
12 Vacation Reads So Excellent, You'll Overlook the Cost of Your Airfare
**May 29, 2025**
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When planning for an upcoming vacation, the process goes beyond simply booking a flight. A multitude of minor decisions are meticulously made in advance to ensure a fun and relaxing experience. Outfits are planned with precision, itineraries are laid out, and reservations are secured. However, one vital aspect often overlooked by others is ensuring I have the ideal books to enjoy while on vacation.
While some individuals take a more casual approach by grabbing whatever is available at the airport bookstore, they underestimate the significant effect a good book can have on enhancing their trip. Personally, I enjoy selecting books that align with the ambiance or themes of my destination for a fully immersive reading journey. After all, there’s nothing quite like enjoying a captivating book about a stunning beach getaway while lounging on an actual beach. If the thought of researching the right book for your upcoming vacation feels daunting, relax—I’ve compiled a list of top vacation reads for you below. Here are the best books to enjoy on your trip, regardless of your destination.
**Carley Fortune**
If you're heading to a lake this summer, there's no better way to romanticize the experience than with a Carley Fortune novel. At seventeen, Alice spent a summer at the lake with her grandmother Nan, capturing a photo of three smiling teenagers in a yellow speedboat that changed her life. When Nan suffers a broken hip, Alice plans to return to that enchanting place, Barry’s Bay, for another summer. However, as soon as they arrive, their tranquility is shattered by the sound of a familiar yellow boat and the man who drives it.
**Alex Aster**
"Summer in the City" is perfect if you have a trip to the metropolis planned. Elle is presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to write a big-budget film set in New York City, but she’s been struggling with writer’s block for months. New York feels ideal for writing her screenplay until she realizes her new neighbor is tech “Billionaire Bachelor” Parker Warren, her one-time fling from two years ago. He’s looking to stage a high-profile romance as his company undergoes a fragile acquisition, while she needs to craft a film around a list of NYC locales. It all starts as a ruse—until it becomes something more.
**Ruth Ware**
For those venturing into the mountains this summer, what better way to heighten the thrills than by reading a thriller set in a similar backdrop? When a founder of a trendy London tech startup organizes a weeklong corporate retreat in the French Alps, it appears to be an ordinary getaway. But then a catastrophic avalanche strikes, isolating the group from the outside world. As time passes without rescue, fear escalates, the chalet grows colder, and members of the group begin to dwindle… one by one.
**Miranda July**
"All Fours" is not a conventional road trip narrative, yet it offers a wild ride—just what you need for long hours on the road. A semi-famous artist decides to drive across the country from LA to NY. Thirty minutes after leaving her husband and child behind, she impulsively exits the freeway, checks into an unremarkable motel, and embarks on a quest to redefine her sexual, romantic, and domestic life along with her newfound sense of freedom.
**Tia Williams**
For a romantic getaway with a partner, you need a book as enchanting as "Seven Days in June." Eva Mercy, a single mother and bestselling erotic author, crosses paths with Shane Hall, a reclusive award-winning novelist, at a literary event. Sparks fly as they confront not only their buried traumas but also the judgment of the literary community. Unbeknownst to anyone, Eva and Shane were once wildly in love during their teenage years, secretly communicating through their novels ever since.
**Alison Espach**
With wedding season upon us, this book is a perfect read in between your bridesmaid tasks. Upon arriving at the Cornwall Inn, Phoebe Stone is mistakenly identified by everyone in the lobby as one of the wedding guests, though she is the only attendee not involved in the nuptials. Phoebe has always dreamed of visiting alongside her husband, but now she finds herself alone at a low point. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail except for Phoebe, making it all the more surprising when the two end up confiding in each other.
**Rebecca Serle**
If you’re planning a solo trip this year, this book could be a more rewarding companion than any human. After the death of Katy’s mother, she feels lost. To complicate matters, she embarks on their planned mother-daughter trip to Positano alone. However, upon arriving on the Amalfi Coast, Katy begins














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12 Vacation Reads So Excellent, You'll Overlook the Cost of Your Airfare
Looking for in-flight entertainment? Here are the top vacation reads for any type of journey you might be taking.