he’s even more excited about—thwarting Emily and her petty plans to sabotage his return.

With their chemistry-fueled animosity at an all-time high, Emily accidentally sends an email to their school’s principal that could reveal her secret literary side hustle. She needs to steal back her manuscript, and Jack—she hates to admit—is just the man to help her. Surprisingly, he agrees. Will their unlikely alliance put an end to their rivalry? Or could it lead to a steamy plot twist they never saw coming?

• Annie Bot by Sierra Greer

Genre: Sci-fi fiction / My rating: B

This book was added to my library holds list after a couple of you recommended it to me. I added it fully trusting your recommendations, as the premise didn’t exactly intrigue me. A robot woman main character? The world of AI? While this is exactly my typical interest arena, I’ve enjoyed my fair share of sci-fi novels in the past, so I figured I’d give it a shot. I’m glad I did because it instantly grabbed my attention and was a wildly entertaining read. Just a head’s up, the novel has its fair share of spice (robot spice — never saw that one coming). And it’s the kind of book you fly through that has you questioning things and empathizing with a robot.

Synopsis from Amazon: Annie Bot was created to be the perfect girlfriend for her human owner Doug. Designed to satisfy his emotional and physical needs, she has dinner ready for him every night, wears the pert outfits he orders for her, and adjusts her libido to suit his moods. True, she’s not the greatest at keeping Doug’s place spotless, but she’s trying to please him. She’s trying hard. She’s learning, too.

• That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally

Genre: Mystery/Thriller / My rating: B

That’s Not My Name is a book with a plot that takes off running. Right away suspicions flare as you think you know more than you do as you continue reading. (This was perhaps my favorite thing about this book!) While the story wasn’t anything groundbreaking and it felt a little redundant in parts, it was entertaining enough as a quick-read thriller that was semi-predictable with one big twist thrown in the mix!

The book begins when a teenage girl awakens along a desolate road, dirty and bruised and without any memory of why she’s in the state she’s in or even her own name. A police officer brings her into the station. And soon after, a man arrives, frantically searching for this girl, “Mary,” he says, and though nothing about him seems familiar to her, he has family photos and even proper documentation proving he is her father.

And then there is Lola, a missing teenage girl her boyfriend Drew is desperate to find. Only Drew is the primary suspect in Lola’s disappearance. Drew refuses to give up hope as he searches for Lola, despite the lack of leads and the entire town’s suspicions. Will his efforts help find Lola? Or will his sideline investigations get him into even more trouble?

• She’s Not Sorry by Mary Kubica 

Genre: Mystery/Thrilled / My rating: B

She’s Not Sorry was an audiobook listen for me and entertaining enough for a background listen. It’s twisty (with one major twist I thought was awesome) but not overly thrilling from start to finish. I was invested in the plot and the characters but found the story redundant at times. The main character is the queen of bad decisions which is a little frustrating to read about over and over again but if you can get over that and just allow yourself to go along for the ride, it’s a decent quick-read thriller.

Synopsis from Amazon: A terrible accident.

Meghan Michaels is trying to find balance between being a single mom and working full time as an ICU nurse, when a patient named Caitlin arrives in her ward with a traumatic brain injury. They say she jumped from a bridge and plunged over twenty feet to the train tracks below.

A shocking revelation.

When a witness comes forward with new details about Caitlin’s fall, it calls everything they know into question. Was a crime committed? Did someone actually push Caitlin, and if so, who… and why?

No one is safe.

Meghan lets herself get close to Caitlin until she’s deeply entangled in the mystery surrounding her. Only when it’s too late, does she realize that she and her daughter could be the next victims…

• The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins

Genre: Mystery / My rating: B-

If you would’ve asked me what I thought I’d be rating this book about halfway through, I would’ve thought my rating would’ve been much higher. The book has so many intertwining characters from the past and present (I actually love this!) and plenty of intrigue (missing people, deaths that may or may not be accidental!) and I loved the way the author slowly unveils clues about who might be good or bad throughout the novel. But, and it’s a big but, at some point the book turns and starts to feel really predictable. And then the ending felt sloppy and incomplete which left me with a bad taste in my mouth about the book in its entirety. I liked it enough to finish it but not enough to give it glowing review.

Synopsis from Amazon: Welcome to Eris: an island with only one house, one inhabitant, one way out. Unreachable from the Scottish mainland for twelve hours each day. Once home to Vanessa: A famous artist whose notoriously unfaithful husband disappeared twenty years ago. Now home to Grace: A solitary creature of the tides, content in her own isolation. But when a shocking discovery is made in an art gallery far away in London, a visitor comes calling. And the secrets of Eris threaten to emerge….