The 27 best new books to take on your 2023 summer vacation
Summer is finally approaching, which means that so is summer reading!
We don't know why, but there's something about the summer — whether it's relaxing with a book on the beach or toting around an engrossing read as we jet off on an adventure — that makes us fall in love with reading all over again.
Summer 2023 is no exception, with everything from thrillers to romance novels to historical epics. There are also memoirs, tales of complicated friendship, and stories of time travel to pique readers' interest. Here, the EW staff rounds up the 27 best books of summer 2023 to take on vacation. Because 25 just wasn't enough.
<em> Big Gay Wedding </em> by Byron Lane
Barnett Durang is going to make his big day one his small Louisiana hometown will never forget, including his mother. As the follow up to his debut novel A Star Is Bored, Byron Lane tells this hilarious tale about Barnett's hundreds of guests at his family's rescue farm, with his unsuspecting mother unaware of what is coming her way. If this couple wants their big day, then they'll have to contend with not only Barnett's mother, but the town itself. Will they make it down the aisle while also making small town history? (May 30) —Alamin Yohannes
<em> Drowning </em> by T.J. Newman
The sophomore novel by flight attendant turned author T..J.. Newman sent Hollywood into an early bidding war for the film rights of this edge-of-your-seat thriller. Newman's second book takes place after a plane crashes in the Pacific Ocean only minutes after takeoff. Hanging 200 feet below the surface on an undersea cliff, survivors wait for an elite rescue team to save them. One of the rescuers soon learns that among those trapped is her 11-year-old daughter and her estranged husband. Now, she's in a race against the clock before all the passengers, including her own family, lose oxygen or sink to the bottom of the ocean. (May 30) —Yolanda Machado
<em> Ink Blood Sister Scribe </em> by Emma Törzs
Get ready to fall under Emma Törzs' spell! The Kalotay family has been guarding a library of magical books for generations. Emma Törzs' debut novel finds half-sisters Esther and Joanna struggling to mend their own estrangement in order to preserve their family after Joanna's father is killed while reading a book she's never seen before. The pair work together to explore the dangers and mysteries of this spectacular magical world that is bigger than either could imagine. (May 30) —AY
<em> Follow the Sun</em> by Liz Locke
Known for her movies and cocktail pairings blog, Cinema Sips, Liz Locke makes her debut with this glimpse inside the world of the 1960s Jet Set. Socialite Caroline Kimball is still reeling from the death of her father and hiding her musical aspirations from her disapproving mother as she jaunts from one lush location to another. But when she meets photographer Jack "Tex" Fairchild, she realizes that she has the power to liberate herself from her golden cage. Locke's novel is a travelog of epic proportions, an enticing love story, and an emotionally resonant tale of the empowerment of following one's dreams that is as sleek and chic as an episode of Mad Men. (June 6) —Maureen Lee Lenker
<em> Pageboy </em> by Elliot Page
Elliot Page is ready to share his truth. The Oscar-nominated star, who was assigned female at birth and came out publicly as a trans man in 2020, rose to prominence with his performance in 2007's coming-of-age dramedy Juno. With high-profile roles in the X-Men franchise, Christopher Nolan's Inception, Woody Allen's To Rome With Love, and so much more, it seemed as if all his dreams were coming true. But the entire time, he felt as if he was playing a suffocating part both on and off set as he grappled with repressing his identity and fitting into a binary role that just didn't fit. Pageboy not only tells the story of his journey of self-acceptance, but also examines themes of sex, love, trauma, and Hollywood through the lens of a young actor who was inspired to finally embrace his true self. (June 6) —Sydney Bucksbaum
<em> All the Right Notes </em> by Dominic Lim
All the Right Notes is a romance with the irresistible melody of a Broadway hit. Quito Cruz is a renowned pianist and composer, but ever since a night in college with pretty-boy jock Emmett Aoki, he's been struggling to find his inspiration. Quito still dreams of Broadway, but first, he has to help his dad by putting on a charity performance in his hometown. The catch? Emmett, now a major movie star, must perform. Dreading a fiasco, Quito can't deny the music they make when they're together. Lim offers up a swoony, joyful rom-com to take readers into a love story worthy of a Broadway stage. (June 6) —MLL
<em> First Position </em> by Melanie Hamrick
Former ballerina of the American Ballet Theatre (and longtime partner of Mick Jagger) Melanie Hamrick makes her debut with this erotic novel that pulses with Black Swan energy. With her star on the rise at the American National Ballet, Sylvie Carter is finally living her dream — but when a tumultuous relationship results in a scandal that tears her life apart, she finds herself spiraling. Old wounds resurface when renowned dancer Alessandro Russo joins the company for a production of Swan Lake, and Sylvie cannot resist him. Her attraction and fear lead to a mental unraveling accompanied by an artistic rebirth. Hamrick offers up a thrilling meditation on the tension between love, desire, and art by combining the artistry of The Red Shoes with the eroticism of Fifty Shades of Grey. (June 20) —MLL
<em> Hotel Laguna </em> by Nicola Harrison
Ambitious women embarking on a bohemian lifestyle is a devourable genre in and of itself. Hazel Francis is a 1940s Midwest transplant searching for her place in the world after losing her job as a "Rosie the Riveter" building planes for the war effort. She soon lands in Laguna Beach, where she discovers a renewed sense of purpose in the local art scene, but not without becoming embroiled in a respected artist's scandal — and finding love that conflicts with her dream to pilot a plane herself someday. Between the historical romance and coastal wanderlust, Hotel Laguna is a beach read in every sense. (June 20) —Allaire Nuss
<em> Loot </em> by Tania James
A hero's quest taking place across India, England, and France, Loot is an engrossing heist meets love story about a young artist coming of age in the eighteenth century. Throughout the book's 304 pages, Tania James takes readers on a journey spanning two continents and seven decades and tracing the gruesome legacy of colonialism. Intrigue, romance, and an elusive mechanical tiger? Sign me up immediately. (June 23) —YM
<em> A Most Agreeable Murder </em> by Julia Seales
Wish Bridgerton had a bit more Agatha Christie flair? That's what Julia Seales offers up with her debut, which finds the only slightly respectable Beatrice Steele at a ball surrounded by potential murder suspects. Beatrice has long been obsessed with true crime (a nod to our own modern true crime podcast phenomena), but when an eligible bachelor drops dead in the middle of a ball, Beatrice must cast aside her lady-like duties to indulge her inner sleuth. (June 27) —MLL
<em> Banyan Moon </em> by Thao Thai
Thao Thai weaves the story of three generations of Vietnamese women in Banyan Moon, her sweeping debut novel about family and survival. When Ann Tran's beloved grandmother Minh passes, she and her estranged mother, Huơng, come together to mourn the matriarch. They discover that Minh has left them the Banyan House, a crumbling estate that was once Ann's childhood home. A discovery in the attic reveals long-entombed secrets as the mother-daughter duo face the past in order to make sense of the future. Spanning decades and continents, vignettes of a teenage Minh's life in 1960s Vietnam add vibrant strokes to a searing portrait of mothers and daughters. (June 27) —Jessica Wang
<em> The First Ladies </em> by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
Told from the dual perspectives of Eleanor Roosevelt and Mary McLeod Bethune, The First Ladies explores the extraordinary legacies of these two historical figures, while also bringing us into their personal lives and their deep friendship. Benedict and Murray bring their knack for historical fiction to a story of the women's unlikely alliance and the ways their bond and efforts forged the beginnings of the modern civil rights movement. (June 27) —MLL
<em> The Seven Year Slip </em> by Ashley Poston
What if you met the love of your life, but they were stuck in the past? Ashley Poston's The Seven Year Slip answers this question. Love is complicated enough, but throw time travel into the mix and you're faced with a whole new batch of problems. The Seven Year Slip follows overworked book publicist Clementine as she stumbles across a temporary roommate, Iwan, who just so happens to be living 7 years in the past. The two quickly become fast friends and help each through the life challenges they find themselves faced with, while falling in love in the process. (June 27) —Jessica Leon
<em> The Beach at Summerly </em> by Beatriz Williams
Beatriz Williams' New England set historical novels have become a summer tradition, their sparkling reminisces of lighthouses and clambakes only matched by her penchant for intrigue. The Beach at Summerly divides its time between June 1946 and April 1954, centering on Emilia Winthrop, daughter of Summerly cottage's caretaker and descendant of Winthrop Island's settlers. While Emilia dreams of adventures in the larger world, fed by stories told by visiting socialite Olive Rainsford, her existence is shattered by an FBI mission to capture a Soviet agent inside Summerly. Then, in 1954 she must confront that fateful summer when the spy draws Emilia back into their path once more. Count on Williams for a historical escape with atmosphere and melodrama galore. (June 27) —MLL
<em> The Better Half </em> by Alli Frank & Asha Youmans
Just when Nina Morgan Clarke's time has finally arrived — her ex-husband at last a long distance away, her daughter thriving at school, and landing her dream job as the first Black female head of the storied Royal-Hawkins School — life laughs and makes different plans for her. The third book from comedy writing duo Alli Frank and Asha Youmans dazzled Mindy Kaling so much that she is publishing the book under her own imprint launched in 2022, Mindy's Book Studio. (July 1) —YM
<em> Bogie & Bacall </em> by William J. Mann
One of Hollywood's finest biographers, William J. Mann turns his attention to the greatest Golden Age love story — the on and off-screen romance of Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart. Bogart and Bacall are as indelible a duo as there ever was, and Mann takes readers behind their legendary romance, exploring their individual careers, the stark age gap between them, and the unlikeliness of Bogart's movie stardom. Using newly available records and correspondence, Mann offers readers an unprecedented view of the actors' personal lives and the enduring mythos of their love. (July 11) —MLL
<em> Life in the Fast Lane </em> by Mick Wall
Get ready for some peaceful easy reading: rock biographer Mick Wall's Life in the Fast Lane: The Eagles' Reckless Ride Down the Rock & Roll Highway is a witty and informative deep dive into the (many) highs and lows of the legendary '70s band that continues to rock to this day. From their early days in Laurel Canyon to achieving mainstream success with their breezy, California Cool anthems like "Take It Easy," Wall takes readers out on the road with the Eagles and paints a vivid, no holds barred portrait of the trials and tribulations that the country-rockers faced as they soared their way to the very top. (July 11) —Emlyn Travis
<em> Queen of Exiles </em> by Vanessa Riley
While Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is escapist fun, Vanessa Riley brings the real history of a Regency-era Black queen to the forefront in her latest novel. Queen Marie-Louise Coidavid ruled over the kingdom of Haiti, overseeing her country as the first free Black nation in the Western hemisphere. But when her husband is overthrown, she and her daughters must flee to Europe, where they establish their own royal court and navigate what it means to be a Black monarch in the early 19th-century amidst the glittering jewels and parties of the era. (July 11) —MLL
<em> Their Vicious Games </em> by Joelle Wellington
When Adina Walker loses her spot at her top choice Ivy League college, she is faced with what she may be willing to do to get it back. Her only chance at securing her future is joining the Finish, a high-stakes contest where she must compete against 11 other women in three mysterious events. If she wins the contest then every door and opportunity will be opened for her. However, she quickly realizes that she could lose more than just her future, she could lose her life. (July 25) —JL
<em> The Sweetest Revenge </em> by Lizzy Dent
They say if you seek revenge, dig two graves — because you might destroy yourself in the process too. That's a lesson that TV development exec Amy Duffy learns the hard way in Lizzy Dent's third rom-com, The Sweetest Revenge, after her wild night of drunken payback on an ex-boyfriend derails her entire life. With her career in shambles, she escapes to London to start over, tail between her legs. Two years later, the arrival of an intriguing new neighbor dealing with his own public humiliation scandal holds the potential to bring her career (and her heart) back to life … right when her ex comes back into the picture, threatening the peaceful new existence she's created for herself. Equal parts hilarious, heartbreaking, and swoon-worthy, Dent's addictive novel isn't here to make sweeping philosophical statements about the morality of vengeance. In fact, it actually delights in how delicious getting petty retribution can feel in the moment (so relatable). You'll ultimately root for Amy to not only get her revenge, but also her happy ending. Because why can't a woman have it all? (July 25) —SB
<em> The Embroidered Book </em> by Kate Heartfield
Kate Heartfield infuses history and revolution with magic in The Embroidered Book. In 1768, two sisters of the Hapsburg Empire, Charlotte and Antoine, are sent to Naples and France respectively, to make marriages that broker alliances. The two women will become Maria Carolina (the last queen of Naples and Sicily) and Marie Antoinette (the doomed French queen of the revolution). The two sisters discovered a book of spells in their youth, which allows them to take control of their lives as they're cast adrift in foreign courts — but magic always comes with a price, and soon, they are thrust into a rivalry and a Europe spiraling into revolution. If you prefer your history with something otherworldly, Heartfield offers an engrossing tale of a world where female power and political upheaval have the touch of something fantastical. (Aug. 1)— MLL
<em> Broadway Butterfly </em> by Sara DiVello
There's no better way to cool down in the summer than with a century-old cold case. In 1923, flapper Dot King's murder in Midtown Manhattan had the nation gripped in scandal, leaving behind a trail of clues strewn throughout Broadway's dark underbelly and beyond for trail-blazing journalist Julia Harpman — and author Sara DiVello — to uncover. What follows is a historical true crime thriller steeped in peculiar characters, from secret lovers and socialites to seedy bootleggers and corrupt cops, all of whom are connected in a conspiracy that points to very powerful places. (Aug. 1) —AN
<em> A Pocketful of Happiness </em> by Richard E. Grant
Richard E. Grant has delighted audiences in films such as Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Logan, and, yes, Spice World, so one can also expect to be delighted by this new memoir, which traces the author's life from his youth in Swaziland to his Oscar-nominated acting career. The title comes from Grant's late wife of almost forty years, who, before dying, challenged her husband to find those small moments worth celebrating each and every day. Or, in this case, on each and every page. (Aug. 1) — Dalton Ross
<em> California Golden </em> by Melanie Benjamin
Melanie Benjamin pairs the surf culture of the Beach Boys with the sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll of Daisy Jones & the Six in this tale of 1960s Southern California. Carol Donelly is far from a conventional mother, spending her days surfing in Malibu and trying to establish herself in a male-dominated sport. Her daughters, Mindy and Ginger, are forced to cope with their mother's emotional and physical absence, sending them into diverging lives. While Mindy is swept into the world of celebrity, Ginger spirals into the counterculture of cults and drugs. Benjamin's novel is a portrait of three women beset by shifting cultural tides and a shimmering rendering of the promises and heartbreak of Southern California. (Aug. 8) —MLL
<em> I'm Not Done With You Yet </em> by Jesse Q. Sutanto
In Jesse Q. Sutanto's latest, she dives into the dark side of friendship. Jane is living an unfulfilled life in the Bay Area as a writer feeling stuck in her marriage. As a result, she jumps at the chance to reconnect with Thalia, the only person Jane believes has ever understood her. Thalia is freshly minted a New York Times bestseller for her novel A Most Pleasant Death. Problem is their beloved time at Oxford taking creative writing classes ended in blood. In her newest book, the Dial A for Aunties writer ponders what makes a friendship worth killing over? (Aug. 22) —AY
<em> The Invisible Hour </em> by Alice Hoffman
Alice Hoffman weaves a yarn cloaked in magical realism. Mia Jacob is contemplating taking her own life when she encounters a copy of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and recognizes in it the story of her life inside an oppressive western Massachusetts cult. As she breaks away from the rules she was raised with, Mia realizes the transportive possibilities of fiction. Discovering time is more fluid than she thought, she falls in love with a brilliant writer — but what happens if Hawthorne never writes the book that saved her life? Hoffman writes with her usual blend of magic and New England pragmatism, penning an ode to the power of fiction in all of our lives. (Aug. 15) —MLL
<em> Knockout </em> by Sarah MacLean
Sarah MacLean continues her daring Hell's Belles series with her most fiery entry yet. Lady Imogen Loveless has a fondness for experiments and explosives. When her family cottons on to her late night activities, they recruit detective Thomas Peck to be her guardian. But Peck is already aware of Imogen's penchant for pandemonium, resisting the task of baby-sitting a bluestocking. But before he knows it, he's caught up in her world and secrets that threaten to consume them both. MacLean is always a sexy, sure bet for summer fun. (Aug. 22) — MLL
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