My favorite Agatha Christie novel is And Then There Were None. To be honest, that was the first of Christie's novels I'd read...and I loved it. But this review is about another of Christie's books...A Caribbean Mystery. The book is part of the Miss Marple series (#10), although you certainly don't have to read the other Miss Marple books to enjoy this one as it can be read entirely as a stand-alone novel, too. 

The Light We Lost, by Jill Santopolo is one of my favorite fiction books I've read this year. The book captivated me from the first page to the last. And the ending is a surprising one!
In The Light We Lost, the protagonist, Lucy, falls head over heels for Gabe, while they are seniors at Columbia University. But when a life-changing event occurs they both decide they want to make sure their lives matter. Gabe becomes a photojournalist and moves across the country. Lucy's career is in New York. The story centers around their thirteen year journey and the choices they both make throughout their lives - choices that tear them apart and other choices that bring them together. The story is about the power of first love. It's also about the way even the smallest choices we make in life, alter our lives in their entirety. 

It Ends With Us, by Colleen Hoover is a great read. I've read a handful of books by Hoover and this has been my favorite. 

 "Sometimes the one you love hurts you the most." Begins the Amazon book description of It Ends With Us. Lily has recently started her own business, a flower shop in Boston. She's also met and fallen for a neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid. Everything in her life seems almost "too good to be true." But Lily is going with it and hoping things stay as good as they are. However, as time passes, Lily sees that Ryle is not only confident, but arrogant. He also says he "doesn't do" relationships. Yet, Lily has strong feelings for Ryle and thinks about him all of the time. As Lily begins to question how right Ryle is for her - despite their intense attraction, she is reconnected with her first love, Atlas Corrigan.  It's not just a story of 'who will she chose?' It's a story of 'how do we know who's right' for us? And how do our choices create the lives we have? 

The Rumor, by Elin Hilderbrand is a captivating beach read. I've read several books by this author and have loved some while others I have not enjoyed much. The Rumor is one I enjoyed and recommend if you're looking for a gossip-type novel. It's a great summer read that will grab your attention from the first to last page.

Dining and Driving with Cats - Alice Unplugged, by Pat Patterson is a story of a lovely romance with a man who's love for Alice comes through on every page. And of course, as the title indicates, cats are included in the story too! The book is about an actual road trip the couple took with their two cats. They travel/vacation from Mexico, across the United States with nothing but a Honda, their two cats, pet carriers (and supplies: litter boxes, cat food, etc.) and their own suitcases. Along the way they stop and meet a lot of interesting people (they even take the cats into restaurants to dine with them!). We peek inside of the lives of how the couple met and how they are truly connected and dedicated to each other. The story is not only a romance, it is also a story of travel and of inspiration.

Whether you're heading to the beach for a relaxing vacation or enjoying a quiet evening at home, be sure to check out these fantastic Must Grab Beach Reads (both fiction and nonfiction options)! Which have you read? Which books will you be adding to your "to read" list?

Without further ado...our 2017 list of Must Grab Beach Reads is below!

Beautiful Day by Elin Hilderbrand is a story about two families, the Carmichaels and the Grahams have gathered for a wedding in Nantucket. The bride's late mother left behind a Notebook. The Notebook contains specific wedding instructions (covering every detail of her youngest daughter's wedding). The book dives into the lives of many guests; guests who lives and relationships are crumbling in many ways. The book explores the meaning of marriage and what it means to be faithful and to honor our commitments, despite the various obstacles life throws our way.