The Summer of Sunshine and Margot
Susan Mallery
June 11, 3019


Twin sisters Margot and Sunshine lived two different lives after their mother chose to give them to their great grandmother to raise. They were best friends but oh so contrasting in how they viewed the world. Margot went on to get her college degree in Restaurant Management, then chose to become an etiquette coach for the rich and famous. Sunshine fell in love with one boy after another and despite a yearning to attend college, she just could not accomplish it. It was always one magical relationship after another; she hoped to find the man of her dreams. He would give her the house, car, kids. She would tend the house, love him, love the children. No such luck; the men were only after her figure and playing her. On the other hand despite Margot’s intelligence and great job, the one man she loved, Dietrich would leave her for someone else or get stoned or broke. Sure enough Dietrich would come back months later professing his love and she would follow.
This summer was different for them both. Sunshine found another job as a nanny but this time there would be no meeting someone then leaving the children for the loser who charmed her. Margot was determined to concentrate only on her new job as an interventionist for Bianca, the aging movie star. Bianca was engaged to a diplomat and needed to learn how to be the perfect representative of such a gentleman and his position. Upon moving into Bianca’s house for the duration of the sessions, she finds that Bianca’s son, Alex is the owner of the estate. Bianca too is visiting for access to the lessons in a private abode where she wouldn’t be recognized.
This is a terrific journey for both Margot and Sunshine. Ms. Mallery did a wonderful job of telling their stories.
This book was published on June 11th. I completely recommend this novel. I really enjoyed it and plan to re-visit it at some point. I am certain I could have missed some content as I was so involved and read it quickly. The Summer of Sunshine and Margot by Susan Mallery. It is available now. Truly a 5 star hit!

Susan Mallery has written a delightful story in The Summer of Sunshine and Margot. She has written a story about starting over, romance, finding yourself, overcoming bad decisions and wrapped it all up with wonderful characters. Fraternal twins, Sunshine and Margot Baxter are very different but are both trying to make better choices and find happiness. Sunshine is a free spirit, who has had a hard time sticking with a job. She often leaves whatever she is doing to follow a man she thinks she is in love with. At present, she is working as a nanny and going back to school. Margot is very professional and works as an etiquette coach. She has wasted five years of her life with a guy that she has allowed back into her life over and over again. She is ready to move on from him and has committed to making better choices.

I loved these two ladies. Circumstances in their past molded the girls into the women they have become, yet they hope they can be more. They think there is a curse on Baxter women to never find true love, this book proves that wrong. They have such an amazing relationship and both want the best for the other. They are best friends as well as sisters. I also loved the secondary characters in the story, from young Patrick to Margot's client Bianca and the two male interests, Declan and Alec, they were all wonderfully written and developed. They added some humor and lightness to the story. Overall, the characters are real and relatable. Their problems, issues and insecurities are also realistic. I loved the flow and pacing of the story. I listened to this one throughout the day finishing it before I went to bed for the night, wanting to find out how it would end.

Sunshine and Margot are fraternal twins. Their mother left them to be raised by their great grandmother. They both have issues with relationships and want to change that. Sunshine goes to work for Alec taking care of his son Connor after his mom passes. Alec has a lot of problems after his wife passes away suddenly. Sunshine loves being a nanny but likes to run away and always finds her self in a bad position. Margot is in the business of helping people learn to be proper in formal situations. She is going to try and help Bianca an aging movie star learn to behave in formal situations seeing as she is engaged to a foreign diplomat. He son Declan is hoping for the best. He is very reserved and doesn't like people to mess in his personal life. Bianca is a hand full and they are trying to figure out why she can be so wreck less. The adventures with these couples are great. I enjoyed this book a lot. The characters were great. I received this book from net galley for my honest review.

"The Summer of Sunshine and Margot" was my first book of Susan Mallery's and it did not disappoint.

It was a delightful, stand-alone story about two sisters, fraternal twins, Sunshine and Margot Baxter. I loved the writing style of Susan Mallery and the characters she created. Sunshine and Margot were both wonderful individuals. Sunshine's free spirit and sunny, optimistic attitude were catching. As for Margot, she was stylish, conservative and very professional, working as an etiquette coach.

I simply adored this story. I really appreciated the special bond between Sunshine and Margot, how they depended on one another and supported each other. Although they both seemed to have their differences, ultimately they both wanted the same thing - a real relationship with someone they could count on. All of Susan Mallery's characters were well developed and completely lovable.

I thought this was a book of absolute brilliance and it would make a perfect summer beach read. I will definitely be reading more of Susan Mallery's books!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Harlequin MIRA via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Honestly, from the moment I turned to page one and began reading, I was totally on board with this one, from story to character. The sisters are so different, yet intensely connected. Though they share their family history, each of their stories is unique to them and just as enthralling. They are alike in some fashions, but not in all...and that's okay! Fraternal twins or not, they are individuals! Seeing life from both their perspectives was entertaining, and so emotional.



Sunshine has always been able to attract the boys, and while that was fine in the moment, it led to some disastrous decisions, and quite frankly, she finally wants more than that. I couldn't have applauded her efforts any louder, nor laughed any harder at how she spurned some of the unwanted attention. (You go girl!) I was really rooting for her to get all she wanted...and though it hurt to witness the fallout of her past making itself known in her present, it was a growth moment and she did well accepting it without letting it completely tear her down. The moment things finally clicked for her, I was so happy I could burst because really, it could have went a completely different way and although we would have been happy, it wouldn't have been the same happy. *ahem* Sorry, not doing spoilers here...moving on...


Margot has always been ambitious and beautiful, just not in the way her grandmother would have wanted (beauty queen trainer...and Margot had a penchant for projectile vomiting in public speaking situations), but even she needs a break from her past...DESPERATELY...with it, time to perhaps fall for someone new. That's right, the beautiful yet somehow unapproachable sister has a stalker of sorts, or in this case a boyfriend that isn't good for her, to her, or does anything complimentary to her sense of being...yet still keeps showing up like a bad penny...and love being blind, Margot made her own bad decisions when it came to him. Seeing her let her hair down , figuratively and literally, was refreshing, and again, despite the pitfalls of her current job, I couldn't have been more pleased with the outcome of things on a professional and personal level. She deserved a shot at true happiness, and well....you'll see how that comes to pass.

In the end, it was such a good story! I adored the sisters, the potential love interests (LOVE!), Bianca (what a hoot!), Connor (such a sweetie), and the rest of the bit players too! While a great summer read to pass the sunny days, it has so much more depth to it as well. It's about growing up, or rather into the person we want to be, accepting our past, and looking forward to tomorrow. It's about letting love in, and giving second chances when deserved. It's about not settling for less than we deserve, striving for our dreams, and not being afraid to ask for help in achieving them. Really and truly, it's cemented its way into being one of my favorites of this author's lengthy published title list...and I couldn't be happier for it.

I have read this author for many years. I never grow tired of her writing. It is always fresh and unique. Always an interesting storyline and engaging characters.

The Baxter sisters are the fourth generation cursed with bad romantic relationships. Determination and the new men in their lives will hopefully change that. What happens to those relationships when the two sister's pasts come back to intrude in their lives? Will the men who're perfect for each sister be able to help to overcome their fear of former relationships so can this be The Summer of Sunshine and Margot?

Margot loves her job helping people learn etiquette. She's going to be living in a castle owned by Bianca's son Alec for the summer while she gets the actress ready for her life with her diplomat fiance'.
She's just broken up with her boyfriend who she's been seeing off and on since college. She's followed him around the world, to the determent of her own college and professional careers. As she gets to know Bianca and Alec she tries to figure out why Bianca acts out in some public situations. Alec has closed himself off after the break up with his fiance'. Because of the way he grew up he's all about wanting to control his life and environment. Unfortunately, Margot seems to be somewhat of a distraction. As they start spending time together their attraction grows and they reveal their lives to each other. They grow closer and Alec begins to think of nothing but Margot and gets involved with helping his mother's lessons with Margot. A disaster of a dinner party reveals that Margot and Bianca have work to do. Margot's stay gets extended after another disaster at the political event. Alec and Margot start a physical relationship and their feelings get deeper and stronger. When Margot receives an unexpected guest that won't go away. It's up to Alec to get rid of them. When he does it makes him realize that his orderly and controlled live isn't any more and he breaks off the relationship with Margot. She's devastated and goes back to her apartment. Alec and Bianca has a discussion. Margot comes home from work to find an unexpected guest in her house.

Sunshine loves her job and is determined to change her life. As a live-in nanny she has the flexibility of schedule, that she's going to college for the first time. She adores her charge, 8-year old Connor. Trying to break the Baxter curse she's trying to stop love at first sight and leaving at no notice to her employers like she did in the past. Declan is her boss and a widower. He finds himself attracted to Sunshine, but knows its inappropriate to act on it. Since, she's such a great nanny he doesn't want to loose her and wants to respect her changing her life. As they get to know each other the attraction gets stronger. Sunshine even sets Declan up on a date with the mom of a friend of his son. He has sex with the woman but it doesn't help because of how he feels about Sunshine. Meanwhile, Sunshine is struggling to get through her math class and goes for help. She's begun to have feelings for Declan but doesn't want to go back to her old ways. She tries dating a couple of times only to realize that the men are jerks. An injury brings Sunshine and Declan closer together. When Declan goes on a business trip and begins calling to talk to Sunshine it leads to a memorable night for them having phone sex. Each is afraid they've gone too far to go back and they decide that they don't want to when they reveal their feelings and a proposal is made and accepted.

The Summer of Sunshine and Margot show that the past can be changed when you find the right man and you want that change to happen. Susan Mallery's story of love and change keeps two sisters guessing on whether their pasts can be overcome and give you the love of your life. An emotional and desire packed story that has you rooting for the sisters to overcome their pasts to find true love and helping the men in their lives do the same.

This is the best book I have read this summer! I loved the sisters Sunshine and Margot, and their stories. I literally could not put this book down, and didn't want it to end. I would read another story with these two characters, just to learn more about their happily ever after!

I loved how similar the sisters were, but also how different they were. I especially loved Sunshine's character and story, her relationship with the little boy who had lost his mother. I loved how different the hero's of the story were, but how perfect they were for the sisters. Each character had real life issues and struggles.

Thanks to the editors and to NetGalley for this one, it was a real privilege to read this one!

Two sisters as different as night is to day explore the world of life and giving love a chance...

The Summer of Sunshine and Margot is a beautiful story of being yourself and learning that you are never too old to enjoy life. It also shows that love can appear in places that you don't expect. I loved this adorable story with Margot with the beautiful house she gets to explore and the relationship she develops with Alec. Sunshine shines with her story reminding us that love can be found in the most unexpected places. I loved this book! Susan Mallery is a wonderful author and this is a great novel to begin with.


**Thank you Harlequin for the ARC for review. My opinions are my own.

Susan Mallery once again delights with The Summer of Sunshine and Margot. She has a way of taking real life issues and blends it with romance and humor.
Fraternal twins, Sunshine and Margot are very different but are both trying to make better choices and find happiness. Sunshine is a free spirit . She is very organized and works as a nanny. Unfortunately her personal life is a disaster .Margot is very professional and works as an etiquette coach . SHe has wasted five years of her life for a guy and is ready to commit to making better choices .
I received an Arc from the publisher and Netgalley and this is my honest review .

I can't recall a single Susan Mallory book that I have not enjoyed reading, and this one is no exception. Plus it is a stand alone, so the reader doesn't have to struggle to remember the characters from previous books. However, there is a pattern found in many of the books: the Hero, though sometimes the heroine, does not believe in love or fears it because of a traumatic past experience. The couple begin an affair(?), going in knowing that it can not lead to anything. However, eventually one will blurt out that she (he) loves the other and the other runs off in panic. Both are miserable apart, until a friend figuratively slaps the idiot on the side of his head and he realizes that he is in love and this is the real deal and has some groveling to do before HEA.

This book is about fraternal twins, Margot and Summer Baxter, who believe there is a Baxter curse against love. Their mother had abandoned them, and her mother had done the same. They were raised by their great grandmother, who was a beauty queen coach. both have made bad choices in their lives becasue of men. Sunshine did not know what she wanted to do with her life, but loving children she became a nanny. However, searching for love and belonging, she would take off with a man, who would eventually abandon her. Margot, did the college route, but then got involve with Dietrich , who would string her along and then leave. Both women have decided this summer that they are going to change and make better choices. Summer is working for a widower, Declan and his son, Conner , who she adores, but she is also going to college and has vowed not to be "that girl" anymore. Margot has become an etiquette coach, and her current client is Bianca, an infamous actress and personality, who is engaged to a diplomat and wants to learn how to curb her sometimes over the top behavior. She is currently staying with her son, Alec, a scholar, who lives in a magnificent former remodeled monastery, which he had inherited. He is also terrified of becoming his mother, so has locked himself away from any emotional entanglements. Both Alec and Declan have been betrayed by women they believed loved them. But as they are thrown together in the same houses, both Declan and Summer and Margot and Alec will become friends, followed by admiration and love. Is anyone brave enough to communicate their real feelings? Spoiler: Bianca is the one who knocks some sense into her son.

The Summer of Sunshine and Margot was a first for me. I’ve read/listened to most of Mallery’s titles after they’ve been released. Weeks to months after. I have so many of hers to still get to that the new releases get bought, but not devoured right away. Well, for this brand new book I didn’t let myself wait. I pre-ordered the audiobook and downloaded it as soon as it was available. Two days later I had finished it and new what all the hype around it was while the hype is still going on. It’s a great feeling.

I’ve yet to be disappointed with a book from Susan Mallery. I’ve enjoyed some more than others, but they’re all great. That hasn’t changed with Sunshine and Margot’s book. These twins are great characters to read about. While Mallery writes many books revolving around sisters (and close friend relationships), she’s yet to over do it. As seen in this book, the way the relationship works between these sisters differs greatly from other ones I’ve read so far. It’s still a fresh theme.

I also enjoyed all the side characters. There weren’t really any that was pushed in the background or underdeveloped. I especially liked Alec and seeing his changes overtime. Another cool thing was Alec’s house, an old Spanish monastery. It may be partly because I recently finished reading Northanger Abbey, but some of the scenes added a bit of a Gothic atmosphere to this book. Just a hint and that was fun.

It’s a good thing I have a pile of Mallery’s backlist titles to read now that I sped through this one. I’m left wanting to read more and more now, and a new book doesn’t release until later this year.

Susan Mallery writes the best sister pairs and has done it again in The Summer of Sunshine and Margot. It is the story of fraternal twins who, with the exception of the color of their hair and eyes, are nothing alike. Well, there is one more thing, they have bad judgement when it comes to men. But it seems that is a family curse.

Both sisters are determined to make a change. Sunshine and Margot decide to change how they are viewed by men and how they view men

The story follows Sunshine and Margot as they each set out to change. It is a well written story alternating between the stories of Margot and Sunshine. It shows the deep affection and support between the two sisters. All the characters are well defined and relatable.

This was a very enjoyable read. I highly recommend this book. This is great beach read. Susan Mallery has once again written a great book about relationships and love.
Thank you #Netgalley and #Harlequin-Mira for approving my request. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

The Summer of Sunshine and Margot is a touching and engaging story of the lives of twin sisters as it unfolds over a short period of time. Both women are trying to change their MO when it comes to men-habits that have had detrimental impacts on their lives. Margot and Sunshine’s strength in the face of situations that tempt their determination is exceptional. Both women struggle along, combating their own demons and working toward what could prove to be either success or failure in changing themselves.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable and sometimes fun novel. Great summer read.
I voluntarily read a copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

As part of the tour for this book, last week I posted an excerpt from The Summer of Sunshine and Margot. Now we’re back for the rest of the story!

Like so many of this author’s standalone titles, The Summer of Sunshine and Margot revolves around two sisters, Sunshine and Margot. While they are fraternal twins, they don’t seem to be much alike. Margot is tall, willowy and just a bit of an ice queen. Sunshine is short, curvy and more than a bit of a good time girl.

This is all about the summer where both of them plan to make changes in their lives. Those changes have a lot to do with their family’s legendary bad luck with men. Sunshine has picked the wrong men, pretty much over and over, instead of making something of her own life. Now she’s 31 and starting over again.

Margot keeps getting back together with the same wrong man over and over, and it’s past time for her to be done. It would help a lot if her friends would support that decision instead of sabotaging her by giving the jackass her address and phone number each time she cuts him off and changes her contact info.

Summer works as a nanny, but she never sticks – because some guy comes along, sweeps her off her feet, and she leaves. This time she’s fallen in love with her charge, little Connor, and wants to be around for him and his ant farm. She’s started college and make something of herself and stay away from men. Except for little Connor of course. And his lonely and extremely yummy dad.

On the surface – actually on several surfaces – Margot’s job is the more interesting of the two. Her job is to help people fit into new and unfamiliar surroundings. Usually those surroundings involve changes in status or business in foreign countries. Her current client is a free-spirited actress who plans to marry the love of her life, a foreign diplomat. In order to tone down some of Bianca’s wilder tendencies, Margot will live with her and her adult son, a man who makes both Margot’s intellectual side as well as her hidden passionate side sit up and take notice.

Nothing about either of their situations runs smoothly. The only thing that does is the rock solid love and support the sisters give to each other. And that’s enough to see them through.

Escape Rating A-: This was just a sweet and delightful read. From a certain perspective, not a lot happens – or at least not in a big way. At the same time, it just reads so well. I started it at dinner and finished later that evening because I couldn’t put it down.

Not so much because I needed to see what happened next as because I just enjoyed spending time with Sunshine and Margot. Their lives were very, very different, but they managed to maintain a close and loving relationship – something that isn’t always easy between sisters.

Often when I read family relationship stories, I find myself grateful to be an only child. But not with this author. Many of her stories wrap around sisterhood, and her portraits of sisters who manage to pull together or stay together and be there for each other makes me a bit envious.

The romantic relationships that Sunshine and Margot find in this story, and unsuccessfully resist, are as different as they are. But are both equally romantic and equally interesting to follow. And they both earn their happily ever afters, but in completely different ways.

The wild card character in this one is the wild child actress Bianca. It’s so obvious from early in the story that Bianca has both a story of her own, and an agenda that she keeps carefully under wraps. The revelation of what made her the person that she is is heartbreaking, and the reason she finally lets the secret go is reaffirming, both of love and of the ability to set yourself free of the past – at any age.

And it ties in to both Sunshine’s and Margot’s journeys, as they all are in the process of becoming their best selves. Journeys that are marvelous to follow every halting step of the way.

For a good reading time, pick up anything by Susan Mallery. You’ll be glad you did!

I'm always excited for a new Susan Mallery release! I love her writing style, and her characters are always so fun. The Summer of Sunshine and Margot was a delightful story about two sisters going through changes in their lives and hoping to find love. Though I enjoyed both sisters' stories, I connected with Sunshine the most. I was so proud of her for making positive changes in her life like going back to school and being a fantastic nanny and friend to Declan's little boy, Connor (Connor was also a delight!). I also enjoyed Margot's journey, and appreciated her ability to change perspectives and look at things from her client's point of view. I loved the sisterly bond Sunshine and Margot had. So many great life lessons all wrapped up into this great summer read--with lots of romance, of course!

I devoured this book in just a few days--it would be a perfect long weekend or vacation read. This one is definitely worth adding to your summer reading list!!

Margot and Sunshine are twin sisters who are nothing alike except for one trait. They are both unlucky in love. Both have given up everything for the man they loved, only to be hurt time and time again. The girls decided enough is enough and they are sworn off men and are putting all their time and effort into their jobs.
Margot is a life coach who gets a job helping Bianca an older actress fit into her new role as a diplomats wife. That should be safe right? All is well until Margot meets Bianca’s son Alec.
Sunshine is a nanny who gets a job with a sweet little boy names Connor who has recently lost his mother. Another safe bet? All is going well until Sunshine starts falling for Declan, Connor’s father.
The two stories blend together effortlessly and just as you are certain of a happy ending, a twist comes into the story. It was so beautifully written I missed the characters when the story was over. It has all the things we look for in a good book, love, hope and friendship. This is the perfect summer read for those looking for a fabulous story with unforgettable characters.
Thank you to Harlequin - Mira and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of the book to review.

Once again, Susan Mallery has given us the perfect summer fiction. What I loved was that although it is a good romance, it is so much deeper than that. Her characters have so much depth to them that when i was finished reading, all them felt so real to me. I feel like I was with both Margot and Sunshine in their heads and their hearts. Fraternal twin sisters, although they love each other, they have lived different lives, and in this book continue to live their own life, but their common ground is that neither has been able to succeed with a male/female relationship and it is something they both want. Their emotional growth was portrayed beautifully and this is Ms. Mallory’s strength. She cares so much about both the characters she brings to life, and also the story that will appeal to her readers. Once again she has delivered a story i love and will think about for a long while.

The Baxter sisters, Margot and Summer, come from a series of bad luck relationships. Will the sisters finally break their bad luck cycle?

Margot is an etiquette coach who is teaching an aging movie star who gained fame and notoriety through a campaign of shock and awe on the fine art of behaving like a proper diplomat’s wife. She moves into the monastery turned mansion owned by the actress’s intensely private son, Alec. Will Alec trust Margot enough to let her into his private world?

Sunshine has always been the good-time sister who abandoned jobs to chase after guys who used her, then threw her away. She is determined to never be that girl again. But becoming the nanny for a widower (Declan) and his young son (Connor) has her wondering about new possibilities.

Finding the right person is not easy, whether for the job or your significant other. It seemed to be a race between the two sisters as to which would have sex first. Not quite the rabbit and the hare type of race, but not too dissimilar. Some tears may be shed. Place your mental bet as to which sister gives in first. I was wrong. Interesting back stories for the actress and the widower.