The Summer Deal is a frenemies to friends (sisters) summer romance. We meet Brynn, fresh off a major heartbreak and moving back to her hometown to live with her moms. She's scared to be hurt again, but can't fight her attraction to Eli for long. Eli is her summer camp crush from her teen years, and has invited her to live in his ramshackle beach house with his brother and his best friend, Kinsey. Kinsey was the mean girl that made Brynn dread summer camp, and her attitude hasn't changed much since then. But, Kinsey has a secret. She knows that she and Brynn are sisters and has many reasons she doesn't want to tell her.

The Summer Deal is meant to be a beach read that could be finished on a sunny day, ideally at a beach like the one they live right next to. But, it took me around 5 days to read because I knew everything that was going to happen and just didn't care to slog through it. I've always said I don't care about predictability in thrillers, but I apparently really care about it in summer romance reads. The "grouchy because I'm dying and people love me for it" is tired. The "I love but I'm scared to love" is old as hell. The heat in her belly description is perhaps the most overused of all time in romance. It's got it all. And people out there who love romance are going to love it, I'm sure. I'm just not one of them.

*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my review.

What would you do if you found out that the person you hated at summer came was actually your sibling? Definitely a 4.5 star read !! All the characters were lovable survivors. Not all of us start out with perfect lives but there is nothing more appealing than seeing the good guy win. This is the perfect book for the beach or a rainy weekend. You will not want to put this one down!! #TheSummerDeal #NetGalley

As I mentioned before, I’m going through my TBR pile and extracting the comfort food, regardless of when it’s publication date is, which is why some of the books won’t be available for a couple of month. That may help you groom your future TBR list.

So, yes, without a doubt, Jill Shalvis novels are comfort food and The Summer Deal, the fifth novel in the Wildstone series is no exception.

The story of Brynn, a young woman seeking the ability to say “no” and become stronger and not be taken advantage of, is interwoven with Kinsey’s story, a young woman who can easily say “no” but is as vulnerable as Brynn. Likewise, Brynn’s crush and Kinsey’s best friend, Eli is vulnerable as he trusts no one he loves to stay in his life. I quickly came to care about each of these characters, even the very prickly Kinsey who takes a little longer to warm up to. And then the secondary characters, Eli’s playboy but loveable younger brother, Max, Brynn’s mothers, and Kinsey’s love interest, Deck, who really deserved to be a hero in his own book.

The Summer Deal is a nice balance of humor and drama. I like that the characters feel like real people who sometimes need it pointed out to them when they’re being hypocritical. The romance between Brynn and Eli went from slow burn to steamy and made a nice contrast to Kinsey and Deck’s relationship.

The Summer Deal is a good book, which should not be a disappointment to any of Shalvis’ die hard fans.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Summer Deal
A Novel
by Jill Shalvis
HarperCollins Publishers
William Morrow Paperbacks
Women's Fiction
Pub Date 02 Jun 2020 | Archive Date 02 Jun 2020

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins Publishing for the ARC of this book. I have not read the rest of the books in this series which may effect my rating of the book. I did not find the book very interesting and the characters were not likeable.

I don't know how I miss that certain books are part of a series. I have done this in the past. Did it again with this book and I probably need to be a bit more careful else I will repeat it again.. Haha!

I did end up reading this book despite it being a part of a series and frankly, it was fine because it could have been a stand-alone book as well.

I did not particularly enjoy the book too much. It was nice but not great. The story was a tad too emotional for me without giving me all the feels. That just lends me to roll my eyes. Not a nice thing, I know but it's just me.

I was probably not that involved with the characters and hence the whole story fell flat for me. Certain actions of characters just did not sit well with me and once that happens then the believability of the characters disappears. That's what happened here.

I don't want to write more negative things because it just might be me and maybe the book works better if I had read the series.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

She just gets better and better. That’s Jill Shalvis I’m speaking of. Character story developer extraordinaire. And in THE SUMMER DEAL this wondrous author gives us memorable characters to love. Kinsey, Brynn, Max and Eli, not in any particular order. What appears at first glance to be a rather simple premise evolved into something terrific and captivating. The story of these four characters is compelling and so enormously entertaining. I fully endorse THE SUMMER DEAL as the front runner for beach reading this summer.

You know you are reading something special when you can’t wait to see what happens next. THE SUMMER DEAL is a page turner about lives that are quite ordinary but people that are special in many ways.

Brynn and Kinsey share a father. They don’t realize that when they meet as teens in summer camp. In fact it was hate at first sight. It didn’t help that Brynn was shy and insecure and Kinsey was the camp resident mean girl. And it appeared as though the target of most of Kinsey’s mean was Brynn. Most of these moments are memorialize in each girl’s journal. It is through Brynn and Kinsey’s journals that Jill Shalvis reveals their innermost feelings and gives the reader a clear insight into their lives.

Remember the show Kids Say The Darndest Things. Art Linkletter. I know, I’m aging myself with this reference and aware that there have been current remakes of this show. However, that is what came to my mind while reading this masterpiece by Jill Shalvis. I apologize if I’ve used that adjective before in reviewing books by this wonderful author. But if the shoes fits.

Brynn is a fabulous character. So multidimensional that there is no abbreviated way to describe her. But perhaps her reaction to events would suffice. Brynn took a job as kindergarten teacher because there were no other openings. She absolutely dreaded having to face these little kids. Teenagers were much more her preference. We watch Brynn’s life expand through interaction with her class and her new roommates. Brynn has enjoyed a wondrous life with her new moms. But she is a mess of insecurities and worries about failing. And so Brynn is often her own worst enemy. Moving in with her roommates is going to teach Brynn much about herself and hopefully open up her world to new possibilities and friendships.

Then there’s Kinsey. Tough, unreachable. But you know how they say tough on the outside but mush on the inside. Well that about describes Kinsey. Kinsey’s life has been in turmoil for most of her life. But if you ask anyone to describe her in one word it would be bitch. If anyone had a right to be one it’s Kinsey. Kinsey needs to break down her own defensive wall that has surrounded her and in her mind kept her safe. Reality is that her self- imposed wall of nastiness is Kinsey’s feeble attempt at safeguarding the hearts of those around her.

SUMMER DEAL is an amazing look at human frailties and the search for that most important facet of life – love, trust and belonging. Jill Shalvis truly outdoes herself with the creation of a cast of memorable characters that imbed themselves in your heart. SUMMER DEAL is an important story about not judging a book by its cover. SUMMER DEAL is a great read from cover to cover.

It can only be a bad thing when you find yourself renting a room from the boy you have had a crush for years and find your other roommate is the same girl you hated from summer camp. When this happens to Brynn the enemies to frenemies relationship she has with Kinsley only becomes more deeper when Kinsley secret is revealed and it would not be a Jill Shalvis novel unless the romance between Eli and Brynn is torn apart because of the hatred. Can everyone find their HEA after the anger subsides? Can the two girls actually become closer than either of them ever realized? This story had it all - great characters, a storyline that I could not put down as well as an ending that put a smile on my face. Once again Jill Shalvis does not disappoint.

The Summer Deal is part of the Wildstone series by Jill Shalvis. It's standalone and isn't necessary to read any of the others that came before it to understand the storyline. The characters are unique to this book. The Summer Deal has a great premise - Brynn and Kinsey are sworn enemies from their summer camp days, but Kinsey finds out they are actually half sisters. Kinsey is also in need of a kidney transplant. Years go by without any communication between the girls, until a chance encounter with a mutual friend ends with everyone living in the same house together.
While I was really excited for this the characters fell flat for me. There was no richness and it felt very baseline. Even the dialogue was lacking for me. There were several scenes involving one relationship having a conversation and then the next couple would say almost the same lines. It was very odd and unlike anything I've experienced with a Jill Shalvis book. For those reasons, I was really disappointed with this book. However, it has a fast pace and the storyline keeps it going. It's a quick read and can easily be read in a day or two. For those reasons, I still gave the book 4 stars.

Well written and entertaining romance. Good addition to the series. Great plot and characters. I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

In “The Summer Deal” (Wildstone #5) by Jill Shalvis we are thrown into the life of Brynn Turner. Her life has not been what she had thought it would be and to try to get it back together she returns home. But an unexpected run in with Eli, a childhood crush, ends up complicating her life in ways she could never had imagined.

Not only do we get to see Brynn try to navigate her two moms, a forced friendship with a childhood nemesis named Kinsey, a new romance with Eli, but you throw in a few other great secondary characters and a jalapeno sky raisin loving dog and you have a great read.

I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.

Who is your family, and how do you define family? That is the question at the center of this book, along with an overall theme of “belonging.” This is a book about finding your place in the world, and building your own family. Brynn moves home to Wildstone after she is dumped by her boyfriend, in a pretty cold manner, and she has lost confidence in herself. She runs into Eli, a boy she knew and had a crush on from her summer camp, who is still best friends with Kinsey, who taunted and teased Brynn relentlessly at camp. Kinsey’s family life was non-traditional, as she was raised by 2 mothers; at the heart of the teasing was jealousy and a desire to just be seen as “normal.” But, the 2 women share a bond, which is a secret kept from Brynn. Brynn moves in with Eli, his brother Max, and Kinsey and they share a house while trying to find some common ground.

The characters were extremely likeable, despite their flaws. Their relationships with each other made the story for me. One of my favorites was Deck - the big tough guy with a soft side and a heart of gold is the perfect complement to the tough girl, Kinsey.

This book is part of the Wildstone series, but is 100% a stand-alone story - you will miss nothing (other than the pleasure of reading them) by not reading the other books in this series.

Great book, I enjoyed this one, and can’t wait to see what’s next from this author! Five stars all the way.

I received a copy of this book through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. I always enjoy Jill Shalvis. But I did find it difficult to believe someone would move into the same place as someone who she clearly disliked, regardless of the situation, when she had another option. I did get past that. The book was hilarious, and we all need a good laugh right now.

Brynn, Eli, and Kinsey went to the same summer camp for many years. Eli and Kinsey were tight friends but Brynn was often on her own. In fact, Kinsey was her camp bully. Even though they're now grown-up, the hurt is there. So, when Brynn comes home, already tender from a break-up from a con who took all of her money and her grandmother's necklace, she's not exactly excited to move in with the two. Well, actually, Eli's gotten pretty hot so Brynn's okay with him but Kinsey is the same old mean girl.
But Kinsey's got her own things she's dealing with. Including a pretty heavy illness. She's not exactly in a place where she can give a lot of empathy to others and she is trying to hold herself back so she doesn't hurt anyone later.
This was an interesting story. Like other books in the Wildstone series, the only connection is that they are set in the same town. Also, the romance takes more of a backseat to the other relationships in the book. Maybe not AS good as some of Shalvis's books but regular readers will not be disappointed.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out June 2nd
ARC kindly provided by HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

I couldn't put this book down once I started reading it. The complexity of each characters life, their childhoods, and current day interactions make this a rich story full of surprises. Summer camp relationships between Kinsey, Brynn, and Eli continue every summer until they turned 15. Journal entries from summer camp, detail the hostile relationship between Kinsey and Brynn and their friendship with Eli, Brynn's first crush. When they are brought together as adults, a surprising connection is discovered. Sometimes the family you choose is better than the family you're born with and this is well illustrated in The Summer Deal. Excellent.

Shalvis can write a hell of a story. How does she conjure such delicious men too? The Summer Deal is about family, truths, anger, running away, redemption, and release. Kinsey and Brynn have been adversaries from childhood, except they share the same blood. Eli has secretly longed for Brynn from when they were teenagers. Deck is a hulking man of sensitivity and patience. It takes awhile for Brynn and Kinsey to quit being so obtuse and settle their issues. My favorite characters were Raina and Olive, plus Eli amd Deck. The scenes with the five year olds kept me in stitches. Mini was the perfect adorable dog to throw into the crazy mix of characters.

Jill Shalvis has cemented herself as one of my favorite authors! The Summer Deal is an emotional and powerful story with romance, connection, and heart.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins/William Morrow for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed The Summer Deal by Jill Shalvis. It was a little different than her usual style, a little more women's fiction and I liked the change.

Frenemies meet up again as adults when a mutual summer camp friend invites her to live with them and we find out they are really half sisters. There is a lot of distrust, secrets and insecurities but with a little help from friends and loved ones they learn how to love themselves and others.

I overall liked the book - I was a little confused in the beginning on who was who and thought Brynn accepted that they were sisters a little too easily but overall a great beach read!

The story of of Brynn and Kinsey, not at all friends during their growing up years and then, years later, finding themselves thrown together in very unusual circumstances. Throw in a old crush of Byrnes, dysfunctional families and unique friends....you will find yourself laughing out loud and then getting teary eyed.
This is a perfect beach read, well written and entertaining.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author, Jill Shalvis, for the opportunity to read and give my honest review about this book.

As soon as I got this book I read. I could not put this book down. I believe this is by far my favorite Jill Shalvis book!!

Eli Thomas is a marine biologist for a nonprofit organization. He is close friends with Kinsey Davis. Eli offers Brynn a room to rent in the hopes that she and Kinsey will bond. However, having her under the same roof allows him to act on the feelings he has had since childhood. Can Eli convince the two women to forget their differences? Will Kinsey’s secrets destroy that hope? And will their conflict stand in the way of his relationship with Brynn?
Brynn Turner returns to Wildstone, California, to get her life back in order. On her first night home, she runs into Eli Thomas, her childhood crush, at the ER. Brynn reluctantly agrees to rent a room from him to escape her mothers’ smothering. She never expected to find her nemesis living in the same house. Brynn learns some startling information about Kinsey. Can Brynn and Kinsley mend their differences? Will Brynn let her insecurities interfere in her budding relationship with Eli?
Eli is such a sweetheart! Despite a crappy childhood, he still manages to maintain a selfless personality. I adore Eli’s devotion and caring for the people he considers family. There is little he would not do for them. Basically, Eli is the type of friend that everyone needs in their life. What I adore the most about Eli is how he refuses to pressure Brynn into anything she is not ready for. He is aware she has been hurt, so he would rather Brynn be certain about starting something between them.
Brynn took me a while to warm up to. She came off hypocritical at times. I understand her need for people, especially Kinsey and Eli, to be truthful with her. However, she should have extended the same courtesy to them. I empathize with Brynn’s need to feel as if she belonged and not feel like an outsider. I have been in her shoes when I was a teenager. What I like the most about Brynn is how she used her past connections to help Eli. She has witnessed his selflessness in helping others without asking help in return. She took initiative and reached out to get what he needed.
THE SUMMER DEAL is book five in Jill Shalvis’ contemporary romance series, WILDSTONE. This story can definitely stand alone because characters from the previous books do not make appearances. I notice how this book, along with ALMOST JUST FRIENDS, has a different formula than what is normally found in romance stories. It makes me curious to read the first three books and novella to see if the trend holds with them also.
THE SUMMER DEAL is an emotional tale that emphasizes the fact that family are not always blood. I really like the new direction the author is taking with this series. I cannot wait to see who in Wildstone gets their story told next.