Summer Reading on the Backlist
Older books that need some love—or more love this summer
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“It’s a man’s world, but she’s the one on top.” Sounds juicy, doesn’t it? That’s the tagline for The Siren by Tiffany Reisz, a steamy tale of erotica. If you don’t like explicit sex scenes, then this book is probably not for you. But don’t worry, I have a range of titles on my summer reading recommendations list. I know conventional wisdom is often to pick beach reads or light reads, but I’m such a moody reader. I like to read multiple books, in multiple genres at any given time. One moment I’ll crave a steamy romance like The Siren or Yes & I Love You. Next, I’ll want something meaty like The Most Fun We Ever Had. I also don’t read the hot new book the moment it comes out, except on rare occasions. Most of what I read comes from the backlist, so I thought that should be the theme of my recommendations—older books that have been out a year or more and need a little love (or more).
Romance/Erotica
The Siren by Tiffany Reisz: Famous erotica author Nora Sutherlin is challenged by her strait-laced editor to rewrite her latest book—in six weeks. The line between editor and author is blurred when their editing sessions become…sexual. Both are hiding secrets—some of them dangerous.
Yes & I Love You by Roni Loren: The hot column, Miz Poppy, brings life to the New Orleans nightlife scene. What many don’t know is that the column is written by Hollyn Tate, a woman who would rather remain anonymous—but that could cost Hollyn her job. She hides behind Miz Poppy because Hollyn is too afraid to reveal her anxiety about a condition she can’t control. Enter Jasper Deares, an actor and her new “fake” boyfriend, who just might be the key to Hollyn overcoming her fears—and perhaps finding love. It’s steamy but cute at the same time.
General Fiction
The following books are what I consider to be slice of life/family saga reading. You get a glimpse at what life is like, the good, the bad, and everything in between.
Outside the Lines by Amy Hatvany: The characters in this book you just want to give a hug. Eden West is a successful chef with friends and a loving family, including her brother, mother, and stepfather. But there is a hole in Eden’s heart. At the tender age of 10, Eden witnessed her father, David’s, suicide attempt. He survived but the turmoil in his mind was overwhelming, leading to him abandoning his family. In the present day, Eden wants to find her father. She wants to find the man she used to know. The man who nurtured her love for cooking. But what if she finds him, will Eden truly get what she’s looking for?
Heart Like Mine by Amy Hatvany: Yes, another one by this author. I own four of her books, and these are the two I would add to my TBR first. Grace McAllister never wanted children, but when she fell in love with Victor Hansen, children were part of the package. The divorced Victor is father to Max and Ava. The kids are only around on weekends anyway, it can’t be too much of a hassle for Grace. Seven-year-old Max is always sweet and loving with Grace, but 13-year-old Ava is full of teenage angst and resentment. Everything will be put to the test when their mother, Kelli, dies suddenly.
I Couldn’t Love You More by Jillian Medoff: I love, love, loved this book when I read it. The first 100 pages left me wondering what the hook was. But then this book kicked it into high gear. In a split second, a mistake can change your life forever. Does one mistake make you a bad person or does it just make you human? I don’t want to give away more, just read it.
Home Front by Kristin Hannah: It took me time to warm up to this author. The first book I read by her, True Colors, I did not like because I felt there was too much melodrama. But I gave her books another chance when I got an opportunity to receive a review copy of Home Front. It had everything I could want in a family drama: the bond between sisters and the secrets they keep, a failing marriage, and the heartache when a parent is called off to war.
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah: Yes, we’ve established I’m a repeat offender with certain authors. I feel like her last five or six books were her best. This is a tough read because it tackles PTSD and domestic violence, but it was a very engaging read. I was deeply invested in the survival and happiness of the main characters.
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai: A group of friends moves through life set against the backdrop of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. Yale Tishman is losing friend after friend to this deadly disease. The only person left in his inner circle is Fiona, the sister of his dead friend Nico. Told in dueling timelines, between 1985 and 2015, Yale and Fiona learn to navigate turbulent times.
The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo: Marilyn and David are a long-married couple with four daughters, Wendy, Violet, Liza, and Grace. Each of their children has a distinct personality and complicated life, which are further complicated with the arrival of Jonah. The young boy was given up for adoption by one of the girls, and his presence will not only upend her seemingly perfect life but the entire family. Don’t let the length, 531 pages, scare you every page is worth this expansive story spanning several decades.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett: I was not a fan of this author’s first book, The Mothers, but I was pleasantly surprised by her second. I liken The Vanishing Half to a bag of chips, you can’t just read one page or chapter, you have to keep going. This is the story of twin sisters, one black and one who can pass as a white person. As adults, they’ve long been separated living completely different lives. One endures the harsh realities of racism and the other completely ignores it—living as a white woman with a white husband who does not know about her past.
Natchez Burning by Greg Iles: A slice-of-life story with a murderous trail. Beloved small-town doctor Tom Cage is accused and charged with the murder of his former nurse Viola Turner. His son, Penn Cage, refuses to believe his father is a murderer. There has to be something deeper going on as Viola’s death unearths a lot of deep racial wounds and secrets. There are several Penn Cage books, but Natchez Burning is part of a trilogy that includes The Bone Tree (I’m currently reading this one) and Mississippi Blood. These are thick books, 600-plus pages, but I don’t feel the length so far.
Young Adult
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi: At long last book three, Children of Anguish and Anarchy (five years after book 2), is coming out at the end of this month. But I recommend starting with book one, as the next two books will make no sense without context. This fantasy is set in Africa but parallels modern society—tackling classism, racism, poverty, and corruption. Plus, that cover is stunning. I’m a sucker for a good cover.
Little White Lies (book 1) and Deadly Little Scandals (book 2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes: A teen from the wrong side of the tracks, reunites with the estranged and wealthy side of her family. She gets drawn into a group of debutantes who are hiding a big secret. Sounds serious and at times things are very serious, but this is also a very funny series. Book 1 opens with the gals in gowns and in police custody—hijinks ensue from there. Now, I must rant for a bit. Looking at those two covers would you know these books are in the same series? I can’t stand cover direction changes between books. In subsequent reprints, the covers now match, but I got them at a time when they didn’t. Are cover changes a pet peeve of anyone else?
Six Crimson Cranes (book1) and The Dragon’s Promise by Elizabeth Lim: Shiori, the only princess of Kiata, possesses forbidden magic—a gift she must keep secret and is punished for. If she speaks, including to the man she is destined to fall in love with, her brothers, who have been turned into cranes will die!
What are some of your favorite backlist reads? Plan on reading any this summer? Drop down below and leave a comment.
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