I really, really enjoyed this opposites attract, summer romance between a Librarian and a neurodivergent (dyslexia and ADHD) chef who fall in love on Martha's Vineyard!!

Everyone needs to find a man who will read them romance books at the beach. When Samantha comes to stay with her younger brother on Martha's Vineyard while her father and stepmother are away, she never expected to fall for the hot visiting Library administrator. She especially doesn't see any future for them since she hates reading and doesn't plan to stick around.

Life on the island and with Bennett slowly starts to grow on her and he helps her deal with all the negative self-thoughts she's had about her learning disabilities. Full of complicated family relationships, great disability rep and a sweet romance, this book is a top contender for my fav summer beach read!

Great on audio narrated by one of my favs, Kelsey Navarro Foster. Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and @prhaudio for early digital copies in exchange for my honest review!

A transformative summer for Sam, her brother Tyler, and Ben. Sam, a chef, is out of work (she was passed over for promotion) so going home to Martha's Vineyard and keeping an eye on her 14 year old half brother Tyler is a financial and emotional lifeboat. And then she meets a guy reading a book on the ferry and it turns out he's the temporary Director of the Library. Ben's good looking but it turns out that he's also sensitive, especially to Sam's dyslexia and ADHD. They build a relationship on her cooking and his reading to her. Never one to sit back, Sam gets a gig doing happy hour catering (oh the food- there are recipes), an arrangement which oddly brings her closer to Tyler. I liked this more than I expected - McKinlay does a terrific job with Sam's neurodiversity and coping mechanisms, she's written a good teen in Tyler, a good friend in Emily, and well, good steam. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fun read. (and there's a teaser at the end for a second book I'm now eager to read.)

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing the ARC.

I really wanted to like this book based on the premise. It seemed very much an "opposites attract" romance that I would be down to read. However, I just didn't jive with the plot or any of the characters.

The plot was very cookie cutter and generic and there wasn't a whole lot that surprised me. I do understand that, as a whole, the romance genre tends to be very formulaic, but this was formulaic to a fault. As a result, there was nothing about the plot that really drew me in to the story, and I felt myself skimming whole passages because there was nothing really of interest.

The characters also were not great. Sam felt really naïve. She was 28, and had been working as a chef for years before she up and quit her job without any kind of back up plan. And when she met Ben, she went through a whole series of "but does he really like me" moments that felt really inauthentic. She was able to pick up on the subtle changes in her teenage brothers mood, but not able to tell when a man is interested in her while he's actively pursuing her? I don't believe it for a second. Ben also wasn't great. He came on pretty quick and within a few weeks, he was calling Sam his "person." Also, I think I would hate being given the nickname Samwise, even if he is my favorite character from LOTR.

Overall, it was a generic rom-com. A complete fluff piece without much substance, but it wasn't the worse thing that I've ever read. I'm sure plenty of people will find enjoyment in it, just not me.

I received an ARC through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

Genre: Romance
Spice Level: Medium+ (It's on the page & fairly explicit—I had to skip, because I'm me.)
Representation: Neurodivergent
Language: Some swearing

SUMMER READING is my first book by Jenn McKinlay—I adored her characters!

Samantha has baggage from her childhood (especially high school when she discovered she had dyslexia), her parent's divorce, and stupid boyfriends who have dumped her in the past.

Ben's wounds come from his artistic mother. And let me tell you, that gives him plenty as you can see as the story unfolds.

Here's the rough thing. I can't tell you some of my favorite parts because I don't want to spoil the surprise for you.

So, it's good enough to say that I loved the books, food, growth arc for 3-4 characters. It's impossible for me to read sexy scenes and enjoy them—and that's the only negative for me as a reader. I think this will be a 5 star read for most romance readers.

I recommend this book!

Happy reading!

With a title like Summer Reading, you can bet this romance is going to make you wish you were reading it at the beach. And since Jenn McKinlay was once a librarian, all of us library nerds can rejoice in the way she writes about books and libraries. Cass is a chef who is between jobs and spending the summer on Martha's Vineyard, taking care of her half brother. She's definitely not there to fall in love, but some things are just inevitable.

The MC in Summer Reading is dyslexic and she falls for Ben, an avid reader who is a librarian, certainly not a match made in heaven.

These characters are amazing, so well developed and so likable. This book just made me happy reading it.

I love a good love story, and this was definitely that! I love a good love story even more when there is a little extra sprinkled in. In Summer Reading, the extra is Samantha’s relationship with her brother Tyler. I thought this was a great side story, very emotional and moving.

The book is published in a dyslexic friendly design. With one in ten people being impacted by some form of dyslexia, why aren't all books like this?

There is soooo much to love about this book and I loved everything about it. And I am so glad this is the first in the series, with the next book featuring Sam's BFF Em🩷🩷🩷

I totally enjoyed Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay, a sweet, enjoyable, and heartwarming story that explores relationships, bonds and building connections; family, parental, sibling, friends, or romantic. It’s about growing and becoming who you truly are meant to be; and it’s about taking risks when you have the right support. Woven throughout this story is an insight into the awareness and impact someone with dyslexia experiences in society today and coping techniques to survive with this learning disability.

From the unexpected meet-cute with Ben: a hot guy on the ferry, spending time with her best friend Emily, bonding with her teenage half-brother Tyler, and falling into a cooking job, unemployed chef Sam has an unforgettable summer on the Vineyard. Sam teaching Tyler and Ben how to dance was hysterical. Sam and her bestie Emily are super-entertaining together. Ben is sweet, warm, and endearing, despite his dysfunctional mother. The special way he viewed Sam, recognizing all her accomplishments as they balance each other perfectly. There’s nothing better than the scenes that involve reading “their” book.

Ms. McKinlay wrote a wonderful, humorous, heartwarming, and emotional romance that is both endearing and deeply touching. The bonds and connections made helped the characters grow and reconsider their futures. Lots of good food was described and I am thankful that recipes were provided. I highly recommend Summer Reading to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

5/5 stars

content warnings: death of a parent, bullying, medical content, talks of cancer

I just finished this book and absolutely LOVED it! Everything I love in romance books was in 'Summer Reading' and this book was just what I needed. Jenn McKinlay did a fantastic job writing about a dyslexic main character and the challenges Samantha faced. Ben is book boyfriend material and I loved that he read the books to Sam so she could understand them better. Tyler, Sam's half brother is so quirky and nerdy and I really enjoyed seeing their relationship grow. I didn't love the rushed ending but the rest of the book, the characters and Sam's best friend Em made up the stars for me! Can't wait to read anything else McKinlay writes.

You'd enjoy this book if you like:
-summer/small town romance setting
-opposites attract
-sibling bonding
-a bit of mystery
-amazing chemistry

This book was a wonderful, funny, heartwarming story with a little romance and mystery. The characters were well-defined and likeable. Summer Reading kept me entertained and engaged. I picked it up to only read a couple of chapters and 4 hours later I had read the whole book, I didn’t want to put it down. I appreciated how this book featured dyslexia and the struggles that can go along with having a disability. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

"Summer Reading" is an ideal poolside pick that can be consumed pretty quickly, while still giving your heart a nudge.

3.5 stars

A little something different from Jenn McKinlay, a romance with a bit of seriousness underneath. Chef Samantha has recently quit her high visibility job after being passed over for a promotion she felt she deserved. She is returning to her childhood home for the summer, housesitting and keeping an eye on her teenage half-brother while her dad and stepmother are travelling.

She meets a hunky guy on the ferry to the island and finds out he is the acting library director in her home town. And here is Sam's challenge: she is dyslexic so the world of reading is foreign to her. She has come up with a lot of coping skills over the years to enable her to function in a world of written instructions, recipes, personnel paperwork, food orders, etc. McKinlay does a great job of allowing the reader to understand how difficult things can be for those who have dyslexia. Even something as simple as the font for a book or sign can make a huge difference.

Sam is sensitive about this because she was labelled stupid and slow as a child and teenager. She feels like this was even a factor in her work life. She is mostly self-confident, but at times she still defaults to thinking of herself as disadvantaged. And so the irony of her falling for a man whose whole world is the written word is painful.

But they are absolutely drawn to each other and Ben has a problem as well: his free-spirited and arrogant artist mother has never told him who his father was. She was not much of a parent in some ways and he was mostly raised by his grandparents and he is on a quest to find his father.

They help each other with their issues while trying to avoid the fact that nothing about their relationship fits into the summer fling mode. Meanwhile, Sam establishes a strong bond with her brother that is valuable to them both. This is a fun love story with a bit of depth to it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Started out strong but overall was meh for me. I liked the relationship with her brother and the Martha's Vineyard setting.

The dyslexia rep and everything the author did was amazing.. I love the font was even made dyslexia friendly and the book reading scenes and that audiobooks were mentioned so frequently!

Ok this one was adorable and I ended up liking it more than I thought I would which is always such a pleasant surprise. I wanted to read it based on the title alone, I mean how could a bookworm not want to read a book called Summer Reading?! I’m not even sure I fully read the synopsis before I started it but I’m glad, every little nugget that was revealed was like another little treat for me. I love foodie fiction so Samantha being a chef was great. Sibling stories also always appeal to me and you don’t often see brother and sister stories where there is such a wide age gap and Sam and Tyler’s relationship was so cute and funny. It also had all the summer vibes and a great Martha’s Vineyard setting so definitely consider it for your own summer vacation TBR. There was great dyslexia and neurodivergence representation as well, which is a topic I haven’t seen much in books and the authors not was so great and informative. Ben was the best kind of cinnamon hero, so endearing and charming and him and Sam were the sweetest match. Really enjoyed this one!

I was so excited for Summer Reading after loving several books by Jenn McKinlay and it didn’t disappoint! I don’t think I’ve read any books with dyslexia representation but I really appreciated learning more about it through Samantha’s eyes. It was heartbreaking how she was treated and made to feel less than because of her dyslexia.
I absolutely adored Ben! More hot librarian characters please! He was so sweet and caring. I love how he used his love of reading and books to read to Sam and share his passion with her. He is new book boyfriend goals!
I enjoyed their connection and chemistry and how quickly they became friends and then more.
The brother sister relationship with Sam and her brother was another favorite part. I loved seeing them reestablish a bond and her share things like her passion for cooking and dance. I can’t recommend this one enough!

I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review.
First, the cover. LOVE! I know these covers are all the rage right now and this cover really is top notch. It's what drew me to the book. It's what made me want to read it.
Then the blurb.I've been really into rom com lately. I love a good love story. And one that involves books, even better. The premise of this book intrigued me. Nerdy book guy versus girl who doesn't read. Plus it touches on a disability subject. Since I knew very little about dyslexia and neurodivergence, I felt a need to dive in and find out.
I also asked around about the author as I'd never read her before and heard all good things.
Despite the draw and really wanting to love this book, I just couldn't. I had a very hard time connecting with the main female character, Sam. I appreciate the delve into dyslexia, but I also felt like this defined her throughout the whole story. She was so focused on what she could not do she barely saw into what she could actually do. And the love story fell flat for me. It was dull.
I also had a hard time sex scenes. To me, there was no build up. The scenes had no build up throughout the story, so when they happened it just didn't fit for me.
I know there are those who will love this one but it just was not for me.

4,5 stars
I loved Wait For It by this author so I was excited to get an ARC of her next book. The author starts with a message about how this book will be in a font that works for people with dyslexia. The main character is dyslexic. I thought this was pretty cool. The problem was every chapter the main character reminds us she is dyslexic and I felt it was too much. I get a child still having anxiety over people not liking her because of it but she is 28 and it just seemed odd. She would say how she copes which was great but then, oh they must hate me because I'm dyslexic. Like what?! I have anxiety and I never think someone hates me after I tell them I have anxiety. It at times was too much. However...

A book about a hot librarian falling in love with a woman who can't read books was amazing. I mean he had to read to her didn't he? I'll just be here swooning! So their meet cute is her accidentally knocking his book into the ocean on the ferry to Martha's Vineyard. Oops. I absolutely loved Ben and the Martha's Vineyard setting was adorable. So Samantha is a chef but she lost her job so she is babysitting her brother on Martha's Vineyard while her dad and step-mom go on vacation. I was a little nervous because I do not like kids in my romances but Tyler was great. He is a teenager so it worked out. This was all very cute and I ended it with a smile on my face! It was a quick read. I read half of it in one day. It looks like Sam's best friend Em gets the next book and I am excited to read that one.

-"You're an introvert?"
"I prefer to think of it as being highly selective about whom I spend time with."

SUMMER READING is an irresistible, insightful, likable novel that involves a hot, male librarian, a pretty, sexy chef who doesn't read, family problems, a mystery and a slow burn romance. Samantha Gale quit her job as head chef in Boston. Her dad needs her to watch her stepbrother, Tyler, so she is now summering in Martha's Vineyard. Her dad and stepmom are going on an extended vacation. When she learns she has to chauffeur her teenage stepbrother, Tyler, to the local library for a robotics competition, spending time at the beach is out. Surprises await her when she discovers that the handsome man she met on the ferry ride over is the head librarian. Since Sam is dyslexic, her and books never meshed, but with a hot looking guy to ogle, she might just hang out there.

Bennet Reynolds took a job on the island so he can investigate his family history. He doesn't know his father and is on a mission to find out more. When Ben is accidentally bumped on the ferry ride by a lovely lady, he can't get her out his mind. He really doesn't have time for a relationship, but a magnetic attraction wins out. Time spent with Sam revs his engines. He helps her out with her dream job too. Will the time spent together lead to something more?

Ms. McKinley pens a winning story of love, laughter and true-to-life situations in her new book, SUMMER READING. A hunkalicious librarian and a charismatic chef meet unexpectedly on a ferry ride. Family issues, unexpected surprises, a risky romance, and more round out this touching story. I loved the beautiful location the story is set in, since I am a fan of beach locales. Looking for a fresh, funny, and a calorie-free dessert? SUMMER READING is a tasty delight!

I feel like this book didn't know what it wanted to be.

It included serious topics that I was glad to see mentioned, such as dyslexia, but it also tried to be lighthearted and fun. In the end, we just ended up staying on the surface, which was disappointing.

I was so glad to see the author discuss dyslexia and having the story told from a neurodivergent main character's point of view, but I feel like Sam kept hiding behind her disability, using it as the reason everything went wrong in her life. It got a little repetitive over time.

That being said, I did appreciate the relationship between our hero and heroine. I liked their banter and was rooting for them in the end.

Overall, this was a fun summer read and I cannot wait to read more from this author in the future!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

Samantha Gale returns to her family home on Martha's Vineyard for the summer to chaperone her much younger half-brother, Tyler. Unbeknownst to her family, the timing is perfect, as she's just quit her job after being passed over for a promotion to executive chef.

Her meet awful with Bennett on the ferry ride over was enough to make me put the book down. I recommend against reading the first parts of this book while eating. But after that initial bit of disgusting, it gets much better.

Oh my goodness, the food. I am so pleased the recipes were included because they were mouthwatering. And the gorgeous guy from the ferry turns out to be a librarian. Is there any hotter career? And he reads steamy romance novels to her...

I loved Sam's relationship with her brother, Tyler, and seeing it grow. And I also enjoyed that her relationship with her stepmother was a positive and supportive one. Bennett's quest to find his father added some interesting tension to the book. But his behavior near the end annoyed me greatly. I would have preferred a somewhat shorter middle and longer conclusion to the book.

But most of all, I was glad to see the amazing rep of dyslexia, ADHD, and neurodivergence. I especially appreciate that the author's note makes it clear Jenn McKinlay did more than write about dyslexia. She advocated for the print copies of her book to be published in a way that is accessible with sans serif fonts and other adjustments that make the text easier to read. I only have the eARC and audiobook, so I haven't seen these for myself. But I am deeply grateful for the conscientiousness that pervaded this story.

4.5 stars rounded up

I enjoyed this book, but it was just a little clunky. All the pieces were there, great characters, great story, and fun setting, but the story didn’t flow smoothly. I would definitely read others by this author.