Love "Summer I Turned Pretty"? Here's 7 Reading Recs
First and foremost, read the books that started it all
Jenny Han's The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy has all of the romance, drama, and summer vibes as the Amazon Prime series, except the book is always better. Whether you're sitting on your couch or hanging out by the ocean, you'll want to escape to Cousins Beach and get lost in Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah's love triangle all over again.
My Life With the Walter Boys and My Return to the Walter Boys by Ali Novak
True story: I read My Life With the Walter Boys for the first time while sitting on the beach shortly after it was released. This book follows Jackie, who recently moved in with the Walter family following a family tragedy. The only catch? The Walters have a house full of boys, and Jackie is already torn between two of them. After the Netflix adaptation blew up, Ali Novak finally released the sequel...10 years after the first book debuted.
Wrong Answers Only by Tobias Madden
Living on a cruise ship, rent-free, and seeing the world with your best friend? There are few dreams I would rather escape to. Wrong Answers Only pairs this once-in-a-lifetime vacation with a rich, intriguing story of family and acceptance. After a panic attack, everybody in Marco's life encourages him to loosen up a bit...so they send him on a cruise ship captained by an estranged uncle he has never met, of course. The adventure that ensues involves everything from hooking up with a hot dancer to visiting the Italian sights of his grandmother's stories.
Better Than the Movies and Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter
Anyone who wants to get swept away in a romance will love anything Lynn Painter writes. Better Than the Movies finds Liz hopelessly crushing on Michael, who recently moved back to town. So she schemes with Wes, the boy next door, to figure out how to win him over. But is Michael really who Liz wants in the long run? You'll devour this book in an afternoon unless you're careful, and then you'll have to immediately order the sequel.
I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
I'll Give You the Sun somehow feels timeless. It follows twins Noah and Jude as they navigate life both before and after their mom's death. Their stories contain love, heartbreak, struggling to belong, and a sibling bond that persists despite many small fractures. Set in a coastal California town, this book has all of the nostalgic summer vibes while telling an important story of finding your place in the world.
Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler
Cool for the Summer meets Lara at a crossroads: the boy she's loved from afar for years, or the girl who stole her heart last summer. This book follows Lara's journey as she discovers what it means to be bisexual, navigating a new relationship with Chase and memories of her summer spent with Jasmine. Those who adore the love triangle in The Summer I Turned Pretty will adore Lara's story just as much.
Finally, various titles by K. L. Walther
Swiftie fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty would love everything K. L. Walther writes. Her books are full of heart, charm, and Easter egg references to songs, not unlike the Taylor Swift song cameos in TSITP. The Summer of Broken Rules boasts the coastal setting and close family relationships that define summer, What Happens After Midnight tells the tale of an elaborate senior prank, and While We're Young details a senior skip day with more than a few similarities to Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Regardless of which book you choose, you will be met with a story you can't put down.
Any books I missed? What are your favorite summer reads? Let me know in the comments!
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