With warm weather, ocean waves, and golden sand, there’s nothing quite like diving into a beach read. Whether you’re lounging at home or by the shore, a gripping audiobook can provide the perfect summer escape.
While many love to dive into romance, rom-coms, or thrillers in the summertime, the best beach reads can be page-turners in any genre, as long as you get lost in it! And audiobooks make for the perfect beach companion: they’re lightweight for any travel, don’t run the risk of getting their pages wet, and allow you to close your eyes and relax all the more.
Read on for some crowd favorites and stories that might be new to you, perfect for every beach bag!
Romance audiobooks:
Funny Story
After Daphne’s fiancé leaves her for his childhood friend, Petra, Daphne becomes roommates with Petra’s ex, Miles. Bonding over heartbreak and a fake dating plan, what happens when Daphne unexpectedly falls in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex?
View the audiobookWant more from Emily Henry? Check out Beach Read, Happy Place, and Book Lovers!
Just for the Summer
Justin and Emma hatch a plan to break their dating curse: date, break up, and find true love. Sparks fly as they rent a cottage together on Lake Minnetonka, but what if this time, fate has truly united an ideal match?
View the audiobookOther crowd favorites of Jimenez’s include Part of Your World and Yours Truly.
How to End a Love Story
When Helen Zhang, a successful author, lands a spot in the writers’ room of her YA novels’ TV adaptation, she’s less than thrilled to realize Grant Shepard will be there too. Part of her tragic past, working with Grant brings back Helen’s old feelings and new challenges, forcing them to confront their history and reconsider their futures.
View the audiobook
This Summer Will Be Different
This audiobook offers an escape to Prince Edward Island with Lucy, where she meets with Felix, her best friend’s younger brother. Their chemistry is undeniable, and despite their vows, staying apart is easier said than done.
View the audiobookMake sure to also check out Meet Me at the Lake and Every Summer After.
Second Night Stand
Ballet dancer Lillian and burlesque performer Izzy are competing for a million-dollar prize in a high-stakes reality show. Their one-night hook-up turns into a complicated, hilarious situationship.
View the audiobookThrillers and mysteries:
Missing White Woman
Breanna wakes to a supposed romantic getaway turned nightmare: a body in their rental home and her boyfriend Ty missing. As chaos ensues over the dead woman’s identity, Bree, alone in a new city, must unravel the mystery to save herself and Ty.
View the audiobookExplore more mysteries by Kellye Garett, including Like a Sister and Hollywood Homicide.
All the Sinners Bleed
Titus Crown, the first Black sheriff in Charon County, Virginia and a former FBI agent, faces a harrowing investigation when a school shooting reveals a serial killer’s terrible long-hidden crimes. Amidst the turmoil, Titus grapples with his own painful past and a far-right group celebrating Confederate history, challenging his dedication to protecting his community.
View the audiobookCraving for more from S.A. Cosby? Check out Razorblade Tears.
Swan Song
In the grand finale of the Nantucket series, Chief Ed Kapenash’s retirement plans are interrupted following a mysterious fire at a new couple’s lavish summer home and the disappearance of their assistant.
View the audiobookDon’t forget to check out the other audiobooks from the Nantucket series, including The Hotel Nantucket, 28 Summers, and The Perfect Couple.
Humor:
New Nigeria County
New Nigeria County is a whip-smart, full-cast satire on race, gender, and nationalism. When a white family moves into an affluent Black community, a “misunderstanding” escalates, sweeping the town into drama. With a talented cast of voice actors and sound effects, this audiobook will have you hooked from the first chapter.
View the audiobook
Good Material
Andy, a struggling comedian, struggles to process heartbreak, career setbacks, and strained friendships post-breakup. This poignant audiobook explores the complexities of relationships, adulthood, and the narratives we construct about our lives.
View the audiobookAlso check out Everything I Know About Love and Ghosts if you enjoy Dolly Alderton’s storytelling!
Lies and Weddings
Rufus Leung Gresham faces family debt at his sister’s opulent wedding, torn between marrying for wealth or love amid scandal and unexpected chaos. What follows is a juicy, hilarious, sophisticated, and thrillingly plotted story of love, money, murder, sex, and the lies we tell about them all.
View the audiobookExplore other bestselling audiobooks by Kevin Kwan, including the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy.
Libro.fm team favorites:
The Art Thief
One of the most remarkable true-crime narratives of the twenty-first century, The Art Thief is the story of the world’s most prolific art thief, Stéphane Breitwieser. Stéphane stole over 300 objects across Europe, driven not by money but an obsession with beauty.
View the audiobook
Sucker
The black-sheep son of an industrial tycoon, Chuck, starts working for a tech pioneer who’s running a biomedical startup selling nothing less than immortality, only to uncover the horrifying truth at the heart of her sublime promises.
View the audiobook
Greta & Valdin
Greta & Valdin explores the lives of siblings Greta and Valdin, brimming with love, humor, queerness, multi-cultural identity, and family turmoil. Valdin confronts past feelings when work sends him to Buenos Aires, where his ex-boyfriend now lives. Meanwhile, Greta contends with an unrequited crush, family secrets, and academic challenges.
View the audiobook
James
Percival Everett reimagines Mark Twain’s classic Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, focusing on Jim’s agency and humanity as he and Huck start a journey down the Mississippi River.
View the audiobookMore audiobooks by Percival Everett: Erasure, The Trees, and I Am Not Sidney Poitier.
Find Your Next Beach Reads At Libro.fm
Whether you’re on vacation or relaxing at home, check out these beach reads!