With autumn setting in and the evenings turning crisp, many of us reach for books that match the cosy comforts of the season.
Yet, just because the days are shorter doesn’t mean we have to leave summer entirely behind. This month’s book club picks capture the lingering glow of long days, seaside escapes, and sun-soaked adventures, making them the perfect reads to keep the warmth of summer alive while you curl up under a blanket with a hot drink.
From sun-drenched romances that transport you to Mediterranean coastlines, to coming of-age tales steeped in the nostalgia of long holidays, these stories are a gentle bridge between seasons. They offer the colour, warmth and vibrancy of summer while easing us into the reflective pace of autumn reading making them ideal companions for weekends at home or those last few sunny afternoons in the garden.
Godmersham Park, Gill Hornby
Expanding the Austen universe, Godmersham Park is a fictionalised tale of Anne Sharpe, governess hired by Jane Austen’s brother, Henry. Inspired by the real-life friendship between Anne and Jane, the novel follows Anne’s new journey as a governess, after she is cast aside by her father. Her life is uprooted from London to Kent and to the grand estate of the Austen brother, where she learns the often lonely existence of a governess, the freedoms that are lost when entering a life of service, and the power of female friendship. Set across a year of letters and diary entries, the crux of the novel takes place over a hazy summer, as Anne settles into life in the countryside.
The Life Impossible, Matt Haig
Retired maths teacher and widow, Grace, is left an Ibiza farmhouse in the will of a long-forgotten colleague, Christina. While on the island, Grace investigates the death of Christina and witnesses a mysterious light beneath the ocean, named La Presencia by locals. This encounter leaves Grace with the ability to read minds and move objects at will, in a unique ‘magic realism’ novel that transfers Ibiza from the ‘party isle’ into a place of transformation, as Grace works through her grief and solves the mystery of Christina’s death, while trying to keep the magic of the island alive.
The Gentleman from Peru, Andre Aciman
By the author of global bestselling novel, Call Me By Your Name, this short book is perfect for summer nostalgia, transporting readers to the Amalfi Coast. A group of university friends find themselves marooned at a luxury hotel while their boat is being repaired and meet an elderly gentleman who shares a special connection with Margot, one of the stranded. Through a week of long lunches, hikes and conversations, Margot realises her connection with Raul extends further than she realises. The book explores the power of past lives, and whether they ever truly leave us, against a backdrop of Mediterranean luxury.
You Be Mother, Meg Mason
When Abi falls pregnant by an Australian exchange student in London, she packs up her old life in Croydon and starts all over again in Sydney, determined to make her own family unit in sunny Australia. It is not until she arrives that she realises Stu is not quite ready to be a father after all and is left abandoned and alone with a young baby. She then meets neighbour Phyllida, a wealthy and charming woman who takes Abi under her wing. Their connection blossoms under the hot summer sun, but all is not as it seems, and Abi is soon left wishing she hadn’t told that small lie the very first day they met.
