Clean Summer Reads
Love & Gelato
You've had bad days before, right? you know, the ones where your alarm doesn't go off, your toast practically catches on fire, and you remember way too late that every article of clothing you own is soaking wet in the bottom of the washer?
– opening line of Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
Author: Jenna Evans Welch
What it is: Contemporary YA fiction
Summary: Sweet contemporary teen fiction set in Italy. A girl is sent to live with her father overseas after her mother passes away from cancer. She's never met him and didn't even know who he was until recently. While trying to survive the summer and get back to the US as quickly as possible, she meets a local boy who's half Italian/half American who befriends her.
Special Considerations: Overall it's a clean book. There is a lot of refence to grief and her mother's death.
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
The librarian and her mule spotted it at the same time.
– opening line of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
Author: Kim Michele Richardson
What it is: U.S. Historical Fiction
Summary: A young woman has a job she loves delivering library books to the rural areas of her community in Kentucky. However life isn't always easy for someone whose skin color is one nobody has ever seen before.
Special Considerations: Difficult situations such as malnourishment, racism, and extreme poverty are portrayed.
Blackmoore
A woodlark sings of heartache.
– opening line of Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson
Author: Julianne Donaldson
What it is: Regency Historical Fiction
Summary: A young woman feels trapped by the confines of society, her mother and sister's ridiculous behavior around men, and longs to escape to live with her aunt in India to experience freedom. But first, she has to travel to Blackmoore, the estate belonging to her best friends' family and secure and decline three marriage proposals before her mother will allow her to leave England.
Special Considerations: None that I can remember. It has some kissing scenes but everything remains clean.
The Printed Letter Bookshop
People parted around us in the courtyard.
– opening line of The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay
Author: Katherine Reay
What it is: Contemporary Fiction
Summary: A woman inherits her aunt's beloved bookshop and plans to sell it as soon as possible. But then she gets to know the employees and is reminded what a special place the shop is to herself as well as others.
The Salt Path
There's a sound to breaking waves when they're close, a sound like nothing else.
– opening line of The Salt Path by Raynor Winn
Author: Raynor Winn
What it is: Memoir, England Travel
Summary: A middle-aged couple receives bad news followed by bad news. They've lost their home and the husband has a terminally ill diagnosis. What are they to do? Backpacking along the coast of England it is.
Which one looks like your next summer read? I would love to hear if you choose to pick up one of these! I'll create a part 2 in the next few weeks as well. There are just so many great books out there!
Happy Reading!
(Links to the books are affiliate links and I may receive a small commission from purchases made when clicked)