Charlotte Ryan joined Aifric O'Donnell on Jennifer Zamparelli on RTÉ 2FM to share her list of the best summer reads of the year. You can listen back to their chat above or check out the list below.
Whether you've booked a week away in the sun, a calming weekend by the coast or just a leisurely long weekend off work, there's nothing like curling up with a truly enthralling book.
Be it a steamy and sultry romance, a gripping, fast-paced thriller or a relatable tearjerker, escaping into the world of a good book is as good as a trip away – any maybe even better.
Here, we've rounded up some of the best books to dive into this summer, from new Irish literary stars, world-famous celebrities and some new names to our libraries.
The Happy Couple - Naoise Dolan
The second novel from the Irish author of bestseller Exciting Times, The Happy Couple follows Celine and Luke, young and newly engaged and expected to be in the heady throes of planning their lives together – except they aren't.
Haunted by both past lovers and their individual doubts about commitment, the couple are pulled along the conveyor belt of dating to engaged to marriage – if you're already burnt out by wedding season, this is the book for you.
What we get instead, however, is a case study of modern dating, with what we think of as romantic bliss deftly skewered by Dolan. The author's sardonic wit and keen eye for complex, neurotic characters are fully on display in this sharp page-turner of a novel.
Nothing Special - Nicole Flattery
If you're looking for something to give Netflix a run for its money, Irish author Flattery's debut novel is the pick for you.
A cinematic coming-of-age tale set in New York City in 1966, it follows Mae, a 17-year-old girl from a challenging background feeling lost and looking for purpose. She takes a job as a typist to iconic pop artist Andy Warhol, going on to help him write his – real life – novel a, A Novel about life in his glamorous and salacious Factory.
It's a wistful and vivid portrayal of young ambition, exploring the intoxicating thrill of being close to fame, only to realise it's not all it's cracked up to be.
Yellowface - Rebecca F. Kuang
Kuang's fifth novel, Yellowface is a tense, claustrophobic and deeply satisfying thriller about greed and toxic friendship.
It follows friends June and Athena, two writers experiencing very differing levels of success. While Athena goes from hit to hit, June struggles to keep up, eventually growing resentful and jealous. When Athena dies in a freak accident, June steals away with her as-yet unpublished manuscript, publishing it under her own name.
It's an arch exploration into envy and fame, with all the complexities of female friendship laid bare. It also examines cultural appropriation, as Athena's Asian American background is co-opted by June, a white woman.
Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy - James B. Stewart and Rachel Abrams
Missing Succession and your weekly dose of family machinations? This expertly reported non-fiction book about Sumner Redstone, the chairman of Viacom and CBS who passed away in 2020, and his efforts to thwart any attempt to carry on his legacy has it in spades.
Written by two New York Times journalists, this nail-biting exploration of greed and business draws from court documents to paint a picture of a scheming, lustful patriarch. Among the shocking accounts are that of Redstone actively thwarting his daughter's attempts to assuming control of the company, and a slew of younger lovers he built up and scorned in turn.
My Hot Friend - Sophie White
As much as we love a good love story, sometimes it's the break-ups that keep us the most enthralled, especially a friendship break-up.
White's latest novel delves into the complex and painful reality of friendship break-ups, following three women in their 30s who are all entering a new phase of relationships and outgrowing others. Lexi is a podcaster overshadowed by her co-host, Joanne is a new mum and the first of her group to have a baby, and Claire is recovering from a recent mental health set-back and losing touch with her school friends.
White explores the joy and hardship of making friends in your adult years, a process that's usually muddled more by social media. A funny and heart-wrenching read.
The Disenchantment - Celia Bell
Summer calls for a steamy romance, be it between the sheets or between pages.
Bell's debut is set in the debaucherous 17th century court of King Louis XIV of France, and follows Baroness Marie Catherine, a courtier trapped in an unhappy marriage. Soothed by her affair with the androgynous Countess Victoire, her world is upended by a scandalous murder that rocks Paris and sends the lovers fleeing.
It's a breathless story of lust and murder that weaves historical fact in with fiction, and can be easily devoured in a day.
Verse, Chorus, Monster! - Graham Coxon
With Blur set to perform in Dublin this June and a new album on the way, there's no better time to delve into the complicated and thorny history of Britpop, as told by Blur's lead guitarist.
In this frank and disarming memoir, Coxon recounts his years in the celebrated rock band, as well as his struggles with addiction and how self care has come to be a key part of his life. It also sheds light on his own upbringing, as an army brat moved from base to base, and why Blur's 'arty' reputation never sat right with him.
God's Old Time - Sebastian Barry
There's something about balmy summer temperatures and a thriller that pulls you into its own world that will always be a match made in heaven.
Barry's latest novel follows Tom Kettle, a retired policeman who has moved to the rugged coast of Kerry. Lost in his own regrets and the memory of his dead wife and children, he's unexpectedly visited by two former colleagues, asking for his help with a 20-year-old cold case.
A stirring and gothic exploration about memory and loss, perfect for long summer nights.
Pageboy - Elliot Page
Although he rose to fame as Ellen Page, the star of smash hit Juno, Elliot Page has written movingly about coming out as a trans man and the long journey it took to get there.
In this candid memoir, Page recounts the painful experience of being trans while being billed as a fresh, young starlet, and his journey to his true self.
The Villa - Rachel Hawkins
What says 'summer' more than an Italian villa? Add in a rock star, two childhood friends and a murder mystery and you have a read you won't be able to put down.
Struggling with writer's block and harassed by her ex-husband, Emily jumps at the chance to stay in a dramatic villa with her school friend Chess. Before long, she's deep in the mystery of a death that took place in the same villa in the 70s, looking for clues as to what really happened.
If you're missing The White Lotus and all its seedy, lusty shenanigans, this book's for you.
