Emily Giffin, the New York Times bestselling author of ten books, has just taken on another role: She’s started her own book club at @egbookclub on Instagram and we couldn’t be more thrilled! Her book club IG profile says: “I love reading even more than I love writing!” so readers will have plenty of amazing selections coming from Emily in the EG Book Club. Emily was kind enough to share with us a selection of five summer reads (plus one bonus book!) to get you started on your summer reading. Take a look at these five upcoming book recommendations for summer reading from Emily Giffin. And while you’re adding to your TBR, if you haven’t yet read Emily’s tenth book, The Lies That Bind is now out in paperback!
The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley
This irresistible, warm-hearted novel tells the tale of Piper Parrish, a recent widow who has decided to go on living her life as if her darling husband were still alive, even if nobody else can see him. Incredibly, the entire community in tiny Frick Island plays along, indulging Piper as she chats with her invisible husband on morning walks and dines with him at the local seafood restaurant. When an ambitious journalist unexpectedly stumbles into town and discovers Piper’s story, he’s determined to uncover the truth – only to find that maybe he’s the one who can’t see what’s truly in front of him. Once again, Oakley’s prose soars with faith, hope, and the goodness of humanity.
Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland
Reading like an episode of Schitt’s Creek, Last Summer at the Golden Hotel tells the tale of two prominent families clashing over the fate of an iconic Catskills resort and their longtime summer vacation home. With memorable characters and whipsmart dialogue, Friedland hilariously explores everything from family dysfunction to intergenerational dynamics to the nostalgic appeal of aging vacation hotspots from years gone by.
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
Can DNA determine your soulmate? This is the fascinating question behind Lauren’s witty and highly original new novel, which follows a statistician and single mother who signs up for a dating company using DNA as its matchmaking model – only to find herself matched to the company’s unctuous, unappealing founder. A surprisingly romantic, science-based take on finding love and happily ever after.
Better Luck Next Time by Julia Claiborne Johnson
Back in the 1930s, upper-class women in broken marriages would sometimes stay at dude ranches in Nevada in order to establish residency while awaiting their divorce. This is the ingenious backdrop and setting of Johnson’s delightfully quirky novel, which follows the rollicking antics of two women, Emily and Nina, and Ward, the young ranch worker with whom Emily falls in love. Told through the memories of the now elderly Ward, this book offers a touching and comedic look at the bittersweet nature of young love.
The Cave Dwellers by Christina McDowell
A dramatic, high society send-up of the elite families who make up the DC establishment, The Cave Dwellers begins with the shocking murder of a Texas oil baron and follows the fallout within the deep-pocketed social circles that make up this privileged community. McDowell will keep you absolutely riveted as she takes on issues involving racial and social bias, and the lengths people will go to in order to maintain power and status.
And Emily’s bonus pick for your summer reading list:
Love for Beginners by Jill Shalvis
When bride-to-be Emma Harris wakes up from a two-month coma to discover that her fiance and her best friend are now an item, it’s only the first in a series of shocking surprises awaiting her “new” life. Despite the fact that she is grateful to simply be alive, Emma now faces the daunting task of rebuilding herself – physically, professionally, and personally – while relying on some very unlikely sources, including a strict (but hot) physical therapist and a lifelong frenemy. However, as Emma slowly starts picking up the pieces of her shattered life, she finds that true friendship and love can come from some of the most unlikely places and maybe, just maybe, her ordeal may be the very best thing that has ever happened to her. Full of sunny optimism and cheer, LOVE FOR BEGINNERS is a charming, breezy tale of reinvention and rediscovery that is tailor-made for the beach.
