‘Today’ Host Jenna Bush Hager’s Top Summer Book Recommendations

For those looking for the perfect book to read on your next beach trip or while enjoying your summer vacation at home, Jenna Bush Hager has got you covered.

The Today host, 42, has shared her love of reading with fans over the years through her book club, Read With Jenna, which celebrated its fifth anniversary back in March. The group celebrated its milestone achievement by donating hundreds of book club pics to libraries across the country.

“Five years of incredible reads, inspiring authors, moving conversations and a whole lot of reading goodness,” she wrote via Instagram earlier this year. “Thanks to our readers (many of whom I have gotten to meet!) our authors who I adore and to the dream team who make this possible.”

Reading is something Bush Hager described as her “escape from everyday life” in a January 2023 interview with Today.com, adding, “It’s how I calm down. It’s how I detach. It’s how I fall in love with other places that I will never go to. It’s how I empathize with characters who are nothing like me. There’s nothing like falling in love with a book.”

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Heading into the summer season, Bush Hager exclusively shares her favorite new reads in the latest issue of Us Weekly, from romantic stories to mysteries and more.

Scroll down to check out Bush Hager’s latest literary picks:

‘Real Americans’ by Rachel Khong

“It starts as a love story but then spans time and place. It’s a story of family, what we carry and what we pass down,” Bush Hager tells Us. “It’s about secrets and how they can divide us, and then bring us back together.”

‘The Husbands’ by Holly Gramazio

“This book is hilarious and deeply feeling. It’s a spin on a romance novel, but also a commentary on dating in the modern world,” she shares. “Plus, you’ll root for the main character more than any other.”

‘Summer Sisters’ by Judy Blume

“This is a Read With Jenna book [club] pick, which we’ve optioned for TV through my production company, Thousand Voices,” the TV personality reveals. “It’s a classic summer read and a must-get for your summer bag.”

‘I Have Some Questions for You’ by Rebecca Makkai

“I read it and couldn’t put it down,” Bush Hager gushes. “I loved it because of the interweaving of memory and truth. It’s a commentary in some ways, but also an incredible mystery.”

With reporting by Leanne Stanton