Susan Mallery's For the Love of Summer is a delightfully woman-centric story about friendship and forgiveness as 4 women come together to build a family.

Another wonderful addition to Women's Fiction that Susan Mallery does so well. Female friendship, mother daughter relationships and then an HEA. What is there not to love. Erica is a successful business woman with a teenage daughter, divorced from Peter who broke her heart. Her mom lives in the carriage house behind the home. Allison is the current wife of Peter with a two year old and a baby on the way. Peter gets arrested for money laundering, and his relationship with all the women affects everyone.What ensues next is how women rally around each other and Erica finally, and I mean finally realizes she can love a man again. Another first rate story I will think about for awhile.

For the Love of Summer is a book that contrasts the ugliness that life can throw at you which could lead you to a beautiful reward - if you can survive. Susan Mallery achieves with words a feeling of everything is out of control in this original plot line. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book and have already recommended it to friends.

This book is not just a "Summer" read. In fact the book is not about the season Summer at all and the title is a little play on words. Summer is the daughter of one of the main characters Erica, a high-end salon owner from Seattle. We are introduced to Erica in the first pages of the novel and you think this is a mere rom-com set in a chain of salons (which would be a cute book). But then the story introduces us to Allison and Erica's ex-husband Peter and you are thrust into a crisis situation that gets you the reader to think: What if this happened to me? Would I survive? Would I be able to to get over myself to help someone in a crisis? Would I have suspected a loved one capable of harm?

The writing is the best part of the book because you can't read this book slow. The words and the pacing mimic the level of panic that poor Allison feels as she is just whacked in the face by her life just blowing up before her eyes. And you feel her racing around trying to pick the pieces of the remains after her life explosion.

You are compelled to read on and you see the book's namesake - Summer - Allison's stepdaughter, who is only 16 - show compassion beyond her years towards Allison, who is her dad's second wife. Summer, who is not afraid to be herself, spurs the adults into action and really is part of restoring the beauty in the book. Summer has creative ideas to fix the situation and is the driving force behind uniting the adults, who discover love and friendship in a places they never would have imagined they could.

This is a story that needs to be told and unfortunately has probably happened to real people without the positive results. I would be interested to hear where Susan Mallery got the story idea from and if there is a real Allison out there. Erica's story of success and compassion is inspirational, too. The contrast between who we believe a person to be and what they really are both in Peter the villain and Erica, the reluctant hero makes the story deeper than the title or the cover suggest. I am grateful to NetGalley and Mira for an opportunity to read an ARC of this book.

Another amazing book written by Susan Mallery. I was hooked from the first chapter. Who ever think 0f reaching out to your ex husband's current wife and letting her move into your house. Erica will do anything for her daughter teenage daughter, Summer. So when Summer comes up with this plan, to move her step mom, Allison who is ready to deliver her second baby and has a little boy into their house, Erica can't say no. Summer's dad is prison. Soon an unlikely friendship develops between these two that will warm your heart. I highly recommend this book!

Lovely book about the power of women, friendship and the strength found and needed to overcome hardships.

Two women on different life paths but tied together by their daughter and step daughter , Summer.

Summer's stepmom is pregnant and has a young child when her husband is thrown into jail for financial crimes. Not knowing how the family will survive, Summer asks her mom Erica, Peter's ex wife, to allow her father's new family to move in with them. Through heartache , stress and betrayal the women form a friendship and unbreakable bond -- all for the love of Summer.

A beautiful story of love, friendship and the resilience of women.

Thank you for the ARC copy -- opinions are my own.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This was a great summer read. I loved the relationships between all of the strong female characters in this book. There is a lot of family drama, evolving relationships ,some romance and the growth of some powerful women.

Susan Mallery has written another book that really looks at what makes a family and what people do for family. I love how Susan Mallery writes books with strong female characters who seem invincible, but in reality need something. Erica and Summer take in Allison and her babies to help when things are just at the bottom.

Summer loves her step mother Allison and her half brother Jackson. She is horrified by the idea that her father was arrested and held in jail leaving Allison to fend for herself pregnant with her baby. Summer’s mother capitulates to help Allison. What happens next is Erica and Allison are forced to join an alliance and eventually turn into friends, because while Allison needs the physical help, Erica needs a friend.

I really enjoyed the novel. The back and forth between the main characters and the secondary characters are awesome. I love the strength of the main characters. I loved the singular thoughts of them and watched how they grow and change with new people.

For the love of Summer by Susan Mallery was an awesome read!

For the Love of Summer by Susan Mallery is absolutely one her best books. It was very engrossing to read about how the character's lives became entwined and they created a family for themselves.

I enjoyed reading For the Love of Summer by Susan Mallery. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

Another happy, easy-to-read, offering from Susan Mallery, full of characters that are relatable and full of the shifts in perspective that life requires.

What a wonderful book! I have read most of Susan Mallery's books and loved many, but this one is my favorite! I have read many books this year and this tops that list as well. The characters are well developed, but each has their flaws. Just as most people do. The story was told with love, laughter, sarcasm, sorrow and joy. Ms Mallery you keep writing and I will keep reading.

Thank you to the Publisher and author for the chance to read this book. All opinions expressed are voluntary and my own thoughts and views.

I've read nearly all of Susan Mallery's books and this one definitely ranks at the top. I loved the story of Erica and Allison and how they came to be family, along with the other very fun and memorable supporting characters. Watching Erica break through her defenses was inspiring, and seeing Allison come to value herself and stand on her own was gratifying. Thanks to Netgalley and MIRA for the advance digital copy!

Susan Mallery is my go to author who, when I see a new book by her I automatically read it. Her books are always so refreshing & happy ever after.

Solid Susan Mallery Tale Of Finding Friends Even In Difficult Situations. I admit, I'm a bit weird here due to how my own family was as I was growing up, and even how my wife's family is to this day. You see, my grandparents divorced well before I was ever born. I never knew them married. And yet, my grandmother and step-grandfather lived on my grandfather's property, at times even inside his own house, at a few different points of my childhood. Similarly, my wife's mom's best friend... is the ex-wife of her husband (my wife's stepdad).

Thus, when I find myself reading a tale such as the one here, where a new wife suddenly finds that her only real chance at moving forward is the generosity of her husband's ex-wife (prodded on by their daughter)... it actually isn't that far out of the realm of "normal" for me. :D

So maybe I had an easier time accepting this plotline than some, but for me it absolutely worked quite well. Yes, it could get a touch repetitive at times as Mallery was driving home her major thematic elements, but... that is kinda part of Mallery's style, at least of late. Yes, her books - including this one - could easily be 20 or more pages shorter without all of the repetition, but I honestly think that many of Mallery's bigger fans appreciate this to some level.

Ultimately, this is a tale of hope and found family/ found friendship and how these can make life bearable even under difficult and somewhat unusual circumstances. This is a tale of women bonding even in situations that would likely tear many female bonds apart, and it is a tale of the power of friendship. I for one thoroughly enjoyed it, even if, yes, it did run perhaps a touch too long. But again, that is just something one comes to expect from Mallery, who I'm beginning to think has some kind of deep seated aversion to publishing a book with less than 400 pages in it.

Very much recommended.

When you love someone you will do most anything. Especially if it is your child. These hard decisions will lead to strange bedfellows as they say. Erica will forge a friendship with Allison, her daughter's step-mother during what turns out to be a rather hard time. For the love of Summer, they each do their best and come together.
A great story about women and the bonds they form.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher and am leaving a review by my own choice.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was sweet, funny, and I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

This book is filled with human kindness while also revving the engine of girl power!

Characters- very easy for the reader to engage with the characters. Really enjoyed the heroine and villain experience throughout the story.

Plot - As the story unfolded, the more moved I was by the characters. I was so engaged in the plot that I couldn’t wait to get home from work to pick up my book!

Style - The writing style is smooth as silk—flowed beautifully and kept those pages turning.

I would recommend this book and already see myself reading it again down the road to feel empowered and loved.

Thank you to Susan Mallery, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC opportunity to provide my honest feedback.

I absolutely adored this book. It was my first Susan Mallery book and is now definitely a favorite of mine. I fell in love with every single character, minus douchey Peter. The journey to female empowerment was such a great staple for these characters. I know this is meant to be a summer book, but would definitely be a good one to read anytime of the year.

Thank you, NetGalley, Susan Mallery, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Fantastic story! I loved everything about this read. I loved the strength, flaws, and compassion in Erica. Allison had to find herself and she did that with much needed support. Mara (Mother/Grandmother) was full of wisdom and got my high five when she tactfully put teen Allison in her place. Allison is mature for a teen and has a tender heart. Killion is everything Erica needed. The support the women offer is incredible and a great reminder for women to have each other backs. A wonderful read of an unlikely friendship and forming an unusual family. Highly recommend.

For the Love of Summer is bestselling author Susan Mallery‘s moving tale about relationships between women.

48-year-old Erica Sawyer is the owner of four successful salons in the Seattle area and the mother of a 16-year-old daughter, Summer. Erica is a driven businesswoman whose ambition and no-nonsense attitude make her intimidating to others. She has no friends, just employees and acquaintances. Since her accountant husband dumped her four years earlier, Erica is afraid of romantic entanglements. She has been casually seeing Killion, a business tycoon, for almost a year.

When Erica’s ex-husband, Peter Jenkins, is arrested for financial crimes, his second wife, Allison, is devastated. 34-year-old Allison is six months pregnant and is caring for their 18-month-old son, Jackson. She works two part-time jobs: as a grocery store clerk and at a daycare to earn credits. Allison and Peter rent a small house but are planning to move within two months because the home is being sold. Peter has told Allison untrue and unflattering things about his ex-wife, Erica. The two women have never met.

Summer visits her father’s house frequently to spend time with her toddler brother, Jackson. She genuinely likes her stepmother, Allison, and is upset by Allison’s devastation over Peter’s arrest. Allison’s biggest issue is that their bank account has been frozen by the government and she has no access to money, including her paycheck that was just direct deposited into their joint account. Summer explains Allison’s plight to her mother and begs her to allow Allison and Jackson to move in with them temporarily. Erica is hesitant but realizes that Allison has no one else to help her.

Erica and Allison begin an uneasy friendship. Erica admires Allison’s mothering skills to Jackson and her kindness to Summer. Allison realizes that Summer’s goodness may be due more to Erica’s influence than to Peter’s. Erica’s mom, Mara, a 70-year-old retired hairdresser, acts as a neutral party between Erica and Allison. She gives wise advice to everyone and babysits Jackson when needed.

Eventually Allison realizes that Peter told her many lies during their three-year relationship, and she can’t trust him. She has experienced a lot of loss in her life and deserves the boost up that Erica is offering. Erica has to re-evaluate her relationships with both Summer and Killion after realizing that she has been wearing blinders.

For the Love of Summer is different from previous books by this author because it is Women’s Fiction, not romance. It’s a character development story of two very different but likable women. While there are some sexual references, there are no graphic sex scenes. However there is profanity sprinkled throughout the story. I really enjoyed reading For the Love of Summer, especially the behind-the-scenes looks at the salons.

I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily