If you loved

Books like That Summer

A seemingly breezy tale of mistaken identity that slowly peels back the manicured layers of suburban life to reveal the enduring scars of the past. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with That Summer.

suburban-claustrophobic
tense
sun-drenched
melancholic

01
People We Meet On Vacation
Emily Henry
A sun-drenched, banter-filled exploration of the terrifying leap from platonic soulmates to true love.
Shares:
- sun-drenched
- earnest
02
The Lies I Tell
Julie Clark
A slick, cat-and-mouse psychological thriller where the line between predator and prey blurs into a satisfying tale of feminist vengeance.
Shares:
- tense
- empathetic
- sharp
03
Then She Was Gone
Lisa Jewell
A chilling, emotionally heavy domestic thriller where the weight of a mother's grief collides with a deeply unsettling, claustrophobic mystery.
Shares:
- tense
- melancholic
- empathetic
04
The Last Thing He Told Me
Laura Dave
A fast-paced domestic mystery that wraps a tense search for the truth around a surprisingly tender story of a stepmother and daughter finding each other.
Shares:
- tense
- earnest
05
Harvesting the heart
Jodi Picoult
An emotionally raw exploration of how the ghosts of our childhoods haunt our attempts at motherhood and marriage.
Shares:
- melancholic
- empathetic
- reflective
- earnest
06
Evvie Drake Starts Over
Linda Holmes
A warm, witty, and deeply empathetic exploration of two people figuring out how to get unstuck together.
Shares:
- empathetic
07
In Her Shoes
Jennifer Weiner
A funny, deeply felt exploration of the messy, unbreakable bonds between polar-opposite sisters.
Shares:
- empathetic
08
All we ever wanted
Emily Giffin
A gripping, character-driven exploration of the moral fault lines that crack open when privilege and parenting collide.
Shares:
- tense
- empathetic
- reflective
- earnest
09
Just for the Summer
Abby Jimenez
A witty, sun-soaked summer romance that sneaks up on you with profound emotional depth and the healing power of found family.
Shares:
- empathetic
- earnest
10
The Wedding People
Alison Espach
A darkly funny and surprisingly tender exploration of hitting rock bottom and finding a reason to keep going amidst the chaos of someone else's perfect weekend.
Shares:
- sun-drenched
- empathetic
11
Leaving Time
Jodi Picoult
A haunting, deeply emotional exploration of grief and memory, wrapped in a gripping mystery about the lengths we go to for the ones we love.
Shares:
- melancholic
- empathetic
- earnest
12
Luckiest Girl Alive
Jessica Knoll
A razor-sharp dive into the mind of a woman whose flawless facade hides a foundation of unspeakable trauma.
Shares:
- tense
- sharp

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