A mother/daughter duo split this book and both take center stage at times. Kathleen the mother is eighty years old and after an intrusion in her home she is pushed to go on one more adventure before she may have to settle down for the final years. Liza, her daughter, has always been the responsible one - a dependable wife, mother, co worker and friend, she always answers the call and helps whomever is in need. A third character is just below these two for air time and that is Martha who is unemployed and out of a relationship and feels as though she is floundering and doesn't know what she wants to do with her life.

Part road trip, part self discovery, part romance/relationship book - this one had it all. I love that in all of the parts, women took the center stage and it was a wide range of ages and life circumstances, any woman could find themselves in this book and enjoy it. Martha and Kathleen, the youngest and oldest in the book, go on the road trip of a lifetime down Route 66 and along the way find the strengths in each other and challenge each other to make some hard decisions. Liza escapes to her mother's empty home and defies her typical steadfastness and instead puts herself and her needs first and this challenges her family and friends, but in the end is good for all.

Sarah Morgan is easily one of my favorite authors as she puts a focus on women, but doesn't leave out all the interesting things that make women unique from men and even from each other. Although they appear light and breezy, her books have some great lessons to learn under the fun!

We’re all the products of our families, in one way or another. For some, it’s by imitation. We learned what to do by observing the people around us. For others, it’s in opposition. We learned what not to do by observing the people around us.

It’s pretty clear at the beginning of The Summer Seekers that Liza and her mother Kathleen exist in opposition. Kathleen’s life has been filled with wanderlust, spending most of Liza’s growing up years on the road filming her travel show, titled, just as this book is, The Summer Seekers.

What Liza learned from that experience is that she absolutely did not want that life for herself. She attached herself to home and hearth pretty much as soon as she could. Kathleen craved adventure, leaving Liza to crave the security she never felt she had.

But time has marched on. Kathleen still craves adventure, but at 80 her adventures are not quite as easy to arrange. While 40ish Liza wants above all for her mother, and all of her other loved ones, to be safe. Even though “safe” is the last thing that Kathleen was EVER built for.

There’s that saying about a ship in harbor being safe, but that not being what ships are built for. Kathleen is the ship. Her daughter Liza is the harbor, attempting to keep every ship not just safe but her own definition of safe and worrying so much over every ship – meaning every member of her family and their every need – that she’s worrying herself all the way to a permanent panic attack – if not worse.

And Kathleen and Liza, no matter how much they love each other, manage to just push each other further and further away. Liza wants to keep her mother safe, and she desperately needs to talk about her feelings about her mother’s absences, both physical and emotional, as she was growing up. While Kathleen wants to live the remaining years of her life by wringing out every day until every last drop has been squeezed out – and by never talking about or touching on anything deeply emotional at all.

They are on an emotional collision course when Kathleen announces that she is planning to take the one trip she always intended to but never quite managed. She intends to fly from London to Chicago and take a ride on storied, scenic Route 66. With an unemployed former barista named Martha as her driver, personal assistant and companion.

Liza is practically out of her mind with worry. Because that’s the person she’s become.

But just as Kathleen is about to fly away, just as she did so often during Liza’s childhood, they have one of those moments when they see each other clearly. A moment that puts a shaky bridge across the emotional chasm between them.

And in that moment they throw each other an emotional lifeline. As the miles increase between them, the distance, paradoxically, closes.

But is it too late?

Escape Rating A-: The Summer Seekers begins as Kathleen and Liza are in the midst of a seemingly life-long failure to communicate. Kathleen is emotionally distant – not just with her daughter but with, generally, everyone in her life. Liza, in reaction to her mother’s emotional distance during her childhood, has turned into her mother’s opposite – a woman who has tried to be so present and so involved in the lives of everyone she loves that she does everything for them – and has lost herself in the process.

Into the middle of that gulf steps, or rather drives, Martha. Literally as well as figuratively. Because Martha has the emotional intelligence that both Kathleen and Liza lack. (It’s clearly not in their family DNA!) It’s kind of a surprise that it’s in Martha’s, because her own family can’t seem to appreciate anything she has or is or does – and it’s killing her spirit one hour at a time.

But on this journey, Martha becomes the bridge between Kathleen and Liza. At 25, she’s not quite young enough to be Liza’s daughter, but she’s definitely of an age to be Kathleen’s granddaughter. In the forced intimacy of a very long car trip in a small but fast sports car, they open up to each other in a way that neither has done with their families.

So technology-savvy Martha facilitates the smartphone, email and video chat communication that links Kathleen with her daughter Liza. They share more over the longer distance than they ever have when close.

At the point where the story becomes about Kathleen’s, Liza’s and Martha’s physical and emotional journeys forward and towards each other, it becomes an absolute delight to follow. But the beginning, when Kathleen and Liza are at such cross purposes they are not having the same conversation even when they are in the same conversation, was a painful read for me because it hit much too close to home.

What makes this story is not the physical journey but rather the emotional journey. Martha, with just a bit of Kathleen’s help, learns to listen to the voice inside herself and not all of the naysayers that surround her at home. Kathleen, with a bit of help from Martha’s emotional intelligence, opens up to her daughter about the past Kathleen left behind long ago, and the betrayal that led to the emotional distance that affected both of their lives.

While Liza, with just a bit of prodding from her mother, finally snaps under the weight of all of the worries and obligations that she has buried herself under for so long. In the resounding echo of that snap she drops everything and takes back…herself. She puts herself, her own dreams and her own needs, back near the top of her gigantic to-do list. And every single person in her life is the better for it. Including, most especially Liza.

The “kicks on Route 66” in the Mustang convertible may be the thing that push the story forward, but it’s the emotional journeys that pull very successfully at the reader’s heart.

I loved this book! The perfect blend of life lessons and fun! I’m so attached to the characters, and am desperate to know what happens to Martha and Josh, and I’m still so worried about Kathleen’s dizzy spells! And I want to live at Oakwood Cottage!!

The Review

This was a terrific and engaging women’s fiction story. The use of three protagonists, each from a different generation with their own worries and stress, really added much more engagement and emotional struggle to the story. The characters just jumped off the page, adding some personal relation to me as I recently had my grandmother pass a couple of years ago, and the years leading up to that did add some worry and stress to our lives as she was very dear to our hearts, so the worry and stress Liza is feeling is something that I can easily relate to.

However, it is the bond and connection these women share amongst themselves as well as the emotional journey of finding themselves and who they really are, that make this novel shine so brightly. The blend of adventure and heartbreak as the story progresses really draws the reader in, and the adventure along Route 66 really added an extra level of imagery as the trip is so iconic and dreamed of by so many.

The Verdict

An expertly crafted, eventful, and entertaining yet emotionally driven narrative, author Sarah Morgan’s “The Summer Seekers” is a must-read novel for the summer. A beautiful story that draws on the strengths and well-rounded personalities of these strong protagonists, this novel promises to draw readers in from the start and speaks to a wide array of readers as a whole. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

The Summer Seekers is such an engaging read. I love that we get each woman's point of view as the story moves, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each character. The feisty Kathleen is one of my favorite types of character to read. I love her spunk and can only hope to have even a part of that when I'm in my later years. The premise is perfect for this time of year, and I think this one will make a great beach read. Plus, it's so easy to fall into it and imagine making that journey with these ladies. The book is very well written, the characters are wonderful, and the story is equal parts fun and emotional with plenty of adventure and just the right splash of romance.

Get swept into a summer of sunshine, soul-searching and shameless matchmaking with THE SUMMER SEEKERS (Harlequin). It's a delightfully bighearted road-trip adventure by USA TODAY bestselling author Sarah Morgan! I so love Sarah, and this isn't one of her delicious holiday novels!

Kathleen is eighty years old. After she has a run-in with an intruder, her daughter wants her to move into a residential home. But she’s not having any of it. What she craves—what she needs—is adventure.

Liza is drowning in the daily stress of family life. The last thing she needs is her mother jetting off on a wild holiday, making Liza long for a solo summer of her own.

Martha is having a quarter-life crisis. Unemployed, unloved and uninspired, she just can’t get her life together. But she knows something has to change.

When Martha sees Kathleen’s advertisement for a driver and companion to share an epic road trip across America with, she decides this job might be the answer to her prayers. She's not the world's best driver, but anything has to be better than living with her parents. And traveling with a stranger? No problem. Anyway, how much trouble can one eighty-year-old woman be?

As these women embark on the journey of a lifetime, they all discover it's never too late to start over…

Pack your bags. We're hitting the road.

The Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan is a contemporary woman’s fiction read full of fun, family, travel and a bit of romance on the open road. The three main characters in this story are from three different generations and all are figuring out their lives in the best way that they can.

Kathleen is now an octogenarian who is still living on her own in her remote home when one night she finds an intruder in her kitchen. With some quick thinking Kathleen subdues the man with a bonk over the head with her heavy skillet. Kathleen’s daughter Liza isn’t so quick to write off her mother’s safety though and is ready to push for her to move.

Much to Liza’s dismay the encounter in the kitchen has the opposite effect on Kathleen leaving her feeling stronger than she has in years which leads her to missing her days of travel in her past while she worked on the show The Summer Seekers. Kathleen’s plan is to now hire a driver and travel the famous Route 66 in America. Martha, a young woman in her mid 20s, sees the ad for a driver and figures why not apply since she hasn’t figured out what she wants after her divorce.

So I should first admit that traveling Route 66 is one of those dream trips for me so of course I just had to pick this one up when I saw it. Thankfully though the characters in this book were wonderful so I quickly fell in love with watching them grow as I learned of their stories and joined them on all of their adventures. The book changes the point of view between them so you can enjoy all sides to their individual lives which gave a deeper level into all that was going on between all three and I enjoyed every minute of their journeys not only on the road but emotionally as well.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This book was relatable on many different levels.
First, and probably most importantly, it explores the changing relationship of a mother and daughter. What happens when roles are reversed, and the daughter feels that she has to become the caretaker?
And what happens when the mother is in complete opposition to that?
Thoroughly relatable for anyone who has ever had to come to agreements and compromises with an aging parent.
But it’s more than that.
I liked how the author put an emphasis on friendship knowing no age limits. I liked that the sense of adventure spans generations. And I liked the message of “do your own thing for as long as you can.”
All good things that are clearly guiding a well-written and engaging story.
While I did relate to Liza in terms of worrying about an aging mother, I found her to be almost too much of a worrier. There were times that she actually got on my nerves (so I couldn’t blame Kathleen for feeling similar at all).
Liza was obviously concerned about her mom, and rightfully so, but there were times where it seemed like she was too overbearing.
I thought Kathleen was feisty, and she reminded me of my own mom in some ways. I did think that her character got a little bit lost by the end. I couldn’t tell if it was reflective of her being tired from the road trip or if the author lost some steam.
Morgan was a bit of a mess. In some ways I related to her being frazzled and wanting a change, but there was also something about her that bugged me. Not a lot, but just a tad. Not quite sure why.
I do wish that there had been more details about the trip via Route 66. I was expecting more adventures and occurrences, especially since it’s a road that is filled with unique opportunities to have fun scenes.
As it was, it seemed like the build up to the trip took more time than it needed to, and the trip didn’t take enough. That was just my perception. Maybe because I happen to love Americana, so it seemed like a wasted opportunity.
Regardless, this was still a good book with great messages about intergenerational friendships and living your best life. A perfect beach read.

This was a great summer read that took me away from the doldrums of pandemic quarantine onto the road of discovering new things and being open to new adventures. Kathleen is an eccentric and fun eighty-year old who is determined to go on a road trip across America. She needs a companion and chooses Martha, a twenty-something who is still trying to find herself and her purpose in life. Kathleen leaves behind her morose and worrying daughter Liza, a middle-aged woman who is burdened down with her responsibilities in life and has forgotten to take care of herself. There is thus a character for all generations to relate to: wild and carefree Kathleen who has just gotten her second wind in life; stalwart and long suffering Liza who is desperate to discover a place for herself beyond her family and its stress; and Martha, the exuberant young woman who is open to adventure. At the beginning, the tone of the book was one of humor and was light-hearted. As the book progressed, there were some somber and thought-provoking moments. Reading the book was like taking a journey on the road of life and the three main characters portrayed traveling down this road perfectly. This was an uplifting story of self-discovery and being open to looking for and finding new things in life, even at an advanced age. I loved this book and highly recommend it to those who enjoy contemporary fiction and a good read.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

From an inviting cover to an inviting story, The Summer Seekers was a wonderful story. A story that was filled with lessons, positivity and change.

Kathleen is an octogenarian and is being pressured by her daughter to move into a residential home after a close call with an intruder. However, she has other ideas. Kathleen hires a driver and embarks on a road trip across America. When Martha sees the ad, although knowing that she barely qualifies, she begins the road trip - 2,400 miles at least along the historic Route 66 - with Kathleen that ends up changing her life forever. When Martha agrees to drive for Kathleen, she has an opportunity to look for a new direction in her own life. She is unhappy for her own reasons, and that includes the recent loss of her job.

Liza is Kathleen's daughter and is living the perfect life. Perfect wife. Perfect mother. Or so it seems. When she learns that her mother is about to undergo what just might be a fabulous adventure, she wants some of the same. For the most part, Liza is happy, but she is also overwhelmed. Her kids are teenagers and are nearing college age. Her husband is a hard worker, but then, so is she. However, something is missing. Perhaps she is in need of her own adventure.

Three women. Three different adventures. Life is going to change for all of them.

What a wonderful, comforting read. These characters were all wonderful in their own ways. It didn't matter whose story I was reading, I was definitely drawn in to each of them. I really enjoyed being able to feel a strong connection with each of them. Although this book is women's fiction, there was a romance threaded through one of the stories, and that was a treat to read. I highly recommend this uplifting book (even though I now want a road trip of my own).

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

I found myself swept up into this book. It was fun, witty, emotional, and tender all at once. I found myself ride the waves of every emotion.

When two women who are practical strangers go on a cross-country road trip anything can happen.

Sarah Morgan had a way of taking 3 very different women in different stages of life and weaved a brilliant story. A story of finding balance, living life, and facing your fears, and overcoming. I was so captivated by this story I could hardly put it down. I could feel myself on this road trip learning about life and finding my path.

I will also say I fell in love with Kathleen. I can only hope that when I'm eighty I will have the bravery to go on a cross-country trip. She s someone I could see myself being friends with.


This was a truly beautiful and well-written story.

Title: The Summer Seekers
Author: Sarah Morgan
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

Kathleen is eighty years old. After she has a run-in with an intruder, her daughter wants her to move into a residential home. But she’s not having any of it. What she craves—what she needs—is adventure.

Liza is drowning in the daily stress of family life. The last thing she needs is her mother jetting off on a wild holiday, making Liza long for a solo summer of her own.

Martha is having a quarter-life crisis. Unemployed, unloved and uninspired, she just can’t get her life together. But she knows something has to change.

When Martha sees Kathleen’s advertisement for a driver and companion to share an epic road trip across America with, she decides this job might be the answer to her prayers. She's not the world's best driver, but anything has to be better than living with her parents. And traveling with a stranger? No problem. Anyway, how much trouble can one eighty-year-old woman be?

As these women embark on the journey of a lifetime, they all discover it's never too late to start over…

I loved this read! Kathleen was so much fun: I want to be just like her when I’m 80. Liza’s struggle to find herself again was so relatable and Marth doesn’t even know who she wants to be, but both their journeys were relatable and engrossing. This is the perfect light and inspiring read that will make you want to take a summer road trip—or reinvent yourself. Highly recommend!

Sarah Morgan is a bestselling author. The Summer Seekers is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/HQN in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 5/12.)

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the ARC of this e-book. I adored this whole book. This is a feel-good story that will leave you soul searching yourself.

Kathleen is a 80 year old woman who at one time was the ultimate adventurer. Still yearning for adventure, Kathleen hires a stranger, Martha, to drive her throughout Route 66 checking off another destination on her bucket list. Kathleen’s daughter, Liza, isn’t as adventurous and isn’t much of a risk-taker - she disapproves of her Mother’s trip. She is stuck in her routine and the cycle of everyday life. Liza soon realizes she also needs a change. The story follows these women (Including Martha, who is a lovable character also) through soul searching, love, forgiveness, letting go, vulnerability and kindness. My only complaint - what happened to Finn?? The book just ended with no real closure for Martha or Finn. I am not going to spoil who Finn is, so you will just have to read and see. Definitely don’t skip this book. This is the perfect Summer read. I adored this book. This is a feel-good book that leaves you soul searching yourself.

Do we really know what those closest to us really desire, or hope for? Do we even acknowledge what is important to ourselves or do we stand in the way of our own happiness? Meet Kathleen and Martha, and be ready for a road trip like no other. . Martha doesn't like driving, yet finds herself agreeing to drive 80 year old Kathleen along the fabled Route 66. And back in the UK, Kathleen's daughter Liza also finds the need to escape the demands of family and work to her mother's empty house. Over the course of the summer, each woman resolves to make changes to her life and forge a different future.

I wonder how I am screwing up my kids and their lives. It seems that the last batch of books I've read seem to feature young adults whose parents had been less than perfect and who caused pain to their kids. I certainly know that "less than perfect" describes me, so how am I messing up my kids' lives?

Kathleen had been cheated on when she was young, and so protected herself by creating a life in which her job and adventures trumped her relationships, including her relationship with her daughter, Liza. Liza in turn has created a life in which relationships came first, to the point that her family takes her for granted. Martha has realized that what she wants in life and what her parents want for her are two different things. In The Summer Seekers Kathleen and Martha, who are British head out on a road trip from Chicago to California. As they travel Kathleen thinks back on her life and the choices she made. She also realizes that her time to make changes is getting shorter.

Liza, due to some things her mother says to her on the way to the airport, decides to take some time to decide what she wants in life. I enjoyed watching her spread her wings. Like me, Liza was the mom of kids about ready to leave the nest.

Usually when I think of a "road trip", I think of a trip by car where the journey is part of the fun---not just a way to get from Point A to Point B. It's a great metaphor for life--we are all headed from birth to death--but at a lot of intersections we get to pick which way to go, and those choices, whether good or bad, make us who we are.

I enjoyed this book and getting to know Martha, Liza and Kathleen (and yes, there are romance sub-plots but this is really a book about the women) and recommend it. Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley. Grade: A

This will appear soon at Romance Reviews Today website too. http://romrevtoday.com/
THE SUMMER SEEKERS – Sarah Morgan
HQN
ISBN: 978-1-335-18092-6
May 18, 2021
Contemporary Fiction

England & the United States – Present Day

After eighty-year-old widow Kathleen has a run-in with a burglar in her kitchen, she decides life is now worth living big. She decides to embark on her dream trip by driving the famed Route 66 across the United States. Her daughter, Liza, is appalled that her mother would even think about doing this trip but agrees to the plan as long as she has a companion. Martha is interviewed and hired. What the other ladies don’t know is that Martha isn’t sure she is up for the driving part of the trip. But the two ladies are soon headed to the United States.

Liza worries about her mother’s trip, but she has other problems to contend with. Her family has taken her for granted for years—then her husband, Sean, forgets their anniversary. Feeling sad and overwhelmed, Liza escapes to her mother’s beachside cottage, where she encounters the next-door neighbor, Finn, who is a famous musician. Can Liza save her marriage…and her sanity?

For years, Kathleen had a successful travelogue TV show where she traveled the world. She was able to do this because Liza’s father was supportive and didn’t mind raising their daughter while she traipsed the world. Kathleen hasn’t shared with Liza about the man she loved first, well before she met Liza’s father. The man betrayed Kathleen with her best friend, Rachel. Kathleen has ignored the letters sent periodically from Rachel, who lives in California. As Martha and Kathleen hit the road in Chicago, they start to talk about each other’s past. Kathleen begins to wonder if it’s time to face the past.

Martha is still trying to recover from a bad marriage, but her ex keeps hounding her. She is used to being the quiet, unassuming one in her family, so accepting this job as Kathleen’s “chauffeur” is a big departure. Kathleen and Martha soon get to know each other. They pick up a hitchhiker named Josh, who is on a journey of discovery himself. Kathleen pulls some strings to make sure Martha and Josh get a chance to be alone and get acquainted with each other despite Martha’s resistance. Will Martha fall in love with Josh?

Imagine the freedom of taking off in a car and traveling across the country. That is the dream Kathleen and Martha are living in THE SUMMER SEEKERS by Sarah Morgan. While Liza didn’t have to travel far in her own quest to find herself, she is soon reconnecting with the things she lost after she married, such as painting. She worries about Kathleen, wondering if she should’ve been stronger in stopping her mother from taking this trip. But for Kathleen, it is like she is on her final trip of life, with memories of her lost friendship with Rachel haunting her as they grow closer to the state where her friend lives. Readers will grow to love the three women and hope they find whatever it is they are looking for.

Martha tries to avoid Kathleen’s matchmaking, but Josh is too charming to resist. Is he the balm that she needs after her failed marriage? Will she discover after years of being told by her family that she is a failure that she is instead a person who can accomplish anything? Can Kathleen and Martha make it to California with no issues? Will Liza and Sean realize that their marriage needs saving…and accomplish it? A wonderful tale that will warm a reader’s heart, don’t miss THE SUMMER SEEKERS to find out the answers to the questions.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

3.5 stars

This is an appropriately titled book, as it's a quick, fun rea for summer.

While there are a number of lighthearted moments, there are some heavier issues addressed, as well. There is strong character growth throughout the story, as well.

The characters were relatable, especially Liza, who struggled to find a way to identify and meet her own needs apart from her many roles. The story exemplified how friendship has no age limit.

Get swept into a summer of sunshine, soul-searching and shameless matchmaking with this delightfully bighearted road-trip adventure by USA TODAY bestselling author Sarah Morgan!

You know it’s going to be a good reading Summer when there’s a new Sarah Morgan book out! You won’t be disappointed with this latest Summer escape. Beautiful settings (Cornwall and Route 66) and heart-warming characters (Liza, Kathleen & Martha to name a few) make up this wonderful read that will have you craving the sound of the sea, the warmth of the sun and great company. This isn’t a predictable book and that’s always refreshing and there are healthy doses of humour and emotion.

Firstly interesting characters. Kathleen has lived a life, she likes adventure and not being stuck safe somewhere. She lives in a delightful cottage with a half blind three legged cat. She has a few things in her life that haven't been faced or acknowledged. She keeps to herself and isn't free around emotions and touch.

Her daughter Liza is a modern mother, caring for the family, holding down a job and supporting a busy family life with teenage daughter twins. But... she is denying her own needs, and she wants to organise her mother and make sure she is safe. 

Martha is delightful but without a job, and when Kathleen wants a driver for a trip across America well she is game to give it a go.  Her family are not that supportive of her so she doesn't recognise the wonderful qualities she has... until she meets Kathleen.

There is a fun road adventure in a red convertible, with plenty happening along the way. But what is more important than the outer journey is the inner journey that each of the women make.

It's a very satisfying read, I liked that it didn't dwell on long details of the trip, it moved along very smoothly. More time was given to what was happening for each of the characters and the journey of self discovery they were making.

The Summer Seekers is a heartwarming book, a journey of self-discovery and reconciliation. The characters in this book, especially Kathleen, Liza, and Martha, quickly became dear to me. I wanted so badly for each of them to find happiness and peace, and a future filled with love. They all three have things to work through, emotional barriers to break down, and I loved being along for the ride. They made me laugh and cry; I worried about them, I celebrated with them. This book needs to be in everybody’s beach bag—an uplifting book that takes us all on a journey, from England to Chicago to California and all points in-between, cheering on these wonderful characters!