I’m on the hunt for a book that feels like a beach or ocean read, but not necessarily the usual “light summer romance.” I just need the setting to be coastal, oceanic, or beach-adjacent.
My go-to genres are:
• Dystopian
• Horror
• Romantasy/Light Fantasy
• Literary fiction
• Historical fiction
• Some romance
Basically: I want something that lets me sink into the waves, but with the darker, moodier, or more layered vibes that suit fall.
Thanks in advance for any recommendations for ocean or beach-set stories that hit one (or more) of these genres.
by Ok_Atmosphere3199
9 Comments
Maybe Wild Dark Shore!
The Light Between Oceans, by ML Stedman
Chandelier by David O’Meara is a family drama with a recurring motif of water running through it.
Also A Separation by Katie Kitamura which is about a wealthy woman who’s ex-spouse goes missing in the south of Greece. Also with water vibes!
Glass Houses by Madeline Ashby
I absolutely loved Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker. It’s heavy in parts but funny in others, and the backdrop is Hawaii and coastal California (if I remember correctly). The writing is great and it’s a solid page turner.
This is a more long shot suggestion, but The Fisherman by John Langan is probably one of my favorite reads of the last few years that *might* do it for you. I read it in November and felt like it was the perfect mid-late fall read that is less beachy, but still has a water element as a main theme. I found it really engrossing and thoughtful and still think about it now, several years after reading it.
If you’re looking for weird vibes over plot, Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield is a solid pick. You will end the book with many more questions that you start with but it is a great, weird, atmospheric read that is very much about the ocean.
The offing by Benjamin Myers
Bunny by Mona awad
The secret history by Donna tartt
“Oh Whistle and I’ll Come to You, My Lad” and “A Warning to the Curious,” both by M.R. James, are set on the east coast of England. I think they fit this time of year especially well 😉
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier