Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

At times slightly uneven, this beach read is overall charming, delightful, and easy. I appreciated the perspective of a character who identifies as neurodivergent, with dyslexia, although at times it felt like the author was hitting you over the head with this fact. What I did really like was a character who was finding a new purpose in life, and the romance with the hot male librarian. Both very entertaining, and both kept me around to read until the end!

I read this one so quickly! It would definitely make a great beach, lake, and/or river read.

I loved the dyslexia rep from Sam and that the bookish person in the book was the guy (Ben). I think my only complaint was that Sam mentioned dyslexia or being neurodivergent almost in abundance and it felt a little over done but the end of the book. It is a huge part of the story, but at some point I think you have to trust that the reader understands these facts. I did like learning about some ways you can help those with dyslexia though such as font choice and spacing of letters/words.

The reading a book outloud to Sam was so sweet and romantic, not to mention when they got to the spicy scene in the book. This book was very mild on the open door, and not very graphic and could be easily looked over by those that don't enjoy that!

3.5⭐️ At its core, this is a super sweet foodie romance filled with heartwarming sibling love, set in the picturesque Martha’s Vineyard and a librarian MMC. What more could you want? As a neurodivergent individual myself (Autism) I am appreciative of the neurodiversity/dyslexia rep and the fact that the author had the book stylized to benefit dyslexic readers.

My primary criticism relates to how Neurodiversity/ADHD/Dyslexia is portrayed. Throughout the story, it was often mentioned in a more negative light in moments of Sam’s self doubt or when others are ostracizing her for it. And while this is okay and important in illustrating the consequences of these issues, there needs to be a good counter balance of how she’s overcoming that adversity through implementation of coping strategies.

I loved seeing how Sam and Tyler’s relationship developed as she stayed with him over the summer and how her emotional growth led to the repair of these important familial relationships. This was perhaps my favorite aspect of the story. And it is set in New England, the epitome of a beach read setting.

Read if you like:
•meet cutes
•books about books
•foodie romance
•dislexia/neurodivergent rep
•sibling friendships
•New England settings

Thank you {partners} Berkley Romance and PRH Audio for the gifted copies in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 3/5
Warnings: ableism, dyslexia

Thank you to Berkley Romance and Netgalley for access to this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is going to be another one of those books where I say "it had so much protentional but fell flat here" and I am so disappointed to say that.

Okay, the cover is so pretty and I love that this title is perfect for summer reading by the beach. Martha's Vineyard setting is unique and beautiful. This is a foodie book, all the dishes mentioned made me want to get into the kitchen. Also, sexy librarian hero was so good.

The main concern I had about this book, while educational for those who do not know much about dyslexia, this book really showed us how Sam's neurodiversity held her back. It was made to be her identify and not how she could learn to thrive. The end conflict also really felt out of character and made a bit uncomfortable.

Summer Reading is an adorable romcom about Sam, a woman spending the summer on Martha’s Vineyard to take care of her younger brother and Ben, the director at the library on the island. Sam has dyslexia and reading is difficult but Ben is an avid reader. This book was adorable and filled with likable and relatable characters, witty banter with literary references and the most delicious food descriptions. I loved the representation of neurodivergent characters and the author even wrote the book to be more accessible for those with dyslexia. Not to mention the recurring theme that audiobooks are reading!

Martha's Vineyard. Summertime. When Samantha Gale meets a hot reader -guy on the ferry going to the Vineyard, she's got no idea how her life is about to change. After all, what does she possibly have in common with a guy who reads? Sam's dyslexic. So even though she's got a brilliant mind, they are on completely different levels of the playing field. Of course he has no idea of her issue. Sam's on her way to her' dad's house where she's boing to chaperone her half brother while dad and his now wife are galavanting through Europe. Sam is also hiding out after suddenly quitting her chef job when she was passed over for a promotion. So there is the lack of a job thing. Is romance in the air?It sure is. But there are obstacles in the way. A great escape novel for summer.

Summer Reading has all the elements I look for when adding books to my summer reading list. There's a small island, reunited best friends, a heroine at a professional crossroads, a fractured sibling relationship, and a nerdy, romantic hero who captured my heart right along with Sam's.

The first thing I have to mention about this book is Sam's dyslexia and how it's handled. The author uses great care and sensitivity, coupled with research, knowledge, and first-hand assistance to craft this character. Then she takes it a step further by creating a reading experience designed to be more accessible to readers with the same diagnosis. I have never encountered a novel where the author - and publisher - used the cover, font, spacing, margins, even foregoing italics for bold print within the text of the book, all to enhance the reading experience for neurodivergent readers who pick up this book. Kudos to them!

I loved the gradual evolution of the relationship between Sam and her 14-years-younger half-brother, Tyler. As someone with four younger brothers, I can attest to the fact that the author nailed the angst, attitude, and vulnerable uncertainty of Tyler. The bond of understanding, and affection, that gradually formed between brother and sister was one of my favorite parts of the book, some scenes bringing me to tears while others (self-appointed chaperone) had me laughing out loud.

And then there's the food. Sam's Portuguese dishes had me drooling (do not read this book while hungry) and scrounging through the kitchen every half hour. Much like Tyler. Bonus for readers: there are recipes!

I was very curious to discover how McKinlay would handle a dyslexic heroine who did everything in her power to avoid books falling for a library director who was never without one. I hadn't counted on Ben. I adored him and I adored who he was with Sam, how he respected her and found ways to share his love of books with her in a manner that did not cause anxiety or make her feel less than. How he offered his assistance and encouragement to help her achieve her dreams. As a fan of this author's works, I also loved the fact that the book Ben shares with Sam in Summer Reading is an actual novel written by McKinlay.

The romantic relationship between Sam and Ben unfolds organically, with a nice balance of sweetness, sizzle, and emotional depth. Both characters are on a journey of growth that had me aching with them at points and cheering them on at others. There were some emotional stumbles along the way though they worked really well together to communicate their way through them. Except in the latter part of the book where an emotional blow for Ben causes him to walk away. We see the aftereffects from Sam's perspective but I wanted to understand Ben's thought processes as well, especially when their communication had been so open throughout the novel. It all turns out okay in the end but I felt a little shortchanged by the exclusion. Still, it's a small blip in the overall scope of a fun, thoughtful, and feel-good story and a sweet gesture from Ben convinced me that his heart was in the right place even if his head hadn't been. All's well that ends well and these two definitely ended well.

Summer Reading is a book I enthusiastically recommend adding to your summer reading list.

4.5 stars
ARC received from publisher. Fair and unbiased review

✨Review ✨

A big thank you to @berkleypub @netgalley for this #gifted ARC #SummerReading !!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay

A summer fling between a dyslexic chef, Samantha, and bookish librarian, Ben, becomes something more complex.

What to expect:

💋 Romance
🌶️ Spicy
🧬 Brother/Sister Relationship
👯‍♀️ Female Friendship

Quick thoughts:

✨ Audiobooks for the win.
✨ Neurodivergent friendly font and layout.
✨ Bookish guy and dyslexic girl.
✨ Cute older sister, younger brother relationship.

Overall thoughts:

I thought the writing style flowed nicely. The overall Martha’s Vineyard atmosphere felt authentic. Also, the neurodivergent friendly font and formatting was a nice touch.

This story really revolves around the romance between Sam and Ben as well as her relationship with her little brother. Sam wanted to connect with her younger brother, Tyler, while chaperoning him for the summer. They have their ups and downs but overall I loved their dynamic and how they helped each other grow.

The romance between her and Ben slowly unfolded. This was a satisfying slow burn that moved at a decent pace. It does get a bit spicy. I thought it worked well in the story. I also thought they had good chemistry.

It was interesting to learn about dyslexia and how it affects a persons entire world. I didn’t really know much about it but feel like I have a better understanding now. Also, I loved how having Ben read out loud to her helped Sam reconnect with books.

Such a charming beach read about two characters, Samantha (who has dyslexia) and Bennett (interim library director) who are searching for different things during a summer in Martha's Vineyard and end up finding each other.

Sam wants to restart her cooking career; Bennett wants to find the identity of his father. They meet after Sam accidentally knocks his book into the ocean on a ferry ride. An inauspicious start, to be certain, but there is nothing inauspicious about their growing connection, nor about Sam's growing relationship with stepbrother Tyler.

I love that the author, who has dyslexic family members, chose a dyslexic-friendly font for this book and explains the challenges and gifts of the disorder through Sam's life. It's the book's chief strength, and adds depth and authenticity.

If I were heading to the beach right now, the aptly named SUMMER READING would be at the top of my book bag, as important as my sunnies and swimsuit. Happy summer reading!

Samantha Gale is between jobs - actually, after being passed up for a promotion in her job as a professional chef, she quit - she agrees to look after her teenaged stepbrother Tyler while her father and stepmother travel. Things begin a bit rocky for Sam and Tyler as she was already a teenager when he was born and she did her own thing. One of her responsibilities is to shuttle Tyler back and forth to robotics camp which is being held at the library.

When she meets the head librarian named Ben, she does a double take. She just met him on the ferry as she was heading to Martha’s Vineyard and she was gobsmacked. He was pure beauty, but not the man for her. How did she know that? When they were on the ferry, he was reading a book. Considering that Sam is dyslexic, so therefore does not enjoy reading in any way whatsoever, after talking to him for a few moments on the ferry, she was certain that no matter how good looking he is, he would not want to have anything to do with her.

Despite this obvious difference between Sam and Ben, sparks fly and their attraction is undeniable. However, Sam has a lot of baggage, and a lot of that has to do with her neurodiversity. Past relationships have taught her that being with someone that is book smart is not in the cards for her. However, Ben has other ideas and the more time they spend together, the more it seems that this new relationship just might work. Meanwhile, as a chef, Sam knows that she’s soon must find a job, so once her time on the Vineyard is over, she needs to get on with her life.

What a wonderful read. I loved the relationships in this book. Most notably, Sam and Tyler, half siblings who learned how much they really cared about one another. Then I loved Sam and Ben, and how the two of them grew in their relationship and how empathetic he was towards her and how he found ways to work around her being dyslexic. Lastly, I also enjoyed the fact that Sam truly loved her stepmother, and even though she is very close to her own mother, her stepmother is someone that she adored. So while this book was indeed a romance, these relationships in this book really pulled this book together.

Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

#netgalleyarc This was such a fun, and quick, summer read. The characters were well written and very relatable, especially the main female character. I loved that this was such a simple fun read, nothing was over done and it wasn’t trying too hard to be a great read. A perfect summer beach read.

When out of work chef, Samantha Gale is asked to return home to Martha’s Vineyard, she can’t think of a reason not to go. While her father and stepmom are away she’s tasked with watching her half brother, Tyler. Born a lifetime apart, Samantha and her brother never really got to know each other. So when she sees the teenaged Tyler again for the first time she realizes sibling bonding maybe easier said than done.

In an attempt to keep the peace, Samantha agrees to cart Tyler to his robotics camp which just so happens to be taking place at her favorite (insert sarcasm here) place, the library. See, as a dyslexic, Samantha has never had a love affair with the written word. Lucky for her, her best friend Emily works there. Not so lucky? So does the mysterious stranger she met on the way over after she unceremoniously dumped his book overboard.

Said mysterious stranger is Bennett Reynolds. Bennett took a short term job at the library while he attempts to close the books on finding the identity of the father he never met. When Samantha and Bennett meet for real sparks fly, even if Samantha does find him a little hard to read (no pun intended). But the more time they spend together, the more they realize their short term fling might actually be one for the books.

Summer Reading is a refreshing romance that takes particular care in its representation of dyslexia. As a teacher, I see children struggle with this all the time, but feel helpless in my capacity to help them due to educational double standards and red tape. Throughout the novel, Bennett and Samantha help each other conquer their fears (even if I was a tad disappointed in Bennett for a beat). It’s a sweet novel that reminds the reader not to judge a book, or its reader, by its cover.

I thought I was getting a sweet summer romance. And this is that - but SO much more.

Sam has dyslexia. She learned to deal and cope, in school and life in general, but it's there always. I loved how the beginning of the book explains the font changes and explains why they were done and how it makes a difference for those with dyslexia.

Ben was a doll and the way he he didn't try to force Sam to be a reader, but instead read to her just warmed my heart.

My favorite part of the book was watching the sibling relationship between Sam and Tyler grow!

This book had humor, but deals with so many deeper issues. I enjoyed this read so much!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing and Let's Talk Books Promo for an ARC and allowing me to take part in this Berkley Buddy Read!

I love summery romances and romances related to books, so I was looking forward to this one and wish I liked it a lot more than I did! I appreciated the inclusion of an MC with a really significant reading disability, and how the realistic difficulties were portrayed along with descriptions of the strengths it eventually highlighted for Sam, but a lot of the discussion felt really stilted; I found this happened pretty regularly with the dialogue in particular, though, as when Sam is describing her grandmother and says, “She kept her red agate rosary tucked safely in the pocket of her crisp gingham apron,” a sentiment which reads well as narration but very awkwardly when you imagine someone saying it aloud in conversation. I also liked the dynamic of the relationship between Tyler and Sam, although I did feel like they bonded more quickly than their initial interactions would have indicated, and the fact that Em did have some plots of her own, although she was somewhat lightly characterized and the storyline trailed a little toward the end. Ben was fine as a love interest - very bland and generically hot, but quite kind - although I didn’t feel much chemistry between him and Sam, and the plot about searching for his father seemed to come very late to really be such a major factor toward the end of the book; it made the ending seem a bit contrived and only added for typical romcom drama. I also would have liked something else to wrap up the Moira character, who got a couple of in-depth and fairly compelling if villainous scenes only to disappear entirely.

Cute and light, but somewhat clumsy and I didn’t find myself particularly connecting with any of the characters, their relationships, or the plot points. Might appeal to those who enjoyed The City Baker's Guide to Country Living.

This was a sweet, quick, and heartwarming read. I think this was the light read I needed for a rainy weekend! This is the first book I read from this author. And this author took the opportunity to make this book so much more than a romance, which is what really made the story more real.

This may be one of my favorite books of the summer! I love the characters, and I especially love how they are well developed. This is a skill not all authors have with their characters. Having a cousin whose daughter has almost a 10 on the 1-10 scale of dyslexia, I love seeing a main female character who also has this disability. I do not like using that word, a different way of learning. I like that better. She falls in love with the me male version… an avid reader who is a librarian. You would think this is a couple who would not get along, but you are oh so wrong. I love this sweet story with humor, while dealing with deep issues. It is a great romcom, but honestly is so much more than that.

I cannot recommend this book enough. I am going to recommend this to my cousin, and anyone else dealing with dyslexia. This shows how amazing their life can be, not a tragedy. Well done.

Thank you to the author, one of my all-time favorites(!), publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Samantha is a chef who is on Martha’s Vineyard for the summer to resurrect her career as a chef but is asked to chaperone her younger half-brother, a kid she barely knows. She has dyslexia, and it has plagued her all her life. She’s “not a reader” which she feels holds her back in life and in relationships.

Ben is a librarian and a big reader. He’s on the island as an interim director of the library and when he meets Samantha for the first time she accidentally tosses his book into the ocean.

While this book was enjoyable enough the multiple storylines got to be A LOT. Ben is trying to find his dad, a man he’s never met. Tyler and Samantha are trying to connect as siblings. Tyler has his own insecurities. Sam’s best friend, Emily, has her own crisis. Sam and Tyler’s dad is yet another plot point but that manages to go nowhere. At times it felt like there was so much going on and no one relationship was written with any of the emotion that would keep me invested in the story. Also, I applaud the author’s attempt to represent neurodiversity but when you have to have the character tell you they’re neurodivergent over and over you miss the mark on characterization.

I have been feeling like I've been reading slowly lately, but I devoured this read extra fast! Taking place in Martha's Vineyard, Summer Reading involves a chef coming to her family's summer vacation place to housesit and watch her half-brother while her dad and stepmom go on a European adventure. Having not really spent much time together due to their 14 year age gap, Sam and her younger brother Tyler have a rough go of it at first, but they do have the chance to bond. Sam also gets to reconnect with her childhood best friend Emily and Emily's temporary boss, Ben, who is described as very attractive. Sam struggles to read due to her dyslexia, whereas Emily and Ben both work at the library and are mega-readers. The dyslexia representation was excellent, and I was impressed it was also printed in a dyslexia-friendly font, taking care to bolden rather than italicize and to make sure no words were hyphenated at the end of a line.
I was entertained throughout and breezed through this read. There was one part near the ending that I didn't think made sense in the book or with the character's arc. Perhaps you'll read it and not be bothered by it, though. Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. This book will be available Tuesday 5/16, and reading it will sweep you away to Martha's Vineyard - this may be the summer I finally visit it! Or I'll just continue reading on my back porch in the meantime 😎

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars

Summer Reading is the perfect “kickoff to summer” book. It follows Samantha Gale, a chef who decides to spend her summer with her family on Martha’s Vineyard after being passed over for a promotion. Samantha has a meet-cute with a hot guy on the ferry who turns out to be the local librarian. Samantha has always struggled with her dyslexia, so the library has been one of her least favorite places. Over the course of a summer, Samantha finds love, builds a relationship with her half-brother, and finally starts working towards her dream of writing a cookbook.

This was a sweet and heartwarming read with a beautiful setting. I loved the neurodivergence rep and the sibling relationship. The romance was cute and light. Overall, I enjoyed this romcom and think it will be a perfect beach bag book.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

***ARC Provided by the Publisher via NetGalley***

There was a lot I really liked about this book.

I loved Samantha (Sam) and how strong she was as a character and i really loved that the author didn't shy away from not only letting us know she is dyslexic but actually showing some of those struggles. It made her real and it made her feel like a complex heroine with strengths and weakness, just like all of us.

Ben, well we didn't really get to know him all that well. A lot of what we found out about him was in reaction to what we found out about Sam. Yes it made him a strong romantic partner, but more in the abstract.

This book needed, in my opinion, a dual POV. I didn't ever really feel like I knew more than who Ben was on the surface and it made it hard to connect with him as anything on than the person dating Sam. There's a part near the end where he does something that I remember thinking wasn't like him...but then I realized I didn't know him well enough to know if this IS how he processes serious things or not. By the end of a romance I should know a character well enough to know how he will handle life changing news.

Ironically it's how well written Samantha was that made Ben feel a little...shallower...in comparison.

I did still enjoy parts of this. I did finish it.

And I loved Sam, I think I just felt like I wanted more of Ben than I got and this feeling made it hard for a full emotional connection to some of the story.

I'm unable to recommend this title.