Canada’s summers are far, far too short

so when the weather gets hot, the only place I want to be is on a beach, eating potato salad, slurping watermelon and of course, reading. Here are two books that will inspire you to pack a picnic, grab a beach blanket and read the day away. Sunscreen is recommended.

Ghosted is a perfect mystery to read on the beach.

Ghosted

Ghosted by Rosie Walsh ($24.99, Publishers Group Canada) shares the story of Sarah, who meets Eddie, and fall instantly in love. They spend six perfect days together before Eddie leaves to go on his already-planned holiday. He promises to call, but he doesn’t, disappearing completely. Sarah’s friends suggest she forget about him, but Sarah is convinced something has happened to Eddie.

I, too, would think Eddie simply lied and pretended this amazing connection happened, except every once in a while we get to read a draft and deleted email from Eddie that shows he loves Sarah but refuses to reach out to her. The mystery as to why Eddie disappears from his life and Sarah’s continues throughout the book, forcing you to read when you could be swimming or pausing long enough to find another spot to read, perhaps out of the sun.

Throughout this book, you also learn bits and pieces about why Sarah flees the U.K. to live in the United States and her inability to discuss this tragedy with anyone, including Eddie.

“Minutes, days, weeks go by as Sarah becomes increasingly worried. But then she discovers she’s right. There is a reason for Eddie’s disappearance, and it’s the one thing they didn’t share with each other: the truth.”

 

Three Days Missing is a page turner and a perfect beach read.

Three Days Missing

Don’t read Three Days Missing by Kimberly Belle ($19.99, Harlequin) at the beach if you have any sort of responsibility because this book is a page-turner and you’ll find you won’t be able to put it down. Instead, Three Days Missing is a book to read at the beach when you are alone and can start in the morning and finish by the time the sun goes down.

Kat Jenkins’ nine-year-old son Ethan goes missing while on an overnight camp with his classmates. By the time Kat arrives at the cabin, Ethan’s trail has been washed away by heavy rain in the mountains. While various levels of police try to find Ethan, we flip between Kat’s story and that of Stef Huntington, the wife of the mayor and whose son Sam is Ethan’s classmate and torturer.

Kimberly Belle does a great job of weaving the two stories together and giving you enough information about the backgrounds of both women. She also accurately describes the desperation Kat feels as her son remains missing and the guilt and anguish she feels as time ticks and police seem no closer in finding her son.

While I determined the conclusion of some things almost from the beginning, I certainly didn’t guess it all and most things still came as a surprise, particularly the end, which still makes me angry.

I am a big fan of beach reads, those books that keep you pinned to your beach blanket while the sound of water lapping the sand and beach birds singing, offering appropriate background sounds to lose your thoughts in your hardcover or paperback.

So go out and embrace this wonderful, albeit short, Canadian summer and read away the hours.

Heres to summer!

Copies of these books were provided by Publishers Group Canada and Harlequin Canada for an honest review. The opinions are my own.