Last Days of Summer Reading Suggestions

In the Northern Hemisphere the peak of summer is ending and we’re increasing looking towards the autumn months. Personally, autumn is my favourite so I can’t wait for cosy blankets, hot chocolate, cooler days and the opportunity to rock my favourite knitwear. However, there are times when you want to cling onto the feeling of summer as long as possible, and the below back catalog recommendations are perfect for evoking the sense of warm summer days.

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

A multi-generational America tale of one family and the house they live in, this one surprised me. It’s got a feel of warm summers in a small town, of romance and heartbreak. A great beach read.

Available at Amazon, BookshopOrg and Waterstones.

The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim

This is a charming vintage tale, originally published in 1922. Two married women, bored with their husbands and their dull lives in the UK, see an advert in the times to rent an Italian castle for a month in April. What follows is quiet and sweet, with wonderful evocative descriptions of the Italian countryside.

Available at Amazon, BookshopOrg and Waterstones.

The Lost Man by Jane Harper

This is a thriller set in the Australian outback, centred around 3 brothers, all of whom own vast tracts of land and live hundreds of miles from each other, and from anybody else. When one of the brothers is found the dead, the story of their lives begins to unravel. This is was a great story, typical of Jane Harper, with lots of twists and turns. However, the other great presence here is the sheer immensity of the outback, and the feeling is isolation in the searing heat.

Available at Amazon, BookshopOrg and Waterstones.

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Set in New York in 1938, this lovely novel follows our heroine Katey Kotent over 1 year and in particular her introduction to handsome banker Tinker Grey. This one could be read in any season but if you’re hankering for something with a jazz age vibe, this should be your choice.

Available at Amazon, BookshopOrg and Waterstones.

Desire for Chocolate by Care Santos

This is a whimsical tale, set over 3 time periods, one contemporary and two historic, telling the story of three women in Barcelona, through their ownership of a hot chocolate pot. Really interesting, and will make you crave a city break in Barcelona no end.

Available at Amazon and Waterstones.

Mrs Hemingway by Naomi Wood

This charming novel starts on the French Riviera and skips between different time frames and locations to tell the story of the four wives of Ernest Hemingway. Historical fiction that reads pretty lightly, the settings are also beautiful and really evoke the summer vibes and bohemian life of the early 20st century writer.

Available at Amazon, BookshopOrg and Waterstones.

The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George

A whimsical story about a man who runs a floating ‘Book Apothecary’ in the city of Paris. His normal life is then shattered by news of a former lover, and he sets off on a journey of self discovery. Romantic, charming, and it will make you cry.

Available at Amazon, BookshopOrg and Waterstones.

I hope you’ve been able to pick up a few TBR picks from the above. Are you clinging onto the last days of the summer, or eagerly waiting for the crisp cool of autumn? Let me know in the comments.

This post may contain affiliate links. All photography and opinions my own. The state of the garden is also my fault.