Summer Reads That Celebrate Friendship
By Kristy Woodson Harvey
Summer and friendship have always gone hand-in-hand for me. Maybe it’s because the summer is when we get to spend those long, languishing days of childhood making memories with the people who stay in our hearts forever; or maybe because, even in adulthood, it’s the season in my home on the North Carolina coast where friends from near and far gather together again. Whatever the reason, that’s why my novel, The Summer of Songbirds, is really a testament to lifelong friendships—especially those from summer camp!—and a love letter to the people and places who make us who we are. If you’re looking for a book to pack for your summer vacation (or to make you feel like you’re on vacation even if you’re at home), I hope you’ll check out my latest novel. And I’m so excited to share my recommendations for other summer books about friendship that you must add to your TBR immediately!
Welcome to Beach Town by Susan Wiggs
I was so lucky to get an early read of Susan Wiggs’s latest summer stunner, and this one isn’t just about friendship—it’s about the lengths we’ll go to in avenging the deaths of friends gone too soon. The perfect mix of summer fun and thoughtful prose, this is a must-read that will stay with you long after the story ends.
The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh
This might seem like an odd pick on the surface because Isadora Bentley is a woman who, well…has no friends! (When the book opens at least.) A cynical naysayer, she sets out to prove that an article about how to have a happy life is wrong on every level and ends up making friends and maybe even finding love along the way. Courtney Walsh always writes unforgettable protagonists, and Isadora might be her best yet.
The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley
I love a novel about an unexpected friendship, and Oakley has certainly delivered that. Twenty-one-year-old Tanner and eighty-four-year-old Louise don’t seem like the most obvious best friends. But what starts as an arrangement quickly blooms into a can’t-miss adventure about the surprises always waiting for us, no matter what stage of life we’re in.
Must Love Flowers by Debbie Macomber
Speaking of multi-generational friendships, Debbie Macomber serves up a charming, satisfying one between protagonist Joan and Maggie, the young boarder she is trying to help. As so often happens, these two end up coming to rely on each other in ways they never could have imagined and forming a bond that will change both of their lives forever.
The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel
For a more serious summer read, Kristin Harmel brings us a page-turning story of two mothers who become best friends—and end up facing unthinkable choices as World War II rages in France. This is a story that tests the bounds of friendship and explores our capacity for love. Take this to the beach and prepare to read it in one sitting. It’s that immersive!
The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand
When it comes to great friendship stories, this one hits all the high notes! Reeling from a recent loss, Hollis decides to arrange a trip for friends from each stage of her life, an idea that isn’t quite as simple as it seems. When the friends clash, secrets are revealed, and unexpected visitors arrive, the weekend turns in directions Hollis never could have expected. This one proves once again why Hilderbrand is the queen of the beach read!
Kristy Woodson Harvey is the New York Times, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of ten novels including Under the Southern Sky, The Peachtree Bluff Series, The Wedding Veil and The Summer of Songbirds. Her Peachtree Bluff Series is currently in development with NBC with Kristy as co-writer and co-executive producer. She is the winner of the Lucy Bramlette Patterson Award for Excellence in Creative Writing, a finalist for the Southern Book Prize, and her books have received numerous accolades including Southern Living’s Most Anticipated Beach Reads, Entertainment Weekly’s Spring Reading Picks, and Katie Couric’s Most Anticipated Reads.