A lovely novel about three women- Cecelia, her daughter Kristen, and Lily, who was more or less squatting in Cecelia's home on Cape Cod until Cecelia arrived. Oh, and Theo. This is all about grief, resiliency, friendship and mostly family, both blood and found. There's romance, yes, but there's also some unexpected and deeper drama. There's also nice Cape atmospherics. While yes it's trope-y, it's also the sort of easy read that you need sometimes. And, Morgan's a good storyteller. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Perfect for the beach.

This is a wonderful book with 3 women's point of view on their life choices, marriage & love. I loved the beach setting. It was relaxing & almost it's own character. I enjoyed getting to know the characters & what choices they would make for their new chapters in life.

After a slightly slow start I absolutely fell in love with this book. At the very beginning all of the characters are at a bit of a watershed moment. They're all facing down things that aren't quite what they seem and decisions that have consequences.

I loved all the characters and watching them learn to figure out what they want and in some cases find their voice. Normally in a book with an ensemble cast there are some stories I like more than others and some characters I don't really care for. I didn't find that to be the case for this book. I really enjoyed each story and could identify with each of the characters.

This was a bit of a predictible romance but it was so cozy and heartfelt with likable characters that deserve happy endings that I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. Sarah Morgan may become my go to comfort reading author.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance review copy in return for an honest review.
What a cutie little beach novel. All the characters were so sweet and fun to read. I also love when a book is tied up in a neat bow.

The summer reads have officially begun and I'm so glad I started with this book, because truly it healed something in me. The characters, the setting, the plot, everything about it just scratched an itch in my brain and filled a hole in my heart that I didn't even realize existed.

Lily is on the run. After going against her parents wishes and dropping out of medical school, she finds herself cleaning houses on the Cape as she figures out her next move. After some time couch surfing, she realizes that the abandoned cottage she's been cleaning would be the perfect spot to post up until she sorts out where she wants to be and what she wants to do. After all, the cleaning company she works for said no one uses the cottage to begin with. But when the owner, Cecilia Lapthorne, shows up, looking to escape her own home troubles, the two form an unlikely friendship, and they may just be the person needed to help each other heal.

If you are looking for a sweet summer read that is going to pull out some emotion while making you smile, this is the one that needs to be on your TBR. It really draws on the need for empathy (you truly never know what someone is going through, even if they're in your own family) and shows that even the most self-centered characters (I'm looking at you, Kristen) can experience a great depth of development if they open their eyes to what's going on around them.

Sarah Morgan is an incredibly talented author and this completely put me in the summer reading mood!

ARC Review! Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced copy of this read in exchange for my honest review!

I struggled with this one, as there was far more drama than I was expecting. That took away from this being the cozy, uplifting beach read I had anticipated based on the cover and description. This was far heavier. I did enjoy the multiple POV's, which featured three generations of women, a mother and daughter and a friend. All three were flawed and relatable. Numerous topics are addressed in this book, including death and grief, cheating, bullying, and toxic relationships--quite a bit to tackle in one story that looks like a fun summer read. The pace was slow, and that, along with the heavier topics, made it hard for me to stay engaged. There is romance aspect, but, sadly, it's cheesy. I think the book could have been better without it. I did appreciate the reminder that one is never too old to reinvent themselves.

The Summer Swap is a smart romance story full of heart and complex topics. The author does a good job covering complex topics while still keeping the story a light read for the summer. I adored that the story had multiple POVs. I definitely recommend this to romance readers looking for their next summer read.

In Sarah Morgan's latest work, women across generations navigate life's challenges with depth and insight. With a blend of depth and lightness, it delves into themes of family, friendship, and romance.

The three central characters—Lily, Cecelia, and Kirsten—each offer a compelling perspective. Lily, a young artist healing from heartbreak; Cecelia, a widowed matriarch burdened by secrets and her late husband's legacy; and Kirsten, navigating loss, family dynamics, and an absent spouse.

Through skillful multi-POV storytelling, Morgan intricately weaves together their journeys, captivating readers with relatable struggles and aspirations. Set against the picturesque backdrop of the Cape, the narrative is enriched by vivid descriptions that transport readers to sandy shores and sun-drenched landscapes.

Ultimately, it's a tale of secrets unveiled and resolutions reached, leaving readers with a sense of hope and fulfillment by its satisfying conclusion.

Thank you to netgalley, Sarah Morgan, and Harlequin for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a beautiful way to write 3 stories in one book and have it work out perfectly. I really enjoyed the stories told, the author did an amazing job!

This was such a great book! A fast paced, and very easy read. Perfect to pull anyone out of a reading slump! Super cute, and intriguing from the very beginning! Lots of secrets, which I love! Three different relationships in three different stages, and a rekindled romance! I would highly recommend this book to everyone I know.

This was my first Sarah Morgan book, it was a wonderful romance I will be reading more of her work in the future. This was the perfect book to lay in the backyard under the sun, envision your toes in the sand and the ocean breeze against your face. If your lucky enough to actually get to do that bring this book!

This is a multigenerational book that followed 3 women thru a summer of navigating life. Each woman is in a different stage of life. Cecilia is 75 year old widow who has lived her entire life in the shadow of her famous husband, she has to learn to let go of hurtful secrets and find happiness in who she is without her husband. Kristin is in her late forties, after losing her dad she has been unable to cope while living with a work-aholic husband who emotionally is absent. And Lily, sweet Lily, freshly dropped out of medical school to pursue what makes her happy with the disapproval of the ones she loves most.

Their stories are so fun to read about, the characters all come together so well and youwill easily fall inlove with Todd. I feel like he was not in the book enough.

My only complaint is the pace of Todd and Lily. Their love for each other developed off the pages, making it go from Lily silently pineing over him to holding hands and inlove. I wish we had had more depth there, maybe a chapter or two from Todds perspective!

Thank you Sarah Morgan, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press & NetGalley for the oppurtunity to enjoy The Summer Swap.

I am torn with my star rating. It’s a solid 3.5 ⭐️ that I just can’t bring myself to round up. Maybe that will change as I sit with it?

I want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The story over all is a delightful summer read. I can’t call it a beach read as the pacing is very slow in the first half of the book and it’s more than a fluffy story. It takes you on a sojourn (I can’t call it a journey) into complex parental/ child, wife/ husband and beyond relationships by taking a look at the past to shape the characters futures.

I liked the story in that I wanted to know what happened despite it being incredibly predicated from the jump. Part of the story surrounds a painting with some mysterious history of sorts except it was really clear (at least to me) what the providence and origins of the painting was from the beginning.

One frustrating part is the romance aspect of the book. It went from 0 to cheesy in not even a full page. It just didn’t ring true. There was a lot from the beginning half of the book that could have been edited out in favor of a bit more development of the current relationships in the book.

I liked the multi POV aspect although I did. It care at all about Kristen’s until the last 1/4 of the book. She was annoying and I wanted her to go away, thankfully she did for a bit, or at least her POV took a break which is when the pacing picked up.

Lastly, what I did enjoy was the sense that she shouldn’t put someone in a box and reinventing themselves is always an option, even if you’re in your 70’s.

So I do recommend a read of the book despite some grammar issues (which may be fixed for the final copy), some cheesiness and needing a better edit.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Thanks to netgalley & the publisher for the ARC copy of the book. The love that I feel for Lily. How I’m so glad about the way the book ended. CL. I would’ve never guessed that. I wanted to cry happy tears a lot. I really hope there is another book for Todd’s sisters. One of the best beach reads I’ve read.

Right... I didn't expect this to happen to be honest. I had such a great time with The Book Club Hotel last year that I immediately jumped at the opportunity to read Sarah Morgan's newest story early. I loved the sound of the Cape Cod setting as well as the growing bond between the two women that seemed to have an unlikely friendship vibe... And I admit that I fully expected to enjoy my time with The Summer Swap. Imagine my surprise when I ended up struggling considerably with this summer read instead... It definitely wasn't the book for me after all.

First of all, I have to stress that I'm probably part of the problem here. I'm never a big fan of family drama focused stories, and there is a whole lot of drama to be found in The Summer Swap. I wasn't expecting quite this much in what I thought would be an uplifting summer read, and the main focus is definitely on the heavy topics and drama on multiple levels here. Not necessarily a bad thing, but not my cup of tea at all and as a result I struggled considerably to find the motivation to keep reading. If you like drama, you will love this story though!

The Summer Swap uses three different POVs following three generations of women. Cecilia and Kristen are family (mother and daughter), while Lily is a close friend of Cecilia's granddaughter. All three women have their flaws, issues and secrets, and as a consequence all three POVs focus heavily on the drama to be found along the way. Topics mentioned include for example death, grief, family issues, parental pressure, cheating, unrequited love, bullying and toxic relationships in general, and it's a lot to deal with considering the fact that I thought it was going to be an uplifting story focusing on friendship and self discovery.

I think part of the reason this story didn't work well for me also had to do both with the fact that the pace is considerably slow and the fact that this story is mostly character-driven and nothing much happens during most of the plot. Add the fact that I wasn't able to warm up to any of the characters at all, and it only made this character-driven story even harder to swallow... The way there was SO much drama during most of the plot, only to have everything magically being made better wasn't exactly credible either. I don't mind a happy ending, but this was just too much of an abrupt and 180 change to be satisfying.

In short, The Summer Swap and me sadly didn't get along at all. Between the overdose of drama, unlikeable characters and slow pace I struggled considerably with this story, and it just wasn't for me. Most people seem to love this book so far though, so definitely don't give up on my account if you think you would enjoy it.

Sarah Morgan just gets better every time I pick up a new book! I loved the summer vibe of this novel, as well as the complexity of the relationships and dynamics over time. Lily and Cecilia are the ultimate female friend goals, and I loved every second of getting there.

Such a beautiful multigenerational read that was emotional but also light enough for a quick read. I enjoyed the depth of each woman and was rooting for them all.

Thank you to netgally for an advanced copy. My opinions are my own.

5🌟

After dropping out of med school in dreams to become an artist, Lily finds herself at Dune Cottage where Cecilia and her late husband Cameron, who was a famous artist, passed away. Unexpectedly, Cecilia shows up at Dune Cottage and despite their age differences, she allows Lily to stay. After her husband’s passing Cecilia is trying to find ways to reinvent and find herself again. When Cecilia’s grandson, Todd, shows up to check on her, Lily sees her crush and was shocked to say the least of the unknowing connection he had with Cecilia.

The third POV is with Kristen who is Cecilia’s and Cameron’s daughter who in her storyline- is dealing with a failing marriage and her courage and strength to make huge life changing decisions.

No matter the age difference between all POVs, they all have a beautiful connection in which a lot of multiple POV novels, that can be hard to find. This novel is the perfect summer read if you love Cape Cod, beachy vibes, talks of art, togetherness and multiple ways of dealing with grief.

I always am a sucker for multiple POVs especially not only when each story flows together beautifully but because each story being told is bold, well-written, very detailed and really makes you feel as if you have a connection with each of these three women.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Harlequin Publishing and The Hive for this opportunity to arc read this beautiful summer novel.

Book: The Summer Swap
Author: Sarah Morgan
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Canary Street Press, for sending me an ARC. This is a new to me author. I was very surprised with how much I ended up enjoying this book. It has a touch of everything, family, drama, and romance. Plus, it gave me all of the sweet feels.

In this one, we follow a family and Lily. Lily has gone to the Cape to start over. She was training to be a doctor but found that life was not for her. much to her parents’ disappointment, she drops out of medical school and is now cleaning houses. She wants to be an artist but has been told time and time again that is not a way to earn a living. She has no home and has been staying in this cottage is always empty. It has beautiful paintings on its walls and has a perfect room for painting. It needs her, just like she needs it. This all changes though. One night, Cecilla arrives and starts smashing the paintings. Lily doesn’t know what to do and runs away. After all, Cecilla doesn’t know that Lily has been staying there. Cecilla has had enough of her family for now-even though they mean well. She thought that her now-deceased husband had sold the cottage and is very surprised to learn that he didn’t. Her children and grandchildren don’t know about the cottage, so it seems like a good place to escape for a few days. Both Lily and Cecilla are in a dark place and both don’t realize just how much they need each other and the cottage in their lives.

I liked how this is a romance, but the romance is not the focus of the book. We have a family that has been rocked by the death of their father. They are trying to hang on, but things are quickly falling apart. It’s one of those situations in which if you are an outsider looking in that everything looks fine. However, if you peel back the layers, then things are very wrong. The family doesn’t even realize that amongst themselves they are just going through the motions without really living. All want and/or need something that they are not getting. The cottage is the answer to it. They all need some time to escape from the world and work through what they need/want. Lily, though she is not a member of the family, fits into this as well. She has spent her whole life doing what others want/expect her to do without really getting what she wants/needs. Everyone in this book has put their life on hold without really realizing what they are doing. Everyone needs to grow.

All are dealing with some sort of grief in this book. The cover doesn’t hint at that, but that is what this book is at its core. It’s about grief and healing. It could be death, such as in Cecilla and Kat’s case. It could be coming to terms with letting someone down, such as Lily’s case. It is also a reflection of life and not having the life that you truly need/want. People do this all the time. They put their wishes and desires on hold for the sake of others. When they realize that they have done so, they come to grieve both the time they have lost and what they have given up. Everyone feels this way. Everyone has regrets about something they didn’t/did do in their lives. This makes the story feel very real and brings in the human element.

I like the human element in stories. When I read a book, I don’t always want to see myself. I read to escape. However, having the human element and seeing characters go through very real human things pulls me into books. It creates a bond with both the characters and the book. that is something am always on the lookout for in books. I want to create some kind of bond with what I am reading. I want to cheer for the characters and feel all of their feelings while reading.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. I am glad that I picked it up when I did.

This book comes out on May 7, 2024.

Youtube: https://youtu.be/Pw_en6EFXuI

This is a cute story following 2 people on opposite sides of life come together to help each other through a time of transition. Lilly is young and spiraling trying to decide what she wants in life and meets Cecilia who is struggling with the tail end of life in her 70s. A great story about what all life has to offer and being ready to let go of expectations as life changes.

What a perfect little summer read! I loved it so much! I plan on reading all of this authors books now, thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ebook!