Swapping lives sounds amazing. You get to try something different and live somewhere else while discovering your passions. Melody always writes great books and this was one of her best!

Just for the Summer by Melody Carlson is a heartwarming tale of self-discovery, second chances, and the surprising ways life can change when we step outside our comfort zones. The story follows Ginny Masters, a busy hotel manager in Seattle, and Jacqueline Potter, who manages her grandfather’s fishing lodge in rural Idaho. Both women are yearning for something more, and when they swap jobs for the summer, they hope to find the answers to their personal and professional frustrations.

Carlson does a wonderful job of capturing the contrasts between the two women’s lives—one in a bustling city, the other in a quiet, remote town—while exploring the deeper question of whether changing one’s surroundings can truly bring happiness. As Ginny and Jacqueline step into each other’s shoes, they quickly realize that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side and that true fulfillment comes from within, not from simply swapping places or careers.

With its relatable characters, light romance, and introspective themes, Just for the Summer is a charming read perfect for anyone seeking a feel-good, thoughtful escape. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the biggest changes we need are the ones that happen inside us.

I liked this book. It was an easy read, and left me feeling good. I laughed a lot. I would reccomend it to my friends.

This was such an adorable summer read! I had so much fun with these characters. Every moment with them made me feel so giddy.

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Just for the Summer Book Review
A big thanks to NetGalley for providing me this book in exchange for my own opinion!
From Amazon:




Ginny Masters manages a popular boutique hotel in Seattle with aplomb. But the daily challenges and irritations of a fast-paced job and a demanding boss are starting to get to her. Jacqueline Potter manages her grandfather's fishing lodge in Idaho because it was the only job she could find after graduating with her hospitality degree. She's grateful for the work but longs for a more sophisticated and cosmopolitan life she's just not going to find in this backwoods town.

The solution to both their problems seems obvious. Just for the summer, they'll swap jobs and lifestyles. But they never anticipated swapping love interests . . .


In this fabulous new twist on an age-old fable, award-winning and bestselling author Melody Carlson introduces you to two career-focused women who are about to discover that there's more to finding happiness than just switching up the scenery.

My Take:


Melody knows how to mix romance and humor! I have read a number of books by this author and I am always in such a great mood while I read! Two women, both who are unhappy at work, go online and sign up for a job exchange. What follows is a hilarious mix between love, jealousy and two women who find what they want and need not too far from where they started. The characters are enjoyable and friendly, the settings sound amazing and a place I'd like to visit. I took this book on a cruise and it made the cruise a lot of fun!

About the Author:
Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of more than 250 books with sales of more than 7.5 million, including many bestselling Christmas novellas, young adult titles, and contemporary romances. She received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award, her novel All Summer Long has been made into a Hallmark movie, and the movie based on her novel The Happy Camper premiered on UPtv in 2023. She and her husband live in central Oregon. Learn more at MelodyCarlson.com.

Entertaining, minimalist read. Good, clean fiction. A pleasant way to pass the time.

That's about all I have to say.

Ginny Masters has worked her way up to manage a popular boutique hotel in Seattle, but she is burned out due to the owner’s unreasonable demands. Jacqueline Potter has managed her grandpa’s fishing lodge since she got her degree in hospitality, but she wants a chance to work somewhere more prestigious. The two agree to swap jobs for the summer; will they find the answers they are looking for?

The story was just OK for me. I like Ginny’s part of the book, but Jacqueline was obnoxious, and her ‘growth’ at the end felt fake. There were too many flat characters, and I did not feel any chemistry between either of the protagonists or their love interests. Sadly, this book was not for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Ginny Masters was devoted to her job, managing a boutique hotel in Seattle. She turned the place around in her tenure as manager, but her boss doesn't appreciate her, and never lets her forget that she had no training before working her her. As well, her boss' son has asked her to marry him, but she knows he is not the one for her. She is just not happy. Jacqueline Potter manages her grandfather's fishing lodge in Idaho because it was the only job she could find after graduating with her hospitality degree. She also longs for a relationship with the handsome guide and friend, but he's happy with a friendship. The shine is off and she longs for a job managing a high end hotel in a busy city. Both women stumble on a job-swapping website and agree to a 60-day contract to trade management positions. It sounds perfect, but things don't work out as planned. With a very different work ethic and attitude, the swap doesn't work out as planned and if they can't work things out, both women will be unhappy once again.

I do enjoy Melody Carlson's stories and this was no exception. The expression, "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" comes to play in this book, but does it work out that way. I really liked Ginny, her attitude, her work ethic, her caring and kind personality and her outlook on life. She fit it easily at that lodge and was able to get things done. Jacqueline, on the other hand, was not easy to get along with. She was like a fish out of water at the hotel, but was more interested in the city life and her new friendship. Although the job was just for the summer, I think both women were hoping it would be longer than that. There were a few twists that I liked, and a lot of personal growth for both women. There is a bit of romance, but the story is more about finding where you belong and growing to be the person you were meant to be. I enjoyed this story and recommend it as an entertaining summer read.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Just for the Summer by Melody Carlson is a fun summer themed rom com. This book is a fun read for anytime of year. I loved the premise of the book and the crazy antics that ensued. One of the main characters was not that likeable and that made her story a bit frustrating to read. Overall, it was a great book and I recommend it. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

A fun summer read!! Some of the writing was a little cringe but overall it was a quick fun light read!

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

A fun and emotional story told in an engaging and entertaining way, a well written book.
The main characters are driven in different ways but ultimately want the same, happiness. Ginny manages a high end hotel in Seattle with all the pressures that come with the job. Jacqueline is also a manager, but of a fishing lodge owned by family, she dreams of better opportunities.
The story follows both women when they enter into a job swap agreement, they seek their joy and set out to achieve it, not realising their ultimate goal is within their reach.
Both ladies are ready to achieve their goals, they embark on a journey of courage and determination in this entertaining and engaging read.

Thanks to Revell Publishers, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I went into this one pretty blindly but also optimistic. I thought the synopsis sounded interesting and the cover art was cute. Unfortunately, it just felt average to me. I had a hard time getting into the story overall.

I absolutely loved this book!! It was so good it had me reading late into the night to finish is. I couldn't stop reading it. I love the swaping lives trope and this was done to perfection. This was a 5 star read for me.

I was not the correct audience for this book. It quickly put me off that the narrative simmers down to comparing this virtuous saint of a woman Genevieve who is forgiving and graceful with Jacqueline who is seemingly unredeemably vapid and self-centered. It was readable and cute in some parts but unless you are in the market for bland romance with one-dimensional characters all around, I don't think this is for you. Justice for Jacqueline honestly.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a cute summer read. I thought it was light hearted and a fun read. Nothing tol intense, but something difficult to put down. I was able to finish this book in a day.

I can also see this book as a Hallmark movie. Just the perfect and fun read on a summer day.

This was a delightful story of two hotel managers who swap places for two months. One is overworked and underappreciated at her downtown Seattle boutique hotel. She feels trapped, though, as her work has been on-the-job and she is regularly reminded of her lack of degree and shortcomings by her annoying boss. The other manager hates working at her grandfather’s fishing lodge and yearns to go to the big city and work at a fancy hotel. The swap sounds perfect for both women to try something new and look for a better fit.
Like all good rom-com stories, we have a couple love interests and some drama at both hotels. This book was super enjoyable and a quick read. I will recommend it to others. I think it would be perfect as a Hallmark movie!

One of my favorite books of the past year!

Unfortunately, this book did not work for me. I thought the premise was cute and had lots of possibility, but the writing was quite cringe-worthy and cheesy (why so many exclamation points?) All of the characters were one-dimensional and underdeveloped, and I particularly disliked Jacqueline's character. She was childish, scheming and manipulative with no redeeming qualities. The romances also felt extremely rushed, forced and awkward. I just could not care about any of the characters and found myself skimming to get through the book quickly. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

"Just for the Summer", by Melody Carlson, is centered around two very different women: Ginny, who manages a polished, sophisticated boutique hotel in Seattle and Jacqueline, who manages her grandfather's fishing lodge in rural Idaho Falls. Both women are desperate for a change; Ginny is tired of her overbearing boss and her son who can't take no for an answer, and Jacqueline is tired of being surrounded by nature and longs for the finer things in life. When an opportunity arises for them to swap places for the summer, they both jump at the chance. While Ginny hits the ground running and finds that she loves nature and fixing up the country lodge, Jacqueline finds that being surrounded by all things fancy doesn't bring about happiness.

I found myself rooting for Ginny, and couldn't stand Jacqueline and how manipulative she was. I wanted to read more about the romance between Ginny and Ben, but that was very generic and there wasn't much chemistry between them. I thought this book had a unique premise but needed some more edits. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.