Summer 2025 is the perfect time to dive into stories that can both entertain and enlighten. Whether you’re lounging on a beach or enjoying a quiet evening at home, the right book can transport you — and maybe even leave you a little changed. This year’s top picks offer a bit of everything: a page-turning new romance with depth, a modern classic about creativity and connection, and an inspiring guide to life’s challenges. These three books span fiction and nonfiction, recent hits and brand-new releases, but all have something memorable to say about the world we’re living in now. Grab your sunscreen and your curiosity – here are the top three books to read in Summer 2025.
1. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (Fiction)
Brief Take: A funny and heart-tugging novel that mixes a swoony romance with a multi-generational family mystery. Emily Henry’s latest is more than a love story – it’s about the stories we tell and those we don’t, making it a perfect summer read with substance.
What it’s about: Great Big Beautiful Life follows two writers on a small coastal island, each vying to write the biography of a reclusive, larger-than-life heiress. Alice Scott is a bright-eyed aspiring author still waiting for her big break, while Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-winning cynic with a stormy disposition. Both have one month to win the trust of 80-something Margaret Ives – a former tabloid princess who hasn’t been seen in public for years – and convince her to choose them as her biographer. Amid balmy Little Crescent Island’s summer breezes, Alice and Hayden uncover fragments of Margaret’s dramatic 20th-century life story, all while an inconvenient spark flickers between them. Henry weaves a story-within-a-story: the present-day rivalry and a century-spanning family saga unfolding through Margaret’s memories. The result is a novel rich with both modern banter and old-world intrigue, filled with witty dialogue, tender moments, and a few well-kept secrets under the summer sun.
“I feel like you’re mine,” the quote reads. “Like you’re mine in a way no one else ever has been.”
– This heartfelt line from Great Big Beautiful Life gives a taste of Henry’s knack for capturing the ache and joy of love. It’s the kind of quote that might make you sigh and immediately text your best friend about it.
Why to read it this summer: Emily Henry has become something of a summer reading icon – and for good reason. Known for hit novels like Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation, she’s beloved for her warm humor and relatable characters. In Great Big Beautiful Life, Henry challenges herself by exploring love beyond just romance. She delves into family dynamics, personal legacy, and grief as the flipside of love. The novel still delivers the flirty fun of an enemies-to-lovers romp (the chemistry between optimistic Alice and grumpy Hayden is delicious), but it also offers deeper reflections on how our lives become stories. In the cultural moment of 2025, with so much emphasis on storytelling – from social media narratives to legacy media – this book feels especially resonant. It reminds us that understanding someone’s story can be a transformative act. Plus, the island setting and twisty biography plot make it an escapist read with a brain. It’s the kind of book you’ll devour in a few afternoons, then find yourself pondering later on. Read it in the sunshine, and enjoy a tale that’s equal parts sweet summer breeze and smart insight about life.
2. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Fiction)
Brief Take: A recent classic (published in 2022) that has captured readers’ hearts. This novel is a moving saga of friendship, creativity, and the video game worlds that bind two people together. It’s poignant yet playful – a story about love (just not the kind you might expect) and the art of second chances.
What it’s about: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow spans thirty years in the lives of Sam Masur and Sadie Green, best friends and creative partners who first bonded over video games as kids. Reunited as college students in the ’90s, they decide to make a game together – an ambitious project that launches them into stardom in the gaming industry. Zevin takes us through their journey of “friendship and rivalry, fame and creativity, betrayal and tragedy” as Sam and Sadie build a gaming empire, fall out and come together, and grapple with personal demons along the way. The novel beautifully depicts the duo’s passion for creating virtual worlds, while also exploring very real themes: the complexities of platonic love, disability and healing (Sam lives with chronic pain from a childhood injury), and the challenge of collaborating with someone you care about deeply. It’s not a romance, though it is about a kind of soul-deep love between friends. And you don’t need to be a gamer to be swept up by it – this story is ultimately about human connection and the creative process. Through every triumph and setback Sam and Sadie face, you feel the pulse of hope that keeps them – and us – pressing “Play” again.
“What is a game?” one character muses. “It’s tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow. It’s the possibility of infinite rebirth, infinite redemption. The idea that if you keep playing, you could win. No loss is permanent, because nothing is permanent, ever.”
– Gabrielle Zevin, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
This quote captures the novel’s spirit of optimism and resilience. It’s a nod to the Shakespearean reference in the title and a philosophy that runs through Sam and Sadie’s story: every day, like every game, offers a chance to start anew.
Why to read it this summer: Simply put, if you haven’t read this book yet, summer 2025 is the perfect time. In the couple of years since its release, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow has already been hailed as a modern classic. It won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Fiction in 2022 and was lauded by countless readers as their favorite book of the year. There’s a good chance you’ve seen it on bestseller lists or heard friends raving about it – and it absolutely lives up to the hype. The novel’s exploration of friendship and creativity feels especially meaningful now. In an era when many of us are reflecting on digital life and collaborative creativity (hello, constant Zoom meetings and online projects), Sam and Sadie’s story resonates. Zevin writes with warmth, intelligence, and a deep understanding of how people connect through art and imagination. This is a book that can make you laugh on one page and tear up on the next. It’s also an immersive escape: you’ll travel from late-20th-century nostalgia (think retro games and 90s pop culture) to contemporary questions of identity and purpose. Reading it during the summer allows you the time to savor its layers. By the final chapter, don’t be surprised if you feel a bittersweet ache – the mark of a truly memorable read.
3. We Can Do Hard Things by Glennon Doyle (Nonfiction)
Brief Take: An inspiring, wisdom-packed guide to facing life’s toughest moments, by one of the most trusted voices of our time. Part memoir, part conversation with experts, this brand-new 2025 release is like a supportive friend in book form. Equal parts comforting and kick-in-the-pants motivating, it’s perfect for some summer soul-reflection.
What it’s about: If the title sounds familiar, it’s because “We can do hard things” became the mantra of millions after Glennon Doyle’s last book, Untamed, and her subsequent hit podcast. In this new book, Doyle – joined by her wife, soccer icon Abby Wambach, and her sister Amanda Doyle – dives into life’s big questions. And we do mean big. Every day, Glennon admits, she finds herself asking: “Why am I like this? How do I figure out what I want? How do I know what to do? Why can’t I be happy? Am I doing this right?”. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all answers, Doyle and her co-authors sought wisdom from over a hundred “fellow travelers” – thinkers, therapists, artists, faith leaders, and more – to help light the way. The result is a guidebook for being alive in messy, beautiful 2025. The book is organized around common hard things we all face (love, grief, uncertainty, parenthood, illness, identity, etc.), packed with raw personal stories and illuminating insights from guests like author Cheryl Strayed, psychologist Dr. Becky Kennedy, even legendary chef Ina Garten. Doyle’s voice remains honest and disarmingly funny as she shares her own struggles – from recovering from addiction to navigating family crises – and what she’s learned about getting through each day. We Can Do Hard Things reads like an extended, heartfelt conversation, reminding us that while life is never not hard, we’re never truly alone in our struggles.
Why to read it this summer: Summer isn’t just for escape; it can also be a season of growth. After the tumultuous years we’ve all experienced, We Can Do Hard Things meets the cultural moment of 2025 with exactly the kind of guidance many of us crave. It matters now because Doyle and her co-authors address the anxiety and hope of “these uncertain times” head-on. They encourage us to slow down and ask the questions we usually push aside. Yet, don’t think this book is a downer – on the contrary, it’s uplifting. Doyle’s tone is like a warm hug coupled with a pep talk from a coach who believes in you. She became famous for saying “We can do hard things,” and here she really shows how. Reading this book feels like sitting with a compassionate friend (one who’s been through the trenches) and walking away lighter, armed with practical nuggets of wisdom. It’s also neatly structured, meaning you can read a chapter here and there between summer activities and have plenty to chew on. Whether you’re at a personal crossroads or simply want to recharge your perspective, this book will leave an imprint. By the end of summer, you might just find yourself a bit braver and more connected – and that’s a pretty great souvenir.
More Great Reads for Summer 2025 – Bonus Round 🎉
Still hungry for more stories? Here’s a short roundup of other buzzworthy books to add to your list:
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (2022): A whip-smart, bestselling novel about a 1960s woman chemist who becomes an unlikely TV cooking star. It’s hilarious and empowering, with a heroine you’ll cheer for. Perfect if you love historical fiction with a modern feminist bite.
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (2025): Yes, the Hunger Games are back! Collins returns to Panem in this brand-new installment of the series. Expect high-stakes adventure and social commentary as a new generation fights for survival. This is the blockbuster book everyone will be talking about – a great choice to get caught up in a page-turner.
The Wager by David Grann (2023): If you’re in the mood for gripping true history, pick up this nonfiction thriller. It recounts an 18th-century shipwreck and the desperate fight for life (and truth) that followed. The Wager was one of 2023’s best books for good reason – it reads like a pirate survival epic, but every incredible twist really happened.
Happy reading! No matter which book you start with, these stories are sure to bring insight, entertainment, and maybe even a dash of inspiration to your Summer 2025. Here’s to long sunny days and books that stay with you long after the season ends. 📚🌞