There's a metric ton of summer reading lists out there, many of which feature books that by international law must have a colon in the title. Books with names like, Murderous Flapjacks: An Esoteric Halflife of Breakfast.

These books feature incredibly deft use of language, explore themes of human suffering or perhaps reveal deeper truths about lasting peace. Or they rip your heart out of your chest and hand it to you. There you are, at the pool, at the beach, on a warm green hillside in the cool, breezy mountains, eager for a vacation that took months to plan. And the book you're reading leaves you feeling bleak.

Vacations, in my world, are a time when rules do not apply, when you can have two scoops of ice cream for dessert every night  – heck, when you can have dessert with breakfast. (Pass those esoteric pancakes, please.) So in my world, I treat my brain to a vacation, too. I want ice cream for my brain. I want happy endings, laughter, sparkling plots, memorable characters, and blissfully good writing.

Behold my "Guaranteed Brain Vacation Reading List." These are books in various categories that in my never-humble opinion have stood the test of time in their perfection for beachside, mountainside, poolside, or even commuting-and-wishing-for-vacation-side reading.

The Queen of Good Vacation Reading: Nora Roberts

That's not a book title. That's a backlist of champions. Roberts is my never-fail author for good summer reading. If you like romance, some suspense, and fabulous characterization in a contemporary novel, Roberts cannot be beat. Roberts' publisher issued the The Chesapeake Quartet, four of her best books, in two double-novel volumes, so you can read all four books with minimal suitcase load. The first two, Sea Swept and Rising Tides are available as The Quinn Brothers and the second two, Inner Harbor and Chesapeake Blue are available under the title The Quinn Legacy. The quartet follows four adopted brothers who begin life as troubled children and end up living in the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland. All four Quinn brothers are sigh-worthy and marvelous.

Eccentric and Hilarious Family Dramas

For a little less courtship and a little more family, there are two books which still make me giggle, sniffle, and maybe even weep behind my giant sunglasses.

Charms for the Easy Life by Kaye Gibbons, is set during World War II among the women of a very eccentric Southern family. Ever notice that sometimes, authors use "Southern" as shorthand for "eccentric" and never quite justify either one? No worries here. This book, and its characters, are genuine and completely charming.