15 Coastal Grandma Books That Make You Feel Like You're in a Nancy Meyers Film

      **May 22, 2025**

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      If you’ve found yourself (like I have) exclusively wearing loose linen ensembles, focusing on cozy home decor, and watching "It’s Complicated" before turning in at 9 p.m., it’s likely you’ve encountered one of the internet’s most adored summer aesthetics. If you don’t know her by name yet, this lifestyle trend is affectionately referred to as the coastal grandma—the woman (or grandma) who embraces the essence of romantic living and cherishing the small joys—glass of chilled wine in hand, naturally.

      It can be overwhelming with the multitude of trends that appear on my feed, but I must confess, this one carries a charming quality that is hard not to love. Unless you’re Nancy Meyers, there’s truly no better way to meander through picturesque lakehouses and seaside cottages than within the pages of a book. So, if you want your next read to evoke the feeling of lounging in the "Something’s Gotta Give" beach house, our team has gathered the best coastal grandma reads, ideal for tucking into your coastal-themed L.L.Bean tote.

      **Carley Fortune**

      Good things are meant to happen at the lake, or so Alice's grandmother believes, and she’s right. Alice spent just one summer at a cottage with her Nan when she was seventeen—it’s where she captured that photo of three smiling teenagers in a yellow speedboat, the image that altered her life. Many years later, when Nan falls and breaks her hip, Alice devises a plan for them both: another summer in Barry’s Bay. However, their serenity is soon interrupted by the familiar sound of a yellow boat and its driver.

      **Elin Hilderbrand**

      After thirty-five years as the Chief of Police on the island of Nantucket, Ed Kapenash can no longer bear the pressure. His retirement plans are thrown into disarray when, with only three days left on the job, he receives a call. A brand-new 22-million-dollar summer home owned by the flamboyant new couple, the Richardsons, has gone up in flames, and their key employee is missing. With the town in an uproar, the Chief is forced to delay his retirement to tackle this dual crisis.

      **A.C. Arthur**

      Upon discovering that they have inherited their cherished grandma Betty’s beach house in South Carolina, the Butler sisters experience a mix of emotions. To put it mildly, Lana believes selling the beach house is the only option. Yvonne, already overwhelmed as her mother’s caregiver, advises that they list it and move on. Then there's Tami, who can’t allow her sisters to offload their past without at least one final trip to the Sea Islands. Ultimately, they have no choice: to claim their inheritance, they must come together and restore their grandma’s legacy.

      **Alison Espach**

      When Phoebe Stone arrives at the impressive Cornwall Inn, everyone in the lobby mistakes her for a wedding guest, though she is, in fact, the only one not attending the big occasion. Phoebe has yearned to visit for years with her husband, but now she’s here solo, resolved to treat herself one last time. Meanwhile, the bride has meticulously planned for every possible disaster, except for Phoebe, which makes it all the more surprising when they end up confiding in one another.

      **Tinx**

      As a fashion icon in New York City, Lola has been living her dream life. However, a very public mishap brings her career to an abrupt halt, causing everything Lola has built to crumble. When infamous culture critic Aly Ray Carter publishes a biting exposé, it feels like Lola has lost everything. Escaping to the Hamptons to evade her mistakes, she hopes to spend the summer rebuilding her confidence and brand. Instead, she spots her rival and new neighbor, Aly Ray Carter, just beyond her trimmed hedges.

      **Amy Mason Doan**

      Set in 1980s California, the Merrick siblings travel along the coast in a van year-round with their parents, enjoying surfing and swimming. But when a photographer captures a breathtaking image of the family with their boards on the shore, the only life they’ve ever known is threatened. Years later, as estranged siblings reunite to commemorate their late father, their gathering becomes complicated when a journalist uncovers their identities and tracks them down. Together, they'll have to decide whether sharing their story might help them regain their family magic.

      **Mary Kay Andrews**

      Traci Eddings, a widow and owner of the St. Cecelia hotel, is determined to restore its former glory even as staff shortages and financial difficulties threaten its existence. With only one summer season to reverse its fortunes, a long-buried secret