Best Summer Beach Reads for 2026: Staff Picks

Best Summer Beach Reads for 2026: Staff Picks

April 30, 2026

A beach vacation and a good book go hand in hand, so for your next visit to the Alabama Gulf Coast, we’ve curated a collection of staff-favorite summer beach reads. Spanning a range of genres by celebrated authors, including a New York Times bestselling writer who sets many of his stories right here along the coast, it’s a reading list designed to complement your time by the water, with stories that feel just as immersive as the destination itself!

Jump to:

Heart Bones

Author: Colleen Hoover

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Staff Pick: Tabitha Williams, General Manager

Synopsis: Shaped by a childhood of neglect and poverty, Beyah Grim is used to relying on no one but herself in Heart Bones. When an unexpected turn of events leaves her homeless for the summer, her only choice is to stay with a father she barely knows along the Texas coast. There, she meets Samson, a somber neighbor with a complicated past. What begins as a casual fling slowly deepens, and both are forced to confront the possibility of something more, even though their futures could send them to opposite sides of the country.

Why We Love It:

An emotional, character-driven story with a coastal backdrop that makes it a natural fit for a summer beach read. 

Other Books By Colleen Hoover:

It Ends With Us, Verify, Reminders of Him

Mary Jane

Author: Jessica Anya Blau

Genre:  Literary Fiction

Staff Pick: Emili Foster, Office Operations Associate

Synopsis: Set in 1970s Baltimore, Mary Jane follows a sheltered fourteen-year-old girl who takes a job as a summer nanny for a free-spirited family that’s drastically different from her own. As she becomes immersed in their unconventional world, complete with a visiting rock star and a movie star battling addiction, Mary Jane begins to question everything she knows about life, and what it means to truly be yourself.

Why We Love It: 

A warm, nostalgic story with humor and heart, this is an easy feel-good read that captures the spirit of self-discovery and the beauty of seeing the world through a new lens.

Other Books By Jessica Any Blau:

The Wonder Bread Summer, The Trouble with Lexie, Drinking Closer to Home

The Dead Guy Next Door

Author: Lucy Score

Genre: Romantic Comedy/Mystery

Staff Pick: Emili Foster, Office Operations Associate

Synopsis: Riley Thorn’s quiet life takes a surprising turn when she becomes caught up in a murder investigation in The Dead Guy Next Door, one in a four-book collection. With a cast of eccentric characters, including an impossibly handsome private investigator, Riley finds herself pulled into a fast-paced, often hilarious mystery where nothing is quite as it seems. As the stakes rise, so does the chemistry, blending suspense with sharp humor and romance.

Why We Love It:

Fun, fast-paced, a little quirky, and doesn’t take itself too seriously, which makes it an easy, entertaining beach read.

Other Books By Lucy Score:

Things We Never Get Over, Things We Hide from the Light, By a Thread

Remarkably Bright Creatures

Author: Shelby Van Pelt

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Staff Pick: Emili Foster, Office Operations Associate

Synopsis: Unfolding in a small coastal town in the Northwest Pacific, Remarkably Bright Creatures follows Tova Sullivan, a widow who works the night shift mopping floors and cleaning up at a local aquarium. There she meets Marcellus, a remarkably perceptive octopus who begins to uncover truths about the people around him. As their paths intersect with a young man searching for answers about his past, an unlikely connection forms, revealing a heartfelt story about loss, friendship, and second chances.

Why We Love It:

Heartwarming, grief, loneliness, hope—you get all the feels with this book. The perspective is unexpected, but it’s still a really grounded emotional story; thoughtful without being heavy, which makes it a great change of pace for a summer beach read.

Other Books By Shelby Van Pelt:

This is Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel

The Heart Mender

Author: Andy Andrews

Genre: Historical Fiction/Inspirational

Staff Pick: Glen Kaiser, Founding Partner

Synopsis: Set along the Gulf Coast during WWII, The Heart Mender tells a powerful and romantic story of a young American widow who discovers a wounded German soldier. Abandoned and washed ashore near her home, he looks to her for survival. Against the backdrop of fear and loss, an unlikely bond blossoms. The novel, inspired by true events, explores forgiveness, redemption, and the enduring impact of choosing grace in difficult circumstances.

Why We Love It:

Powerful and personal, and particularly nostalgic with its Gulf Coast setting. It’s a meaningful read that stays with you and offers a perspective you don’t often come across.

Other Books By Andy Andrews:

The Traveler’s Gift, The Noticer, The Little Things

About Andy Andrews:

A Gulf Coast-based storyteller originally from Alabama, Andy Andrews is known for weaving real-life lessons, history, and fiction into deeply meaningful narratives. His talks and teachings have been shared with U.S. Presidents, members of Congress, corporate leaders, and college football coaches, all centered around themes of perspective, decision-making, and personal responsibility. 

His broader work through Wisdom Harbour and other educational initiatives has been implemented in school systems to improve learning outcomes, including programs that have strengthened academic performance in under-resourced schools across Alabama. Much of his work is rooted in the Alabama Gulf Coast, including The Noticer series and Just Jones, which are set in the same coastal region where many readers now vacation. The next time you’re in town, swing by his store at The Wharf, pick up a book, and catch his live podcast each Tuesday and Thursday at 12:15 pm! 

The Best Place to Enjoy Our 2026 Summer Reading List

Looking for the perfect place on the Alabama Gulf Coast to curl up with one of the books on our summer reading list? Kaiser Vacation Rentals offers beautiful homes in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Fort Morgan, many on the beach or near the shoreline. With inviting balconies and spacious decks, you’ll find our vacation homes are ideal for slow mornings, a good cup of coffee, and late afternoon reading!

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