9 “Beach” Reads for Literary Fiction Lovers
For when you're craving something a little lighter but just as impactful.
Hi, book friends.
I hope those of you in the US had a fantastic Memorial Day Weekend filled with good snacks, good sunshine, and great reading.
To celebrate the unofficial start of summer, I’ve got a fun one for you today: a handful of literary fiction novels with “beach read” vibes, meaning they feel a bit lighter and pace a bit faster than your typical lit fic tome. Don’t get me wrong, I love a heavy, character-driven, tear-jerking novel, and you can absolutely read those on the beach. I’ve done it many times! But sometimes it’s nice to break things up with a book that takes a little less out of us — without sacrificing the quality writing, complex characters, and layered impact we lit fic lovers love.
9 lit fic novels with beach read vibes
Click on each book’s title to read my full review.
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
Actually, I’d call
the queen of lit fic beach reads. Her books are simultaneously heartwarming and hard-hitting, with great characters and unputdownable momentum. This Time Tomorrow is about a woman who wakes up back in her 13-year-old body (and life) and gets to spend more time with her dad, who is sick in the present day. (So make sure you bring tissues to the beach, too!) I also enjoyed All Adults Here and find myself grateful that I still have more of Straub’s backlist waiting for me.Hollow Kingdom and its sequel, Feral Creatures, by Kira Jane Buxton
I don’t think I’ve ever laughed out loud at a book as often as I did while reading Hollow Kingdom. It’s about a domesticated, sweary-mouth pet crow named S.T. who sets out alongside his dog BFF to save all the other domesticated animals in Seattle when humans fall victim to an apocalyptic virus. To give you a sense of its humor, know that S.T. thinks humans are called “MoFos” and refers to them as such throughout the entire book. This one will whiplash you between crying from laughing and crying from crying, and you’ll walk away with a new favorite. Trust me.
Bookshop | Libro.fm (I recommend reading it in print because there’s a fair amount of wordplay that won’t be as obvious on audio, but it does work both ways.)
The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
What could be beachier than a Greek retelling? Sure, the Iliad is kind of a downer, but you know the story already, which makes it easy to sink into the book. Plus, Pat Barker is phenomenal — this was nominated for the Women’s Prize.
Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann
More Greek mythology, but this one is even beachier. It’s not a true retelling in that it doesn’t focus on a single story you know and love, but all the characters are based on ones you’ll recognize: This wildly entertaining family drama features matriarch June (guarded, sort of bitter) and patriarch Peter (a massive man, and a philanderer); their children, March (who has anger issues), Hap (a mechanic), and Thea (an attorney); Hap’s wife Vera (beautiful but jaded); and Peter’s twins by a mistress, Artie (a hunting tour guide) and Arlo (a musician). Oh, and their uncle Hayden (runs the local morgue, lives across the river).
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Whether you’ve read it or not, by now you’ve probably heard about this book to death. But for good reason! It was beautiful and compelling. It does have some heavy subject matter and tear-jerking moments, but I wouldn’t call it a heavy book overall. I would call it unputdownable and unforgettable. If you’ve been sleeping on T&T&T, make this summer the season you fix that.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
This one probably gets shelved with fantasy way more often than literary fiction, and yes, it’s also extremely hyped, but hear me out. There’s no complex world-building to follow whatsoever; you’ll be able to feel immersed in the story right away. Plus, this book is a Pixar movie in book form!! (And who doesn’t love Pixar movies?) It will warm your heart and make you cry in the absolute best way. It just feels like sunshine and summer joy to me. Give your heart the gift of this book.
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
This is a newer release (it came out last August), and it’s absolutely perfect for summer. There’s something that just feels sunny and easy about an Ann Patchett novel, even though they tend to pack a fair amount of emotional punch (kind of like Elizabeth Strout, IMO). Tom Lake is especially beachy in that it takes place at a summer regional theater in Michigan — big adult summer camp vibes, similar to the setting of Dirty Dancing. Plus, Meryl Streep narrates the audiobook, giving it added Mama Mia! vibes to boot.
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
This book just came out earlier this month, but there’s a reason I called it the literary beach read of the summer in my review. It’s fast-paced (especially the ending), funny, and not that serious — I mean, it’s literally about a woman who falls in love with a time-traveling explorer from the 1800s, lol. Perfect if you’re looking for a book that mishmashes together a little bit of everything you love without requiring as much brain power.
As always, thanks for sharing your corner of the internet with me! It would mean a lot if you were to take a second to like this post. I’d love to hear about your favorite literary beach reads in the comments, too.
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— Deedi (she/her)
I actually read The House in the Cerulean Sea on the beach back several years ago and can confirm it's perfect for that setting. Modern Lovers is another great Emma Straub book to pick up next!
The Ministry of Time...paper vs audio?