5 books to take to the beach this summer!

If you’re still trying to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list this holiday season, these books  also make great presents. For more information on these titles and other gift suggestions, click here. 

Silverview is John le Carré’s last complete novel and, as always, is a gripping read for fans of spy thrillers and people interested in how politics shape the decisions we make. Julian Lawndsley has quit his high-flying job in the city, exchanging it for a simpler life running a bookshop in a small seaside town. One evening Julian is interrupted by Edward, a Polish émigré living in Silverview, the big house on the edge of town. He seems to know far too much about Julian’s family and is very interested in the inner workings of his bookshop.

When a letter is delivered to a spy chief in London warning him about a dangerous leak, investigations lead to a quiet town by the sea. . . You can read an extract here. 

Atlas of the Heart is the first major work from Dr Brené Brown in three years. Brown is the bestselling author of The Gifts of Imperfection and Dare to Lead and the host of two wildly popular podcasts, and in this book takes us on a journey through 87 of the emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human. By mapping the necessary skills and providing an actionable framework for meaningful connection, she gives us the ability to build better connections with each other. This is a beautiful hardback with colour illustrations.

Why are we showing you a book that was published 23 years ago?! Because early next year, the sequel Again, Rachel will be hitting shelves (and can be pre-ordered now)! So now’s the perfect time to re-read — or discover for the first time — Rachel’s Holiday, in which you meet Rachel Walsh, a twenty-seven-year-old whose fondness for recreational drugs has led to her family forking out for a spell in Cloisters. Rachel is hoping for a holiday with wall-to-wall jacuzzis and celebrity spotting but instead gets the embarrassment of group therapy, and a dearth of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. A funny and moving classic.

If you like to use the holidays to catch up on the best books of the year, we recommend the 2021 Booker Prize winner, The Promise by Damon Galgut. The Guardian reviewer calls it ”spectacular . . . a strong, unambiguous commentary on the history of South Africa and of humanity itself.” It's a taut and menacing novel, structured around four funerals, that charts the crash and burn of an Afrikaans family, the Swarts, who have failed in their promise to the Black woman who has worked for them her whole life. You can start reading here. 

The latest gripping “what would I do in this situation?” medical drama from Eileen Merriman, Double Helix, is perfect for fans of TV shows like Grey's Anatomy. Emily knows Jake isn’t like his father and he would never leave her willingly, but if he’s inherited his mother’s genes then Huntington’s disease is more than likely to take him away. Bookstagrammer @alexandras_reads said “Double Helix is a beautifully written and incredibly compelling story, which will make you wonder about whether you would like to know how you will die. But more than that, it will make you contemplate how you would like to live . . .” Start reading here.