What happens when a dyslexic chef meets a handsome librarian? She does everything she can not to fall in love with him. Sam is spending the summer on Martha's Vineyard taking care of her younger half brother when she runs into a handsome librarian, who is spending the summer on the island in search of his birth father. In no time, Sam is helping Ben in the search for his dad, while Ben is teaching Sam how to love books. McKinlay tells a fun, cute story about facing one's reality rather than hiding who one really is, while also shining a light on the challenges those with dyslexia face on a daily basis. Not much is ever written or known about what it is like to have this disability, and McKinlay provides an excellent example of the daily things those without dyslexia take for granted. I sincerely appreciated that aspect of the book - not only did I enjoy the story, but I learned something as well!

I really flew through this great summer story!

Even though I don't have dyslexia or know anyone that does, I really appreciate the font being written in the dyslexic friendly one. I learned a bit more about this reading disorder through the character Sam. I also liked how she became an accomplished chef (shame on the people for firing her because of her dyslexia!) and I also loved that she wanted to write a cookbook in honor of her Grandma.

I liked how this flipped the script and made the boy bookish! From their first gross (this falls on another, not their, part) meeting in the ferry to the way they both help each other with their individual wants, I enjoyed watching the relationship develop.

What I really loved was the relationship that blossomed and grew between Sam and her half brother Tyler. How she teaches him to dance and how he teases her like a "dad" when she's with Ben.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

Summer Reading is a delightfully entertaining contemporary romance written by Jenn McKinlay. This author is relatively new to me (this being only the third book in this genre written by Ms. McKinlay that I have read) and so far, I am very happy I stumbled onto her writing in this genre.

The main characters are Samantha, a chef without a kitchen and Ben, an interim library director. This seems like an unusual pairing for what one can assume is a to-be romantic pair since Sam struggles to read due to her dyslexia and Ben is very much into reading. What we quickly realize is that Ben is a sensitive guy who just does not give up! And - Sam is a gal who longs to feel validated and loved. I loved the fact that while reading a romance I was schooled in a topic that I knew precious little about - dyslexia.

The story begins with Samantha arriving in Martha’s Vineyard to look after her younger half-brother while their parents take off on a much needed vacation. Little does anyone know that Sam is without a job or direction in her professional life. This is a chance for her to re-boot. Ben has taken a temporary position in Martha’s Vineyard to be able to research the summer his mother spent here and got pregnant, in hopes of figuring out who is father is now that his mother has passed. An unlikely pairing if I do say so myself - but it works.

I enjoyed the maturing dynamic between Sam and her half brother Tyler. To begin - there is friction (but then isn’t there always when dealing with young adolescent boys?), but what is evident is that they never really had a chance to bond and get to know each other as Sam was practically out of the house when Tyler was born… and she was not very accepting of her new step-mother to being with. As their relationship begins to mature, you see a strong family bond building. I thought the way Sam guided Tyler in his quest to impress a certain young women was genius - through food. Given that Sam is a chef though, I expected nothing less. And the driving scenes - priceless. I loved how the sibling bond grew throughout the story.

As Ben hunted for his father, and his relationship with Sam grew, I enjoyed their collaboration’s - both in searching the island for any clues available to figure out who Ben’s father was as well as Sam having Ben (and her brother) as sous chef’s / helpers on her Friday cooking gig’s. I was a bit frustrated when Ben pulled away - but what is a romance without a bit of angst? The journey to find the identity of Ben’s father is engaging… but you will have to read the book yourself to get more details on this particular journey!

This story had intrigue, romance and good ole fashioned family angst. Additionally, a hot lead in Ben, wonderful location and great writing make for an overall enjoyable read. In fact - one that I can recommend, especially if you want to be taken on a journey to Martha’s Vineyard and follow Samantha’s summer adventures.

I love the way this author weaves a story! After reading Wait for It, when I saw Summer Reading come up for review I had to grab it and I’m so glad I did. What I loved about this book is there was a definite romance going on, a slow burn one, but a romance none the less, however this book was about so much more and it was those other relationships that made this story almost perfect (it was perfect until Chapter 27 and there are only 29 chapters in this book (more on that later)). A sexy librarian hero, a dyslexic chef heroine, a fractured sibling relationship restored, a best friend who’d go to the mat for you and vice versa, add in the idyllic setting of Martha’s Vineyard, and you have one incredibly well written, witty, and wonderful story.

Samantha (Sam) has returned to Martha’s Vineyard for the summer to stay with her 14 year old brother, Tyler, while her father and step-mom take a two month long European vacation. The request from her dad came just as Sam was panicking about quitting her job after being passed over for a head chef position. She knows that it will not be easy; she and Tyler aren’t close as he was only 4 when she left home, but she plans to make the best of it. With Tyler enrolled in a robotics camp for summer, she’ll have plenty of time to relax on the beach and figure out her next step career wise, what she doesn’t count on is a crazy encounter on the ferry over to the island or to see that man again when she drops Tyler off for camp.

Bennett (Ben) accepted the position as interim library director on Martha’s Vineyard for one reason only, to find his father. Knowing his mother spent the summer before his birth there waitressing and the fact that she won’t divulge his name, Ben plans to find his father once and for all. I loved the way he and Sam met and there were definite sparks from the start, when he sees her at the library it’s like kismet and I just knew their relationship would be a special one. I especially loved that after Sam tells him about her dyslexia he is accepting, something she hasn’t had in the past from a lot of people. Showing up and reading to her so they can enjoy the same book…sigh.

This book had a full and rich plot and through it all Sam begins to see that despite her disability she can do things she’s wanted to do even if it means asking for help. Ben is a big part of that encouraging her to write the cookbook of her grandmother’s recipes by taking note and writing down steps as she cooks. Seriously at times Ben is too good to be true. Along with that I was captivated with the way Sam and Tyler began to communicate and really get to know one another on a different level. Their bond was special and lasting. In addition Sam’s long time best friend, Emily, has a health scare but Em is always there each and every time Sam needs her and she absolutely has Sam’s back when it comes to her dyslexia.

My one complaint was Ben going all out of character and ruining a good thing and yes, I get that he has issues stemming from his b*tch of a mother, Moria, and the head games she played with him his whole life, but what he did wasn’t right and it went on too long and if you ask me Sam gave in way too easily. Yes, I get she loved him but he acted like a complete d*ck and she should have made him sweat a whole lot longer IMHO. (Yes I hold grudges when they are warranted and it was in this instance –too good to be true man, yep HUGE flaw in his character right there.)

Overall, I loved Summer Reading and I highly recommend it. Jenn McKinlay has a way with words and I simply fall into her books and the world melts away.

When Sam a chef goes home for the summer to take care of her half-brother she has a crush on the local librarian although she doesn't like to read. This summer will be the best yet hopes to form a relationship with her brother, starting up her career again and maybe get a little romance.

Although there are some deep issues here, McKinlay keeps the tone light enought to feel just like a beach read. There is family drama and also learning how to navigate relationships while being neurodiverse and I loved those aspects of this story. Sam is home after being passed over for an executive chef position and is taking care of her younger half brother, Tyler while her dad and his wife get some much needed time away. Sam meets Ben (hot library guy) on the ferry over to the Vinyard and sparks fly immediately.
Sam is hiding a secret though, she is dyslexic and Ben is a reader for a living, how could this ever work between them? Both of them are battling demons that haunt them from the past and it is great to see how they work together and how Sam works through issues with her family.
I feel like this book just breezed by, but the family things are what really kept me interested. 3.5 Stars!
Thank you to Berkley, Netgalley and Jenn McKinlay for an early copy.

There are so many things I loved about Summer Reading. I loved the romance. I love the Vineyard setting. I loved the characters. Most importantly, I loved that the main character was neurodiverse and living with dyslexia. Now, I'm not neurodiverse, so I can't speak to the accuracy of what Sam experiences, but reading it I definitely like I had a better understanding of dyslexia.

I also really love the role reversal that Ben was the reader in the story and helped Sam discover different ways to enjoy books. And Sam helped Ben with the search for his unknown father by using her deep familial knowledge of the island.

This was such a wonderful story and I enjoyed every second reading it.

Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!

Definitely a good summer vacation book to take to the beach. Set in a town in Martha’s Vineyard during the summer, Samantha Gale is licking her wounds after not getting the promotion to head chef. Returning to spend summer with Tyler, the half brother she has hardly spent time with, while their parents vacation in Europe, Sam is dazzled by Ben, the hot new Library Director. As a neurodivergent person, and dyslexic, can Sam and the book loving Ben actually develop a relationship? I enjoyed the characters and the steamy scenes. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you @berkleypub for the free book and @prhaudio for the audio version as well. #penguinrandomhousepartner

This is an enjoyable light read, perfect for summer! I especially love that this book is published in a friendly format for readers with dyslexia. (Be sure to read the author’s note.)

SAMANTHA GALE agrees to spend the summer watching her teenage younger brother while her parents travel. The story is told from her viewpoint and she mentions her dyslexia frequently. It was interesting to see how she coped with it.

BEN REYNOLDS is an avid reader, spending his summer working as the librarian. He doesn’t judge Sam for her dyslexia. He piques her interest in reading by reading books to her.

I love Sam’s sarcastic and self-deprecating sense of humor and I especially love the relationship she builds with her brother. I personally don’t feel there is much chemistry between Ben and Sam. I would have preferred to have more of the book devoted to the romance and less to the dyslexia factor.

I read most of this book in its digital format and preferred that over the audio version.

This book had me by the cover, unfortunately this did not live up to my expectations. I didn’t really connect with the romance aspect between Ben and Sam. I connected with the side stories more and felt like those were the focus of the book, Sam’s relationship with her brother and Ben’s search for his dad. I did really enjoy the fact that Jenn wrote this with the intention of having a neurodivergent MC and I really liked how she showed that just because there is that disability it first define Sam. All in all, there were some good parts to the book but I just felt like the romance aspect was a miss.

This was a lovely beach read between a librarian and a woman with dyslexia who was insecure because of her dislike of reading. A great relationship was depicted here between Sam, our protagonist, and her younger brother Tyler, whom she cared for over the summer. At times it felt like the romance in the book suffered to get across the familial element, which was a bit of a disappointment, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless, and I loved the love interest being a male librarian!

Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay
This was the first book I’ve read where the main character has dyslexia. I learned about how people with dyslexia cope and forge forward with reading. It was enlightening, to say the least.
Samantha & Bennett were fun to follow around the Vineyard. I love it when I can relate to the characters, even in the smallest ways. I love watching cooking shows, and I am a librarian. This book was meant to live on my bookshelf (after reading it, of course).
The self-esteem issues that Samantha faced were all too familiar. I tend to talk down to myself just as she had. For some reason, it is easier to believe the bad of ourselves than to accept the good. Samantha faces it head-on, and I admire her for it.
Bennett, an interim director on the search for his biological father, has the best cute-meet with Samantha.
You’ll fall in love with all the characters and long to live on Martha’s Vineyard. I give this book a 5-star rating!

ben & sam 🌊

i loved the pacing of this book and thought they were so strong in how they handled each other needs. ben is so sweet and loving while sam is reassuring and an amazing friend. the only part that threw me off was the ending… he said he wanted space then came running back all of the sudden? i didn’t like the rush of it and just threw me off

but i love the setting of the book - new england summer what more could you want for a summer book!!

however i’m so excited for em’s book :))

This book has the correct title - Summer Reading is just what you would want for a day at the pool/beach. I was invested in the character's relationships throughout this book. As much as it is a love story between Sam and Ben, it is also a family connection between Sam and her brother Tyler. I think I was equally invested in those relationships. I enjoyed the growth of Sam throughout the book. I am recommending to readers who enjoy a romance and/or family story with enjoyable characters. This is my first book by Jenn MicKinlay and it will not be my last. I look forward to the next book from Jenn McKinlay.

A cute love story with a Martha’s Vineyard backdrop, a family dynamics highlight, an opposites attract trope, and a little bit of spice. I thought the author did a nice job of highlighting dyslexia in a way that is not always done in fiction. I thought the middle dragged a little bit, and the single point of view made it harder to understand the multiple breakups. I did love the food descriptions!

Thank you to Net Galley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay

This is the first romance I’ve read where our male lead is the “bookish nerd,” while our female lead has dyslexia. I love that the author took time to make reading this book inclusive with neurodivergent friendly font and formatting. The romance between Sam and Ben was cute but a little too insta-love for me. What I really enjoyed were their side stories; Sam trying to connect with her younger half-brother Tyler and Ben trying to find his biological father. Seeing the bond between Sam and Tyler grow was so heart-warming. Overall, I think it was a cute read with a fun, sweet romance. I’d recommend this is your favorite trope is insta-love with a fun meet-cute.
Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy to review.

This was a sweet romance between Sam (a chef) and Ben (a librarian) in the perfect summer setting (Martha's Vineyard), featuring food scenes that will make your stomach growl and lots of book talk. What more can you ask for in a beach read?

Sam has dyslexia which I don't see repped enough in novels. I found the explanations of Sam's experiences and the author's note about things like the font choices for this book really interesting. My one complaint is that Sam's struggle started to feel a little repetitive as a major plot point and the focus seemed to be on what she couldn't do as opposed to what she could. But I did appreciate that for once, the guy is the reader in the relationship and that I got to learn more about the disorder, Sam and Ben's love of a shared book is beautifully sexy.

3.5 stars

Thanks to Berkley for the copy to review.

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

This was not one of my favorite McKinlay reads. I'm typically a big fan of her romance novels, but this one missed the mark for me. I love that Samantha was a neurodivergent character, however, it felt like she was constantly reminding the reader of her dyslexia. It wasn't part of her story - it WAS her WHOLE story... and it got to be repetitive. There were some redeeming parts and she was overall likable, but the tone of the book was too formal and left out some of the emotional nuances and characteristics of the MCs. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.