Thanks to NetGalley for lending me this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

I found this to be a fun summer beach read novel. The romance was light, the mystery was light and there were nice touches of humor. I found both the introduction of the mystery and its resolution a bit contrived, but not enough to make the book as a whole unacceptable.

They absolutely, positively are so wrong for one another…aren’t they?

Anna Moore left her wild child days behind her long ago; as a private investigator she is organized and logical, relying on facts rather than emotions. She lives in the small town of Sunrise Cove near Lake Tahoe, as does her (very pregnant….with triplets!!) bossy big sister Wendy. Their father Louis, who raised them as a single dad, died not too long ago and the two sisters miss him. They knew him to be a generous, caring man who had amassed considerable wealth which he funneled into a philanthropic foundation. When a coin they find in a box of their dad’s belongings turns out to be valuable, it leads to a spurt of publicity which brings Owen Harris to Anna’s door. Owen, the handsome co-owner of an adventure company, has been searching for items that were stolen from his great-aunt Ruby ten years earlier, and one of those items was a collection of coins just like the one Anna and Wendy found. He is convinced that the rest of the coin collection as well as the valuable Ruby Red necklace that was stolen with it must be in the sisters’ possession…and that Louis was the thief who stole them from his great-aunt. When it turns out that Louis in fact had a criminal record years ago and was considered a suspect in the theft, Anna and Wendy are stunned. Anna vows to clear her father’s name, and she and Owen join forces to find the truth. Their motivations may be very different, but working together maybe they can find the stolen items and identify the thief…and the attraction they have to one another (which neither welcomes) may enrich their lives as well.
The Summer Escape features sassy women, charming and capable men, quirky but beloved pets, and plenty of snarky humor. Anna has been burned by love in the past and figures it just isn’t for her, and Owen doesn’t believe he’s cut out for happily-ever-after either. Anna wants to feel safe and protected, while Owen lives for adrenaline-filled escapades. Plus Owen believes that Anna’s beloved father is a crook, which is hardly conducive to a burgeoning relationship. The people in their lives suspect that the two are perfect for one another, though, and aren’t afraid to tell them so (over and over). I loved the humorous exchanges, particularly those between the two sisters as Wendy (stranded at home and, as she puts it, as big as a whale) makes frequent demands for food to satisfy her cravings and makes Anna mike up during her investigations so that Wendy can listen in. Readers of any of author Jill Shalvis’ other books will love this latest romp, as will fans of authors like Nora Roberts, Susan Mallory and Susan Wiggs. If you’re looking to spend a few hours with a lovable group of quirky people and their pets as they search for a missing treasure and give love another chance, you won’t go wrong grabbing a copy of The Summer Escape. Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for allowing me early access to a copy of this warm and funny romance.

This was a little different for a Jill Shalvis book in that it had a bit of mystery and some danger in it. I really don't think it was as good as some of the others in the series, but I did love the banter and the romance.

The romance between Anna and Owen was very good. Anna's sister, Gwen, stole the show for me. On strict bed rest because of a pregnancy with triplets, she has an endless supply of names for the babies, and they are all hysterical. Her "emergency" calls were also hilarious.

I always love the banter in Shalvis books and there was plenty in this one. Anna and Owen are great at shooting remarks at each other, but Anna is the queen. It was like darts flying off the page.

Thanks to Avon Book, Harper Voyager Us and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

I was quite surprised by this Jill Shalvis novel! I always expect interesting characters and a quirky friend group or family and The Summer Escape did not disappoint. Anna’s sister was a delight! Pregnant with twins, on bed rest, and totally bored, Wendy makes Anna wear earbuds and a Go-Pro so there is a running commentary at all times, unless Anna turns her off. Her side-discussions were a hoot and I loved how easy going Owen played along and directed conversation at Wendy as well. I really liked how the relationship between Anna and Owen had undertones of interest and friendship right from the start and wasn’t just antagonistic. The thing I liked most is that this Jill Shalvis novel gave us something different from her others. A mystery to solve.

If you love Jill Shalvis’ novels then you are in for a wonderful surprise. This has all of those same elements you’ll expect but it delves a little deeper into the adventure-mystery solving theme. I really enjoyed the slight change because the story still had all of the other themes that I look forward to when reading one of her novels. Surprising and fun!

I really enjoyed this book!! As always Jill Shalvis knows how to write a great story. This one has mystery, love, comedy. Anna and Owen work together to discover the mystery about about a stolen necklace and fall in love along the way. So many emotions with these two and laughs along the way as well, especially with her sister. Her sister is pregnant with triplets and on bed rest and wants to follow along with the hunt as well in her way, which had me laughing out loud a lot. ❤️❤️loved it and will reread. Highly recommend this one.

If there is one thing I can count on, it's that a Jill Shalvis book will have me laughing out loud and melting in my chair all at the same time. The characters are going to be charming, there's going to be cute furbabies, and there is always going to be crazy antics between the characters. The Summer Escape fit that description and more! I love everything about this series and the 6th book was a great addition.

Anna and her sister, Wendy, discover a coin in their father's belongings. The coin is linked to a stolen necklace that belonged to Owen's aunt. Anna and Owen start to piece together the mystery to try and find the stolen necklace and begin their treasure hunt. Owen is convinced her deceased father had something to do with it, so Anna wants to clear her father's name. The chemistry and banter the two characters is so good! They go down so many twists and turns to get to the bottom of it, but it all leads them to each other. The relationship between the two sisters was also very strong and beautifully written.

I loved this book! I always walk away from a Jill Shalvis book with a huge smile on my face. She is one of my feel good read authors and always will be! I highly recommend this series...especially if you enjoy a good romcom with good character dynamics, witty banter, laugh out loud funnies, cute animals, and characters that stick with you long after the book is closed!

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, steamy, fast-paced and I didn't want to put it down. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I am convinced Jill Shalvis can do no wrong. Little bit of suspense with some great banter in an enemies to lovers trope. The chemistry between the MC’s is great. The show stealer may be her sister though. The antics and just true sister relationship is so wonderful. Not my face Jill Shalvis book but still a great book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC to provide a honest review.

Great book! I loved the relationship between the sisters. The number of names they had for the babies was hilarious! MS. Shalvis does a great job of showing the chemistry between Anna and Owen.

Great series! They can be read out of order. As they are loosely related.

Jill Shalvis is back with the sixth installment of her beloved Sunrise Cove series, The Summer Escape. Shalvis is a perennial favorite and reliable storyteller, drawing on the robust, extended families in her Lake Tahoe world. If you follow her on social media, you’ll know she’s got a couple of children and grandchildren, and they all seem to enjoy spending time with one another, so when she writes a story about large, loving families – both by birth and by choice - I believe her.

Here we meet private investigator Anna Moore, who is called upon to put her skills to work when she and her sister, Wendy, find an old gold coin in a box that belonged to their late father, Louis. After taking it to a pawn shop to see if it has any value, they get more than they bargained for because now the community is convinced Louis was a cat burglar with something to hide.

Owen Harris is an adventurer for hire. He’s certain that nineteenth century coin on the news belongs to his great-aunt and the woman on tv knows more than she’s letting on. He devises a plan to get his aunt’s property back by hiring Anna to investigate a whole cache of missing coins. A ‘keeping his enemy close’ philosophy that Anna wants no part of. Fortunately, working together to find the truth is the better solution than working separately, so they team up. It doesn’t take long for them to see behind the curtain of each other’s hearts and minds, or for them to give into their inevitable chemistry.

The charming nature of this story is both its benefit and its downfall. The benefit is that the characters are relatable, quirky, and interesting, and so is the mystery. The downfall is that it’s a little slow. When these lengthy extended families are in a scene together, it slows down the momentum when I would’ve preferred racing through the story, especially as we have two adventurous leads, and it feels as though all the decisions they make are workshopped and agreed upon by committee. It’s not bad, it’s just a lot. I could’ve also done with less Wendy, her pregnancy cravings, and live-stream earbud conversation.

After so many series with big families, I wonder how Shalvis would do writing about two only-children who make it to the end of the story without the assistance of a big cast of characters? We may never know. But I do know that I like the path her mind takes in these flirty contemporary romances. If you like sweet, slow burn contemporaries with adventurous people in a huge family, The Summer Escape will be your, well, summer escape.

Another fabulous read by Jill Shalvis who I have been reading since early in her career. I love the fact that one knows there will be a great HEA but there will be issues before we get there. He falls first with grumpy girl who never wants to get involved. Again, this story takes place around Lake Tahoe, a familiar place for Ms.Shalvis. Not only loved Owen and Anna, but loved the secondary characters, especially Anna’s pregnant sister Wendy and her husband Hayden, who are pregnant with triplets and on bed rest. A light easy read I highly recommend.

This story was amazing, it made me laugh, it intrigued me with the mystery, and the banter back and forth, instead of being mean, just seemed to lighten the moments. It was interesting how they each saw themselves, and along the way, they discovered the changes in themselves. Sometimes life brings together the people it thinks should be together, and this seems to be what is happening. It was a story that I enjoyed so much that before I knew it, the book was done, and I didn't even realize the time.
I received an ARC from Avon through NetGalley.

Read this if you like zany characters and very personable animals.
Read this if you are looking for a hot athletic main character to swoon over.
Read this if you want to laugh at a very pregnant sister’s interference in her sister’s life.
Read this if you want to have an adventure wrapped up in a romance with two people who are afraid to commit.
The funniest scene occurs after a rooftop tryst and Turbo honks the horn several times. I about died laughing.
The funniest line is when Wendy admits her gas could fell an elephant.

Anna Michelle Moore life used to be full of adventure but over the years she has tamed down her wild ways. Instead she is a private investigator and that is enough excitement in her life. When Anna's sister Wendy, who is seven months pregnant with triplets and on bed rest discovers an old coin amongst their father's possessions one year after his death, she convinces Anna to look into where the coin is from. Imagine Anna's surprise when Owen Harris co-owner of Tahoe Adventures with Ky Ortega shows up at her office wanting to know where she got the coin...it seems it belongs to his great-aunt Ruby along with a Ruby Red necklace that were both stolen ten years ago. Anna is of course suspicious of Owen but they decide to investigate the mystery around the missing coins and necklace. Wendy, who is extremely bored insists on going along for the ride in the form of a GoPro camera and ear buds.

As Anna and Owen spend more time together, their chemistry starts to sizzle. He is ready to jump right in, but Anna is not even though they both have a problem with commitment. While the mystery is being investigated, Anna and Owen's feelings start to cross a line until they find they are spending all of their free time together. When they finally get a lead that takes them to the base of Mount Lion in Lake Tahoe there is no going back even if Anna believes that this adventure is more than she should handle. Just as they are figuring out the mystery, everything comes crashing down in a big way. It will take a near death experience for these two to both realize that what they have together is the real thing.

I just adored this enemies to lovers story. Anna and Owen both had some demons in their closets but they slowly began to overcome those ghosts. I loved Anna's relationship with Wendy and Wendy's husband Hayden. I cracked up with all the names they kept coming up with for the triplets. Overall this was a perfect addition to this wonderful series.

Thank you to @avonbooks and @netgalley for the earc of The Summer Escape by Jill Shalvis (book six in the Sunrise Cove series–quick note: all of these books can be read as standalones, in any order. The series is tied together by the same beautiful setting, but has different characters in each. And can I add another quick note that I love that some series do this? It’s a gift to us rule-following readers who feel the need to read IN ORDER.)

I loved this book. It truly is the perfect summer escape. It’s a swoony romance with a solid mystery at its core. Mix in some wonderful characters, hilarious dialogue, wonderful dog and cat pets, and some heart-pounding suspenseful moments, and I had a smile on my face the entire time I was reading. Here’s another story that also isn’t afraid to tackle tough topics like grief and loss,but does so in such a beautiful way. I was so sorry when it ended and so appreciated the epilogue at the end. This another five star read for your summer and you won’t be sorry!

The Summer Escape
A Novel
by Jill Shalvis

Jill Shalvis' "The Summer Escape" is a charming and heartwarming standalone romance set in Sunrise Cove.
The story follows Anna Moore, a private investigator who, with her sister Wendy's encouragement, embarks on a quest to clear their late father's name. When Anna discovers a valuable, stolen coin among her dad's belongings, she teams up with Owen Harris, the nephew of the coin's rightful owner. Owen, convinced of her dad's guilt, wants to return the jewelry to his great aunt.
Despite their initial distrust, Anna and Owen can't deny their explosive chemistry. As they race against the clock, uncovering secrets and solving mysteries, they find their hearts increasingly intertwined. Wendy's wry commentary and her supportive relationship with Anna add depth and humor to the narrative, making this more than just a romance. "The Summer Escape" masterfully blends love, family, and adventure into an enjoyable, feel-good read.

Very grateful to the publisher for my copy, opinions are my own.

Anna and her sister, Wendy, have come across an old coin in their Dad’s stuff. Their dad passed away and they are just now getting to go through some of his items. Come to find out, this coin was part of a big heist years ago. Enter Owen! Owen’s aunt is the victim of the robbery and he is bound and determined that Anna return everything her dad supposedly stole.

Jill Shalvis has become a staple in my reading life. I love her snarkiness and her characters. This book is exactly what I was hoping for. I needed a good summer escape and this one fit the bill!

I think my favorite part of this book is Wendy. Wendy is enormously pregnant with triplets and she cannot assist Anna with her quest to clear their father. So, she comes up with an excellent plan. She makes Anna put earbuds in and keep the phone line open so she can hear everything. And believe me…she has some of the best one liners…especially when Anna and Owen heat up!

Need a book the take to the beach to captivate you from start to finish…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Quirky, charming, and heartwarming. The Summer Escape is kind of typical 'they think they're wrong for each other but have undeniable chemistry' romance, but the characters and humor make this book shine. Anna is a private investigator and her older sister Wendy is on bed rest carrying triplets. Their dad died a year ago and while visiting Wendy, Anna finds an old coin in a box of their dad's things. Wendy encourages her to get it appraised and, much to their surprise, it's valuable. Even more shocking, it was stolen and Owen, the nephew of the woman it was taken from, wants to get it back to his aunt. As Anna tries to figure out how the their dad ended up with the coin and if it is the one that belonged to Owen's aunt, Owen insists on tagging along so he too can find the truth. Anna and Wendy's relationship is a gem, perhaps even more uplifting that Anna and Owen's developing one. An enjoyable combination of romance, family relationships, and mystery.

I want to express firstly that I have not gone to the grumpy side despite how the following review might read. Jill Shalvis’ latest entry in her The Sunrise Cove series, The Summer Escape, had the extreme misfortune of being read after Kate Clayborn’s amazing, heartwarming, perfect rom-com from last year, Georgie, All Along. If you love rom-coms and have not read it, I heartily (big on heart) recommend it. That said, if I had read The Bright Spot by Jill Shalvis (see my February 2024 review) after Georgie, it would have fared just as it did in my review because at no point in time did I think that Shalvis was phoning it in, unlike with The Summer Escape.

I am not sure why The Summer Escape was called The Summer Escape. 🤷🏻‍♀️ And I am not sure why the blurb refers to a race against the clock or a heart-stopping adventure. What promised to be entertaining, Anna Moore as private investigator, fell flat because Anna never seems to do any investigating and the mystery that I was enthusiastic about reading was not present for 90% of the novel.

What The Summer Escape is is a romance in which Anna Moore and Owen Harris, two commitment-phobes fall in love in under a week and then talk endlessly to each other and others about how it won’t work out. Throw in Anna’s sister, Wendy, who is pregnant with triplets and is interfering and bossy (and imho unlikable), and a novel most definitely not for me was created.

During the last 10% of the novel, the mystery is somewhat salvaged but there’s nothing mysterious and the climax is expected but raises logic questions that I won’t address because spoilers.

There were some funny snarky moments but for me they couldn’t rescue a story in which nothing much happens.

So. The Summer Escape is not for me. I hope it’s a one off for one of my favorite authors. I will mention that a lot of other reviewers loved it, so let’s call it a your-mileage-may-vary.

Many thanks to Avon Books for sending me a copy.

ps I loathed every moment of writing this review except for designing the accompanying image in Canva.

Enjoyed

Anna doesn’t trust easily. She never knew her mother, having died giving birth, a fact not revealed until later in childhood. Her relationships frequently go off the rails, and while she is a small investigative business owner, she doesn’t feel her judgment is the best.

So, when a news story surfaces her finding of an old coin and Owen mysteriously turns up at her office, she has no reason to trust his motives. Or does she? Together they embark on a scavenger type hunt to find his Aunt’s lost treasures, and maybe they find out things about themselves too.

I loved Anna’s relationship with her very pregnant sister Wendy, and her staunch belief in her father’s goodness. This book had laughs, romance and mystery, well-written and fast-paced.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.