Yet another fantastic Susan Mallery book! Everything I expect from Mallery, including romance and drama. I enjoyed the characters, the quirky setting and the way that Mallery worked with the ideas of family and truth within relationships. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.5 stars
The Summer Getaway, by Susan Mallery, is a delightful, heartwarming story with all the feels.

Robyn Caldwell is mother of two young adult children and is managing a lot in her life. As the drama and tensions build, she decides an escape to her precious grandmother’s home in picturesque Santa Barbara, California, like previous times in her life, is exactly what she needs. One-by-one the people and problems she is running from show up at her door, but she’s finally ready to deal with them. What she isn’t prepared for is the new arrival of a handsome, kind-hearted stranger, the estranged relative of her grandmother’s late husband.

This story has it all and it is all done so well! Personally, there are more graphic, steamy scenes than I am comfortable with, but I glossed over those and the rest of the story is perfection. There is humor, some eye-rolling, head-thumping interactions, relatable dialogue, laugh out loud banter, tender moments, sweet romance and inspiring family bonds. It’s so refreshing to actually see healthy family relationships, especially with adult children. The characters are intelligent and strong, flawed, but likeable (or not in some cases, as is intended), but authentic and appealing. I loved this story and am so grateful that I got to read it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Press for the free advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another winner from Susan! Susan Mallery can do no wrong! Her writing is perfection and I look forward to all of her books. Also, the audio is fantastic!

I’m a huge Susan Mallery fan and she is back with an enjoyable, uplifting and fabulous tale about love, family and friendship I couldn’t bear to put down: The Summer Getaway.

Single mom Robyn Caldwell has always put her family first and herself last. Bringing up a family single-handedly was tough but rewarding and Robyn wouldn’t change anything about her life. Only, things have changed and now Robyn feels lost and rudderless. With her daughter giving Bridezilla a run for her money and her son refusing to go to college – not to mention her best friend facing a marital disaster – Robyn needs a change and a break, so she decides to press reset and take a vacation. Taking up her Aunt Lilian’s offer for a holiday in Santa Barbara, Robyn packs her bags and heads off. Only, she is about to realize that she’s about to get a lot more than she bargained for in sunny California…

Robyn thought that in Santa Barbara she would be able to recharge her batteries and figure out who she is without her family. Only, her nearest and dearest follow her halfway across the country and make Robyn realize that maybe all she needed was a little perspective to find out who she truly is away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and the burdens of responsibility. Far from home, Robyn realizes that life is for living and that she can be the one in charge of her own destiny – but only if she has the courage to take a chance on herself.

Susan Mallery’s The Summer Getaway is gorgeous escapist reading at its finest! Full of warmth, wisdom, humor and plenty of heart, The Summer Getaway is a spellbinding page-turner about self-discovery, the ties that bind and grabbing life with both hands with a fabulous heroine who is bold, kind-hearted, brave, spirited and somebody readers will relate to and warm to.

An absolutely superb read from one of my favorite writers, Susan Mallery has another hit on her hands with her latest bestseller, The Summer Getaway.

It's about finding yourself, spending time with those you love and navigating life even when you aren't sure what you want it to be. This is a great read for by the pool, beach or even a nice campfire.

The Summer Getaway by Susan Mallery is a women’s fiction title that has some romance and lots of family drama. It’s been four years since Robyn Caldwell’s divorce and Robyn has come to a realization that she needs a plan for the rest of her life after the divorce settlement runs out. Robyn’s son, Austen, has just graduated high school and doesn't want to go to college. He has a job at his dad's boat charter business and an apartment for the summer. Robyn’s daughter, Harlow, has finished college and also had a job at her dad's business. She is planning to marry in a year and wants to get married in the backyard of the family home. The problem is that Robyn needs to sell the house as she cannot afford to buy Cord, her ex-husband out. She is in a relationship with a cardiologist, but finds out some information that has her wondering about where they are going. Finally, her BFF is contemplating a fling with her tennis instructor and Robyn warns her that it won't be worth it. In the midst of all the chaos Robyn gets a call from her great-aunt Lillian inviting her to visit her in Santa Barbara. Robyn packs up and travels across the country to visit her 94 year old aunt hoping for a break. The main thing standing in Robyn’s way of figuring out her own future, is dealing with everyone else’s problems before taking care of her own. Will she finally get the time she needs to figure it all out?

I was pulled right into this family drama. Robyn is a very sympathetic character, and her struggles with her family and friends felt real. Being a mom of adult children, I feel Robyn's pain. They will always be our kids and it is hard not to step in when they need us or when we think we know best. Her children were polar opposites, with Harlow being a spoiled princess and Austen being laid back, supportive of his mom and pretty sure of where he wants to go in his life. Great Aunt Lillian was a wonderful character, smart and a great listener. I loved the description of her home, a huge mishmash of a mansion overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Santa Barbara. It is a character in itself and plays an important role in the story. There is a bit of a romance along the way, but that is secondary to the main story. This is a story of family, finding your path in life, and self-discovery. Although there is some angst and frustration, there is also humour and heartwarming moments wrapped up together to make this a wonderful, entertaining story that I very much enjoyed.

I always love a good summery, beach read and this did not disappoint. Mallery brings to light the struggles of being the center caretaker for everyone in her family and the glue that holds them together. As each of them begin to fall into their own disasters she feels the need to run. So she takes herself to California on a vacation, but soon each member of her family begin to show up yet their issues and baggage doesn't seem to follow. This may just be exactly what the doctor ordered.

Robyn is such a relatable heroine. She’s older and to that place in her life where she’s trying to figure out what’s next. Mallery perfectly captured all the emotions inherent in that journey. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Brenda Novak.
4.5 stars

The Summer Getaway
by: Susan Mallery
publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing, HQN

Having enjoyed Susan Mallery's books before, I was looking forward to this book. The concept of a single mom who has been devoted to her children looking for a new beginning and focus on herself is appealing. Divorced mother Robyn, the main character in the book, has an opportunity to visit her great-aunt Lillian in sunny California for the summer.

The Summer Getaway has such a good overall plot. I loved the settings of Florida and the old mansion in Santa Barbara California. Lillian was a well-developed character who was very endearing.

Unfortunately, this book had some elements that I could not personally get past in order to be able to enjoy the story. Strong language and sexual references and scenes were included that I found offensive, crude, and not in line with what I expected based on the title, cover, and description. These, along with the actions of some of the characters, made me uncomfortable.

I do feel that there was much potential for this to be an outstanding read. Mallery is a talented writer who writes excellent women's fiction, but sadly this particular book was not an enjoyable one for me. It would be difficult for me to review it without giving my honest opinion.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, HQN for the advance reader's copy and opportunity to provide my unbiased review.
#TheSummerGetaway #NetGalley

3.5 stars raised to 4.

If you are looking for a fun beach read, this is it! Escapism at its best! Lifestyles of the rich, family drama, entitlement and growing up, love, life and moving on. The storyline is perfect for heading into the summer season! Characters are realistic, frustrating, lovable and endearing. I found some of the sexual slang uncomfortable and unrealistic for the age of the characters.

Thanks to Ms. Mallery, Harlequin Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

The Summer Getaway by Susan Mallery is about Robyn Caldwell who runs away from her life to figure out where her life is going next. She has the luxury of escaping to her aunt’s ocean front mansion in Santa Barbara! The issue is that everyone – and I do mean everyone – somehow ends up following her. Some of the scenes and the chaos that ensues is completely over the top and makes for an entertaining read.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2022/03/the-summer-getaway.html

Reviewed for NetGalley and a publisher’s blog tour.

From my blog: Always With a Book

I’ve been reading Susan Mallery’s books for years, having read most of her series and just loved them. This is the third stand-alone I’ve read and I find these to be just as enjoyable as her other books.

One thing I absolutely love about Susan Mallery is her ability to write genuine, relatable characters. In this book, she really brings forth the family drama and I loved it. Our main protagonist, Robyn, is at a crossroads in her life and yet no one else in her life seems to see that she could possibly have anything other than their issues to deal with. I loved that she basically just takes off across the country to try to put things in perspective…and yet they all end up following her.

The characters in this book are the type that make you want to hug them, cheer for them and some times smack them upside the head. But in the end, there is that turning point with most of them and that is what keeps me reading. There is drama, sometimes a little over the top, but it’s fiction and it wouldn’t be enjoyable if it wasn’t! There is a sweet and, at times steamy, romance and above all, there is just a story that has some feel-good moments.

This book has such a great balance of some heavy issues with lightheartedness thrown in. As someone who is married to a vet, I appreciated that story line and all the research that went into it. It’s the perfect book to pick now or to add to your summer reading list – one that you will breeze through with it’s entertaining storyline and engaging characters. I definitely recommend it!

I looked forward to reading The Summer Getaway by Susan Mallery, having enjoyed her work in the past and it did not disappoint. In the Summer Getaway, Mallery delivered a tale filled with family drama, angst, humour and romance.

The Summer Getaway introduces Robyn Caldwell a divorcee and mother of two young adults. She is at the point in her life where the need for more comes knocking. Her daughter is planning her wedding, her son is moving out temporarily and her current relationship has taken a nose dive. Looking for perspective on the path she should take concerning her future, she travelled to Santa Barbara to visit her great aunt Lillian, the one person who always kept her grounded. Lillian learns that while her great aunt was a source of comfort for her, she was the same for others. Everyone she attempts to get away from flocked to her like steel to magnet.

I had an interesting time with this story. The characters featured will make you either want to cheer them on, scream at them, shake some sense into them or feel indifferent towards them. I knew I would like Robyn from the moment of her introduction. She was such a personable character. No wonder everyone looked to her for solace, whenever situations in their lives goes sideways.


Now when Robyn went to visit her aunt the romance was the last thing she expected to find. Mason Bishop stands to inherit the house her aunt resides in, while Robyn will get the contents. Sparks flew when they met and slowly built to a raging inferno. I enjoyed their romance and it was good to see Robyn finding a man who appreciated her. Mason, a retired army veteran was an awesome individual. He had a calming and likeable personality, which made him perfect for Robyn.

The story delivered some interesting and dramatic moments, most of which were centered around Robyn's philandering ex-husband , Cord and her entitled daughter, Harlowe. The depth character development in The Summer Getaway was precisely what I expected from Mallery. The characters grew and learn from their mistakes. Even the obnoxious ones. I believe Robyn's friend got off too easy for her stupidity. After all the warnings Robyn gave her she went and did the unthinkable and then she came running to Robyn looking for solace. It shows Robyn's kindheartedness.

With a strong and interesting storyline, The Summer Getaway will appeal to readers of Women's Fiction.

4.5 stars

The Summer Getaway is a slow burn family drama with a splash of romance in it. I'll admit to not loving the characters in the book at first. Robyn's daughter Harlow was an entitled and self-involved princess who needed a reality check. Her ex-husband was a real piece of work and needed to grow up. Don't get me started on her friend Mindy and her very poor choices. I couldn't fault Robyn for running away to her aunt's house for a break from the drama. Harlow ended up having the best and by far the biggest growth over the length of the book. I'm not sure Cord really learned anything.

I did love Robyn and how she finally realized what she wanted out of life. Her romance with Mason was sweet and I was so rooting for them. I also loved her relationship with her son, Austin. He was a great character and reminded me a lot of my own son. The ending was perfect and left me with a warm feeling for almost everyone (Not you Cord). I definitely recommend this one.

Robyn Caldwell has the right idea. I've thought several times of escaping the crazy that is my family and running away for a bit. Of course, Robyn has the same problem I'm sure I'd have - one by one, they follow her. This story is a good balance of so many elements. I loved the humor and sometimes silly situations. Those lighter moments balance out the drama very well. The characters are all well developed, and they feel like people you could find in your own neighborhood. They're far from perfect, but that just makes them that much more believable. To sum it up, The Summer Getaway is an engaging story about family and all that entails - the drama, the love, the happy, and the sad. It's well written and as I've come to expect from Susan Mallery, it's full of characters I just couldn't get enough of.

I am a big fan of Susan Mallery and I loved this book!!! I easily fell in love with the characters and did not want their stories to end. Susan Mallery's signature style of writing real life scenarios and creating charming characters her readers will fall for is in play in her new novel. If you are a romance fan with some real life stuff thrown in you will definitely enjoy Susan Mallery and I implore you to start reading her books now!!

Robyn Caldwell had always held her family together, but in the wake of her divorce, she still has the same job to do. Her daughter is a Bridezilla, her son won't consider college, and her best friend is on the brink of marital disaster. As if that wasn't bad enough, her ex is making monumentally disastrous decisions that could ruin her life. When her Great-Aunt Lillian invites her to Santa Barbara, Robyn leaps at the chance. Everyone follows her there, but maybe this time she can take care of herself.

Robyn is an ordinary kind of woman that married young, had two kids, and worked at a business until her divorce from her cheating husband. Her children annoy me at times, much like any 22 and 18 year old would: Harper thinks the world revolves around her needs, and that Robyn does things to deliberately undermine what she dreamed of. Austin doesn't have a clear goal, and is content to coast, especially when his parents help him so much. Opposite to this is Mason, with his military background and need for more structure. His uncle had been Lillian's husband and will inherit the house while Robyn inherits the contents. With Robyn's boyfriend at the beginning of the book clearly looking down on her, we know from the start that Robyn and Mason are destined for a meet-cute.

I really didn't like Harlow in the first half of the book and wasn't particularly attached to anyone other than Mason. I sympathized with Robyn and liked Austin when I saw more of him, but overall I started the book feeling no real connection with the characters. Some of the heel turns other characters took felt out of the blue, so Robyn bursting out in laughter at one point mirrored what I felt.

Summer Getaway is well written, and other people might like the characters more than I did. The plot is solid enough, but my emotional distance didn't allow me to really enjoy the book.

Robyn Caldwell is a divorced mother of two who’s soon reaching a crossroad. Her oldest, Harlow, is engaged, planning her wedding and turning into a bridezilla, blaming her mother for anything not going her way. Her son Austin is graduating from high school but doesn’t seem to have a plan. Her ex-husband Cord has entered into a disastrous new relationship he’s keeping secret from his children. With Austin turning eighteen, Robyn has to make a significant financial decision about their beautiful but costly Naples, Florida home in accordance with her divorce settlement. When her great aunt Lillian Holton calls and invites her to consider a summer stay at her Santa Barbara estate, Robyn flees to California for a respite. Little did she know how vital she was to the people in her circle who would soon follow her, bringing their baggage with them.

What didn’t I love about this story! Robyn was the heartbeat of her family, which was news to her before she decided to take some time for herself and visit with the aunt who took her in when her parents died. Aunt Lillian is 94-years old and is eager to settle her affairs while she’s still in good health so her time there not only gave her much needed self reflection but an opportunity to spend time with a woman she loved dearly. At the same time, Lillian has invited Mason Bishop, the remaining relative of her late husband, to discuss his legacy. He’s a recently retired Army veteran who is comfortable with life but completely unprepared for what Lillian presents. He and Robyn use the opportunity to enjoy each other’s company while developing a plan for the estate settlement in the future. I loved their developing relationship, how mature and drama free it was in the midst of the chaos Robyn left behind in Naples.

I could hardly put my headphones down, not wanting to miss what was happening next. The narrator added to my enjoyment of the story as she captured the perfect tone and spirit of both the characters and the tale. It was enlightening to see Harlow and Austin find their way on their own, both having a higher appreciation for their mother. It was even more heartwarming to see Robyn learn to let them go and finally focus on her own needs. I loved every moment of my listening experience!

Who Is the mature adult here? I feel I have just seen a play or movie with more characters appearing and then disappearing between doors of this massive mansion. Plenty of raw emotion here. Definitely a great beach read. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Publishing for providing me an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.

This was the perfect book to help me escape my own reality. I found myself being able to easily relate to Robyn as a mother. She's trying to parent her adult children as best as possible without being overbearing or intrusive, letting them make their own life decisions and learn from their mistakes.

After Robyn and her daughter Harlow get into a pretty heated argument along with other life events, Robyn decides it's time to get away for a bit, so she heads to Santa Barbara to see her ninety-something great aunt Lillian for some R&R and sage advice. I would best describe Lillian as the matriarch of the family, even if at a distance.. She's always there to help pick up the pieces and is like a mother figure to Robyn and grandmother figure to Robyn's children, Harlow and Austin. She's even well-liked by Robyn's ex, Cord, who is a complete turd.

At first, Harlow was my least favorite character. She just came off as a spoiled, whiny brat that was used to getting everything she wanted. Robyn blames herself for the way Harlow acts. Over the course of the book, you will see Harlow mature and grow, realizing that the world does not revolve around her and the importance of family. Towards the end of the book, Cord took the crown for my least favorite character.

I loved the balance of drama and romance in this novel. It's not an overly spicy novel, but it does have a nice romantic storyline. This was the first novel I've read from this author, and now I'm eager to check out her backlist.

Special thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.