Image courtesy of Ana Santi for Gundari
Reading is the perfect summer activity—especially on a beach. The weather is warm, the sun is out, the days are long, and you finally have some time set aside for lazy afternoons filled with absolutely nothing but a good book and an even better drink.
Fora HQ employees have some serious book game. We asked for their summer recs, and they delivered. Here are our favorite beach reads of late—and where to read them.
European beach reads
Image courtesy of Hotel Villa Franca Positano
One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle: Hotel Villa Franca Positano
Head to Italy to read this heartwarming novel about a woman who miraculously meets a younger version of her recently deceased mother. The story takes place on the Amalfi Coast—specifically, Positano, which is where you should stay to soak up the destination’s famed colors, citrus-scented air, and posh beach clubs. Hotel Villa Franca is the obvious choice here. It’s located on Positano’s highest point; the views are unmatched, the vibe is elevated, and its boutique nature keeps things warm and welcoming.
Fora Reserve perks include a $100 hotel credit, daily breakfast, an upgrade, and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
The Fury by Alex Michaelides: Gundari
This murderous story follows Lana Farrar, a former movie star who organizes an annual friend retreat on a private Greek island. Toxic friendships, suppressed emotions, and, of course, murder ensue. For your own private-island vibes, stay at Gundari, a sexy boutique hotel on the blissfully under-the-radar island of Folegandros.
Fora Perks include $100 hotel credit (for 2+ nights), a welcome drink, and an upgrade whenever possible.
The Pairing by Casey McQuiston: AREV St. Tropez
If you love wine and food and ritzy locales, The Pairing is for you. Why live vicariously when you can indulge in the real thing? Follow estranged exes Theo and Kit as they reconnect on a food tour that takes them through France, Spain, and Italy. Better yet, read about all of this while sipping a chilled glass of Champagne Brut poolside at AREV St. Tropez, a 50-room, vibey, and nautical-chic gem of a hotel—the perfect pairing.
Fora Perks include $100 hotel credit, daily breakfast, an upgrade, and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Tropical island beach reads
Image courtesy of Amanera
The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye by Briony Cameron: Amanera
This dynamic novel details the rise of one of the Caribbean's few female pirate captains. It’s based on true events; once you pick it up, you won’t be able to put it down. Channel your inner pirate at Amanera, in the Dominican Republic, where you can spend the day reading in your breezily handsome, minimalist casita or casa.
Fora Perks include a $100 resort credit, daily breakfast, an upgrade, and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren: Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection
Olive’s sister Ami is perfect. Ami’s wedding is, unsurprisingly, straight out of a fairytale. But when everyone gets food poisoning—except for Olive and her enemy Ethan, who is also the best man—the two get to go on an already-paid-for Hawaii honeymoon. While most of the plot unfolds on Maui, the Big Island’s Mauna Lani is a good choice for a culturally connected stay on the Kohala Coast.
Fora Reserve perks include $100 food and beverage or spa credit, daily breakfast, an upgrade, and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand: Lovango Resort and Beach Club
When Irene’s husband is found dead, on the island of St. John, in the US Virgin Islands, she flies down to investigate. While there, however, she discovers that her husband had a second family. What follows is a captivating story filled with mystery and island beauty. Stay at Lovango Resort and Beach Club, located on a small island a short ferry ride away from both St. John and its neighbor, St. Thomas, and spend your days reading and devouring the resort’s legendary homemade pizza and ice cream sandwiches.
Fora Reserve perks include $100 resort credit, a welcome amenity, daily breakfast, an upgrade, and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Float Plan by Trish Doller: Round Hill Hotel & Villas
After the death of her fiancé, Anna embarks on a sailboat voyage the couple were supposed to take together. After a night of struggle, however, she hires Keane, a professional sailor, to help. What follows is romance and the ever-emotional journey of moving forward. Anna and Keane take the Caribbean, so pack the book and head straight to Round Hill, Jamaica's posh escape with a preppy aesthetic informed by Ralph Lauren’s masterful touch.
Fora Reserve perks include $100 spa credit, a welcome amenity, daily breakfast, an upgrade, and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
The best books to read by a lake (or river)
Image courtesy of Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge
Book Lovers by Emily Henry: The Dunlin, Auberge Resorts Collection
Nora loves books, but she’s never experienced a happy ending like those she reads about in her beloved novels. But when she travels to North Carolina for a summer getaway with her sister, she keeps running into an editor she knows from New York. Perhaps Nora can become the heroine of her own story after all. Although the plot takes place in North Carolina, consider traveling to South Carolina to channel the charming Southern vibes the book evokes. The Dunlin, on the Kiawah River, more than delivers on that front.
Fora Reserve perks include a $100 hotel credit, daily breakfast, an upgrade, and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune: Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge
Two friends reconnect. Past mistakes resurface. Long-lost love rekindles. Every Summer After is filled with nostalgia and love, and although it’s set in Barry’s Bay, Ontario, our destination pairing for this novel takes you to the other side of Canada, at the blissfully off-the-grid Calyoquot Wilderness Lodge, a bucket-list-worthy escape on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. It’s a choice spot to get lost in a book.
Fora Perks include a $100 helicopter credit, daily breakfast, an upgrade, and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez: Postcard Cabins Kettle River
Justin and Emma both have a curse: They can’t seem to keep a significant other, and anyone they do date finds their dream partner the minute they break up. So the two embark on a summer fling in the hopes of canceling out their mutual curses. Everything happens in Lake Minnetonka. For similar Midwestern lake vibes, head to Postcard Cabins Kettle River, where you’ll stay in your own chicly spare cabin in the woods. It’s not a beach, but reading by the river, in the middle of nature, is just as amazing.