It’s been a while, so I thought I’d dive back into Top Ten Tuesday just in time for summer! This week’s topic is books that will be in your beach bag this summer — or books that should be in everyone else’s! I’ve decided to list five of each, so here goes…

5 Books in My Beach Bag:

1. Here’s Looking at You by Mhairi McFarlane — A contemporary chick lit novel about a woman who unexpectedly runs into the high school crush who used to tease her. Mostly I like the adorable cover, but I’m also interested to see how (and if) a satisfying romance can grow out of these circumstances!

2. That Summer by Lauren Willig — I love Willig’s books, and this one is about the Pre-Raphaelites! If you like historical fiction with a hint of mystery and romance, you should definitely check out her work.

3. Love Irresistibly by Julie James — Another author I love! But it’s been a while since I picked up one of her books; in fact, this isn’t even her most recent title! (That would be It Happened One Wedding, which also might sneak its way into my beach bag.) Next time I’m looking for a contemporary romance fix, I need to pick this one up!

4. Being Sloan Jacobs by Lauren Morrill — I enjoyed Morrill’s first book, Meant to Be, so I went ahead and got this one as well. The plot sounds like fun! Sloane Emily Jacobs is a figure skater, and Sloane Devon Jacobs plays hockey. When the two of them meet and discover that they have (almost) the same name, they switch lives for the summer! I expect hijinks will ensue.

5. A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn — I’ve been meaning to read this one since last summer! It’s set in the 1920s or ’30s, and most of it takes place in British colonial Africa. I liked the Julia Grey books (although I only read the first three), so I have high hopes for this one!

5 Recommended Beach Reads:

1. Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson — I just read this recently, and you guys, it’s so adorable! Emily’s perfect summer seems to be ruined when her best friend, Sloane (a popular fictional name, apparently!), vanishes without saying goodbye. But Sloane does leave Emily a list of tasks designed to get her out of her comfort zone. As Emily tries to complete the list, she makes new friends, finds romance, and discovers her own identity. A perfect summer read!

2. Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols — I love all of Echols’ YA romantic dramas, but I think this one is the most summery. It’s about Leah, a girl who’s grown up poor and tough, whose dream is to fly airplanes. There’s a swoonworthy romance and some fascinating stuff about flying (ever since reading Code Name Verity I’ve been really into books about female pilots!), and it takes place in a South Carolina beach town. (My mini-review here.)

3. Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen — Another great read that’s extremely appropriate for the summer, since it deals with a lake resort that might only have one summer left before it needs to close. (My review here.)

4. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen — More YA contemporary romance! This one is also set in a beach town, and I really liked the focus on female friendships rather than just the love story. (My review here.)

5. A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie — Personally, I love taking mysteries on vacation, and you can’t do better than Agatha Christie! This one, as you might suspect, involves murder on a Caribbean island. Luckily Miss Marple is on hand to solve the mystery!