Jenna Bush Hager Reveals Her ‘All-Time Favorite Summer Read’—and Her New June Pick Is Just as Good
From a twisted family mystery to a sun-soaked Malibu saga—Jenna's summer picks are all hits
Key Takeaways
- Jenna Bush Hager's newest Read With Jenna pick is ‘The Children’ by Melissa Albert.
- A popular Judy Blume novel is Jenna's all-time favorite summer read.
- The six picks range from Malibu beach sagas to Michigan swamp mysteries.
Summer is finally here, and one of the best ways to celebrate is by diving into a good book! But if you’re struggling to find your next great read, there are several book club options to help guide you. One of our favorites is Jenna Bush Hager’s Read with Jenna because she suggests such a wide variety of reads, including mysteries, thrillers and captivating historical fiction novels. To discover our top summer picks from her Read with Jenna book club, keep scrolling.
Jenna Bush Hager’s top summer reads
From sandy Malibu beaches to the mysterious Great Massasauga Swamp, here are the best Read with Jenna books to dive into this summer.
‘The Children’ by Melissa Albert
This mysterious tale is the June Read with Jenna pick. Guinevere Sharpe is forced to come to terms with the fact that her childhood was less than ideal. After a fire burns down her house, only Guinevere, her brother Ennis and their mother’s unfinished manuscripts survive. Now an adult, Guinevere is coasting on her mother’s name, while her brother has distanced himself from it. But when he announces his new art installation, entitled Mother, rumors begin to swirl about a death at his last show. Suddenly, secrets from Guinevere’s childhood begin to surface and she’s forced to confront what happened to her family all those years ago. A twisted tale that will leave readers guessing until the very last page.
What Jenna says: “Not since Donna Tartt’s Secret History have I loved a book filled with such magic and mystery as I have with Melissa Albert’s The Children.”
What readers are saying: “This was eerie, intimate, and impossible to put down. The writing is gorgeous and a little unsettling (in the best way). I don’t even know what to say about the story; I lived Guin’s childhood with her through the pages. Melissa Albert takes you on an adventure and then brings you back and ties the story together, again and again.”
‘Summer Sisters’ by Judy Blume
A dazzling summertime story unfolds in Judy Blume’s beloved novel Summer Sisters. After befriending charming Caitlin Somers in 1977, Vix Leonard’s world changes forever. Suddenly, she’s thrown into Caitlin’s family’s world of privilege—including idyllic vacations in Martha’s Vineyard. As the years pass, their friendship fades—until Caitlin suddenly asks Vix to be her maid of honor for her upcoming wedding. The unexpected invite sends Vix on a journey that she hopes will reveal what really happened during that fateful summer that led to their falling out. A nostalgic tale that’s filled with Blume’s signature wit and charm.
What Jenna says: “This is my all-time favorite summer read. It’s so juicy and fun—it’s candy! But it’s also about female friendship and class and what it means to be a woman. Once you start reading this, you cannot put it down.”
What readers are saying: “This is one of my favorite books. I read it once when I was the same age as the characters and again as an adult. Both times it meant the world to me in different ways. The characters are strong and the relationships forged are life changing. Passages of this book have stayed with me and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for something heartbreaking, uplifting, and/or meaningful. It’s truly a beautiful book!”
‘Happy Wife’ by Kendall Shores and Meredith Lavender
This bestselling thriller by Kendall Shores and Meredith Lavender—who have a new book coming out later this year—follows Winter Park, Florida, resident Nora Davies. Nora doesn’t feel like she belongs in Florida, but when she meets handsome single dad Will Somerset, that all changes. They hastily get married, but when Will goes missing the morning after his birthday bash, things turn upside down. Now Nora must find Will before it’s too late.
What Jenna says: “Happy Wife is one of those delicious, fun summer books that you’ll open on the beach and never put down. The setting in a community outside of Orlando, with tons of secrets, is so much fun for the summer, and I found the women of this novel to be complex and interesting, while it being the type of mystery you can’t wait to finish.”
What readers are saying: “This was such a great read! Even when you kind of figure out who did it, you’re wrong! And unlike some other books I’ve read, all the loose ends got tied off in this one. I read this in one day and highly recommend it!”
‘The Waters’ by Bonnie Jo Campbell
Set on an island in Michigan’s Great Massasauga Swamp—also known as “The Waters”—this thrilling tale follows Hermine “Herself” Zook, a herbalist with three estranged daughters. Her youngest, Rose Thorn, abandoned her own daughter, 11-year-old Dorothy “Donkey” Zook, leaving her to grow up wild with Herself. Donkey spends her days in nature, waiting for her mother and longing for a father she’s never known. When Rose suddenly returns, long-buried family secrets begin to unravel. Will Donkey finally get the family she dreams of?
What Jenna says: “I love The Waters by the great Bonnie Jo Campbell so much. This book is so beautiful. If you love a book about the magic of the natural world, you will love this book. If you love a book about multiple love stories, all different types of loves, you need to get this.”
What readers are saying: “I absolutely loved this book and I already know I’ll reread it. The Waters is a sweeping, beautiful story about generations of women, their families and their connection to the Earth and to each other.”
‘Malibu Rising’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This Read with Jenna pick written by New York Times bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid is set in Malibu, California, in 1983 and follows Nina Riva, daughter of famous musician Mick Riva, and her three siblings as they prepare for their annual end-of-summer party. But when the festivities literally go up in flames, Nina is forced to confront whether the life she’s built is really the one she wants. This novel is perfect for fans of family sagas and sun-soaked beach reads.
What Jenna says: “I felt like Malibu Rising was a compulsively fun read that anybody would want to throw in their beach bag. I think after the year we’ve had, everybody is looking forward to summer and this book felt like the perfect kick-off.”
What readers are saying: “This book tells an incredibly beautiful story about a family of four who make their way out of the ashes. It was an unexpected surprise for me as it took me in a different direction than I anticipated but I wouldn’t want anything to change. I loved it immensely.”
‘Evvie Drake Starts Over’ by Linda Holmes
This hilarious novel follows Evvie Drake, who has barely stepped outside her large, empty house in the year since losing her husband in a car crash. When former baseball pitcher Dean Tenney rents the apartment on her property, they make an agreement: He won’t ask about her husband, and she won’t mention his career. From there an unlikely friendship blooms. A heartfelt tale filled with unexpected connection, healing and hope.
What Jenna says: “I was captivated by Evvie’s predicament of finding herself a young widow. In a lot of romantic comedies, you kind of know exactly what’s going to happen. You know exactly the character’s motivation, which is to find the guy. And really, I think (Evvie’s) motivation is to find herself. And to me that felt really empowering and fresh. Now, does she find a guy, too? That I can’t tell you.”
What readers are saying: “This was such a beautiful and heartwarming story that gave me all the warm and fuzzies. When I finished I was shedding happy tears and hugging my book because it just hit me in the heart. I’d highly recommend it if you love a feel-good, realistic love story. It’s a wonderful summer read!”
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