Summer is a time for unabashedly delighting in beach reads. Yes, they're engaging, yes, they go down easy — but regular readers of escapist fiction know they'll find powerful, universal themes and truths tucked within these tasty pages. Here are four books that provide an absorbing escape — they all make for excellent poolside reading — while also meditating on the power of love, duty and family.
Maya Rodale is a bestselling romance author.
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