Division Chiro’s Summer Beach Reads
Summer’s officially here, so that means balmy weekend walks through Wicker Park, biking down the 606, and our favorite pastime: enjoying summer beach reads along Lake Michigan.
Reading isn’t just entertainment; it’s also a wonderful form of self-care! Taking time to slow down and immerse yourself in a story can help reduce stress, improve sleep, and provide a much-needed mental escape from our busy lives. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with having fun just for fun’s sake, but if science says that reading gives us a two-for-one on the self-care + fun scale, we’re all about it.
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If you’re looking for a summer beach read to toss in your adventure bag this season, here are some of our favorite feel-good reads:
There’s Something About Mira by Sonali Dev
There’s Something About Mira is the newest book by Chicago-based Indian-American author, Sonali Dev. It’s a heartfelt story about a woman determined to reunite a lost ring with its owner, and how she finds herself along the way. There’s mystery, adventure, and self-discovery held together by beautiful prose.
Filled with humor, emotion, and Sonali Dev’s signature warmth, this moving novel explores identity, courage, and the possibility that sometimes life’s detours lead us exactly where we’re meant to be.
If I Ruled the World by Amy DuBois Barnett
Amy DuBois Barnett is another excellent author with some local roots. She was born and raised in Hyde Park, Chicago, before going on to become a groundbreaking magazine editor and media executive. Her latest novel, If I Ruled the World, is a blast, and is even getting adapted into a TV series for Hulu… But you know the book is always better 😉 The story takes place in the late 90’s, giving us Gen X and Millennials a dose of nostalgia. It’s a tale of ambition, glamour, friendship, and hip hop. Set in New York City at the height of the late-1990s magazine boom, the novel follows Nikki Rose, a talented young editor who leaves an elite fashion magazine to lead a struggling hip-hop and lifestyle publication.
That Summer Feeling by Bridget Morrissey
Bridget Morrissey is a Los Angeles-based contemporary romance author known for her stories about queer joy, self-discovery, and found families. That Summer Feeling follows divorced, thirty-something Garland Moore who decides to heal her inner child by spending a week at a sleepaway camp for adults. The getaway takes a wild turn when she crosses paths with a man from her past, but the real magic happens when she meets his sister, Stevie. What follows is a tale of unexpected romance filled with camp tournaments, nostalgia, and good ol’ summer fun.
A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole
Alyssa Cole is a New York Times bestselling author celebrated for weaving deep social themes, history, and witty humor into award-winning romance novels with smart heroines. The premise of A Princess in Theory had us hooked: What if those “African Prince” spam emails were actually real? The premise is made all the more fun with fiercely independent scientist, Naledi Smith, as the heroine that’s on the receiving end of these actually-real-for-a-change emails. This is a clever, modern-day take on the classic Cinderella story.
Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan
If you’re into audiobooks, you’ve likely heard (and love) Julia Whelan. Known as the “Adele of Audible,” Julia Whelan is loved for her skilled narration that has brought hundreds of books to life, but apparently, she’s also a skilled author. Thank You for Listening gives us a peek behind the audiobook curtain, as it follows a cynical audiobook narrator who reluctantly teams up with a successful, top-secret male voice actor for a high-profile romance duet. There’s witty banter, hidden identities, and…. love?
A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting by Sophie Irwin
Sophie Irwin is a historical fiction author based in London. A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting is like Bridgerton meets Pride and Prejudice, but with a refreshingly ruthless, scheme-plotting heroine named Kitty Talbot. Left with her parents’ massive debts and four younger sisters to support, Kitty has exactly twelve weeks to find a wealthy husband in London. She isn’t looking for love; she’s looking for cash. Her scheme unfolds smoothly until she meets Lord Radcliffe, a sharp, cynical man who sees right through her ploy and vows to stop her. Prepare for deep belly laughs!
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
Can’t have a summer beach read list without at least one romance novel by New York Times Bestseller Abby Jimenez. Jimenez is a genre favorite, striking a balance between silly, serious, and romantic. In Just for the Summer, protagonists Justin and Emma are both convinced they’re cursed in love because all of their exes find “The One” immediately after breaking up with them. After connecting over a shared Reddit thread, they hatch a plan to date for the summer and break up, hoping to cancel out the bad luck and move on to their own soulmates. Pardon us for saying it but, “YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!”
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We hope this post provides you with a few new books to add to your summer beach reads list for the summer. Have you read any of these already? Which ones are you adding to your must read list? Are there any other books we should add to our radar for this summer? Let us know by dropping us a line at schedule@divisionchiro.com
Oh, and all of those links are Amazon Affiliate links. That means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products that we believe may be helpful for our patients’ health and wellness and have compiled them here for easy reference. Or, in today’s case, we only recommend books that we love and think that you may like too! Please let us know if you have any questions about our participation in this program, or the products listed. As always, we’re here to help!
Interested in scheduling an appointment after spending the day reading at the beach? We get it, our bodies can feel a little sore after an extra long reading session on Lake Michigan’s sandy shores. Click the link below to schedule an appointment today. Don’t know who to schedule with? Check out our Team page to learn more about our practitioners!
