Pack your bags (and your books!) Perfect reads for your tropical escape

Pack your bags (and your books!) Perfect reads for your tropical escape

Ah, the promise of sun-drenched beaches, swaying palm trees, and the gentle rhythm of the waves... Is there anything more idyllic than a tropical vacation? And what's the perfect companion for all that blissful downtime? A stack of captivating books, of course!

We've curated a list of 20 beach reads guaranteed to transport you even further into relaxation and adventure during your next tropical getaway. From heartwarming romances to intriguing mysteries and thought-provoking journeys, there's something here for every literary taste. Check out the titles below or find them on Bookshop.org.

Silent Book Club's Tropical Reading List

  1. Happy Place, by Emily Henry: Two exes pretending to still be a couple for their friends' annual vacation discover that maybe their "happy place" isn't in the past after all.
  2. Lies and Weddings, by Kevin Kwan: A whirlwind, fake-engagement romance takes a chaotic turn amidst the extravagant world of the super-rich.
  3. Beautiful Ruins, by Jess Walter: Decades intertwine in this sweeping tale of a starlet who flees to a remote Italian village and the lives she touches.
  4. Just for the Summer, by Abby Jimenez: A commitment-phobic social worker agrees to a summer fling with a charming baseball player, defying their expectations.
  5. Reckless Girls, by Rachel Hawkins: A group of friends' idyllic escape to a deserted Pacific island takes a dark and dangerous turn.
  6. The Signature of All Things, by Elizabeth Gilbert: A sweeping historical novel following the extraordinary life of a female botanist in the 19th century.
  7. The Paradise Problem, by Christina Lauren: A fake marriage between two scientists on a tropical island faces unexpected complications and undeniable chemistry.
  8. The Sirens, by Emilia Hart: A haunting tale of a woman who uncovers a dark secret connected to her family's history and a remote island.
  9. Nine Perfect Strangers, by Liane Moriarty: Nine stressed city dwellers attend a secluded wellness retreat run by a mysterious guru with unconventional methods.
  10. The Intersectional Environmentalist, by Leah Thomas: An accessible guide exploring the vital connections between social justice and environmentalism.
  11. The Lost Girls, by Jennifer Baggett, Holly C. Corbett, Amanda Pressner: Three best friends embark on a life-altering backpacking trip around the world.
  12. And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie: Ten strangers are lured to a secluded island and systematically killed off, each death mirroring a chilling nursery rhyme.
  13. Sharks in the Time of Saviors, by Kawai Strong Washburn: A Hawaiian boy survives a shark attack with seemingly supernatural protection, intertwining his family's fate with ancient myths.
  14. Dial A for Aunties, by Jessie Q. Sutano: A disastrous blind date leads to a chaotic entanglement with the accidental murder of her date and the help of her meddling aunties.
  15. Curvy Girl Summer, by Danielle Allen: A plus-size woman unexpectedly falls for a charming surfer during a summer of self-discovery and body positivity.
  16. A Long Petal of the Sea, by Isabel Allende: A young widow and a doctor flee the Spanish Civil War and forge a new life in Chile.
  17. Bonjour Tristesse, by Françoise Sagan: A selfish teenage girl's carefree summer on the French Riviera takes a dark turn with the arrival of her widowed father's new love interest.
  18. State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett: A pharmaceutical researcher journeys into the Amazon rainforest to find her former mentor and uncover the secrets of a fertility drug.
  19. Hula, by Jasmin Iolani Hakes: A young woman living in Hawaii grapples with her family's hidden past and the complex history of her island home.
  20. Birding Without Borders: An Obsession, a Quest, and the Biggest Year in the World, by Noah Strycker: A birder recounts his extraordinary and challenging quest to see the most bird species in the world in a single year.

Ready to immerse yourself in uninterrupted reading in an even more breathtaking tropical setting? Join us in November for our Silent Book Club Reading Retreat in Costa Rica! Imagine yourself surrounded by the lush rainforest, connecting with fellow book lovers, and dedicating glorious hours to your TBR pile.

Click here to learn more and sign up for our Costa Rica Reading Retreat