Welcome to Our Summer Reading Series ☀️📚
Summer reading season is officially here.
Whether you're headed to the beach, lounging by the pool, traveling somewhere new, or simply enjoying a quiet moment on the porch with a cold drink and a good book, we're sharing some of our favorite recommendations all summer long.
Rather than giving you one giant list, we're breaking our summer TBR into a series of themed reading guides—because not every reader is looking for the same kind of escape.
Some of us want romance. Some want suspense. Some want stories that make us think, dream, travel, or see the world a little differently.
So grab your favorite bookmark and join us as we explore a different corner of the reading world each week.
Today's stop?
Character-Driven Stories Edition 💙
For Readers Who Fall in Love with Characters
Some books are driven by action.
Others are driven by the people on the page.
These are the stories where the plot matters—but the characters are what stay with you. The books that make you laugh, cry, text your friends about fictional people, and feel a little sad when the story ends.
Some books aren't about big twists or dramatic cliffhangers.
Instead, they draw you in through beautiful writing, layered relationships, and characters who feel incredibly real.
- Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
- The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
- Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
- Summer Island by Kristin Hannah
- The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
- The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
- The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
- Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand
- A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
- The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
- The Wedding People by Alison Espach
- Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
These are wonderful choices if you're looking for books that unfold slowly and reward readers who enjoy getting deeply invested in the people on the page.
Revisit some of our past summertime reading suggestions:
