End of Summer '23 Reads

We’ve officially entered the last week of summer! A piece of my heart is breaking now that the seasonal depression is looming, but instead of getting sad, I’ll focus on the good that came from a great 3 months of reading in the sunshine! If you’re looking to squeeze out one last drop of Vitamin D, take a look at any of these three reads!

First up, my most recent read, Trust, by Hernan Diaz. This is definitely a rollercoaster of a plotline. It’s a book within a book about a Wall Street tycoon who made his fortune during the Great Depression, but there are so many twists and turns, it’ll have you wondering who was the real kingpin in his story. It’s challenging to get into at first, and if you have a heart, you’ll mourn characters along the way, but the ending sure does make up for the emotional pilgrimage.

Next up is my favorite romance read of 2023. I absolutely loved Meet Me at the Lake. Second chances at love are a personal favorite, and seeing partners sacrifice while struggling with their own unique grief journeys is such an intimate, wholly human experience. For those who like spice with their romance, this is definitely on the mild end, but the characters are so likeable (and hot!), it’s still worth the read.

Finally, the only piece of fiction to make me cry this summer: Hello Beautiful. I’ve written about this book before, and all I’ll say here is that when you read the finally “Hello Beautiful” of the book, you will need a box of tissues and some Advil from the ensuing crying headache. In this modern retelling of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, you’ll relate to a touching story that many families working through grief will understand.