{"id":29345,"date":"2025-05-30T15:46:20","date_gmt":"2025-05-30T14:46:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk\/blog\/?p=29345"},"modified":"2025-05-30T15:58:15","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T14:58:15","slug":"top-10-summer-reading-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk\/blog\/general\/top-10-summer-reading-list\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 summer reads for 2025 by book influencer @whatphoeberead"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the summer holidays just around the corner, we\u2019ve teamed up with one of our favourite book influencers, Phoebe Robinson of @whatphoeberead<\/a>, to bring you her recommended top 10 summer reads for 2025. Whether you\u2019re looking for a poignant novel, a travel memoir, or an unexpected gem that lingers long after the last page, Phoebe\u2019s picks are guaranteed to upgrade your reading list.<\/p>\n

Trust us, you\u2019ll want to leave room in your suitcase for these!<\/p>\n

Meet @whatphoeberead<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

@whatphoeberead<\/a><\/p>\n

Hi! I\u2019m Phoebe, the book-obsessed person behind @whatphoeberead<\/a>. If you follow me on Instagram, you\u2019ll know I have a soft spot for a beautifully curated stack of contemporary fiction, a well-placed flat lay, and a story that completely pulls me in.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m very much a seasonal reader, which means if it\u2019s summer, I want my books to feel like summer too. Think beachy settings, sun-soaked adventures, or anything that pairs well with an iced coffee and a quiet hour in the sun. And if I can read a book in the country it\u2019s actually set in? Even better. There\u2019s something magical about matching the mood of a book to the time and place that makes the experience so much richer.<\/p>\n

So, if you\u2019re looking for some summer reading inspiration, here are my top 10 books I\u2019ve loved, shouted about, and believe deserve a spot in your tote bag this summer.<\/p>\n

Phoebe\u2019s top 10 summer book picks<\/h2>\n

1. Summer by Ali Smith<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

@whatphoeberead<\/a><\/p>\n

Ali Smith\u2019s Summer<\/a> is the final book in her Seasonal Quartet, and it\u2019s the perfect read for this time of year. Set during the sweltering heat of a very particular summer, it captures the atmosphere of the season so vividly. Think golden light, restless energy, and the strange stillness that often comes with hot days.<\/p>\n

As always with Smith, it\u2019s clever, layered, and so timely, weaving together art, politics, history, and human connection in a way that somehow feels both weighty and completely effortless.<\/p>\n

Reading it made me feel both grounded in the present and slightly suspended in time, like those long, slow summer afternoons where nothing much happens, but everything somehow shifts. It\u2019s a book that holds the season in its bones and that makes it a brilliant one to read right now.<\/p>\n

2. The Last Supper by Rachel Cusk<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

@whatphoeberead<\/a><\/p>\n

Rachel Cusk\u2019s The Last Supper<\/a> is a slow, reflective travel memoir that follows her family\u2019s time spent living in Italy, and it\u2019s absolutely the kind of book I want to read in summer. It\u2019s sun-soaked but never superficial, rich with art, history, and observations on culture, identity, and belonging.<\/p>\n

Cusk\u2019s writing is sharp and introspective, always looking beyond the postcard version of a place to something more thoughtful and nuanced. Her descriptions of the Italian landscape are so vivid you can practically feel the heat rising from the stone streets and smell the espresso drifting through quiet piazzas.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the kind of book that makes you want to pack a bag, hop on a train, and observe the world a little more closely. A perfect pick for slow summer mornings when you want to be transported somewhere beautiful.<\/p>\n

3. Hot Milk by Deborah Levy<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

@whatphoeberead<\/a><\/p>\n

Deborah Levy\u2019s Hot Milk<\/a> is dreamy, unsettling, and totally hypnotic, the kind of book that seeps into your skin like the sun on a long, hot afternoon. Set in a blistering Spanish coastal town, it follows Sofia as she cares for her enigmatic mother and slowly starts to unravel her own identity.<\/p>\n

The heat is practically a character in itself, sticky, oppressive, and always simmering just beneath the surface. It\u2019s a book full of tension and ambiguity, with Levy\u2019s signature sparse, lyrical prose that leaves so much unsaid in the most satisfying way.<\/p>\n

Hot Milk is the perfect summer read if you like your fiction a little off-kilter and atmospheric. It\u2019s not about plot as much as mood, and that mood is sun-drenched, salty, and just a bit strange. I couldn\u2019t put it down.<\/p>\n

4. Elena Ferrante\u2019s Italian Quartet<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

@whatphoeberead<\/a><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve only read the first two books in Elena Ferrante\u2019s Neapolitan Quartet<\/a> (My Brilliant Friend and The Story of a New Name), but I already know I\u2019m in for something special, and I honestly can\u2019t wait to get stuck into the next instalments.<\/p>\n

Set in a gritty, sun-drenched Naples, these novels follow the intense, complicated friendship between Elena and Lila as they grow up, drift apart, and navigate love, ambition, class, and identity. Ferrante captures female friendship with such raw honesty. Full of admiration, competition, resentment, and love \u2014 it\u2019s both uncomfortable and completely gripping.<\/p>\n

The setting is everything: hot pavements, crumbling buildings, and blue seas; it all pulses with life and tension. It\u2019s the kind of series I want to read slowly, ideally somewhere warm, letting the characters and atmosphere completely absorb me. Messy, emotional, and fiercely intelligent, this is summer reading at its best.<\/p>\n

5. Good Material by Dolly Alderton<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

@whatphoeberead<\/a><\/p>\n

Good Material by Dolly Alderton<\/a> is such a smart, funny, and unexpectedly tender take on heartbreak, and I absolutely devoured it. Told from the perspective of Andy, a struggling comedian reeling from a breakup he didn\u2019t see coming, it flips the usual script and gives us the male side of a relationship\u2019s aftermath.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s full of Alderton\u2019s signature wit and warmth but also packed with sharp observations on love, friendship, growing up, and figuring out who you are when everything familiar falls away. I loved how it balanced humour with real emotional depth, one minute I was laughing, and the next I was crying.
\nNot your typical \u201csummer read\u201d maybe, but it\u2019s incredibly readable and full of heart, perfect for packing in your bag and getting stuck into on a long train journey or sunny weekend away.<\/p>\n

6. Pearl by Si\u00e2n Hughes<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

@whatphoeberead<\/a><\/p>\n

Pearl by Si\u00e2n Hughes<\/a> is one of those quiet, haunting novels that completely creeps up on you. It\u2019s a story about loss, memory, and a young girl navigating the strange silence left behind when her mother disappears, but it\u2019s also about place and the deep pull of the landscape we grow up in.<\/p>\n

Set in the heart of the English countryside, it\u2019s full of misty fields, hidden rivers, and that eerie stillness you only get in remote villages. The writing is sparse and poetic, and there\u2019s a real sense of folklore and timelessness running through it all.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the perfect UK getaway read, atmospheric, rooted in nature, and ideal for reading by a window with rain tapping on the glass or outside with birdsong and a cup of tea. If you\u2019re after something short, lyrical, and quietly powerful, Pearl is it.<\/p>\n

7. Other Minds by Peter Godfrey Smith<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

@whatphoeberead<\/a><\/p>\n

Other Minds by Peter Godfrey-Smith<\/a> is one of the most fascinating and unexpectedly moving non-fiction reads I\u2019ve picked up in a while. It\u2019s all about cephalopods (yes, really), exploring their intelligence, consciousness, and what they can teach us about the nature of minds so different from our own.<\/p>\n

Blending philosophy, marine biology, and personal experience, Godfrey-Smith dives into the alien world of the ocean with such clarity and curiosity. It made me see these strange, shape-shifting creatures in a totally new light \u2014 clever, curious, and completely unlike us in all the best ways.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s one of those books that expands your brain while keeping things readable and engaging. A perfect summer read if you want something thought-provoking but totally immersive, especially if you\u2019re anywhere near the sea.<\/p>\n

8. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

@whatphoeberead<\/a><\/p>\n

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro<\/a> is one of those quietly devastating novels that lingers long after you\u2019ve finished it. It follows Klara, an Artificial Friend waiting in a store window, observing the world and hoping to be chosen. When she is, what unfolds is a tender, unsettling look at love, loneliness, and what it really means to be human.<\/p>\n

What makes it such a beautiful summer read is Klara herself, being wide-eyed, sun-worshipping, and quietly hopeful. The way she sees the world is strange and gentle, and Ishiguro\u2019s clean prose lets you sit in the stillness with her. There\u2019s something about reading it on a warm day, with the light filtering through the leaves, that\u2019s unmatched.<\/p>\n

9. Big Swiss by Jen Beagin<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

@whatphoeberead<\/a><\/p>\n

Big Swiss by Jen Beagin<\/a> is completely unlike anything else I\u2019ve read, in the best possible way. It\u2019s weird, funny, sharp, and surprisingly tender. The story follows Greta, a transcriptionist for a sex therapist, who becomes obsessed with one of the patients \u2014 a woman she nicknames Big Swiss \u2014 and then, in a twist of fate, meets her in real life.<\/p>\n

Set in a sticky, off-kilter version of upstate New York, the whole book buzzes with heat, bees, sweat, and sexual tension. It\u2019s got that dreamy, chaotic summer energy where everything feels a bit surreal and slightly unhinged but in a good way.<\/p>\n

Beagin\u2019s voice is dry, dark, and hilarious, but also full of unexpected heart. This one\u2019s for anyone who likes their summer reads with edge, eccentric characters, and a bit of bite. Wild, witty, and completely addictive.<\/p>\n

10. Rachel Cusk\u2019s Outline Trilogy<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

@whatphoeberead<\/a><\/p>\n

Rachel Cusk\u2019s Outline Trilogy<\/a> (Outline, Transit, Kudos) is sharp, quietly electric, and a masterclass in listening, observing, and letting stories unfold in unexpected ways. These books don\u2019t follow a traditional plot, instead, they build through conversation, fragments, and passing moments, all held together by Cusk\u2019s cool, precise prose.<\/p>\n

Outline is set in a sweltering Athens, where the narrator (a writer) arrives to teach a summer writing course. What follows is a series of conversations with strangers and acquaintances, each one quietly revealing as much about the speaker as it does about the listener. It\u2019s a book about travel, disconnection, self-erasure, and the strange intimacy of fleeting encounters.<\/p>\n

Perfect for those slow, sun-dazed days when you want something reflective and atmospheric. The kind of book to read alone at a caf\u00e9 in a new city, or while people-watching on holiday.<\/p>\n

Quick recap: summer reading list 2025<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Original Rustic bookcase<\/a> | @whatphoeberead<\/a><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Summer by Ali Smith<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. The Last Supper by Rachel Cusk<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Hot Milk by Deborah Levy<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. My Brilliant Friend (Neapolitan Quartet) by Elena Ferrante<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Good Material by Dolly Alderton<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Pearl by Si\u00e2n Hughes<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. Other Minds by Peter Godfrey-Smith<\/a><\/li>\n
  8. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro<\/a><\/li>\n
  9. Big Swiss by Jen Beagin<\/a><\/li>\n
  10. Outline Trilogy by Rachel Cusk<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    What\u2019s your must-read book this summer? Tag us on Instagram<\/a> or TikTok<\/a> using #OakFurnitureland<\/a> and #GrowYourHome<\/a> to share your perfect book nook.<\/p>\n

    Don\u2019t forget to follow @whatphoeberead<\/a> for more literary inspiration or discover some stylish bookcase ideas<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    With the summer holidays just around the corner, we\u2019ve teamed up with one of our favourite book influencers, Phoebe Robinson of @whatphoeberead, to bring you her recommended top 10 summer…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":29330,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[992,991,344,1512,1518,994,1504],"coauthors":[303],"class_list":{"0":"post-29345","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general","8":"tag-best-books","9":"tag-book-club","10":"tag-bookcases","11":"tag-expert-tips","12":"tag-reading-list","13":"tag-reading-nook","14":"tag-spring-summer-25"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29345","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29345"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29345\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29353,"href":"https:\/\/www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29345\/revisions\/29353"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29330"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29345"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29345"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29345"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=29345"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}