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Beach Reads

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Do you have a beach where you live? Growing up, I didn’t, but my family would travel to Cape Cod every summer to visit my grandparents, who owned a beachfront inn.

For two or three weeks, we’d go to the beach every day, often with a whole cadre of aunts, uncles, and cousins. We’d swim, we’d collect sea glass, we’d see how many sand crabs we could collect in a bucket.

As I got older, “playing” lost some of its appeal, replaced by long walks and long hours of reading on the beach.

When I sat down to write my first Christian romance, Falling for the Innkeeper, the only thing I knew was that I wanted to set it on Cape Cod so that I could revisit the summers of my youth. It was lots of fun to write about the places I’d loved back then—the inn, the local candy store, the beautiful public beach. I even had my hero and heroine play a game of mini golf because my family used to do that on the dreary, gray days!

My upcoming release, The Baby’s Christmas Blessing, is set at Christmastime, so it’s not really a “beach read” in the same way, although there is a beautiful wintertime beach scene at the end of the book.

Since we do have a beach where we live now (in South Texas, on the Gulf of Mexico!), I thought I’d share a few of the beach reads that are on my TBR with you:

1. Chasing Valentino. Julie Carobini has a whole bunch of beach reads, but I’m dying to start her Hollywood by the Sea series because my family and I used to live in Los Angeles and we’ve been to that beach! (Although we’re not on that specific beach in the featured image above, we ARE on a beautiful Southern CA beach…)

Here’s a short blurb about the book: Truth is, I had given up on love. But when a 100-year-old postcard with a romantic message showed up in my mailbox, I had two choices… Ignore it and go on with my quiet mid-western life. Or… Fly to California to find out who sent it all those years ago—and why.

2. Seaside Proposal. I’ve always wanted to go to Australia, and I’m looking forward to visiting in Narelle Atkins’ newly re-released book!

Here’s a short blurb: Billie Radcliffe has a secret. And she isn’t sharing it with anyone, including Zach Montford. Even though she feels an instant connection with the good-looking banker and youth leader, she’s wary of rejection. Besides she’s only in the close-knit beach community until she meets the one man who can fill in the blanks about her history…

3. Mistletoe Make-believe. Since I have a Christmas book coming out soon, I’ve been enjoying lots of Christmas books lately! If you like novellas, Amy Anguish has a cute one in the Candy Cane Wishes and Saltwater Dreams anthology… and it features a romance novelist as the heroine!!!

Here’s a short blurb: Charlie Hill’s family thinks his daughter Hailey needs a mom. Desperate to be free from their nagging, he asks a stranger to pretend she’s his girlfriend during the holidays. When romance author Samantha Arwine takes a working vacation to St. Simons Island over Christmas, she never dreamed she’d be involved in a real-life romance. Are the sparks between her and Charlie real? Or is her imagination over-acting… again?

Have you read any of the beach books on my TBR? What’s your favorite beach read? And would you ever consider reading a Christmas book while you’re suntanning on the beach???

Be sure to comment for an entry into the big Back-to-School Giveaway!

Meghann Whistler (24 Posts)

Meghann Whistler is a wife, mom, and Christian romance novelist who loves writing sweet, happy stories that WON'T make your grandmother blush! When she's not writing, reading, or jamming out to Christian rock music, you can find her enjoying a relaxing evening with her rocket scientist husband (seriously—he's a real, live rocket scientist!) or playing with her three kids.


Comments

  1. Since Christmas is in summer here in Australia, I’d say it would be the ideal beach read.

  2. I would happily read a Christmas book on the beach – I love a Christmas in July vibe – and now I mostly read on my reader no one will know to give me strange looks!

  3. I love to read beach read stories. I have read quite a few books by Elin Hildebrand that were set in Nantucket. I’m not sure I would read a Christmas story at the beach but I do like to read them during the summer or any other time.

  4. I would read anything if I could go to the beach 😂. I’ve only been 4 times. Thank you for sharing.

  5. I read books set at any time, anytime!! I will admit, I do NOT read when I go to the beach. I’m usually the beach. However, though I live close to the beach, I don’t go. While I like the beach, it doesn’t like me. I can be out 15 to 30 minutes and be red as a lobster. I’ve also had melanoma three times, so I avoid the beach, even with sunscreen. I’d much rather be in the A/C!!

  6. welcome today. no I have not read any of your TBR titles. I read Christmas stories all year long

  7. I’ll read Christmas books any time of year, but I don’t seek them out intentionally until closer to Christmas.

  17. Hi, no beach close to where I live. I would read a Christmas book anywhere and anytime of the year! I love Christmas. :)

  18. I enjoy books set on the beach, and I do read Christmas books throughout the year too. It depends on how the mood strikes me but it’s fun having a winter setting in a book when you’re in the middle of a heat wave.

  21. I haven’t read any of the books on your TBR list but they sound great. I know I’ve read books in different genres set at the beach or with the coast as one of the settings but I’m blanking on specific titles.

  23. Mistletoe Make-believe sounds really good! And I have another one of Narelle’s on my TBR. I think it’d be fun to read a Christmas book while on the beach (it’s been way too long since I’ve been there). :)

  24. Hello No Beach close to me and Yes I would read a Christmas book on the beach as I love reading Christmas books anytime! Blessings

  25. I have read some beach books here and there. Even though I live in the ‘Great Lakes State’ I have only been to small lake beaches and can count the times on one hand. I would far rather be in a boat fishing! I have never been a fan of hot weather either. I had grandparents with a cabin on a river we went to often in the summer. Their waterfront was a dock to use for the boats, not swimming which led to my love of catching, cleaning and cooking our dinners. Now, give me a book about the beach as long as I can read it in the air conditioned room I can navigate with my walker!

  26. Hi Meghann! I am fortunate to live in SW Michigan with many wonderful beaches on the shores of Lake Michigan – Silver Beach, Lion’s Park Beach, Jean Klock Beach, Rocky Gap Beach, Warren Dunes State Park, Weco Beach and more. Unfortunately due to some medications, I can no longer be out in the heat and sun. Our resort community is blessed to have the Lake Bluff Park that is shady and overlooks Lake Michigan. That is where I like to read BEACH books. You are a new to me author, but I have read books set in Oregon or along the Atlantic Ocean. I enjoy reading Christmas stories year around. Best wishes and Happy Writing.

  27. I’m not much of a beach person, although I like to be near the water. When we go on vacation, our hotel is on a bay. I have not read any of the books on your TBR. I would probably read Christmas stories on a beach. My favorite beach story is THE EBB TIDE by Beverly Lewis. I love the Amish genre and Beverly Lewis is my favorite.

  28. The beach we go to is about 3 hours away we are going there next week for a few nights cause they are going to be painting our inside of our house and my mom still has little kids so we just want to be out of the house. I haven’t read any of the beach books on your to read pile.I don’t think I have a favorite beach read but one of my favorite was yours falling for the innkeeper.I read Christmas books anytime if I have them at home but if it’s a book at the library I only check it out in the winter/Christmas time.

  37. I’m happy to read a Christmas book any time of the year, so I guess I’d also read one on the beach if it came up in my queue.

  38. I have not read a beach read this year. I am struggling to read right now. I cannot imagine writing a Christmas book on a beach or in the summer. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.

  42. I’m glad you get to be inspired by your childhood memories. They sound very sweet.
    I haven’t had the pleasure to read any of the stories you mention and will definitely check them out.
    Christmas at the beach sounds like a goood read ( I grow up in the Caribbean 😉)

  43. I have read Seaside Proposal by Narelle Atkins and enjoyed it. I live a country hour drive from the beach (I say country hour cos and hour in the city can be from one side to the other) Its around 60 – 70 miles away. we have a choice of a few places to go as we are about that far inland. I don’t get to the beach as I don’t drive but many in the town have beach homes on the coast.
    Here many go to the beach for Christmas day but I will read a Christmas at the beach in America. I have a dream of one day going to Hawaii for Christmas or my Birthday (in Feb)

  45. I’m in a very landlocked state and don’t have many chances to head to the beach, but love reading all kinds of books while I’m there!

  46. I live in Atlanta GA so no beaches up here, but we would go to Charleston, SC every summer to visit family who lived right by the beach.

    I read Christmas books all year round.

  53. I haven’t read any of the beach books on your TBR. My current favorite beach reads are Summer on Blackberry Beach by Belle Calhoune and Sabotaged Mission by Tina Radcliffe. Yes, I would consider reading a Christmas book while I’m suntanning on the beach.

  60. I don’t have a favorite beach read, but I would totally read a Christmas book while suntanning not the beach.

  63. I have not read any of the books. Christmas books are year round for me, though i have a goal to get or buy 12 days of children’s Christmas books or 24 and wrap them up and open them blindly before Christmas. I adored the idea the first time I heard it. I’m still a kid at heart and the magic of CHristmas for me is in children’s laughter wonder and excitement. OKay I think i got off of what this thread was about! SORRY! lol
    I read to slow to do it with adult novellas or novels bt maybe someone reading this who reads faster would like to do it for novels. Still I DO read Christmas novellas or novels year round. ::)

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