Summer is coming!
And I don’t know about you, but I’m giddy at even the thought of it, especially as I’m writing in 2020, when most of us are at home. I love reading AT the beach (even though it makes my books smell like sunscreen) and I love reading ABOUT the beach.
I thought I’d do a roundup of some of my favorite clean beach reads, with a focus (of course) on romance! Some series, some individual books–all clean, all romance.
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THE BEST CLEAN BEACH READS ROUNDUP!
SANDOVER ISLAND SWEET ROMANCE SERIES by Emma St. Clair (me)
This series takes place on the fictional Sandover Island, which I’ve based on Nag’s Head. If you love the Outer Banks, these stories will come to life in your head. They follow interconnected relationships, so are best read in order, though each can be read as a standalone if you want to jump in on one.
They’re focused on romance with light Christian themes. As with all my books–nothing too preachy! Real characters, real flaws, real faith.
Sandover Beach Memories – She never thought the island would be home again. But when Jenna returns to get her late mother’s house ready to sell, her past and future intersect in ways she couldn’t imagine.
Sandover Beach Week -Is it ever too late for a second chance at love? Even if that love is your best friend’s younger brother?
Sandover Beach Melodies – She broke her own rules … you can’t fall in love when you’re on the run.
Sandover Beach Christmas – Relationships don’t start with getting a speeding ticket. But what about FAKE relationships?
Sandover Beach Forever (coming in 2020)
BEACH RENTAL by GRACE GREENE
This is one of the FIRST clean romances I read. While there were some things that bothered me about it (I agree with some of the low reviews–but there are spoilers!) but it stuck with me and was such a memorable read.
On the Crystal Coast of North Carolina, in the small town of Emerald Isle…
Juli Cooke, hard-working and getting nowhere fast, marries a dying man, Ben Bradshaw, for a financial settlement, not expecting he will set her on a journey of hope and love. The journey brings her to Luke Winters, a local art dealer, but Luke resents the woman who married his sick friend and warns her not to hurt Ben—and he’s watching to make sure she doesn’t.
Until Ben dies and the stakes change.
Framed by the timelessness of the Atlantic Ocean and the brilliant blue of the beach sky, Juli struggles against her past, the opposition of Ben’s and Luke’s families, and even the living reminder of her marriage—to build a future with hope and perhaps to find the love of her life—if she can survive the danger from her past.
THE TRUST OF A BILLIONAIRE by Michelle Pennington
I loved this book! (And the whole series.) The ending is so sweet.
Can their love survive her secret?
Hannah Rhodes is determined to keep her beachfront property, even though she can’t afford to. But it’s her childhood home and she can’t bear to see it plowed down by the billionaire investor who keeps raising his offer to buy it. When the same man hires her to be his daughter’s nanny—providing her the income she needs to reject his offer—the irony is not lost on her. However, seeing him as a loving, worried father makes it difficult to enjoy her secret revenge.
For Carter Ellis, building his own resort was a massive risk, but worth it to build a new life for his daughter away from his controlling mother. Everything is going to plan except that the owner of the tumbled-down home blocking his resort view and threatening its success refuses to sell. If only his new nanny would stop distracting him, he just might be able to figure out how to solve this problem. Not only is she beautiful and vibrant, she’s helping his daughter bloom. Just when he begins to give in to his feelings, he discovers who she really is.
When their trust is shaken, will Carter and Hannah sacrifice what they wanted most for a chance at something more?
SWEET ADVENTURE by Tamie Dearen
Will Katie jump into the shark-infested waters for a second chance at love?
Katie Carson is afraid of everything. Spiders. Sharks. And especially love… thanks to her ex-fiancé. That’s why her immediate attraction to the reckless Gary Lassiter scares her to death. Sure, he looks like Superman and he saved her from a giant arachnid, but he’s an adrenaline junkie.
Gary Lassiter owes his life to his best friend, Steven. But his loyalty is tested when he meets Steven’s PA, Katie. Though Steven and Katie are probably a better-suited match, Gary wants Katie for himself. He sees a lot of spunk behind her overtly timid façade, and he’s determined to bring it out in the open.
When the three spend a week at Indigo Bay, Katie starts to fall for Gary, even stepping outside her comfort zone. It’s all fun and games until her adventure brings her to a moment of life or death. Thrown into the nightmares of her past, she’s convinced they can’t have a future together. Will Gary get past her defenses?
PACIFIC COAST WEDDING by Laura Walker
His new business partner. Her ex.
When they realize each other’s connection to the groom,
will their own fledgling love survive?
Attending her ex-husband’s wedding is the last thing Lacey Wells wants to do, even if it’s happening along the gorgeous Pacific Coast where she once dreamed her own beach wedding would take place. Now that dream is coming true for someone else, and to add insult to injury, she needs to get their daughters to the wedding on time. If only her car would cooperate . . .
Noah Grady doesn’t expect to come to the rescue of a beautiful woman and her two daughters on the way to his friend and new business partner’s wedding, but meeting Lacey makes the long drive and an unpleasant visit with his half-brother worth it. Hitting it off with her makes Noah feel like he might finally be ready to begin a new chapter in his life.
But things start to unravel when Noah discovers Lacey is his business partner’s ex-wife, making her off-limits unless he wants his career to disintegrate. Can he throw it all away for a chance at true love?
SWEET BEGINNINGS by Melissa McClone
A little hope changes everything…
Hope Ryan dreams of seeing her work displayed in top galleries again, but after a devastating betrayal destroys her career, she spends her days creating unique items for tourists and wedding couples in her hometown of Indigo Bay. To keep her heart safe, Hope refuses to venture from her comfort zone, even if she longs for…more.
Sportscaster Josh Cooper never overcame his bitterness after a football injury sidelined him for good. Finding his solace in alcohol made matters worse until he finally hit rock bottom. Now, he wants to make amends. After flying cross-country as a favor to someone he’s wronged, Josh’s path to redemption leads him to Hope.
Hope finds a kindred spirit in the former quarterback. Josh’s journey to sobriety inspires her to take charge of her own life—something she’s put off doing for far too long. But as their relationship straddles the line between friendship and romance, can Hope and Josh find the strength to overcome their pasts and build a life together? Or will the fear of repeating mistakes drive them apart?
RESORTING TO ROMANCE by Franky Brown
Two rivals + five days in paradise = one inconvenient attraction
Joselyn Bell has a hundred reasons to stay away from her business rival, Luke Callaway, at their work retreat—the biggest being he dated the boss’s daughter to get ahead. Maybe it’s the magic of the surf and sand, but hanging out with him isn’t nearly as terrible as she expected. Could she have misjudged him? He’s as charming as he is maddening and makes her feel again, which is terrifying.
Luke vowed never to mix romance and business again. He’s still recovering from the fallout from his last relationship, with hopes of leaving the company completely after this retreat. But then there’s Joselyn. Her loathing for him is thawing into the most amazing friendship, and keeping his secrets and his heart from her is so much harder than he imagined.
The timing is all wrong. But what if they risked the consequences and took a chance on love?
GRACE’S FAKE GROOM by Francesca Lane
A make-believe engagement sends their lives into chaos …
Grace Morelli lands her dream job at Ryan & Ryan only to walk in one morning to a mass exodus. Not good timing–especially with her parents’ quirky last wishes hanging over her head. She fears her long-sought career could be over before it really begins.
Chase Ryan, her enigmatic new boss, has been ambushed in both his professional and private life. When he delivers his newest recruit some very bad news, Grace finds a way to solve her problem–and his.
But while Chase and Grace join forces for the simple purpose of helping each other out, their hearts just might not get the memo. Will they be able to untangle their hearts … once the farce is over?
WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU by Delany Cameron
A woman unsure of her future, a man determined to hide his past, and the meeting neither of them can forget.
Rowan has no regrets about spending most of her adult life taking care of her younger siblings, but she can’t help feeling that she’s been standing still while everyone else has moved on. A new job takes her to the coastal town of St. Marys and brings her face to face with the man she’s never forgotten. While she’s thrilled to see Frank again, the passing of time hasn’t changed the underlying reason they can’t be together.
Frank has worked hard to dig himself out of a pit of his own making. Now a successful florist, he only wants to forget his troubled history and focus on creating lasting memories for his clients. Running into Rowan is a reminder of a missed opportunity. When they met before, their paths were going in opposite directions. Is that still true now, four years later?
SUMMER WITH THE MARINE by Ellie Hall
He’s a marine figuring out how to be a dad. She’s out of work and moves in with her mom. A surprise reunion brings the old friends together. Will a dare turn them into something more?
Eisley Higgins is laid off and needs a fresh start. Her mother offers her the loft space at her new beach cottage. The last thing she wants to do is move to a retirement community in coastal Florida. She gets a job at a local restaurant and her coworkers insist she follow through with the new-employee ritual to go on a date with her first customer. She’s shocked when it turns out to be her childhood best friend.
Ford Armstrong spent over ten years in the military serving his country. During that time, he married, but the relationship and his hope for a family quickly fizzled. After what felt like a failure, he fully turned his focus to the Marine Corps, but then received two life-changing pieces of news. While figuring out his future, he runs into the girl from his past. Only, the first thing out of her mouth is the last thing he expects to hear.
Over a decade of friendship. Then over a decade apart. Can they overcome their hardships, get past secrets, and come together to create a future?
BEACH HAVEN by Tammy L. Grace
When a woman loses her only love, will a change of scenery and a canine connection reclaim her heart?
Lily Reed is numb with grief. After her husband died in the line of duty, she struggles daily with the emotional reminders of their shared world. So when she inherits a quiet beachside cottage property, she tries to piece her life together one wave at a time.
Losing herself in one refurbishment project after another, Lily’s surprised to make easy relationships with her new neighbors. And when she befriends a hearing impaired man and agrees to train his service puppy, she can feel her heart beginning to heal.
Will Lily’s new connections help her discover a future lined with joy?
LOVE AT THE SHORE by Teri L. Wilson
She came to the beach to write…
But she’s getting distracted by the surfer next door.
Jenna, a single mom and successful author, has five weeks to deliver her next young adult novel to the publisher. This year’s summer getaway with her kids will be a working vacation.
The only problem? Lucas, the devil-may-care surfer in the beach rental next to hers. He cranks up his music at night, hosts loud volleyball matches, and allows his dog to run around at will.
Jenna often blames him for her writer’s block. But before long, she begins to see a new side of her neighbor at the shore. Maybe opposites do attract…but will that attraction fade like a sunset once summer is gone?
SWEET COMPLICATIONS by Stacy Claflin
He can have any woman he wants… except her.
NFL quarterback Dylan Manley’s life revolves around his career and the fame associated with it. He’s only back in Indigo Bay to help with a fundraiser in memory of his best friend. But then finds he has to work with Brooke—the one person who has always made him trip over his own feet.
Brooke Davenport is a far cry from the girl next door who left town years ago. Focused on her political aspirations and still recovering from the loss of her doting brother, she wants nothing more than to return to DC for good. But first she has to get through the fundraiser with Dylan, who she blames for her brother’s death.
When a family emergency pulls Brooke’s parents out of town, the success of the fundraiser depends on Brooke and Dylan. He’ll do whatever it takes to show her he’s a new man, but every attempt only makes him look worse. If he can’t make things right, he’ll lose her forever.
THE PARAMEDIC’S SECOND CHANCE by Elana Johnson
A widowed florist, her ten-year-old daughter, and the paramedic who delivered the girl a decade earlier… Love’s second chance on the beach!
Paramedic Andrew Herrin delivered Gretchen Samuels’s daughter on the side of the road when she and her husband couldn’t make it to the hospital in time. When their paths cross again in small-town Hawthorn Harbor, she’s a widow and the baby is ten-year-old Dixie.
Dixie gets along great with Drew, and Gretchen finds herself falling in love with the man who’s rescued her twice now. But when Drew’s ex-girlfriend comes back to town, Gretchen’s trust issues rear their ugly head. Can she and Drew find their way toward finding love in the lavender?
A KISS AT MIDSUMMER by Meg Easton
They’re total opposites, and falling in love was not part of the plan.
When fun-loving Elise Stevens lost her mother six years ago, she worked hard to score a job at the Royal Palm Resort–the job that would enable her to finish her mother’s bucket list. Now she’s working hard to get a shot at buying her childhood home back, but only if she can earn the money before they sell to someone else.
Billionaire Merit Casselman pours all of his focus into running his business, or at least he does until his business partner decides that Merit needs to refill his creative well and thinks a vacation at The Royal Palm might do the trick. Merit would rather hide out and work, but his business partner also hired a personal activities director to make sure he doesn’t.
But after connecting with Elise over sand castles, an unplanned couples spa day, dancing at the Midsummer Ball, and spending every day with her, Merit discovers that there might just be more to life than work.
When Merit’s business partner offers Elise a bonus that’s large enough that she’d be able to put an offer on her childhood home, it feels like a gift dropped into her lap. But when their newfound love threatens each of their lifelong dreams, can their relationship survive?
THE PERFECT WAVE by K.C. Grant
He lives to surf.
She’s learning to live.
Can they both learn to love or is this leading to a wipe-out?
Winning a vacation to Hawaii during one of Chicago’s worst winters, Bridget O’Connell couldn’t imagine her mundane life getting any better…until she meets Australian surfing champion, Chase Beckett. Now life becomes a tidal wave of excitement and adventure. But what about her job, her home, and a disabled father who needs her?
Chase has spent most of his life searching for the next big wave and outrunning commitment. But then he meets Bridget and everything starts to change, forcing him to face fears that are bigger than the monster waves he rides.
When the attraction between Bridget and Chase becomes undeniable, will it lead to true love or be a total wipe-out?
HER IRISH INHERITANCE by Michelle Brouder
Have you ever wanted to press the ‘Escape’ button on your life?
Nothing is going right for Caroline Egan. Her partner has left and she’s lost her job. The only thing that remains is a piece of property three thousand miles away. Her plan is to sell the place and use the money to move on with her life. But the house needs some work and she ends up staying in Ireland much longer than she anticipated. Soon, she’s torn between the plans she has for her life and her growing attraction for both the property and the carpenter fixing it up.
Patrick Kelly is all too familiar with loss. A single parent, he’s trying to raise his young daughters as best as he can. When he lands work at a nearby cottage, he’s grateful until he discovers who the new owner is. But as time goes on, Patrick begins to wonder if Caroline holds the key to him moving on with his life.
Both cannot deny their attraction for one another. Both are cautious. There’s an ocean between them as well as hearts that have been broken in the past. Can they overcome insurmountable odds for a chance at happiness?
How’s that for a handful of great reads for you?? From Irish beaches to Hawaii, real places and fictional, you’ve got enough clean beach romances to keep you reading all summer!
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