Whether you’re packing for a luxurious fortnight by the pool or simply unwinding in your garden or a local park on a long evening, summer beckons us to get lost in a truly great book. Fortunately, 2025 offers an abundance of captivating titles to choose from.
No matter your preference – from catching up on the year’s most talked-about novels to immersing yourself in an epic family saga or enjoying biting social satire – these 10 unranked titles are all perfect companions for a few hours of blissful escape.
1. Waist Deep by Linea Maja Ernst
A massive bestseller in Denmark, Linea Maja Ernst’s Waist Deep has now been translated into 10 languages, including English by Sherilyn Nicolette Hellberg. This novel reunites a group of university friends, now in their 30s, for a summer holiday in a rural cabin. What starts as a week of swimming, sunbathing, and relaxation slowly morphs into an uneasy self-examination of past choices and unlived lives. Vogue has hailed this sensual book as the “quintessential millennial novel,” drawing numerous comparisons to Sally Rooney. Its sun-soaked setting and languid literary vibe make it an ideal read for this time of year.
2. The Names by Florence Knapp
Arguably the most buzzed-about debut of the year, Florence Knapp’s The Names is a Sliding Doors-esque story exploring how a name can shape one’s destiny. Cora sets out to register the birth of her second child, with three potential names proposed by herself, her husband, and her young daughter. Each choice propels the narrative in a distinct direction, illustrating how split-second decisions can alter the entire course of our lives. While the themes are heavy—notably, domestic violence—Knapp’s writing remains light, skillfully weaving the three stories into a book as hopeful as it is harrowing.
3. Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico
This slim 120-page novel is perfect for light packing while still allowing you to delve into one of this year’s most discussed books. Translated from Italian by Sophie Hughes, Vincenzo Latronico’s Perfection tells the story of an expat millennial couple living and working in Berlin as digital nomads. Their lives are meticulously curated, from the houseplants and vinyl collection in their Art Nouveau apartment to their social circle in the city. While everything appears perfect on the surface (especially online), a creeping uneasiness hints at the inherent emptiness of a life where aesthetics take precedence. This sharp satire might just make you reconsider that poolside selfie.
4. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
It’s no coincidence that Taylor Jenkins Reid’s latest book, Atmosphere, was published just in time for summer. The powerhouse author, known for hits like Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, has become a go-to for sun-lounger reads thanks to her glamorous retro settings (the ’70s rock scene, Golden Age Hollywood, the ’90s professional tennis world) and emotionally rich love stories. Reid’s ninth novel is set in the world of space travel, specifically the 1980s NASA Space Shuttle mission. Its protagonist, Joan, becomes one of the first women to join the program, confronting immense challenges both in Mission Control and in her relationships with fellow astronauts.
5. Flashlight by Susan Choi
Susan Choi’s last novel, Trust Exercise, was a massive success, winning the National Book Award for Fiction and appearing on countless “best of 2019” lists—including Barack Obama’s. Her follow-up, Flashlight, is poised to make a similar impact. This ambitious generational saga meets mystery thriller spans several decades and countries, told from the perspectives of three members of the Kang family: a white American mother, a Korean father born in Japan, and their mixed-race daughter. The compelling story begins with a disappearance, with ripples extending outward from there, making it an unputdownable read.
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6. So Far Gone by Jess Walter
Jess Walter gave us a contemporary classic beach read with 2012’s Beautiful Ruins, which blended a glamorous Italian setting with old Hollywood romance, even featuring appearances by Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Walter’s latest, So Far Gone, offers a less chic setting but an equally compelling premise. A retired, reclusive, and disillusioned environmental journalist tries to opt out of modern life by going off-grid on his ranch. However, he’s forced to re-enter the real world when his daughter goes missing and his grandchildren are kidnapped, leading to a comedic road trip through a divided America plagued by conspiracy theories.
7. The Benefactors by Wendy Erskine
With two short story collections already under her belt, Wendy Erskine has established herself as one of the most exciting voices to emerge from Northern Ireland in recent years, a reputation solidified by her debut novel, The Benefactors. The story centers on three mothers united when their teenage sons are accused of sexual assault, but features an expansive cast of characters who collectively paint a vivid picture of contemporary Belfast. The Times lauded it for having “the style of Woolf but the heart of Dickens.” This absorbing, powerful novel delves into themes of class, trauma, and consent.
8. Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis
While it may not have won the Women’s Prize, Nussaibah Younis’s Fundamentally remains one of the year’s most highly praised debut novels. The subject matter—a British academic attempting to de-radicalize ISIS brides—might not immediately scream “beach read,” but the writing proves more hilarious than harrowing. Younis, who spent years working in international relations, even took a stand-up comedy course before writing the book, aiming for a story that would, above all, entertain. Its word-of-mouth success is testament to that achievement.
9. The Sisters by Jonas Hassen Khemiri
Summer downtime offers a fantastic opportunity to tackle a substantial novel, and at over 700 pages, Jonas Hassen Khemiri’s The Sisters is certainly meaty, both in length and subject matter. This sixth novel by the Swedish author is his first written in English (which he then re-wrote in Swedish) and has been lauded as “a staggering achievement.” Following three sisters across three decades and three continents, the novel is told in six parts, each covering a progressively shorter timespan—from a year to a day, all the way down to a single minute. This is one you’ll want to sink your teeth into on the sun lounger.
10. Great Black Hope by Rob Franklin
With the New York social scene as its backdrop, Rob Franklin’s Great Black Hope allows you to vicariously experience a sweltering summer in the city—though this debut is far more than a simple tale of hedonism. Protagonist David Smith is a queer Black Stanford graduate caught between two distinct worlds. His future seems bright, but when his roommate suddenly dies and he’s arrested for cocaine possession at a Hamptons party, things begin to unravel. This coming-of-age story explores the intersections of wealth and race, as well as themes of friendship, grief, and identity. Vanity Fair has hailed it as “the novel you’ll see by every Hamptons lounger this summer.”