Summer is upon us, and what better way to enjoy the heat then on the beach? Now is the perfect time to unwind, sunbathe and relax. Take in the ocean breeze, feel the sand between your feet and escape into the reality of these eight Black stories about relationships, healing and falling in love.

1. I Got You: Restoring Confidence In Love And Relationships by Rob Hill Sr.

Millennial motivational speaker Rob Hill Sr. advocates for forging healthier relationships in I Got You: Restoring Confidence In Love And Relationships. The book is a great read for everyone, in which Hill explains the importance of understanding the dynamic of love and the choice to love. Whether you are in a relationship or not, I Got You will provide the tools needed to develop a better connection with yourself and those around you.

2. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Selected for Oprah’s Book Club in 2018, An American Marriage portrays the wrongful conviction of a young, newly married executive named Roy. After Roy is sentenced to 12 years in prison, his wife Celestial fights to keep their love alive. Celestial finds solace in her childhood friend Andre, who also just so happened to be the best man at the wedding. The electrifying romance novel follows the lives of three conflicted people, as they try to navigate tragedies that are out of their control.

3. Daykeeper by Ran Walker

In Ran Walker's Daykeeper, Ed Nelson loses  his wife to cancer and sinks into a deep depression. His older brother comes back in the picture to help Ed through the grieving process. On the road to healing, Ed meets a young woman named Tanya, who reminds him of his late wife. Their platonic friendship quickly turns physical, but before continuing their relationship, Ed has to come to terms with being a widower.

4. Bingo Love by Tee Franklin and Jenn St-Onge

Bingo Love is a queer comic book that follows the memories of an elderly woman named Hazel, who recounts her first teenage love with a woman named Mari. The women eventually reunite decades later at a bingo match. Overall, Bingo Love presents the courage of coming out as a married woman, the effects of aging and the hesitation of older queers to embrace their sexuality.

5. Awakening: Book One Of Kira's Story by Rebel Miller

Awakening is a sci-fi love story about a young woman named Kira who was born to a metal worker and homemaker. She lives in a world called The Realm that consists of a caste system Kira has never felt a part of. Her name, which means “of royalty,” gives her the confidence and desire to rise up in her position and choose between two power-driven men. Though both men are infatuated with her, it’s up to Kira to decide if either man is worthy.

6. Running From Love by J. Nicole

With the new dating app craze, Running From Love follows the romantic life of Jennifer as she submerges herself into the latest speed dating app, DateNight. Prior to DateNight, Jennifer was the type to run away from love at the first sight of trouble, but with the help of the app and her homegirls, she lets her guard down. Like many romance novels, Running From Love leaves readers with a happy ending.

7. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie

Chimamanda Ngozie Adiche is an award-winning Nigerian author who produced the best selling novel Americanah. Her main characters, Ifemelu and Obinze, are two young lovers on a mission to depart from their homes in Nigeria, once the country falls under militia rule. Ifemula finds herself making the journey to the U.S. for school, while her boyfriend’s path directs him to work in a warehouse in Britain. Americanah expresses Ifemula’s perspective as both an African woman and a Black woman in a foreign land.

8. A Virtuous Ruby by Piper Huguley

Set in the early 1900s, A Virtuous Ruby is a historical romance novel that follows Ruby Bledsoe as she makes a return to her hometown Winslow, Georgia. After giving birth to her fatherless son Solomon, Ruby makes a vow to be the voice for the voiceless and becomes an activist in her community. Eventually, she comes across an arrogant bi-racial doctor named Adam Morson, who has been passing as a white man in the North. Similar to Ruby, Adam has inner conflicts to face. The pair find that they may need each other more than they realize, living in the prejudice south.

Temperatures won’t be the only thing hot, this summer. Summer love is in the air and these Black books on relationships, love and healing are the perfect way to tune into the flow of sultry passion and allure. You’ll laugh, cry and be inspired by these dynamic characters, juicy drama and their spirited love lives. Make sure you have enough sunblock, before getting lost in these romantic gems.