
Check out my Top 5 Great Poolside Reads!
#1 – Graceling (Graceling Realm Series 1) – Authored by Kristen Cashore

From Goodreads:
“Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.
She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po.
She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace—or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.
With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.”
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#2 – Red, White & Royal Blue – Authored by Casey McQuiston

From Goodreads:
“A big-hearted romantic comedy in which First Son Alex falls in love with Prince Henry of Wales after an incident of international proportions forces them to pretend to be best friends…
First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations.
The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince. Alex is busy enough handling his mother’s bloodthirsty opponents and his own political ambitions without an uptight royal slowing him down. But beneath Henry’s Prince Charming veneer, there’s a soft-hearted eccentric with a dry sense of humor and more than one ghost haunting him.
As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. And Henry throws everything into question for Alex, an impulsive, charming guy who thought he knew everything: What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?”
#3 – The Mister – Authored by E.L. James

From Goodreads:
“London, 2019. Life has been easy for Maxim Trevelyan. With his good looks, aristocratic connections, and money, he’s never had to work and he’s rarely slept alone. But all that changes when tragedy strikes and Maxim inherits his family’s noble title, wealth, and estates, and all the responsibility that entails. It’s a role he’s not prepared for and one that he struggles to face.
But his biggest challenge is fighting his desire for an unexpected, enigmatic young woman who’s recently arrived in England, possessing little more than a dangerous and troublesome past. Reticent, beautiful, and musically gifted, she’s an alluring mystery, and Maxim’s longing for her deepens into a passion that he’s never experienced and dares not name. Just who is Alessia Demachi? Can Maxim protect her from the malevolence that threatens her? And what will she do when she learns that he’s been hiding secrets of his own?
From the heart of London through wild, rural Cornwall to the bleak, forbidding beauty of the Balkans, The Mister is a roller-coaster ride of danger and desire that leaves the reader breathless to the very last page.”
#4 – Hurricane Child – Authored by Kheryn Callender

From Goodreads:
“Prepare to be swept up by this exquisite novel that reminds us that grief and love can open the world in mystical ways.
Twelve-year-old Caroline is a Hurricane Child, born on Water Island during a storm. Coming into this world during a hurricane is unlucky, and Caroline has had her share of bad luck already. She’s hated by everyone in her small school, she can see things that no one else can see, and — worst of all — her mother left home one day and never came back. With no friends and days filled with heartache, Caroline is determined to find her mother.
When a new student, Kalinda, arrives, Caroline’s luck begins to turn around. Kalinda, a solemn girl from Barbados with a special smile for everyone, seems to see the things Caroline sees, too. Joined by their common gift, Kalinda agrees to help Caroline look for her mother, starting with a mysterious lady dressed in black. Soon, they discover the healing power of a close friendship between girls. Debut author Kheryn Callender presents a cadenced work of magical realism.”
#5 – One Way or Another (The Sister’s Quartet Series 1) – Authored by Mary J. Williams

From Goodreads:
“One Woman. One Man. One Unforgettable Love Story.
ONE WAY OR ANOTHER
~ ~ ~
From the outside, the world of the ultra-rich might seem exciting and glamorous. But Andi, Calder, Bryce and Destry Benedict know the truth. Deception and deceit have followed them since birth. Their parents are emotional train wrecks. Men care about nothing but their money.
The Benedict sisters learned early on—the only people they can count on are each other. One by one, four sexy, determined men will do their best to prove them wrong.
Calder Benedict worked hard to earn her place in the New York City charity community. At first, she was labeled nothing more than a rich girl with too much time on her hands. From the ground up, she built Erica’s Angels into a successful multi-million dollar organization. Her only goal—to help as many people as humanly possible.
Unlike Calder, Adam Stone wasn’t born rich. Everything he had, he earned. While over the years, he’d acquired a certain amount of polish, his blood would always be working class red—not high society blue like Calder’s.
What starts out as fun and games—an undeniable attraction neither wants to ignore—quickly turns into something more. Calder wants to believe Adam cares about her—not her money—but she’s been burned before. Can she trust her heart? Can she trust Adam?
When a dangerous force comes after everything Calder holds dear, she’ll have to decide if Adam is part of the threat, or someone she never thought she’d find—the love of her life.
Grab this emotionally charged novel today.
Graceling seems like it’d be right up my alley.
Oh yeah, as soon as I read the synopsis I was ready to put down everything and read the whole series.