Naturally, your first choice for summer read will be BROOKLYN GIRLS by yours truly, out next week!

Right. Pathetic attempt at self-promotion out of the way, here’s my next recommendation:

CRAZY RICH ASIANS by Kevin Kwan. Buy it here in the US, it’s not officially out in the UK yet but you can buy the US edition sneakily via The Book Depository.

I fricking loved this book. Like if Jilly Cooper and Plum Sykes had a Singaporean love child. It is hilarious and totally fresh escapism, set among the 0.00001% richest people in Asia.

PS I have long said I don’t trust people who don’t read fiction and it turns out there’s a good reason why. Reading fiction makes people smarter and nicer. “individuals who often read fiction appear to be better able to understand other people, empathize with them and view the world from their perspective.” That means you.