Why am I passionate about this?

As a romance and rom-com writer, summer love stories are my favorite to read. We change during the summer months—our schedules are less rigorous, we get out and see the world, we can be a little reckless with our decisions because everything feels temporary, and we show the world a more relaxed side of ourselves. In cuffing season, we attach ourselves to another person to get through the cold months with a warm body by our side. Meanwhile, in summertime, we don’t feel burdened to get through it with another person. But the night swimming and salt air romance allows surprising love stories to ignite. 


I wrote

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice

By Alison Rose Greenberg,

Book cover of Maybe Once, Maybe Twice

What is my book about?

You know that old saying, “If we’re still single when we’re 35, we should get married?” Maggie Vine made that…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The books I picked & why

Book cover of Summer Sisters

Alison Rose Greenberg Why did I love this book?

I stole this book off my mother’s shelf when I was fifteen, and no book has ever hit me as hard regarding the complexities inside female friendships.

While I was enthralled by the love triangle in this book, I think the greatest love story Blume has ever written is Vix and Caitlin’s honest, imperfect friendship, revisited year after year as they summer together in Martha’s Vineyard. 

By Judy Blume,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK AS FEATURED ON TODAY • “Summer Sisters is a book to return to again and again.”—Colleen Hoover

“As warm as a summer breeze blowing through your hair, as nostalgic as James Taylor singing ‘How Sweet It Is.’ You remember. So does Judy Blume. How sweet it was.”—Chicago Tribune
 
In the summer of 1977, Victoria Leonard’s world changes forever when Caitlin Somers chooses her as a friend. Dazzling, reckless Caitlin welcomes Vix into the heart of her sprawling, eccentric family, opening doors to a world of unimaginable privilege, sweeping…


Book cover of Beach Read

Alison Rose Greenberg Why did I love this book?

I am a sucker for the enemies-to-lovers trope. And January and Gus do it so well. The forced proximity of having these two college rivals as neighbors perfectly escalates the tension between them.

I also appreciate when romance novels aren’t afraid to touch on darker topics, and this book delves into some grief issues that make the characters feel so dynamic. For this reason, Gus is one of my favorite love interests that Emily Henry has ever written.  

By Emily Henry,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked Beach Read as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

FROM THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION AND BOOK LOVERS!

A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters.

Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.

They’re polar opposites.

In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they're living in neighboring…


Book cover of One Italian Summer

Alison Rose Greenberg Why did I love this book?

This book drenched me in the romance of a woman escaping her real life, and for most of the book, it made me want to fly to Positano and never return.

I loved how Serle uses magical realism to help Katy grieve the loss of her mother and explore how she feels about her own marriage. I was heartbroken and in awe throughout the book, and I’ve never seen a mother-daughter relationship explored so tenderly as Katy and Carol. 

By Rebecca Serle,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked One Italian Summer as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“[A] magical trip worth taking.” —Associated Press

“Rebecca Serle is a maestro of love in all its forms.” —Gabrielle Zevin, New York Times bestselling author

The New York Times bestselling author of In Five Years returns with a powerful novel about the transformational love between mothers and daughters set on the breathtaking Amalfi Coast.

When Katy’s mother dies, she is left reeling. Carol wasn’t just Katy’s mom, but her best friend and first phone call. She had all the answers and now, when Katy needs her the most, she is gone. To make matters worse,…


Book cover of The Summer I Turned Pretty

Alison Rose Greenberg Why did I love this book?

I’m a sucker for YA and love triangles, and the love triangle between Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah is one for the ages!

Watching Belly come alive in Cousins is such a delight, and from the moment both boys see Belly emerge from the car that summer, I couldn’t put the book down. Belly’s crush on Conrad delivers such good teenage pining. 

By Jenny Han,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Summer I Turned Pretty as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

The Summer I Turned Pretty is now a major new TV series on Amazon Prime!

From the author of Netflix's smash-hit movie To All The Boys I've Loved Before, this is the perfect funny summer romance for fans of The Kissing Booth and Holly Bourne.

One girl. Two boys. And the summer that changed everything . . .

Every year Isabel spends a perfect summer at her favourite place in the world - the Fisher family's beach house. It has everything a girl could want: a swimming pool, a private stretch of sandy beach... and two (very cute) boys:

Unavailable,…


Book cover of One Day

Alison Rose Greenberg Why did I love this book?

I open this book whenever I need a good cry. I covet books that surprise me, and not many romances are true heartbreakers. This one is just that, and it took my breath away.

There are different ways to tell love stories; this isn’t a typical summertime romance. It’s deep, beautiful, and devastating. As a writer, I was inspired by the structure, which shows Emma and Dexter’s characters turning into fully wonderful adults as we visit them every July 15th, year after year. 

By David Nicholls,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked One Day as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'ONE DAY is destined to be a modern classic' - Daily Mirror Twenty years, two people, ONE DAY. The multi-million copy bestseller that captures the experiences of a generation. 'I can imagine you at forty,' she said, a hint of malice in her voice. 'I can picture it right now.' He smiled without opening his eyes. 'Go on then.' 15th July 1988. Emma and Dexter meet for the first time on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways. So where will they be on this one day next year? And the year after that? And…


Don't forget about my Book 😀

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice

By Alison Rose Greenberg,

Book cover of Maybe Once, Maybe Twice

What is my book about?

You know that old saying, “If we’re still single when we’re 35, we should get married?” Maggie Vine made that vow with two different guys at two different stages of her life. And they both showed up. 

At 35, Maggie is pursuing her dreams of being a singer and being a mother—though neither is panning out. So when her close friend, Garrett Scholl, kisses Maggie, it feels like one piece might click into place. Except he’s engaged to someone else. Enter Asher Reyes, Maggie’s swoon-worthy summer camp boyfriend, turned into an A-list actor. When a career-changing opportunity is presented to Maggie after her reconnection with Asher, it feels like everything will fall into place. But her past won’t let her move on without a fight.

You might also like...

A Sparrow Falls

By Vicki Olsen,

Book cover of A Sparrow Falls

Vicki Olsen Author Of A Sparrow Falls

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Air Force brat World War 2 junkie Gallivanter Beret-wearing Francophile Book hoarder

Vicki's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

In this book set against the backdrop of a changing America, Sarah must find the courage to confront the ghosts of her past and come to terms with her future. Sarah, a young woman from the rural town of Tolerance, Arkansas, has endured an impoverished and painful childhood.

But now, as the innocence of the 1950s transforms into the turbulent 1960s, Sarah must find the strength to overcome her traumas, forgive those who have wronged her, and discover her true self. With its moving and often disturbing narrative, A Sparrow Falls is an evocative account of a young woman's journey…

A Sparrow Falls

By Vicki Olsen,

What is this book about?

A moving, sometimes disturbing, beautifully written book...Amazon Customer Review
Set in Arkansas as the innocence of the 1950s morphs into the turbulent ‘60s, A Sparrow Falls is an evocative account of a young woman emerging from an impoverished and traumatic childhood as she finds the inner strength to overcome her past. Te ghosts of the past and come to terms with her future is in the strength to forgive those who have wronged her?
Content Advisory: This book is intended for mature audiences and contains child sexual abuse and disturbing imagery.


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in coming of age, bildungsroman, and Michigan?

Coming Of Age 1,308 books
Bildungsroman 317 books
Michigan 68 books