For me, there is no better summer reading than the Aubrey/Maturin series of Age of Sail adventures from Patrick O'Brian. Mix equal parts Jane Austen and geeked out historical descriptions of sailing, life in the English Navy during the Napoleonic wars on land and at sea all in O'Brian's enviable prose and you get broadsides of narrative firing off every 2 minutes.

Seriously, if you've never considered reading these do yourself a favor and give them a try. The stories are entertaining, the characters are as engaging as any in literature, and did I mention O'Brian's writing? The books are often undersold as adventures at sea but don't let the entertaining stories throw you, these books are indelibly crafted and very worth your time.