There’s a very particular kind of book you want on holiday. Something you can pick up by the pool, put down when someone wants to talk to you about the ice cream van, and pick back up again without losing the thread. Whether you’re after a warm, feel-good escape or a twist-a-minute thriller to keep you turning pages until 1am, these seven authors have you covered.
One of the best ways to read is using Kindle Unlimited. Reading as much as you like with over 1 million titles to choose from. Perfect way to get back into reading.
For the feel-good, sun-lounger read
Emily Henry
If you want a book that feels like summer itself, start here. Emily Henry writes contemporary romance with real emotional depth hiding under the banter — think witty dialogue, slow-burn chemistry, and endings that actually land. Beach Read is the obvious holiday pick (it’s practically got it in the title), but People We Meet on Vacation and Happy Place are just as good for a week away.
Perfect for: anyone who wants romance with substance, not just fluff. Check her latest book
Katie Fforde
The queen of the cosy British romantic comedy. Katie Fforde’s novels are gentle, warm, and often set in the kind of English countryside village you wish you were holidaying in right now. Reliable, comforting, and never taxing — exactly what you want when you don’t want to think too hard.
Perfect for: readers who want familiarity and warmth, book after book. Check her latest book
Debbie Johnson
Debbie Johnson specialises in feel-good fiction with real heart, often set somewhere gorgeous — her Mimosa Cove series and seaside-set stories are practically designed for holiday reading. Expect found family, gentle humour, and just enough emotional depth to make you care.
Perfect for: a beach read that still gives you a proper story. Check her latest book
Jaimie Admans
Quirky, funny, and unapologetically feel-good, Jaimie Admans writes the kind of rom-coms with a slightly offbeat premise — a seaside wedding shop, an eccentric inheritance, that sort of thing. Light without being throwaway, and consistently charming.
Perfect for: when you want to laugh out loud on a sun lounger. Check her latest book
Phillipa Ashley
For anyone holidaying in the UK (or wishing they were), Phillipa Ashley’s Cornwall-set series are the literary equivalent of a coastal walk and a cream tea. Cosy, romantic, and steeped in place — you’ll want to book a trip to Cornwall by the time you finish.
Perfect for: staycationers and coastal-holiday dreamers alike. Check her latest book
Portia MacIntosh
Few authors write an actual holiday setting better than Portia MacIntosh — her rom-coms are often set abroad (think Greek islands, Ibiza, sun-soaked getaways gone hilariously wrong) with a laugh-out-loud, slightly chaotic heroine at the centre. If you want a book that literally takes place on the kind of holiday you’re on, this is it.
Perfect for: meta holiday reading — a book about a holiday, for your holiday. Check her latest book
For the “just one more chapter” thriller read
Harlan Coben
When you want a book that doesn’t let you put it down, Harlan Coben is the answer. Twisty, fast-paced, and packed with the kind of cliffhangers that mean you’ll be reading “just one more chapter” long after you meant to go to sleep. Fool Me Once and The Stranger are great entry points if you haven’t read him before.
Perfect for: long flights and lazy days when you want a proper page-turner. Check out his latest book
Freida McFadden
Currently one of the biggest names in psychological thriller for a reason — Freida McFadden writes addictive, twist-heavy stories that are almost impossible to put down. The Housemaid series in particular has become a modern holiday-read staple, with twists you genuinely won’t see coming.
Perfect for: poolside suspense and a properly satisfying gasp-out-loud ending. Check out her latest book
Whether you’re after something to make you smile or something to keep you up past your bedtime, there’s a holiday read on this list for every kind of getaway. Pack two — you’ll want a backup once you finish the first.
Photo by Martin Péchy: https://www.pexels.com/photo/topless-man-reading-book-while-seating-at-beach-922100/
One of the best ways to read is using Kindle Unlimited. Reading as much as you like with over 1 million titles to choose from. Perfect way to get back into reading.