Summer is officially upon Us, which means it’s time to get those beach reads ready, and romance is the genre of choice.
One romance novel Us Weekly can’t get enough of this summer is The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren. The coauthor duo — comprised of Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings — recently opened up to Us exclusively about why readers are drawn to a love story.
“Readers come to romance for all kinds of reasons, including escape and joy and aspiration and, of course, entertainment, and they also love knowing what manner of entertainment awaits them,” the twosome shared, noting that beach reads specifically should be “propulsive.”
The authors note that readers want a book that “takes [them] on a journey” and is difficult to put down, adding, “Whether it’s romantic tension, or a nail-biting thriller, or a transportive and sweeping fantasy, a perfect beach read is one we don’t want to walk away from for even a second.”
Keep scrolling to see which romance novels to read on the beach in 2024:
‘What Happens in Moonlight’ by Aimee Agresti
An eclipse and multiple love connections? Yes, please! As Seraphine Lambent hosts a series of close friends for an upcoming solar eclipse, sparks start to fly between her various guests. Between new relationships taking flight and old relationships coming to an end, there’s so much to unpack. Set in a seemingly haunted Airbnb with documentarians on site to film the entire event, it’s safe to say things are definitely about to change. (Out now)
‘The Paradise Problem’ by Christina Lauren
Hobbs and Billings’ obsession with Succession helped them come up with the plot of this book, which follows Anna and Liam — who have been married for nearly five years but still barely know each other. In fact, the starving artist Anna learns his family is White Lotus-rich when she has to accompany Liam to a family wedding on a private island.
“We wanted the escapist setting and the over-the-top romance as the sweet, frothy topping,” the authors told Us, explaining how they made readers root for Anna and Liam despite the extenuating circumstances.
“Everyone around them is pretty terrible, so readers know who to root for in the us-vs-them debate,” the writers added. “Pretty much from the jump, Liam is sympathetic because readers can feel the toxicity of his family background and see his need to escape it. We root for Anna, of course, because she’s a struggling artist out there just doing her very best for herself and a father she loves dearly.” (Out now)
‘The Partner Plot’ by Kristina Forest
Two former high school sweethearts reconnect by chance during a wild trip to Las Vegas and wake up married. In the sober light of day, they decide to stay married to benefit their careers — Violet is a world-famous celeb stylist and Xavier is a high school teacher — but they soon realize their lives might be too different to make it work. (Out now)
‘Mistakes We Never Made’ by Hannah Brown
The Bachelorette alum did not disappoint with her foray into fiction. Brown brought her own personal experiences to life in Mistakes We Never Made — alluding to some iconic Bachelor Nation moments — as protagonist Emma and her former situationship Finn head on a wild goose chase down the West Coast looking for her best friend, who has become a runaway bride. (Out now)
‘This Could Be Us’ by Kennedy Ryan
Following the success of 2022’s Before I Let Go, Ryan returns to her Skyland series with This Could Be Us, which follows a woman named Soledad in the aftermath of a breakup that throws her world into chaos. As she juggles work and motherhood, she meets a man who initially seems like a mistake — but he may prove to be just what she needs. (Out now)
‘Funny Story’ by Emily Henry
She’s done it again — the queen of rom-com writing is back at it with Funny Story and a new fictional boyfriend, Miles, who won over BookTok in no time. Main character Daphne finds herself as Miles’ new roommate after their respective exes — Peter and Petra — start dating. While the two get through their breakups together, sparks definitely fly between them. (Out now)
‘Just for the Summer’ by Abby Jimenez
A love story born from Reddit, what’s more relatable than that? Justin is convinced he has a curse — all of his ex-girlfriends meet their soulmate right after they break up. When he goes to the internet for help breaking the spell, Justin meets Emma, who is convinced she has the same issue. (Out now)
‘My Season of Scandal’ by Julie Anne Long
Long expands her fantastic Palace of Rogues series with book No. 7, which follows Catherine, a young woman looking for a husband during her first season in high society. While staying at the Grand Palace on the Thames, she meets Dominic, a scandalous lord who could scuttle the entire husband-hunting project. (Out now)
‘The Kiss Countdown’ by Etta Easton
Easton’s debut novel is for aficionados of the fake relationship trope. Event planner Amerie pretends to be dating astronaut Vincent when she runs into an ex, but they decide to continue the charade until he has to set off for space. When their faux feelings turn real, Amerie has to decide whether she’s ready for their romance to take flight. (Out now)
‘Love at First Knight’ by Megan Clawson
If you’re hoping to scratch a royal romance itch, then look no further than Clawson’s latest book, which follows Daisy, a young woman who lands a summer job at the Tower of London’s knight school. She soon meets Teddy, a disgraced member of the royal family who’s also working at knight school and is determined to make her days a lot more difficult — until they realize they have a connection off the battlefield. (Out now)
‘Not Here to Make Friends’ by Jodi McAlister
No, this is not The Bachelor, it’s Marry Me, Juliet, and the show’s producer Murray finds himself in a major pickle for the franchise’s upcoming season. Lily Fireball, who the network wants as the “villain” this time around, also happens to be Murray’s best friend and former coworker. Now, she’s attempting to become reality TV gold. (June 4)
‘The Mistress Experience’ by Scarlett Peckham
Peckham closes out her Society of Sirens series with The Mistress Experience, which follows notorious harlot Thaïs. To raise money for the cause of women’s rights, she auctions herself off to the highest bidder but gets more than she bargained for in the winner, radical politician Lord Alastair. (June 25)
‘The Au Pair Affair’ by Tessa Bailey
Bailey’s latest novel centers on Burgess, a single dad and former hockey player who hires Tallulah as his live-in nanny. Tallulah at first tries to help Burgess return to the dating world, but her plans go awry when she realizes they’re developing a steamy relationship of their own. (July 16)
‘Cross the Line’ by Simone Soltani
Formula 1 fans, this one’s for you. Dev Anderson is an F1 driver with an image problem in danger of losing his sponsors, leading him to hire recent college grad Willow Williams as his social media manager. They try to keep their relationship strictly professional, but their chemistry is simply too intense to ignore for long. (July 23)
‘Haunted Ever After’ by Jen DeLuca
After delighting readers with a four-book trip to the Renaissance Faire, DeLuca is back with a new, equally enchanting setting: a spooky Florida beach town. Nick owns a local coffee shop and embraces Boneyard Key’s ghost-forward opportunities, while newcomer Cassie is somewhat less impressed when her new house seems haunted. As Nick shows Cassie around her new hometown, the pair form a deep connection — until the eeriness of it all threatens their good time. (August 13)
‘Til Heist Do Us Part’ by Sara Desai
Desai’s latest book is the perfect blend of romance, mystery and thrills. Heroine Simi Chopra has recently pulled off an impressive heist, but now she needs to return the jewels — with interest. Unfortunately, the necklace is now with her partner Jack Danger’s biggest enemy, and the whole crew must work together to make it right. (August 20)
