By Irene Rawlings
Photo by E Dean via Getty Images.
What’s a great beach without a great beach read—and a great beach bag? We cherry picked nine delectable titles that offer just enough escapism to let your mind wander—while keeping your toes planted on the sand—and the best new totes to carry your haul. Whether you’re out East or on Miami Beach, add these new books to your summer lit list—and head to Books & Books Bal Harbour Shops to find them all.
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“Big Little Truths”
For fans of “Big Little Lies,” Liane Moriarty’s “Big Little Truths” feels like a reunion with Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata, and Bonnie. Their kids are now teenagers facing sex, drugs, and the fallout from their parents’ long-buried secrets, while the women navigate the same emotionally tangled friendships. Crown Publishing Group; August 2026. -
“Whistler”
Ann Patchett’s “Whistler” is a deeply human novel about the small moments that shape a life. During a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Daphne Fuller (now in her 50s) unexpectedly encounters the stepfather she adored as a child but hasn’t seen in decades. Beautifully written passages will make you pause to read and reread. Harper, June 2026. -
“An Infinite Love Story”
Against the backdrop of the 1960s Space Race, “An Infinite Love Story” by Chanel Cleeton follows Vivian Mitchell, a journalist who sacrifices her ambitions to support her astronaut husband. When his spacecraft disappears while on a lunar mission, she grieves in the public eye while privately suspecting that NASA is hiding the truth. Berkley, July 2026. -
“One & Only”
“One & Only” by Maurene Goo is a contemporary romance about Cassia Park, nearly 40 and working in her family matchmaking business. She has been told her one and only is a man named Daniel Nam. But after falling for a younger landscape architect, Cass is stunned to learn his boss is, you guessed it…Daniel Nam. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, February 2026.
The Haul: Turn to these top totes for your pile of page-turners.
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“Daughters of the Sun and Moon”
Set in 1870s Los Angeles during a period of rampant anti-Chinese sentiment, “Daughters of the Sun and Moon” by Lisa See is a warm, character-driven story about three Chinese women who arrive in this dusty and rough frontier town hoping for new lives. See’s other novels include “Shanghai Girls” and “The Island of Sea Women.” Scribner, June 2026. -
“A Pair of Aces”
The new historical fiction, “A Pair of Aces,” by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, returns to the untold women’s stories that made “The Personal Librarian” such a success. In 1930s New York, Eunice Carter, Manhattan’s first Black female prosecutor, and Polly Adler, a famous madam, form an unlikely alliance to help bring down crime boss Lucky Luciano. Berkley, June 2026. -
“The Calamity Club”
Following her wildly successful debut novel, “The Help,” Kathryn Stockett’s new book, “The Calamity Club” is set in Depression-era Mississippi and told through the voices of 11-year-old orphan Meg Lefleur and 24-year-old spinster Birdie Calhoun. The book is both funny and bone-deep sad, with a sense of place that feels immediate and true. Spiegel & Grau, May 2026. -
“Summerland Cove”
“Summerland Cove” by Ellen Baker unfolds at a coastal Maine vacation home where the family gathers to celebrate the patriarch’s milestone birthday—only for him to vanish without a trace. His disappearance forces his wife, mother, and relatives into uneasy proximity as old arguments resurface and long-suppressed grievances spill out. HarperCollins, June 2026. -
“Summer of Love”
“Summer of Love” by Kerri Maher, the bestselling author of “The Paris Bookseller,” is about the storied 1967 San Francisco summer that changes three women’s lives forever. Berkley, July 2026.
