Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay – Review & Giveaway

 

 

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Description:
For Samantha Gale, a summer on Martha’s Vineyard at her family’s tiny cottage was supposed to be about resurrecting her career as a chef, until she’s tasked with chaperoning her half-brother, Tyler. The teenage brainiac is spending his summer at the local library in a robotics competition, and there’s no place Sam, who’s dyslexic, likes less than the library. And because the universe hates her, the library’s interim director turns out to be the hot-reader guy whose book she accidentally destroyed on the ferry ride to the island.

Bennett Reynolds is on a quest to find his father, whose identity he’s never known. He’s taken the temporary job on the island to research the summer his mother spent there when she got pregnant with him. Ben tells himself he isn’t interested in a relationship right now. Yet as soon as Sam knocks his book into the ocean, he can’t stop thinking about her.

An irresistible attraction blossoms when Ben inspires Sam to create the cookbook she’s always dreamed about and she jumps all in on helping him find his father, and soon they realize their summer fling may heat up into a happily ever after.

 

 

Review:

Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay is a standalone novel. We meet Samantha (Sam) Gale, our heroine, who is returning home to Martha’s Vineyard, to spend the summer at her family’s cottage to chaperone her half-brother, Tyler.  Her parents are going away to Europe on vacation for most of the summer, and since she quit her job (passed over on a promotion) as a chef in a well-known restaurant, she agrees to come home. Tyler (who is 14) and Sam aren’t that close, since she rarely visits, and he is enrolled in spending his summer at the local library in a robotics competition.  Sam, who has struggled all her life with dyslexia, is happy she doesn’t have to be around his class, keeping her dyslexia a secret.

While on the ferry home, she meets a handsome stranger, who she accidently destroyed the book he was reading.  Bennett (Ben) Reynolds, our hero, has taken a job as the director at the library for the summer, as he is also trying to search for the father he never knew.   When Sam visits her friend in the library, she is shocked to see the handsome stranger now working there.  In a short time, a slow built romance begins, with Ben finding himself very attracted to Sam, and will help him try to find his father.  Sam also gets a job at a new restaurant to handle Friday Night appetizers, which she will make her own recipes, which turns out to be very successful.

The relationship between Ben and Sam was wonderful to watch, as he learned about Sam’s dyslexia, and would read the book out loud for her to enjoy the story; he was so sweet, endearing and supportive for Sam. He also convinced Sam that she should write a cookbook, since she had so many wonderful recipes.   Sam worried, as she knew she was falling for him, and she did not plan on staying past the summer.  Will Sam and Ben find a way to stay together?

Most of all I loved the bonding between Tyler and Sam, as in a short time he totally opened up to Sam, and they were so much fun together. I adored Tyler teasing Sam about her relationship with Ben, as well as Sam teaching him how to dance, and meet his girlfriend.  It was so warm and loving to watch them become so close.

Summer Reading was a sweet, heartwarming story, with a wonderful sibling relationship, a great couple, and fun likeable characters throughout. We learn a lot about dyslexia, as well as the book is written in a dyslexia friendly font. There were also some great food recipes. Summer Reading was a delightful read, written so very well by Jenn McKinley.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

Jenn McKinlay’s publisher, Berkley Romance is offering a paper copy of SUMMER READING to ONE (1) commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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8. Giveaway runs from May 16th to 20th, 2023