Trapped within the boundaries of four walls for over a year, it's hard not to miss the fun-filled activities we used to enjoy before the pandemic. Building sandcastles around our feet or surfing on the waves or just lying down and enjoying the sun on the beach—all of these fun activities were once taken for granted and are now sorely missed during travel restrictions and lockdowns.

Kampus Production/Pexels | Though we can't go outdoors and have fun as we did before the pandemic, we can still feel that beach vibe by reading some of the most enthralling books of all time

Though we can't go outdoors and have fun as we did before, we can still feel that beach vibe by reading some of the most enthralling books of all time. So are you ready to discover the best reads for this year?

#1 - “People We Meet On Vacation” By Emily Henry

Published in May 2021, Henry's best-selling novel tells the tale of two best friends Alex and Poppy who are totally opposite but share a bond stronger than any. Although the two friends live hundreds of miles from each other, they meet every year for a week-long vacation. This long-standing tradition ended some two years back when the two ruin their friendship and have not been on talking terms since. That is until Poppy convinces Alex to go on one last vacation, and to her surprise, he agrees with her proposition. Now the duo has one last shot to either make or break their life-long friendship.

Dziana Hasanbekava/Pexels | Published in May 2021, Henry's book tells the tale of two best friends, Alex and Poppy, who are totally opposite but share a bond stronger than any

#2 - “The Year Of Our Love” By Caterina Bonvicini

Revolving around the age-old story of a rich girl meeting a poor boy and forging a friendship that transcends social class, Bonvicini's tale is about Olivia and Valerio, two youngsters growing up in an opulent villa in Bologna. Olivia is the heir to a large industrial fortune whereas Valerio is the son of their gardener and maid. As time passes, Olivia and Valerio go their own separate ways but their paths end up crossing several times later on in life.

#3 - “A Special Place For Women” By Laura Hankin

Published in May 2021, Hankin's book talks about a journalist who enrolls into a popular women's club in New York City in search of some juicy details about the women involved in the institution. Jillian Beckley, a struggling journalist, later realizes that the more she digs deeper into this new world, the more dirty secrets come to light and she quickly realizes that these women are far more dangerous have a lot more to them than meets the eye

Elevate/Pexels | Published in May 2021, Hankin's book talks about a journalist who enrolls into NYC's popular elite women's club in search of some juicy news

#4 - “Act Your Age, Eve Brown” By Talia Hibbert

Eve Brown, a young woman who brings trouble wherever she goes, decides its time she grew up after a disastrous episode wherein she ends up ruining an expensive wedding. She then applies for the position of a chef in a local restaurant but is sent back by the owner over a work dispute. The two cross paths once again when she accidentally breaks the owner's arm with her car. Eve eventually ends up helping the man run his kitchen, not realizing all the while that the two of them have gotten dangerously close to each other.

Now that you’ve learned about the best novels you can read this year, the question is, which one are you going to order first?