HOTTER THAN SUMMER

18 Sexy Beach Book Reads That Rival the Sun

On a warm afternoon in late summer of 2012, I was walking to Grand Central to catch a train home after a day-long business meeting. I noticed a bookstore and made a split-second decision to pop in to see if I could find something to read on the hour plus commute to Connecticut. I’m a complete sucker for 4+ star reviews and anything that is highly rated so I made a beeline to the area where I saw the signage for the best sellers. But as I approached the table, I noticed that it was stacked with only one book. There are usually a dozen or so best sellers that share space on the coveted Best Seller table, and I wondered what book could command this much attention.

Oh my. Take the ribbon from my hair. You filthy little New Yorkers. It was none other than Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James. This would never have happened in the Nutmeg State! As mentioned earlier, the entire table was dedicated to this book, some stacks must have been 25 books high, I kid you not. It’s like they built the Manhattan skyline with skyscrapers made out of of books. Of course I had heard of the famous book – a steamy, erotic, thrilling romance novel and an instant New York Times Bestseller – but I had never held it in my hands. And now here it was in the flesh (that’s just a figure of speech) large and looming and being thrust on me and all the other bibliophiles. Yeah, I see you Barnes and not-so-Noble.

As I stood staring up at the intimidating mountain of books trying to make up my mind if I should buy one, I noticed a woman standing near me. She was nervously looking around to see if someone was watching her. Was I about to witness a theft? She glanced up at me and I must have looked friendly and approachable that day (not my proudest moment) because she leaned towards me and whispered “I want to buy this book but I don’t think I can.”

“Why?” I hissed.

“I would be too embarrassed!” she confessed as she fanned her face with her hand.

“Well I’m certainly not!” I practically yelled at her as I snatched up a copy of the book. “I will buy it for you. Just give me the money and I will meet you by the front door.” It was my first covert operation in book dealings and it felt really good. It also occurred to me that I had to purchase one too. It was my duty to bond with this stranger and let her know that she wasn’t the only one who wanted to read smut this particular type of fan fiction. Two copies please! At the register I stared down the woman who was hitting up my credit card, ready to pounce on her verbally if I detected the slightest – and I mean the slightest  attitude. There will be no shaming. I met my new friend by the front door as planned, slipped her a book and we promised never to see each other again.

Ten Years Later

Fifty Shades of Grey remains in the drawer of my night table exactly where I put it when I got home from the City that day. I have yet to read it. Actually, I started to read it – but in my humble opinion it was so badly written that I couldn’t stick with it despite the allure of scenes rumored to make you weak in the knees. Even though I haven’t read it and it is unfair of me to criticize it, the problem with Fifty Shades of Grey is that the author was attempting to write a well-constructed and meaningful piece of literature. The book was trying to be something it could never be. It is popular solely because of the “erotic” BDSM sex scenes and perhaps because it was one of the first books that was so explicit. I will say that E L James helped to opened the flood gates and encouraged a whole new generation of authors to write and publish steamy romance novels. Kudos.

Funny, Feisty Romcoms to Intense Erotic Thrillers

Reading books with explicit romantic content is new to me, a whole new bookshelf was created when I read It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover. Over the past several months I have been devouring romance books. I read Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score in one night and Things We Hide From the Light (book two in the three book series) the next night. I have already preordered book three. Sensing a trend, I treated myself to a Kindle Unlimited Subscription. I highly recommend this subscription if you are an avid reader. Click HERE to learn more.

Most of the books that I am blogging about today are also not examples of beautifully written fiction. There will be no Pulitzer Prizes awarded. But they are not trying to be. The authors know exactly what sells; books that are easy-to-read, humorous, incredibly steamy romance novels with a predictable happy ending. All the story lines can be categorized into a handful of themes: Enemies to lovers. Age gap. Forbidden love. Opposites attract. Love triumphs over fear. Money can’t buy happiness (sigh, that’s so disappointing).

The books that made my list are highly entertaining romantic reads, an opportunity to escape and get lost in a book for a few hours. They range from funny, feisty romcoms to intense erotic thrillers, most have scenes that are sexually explicit and there is one or two that push the edge and have trigger warnings, so please read the summaries. I have read most but not all the books, they all passed my Amazon + GoodReads research and garnered 4+ stars plus thousands of reviews. The book summaries are downright cheesy and don’t provide insight to how hot some of the sex scenes are.

There are lots of books are listed here, if you find yourself scrolling and not sure where to start, I would start with Lucy Score or Meghan Quinn. They are hilarious and sexy romcoms and check all the boxes. Some of their books are part of a series, and it is helpful to read them in order. I have linked all the books to my Amazon Store and I earned a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase a book. Happy reading!

Hotter Than Summer

Pen Pal by J. T. Geissinger (not read)

The first letter arrived the day my husband was buried. It was postmarked from the state penitentiary, and contained a single sentence:

I’ll wait forever if I have to.

It was signed by Dante, a man I didn’t know.

Out of simple curiosity, I wrote back to ask him what exactly he was waiting for. His reply?

You.

I told the mystery man he had the wrong girl. He said he didn’t. I said we’d never met, but he said I was wrong. We went back and forth, exchanging letters every week that grew increasingly more intimate. Then one day, the letters stopped. When I found out why, it was already too late. Dante was at my doorstep. And nothing on earth could have prepared me for what happened next.

WARNING:
Pen Pal contains content intended for a mature audience only. Due to explicit language, graphic sex, detailed depictions of death and grief, intense power play dynamics, and other possible triggers, it is not suitable for sensitive readers.

Colleen Hoover is the author of many best sellers, these are just the ones that I have read. For a complete listing of her books, click HERE.

Verity by Colleen Hoover (read)

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity’s recollection of the night her family was forever altered.

Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents could devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue loving her.

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover (read)

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up — she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place. As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan — her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover

After serving five years in prison for a tragic mistake, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter. But the bridges Kenna burned are proving impossible to rebuild. Everyone in her daughter’s life is determined to shut Kenna out, no matter how hard she works to prove herself.

The only person who hasn’t closed the door on her completely is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining links to Kenna’s daughter. But if anyone were to discover how Ledger is slowly becoming an important part of Kenna’s life, both would risk losing the trust of everyone important to them.

The two form a connection despite the pressure surrounding them, but as their romance grows, so does the risk. Kenna must find a way to absolve the mistakes of her past in order to build a future out of hope and healing.

I love all of Lucy Score’s Books! Read one and you’ll be addicted. Here are a list of the ones I have read:

Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score (Knockemout, Book #1) (read)

Naomi wasn’t just running away from her wedding. She was riding to the rescue of her estranged twin to Knockemout, Virginia, a rough-around-the-edges town where disputes are settled the old-fashioned way…with fists and beer. Usually in that order.

Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn’t changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi’s car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected. The niece Naomi didn’t know she had. Now she’s stuck in town with no car, no job, no plan, and no home with an 11-year-old going on thirty to take care of.

There’s a reason Knox doesn’t do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi’s life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life. At least, that’s the plan until the trouble turns to real danger.

Things We Hide From The Light by Lucy Score (Knockemout, Book #2) (read)

Nash Morgan was always known as the good Morgan brother, with a smile and a wink for everyone. But now, this chief of police is recovering from being shot and his Southern charm has been overshadowed by panic attacks and nightmares. He feels like a broody shell of the man he once was. Nash isn’t about to let anyone in his life know he’s struggling. But his new next-door neighbor, smart and sexy Lina, sees his shadows. As a rule, she’s not a fan of physical contact unless she initiates it, but for some reason Nash’s touch is different. He feels it too. The physical connection between them is incendiary, grounding him and making her wonder if exploring it is worth the risk.

Too bad Lina’s got secrets of her own, and if Nash finds out the real reason she’s in town, he’ll never forgive her. Besides, she doesn’t do relationships. Ever. A hot, short-term fling with a local cop? Absolutely. Sign her up. A relationship with a man who expects her to plant roots? No freaking way. Once she gets what she’s after, she has no intention of sticking around. But Knockemout has a way of getting under people’s skin. And once Nash decides to make Lina his, he’s not about to be dissuaded…even if it means facing the danger that nearly killed him.

Things We Left Behind by Lucy Score (Knockemout, Book #3 to be released in September 2023)

There was only one woman who could set me free. But I would rather set myself on fire than ask Sloane Walton for anything. Lucian Rollins is a lean, mean vengeance-seeking mogul. On a quest to erase his father’s mark on the family name, he spends every waking minute pulling strings and building an indestructible empire. The more money and power he amasses, the safer he is from threats.

Except when it comes to the feisty small-town librarian that keeps him up at night…
Sloane Walton is a spitfire determined to carry on her father’s quest for justice. She’ll do that just as soon as she figures out exactly what the man she hates did to—or for—her family. Bonded by an old, dark secret from the past and the dislike they now share for each other, Sloane trusts Lucian about as far as she can throw his designer-suited body.

When bickering accidentally turns to foreplay, these two find themselves not quite regretting their steamy one-night stand. Once those flames are fanned, it seems impossible to put them out again. But with Sloane ready to start a family and Lucian refusing to even consider the idea of marriage and kids, these enemies-to-lovers are stuck at an impasse. Broken men break women. It’s what Lucian believes, what he’s witnessed, and he’s not going to take that chance with Sloane. He’d rather live a life of solitude than put her in danger. But he learns the hard way that leaving her means leaving her unprotected from other threats. It’s the second time he’s ruthlessly cut her out of his life. There’s no way she’s going to give him a third chance. He’s just going to have to make one for himself.

By a Thread by Lucy Score (read)

Dominic: I got her fired. Okay, so I’d had a bad day and took it out on a bystander in a pizza shop. But there’s nothing innocent about Ally Morales. She proves that her first day of her new job… in my office… after being hired by my mother.

So maybe her colorful, annoying, inexplicably alluring personality brightens up the magazine’s offices that have felt like a prison for the past year. Maybe I like that she argues with me in front of the editorial staff. And maybe my after-hours fantasies are haunted by those brown eyes and that sharp tongue. But that doesn’t mean that I’m going to be the next Russo man to take advantage of his position. I might be a second-generation asshole, but I am not my father.

She’s working herself to death at half a dozen dead-end jobs for some secret reason she doesn’t feel like sharing with me. And I’m going to fix it all. Don’t accuse me of caring. She’s nothing more than a puzzle to be solved. If I can get her to quit, I can finally peel away all those layers. Then I can go back to salvaging the family name and forget all about the dancing, beer-slinging brunette.

Forever Never by Lucy Score (read)

You don’t fall for your brother’s high school sweetheart, your boss’s daughter, or your ex-wife’s best friend. Especially when they’re all the same woman.

Under Brick Callan’s mile-wide chest beats a loyal heart with a few cracks in it. He’s the steadfast, overprotective type. Especially when it comes to the one woman he can never have. It’s a long, complicated history punctuated by fights, friendship, family, and an attraction that strains his iron willpower.

When Remi Ford returns to Mackinac Island in the dead of winter with a secret, Brick makes it his mission to find out what put the shadows in those green eyes. Even if it means breaking down the walls he’s built between them. Even if it means falling for the one girl he’ll never get over.

The free-spirited artist just needs to lay low for a few weeks so she can figure a way out of this nightmare. She’s definitely not staying. Not when the man who broke her teenage heart into splinters keeps showing up at her parents’ dinner table. Remi doesn’t need broody, bearded Brick riding to her rescue…again. Not when it will put them both in danger, costing them much more than their hearts.

A Not So Meet Cute – Meghan Quinn

How did you two meet? The quintessential question asked to every couple. And the answer is usually some bubbly, lovey dovey tale of being struck in the bum by Cupid’s arrow.

My meet cute (well not so meet cute) is slightly different. I was trolling a wealthy neighborhood in Beverly Hills, searching for someone to take me as their bride, you know, to make my arch nemesis jealous who consequently just fired me.

He was stomping around the block like some sort of gorgeous ogre, mumbling about a business deal gone wrong and attempting to finagle his way out of it.

And that’s when we bumped into each other. There were no sparks. Not even a hint of blossoming love. But next thing I knew, I was scarfing down free chips and guac, listening to this man lay out all of his problems which led to his big ask . . . he wanted me to be his Vivian Ward, you know, from Pretty Woman–minus the frisky behavior.

We’re talking about living in a mansion, intimate double dates, and pretending we were head over heels in love . . . and engaged. Can you imagine? The absolute audacity. But people do crazy things when they’re desperate. And I reeked of desperation. So, I struck up a deal. My one big mistake, though . . . big . . . HUGE? I accidentally fell for the incomparable Huxley Cane.

So Not Meant to Be by Meghan Quinn

Am I friends with JP Cane?
Ha! That’s laughable.
Besides the fact that he’s adopted some far-fetched notion from the movie When Harry Met Sally that says men and women can’t be friends and work together, it’s safe to say we’re not friends. He’s annoyingly loud, obnoxiously handsome, and has made an art out of poking all my hot buttons . . . multiple times a day.

So you can imagine how disgruntled I am when I not only have to fly to San Francisco with him for work, but stay in the same penthouse. Yup, we’re sharing the same air, twenty-four-seven. We’re talking full-fledged working roommates. The man doesn’t know what it means to wear a shirt, thrives off protein bars, and you guessed it, moans loud enough for people to believe he’s Meg Ryan in a restaurant. Spoiler Alert: I WON’T be having what he’s having.

Tack on his continuous flirting and his polished good looks, and I’m caught staring down the barrel of a seductive temptation that makes it hard for me to sleep at night. But guess who can control herself? This girl. Because if there is one thing I know for certain, it’s that JP Cane and I are so not meant to be.

A Long Time Coming by Meghan Quinn (not read)

Have you ever heard of a man-in-waiting?

Yeah, neither has my best friend’s soon-to-be monster-in-law. Ooo, sorry, I meant mother-in-law. Nor has she heard of the term, what the bride wants, the bride gets.

With wedding planning underway and a short timeline, my best friend, Lia, has recruited me to help her battle the snarly beast that is Mrs. Beaver. Not scared at all, I accept the challenge as her man-in-waiting–aka, man of honor–and take matters into my own hands.

The only problem is, with every second we draw closer to the wedding, I’m starting to see my best girl in a different light.

She’s always been beautiful to me, but now . . . I find myself staring a touch too long. My hand lingering for one more minute. And when she’s upset? Allowing her to sleep in my bed.

And before I know what’s happening, it hits me like a ton of bricks. I’m in love with my best friend. Not just in love, but infatuated.

No one compares to her and nothing seems to distract me from that realization.
Not the girl I try to date while I help plan Lia’s wedding.
Not her angry fiancé who thinks I’m growing too close.
And not the looming deadline of her nuptials.

Which means, there’s only one thing left for me to do. Prove to Lia I’m the one she should be with instead. But with the pressure of her engagement, the stress from her soon-to-be mother-in-law, and the breath-stealing nerves running through me, I’m finding it a lot harder to claim the girl than I would like to admit.

Say a little prayer for me . . .

 

The Highland Fling by Meghan Quinn (read)

Hilarious! Freshly fired from her third job in a row, Bonnie St. James has lost her way. So when she and her best friend stumble upon a “help wanted” post to run a coffee shop in the Scottish Highlands, they apply on a whim. Who knows? Maybe traveling to a new place is just what she needs to figure out her next move.

When the friends arrive in the tiny idyllic town of Corsekelly, they instantly fall for the gorgeous Highland landscape and friendly townspeople. But Bonnie finds a less-than-warm welcome in Rowan MacGregor, the rugged local handyman. Busy wrestling his own demons, Rowan’s in no mood to deal with the quirky American―even if she is a bonny lass.

As Bonnie and Rowan’s paths inevitably cross, insults―and sparks―fly. Can the pair build on their similarities to help each other find purpose and direction…and maybe romance too? Or will their passionate tempers fling them apart?

Royally Not Ready by Meghan Quinn (read)

From USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author Meghan Quinn, comes a fresh take on a royal romance with a twist. Laugh out loud funny and full of some of her steamiest scenes yet, Quinn takes you on an unexpected, sizzling fairytale journey.

So there I was selling bikinis out of my truck in South Beach Miami, getting ready to kick off a wet t-shirt contest when the world’s biggest grouch approached me – Keller Fitzwilliam.

The man had the sultriest British accent I’ve ever heard. And he looked like he just walked off a Viking boat and into a suit tailored specifically for his impressively muscular frame. Only problem is, he had the warmth of an ice pick and he kept telling me he was here to take me back to his home country.

 

The Worst Wedding Date by Pippa Grant (not read)

I didn’t know bridesmaid was code for babysitter for the bride’s brother, but if that’s what my best friend needs of me for her dream wedding to go off without a hitch, that’s what I’ll do.

Even if Theo Monroe has been a pain in my rear since third grade. Even if he should be responsible enough to not wreak havoc at his sister’s destination wedding. Even if it means we have to share a hotel room in Hawaii, which might be the final duty that breaks me.

Not only does Theo know exactly how to push my buttons, but he never wears clothes, he’s hiding a litter of kittens in his room, and he keeps showing up with fresh-baked cookies that seemingly come from nowhere. Also? I have no idea what’s up with the tension between him and the groom.

Or why he’s so proud of the world’s strangest wedding gift. Or why I suddenly want to know what makes him tick. The story behind his tattoos. How he can afford to rent a convertible in Hawaii. And if maybe all of that utter frustration and irritation I’ve felt for him for years is suppressed attraction that a good girl like me isn’t supposed to feel for the biggest bad boy of Snaggletooth Creek.

But I do know one thing. When I find out his biggest secret and the answer to all of my questions, it will change everything.

The Deal by Elle Kennedy (not read)

New York Times bestseller and TikTok sensation Elle Kennedy brings you the first in the sexy Off-Campus series that everyone is talking about. She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy… Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice…even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date. …and it’s going to be oh so good All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn’t take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn’t going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

 

 

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

Two best friends. Ten summer trips. One last chance to fall in love.

Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart—she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown—but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together.

Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since.

Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together—lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees. Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?

 

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey

Piper Bellinger is fashionable, influential, and her reputation as a wild child means the paparazzi are constantly on her heels. When too much champagne and an out-of-control rooftop party lands Piper in the slammer, her stepfather decides enough is enough. So he cuts her off, and sends Piper and her sister to learn some responsibility running their late father’s dive bar… in Washington.

Piper hasn’t even been in Westport for five minutes when she meets big, bearded sea captain Brendan, who thinks she won’t last a week outside of Beverly Hills. So what if Piper can’t do math, and the idea of sleeping in a shabby apartment with bunk beds gives her hives. How bad could it really be? She’s determined to show her stepfather—and the hot, grumpy local—that she’s more than a pretty face.

Except it’s a small town and everywhere she turns, she bumps into Brendan. The fun-loving socialite and the gruff fisherman are polar opposites, but there’s an undeniable attraction simmering between them. Piper doesn’t want any distractions, especially feelings for a man who sails off into the sunset for weeks at a time. Yet as she reconnects with her past and begins to feel at home in Westport, Piper starts to wonder if the cold, glamorous life she knew is what she truly wants. LA is calling her name, but Brendan—and this town full of memories—may have already caught her heart.

Sarah O’Brien / Connecticut in Style / Connecticut Bloggers