Every year, I wait for various Summer Reading Guides to come out and I head to the library and get as many picks as I can to fill the long, lazy days by the pool. This year, I decided to make my own Summer Reading Guide, this one exclusively for Christian reads. That’s right, every book in this guide is a Christian book! Whether you’re reading on the beach or in a cozy chair with a glass of iced tea, these reads will inspire and entertain you!
*Amazon Links are affiliate. Most of these books were provided by the publisher for review. However, I’ve only added the ones I honestly enjoyed reading.*
Below, you’ll find 4 categories of books— Beachy Reads, Historical Fiction, Thrillers & Mysteries, and Spiritual Growth— but let’s start with my top pick for this summer!
My Top Pick for Christian Summer Reading!
The Theory of Happily Ever After by Kristen Billerbeck
This book is my top pick for reading by the pool or at the beach this year! There are so many fabulous books on this list, but The Theory of Happily Ever After was exactly what I was looking for this summer. It’s hilarious and moving, light, yet deep, and romantic without being cheesy. Plus, the main character has a love of Hallmark Movies… hello. I’ve seen reviews comparing the dialogue to an episode of Gilmore Girls, and I have to agree. You know that’s high praise coming from me. (I have a bit of a Gilmore obsession)
From the Publisher:
According to Dr. Maggie Maguire, happiness is serious science, as serious as Maggie takes herself. But science can’t always account for life’s anomalies–for instance, why her fiancé dumped her for a silk-scarf acrobat and how the breakup sent Maggie spiraling into an extended ice cream-fueled chick flick binge.
Concerned that she might never pull herself out of this nosedive, Maggie’s friends book her as a speaker on a “New Year, New You” cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. Maggie wonders if she’s qualified to teach others about happiness when she can’t muster up any for herself. But when a handsome stranger on board insists that smart women can’t ever be happy, Maggie sets out to prove him wrong. Along the way she may discover that happiness has far less to do with the head than with the heart. READ MORE
Beachy Reads
I could honestly read nothing but beach reads all summer. To me, a beachy read is something that you can lay on the beach or by the pool and read for two straight hours without looking up. Beachy reads are for when I want to escape the day to day drama of life and get invested in someone else’s story. Bonus if they are set in the summer, and double bonus if they are set in a beach town.
The Heart Between Us by Lindsay Harrel.
The Heart Between Us is such a unique story, I knew I had to read it as soon as I read the description, then I was hooked from reading the first page. If you can’t afford to travel the world this summer, escape into this book instead! You won’t regret it! I love books and movies where women travel the world to “find themselves,” but often you’re left feeling empty as the solutions they find don’t really satisfy one’s true needs. This book hits the target and goes beyond a shallow ending to one that truly satisfies!
From the Publisher:
Megan Jacobs always wished for a different heart. Her entire childhood was spent in and out of hospitals, sitting on the sidelines while her twin sister Crystal played all the sports, got all the guys, and had all the fun. But even a heart transplant three years ago wasn’t enough to propel Megan’s life forward. She’s still working as a library aide and living with her parents in her small Minnesota hometown, dreaming of the adventure she plans to take “once she’s well enough.” Meanwhile, her sister is a successful architect with a handsome husband and the perfect life—or so Megan thinks.
When her heart donor’s parents give Megan their teenage daughter’s journal—complete with an unfulfilled bucket list—Megan connects with the girl she meets between the pages and is inspired to venture out and check off each item. Caleb—a friend from her years in and out of the hospital—reenters her life and pushes her to find the courage to take the leap and begin her journey… READ MORE
The Sisterchicks Series by Robin Jones Gunn
The Sisterchicks series started in 2003, with Sisterchicks on the Loose. If you love friendships, hilarity, traveling, and feeling inspired as a Christian woman, you will devour these books. As a forty year old, I appreciate the life stage the women in these books are in! So relatable!
PS: If you were a reader of the Christy Miller series by Robin Jones Gunn, she’s expanded that series to follow Christy and Todd through marriage and babies!) Catching up on their story could take you through the whole summer! PPS: Robin has her own bookstore and often has special offers, so check there first!
From the Publisher:
Get set for adventure as the sisterchicks drive, float, or fly off to faraway places—exploring new territory and delighting in the soul ties that forever bind their hearts.
Sisterchick n.: a friend who shares the deepest wonders of your heart, loves you like a sister, and provides a reality check when you’re being a brat.
Meet unlikely best friends Sharon, quiet mother of four, and Penny, former flower child/motorcycle mama. Connected as young moms, their twenty-year friendship is about to take a surprising leap! Penny hatches plans for a “post-kids” trip to seek out her only living relatives—somewhere in far-off Finland. READ MORE
Books to Curl up With
Our summers here in Southern California are endlessly hot. We don’t usually get any good rainy, gloomy summer days, but if you do, these are the books to read on those days. As for me, I’ll substitute a cozy warm mug and blanket for an iced tea and air conditioning. Either way, these are picks are perfect to curl up with on a long afternoon!
Where Hope Begins by Catherine West
Nobody does family drama like Catherine West. Where Hope Begins starts with the line, My husband is leaving me, and you will not be able to put it down until the last word. Have a box of tissues ready when you curl up with this one! West is never afraid to go deep and get very real, and yet she weaves in grace, in the most natural way.
From the Publisher:
Sometimes we’re allowed to glimpse the beauty within the brokenness . . .
Savannah Barrington has always found solace at her parents’ lake house in the Berkshires, and it’s the place that she runs to when her husband of over twenty years leaves her. Though her world is shaken, and the future uncertain, she finds hope through an old woman’s wisdom, a little girl’s laughter, and a man who’s willing to risk his own heart to prove to Savannah that she is worthy of love.
But soon Savannah is given a challenge she can’t run away from: Forgiving the unforgivable. Amidst the ancient gardens and musty bookstores of the small town she’s sought refuge in, she must reconcile with the grief that haunts her, the God pursuing her, and the wounds of the past that might be healed after all. READ MORE
Song of Silence by Cynthia Ruchti
Cynthia Ruchti writes stories hemmed in hope, and Song of Silence is no exception. If you want to be inspired and read an encouraging tale with deeply drawn characters, this is the book for you. And who doesn’t want that? I also love that this book is in the point of view of a retired woman and her husband, something you don’t find too often in contemporary literature. (Discussion guide included in book) PS: You can read my review of Ruchti’s A Fragile Hope here.
From the Publisher:
Charlie and Lucy Tuttle are committed to each other for life, but that life isn’t turning out quite like they expected. Charlie retired early, but Lucy planned to continue in her position as a music educator in a small Midwestern K-8 school indefinitely. And then the day came when she was forced to retire. Lucy was devoted to the program her father started years ago and now she can only watch as it disintegrates before her eyes. The longer she is separated from the passion of her heart, the more the music fades from her life and she wonders if her faith’s song is fading too. When a simple misstep threatens to silence Lucy forever, a young boy and his soundless mother change the way she sees—and hears—everything. READ MORE
Historical Fiction
Reading Historical Fiction always makes me want to turn off the television and bake bread. Some of the first Christian novels I read as a teenager were Janette Oke’s Love Comes Softly series, and I’ve been a huge fan of Historical Fiction ever since. Good Historical Fiction, like the books listed here, also educate without the reader noticing it. All of these books below seamlessly weave in historical facts for an authentic story that makes you feel a little smarter after you finish it.
Bread of Angels by Tessa Afshar
This is my first Tessa Afhsar read and it will not be the last! Afshar is a gifted writer and has crafted a beautiful and richly woven story that will stay with you long after you read it. Bread of Angels is the story of Lydia, mentioned in Acts 16. I love Biblical fiction when it’s done well, and this one absolutely is. The Bible will come to life as you read it. I’d love to see movie based on this one! (Discussion Guide included in book.)
From the Publisher:
Purple. The foundation of an influential trade in a Roman world dominated by men. One woman rises up to take the reins of success in an incredible journey of courage, grit, and friendship. And along the way, she changes the world.
But before she was Lydia, the seller of purple, she was simply a merchant’s daughter who loved three things: her father, her ancestral home, and making dye. Then unbearable betrayal robs her of nearly everything.
With only her father’s secret formulas left, Lydia flees to Philippi and struggles to establish her business on her own. Determination and serendipitous acquaintances?along with her father’s precious dye?help her become one of the city’s preeminent merchants. But fear lingers in every shadow, until Lydia meets the apostle Paul and hears his message of hope, becoming his first European convert. Still, Lydia can’t outrun her secrets forever, and when past and present collide, she must either stand firm and trust in her fledgling faith or succumb to the fear that has ruled her life. READ MORE
Where the Fire Falls by Karen Barnett
A romance set in the 1920’s in Yellowstone Park with a bit of mystery? Yes, please! Where the Fire Falls is so well done and well researched. If you love nature, you’ll love this book and feel like you have been transported to Yellowstone. I follow author Karen Barnett on Facebook and I’ve enjoyed the photos and posts she shares as she thoroughly researches her books. You can tell this is a passion of hers, and it definitely makes her books rich and meaningful. I’ve never been to Yellowstone, but after reading this, I feel like I have. It’s also made it’s way onto my travel bucket list because of this book!
From the Publisher:
Stunning Yosemite National Park sets the stage for this late 1920s historical romance with mystery, adventure, heart, and a sense of the place John Muir described as “pervaded with divine light.”
Watercolorist Olivia Rutherford has shed her humble beginnings to fashion her image as an avant-garde artist to appeal to the region’s wealthy art-collectors. When she lands a lucrative contract painting illustrations of Yosemite National Park for a travel magazine, including its nightly one-of-a-kind Firefall event, she hopes the money will lift Olivia and her sisters out of poverty.
After false accusations cost him everything, former minister Clark Johnson has found purpose as a backcountry guide in this natural cathedral of granite and trees. Now he’s faced with the opportunity to become a National Parks Ranger, but is it his true calling?
As Clark opens Olivia’s eyes to the wonders of Yosemite, she discovers the people are as vital to the park’s story as its vistas–a revelation that may bring her charade to an end. READ MORE
These Healing Hills
These Healing Hills was a warm and comforting read, which is my favorite kind of historical fiction. I was hooked from the first page, much like I was when I first read Janette One all those years ago. I may have stayed up until early in the morning to finish this one! These Healing Hills is wonderfully researched and the setting and characters stay with you long after you finish the book.
From the Publisher:
Francine Howard has her life all mapped out until the soldier she planned to marry at WWII’s end writes to tell her he’s in love with a woman in England. Devastated, Francine seeks a fresh start in the Appalachian Mountains, training to be a nurse midwife for the Frontier Nursing Service.
Deeply affected by the horrors he witnessed at war, Ben Locke has never thought further ahead than making it home to Kentucky. His future shrouded in as much mist as his beloved mountains, he’s at a loss when it comes to envisioning what’s next for his life.
When Francine’s and Ben’s paths intersect, it’s immediately clear that they are from different worlds and value different things. But love has a way of healing old wounds . . . and revealing tantalizing new possibilities. READ MORE
The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin
Sarah Sundin is the go to author for WWII buffs that want to escape into an authentic, inspiring romance. The Sea Before Us is Book One in the Sunrise at Normandy series. Sundin is another author I follow on Facebook. In addition to research and fun updates, she also posts a daily “Today in WWII” post, where she shares history tidbits, photos, and interesting articles. The Sea Before Us is her latest romance that will capture your heart and make you feel as if you’ve stepped into the war as you root for these flawed and inspiring characters!
From the Publisher:
In 1944, American naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton arrives in London to prepare for the Allied invasion of France. He works closely with Dorothy Fairfax, a “Wren” in the Women’s Royal Naval Service. Dorothy pieces together reconnaissance photographs with thousands of holiday snapshots of France–including those of her own family’s summer home–in order to create accurate maps of Normandy. Maps that Wyatt will turn into naval bombardment plans.
As the two spend concentrated time together in the pressure cooker of war, their deepening friendship threatens to turn to love. Dorothy must resist its pull. Her bereaved father depends on her, and her heart already belongs to another man. Wyatt too has much to lose. The closer he gets to Dorothy, the more he fears his efforts to win the war will destroy everything she has ever loved.
The tense days leading up to the monumental D-Day landing blaze to life under Sarah Sundin’s practiced pen with this powerful new series. READ MORE
The Improper Proposal by Davalynn Spencer
The Improper Proposal is the first Davalynn Spencer book I’ve read, and now I’m hooked on another series! This is the first in the Front Range Brides, and I’m looking forward to reading what comes next. This is a quick read, about a mail order bride and a marriage of convenience , and a heartwarming story that again is so well researched you feel as if you’re in the old west! Western readers will love this one, and if you haven’t read Westerns before, I encourage you to give this one a try!
From the Publisher:
Sweet Historical Western Romance An Improper Proposal – First in the Front Range Brides collection of stories about strong women who find and defend love in 1880s Colorado. Love hadn’t brought her to Colorado, but it might be the one thing that keeps her there. Mail-order bride Mae Ann Remington won’t let circumstances get in her way. When someone else’s greed costs her everything—including her groom—she does the only thing she can in a new town with no money or friends. She asks a stranger to marry her. Cattleman Cade Parker stops at the bank to withdraw cash for his sister, not find himself a wife. But that’s exactly what happens after a bank robbery leaves a farmer dead and his headstrong bride-to-be making a desperate business proposition. READ MORE
Thrillers & Mysteries
There’s nothing like a good thriller to help me escape from the worries of everyday life. I love being sucked into a good mystery, and if it’s a little scary, even better! These are the books to read when you’re home alone at night, unless you’re like me and you’ll freak yourself out. In that case, read them under a bright light and make sure your doors are locked!
The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright
Confession. I had to stop reading this book at night because I started freaking out about every little noise in the house. When I called my husband in the midst of one of these freak outs, and asked him to come home early from an evening out, he said I was no longer allowed to read the book unless it was daytime. That is how suspenseful this book is! I’m really glad I finished it, because it was so well written and captured my interest from the first page. I love a good time split, and this one is particularly well done. I can’t wait to read Wright’s next novel, The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond, out on July 3. Hint: If you like Kate Morton, you’ll love this book.
From the Publisher:
Kaine Prescott is no stranger to death. When her husband died two years ago, her pleas for further investigation into his suspicious death fell on deaf ears. In desperate need of a fresh start, Kaine purchases an old house sight unseen in her grandfather’s Wisconsin hometown. But one look at the eerie, abandoned house immediately leaves her questioning her rash decision. And when the house’s dark history comes back with a vengeance, Kaine is forced to face the terrifying realization she has nowhere left to hide.
A century earlier, the house on Foster Hill holds nothing but painful memories for Ivy Thorpe. When an unidentified woman is found dead on the property, Ivy is compelled to discover her identity. Ivy’s search leads her into dangerous waters and, even as she works together with a man from her past, can she unravel the mystery before any other lives–including her own–are lost? READ MORE
The Kremlin Conspiracy by Joel Rosenberg
Joel Rosenberg has a fascinating story, and he’s definitely on my list of authors I would love to meet someday. His books are fast paced, suspenseful, well-written, and clearly well-researched. His books are so timely and even prophetic… he had to make edits as his first novel was about to come out because it was too similar to the events of 9-11, even though it had been written months before. The Kremlin Conspiracy, his latest political thriller, is everything you want in a book like this. If you’re a fan of John Grisham or the popular TV show, 24, you will love these books. Save this one for when you can read it in one siting, because you won’t be able to put it down!
From the Publisher:
New York Times bestselling author Joel C. Rosenberg returns with a high-stakes political thriller set in Russia.
Everything he learned to protect our president, he must use to take out theirs.
With an American president distracted by growing tensions in North Korea and Iran, an ominous new threat is emerging in Moscow. A czar is rising in the Kremlin, a Russian president feverishly consolidating power, silencing his opposition, and plotting a brazen and lightning-fast military strike that could rupture the NATO alliance and bring Washington and Moscow to the brink of nuclear war. But in his blind spot is the former U.S. Secret Service agent, Marcus Ryker, trained to protect but ready to kill to save his country. READ MORE
Sweet on You (A Meddlin’ Madeline Mystery) by Chautona Havig
I discovered Sweet on You when author Chautona Havig shared on Facebook how she came up with this story idea. (It all started with a photo.) This cozy mystery is a sweet and fun read, and you’ll be rooting for Maddie and left wanting more. Good thing it’s only the first in a series of three! Bonus, this book is free on Kindle Unlimited if you have it!
From the Publisher:
Rockland circa 1900- As the mayor’s daughter, Madeline Brown enjoys a rich social life that many might envy. But a sharp mind and a growing talent for observation leaves Madeline torn between avoiding social censure and exploring the world around her. With an aunt who considers higher education and employment equally unsuitable for the mayor’s daughter, there is little to amuse her save endless committee meetings, evening socials, and her favorite pastime: curling up with an exciting detective novel.
The temperance and suffrage movements hold little interest for a young woman who has just endured the rigors of her father’s mayoral campaign. So when a young man shows interest in her friend, Madeline’s interest piques–until his actions hint that he might not be the upstanding gentleman everyone presumes him to be. Unable to ignore her concerns, Madeline finds herself in the middle of an investigation into his character and discovers a side of Rockland she’s never encountered. Will her new hobby reduce the tedium of her life, or will her “meddling” create tension for herself and her father? Will she be forced to squelch this budding skill of hers or has Madeline finally found her calling in life. READ MORE
Spiritual Growth
Though I read almost exclusively fiction during the summer, I also make sure I’m always reading at least one book for growth while we’re on our break from homeschooling. The books below will encourage you in your walk with God! These are the non-fiction books that made it out of my to-read stack and onto my nightstand this summer:
Holy in the Moment by Ginger Harrington
From the Publisher:
Enjoying life (zoe) in Christ comes in the choices we make moment-by-moment. Transparently sharing her struggles with anxiety, fear, and insecurity, Ginger Harrington invites women to discover how intentional choices made in the moment can become holy habits that open the door to healing and freedom. With a refreshing perspective, she shows that holiness isn’t a rigid standard to keep but a gift to receive through a vital relationship with God, who makes us whole.
Holy in the Moment explores the practical power of choices to grow in holiness without the pressure of perfectionism. Through gentle encouragement, biblical insights, and applicable ideas learn to discern feelings and overcome distractions and shame, adapt God’s equation for obedience, live a praying life, discover methods for practicing holiness in parenting and the importance of rest, embrace biblical love and forgiveness, and understand how work becomes holy. READ MORE
Walk it Out by Tricia Goyer
From the Publisher:
Women often pack their lives with family, friends, and faithful service, yet still end up feeling empty and unfulfilled. In Walk It Out, Tricia Goyer demonstrates to women that walking out the mandates of Scripture allows God to spark passion and mission within them.
Whether believers realize it or not, God intended for them to do what the Bible says: adopt the orphan, take the gospel into all the world, and care for the needy. These are mandates that point believers down the path of true living and eternal life.
Sometimes those steps are easy, but many times they require a move outside of what feels safe or secure. When women stop focusing on their own dreams and purposes, and instead focus on God’s dreams and purposes, everything changes. READ MORE
Okayest Mom by Natalie Gwyn (available for pre-order, releases June 26)
From the Publisher:
Natalie Gwyn uses humor to brilliantly capture how God led and helped this mother of two to adopt four children from Ethiopia and successfully bond her blended family.
A happy, working wife, already birth mother of two healthy young children — a boy and a girl — doubled the size of her family by adopting four Ethiopian children. Why?
Her answer: “God.”
Her lighthearted narrative begins with the nudge of God toward the uncomfortable. She and her husband are almost certain they have misunderstood what the Almighty is asking of them, and with self-deprecating humor Natalie allows readers a glimpse into the process by which this already imperfect mom agreed to transnational, transracial adoption of more children than she already has. READ MORE
Angels Among Us by Wanda Rosseland
From the Publisher:
Stories of ordinary people whose lives were extraordinarily changed through the divine intervention of guardian angels.
A vision in a dream. A long-awaited healing. Protection from an accident waiting to happen. Angels Among Us is a collection of stories of everyday people — little children, old women, young men, and more — who had their lives stopped for a moment and redirected with a little help from above. Some came to help. Some to heal. Others stood as protectors and guardians. Some were prayed for and others showed up totally unbidden, but all were remembered by those whose lives were changed from a visit by their guardian angel. These inspiring stories will give you comfort and hope as you learn that you are seen, protected, and loved throughout each and every day. READ MORE
Which books would you add to the Christian Summer Reading Guide?
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Aw, thanks for including Madeline! I’m already working on book 4! It’s my goal to make “Dead Letter” better than all the others. Squee!