Practically speaking, this meant that genres I included were: romance, chick lit, cozy mysteries, and thrillers. But not every exciting, buzzy 2021 release in these genres made the list. For example, I decided to leave off Jennifer Weiner’s latest book That Summer, even though its title is very beachy and Weiner is a chick lit staple. That’s because the central storyline is about sexual assault. My definition of a beach read might be totally different than yours, and that is perfectly okay! I am cautiously optimistic, however, that there are 2021 must-read beach reads on this list that almost everyone will enjoy. From highly anticipated follow-ups by best-selling thriller authors such as Paula Hawkins to debut self-discovery tales about queer Black women like Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers, there’s a type of beach read here for all types of beach readers. Which 2021 must-read beach reads are you most excited about? Are you going to stick with a tried and true beach read author like Taylor Jenkins Reid or strike out with a debut by Jesse Q Sutanto? For more summer reads, check out more on beach reads at Book Riot, including this curated best beach reads list.
