Sweet Summertime Reads: Along For the Ride... at the Beach!

I love summertime, and I especially adore books set during the summer months.  There's something about this time of year that sets the scene for an adventure, both near and far.  I'm back for another edition of SWEET SUMMERTIME READS with my friends Tara from Fiction Folio, along with Estelle + Magan from Rather Be Reading.  Sit back, relax, grab a cool beverage & enjoy our summer reading goodness over the next few weeks!

To start this feature off, I'm taking us all to the beach!  Well, the virtual beach anyway.  When I think summertime, my mind instantly goes to the beach.  The waves crashing, tumble after tumble, stretched out across the wide expanse of golden sand, just begging to bury your toes in.  The seagulls cry out from far above, in search of a left over picnic.  Umbrellas litter the shoreline, children laughing as they build enchanted castles among seashells and crabs.  It's a summer experience I remember from when I was young, and continue to experience in my adult years.  There's something about the beach that erases the hustle and bustle, and all the stresses from our every day lives, and places us in this time capsule where the hot, steamy days linger into the salty fresh air.

Last summer my family and I took a vacation to the beach, escaping our day jobs for long lazy afternoons in the sand.  Here in Texas, our summers are insanely hot, so it was a nice reprieve to feel the ocean breeze coming in off the Gulf of Mexico. 

When I wasn't on the beach, you could find me relaxing on the deck of the beach house with a cold beverage in hand.  In the evenings we'd grill out, and follow up with more deck time under the stars, sipping on beachy cocktails.  If I could, I would spend every day this way.  It has all the right ingredients for a perfect beachside escape.

 A great beach read is perfect for this vacation, too.  I adore any story that's set at the beach, and have read way too many to count.  It's my number one setting that I always gravitate towards when choosing what to read next.  There's just something simple, familiar, enchanting and romantic about a story set here.  Some of my most favorite contemporary reads take place on these sandy shores.

To kick off our summer feature, and to go along with my "trip to the beach", I am highlighting one of my favorite beach reads: Along For the Ride by Sarah Dessen.  This story takes place in the fictional beach side town of Colby.  It's a place I was able to visualize from the first few pages as Dessen painted the quaint, comfortable village set alongside the ocean.  From all the local eateries and shops, to the familiar characters that decorated each page, I immediately pictured myself there - living out my teenage years, discovering my own path along the sandy boardwalk.

In celebration of the start to our summer feature, I will be giving away a copy of Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen to one lucky reader!  Fill out the form below & good luck!  This giveaway is open to international readers (as long as The Book Depository ships to you) and will end on June 24, 2013 at midnight EST.
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Good Luck!! Don't forget to stop by Estelle + Magan's blog tomorrow, as they take you on another summer trip of their own. Then be sure to check out Tara's blog on Thursday for more summer goodness!