Recently, I was back East and spent some time in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. It is absolutely charming—filled with the kind of independent boutiques that used to populate every town and, sadly, have become much harder to find. I was happily wandering in and out of shops when I stumbled upon a gem called Athena Books. Their tagline is “Athena Books: A Gathering Place,” and that’s exactly what it felt like. The kind of bookstore where you can lose yourself for an hour—and find put together a perfect summer reading list. And I did.
As soon as I walked in, I was drawn to a table near the entrance called “A Blind Date With a Book.” Such a clever idea. Books were wrapped in paper and tied with ribbon, each one adorned with a beautiful tag and wax seal. On the front was a small card describing the genre and offering just enough information to intrigue you—without giving away the title.
You simply picked a category that appealed to you and took a chance on a new read. How fun is that? It got me thinking about summer reading and all the books I’ve been wanting to dive into this season. There’s something about summer that invites us to slow down, sit in the shade, on a beach, or on a porch, and get lost in a great story.
So today, I’m sharing my summer reading list with you. Who knows? You might just discover your own blind date with a book.
Happy reading!
All of our recommendations are curated by Susan & the In The Groove editorial team. In some, but not all cases, we receive a small commission for leading you to what, how, and where to buy all this wonderful stuff.
