The best beach reads that make you laugh out loud and sigh at the sexy sweetness

Why am I passionate about this?

I married my high school sweetheart, so I believe strongly in the magic and power of happily ever after. Although I wrote stories for my classmates as early as third grade, becoming a writer felt unattainable at the age of 21. As an elementary teacher, I adored my students, but the writing bug burrowed deep. Finally, I left the classroom and pursued writing full-time. It was a long road, but it has been so rewarding. My goal is to create a character-driven romance that feels real and relatable. One of the nicest comments I ever received was a reviewer who said she wanted to have dinner with my characters.


I wrote...

The Runaway Bride of Blossom Branch

By Janice Maynard,

Book cover of The Runaway Bride of Blossom Branch

What is my book about?

Being stood up at the altar is a young woman’s nightmare. But Cate has a sneaking suspicion that her would-be groom made the right choice. As she flees the church, only Harry offers transportation and a quiet bolthole to lick her wounds. He’s ten years older, inscrutable, and sees her as immature and flighty. (Or so she thinks.)

Cate has sailed through life until now, but her perfect world has crumbled. With Harry tagging along as her self-appointed guardian, Cate returns to Blossom Branch, a rural Georgia town rich with peach orchards and childhood memories. As the weeks pass, she reexamines her life, reconciles with her sister and ex-fiancé (but only as a friend), and slowly realizes that grumpy, bossy Harry is her forever guy.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of When in Rome

Janice Maynard Why did I love this book?

I loved this book by Sarah Adams; it made me laugh out loud on an airplane. Cue odd looks from seatmates.

Sarah’s voice is fresh and original, so funny, yet sweet and sexy. I particularly adored her hero because he was masculine but not overly macho. He is a brother with three sisters. The family has a close, charming dynamic. The secondary characters made me hope for future books!

By Sarah Adams,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked When in Rome as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Opposites certainly attract for the stranded pop star and small-town baker in this charming slice of romance from the author of the TikTok sensation The Cheat Sheet.

“This modern take on the Hepburn classic Roman Holiday is a quick, fun, slow-burn rom-com.”—Abby Jimenez, bestselling author of The Friend Zone

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: NPR

Amelia Rose, known as Rae Rose to her adoring fans, is burned-out from years of maintaining her “princess of pop” image. Inspired by her favorite Audrey Hepburn film, Roman Holiday, she drives off in the middle of the night for a break…


Book cover of The Family You Make

Janice Maynard Why did I love this book?

I have been reading Jill Shalvis for some time now. I love the depth of her characters and the realism of her storylines. But even when she is writing about tough topics, hope wins out.

In this book, the heroine is running from a difficult past, yet she yearns for permanency. Not all birth families are perfect. Jill’s book underscores the value of the families we choose.

And did I mention that the book is funny? From tears to laughter and back again. Gets me every time. 

By Jill Shalvis,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Family You Make as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Beloved New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis begins a new series - Sunrise Cove - set near beautiful Lake Tahoe, with a heartwarming story of found family and love.

'Perfect, feel-good fiction' Sarah Morgan

'Fall in love with Jill Shalvis! She's my go-to read for humor and heart' Susan Mallery, New York Times bestselling author

Readers are already loving The Family You Make!

'A strong 5 star read! . . . I absolutely adored this book'

'I couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end. I loved it'

'(A) beautiful and heartbreaking love story with a much…


Book cover of Miracle on 5th Avenue

Janice Maynard Why did I love this book?

First of all—a holiday story set in New York City? Who can resist that? Like the heroine, I am one of those people who loves immersing myself in Christmas as soon as Halloween is over. That usually means reading several holiday-set novels. With this book, I found myself turning pages faster and faster, yet never wanting the book to end.

The hero worried me. He’d faced a tragedy and shut himself off from the world. Sometimes, that can be too dark for my reading pleasure. But Sarah is a masterful storyteller. Her heroine is so empathetic and caring (possibly at the risk of breaking her own heart) that the hero is ever-so-slowly coaxed back from the brink of disaster.

Even for readers not from the Christmas tradition, the unfolding story will be satisfying. 

By Sarah Morgan,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Miracle on 5th Avenue as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Get your copy of Sarah Morgan's new Christmas novel Snowed in for Christmas now!

Praise for Sarah Morgan:

'Christmas isn't Christmas without a Sarah Morgan novel to inhale, and she's knocked it out of the heart-warming, uplifting park again' Laura Jane Williams

'Comfort reading at its best, all wrapped up in a tartan ribbon. Sarah Morgan will make your Christmas!' Veronica Henry

* * *

Sometimes love needs a Christmas miracle...

Hopeless romantic Eva Jordan loves everything about Christmas. Even if she is spending it alone housesitting a spectacular Fifth Avenue apartment. What she didn't expect was to find the…


Book cover of Crazy Rich Asians

Janice Maynard Why did I love this book?

This book is a bit different from my other recommendations.

When the book opens, the hero and heroine are already a couple. I loved seeing how their relationship is tested against the backdrop of the hero’s colorful, sometimes eccentric family. Again, humor! Ohmigosh, there are so many absolutely hilarious moments. For me, the book was a fascinating peek into a culture I knew little about.

Families can be a handful for young lovers. When you come from two completely different backgrounds, the pressure of expectations can cause the couple to crack. I loved Kevin’s deft storytelling and the lack of stereotypical stock figures.

By Kevin Kwan,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Crazy Rich Asians as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Crazy Rich Asians is the outrageously funny debut novel about three super-rich, pedigreed Chinese families and the gossip, backbiting and scheming that occurs when the heir to one of the most massive fortunes in Asia brings home his ABC (American-born Chinese) girlfriend to the wedding of the season.

When Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home, long drives to explore the island, and quality time with the man she might one day marry. What she doesn't know is that Nick's family home happens to look like a…


Book cover of Simply Magic

Janice Maynard Why did I love this book?

Although I primarily read contemporary romance, I love historical stories. Mary Balogh is one of the queens of the genre. For anyone who has fallen into the Bridgerton Netflix mania, Mary’s writing evokes the feeling of that time period: so many rules for the nobility and so many people who dare not fall in love or risk a lifetime of pain.

In this book, the couple is certainly not a suitable match. Even in their friendship, there is risk. I loved the way the stakes built up, and I also enjoyed the slow unraveling of a childhood secret that was destined to destroy any chance of happiness for the two main characters.

By Mary Balogh,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Simply Magic as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When Susannah is introduced to the charming, handsome Peter Edgeworth, he instantly unsettles her with his seductive gaze and brash pursuit. Yet the more Peter advances, the more Susanna withdraws. Suspecting that Susanna is haunted by a tragic history, Peter is determined to defy the mysteries of her past for a future with this exquisite creature.


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Split Decision

By David Perlmutter,

Book cover of Split Decision

David Perlmutter Author Of The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a freelance writer from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, specializing in media history and speculative fiction. I have been enchanted by animation since childhood and followed many series avidly through adulthood. My viewing inspired my MA thesis on the history of animation, out of which grew two books on the history and theory of animation on television, America 'Toons In: A History of Television Animation (available from McFarland and Co.) and The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows (available from Rowman and Littlefield). Hopefully, others will follow.

David's book list on understanding the history of animation

What is my book about?

Jefferson Ball, the mightiest female dog in a universe of the same, is, despite her anti-heroic behavior, intent on keeping her legacy as an athlete and adventurer intact. So, when female teenage robot Jody Ryder inadvertently angers her by smashing her high school records, Jefferson is intent on proving her superiority by outmuscling the robot in a not-so-fair fight. Not wanting to seem like a coward, and eager to end her enemy's trash talking, Jody agrees.

However, they have been lured to fight each other by circumstances beyond their control. Which are intent on destroying them if they don't destroy each other in combat first...

5 book lists we think you will like!

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