Hot and sticky
Too hot to think? Here's what to read when the temps soar
It’s the hottest weekend of the year and the longest day of the year. New Yorkers have packed up for the Hamptons and Londoners… are bribing their way into whatever pool they can. If you have a Soho House membership this weekend you better believe any loose acquaintance will be hitting you up. Good luck in those lido queues.
In London right now it feels dry, in the best way possible. I love this feeling. I have been craving that type of dusty heat you get in a city summer (particularly NY, desperate to get there soon, can you tell it’s on my mind?), and miraculously London has turned itself into my dream place.
It’s hot, it’s sweaty, and I’m out here searching for a shady stoop to sit on, a cold drink in hand for a long afternoon of people watching. Obviously I need a book.
The Pre-Loved bookshop is freshly restocked 🎉
If you’d like to buy some epic £4 titles (and feel good about giving them a new home) then head here. If you’d like to pass your books on to a new home, then this is your link.
When it’s too hot to think, here’s what fits the mood:
Atonement by Ian McEwan - A sweltering heat and a hot sticky summer, tension galore.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - Decadence and the roaring 20s, that scene where they’re so hot they retreat to the Plaza (naturally) to cool down has always stayed with me.
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett - Like a modern scene from Gatsby, this opens with a family bbq so hot ice is repeatedly called for, and gin after gin is downed. Patchett is at her best writing about family and survival.
Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman - Slow burn desire in a scorching Italian summer. You’ve seen the film, but did you ever read the book? In that vein, if you haven’t read The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith this would be an equally great choice.
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller - Love triangles, desire, and childhood memories centred around a generations-old holiday home in Cape Cod.
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News & awards
The Women’s Prize 2025 winner has been announced as (Verse fave) The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden. I loved this book so much it didn’t even make it off the plane. Devoured before the trip even started. Non-fiction winner is The Story of a Heart by Rachel Clarke.
Waterstones has just released it’s debut Fiction prize shortlist with a great mix of new voices - worth checking out.
TikTok’s publishing imprint, 8th Note, which was looking to captialise on BookTok success, has quietly shut down.
I don’t typically do romance recs, but if I did I’d probably be talking to you about Hotter in the Hamptons by Tinx.
Say goodbye to bad recommendations and hello to a better reading experience 👇