Hello booklovers and welcome to this week’s Three to Read! We have some fantastic recommendations for you today. The following three novels contain plenty of mystery, romance, suspense, and adventure that’ll keep you up all night waiting to see what comes next!
HOT PICK
MALIBU RISING
BY TAYLOR JENKINES REID
Synopsis: Malibu. August 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over—especially as the offspring of the legendary singer Mick Riva.
The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself. She never wanted to be the center of attention, and her pro tennis player husband (very) publicly abandoned her not too long ago. Oh, and maybe Hud—because it is long past time for him to confess something to the brother from whom he’s been inseparable since birth. Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can’t stop thinking about promised she’ll be there. And Kit has a couple secrets of her own—including a guest she invited without consulting anyone.
By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family’s generations will all come rising to the surface. Malibu Rising is a story about one unforgettable night in the life of a family: the night they each have to choose what they will keep from the people who made them . . . and what they will leave behind.
Why: Malibu Rising is definitely the summer read you don’t want to miss out on! Four siblings throw the ultimate party to celebrate the end of summer, but within twenty-four hours, their lives are changed forever. The novel perfectly blends mystery and drama with family and rivalry, all while providing readers with a glimpse of fame, wealth, and the hardships that come with both.
BEACH READ
MISS LATTIMORE’S LETTER
BY SUZANNE ALLAIN
Synopsis: Sophronia Lattimore’s dreams for romance were ruined years ago. Now, she’s a chaperone for her cousin. However, she feels compelled to act when she notices a gentleman planning to propose to the “wrong woman.” Sophie sends the man an anonymous letter, which soon becomes a raging topic of gossip in town…especially since her advice ends up being true. Once her identity is discovered, people flock to the once-wallflower Sophie, who is now seen as a matchmaking expert.
Sir Edmund Winslow is one of the individuals who come to Sophie for help. The more Sophie helps Edmund, the more she wishes she could be his bride. However, she decides to stay uninvolved when helping Edmund find love, especially since Edmund doesn’t return Sophie’s affections.
Sophie becomes conflicted when her former love and Edmund both start courting her. She doesn’t know what lies ahead for her: a broken heart or bliss at the altar? How is she deemed to be a reliable source of matchmaking information when her own love life is such a mess?
Why: If you binge-watched Bridgerton when it was released (and have binge-watched it multiple times), then Miss Lattimore’s Letter is definitely one you want to add to your TBR! Suzanne Allain’s other Regency-era novel, Mr. Malcolm’s List received raging reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. Fun, flirty, and heartfelt, Miss Lattimore’s Letter is an addicting, fast-paced romance novel that you can easily read on a warm summer day. You’ll laugh, love, and cry with Sophie as she finds romance, and swoon for the dashing Edmund Winslow. Daphne and Simon may have met their match…
DARK HORSE
WE WERE NEVER HERE
ANDREA BARTZ
Synopsis: Emily is having the time of her life—she’s in the mountains of Chile with her best friend, Kristen, on their annual reunion trip, and the women are feeling closer than ever. But on the last night of the trip, Emily enters their hotel suite to find blood and broken glass on the floor. Kristen says the cute backpacker she brought back to their room attacked her, and she had no choice but to kill him in self-defense. Even more shocking: The scene is horrifyingly similar to last year’s trip, when another backpacker wound up dead.
Emily can’t believe it’s happened again—can lightning really strike twice? Back home in Wisconsin, Emily struggles to bury her trauma, diving headfirst into a new relationship and throwing herself into work. But when Kristen shows up for a surprise visit, Emily is forced to confront their violent past.
The more Kristen tries to keep Emily close, the more Emily questions her motives. As Emily feels the walls closing in on their cover-ups, she must reckon with the truth about her closest friend. Can Emily outrun the secrets she shares with Kristen, or will they destroy her relationship, her freedom—even her life?
Why: It’s no wonder why We Were Never Here is a Reese’s Book Club pick when Reese Witherspoon herself said, “This book is every suspense lover’s dream and it kept me up way too late turning pages. . . . A novel with crazy twists and turns that will have you ditching your Friday night plans for more chapters.” This addicting thriller also was selected as a Marie Claire Book Club Pick and named One of the Most Anticipated Books of the Year by Oprah Daily, BuzzFeed, Reader’s Digest, Men’s Journal, and CrimeReads. This terrific, slow-burning thriller is a tale of friendship, loyalty, and secrets. It’s the perfect read for thriller lovers and fans of Alfred Hitchcock.
That’s all for this week’s Three to Read! We’ll be back next week with three more amazing selections for you! Check out our corresponding Three to Read video here!