Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay

 

The Setting: Martha's Vineyard

The Characters:
  • Samantha Gale -- 28, a talented chef and spunky extrovert with mad skills both in the kitchen and coping with her dyslexia who wants to write a cookbook someday.
  • Tyler Gale -- 14, Samantha's smart half-brother who is into robotics, prefers plain food, and barely knows his sister.
  • Bennett Reynolds -- the hot interim library director; he's quiet, in his 30s, loves books, and is trying to discover the identity of his father.

What I Loved:  Sam and Ben are such opposites, and that's what made their conversations and interactions so engaging. I loved how Sam let herself be vulnerable and honest with Ben, and how he encouraged her and read out loud to her on his lunch hours. Their romance was very sweet and swoony.

I also really liked watching Sam and Tyler build a brother/sister relationship over the summer. They had some fun banter and humorous interactions throughout the novel. It added another charming layer to his novel that I appreciated.

And the fact that so much of this summer romance deals with books and reading makes it a perfect one for Susan's Bookish Books Reading Challenge.

Happy Reading!


50 comments:

  1. I just borrowed this book from the library today! Won't be reading it soon until I've finished the others I'd borrowed earlier and I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! :)

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    1. I look forward to hearing your thoughts after you read this one. :D

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  2. Very seasonal! (And it does sound quite fun.)

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    1. Definitely a good beach read! I loved her relationship with her brother, and the whole dyslexia issue was very interesting.

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  3. This sounds fun! And like the perfect read for the season! :D

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  4. I like that this novel involves a library and is set in Cape Cod. I have been to the Cape twice and would love to live there. It sounds like a good summer read.

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    1. I would love to go to Cape Cod someday! Preferably for a whole summer. :D

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  5. Sounds like a winner for summer reading fun!

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  6. This was a fun read. Glad you enjoyed it too. :)

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    1. It's one of those summer reads that makes you smile and wish you were at the beach, too.

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  7. Yes! I loved the opposites attract romance and how Sam's struggle with dyslexia was portrayed. I also enjoyed the sister/brother bonding. Wonderful review, Lark!

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    1. Both of those things elevated the book for me, making it more than just a fun romance.

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  8. Books, reading, Martha's Vineyard... what's not to love!

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    1. Right? All of those things make for a great read. Plus, there's romance! :D

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  9. Sounds an interesting story, thanks for posting about it.

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    1. It's got so many fun things about it, I highly recommend it.

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  10. Not gonna lie, Bennett sounds hot! Lol.
    I think this is one I'd like to check out too.

    Ash @ Essentially Ash
    Bookstagram | Personal Insta | TikTok | Goodreads

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    1. I loved Bennett. He's a great character. :D

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  11. This sounds great! I'm always looking for a good summer romance :)

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    1. This is an entertaining one full of heart and humor.

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  12. Bookish books are great! Wonderful review, Lark!

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  13. Just a perfect book for summer reading, I bet! :))

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    1. It is a very fun summer read! And a perfect beach book.

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  14. Sounds delightful and it features one of my favorite tropes

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    1. I like this opposite attracts trope, too. :D

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  15. I have enjoyed this author's work in the past and have a feeling that I would like this one.

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    1. I loved it. And now I want to check out her other books. :D

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  16. "Hot library director" - I only work one day per month at a library but I am afraid I must say oxymoron. Still, I want to read it!

    Constance

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    1. lol. People in real life are never as "hot" as in a romance book! ;D

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    2. The first time I went to England, my friend and I were extremely disappointed in the general wimpiness of British men. Then we had to drop something off for her boss at Merrill Lynch, and hanging out in the lobby where we saw many Americans with good dental work, and we were happy again.

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    3. That's hilarious! I saw a few very cute guys when I went to Scotland...but maybe it was those sexy kilts they were sporting. ;D

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  17. Thank you for sharing. Regine

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  18. I love watching two people who are opposites, it's usually a fun interaction.

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    1. I agree! Opposites, especially in well-written romances, are very fun to watch come together. :D

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  19. This sounds fantastic and like perfect summer reading!

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    1. It was so fun! I really liked everything about it.

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  20. I'm looking forward to reading this one. Glad you loved it!

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    1. It was very fun. I loved Sam's interactions with her brother, and reading about her coping skills with her dyslexia, and of course her relationship with Ben.

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  21. So glad to hear you enjoyed this one so much. I'm currently reading it and it's a lot of fun. I especially like those early interactions with her brother. I've been busy with some other reads so need to get back to this one and make some progress!

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    1. Yes...I loved her interactions with her brother! :D

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  22. I hadn't heard of this book before, but it sounds wonderful! I like that it's not just a romance but includes a developing brother/sister relationship. The reading theme is pretty great, too :) I'm definitely going to give this one a go. Thanks for the rec!

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    1. I really liked her relationship with her brother and how it grew and deepened over the course of the book. :D

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