Contemporary Romance Review: Summer Reading | Jenn McKinlay
Pick this book up for the cover alone (adorable!), but stay for the neurodivergent lead, hunky librarian, and the complicated messy family relationships that will charm you.
Samantha Gale leaves behind a disappointing career moment as a chef to spend the summer in Martha’s Vineyard at her family’s tine cottage hoping to reinspire her career. That was before she knew she’d be stuck chaperoning her half-brother Tyler—a total brainiac who plans to spend his summer in a robotics competition at the local library.
Sam is dyslexic and the library isn’t a place she has found comfort or belonging in the past. But in a twist of fate, an awkward incident on the ferry ride over causes Sam to meet a very attractive man (whose book she happened to ruin) named Bennett Reynolds. Coincidentally, he is also the interim director at the library.
Bennett isn’t just coming to Martha’s Vineyard for the library, though. He is looking to find his father whom he’s never known. All he knows about the man is that his mother got pregnant with him while on that very island.
The summer is full of events. Sam and her brother find kinship against all odds, old friendships are rekindled, Sam is inspired to find a new direction for her career, and of course, she finds love with Bennett. Sometimes a summer getaway is so much more than you could ever expect!
I enjoyed seeing a non-traditional leading character. Particularly one with dyslexia, which I learned more about through reading this book. The story is told in the first-person format so I felt I got to learn more about Sam’s struggles through her own experience, rather than being told.
Sam is a relatable heroine—she’s a funny, a bit insecure, smart, and lost right now. She’s looking for what is next for her in life, and that’s a struggle many of us have been through at one point (or several) in our lives. The time on the island is restorative for Sam in more ways than one.
Sam and Bennett have great chemistry. Bennett is a romance hero written for women, and it made the story fun to read because of course you’re going to root for them. Bennett reads to Sam, Sam teaches Bennett and Tyler to dance. So many charming moments! I also liked Bennett’s story about searching for his father. The setting is a bonus (and a welcome one!).
One additional add—the author not only took care in writing a dyslexic character, but she also wrote the published book format to be accessible to readers with neurodivergence. This was an extra caring touch that I want to commend the author and publisher for.
The food, the island setting, the love story—this will deliver everything you could want from a contemporary romance book!
About the Book | Summer Reading
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.
About the Author | Jenn McKinlay
Jenn McKinlay is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. She is also the winner of the RT Reviewer’s Choice Award for romantic comedy and the Fresh Fiction award for best cozy mystery. Her work has been translated into multiple languages in countries all over the world. A TEDx speaker, she is always happy to talk books, writing, reading, and the creative process to anyone who cares to listen. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with kids, pets, and her husband’s guitars.
7 Comments
Pingback:
Pingback:
Pingback:
Anonymous
Hi My name is Mona. I just want to share my experience with the world on how I got my love back and saved my marriage… I was married for 7 years with 4 kids and we lived happily until things started getting ugly and we had fights and arguments almost every time… it got worse at a point that he filed for divorce… I tried my best to make him change his mind & stay with me cause I loved him with all my heart and didn’t want to lose him but everything just didn’t work out… he moved out of the house and still went ahead to file for divorce… I pleaded and tried everything but still nothing worked. The breakthrough came when someone introduced me to this wonderful, great spell caster Dr Zuma, who eventually helped me out… I have never been a fan of things like this but just decided to try reluctantly cause I was desperate and left with no choice… He did special prayers and cast a love spell on him. Within 24hours he called me and was sorry for all the emotional trauma he had cost me, he moved back to the house and we continue to live happily, the kids are happy too and we are expecting our fourth child… I have introduced him to a lot of couples with relationship problems across the world and they have had good news… Just thought I should share my experience cause I strongly believe someone out there needs it… You can contact him on spiritualherbalisthealing@gmail.com visit https://spiritualwork.mozellosite.com
bravelyfestival4cd0fecbf8
Have you been the victim of a digital asset scam or lost access to your cryptocurrency? The path to recovery requires more than just hope—it requires expert forensic analysis.
At TREK Tech Corp, we specialize in:
Crypto Asset Recovery: Advanced tracking for lost or stolen digital wallets.
Fraud Intervention: Assisting victims of sophisticated online scams.
Blockchain Forensics: Utilizing deep-tech tools to identify and trace fund movements.
We don’t just provide tech; we provide a way forward. Our team combines technical excellence with a commitment to client integrity.
Don’t let scammers have the last word.
Contact TREK Tech Corp today for a confidential consultation.
trektechcorp1@gmail.com
trektechcorp@consultant.com
https://trektechcorp.net/
Anonymous
I was lured into a crypto currency investment platform that I came across on Instagram. I lost about $508,000 to this evil scheme after I invested and accumulated profits, I was denied withdrawals on the specified date. I wrote to the customer support but I was given no feedback, I knew I had been scammed and I started to search for a way to recover my crypto. I considered myself fortunate that I stumbled upon a post on the internet web about a recovery expert, Hack Michelle Tyler. I would highly recommend Hacker Michelle Contractor agent to anyone who wants to recover their lost funds from any scam. she is best in the business and will do anything possible to help you get your money back. I never thought it would be possible to get back crypto once it is sent but I’m super happy and grateful for the services of Hac Michelle Contractor. Kindly reach out to her if you need any help or any assistance in recovering your money from these scammers. If you lost access to your crypto wallet or lost your crypto password, or your phone was compromised I would highly recommend Hac Michelle Contractor to anyone who wants to recover their lost wallet or you lost your crypto password or from any scam. She is the best in the business and will do anything possible to help you get your information and money back. I never thought it would be possible to get back those information that I lost or my crypto once it was sent but I’m super happy and grateful for the services of Hac Michelle Contractor. Kindly reach out to the company if you need help contact.
Email: rightwaylawrecoveryservice@gmail.com
WhatsApp: + 1 (479) 849-4201
Telegram: +1 513 602 3179
Anonymous
I never thought I’d fall for a romance scam, but it happened. I met someone on a popular dating site who seemed genuine, kind, and emotionally supportive. Over time, we developed what I thought was a real connection. Then came the stories—emergencies, business problems, and travel issues—and before I knew it, I had sent over $85,000 trying to help them.
When they suddenly disappeared and deleted their profile, my world came crashing down. I was heartbroken and ashamed. A friend encouraged me to reach out to Steve Wozniak Wizard, and honestly, I didn’t expect much. But he was incredibly professional, compassionate, and efficient.
He handled everything discreetly, launched a full investigation, and within a few weeks, they recovered almost all of my lost funds. I couldn’t believe it—after being scammed emotionally and financially, I finally had some justice and closure.
Steve Wozniak Wizard didn’t just recover my money, he helped me reclaim my peace of mind. If you’ve been scammed online, don’t stay silent. These people know what they’re doing, and they genuinely care.
Telegram: https://t.me/stevewozniakwizardrecovery
Email: steve wozniak wizard (@) gmail. com