A Few More Top "Beachy" Authors

There's still plenty of heat left this summer, and hopefully that means some more time to spend at the beach, the pool, or just enjoying the shade in the backyard as you take some time for yourself away from the busy world. There's no better way to do that than to read a really good book. Here are a few more authors who not only write well, but know how to wind up a plot and keep your head in a book for hours on end.

Elin Hilderbrand is a wonderfully compelling novelist who writes about people who seem so real you never want the book to end. She's an excellent pick to read at the beach because all of her novels are based in Nantucket beach. Her first novel was The Beach Club, a book about the people who work and visit a laid back resort every summer on Nantucket. The Blue Bistro is similar in conceit, only the novel revolves around a hot beach bistro on the island. She's also written Summer People, Nantucket Nights, The Love Season, and Barefoot. No matter which novel you pick for the beach you'll be sure to enjoy her writing.

Cathy Kelly is an Irish author with the same gift for creating interesting characters whose lives you never want to leave. Her books are long, complex in plot yet easy to read and full of juicy details that keep the reader wanting more. Just Between Us is about three sisters who seem to have the world in hand, yet each yearn for something more. What She Wants is a long novel about several interesting characters from various walks of life whose lives intersect in a small Irish town. She's also written Woman to Woman, She's the One, Never Too Late, and Someone Like You.

Jane Green is an English author known not only for her great characters and interesting plots but for her witty and realistic dialogue. Many of her novels deal with women struggling with the same issues real women do, such as weight, careers, motherhood and men. Yet her writing is not dreary or didactic. Instead she writes with a great sense of humor and compassion and her characters leap off the page into three dimensional view. Some of her novels include Jemima J, Babyville, The Other Woman, Mr. Maybe, and Straight Talking.

Tammy Hoag writes suspense/mystery novels that keep readers enthralled and waiting on the edge of their seat for her next offering. Many of her books are not necessarily sequels but several characters carry through into different novels. For example, in Dust to Dust Detective Sam Kovac is a hard working, cynical cop trying to unravel the secrets behind a fellow cop's suicide. In Prior Bad Acts, her most recent novel, Kovac is presented with a new challenge protecting a judge who is threatened and attacked because of a ruling on a pending murder case. Hoag's written many novels over the years and they are all interesting and suspenseful. Start with her early novels and work your way forward.

Check out a few of these titles at your local library or pick up a paperback at your nearest bookstore on the way to the beach. There's nothing better than a long, leisurely read as you relax by the water. Just don't forget the sunblock and lots of cold beverages!