Article: The Best Books for the Beach
My Recommended Beach Reads for Luxury Beach Holidays Worldwide
How Beach Reading Enhances Relaxation, Escapism and Travel Wellbeing.
From Caribbean Shores to Mediterranean Sunsets, a Water Villa in the Indian Ocean to a Luxury Beach Club in Dubai, having a good book with you can elevate the experience.
There are many reasons I love beaches, but at their core, they make me feel alive.
For me, the greatest luxury isn’t five-star excess, it’s feeling warm sand between my toes, floating weightlessly in the sea, and watching the sun rise or melt into the horizon at sunset. That sense of calm, perspective and total freedom is intoxicating. Add a truly good book into that setting and I reach complete escapism, the kind that resets the soul.
As the founder of Love of Beaches, beaches aren’t just my work; they are my passion.
Whether I’m on a beach in the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, Asia or closer to home, a carefully chosen read is as essential as sunscreen. Below are my recommended books for the beach, curated for travellers who love sunshine, sea air and a little substance with their serenity.
- Recommended Books for the Beach by Category -
Autobiographies & Memoirs: Beach Reads That Inspire Real Lives
There is something wonderfully grounding about reading autobiographies while staring out at the ocean. Perhaps it’s the honesty, the reflection, or the reminder that success, failure and reinvention are universal experiences, wherever you are in the world.
Autobiographies make exceptional beach reads because they are immersive without being demanding. You can dip in and out between swims, cocktails and sunset walks, while still feeling enriched.
Educated
Tara Westover | 2018 | Autobiography / Memoir
This is one of those books that stays with you long after you’ve turned the final page. Educated is moving, humbling and deeply unsettling in places, in the very best way. Tara Westover’s journey from an isolated, survivalist upbringing in rural Idaho to earning a PhD from Cambridge is extraordinary, but what struck me most is the emotional honesty.
Reading this on a beach, with all that space and silence, felt oddly fitting. It’s a powerful reminder of resilience, self-belief and the privilege of choice, always a good thing on holiday.
Top Girl
Danielle Marlan | 2018 | Autobiography / True Story
True, deeply personal and gritty. Top Girl isn’t polished or glossy, and that’s exactly why it works. Danielle Marlan’s story is raw, unapologetic and confronting at times, offering real insight into ambition, survival and identity.
It’s not always a comfortable read, but it’s compelling, and it stays honest right to the end.
This Is Going to Hurt
Adam Kay | 2017 | Autobiography / Medical Memoir
Laugh-out-loud funny and utterly heartbreaking in equal measure, often within the same paragraph. Adam Kay’s brutally honest account of life as a junior doctor pulls absolutely no punches. It’s sharp, shocking and deeply human.
This is a book that entertains you on the surface, then quietly dismantles you underneath. You finish it amused, saddened and thinking far more deeply about the NHS, its systems, and workers we so often take for granted.
Business Books: Strategy, Vision and Sea Views
Yes, that’s right, I absolutely take business books to the beach, unapologetically so.
When you run your own business, inspiration doesn’t switch off just because you’ve landed in paradise. In fact, being on or near a beach is often where my best thinking happens. The stillness sharpens clarity, and the distance from routine creates space for fresh ideas.
Start With Why
Simon Sinek | 2009 | Business / Leadership
Every business owner, entrepreneur, or anyone even considering starting a business, should own a copy of this book.
Simple in concept but powerful in execution, it reframes how we think about purpose, leadership and long-term success. I return to it often, especially when I need clarity or reassurance.
The Lean Startup
Eric Ries | 2011 | Business / Entrepreneurship
A fantastic read for anyone considering starting a business. I love its focus on constant innovation, adaptability and learning, all essential in today’s fast-changing world.
It’s practical, intelligent and incredibly relevant, without ever feeling heavy.
The Chimp Paradox
Professor Steve Peters | 2012 | Mindset
This is a deep book, but an incredibly useful one.
It has a remarkable knack for helping you understand and control how you think and react, particularly in situations that might otherwise provoke a hot-headed response. Calm, positive and empowering, it genuinely changes how you approach challenges, especially in the workplace.
Motivational Reads: Resetting the Mind on Holiday
Beach holidays are natural reset buttons, and motivational books complement that beautifully. These are the reads that encourage reflection, confidence and renewed focus, without shouting at you.
What I Know for Sure
Oprah Winfrey | 2014 | Inspirational
An uplifting read I often return to. Structured as a series of reflections, it’s comforting, grounding and quietly powerful. Perfect for dipping in and out of between swims, it offers reassurance and perspective, much like Oprah herself.
Living Untethered
Michael A. Singer | 2022 | Spiritual / Personal Growth
Motivational and inspirational, this book supports self-realisation and a deeper understanding of your thoughts. It encourages observation rather than reaction; something beaches naturally help us do.
The Secret
Rhonda Byrne | 2006 | Self-Help / Spirituality
Introduced to me at a retreat in Thailand in 2010, this book now accompanies me on every trip. The law of attraction may not be for everyone, but it works for me. It keeps me mindful, optimistic and open.
Manifest
Roxie Nafousi | 2022 | Self-Development
Simple, accessible and easy to read, this book serves as a reminder that belief matters. If you can visualise it, you can work towards it.
The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari
Robin Sharma | 1997 | Inspirational Fiction / Philosophy
A wonderfully thought-provoking read about life, priorities and how we value things, often the wrong ones.
Fiction
Here’s my confession: I am not really a fiction person.
I have no suspension of disbelief, the same applies to cartoons and superhero films. My brain simply won’t play along. That said, I somehow completely fell in love with the following books, each of which caught me entirely off guard. Take that as proof they really are that good.
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
Gail Honeyman | 2017 | Fiction / Contemporary
I genuinely struggled to put this book down.
Warm, funny and quietly profound, it explores loneliness, social awkwardness and the importance of human connection with humour and compassion. A rare novel that entertains while gently reminding you what really matters.
The Map of Us
Jules Preston | 2023 | Fiction / Romance
Charming, engaging and wonderfully escapist, perfect for a sunlounger. It’s the kind of book you start casually and suddenly realise an hour has passed.
The Language of Flowers
Vanessa Diffenbaugh | 2011 | Fiction
This debut novel took me completely by surprise. Following a young woman who grew up in the foster care system, it’s a story of discovery, love, emotional survival, and flowers.
Tender, evocative and quietly powerful.
Jack Reacher: Bad Luck and Trouble
Lee Child | 2007 | Fiction / Thriller
This recommendation comes via my husband, a fiction reader. If you’re going to start anywhere with Jack Reacher, this is his top pick.
Fast-paced, gripping and brilliantly structured, ideal beach reading if you like your thrillers sharp and addictive.
For transparency: while my husband loves “real books”, his devotion to minimal packing means he reads on his iPad when travelling. There is no room for books in the smallest case known to man. And I am not joking!
(To be fair to him, he is quite the packing expert - that can be a story for another day)
Riders and Rivals
Jilly Cooper | 1985 and 1988 | Fiction / Romance & Social Satire
If you’re in the mood for something racy, glamorous and outrageously entertaining, Riders and Rivals deliver in spades.
They are both scandalous, indulgent and utterly absorbing, the sort of books that feels tailor-made for long beach days when you want to be swept up in drama, desire and excess. Gloriously addictive reads that doesn’t pretend to be anything other than enormous fun, and wildly OTT.
Paperbacks, Magazines & Audio Escapes
I prefer
physical books.
I’m fiercely loyal to real books. The feel, the weight, the smell of paper, nothing beats it. A physical book belongs on the beach in a way a phone or Kindle never quite can, not for me anyway.
Swap gadgets for reading
And for children, if you’re trying to avoid too much screen time, Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a brilliant gateway into reading. Recommended for ages 8–12 — they may moan at first suggestion of reading a book, but the humour usually wins.
I also pre-download podcasts and audiobooks before every trip. Autobiographies work particularly well in audio form, Bad Mormon by Heather Gay was excellent, and honestly, anything by Bethenny Frankel is a win. Keep in mind though that I am a big supporter of anything from the Bravo Housewives franchise.
Magazines
Alongside books, I always travel with a copy of Condé Nast magazine, plus something light and gossipy like HELLO! or Grazia, perfect for airport waits and in-flight reading.
On My Reading List
Next up: Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
On my wish list: The Trip by Phoebe Morgan
Both I am told are fantastic reads…perfect for a beach holiday.
I can’t wait to get stuck in!
At the end of the day, a good holiday is about how it makes us feel, and the right book simply deepens that magic.
Let me know your recommendations. I am always looking for my next beach read —> hello@loveofbeaches.com
Happy Travelling!
Amanda
