Saltwater taffy, 8-hour beach days, and outdoor showers are just a few of my favorite “classic New England summer” things. As a New England girl, I was fortunate enough to have spent my summers in York, Maine, The Cape and on Martha’s Vineyard. Each location holds its own precious memories, but together, these places create the sweetest summer nostalgia. The magic of collecting brass rings on The Flying Horses Carousel, overcoming my fear of riding the Ferris wheel at York’s Wild Kingdom, and making myself sick off of Saltwater taffy and fudge from The Golden Rod and Icecream from Dunne’s is my entire childhood, or at least the parts that matter most. Summers in New England are all my dad’s favorite places and all my favorite memories of him. These summers are all the friends who came along on family vacations, some with whom I’ve lost touch and some with whom I still speak daily. There is no place as perfect as a New England beach town for your own coming-of-age story.
There was a time when I wasn’t always thrilled to be hauled up to York on the weekends, but looking back, I will always cherish these places and the people I experienced them with. Whether you’ve experienced your fair share of New England summers or have never experienced one, I want to share some books that will transport you to some of these magical places. I hope these books inspire you to visit a beach in New England, try a fresh lobster roll, or dive into the frigid salty ocean I spent hours in as a kid. Just watch out for sharks if you’re visiting The Cape!
There is something for everyone on this list. New releases, favorites that have been around for a while, mysteries, family sagas, historical and contemporary fiction, adult and YA. The one thing all of these books have in common is that they will make the perfect beach read for your New England summer. Here are nine novels that feature summer in New England.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Setting: Newport, Rhode Island
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
When Phoebe arrives at the Cornwall Inn, she realizes she is the only person not invited. Lila has booked the entire Inn, so she thought, for the guests attending her extravagant wedding week. Phoebe is at her all-time low, and Lila is at a high point, yet the women connect in a way they hadn’t expected. Phoebe quickly finds herself swept into the meticulously planned event. Full of dark humor, human connection, unexpected friendship, and relatable characters, The Wedding People is the perfect novel to binge-read during your beach vacation.
Ratings: Goodreads: 4.35 | Amazon | Barnes & Noble: 5
Sandwich by Catherine Newman
Setting: Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction
Rocky is fifty-something and going through it. Our main character and narrator grapples with menopause while navigating her complicated but loving relationships with her children, husband, and parents. This takes place at the beach house she has rented with her family in The Cape every summer for her children’s entire lives. Now, they are adults on the cusp of starting their own lives and families. Rocky switches back and forth between worrying about losing her children, parents, and maybe even her husband and reminiscing about her past summers and cherished memories, some precious, some painful. This novel is raw, honest and feels like a genuine snapshot of a real family, quirks and all.
Ratings: Goodreads: 3.91 | Amazon: 4 | Barnes & Noble: 4.5
Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand
Setting: Nantucket (Massachusetts)
Genre: Mystery, Contemporary Fiction
Swan Song is the final installment and book #4 of Elin Hilderbrand’s Nantucket novels. Nantucket’s Chief of Police, Ed Kapenash, is about to retire after years of serving the small island community he loves. Just before that happens the Richardson’s 22 million-dollar summer home burns to the ground. The Richardsons are unscathed, but their personal assistant, who happens to be Kapenash’s daughter’s best friend, is missing. The Richardson’s had been stirring up drama in the tight-knit community long before the fire, and plenty of mystery surrounds them. The chief has no choice but to take on one last case before retiring for good. This novel works as a stand-alone and is the perfect beach read full of mystery, drama and gossip, but there are plenty of easter eggs and nods to the previous books for fans of the series.
Ratings: Goodreads: 4.22 | Amazon: 4.5 | Barnes & Noble: 3.3
Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
Setting: Martha’s Vineyard (Massachusetts)
Genre: Literary Fiction
Spanning nearly two decades, Summer Sisters follows Caitlin and Vix during their summers on Martha’s Vineyard, which shaped their young lives. Two girls from different backgrounds, Caitlin and Vix’s bond begins in 1977 when Caitlin invites Vix to spend the summer at her affluent family’s summer home on the Vineyard. Years later, the girls’ lives have led them in different directions until Vix is called back to the Vineyard to be Caitlin’s maid of honor. Vix and Caitlin are forced to confront unresolved issues, emotions, and the impacts of their socioeconomic differences. Exploring themes of friendship, love, and betrayal, Blume’s tale perfectly captures the magic of the Vineyard and the bittersweet nostalgia of coming-of-age friendships.
Ratings: 3.86 Goodreads 4.3 Amazon 4.1 Barnes & Noble
Happy Place by Emily Henry
Setting: Knotts Harbor, Maine (Fictional town)
Genre: Romance, Contemporary Fiction
This is the last summer a group of friends has to spend at their happy place: A . Year after year, Sabrina, Cleo, Harriet, Wyn, Parth, and Kimmy have been spending one perfect week at Sabrina’s father’s Cabin. The group is heart broken when they learn Sabrina’s father is selling the cabin and Sabrina is set on the entire group meeting for one last special trip. Things are a bit complicated for, Harriet and Wynn, who have been the perfect couple since college because their friends don’t know one big secret. They broke off their engagement months ago. Determined to let their friends have one more perfect week at the Cabin, Harriet and Wynn pretend to be the perfect couple through beach escapades,
Ratings: Good Reads: 4 | Amazon: 4.2 | Barnes & Noble: 4.4
The Last Summer of the Camperdowns by Elizabeth Kelly
Setting: Wellfleet, MA (Cape Cod)
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Coming-of-age
Riddle Camperdown is the twelve-year-old daughter of politician Camp and ex-movie star Greer. Over the course of one summer on their compound in Wellfleet, everything seems to fall apart. Riddle accidentally witnesses a crime and is too afraid to tell anyone. Meanwhile, her parents are in the midst of a resurfacing love triangle and a secret that threatens to end Camp’s political career. As Riddle struggles to gain the courage to share her secret while trying to please her very different parents. This novel wraps humor, mystery, and coming-of-age all in one. The perfect novel to keep you on the edge of your towel this summer.
Ratings: Goodreads: 3.47 | Amazon: 4 | Barnes & Noble: 4.1
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
Setting: Maine (Blueberry fields) and Nova Scotia
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Own Voices
A Mi’kmaq girl named Ruthie goes missing from the blueberry fields where her family works every summer. This sets off years of tragedy for her family, who never stop searching for her. Years later, we encounter Norma, who has always questioned her past and her parents’ stories. Ruthie’s family goes back and forth between their home in Nova Scotia and their summer work in Maine; over the years and through the loss of other family members, Ruthie’s mother and siblings are never truly able to let go of her loss. Ruthie’s brother Joe was the last to see her, and he never fully lets go of his guilt; now, as Joe is dying, he wonders if he will ever lay eyes on Ruthie again. After the death of her parents, Norma finally gains the courage and the freedom to uncover her true family history.
This Own Voice novel is a bit heavy for a beach read, but it is rich in its story and historical nods to the region. This is an absolute heartbreaker, but sometimes you need a good cry on the beach!
Ratings: Goodreads: 4.14 | Amazon: 4.1 | Barnes & Noble: 4.4
A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Willams
Setting: Newport, Rhode Island (Community of Seaview)
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
This historical fiction novel takes place in the idyllic oceanside community of Seaview, Rhode Island, in 1938. Lily Dane returns to familiar Seaview with her family for another summer. Lily is surprised and shaken to find that her ex-best friend Budgie and ex-fiance Nick, now married to each other, have also returned to Seaview. A love triangle develops at the same time that a major hurricane is barreling toward their idyllic community. Lily is forced to confront her past relationships with Budgie and Nick before anyone can move on from the past.
Ratings: Goodreads: 3.96 | Amazon: 4.4 | Barnes & Nobles: 4.3
Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson
Setting: Stanwich, Connecticuit
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary YA, Romance
It’s the beginning of summer vacation, and Emily’s best friend, Sloan, has gone missing. Sloan was the one who pushed Emily out of her shell and her comfort zone, and even though she’s not around this summer, that won’t change. Sloan leaves behind a to-do list of thirteen tasks for summer vacation. All of them are things Emily would normally never do on her own. Desperate for her friend to return, Emily makes it her mission to cross every task off Sloan’s list. With the help of Frank Porter and Sloan’s list, Emily embarks on an unexpected summer of self-discovery, confronting her fears and navigating the complexities of her relationships.
Ratings: Goodreads: 4.07 | Amazon: 4.5 | Barnes & Noble: 4.6