The long, lazy days of summer are ideal for curling up on your deck with a refreshing glass of lemonade and a delicious book that you just can’t put down. As everything seems to be lighter in summer, from our clothes to our meal choices, keep your reading light, too! Leave those heavy classics for fall. This summer, indulge in light, witty and highly entertaining chick lit. We’ve rounded up 7 of your best bets — some old, some new, but all delightful!

Getting Rid of Matthew

Harper Collins Canada, 2007

OK, ladies — we’ve all read those stories about how to get a man, how to keep a man. Really, there’s got to be some limit to the shameless tactics! But Brit author Jane Fallon’s latest novel,
Getting Rid of Matthew, is a delightful spin on this typical story. Protagonist Helen knows just how to get her man but once she’s got him, she’s just not sure that she wants him! Enjoy the ride as Helen discovers that you should always be careful what you wish for … because you might just get it!

Shopaholic and Baby

The Dial Press, 2007

She’s ba-ack! Mind-numbingly dippy and yet still oh-so-adorable, Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) returns in this fifth installment of the
Shopaholic series by brilliant storyteller, Sophie Kinsella. Becky is up to her old tricks again, but this time, there’s a baby on the way. As the loveable heroine bumbles through pregnancy (and the shops, too!), you’ll fall more and more in love with her, perhaps not because of, but in spite of, her charming cluelessness. You’ll put this book down wanting more Becky and her scatterbrained antics.

Something Borrowed

Griffin, 2005

You know the popular wedding tradition: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue? Well, “something borrowed” takes on a whole new meaning in this debut novel by author Emily Giffin. Here’s the short version. Rachel and Darcy have been best friends since childhood. Darcy is engaged to Dexter. Rachel is Darcy’s maid of honour. So far so good. Until Rachel and Dexter have a steamy encounter and everything begins to unravel. This story rolls along at a quick clip and you may even find yourself pondering the rules of love and friendship. All’s fair in love and war? Something to think about …

What’s your fave book right now? Share your thoughts with other ELLE Canada readers in our forums!

Little White Lies

Ballantine Books, 2005

Natalie Raglan is a country girl turned city girl when she moves to the hip and happening city of London. But her move to the big city isn’t everything she expected it to be. Instead of whiling away her weekends at glamourous parties, Natalie finds herself home alone on Saturday nights, reading classics and feeling more than a little disappointed. But one tiny indiscretion changes everything. When Natalie opens the previous tenant’s mail, which has been piling up in her flat, she’s hurtled into a whole new world. Cressida, who used to live in Natalie’s apartment, appears to live the glamourous life that Natalie is craving and before she knows it, Natalie has assumed Cressida’s identity and begins accepting the invitations to fab parties that have been arriving for Cressida in the mail. The domino effect that ensues is predictable but highly entertaining!

Salem Falls

Washington Square Press, 2002

Loosely based on Arthur Miller’s acclaimed 1952 play
The Crucible, a haunting tale about the 1692 witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts,
Salem Falls is an astonishing work by storyteller extraordinaire, Jodi Picoult. The story focuses on the coy and manipulative 17-year-old, Gillian Duncan and the new guy in town, Jack St. Bride, who has recently been released from prison. Just like all of Picoult’s other novels, this book is a real page-turner that will keep you up all day and all night as you read with increasing amazement at how quickly the characters’ lives spin out of control.

Circle of Friends

Arrow, 2006

Circle of Friends, by Irish author Maeve Binchy is an absolute must-read. Re-released in 2006, this wonderfully woven tale of love, family and friendship is delightful from the very first page. Inside the pages of this book, you’ll meet the lovely but self-conscious Benny, her gorgeous and graceful friend Nan and the boy everyone adores, Jack. The love triangle that develops is so thoughtfully presented and beautifully told, it’s no wonder that Maeve Binchy is so well-loved. Set in Dublin, this story will whisk you off to a world away and once you’ve finished reading, you’ll want to pick it back up again and start all over.


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Raincoast Books, 2007

At the time of publishing, the seventh and final installment of the wildly popular
Harry Potter series had not yet been released. But it is with total confidence that we add this to our list of summer must-reads. If you’ve followed Harry’s adventures from the very beginning, you’re not going to want to miss this final story. If you haven’t read the series from the beginning, what are you waiting for? This summer, pick up the first six books and get reading! An absolute delight for adults and children alike,
Harry Potter is an enchanting escape and a wonderful way to tap back into your childhood imagination. So put that blackberry down, turn off your computer and let your imagination run wild as Harry embarks on his last hurrah! We’re sure you won’t want to miss the ride!

What’s your fave book right now? Share your thoughts with other ELLE Canada readers in our forums!