As I write this, the temperature outside is 95 degrees with a heat index topping 100. In other words: *#!@$! Hot! J Summer always comes early to the south and spring always ends up being a ‘blink and you missed it’ kind of event.
Nonetheless, I love summer. And during this time, my taste in the imaginary usually turns to lighter fare. You know, fun, romantic stories full of laughs and heart and
depth. See, ‘lighter’ doesn’t always mean a lack of depth. When I talk about this term, I mean light as in uplifting. Works that make you smile, laugh, tear up… Works that are snarky, smart, sexy, funny.
While I write (and read) a lot of dark fantasy and paranormal, I also really enjoy taking a break from my usual genres and delving into romantic comedies and contemporary single titles. So if any of you read in these genres or just feel like you need
a break from what you normally read, I thought I’d share some of my all-time favorite authors who I think are perfect summer fare. They are masters at bringing out all those wonderful emotions. They can make me smile long before I even realize I’m doing it.
They write stories filled with relationships, friendships, family, personal growth, love, laughter, fears, and even sorrow.
Okay, enough gushing! Here are some of my top summer picks:
• Jennifer Crusie: MAYBE THIS TIME. BET ME.
• Kristin Higgins: CATCH OF THE DAY. TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.
• Susan Donovan: TAKE A CHANCE ON ME. PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION.
• Susan Elizabeth Phillips: BREATHING ROOM. AIN’T SHE SWEET. NATURALBORN CHARMER (because, really, when a book opens on the heroine marching down the side of the road wearing a rented Beaver suit, her flat tail smacking the ground with every angry step… Totally my kind of book!).
Those are just a few of my favorites. So if you’re looking for a change in genre or just something new, give these authors a try. You might find yourself smiling, too. Hope everyone has a great summer. Stay cool. And Happy Reading!
~ Kelly
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Ohh that was great! This book looks like a perfect read for this summer! Thank you.
OMG! It's hot where I live as well. We're going to be in the 90s for quite awhile and I'm not even sure what the heat index is, probably 100, if not more, as well!
Wow! thanks for a great summer giveaway! I would love to repost the link for the giveaway. Could you tell me what's the end date though?
Thanks,
Karina
impy80(at)hotmail(dot)com
I'll definitely check these authors out. It's always nice to shake things up a bit with a different genre
Thank you for the recommendations and the giveaway!
We went from extremely hot to extremely cold in one day.I'd rather the heat stay.
Thank you for the author suggestions,I'll have to check some of them out.
Great post. I am with Kelly, I try to read outside of my genre. I recently started in Fantasy. Maybe not much of a stretch from UF and Sci-Fi, but the feel is different. Epic fantasy stories are great if you are a girl like me and let's face it, it is usually something men seem to gravitate to LOL! Great post again, thank you and thank you for the giveaway.
I'll have to check out some of the summer reading suggestions.
Living in Florida, I don't have much hope of staying cool, unless I stay in the air conditioned house whenever possible. I love to go to amusement parks though, so I'll have to brave the heat occasionally. Bring on the water rides, once I get soaked, I'll stay cool for a little while, until I dry off.
I agree, there's nothing like a nice, light hearted contemporary for a nice change of pace.
Your dripping sweat and I'm dripping icycles! I'm nice and rugged up though, but it is a hinderance using the keyboard when you have piles of blankets on you..
Havn't heard of any of your light reading recommendations but I am definately going to check them out, especially the last one - the beaver suit cracked me up!
Thank you for sharing the books and the giveaway, I know what I want to read this summer!
I have Catch of the Day. Going to have to read it.
I know what you mean about being hot in the south. I live in Arkansas and it was cool one day and the next it's in the mid 90s.
OMG! What an amazing contest! Thank-you SO much!
rachybee101@live.com.au
Such an awesome giveaway!
I'm entering under the name Krysta Banco
Morganlafey86(at)aol(dot)com
I love reading short eHarlequin stories or Desire stories. Theyre short romantic and they're just fun reads. Thanks for the contest!
xoxo
Cathy G.
I love all those authors!
I like to change the genre of the books I read from time to time. I almost always read paranormal romance.
I´m from Mexico, today we had 95°F.
I need to switch it up. I read a lot, and I really don't enjoy it when I feel forced to read a book. It really gets you nowhere.
I read all kinds of genres too, and it's great to see you like Jennifer Crusie too! Her books definitely make for great summer reads!
Thank you for this fun time, I have been hopping back and forth with you and Paranormal Haven and am astounded at the effort in what you are doing. Thank you for the chance to win the give away - I am always open to reading something different and want to finish with a smile on my face because it was a satisfying read.
I find that when I switch up genres I am pleasantly surprised. I will check the other authors out.
Summer reads are awesome for sure. Though I like to read variety.
I love reading some light summer books in between my urban fantasy and paranormal books also! Jennifer Crusie is one of my favorite authors for this;)
jwitt33 at live dot com
Thanks for a great summer read giveaway!
Can't say I agree with all f your choices but some of them sounds like good fun reads.
Carol T
buddytho {at} gmail DOT com
Thanks for the giveaway:)
I love reading blogs always find something good in them!!
elliott2668(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thanks for making this open internationally!
spamscape [at] gmail [dot] com
I love summer. I basically live in a place where always is summer. I usually was complaining about the heat until I spent 3 months freezing...Not nice!
Maybe that's why I enjoy so much summer's reading. It's usually so light and happy.
Wow that weather is just too hot! Whew! Spring is hanging on here, which is kind of odd but I'm enjoying it because I know that hot weather is following! Thanks for all the read recommendations!
It sounds like a really good read :) thanks for the giveaway.
The heat where I am is bad too, but I think the sunburn on my neck and shoulders is worse :( BUT those are some fantstic books! I'm sure being able to read them would make my sunburn bearable ;) Lol thanks for the giveaway!
Thanks for the great giveaway. I can't wait to read these books. Tore923@aol.com
Thanks for an awesome giveaway would love to read these books
berrylicious_cutie(at)hotmail(.)com
Thanks for an awesome giveaway would love to read these books
berrylicious_cutie(at)hotmail(.)com
I read a lot of romance in general as filler in between really dark books but romantic comedies are some of my favorite. :D
Yikes, summer weather already! I'm waiting for our temps to start rising here.
I loved finding out about Kelly's top summer picks.
Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
Where I live, when the summer gets the city, this place become a %@$ oven! x_x' And in the winter is a freeze, but I still like the winter more XDDD
I always seem to search around for a book by Fannie Flagg in the summer. They always pull you right into the story and that makes them an easy, entertaining read. I love the way she makes you laugh and think at the same time!
I'm trying to figure this out, the form and the comment and I'm probably gonna screw it up.
I have such a gigantic TBR pile in front of me. But I do like to mix in some of the more "Lighthearted" reads occasionally. Just discovered Nicole Peeler through Tempest Storm, and am looking forward to read more of her books in the future
troublelore at gmail dot com
I rarely change genres, so it's great to have recommendations from a really good author- she must have fabulous taste!
I really like Kelly's adult UF Charlie Madigan series and would love to give her YA a try.
acm05atjuno.com
Great summerpicks :) I really want to try a book by Higgins
Wow, you are sweting and I'm soaking wet xD
Here where I live (which is Basel, Switzerland) is hailing... and since I'm from Spain (south of Spain, really sunny) it's the first time I see this... and it's AWESOME!
So, I took my boyfriend and we went outside, that's why I'm soaking wet xD
I love the books you chose, specially "Darkness becomes her", I've being dying to find that book, but here it's really difficult to find a book in English, grrr.
Anyway, great giveaway, thanks!
Big hug,
Alex
alexandra.roxana.garcia@gmail.com
I enjoy many of the authors on your list, especially, Susan Elizabeth Phillips.
such a great giveaway! Thanks so much i cannot wait to read these great titles!!
Good post, Phillips is on my summer reads.
Thanks for the giveaway :)
Great post! I live in the south too (VA) and it felt like we went right from winter into summer lol
Since I live at tropical country, I never experienced summer, because the weather always hot all year, LOL! But such a interesting summer read list. I have Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Kristin Higgins in my TBR, and will read it, despite it summer or not, LOL
Thanks for the giveaway!
sawamura_foxman AT yahoo DOT com
Thanks for hosting. I love summer - not the heat, just the school being out part. I get to spend so much more time outside reading and hanging out with my dogs.
Darkness Becomes Her sounds like a great book! Please count me in!
I like Susan Elizabeth Phillip's books too. Kelly mentioned several good authors that write lighthearted and fun stories.
I don't read adult, but I can totally relate about reading lighter books. I'm actually tackling some romantic contemps this summer, for the first time (I'm more of a fantasy kind of gal).
Thanks for the added giveaway!
(If I were to win, I'd rather not have the adult one, just the YA.)
This is ironic because I had been thinking about stepping out of my comfort zone for awhile now, thanks for the recommends I will checking it out.
yay for romantic comedies!! I love them too when I need to get away from dark fantasy and PNR. Great post I reall enjoyed it
seeingnightreviews@gmail.com
I like reading lighter books during the summer too.
gfc follower
sgiden at verizon.net
Oh I enjoyed Darkness. Would love a physical copy to reread. I will also look at those reads you mentioned. Thanks!
I don't find that the I read different things in different seasons. However I do switch up generes occasionally just to be different. Reading the exact same thing all the time would tend to get old.
Thank you!
It's terribly hot here as well! My sister came down for a visit from the north and was hoping for more mild temps, and was really disappointed!
meredithfl at gmail dot com
I live in Florida, so it's summer 75% of the time and it's hot. Thanks so much for the giveaway!
thanks for this summer Giveaway..
I live in tropical country, so I don't know about summer, but I'm sure it's really HOT there (so do here)..
I live in the tropics, so it's always hot: hot n dry or hot & rainy. Almost every house has an air conditioner. If anyone wants to work on a tan. come visit sunny Malaysia!
Right now my house feels as though I live in a tropical country because my A/C broke :(. I love reading Paranormal and dark fantasy!
Awesome post!
Thank you for the amazing opportunity<3
Thanks for this post! The weather is wacky! I'm staying in the air conditioning!
I'll have to check out these authors. I've never heard of them before.
Thanks for the post! And the head's up! Happy summer! :)
apereiraorama @ gmail . com
Amazing giveaway thanks :D
thanks for this awesome giveaway!!!
i have read jennifer crusie,susan donovan and susan elizabeth phillips and these authors most definitely give the perfect summer reads with good amounts of romance and humour.
happy reading!:)
GFC-Janhvi Jagtap
justjanhvi at gmail dot com
Great giveaway, I'm in.
Misha
misadevilgirl@seznam.cz
I haven't read any of your top summer picks. I think I should check them.
Great Giveaway. It is actually cooled down here for the last few days, its been in the 70s!!
I love to read mostly Ya Paranormal thats what I started first reading but have found all kinds of great reads now! Thanks for the great giveaway!
this is an awesome giveaway. i love all types of books. theres a little bit of everything it all!
We just moved to TX and I had no idea that it gets this hot here. It's been 104 degrees everyday :( It's horrible. I miss the snow and cooler weather. Thanks so much for the giveaway. Love this blog =)
Tanyaw1224(at)yahoo(dot)com
Summer here in England is freezing! Wish we had some hot weather!
The midwest has been cooking as well. I lov the summer, but let's keep the temp under 90. :)
heatwave16
it's not very hot in france for now but i think it will change soon !
thanks for the giveaway
I love Susan Elizabeth Phillips! ♥ She writes amazing books!
Thank you for the chance to win!
Rathouska.jana@gmail.com
Natural born charmer seems very nice! I love the cover!
Thanks for sharing your summer picks with us!
chibipooh(at)gmail(dot)com
Cool blog post.
Thanks for the giveaway!
This would be a great read for the summer.
Thanks for the giveaway!
sk_86(at)gmx(dot)de
I live in Arizona and the highs are past 110 so I definitely understand the heat thing. Great giveaway ;) Thank you so much
PelicanJL@hotmail.com
the books sound really interesting and I would love to read them :)
thanks for your post!
Thank YOU for this giveaway! I loveeee Susan Elizabeth Phillips books! The first one I've read of her was Kiss An Angel and since then she's one of my favorite authors!
ilepachequin(at)hotmail(dot)com
I haven't read any SEP books yet, but keep hearing she is wonderful, so thank you so much for the great giveaway and especially for making it international! :-)
stella.exlibris (at) gmail (dot) com
Thanks for the summer picks! And thanks for the giveaway!
kanyachhetATyahooDOTca
Darkness becomes her looks like such a great book!! Thanks for giveaway!
Annie
alltherhage AT gmail DOT com
I wish it was hotter where I am! I think the mosquitoes are having too much fun in all this rain
Yes it's scorching here as well and to think we were complaining the first of the year about the cold.
Ty for the suggested reads I'll have to check them out!
pams00 @ aol.com
Thanks for these giveaways! These books look wonderful!
I've tried Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Kristan Higgins (loved Too Good to be True) & Jennifer Crusie's books & I agree - they're perfect summer reads, just so much fun! I still haven't tried Susan Donovan's books, but I will ;)
Thanks for the giveaway!
It is freaking hot here too! I am unhappy when it gets above 70 degrees . I haven't read any of your picks.
I also like summer. Just not having to get all dressed up to go out is wonderful
Love SEP. She's an amazing writer!
Sounds great. Thank you for the giveaway. Summer is my favorite season but any temperature over 85 is way too hot for me.
OH MY FANGS! I reeeeeeeeeeeally want to read Darkness Becomes Her !
Thanks for this giveaway