I really really enjoyed this book. I think one of the main things I liked was that right off the bat you as the reader know this book is not about a book-loving heroine. I appreciated that the author wanted to do something different and show a love for books from the perspective of the hero, as well as learn to love something like reading from the perspective of someone who has dyslexia. The thoughtfulness beyond this book in both font choice and character development made me really love this book a lot more. It felt like the perfect summer romance read, and I will be absolutely recommending it to any friends of mine who want to read, but maybe don't find as much enjoyment in books.

Absolutely LOVED it

I picked up this book before bed one night and that was a mistake - I stayed up WAY past my bedtime because I couldn’t put it down. I was hooked right from the start. This book had me laughing, cheering and swooning. The writing and narration of the audiobook were fantastic, so easy to get into. I absolutely loved the storyline and the main characters. I feel like my whole book review could be about the amazing main characters. A hot librarian / book nerd as the main man? YES PLEASE. The leading lady with dyslexia and an amazing personality? I was completely obsessed with both main characters for different reasons. If it’s not obvious by now… I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for providing a free advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Summer reading was the perfect romance novel for book lovers, especially this time of year. It's incredibly easy for readers to see themselves in the protagonist, Samantha, who is relatable as a woman trying to get her second start. And the meet cute with her love interest--hilarious! This a sexy, fun book that you'll want to bring to the beach and binge.

I also really loved the disabilitty rep in this book. More books like this, please!

This book is perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Rachel Lynn Soloman.

Jenn McKinlay’s newest romance has made me so happy. I adored it from the author's note prior to starting. I loved that Sam is dyslexic AND this book has been published with intentional strides to make it easier for those with dyslexia to have an easier time reading with a different font and margins.
There's just something about an opposites attract that gets me. Every. Single. Time. And a bookish librarian MMC? C'mon!
Sam takes the opportunity to "babysit" her fourteen-year-old brother, Tyler, when things go haywire at work. She gets some time with him and, better yet, some distance from a lost opportunity in Boston. Add in the beauty of Martha's Vineyard, a temporary catering gig, and the handsome new librarian, Ben, and her summer is looking pretty good.
This book in general made me happy. Listening to Kelsey Navarro Foster's performance made this an easy choice to add to my May reading. It's exactly the story I needed in my present mood.
Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the advanced copy and PRHA for the alc. All thoughts are my own.

3.5 Stars

This was a fun read with the female MC having dyslexia and hating to read while her love interest is the library’s interim director, Ben. Ben is swoon worthy, he’s kind and he reads romances out loud to Samantha. Samantha loves to cook and you learn a lot about dyslexia and how it has affected her life. Their relationship was sweet but I really enjoyed the side stories of both the characters. Ben is in search of his father, and Samantha is spending the summer on Martha’s Vineyard at her family’s cottage. She hasn’t been there for years and during the summer she develops a bond with her 14-year-old half - brother. It was a charming read with the beautiful backdrop of Martha’s Vineyard.

Oh Summer Reading. Ben (Bennet) and Samantha were just the best. She suffers from dyslexia and it has had a huge impact on her life. She loathes reading, it doesn’t come easy for her and she really has to concentrate to read anything. She has coping mechanisms that have got her this far in life and has made her an excellent chef. After not getting the promotion she deserved. She goes to Martha’s Vineyard where her dad and estranged brother live to watch Tyler while her dad and his wife go on a trip. On the ferry over, she accidentally throws a strangers book into the ocean.

After several run ins with Ben, things start to develop. He is supportive of her and her neurodivergent mind. He looks at is a superpower rather than a disability. He uplifts her and is obsessed with her. It is so sweet! On the island, Ben is searching for his father. His mother is emotionally abusive and a narcissist and refuses to tell him who it is. Using her unique way of seeing things, Sam helps him out and they make major headway, both in the search for his dad, and their relationship. Let me just say, Ben reading to Sam was the sweetest. Him calling her Samwise? SWOON! I seriously loved this book!

Content: open door content, swears. Family issues (emotional abuse, manipulative mother)

This is a great summer read from Jenn McKinlay! I loved the setting (summer on Martha's Vineyard), the sibling bonding between Sam and her much younger brother Tyler, and the emotional love story between Sam and hot librarian director Bennett. I loved that the author pushed for, and that Berkley was onboard, a more dyslexic friendly font and book design to make reading accessible to everyone! I hope that's something we see more of in the future.

Samantha is taking a vacation on Martha's Vineyard. She can't wait to relax and focus on her cooking skills! Instead, she's babysitting her teenage half-brother, Tyler. Tyler is competing in a local library robotics competition, so his summer is filled; however, Sam doesn't like the library, since she is dyslexic. To make matters worse, the library's interim director is a hot guy who she had a run-in with on the ferry ride to the island!

Bennett Reynolds is looking to find his father, who he has never known. He's taken the job at the library temporarily to research.

The two are attracted to one another. Ben inspires Sam to write a cookbook, which is something she's always dreamed of! They realize that their summer loving may turn into long-lasting love.

Summer Reading is a lovely book about believing in yourself.

The premise of this book is just too great. A librarian and someone with dyslexia falling in love? Yes please! I loved Sam and Ben’s meet cute on the ferry where she knocks his book into the ocean. And their relationship just continues from there. I loved how supportive they are of each other, helping each other achieve their goals.

Sam is severely dyslexic and the book spends a lot of time showing us what life is like for Sam. I really appreciated this perspective. I could tell that Jenn did a lot of research and put a lot of care into making Sam as real as possible. I really loved Sam’s character. Although she doubts herself because of her past experiences such as being overlooked for jobs or getting dumped because of her disability, she is resilient and clever. With Ben’s help, she is able to do a lot of healing throughout this book, getting over the belief that her neurodivergent brain makes her somehow less than. For me this is a fine line for an author to tread. I don’t love it when a character’s growth is all because of a love interest. It’s fine for the love interest to support, have unwavering faith in, or pep talk the main character, but I like when a character finds some inner strength as well. I’m not a huge fan of “white knight” plots where the main character is “saved” by the love interest. This book does skirt that line pretty closely, I think I would have liked the book more had Sam not relied so heavily on the influence of others for her new found confidence.

Another great feature of this book is the developing relationship between Sam and her younger brother Tyler. Because of the age gap, and the fact they are step-siblings, they haven’t been close. When Sam is put in charge of looking after Tyler for the summer, they get to know each other better and develop a great sibling bond that made my heart happy.

A couple of things felt a little unresolved with this book and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Personally, I am okay with an author not neatly wrapping up every plot point in a bow for me, that just isn’t real life. But if you like a book where everything gets settled, this one might annoy you a bit. Ben’s relationship with his mother is a difficult one. And it doesn’t get resolved. I liked that Jenn included this because it felt more realistic to me. There is a secondary plot line with Sam’s best friend Em that also felt unresolved. It made me wonder if we’re being set up for another book starring Em in the future. I certainly hope so!

I just have to mention the library in this book. Both Ben and Sam’s best friend Em are librarians and I loved how they are portrayed. They are both so open, not judgemental and supportive of Sam, even though she isn’t a “reader”. It was so accurate to the many librarians that I know. Reading is reading whether you listen, read or watch your stories and I was glad to see this point reinforced throughout the book.

Summer Reading is a book with a lot of heart.

Thank you, Berkley Romance, an imprint of Penguin Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've been a long-time Jenn McKinlay fan, though I've always preferred her mysteries to her romances. But this book, Summer Reading, is certainly my favorite romance of hers yet. We meet Samantha, who is returning to her family's home on Martha's Vineyard for the summer after quitting her job and to watch over her half-brother. Before she even steps foot on the island, she has a meet cute moment on the ferry with the hottie interim library director Bennett. Except, Sam doesn't read. In fact, she can't, not really, because she's severely dyslexic. Can a book lover and movie watcher find love?

I adored this story. Bennett and Sam were too perfect for words, almost in a too-good-to-be=true sense, but sometimes we just need that in our romance novels. They each have their own baggage but are generally quite likable and it's easy to root for them to get together! Not to mention the lovely Martha's Vineyard setting, dyslexia rep, and easter eggs for readers. McKinlay is a master at writing for book lovers, and I love her for it.

Thanks to Berkley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

At times slightly uneven, this beach read is overall charming, delightful, and easy. I appreciated the perspective of a character who identifies as neurodivergent, with dyslexia, although at times it felt like the author was hitting you over the head with this fact. What I did really like was a character who was finding a new purpose in life, and the romance with the hot male librarian. Both very entertaining, and both kept me around to read until the end!

I read this one so quickly! It would definitely make a great beach, lake, and/or river read.

I loved the dyslexia rep from Sam and that the bookish person in the book was the guy (Ben). I think my only complaint was that Sam mentioned dyslexia or being neurodivergent almost in abundance and it felt a little over done but the end of the book. It is a huge part of the story, but at some point I think you have to trust that the reader understands these facts. I did like learning about some ways you can help those with dyslexia though such as font choice and spacing of letters/words.

The reading a book outloud to Sam was so sweet and romantic, not to mention when they got to the spicy scene in the book. This book was very mild on the open door, and not very graphic and could be easily looked over by those that don't enjoy that!

3.5⭐️ At its core, this is a super sweet foodie romance filled with heartwarming sibling love, set in the picturesque Martha’s Vineyard and a librarian MMC. What more could you want? As a neurodivergent individual myself (Autism) I am appreciative of the neurodiversity/dyslexia rep and the fact that the author had the book stylized to benefit dyslexic readers.

My primary criticism relates to how Neurodiversity/ADHD/Dyslexia is portrayed. Throughout the story, it was often mentioned in a more negative light in moments of Sam’s self doubt or when others are ostracizing her for it. And while this is okay and important in illustrating the consequences of these issues, there needs to be a good counter balance of how she’s overcoming that adversity through implementation of coping strategies.

I loved seeing how Sam and Tyler’s relationship developed as she stayed with him over the summer and how her emotional growth led to the repair of these important familial relationships. This was perhaps my favorite aspect of the story. And it is set in New England, the epitome of a beach read setting.

Read if you like:
•meet cutes
•books about books
•foodie romance
•dislexia/neurodivergent rep
•sibling friendships
•New England settings

Thank you {partners} Berkley Romance and PRH Audio for the gifted copies in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 3/5
Warnings: ableism, dyslexia

Thank you to Berkley Romance and Netgalley for access to this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is going to be another one of those books where I say "it had so much protentional but fell flat here" and I am so disappointed to say that.

Okay, the cover is so pretty and I love that this title is perfect for summer reading by the beach. Martha's Vineyard setting is unique and beautiful. This is a foodie book, all the dishes mentioned made me want to get into the kitchen. Also, sexy librarian hero was so good.

The main concern I had about this book, while educational for those who do not know much about dyslexia, this book really showed us how Sam's neurodiversity held her back. It was made to be her identify and not how she could learn to thrive. The end conflict also really felt out of character and made a bit uncomfortable.

Summer Reading is an adorable romcom about Sam, a woman spending the summer on Martha’s Vineyard to take care of her younger brother and Ben, the director at the library on the island. Sam has dyslexia and reading is difficult but Ben is an avid reader. This book was adorable and filled with likable and relatable characters, witty banter with literary references and the most delicious food descriptions. I loved the representation of neurodivergent characters and the author even wrote the book to be more accessible for those with dyslexia. Not to mention the recurring theme that audiobooks are reading!

Martha's Vineyard. Summertime. When Samantha Gale meets a hot reader -guy on the ferry going to the Vineyard, she's got no idea how her life is about to change. After all, what does she possibly have in common with a guy who reads? Sam's dyslexic. So even though she's got a brilliant mind, they are on completely different levels of the playing field. Of course he has no idea of her issue. Sam's on her way to her' dad's house where she's boing to chaperone her half brother while dad and his now wife are galavanting through Europe. Sam is also hiding out after suddenly quitting her chef job when she was passed over for a promotion. So there is the lack of a job thing. Is romance in the air?It sure is. But there are obstacles in the way. A great escape novel for summer.

Summer Reading has all the elements I look for when adding books to my summer reading list. There's a small island, reunited best friends, a heroine at a professional crossroads, a fractured sibling relationship, and a nerdy, romantic hero who captured my heart right along with Sam's.

The first thing I have to mention about this book is Sam's dyslexia and how it's handled. The author uses great care and sensitivity, coupled with research, knowledge, and first-hand assistance to craft this character. Then she takes it a step further by creating a reading experience designed to be more accessible to readers with the same diagnosis. I have never encountered a novel where the author - and publisher - used the cover, font, spacing, margins, even foregoing italics for bold print within the text of the book, all to enhance the reading experience for neurodivergent readers who pick up this book. Kudos to them!

I loved the gradual evolution of the relationship between Sam and her 14-years-younger half-brother, Tyler. As someone with four younger brothers, I can attest to the fact that the author nailed the angst, attitude, and vulnerable uncertainty of Tyler. The bond of understanding, and affection, that gradually formed between brother and sister was one of my favorite parts of the book, some scenes bringing me to tears while others (self-appointed chaperone) had me laughing out loud.

And then there's the food. Sam's Portuguese dishes had me drooling (do not read this book while hungry) and scrounging through the kitchen every half hour. Much like Tyler. Bonus for readers: there are recipes!

I was very curious to discover how McKinlay would handle a dyslexic heroine who did everything in her power to avoid books falling for a library director who was never without one. I hadn't counted on Ben. I adored him and I adored who he was with Sam, how he respected her and found ways to share his love of books with her in a manner that did not cause anxiety or make her feel less than. How he offered his assistance and encouragement to help her achieve her dreams. As a fan of this author's works, I also loved the fact that the book Ben shares with Sam in Summer Reading is an actual novel written by McKinlay.

The romantic relationship between Sam and Ben unfolds organically, with a nice balance of sweetness, sizzle, and emotional depth. Both characters are on a journey of growth that had me aching with them at points and cheering them on at others. There were some emotional stumbles along the way though they worked really well together to communicate their way through them. Except in the latter part of the book where an emotional blow for Ben causes him to walk away. We see the aftereffects from Sam's perspective but I wanted to understand Ben's thought processes as well, especially when their communication had been so open throughout the novel. It all turns out okay in the end but I felt a little shortchanged by the exclusion. Still, it's a small blip in the overall scope of a fun, thoughtful, and feel-good story and a sweet gesture from Ben convinced me that his heart was in the right place even if his head hadn't been. All's well that ends well and these two definitely ended well.

Summer Reading is a book I enthusiastically recommend adding to your summer reading list.

4.5 stars
ARC received from publisher. Fair and unbiased review

✨Review ✨

A big thank you to @berkleypub @netgalley for this #gifted ARC #SummerReading !!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay

A summer fling between a dyslexic chef, Samantha, and bookish librarian, Ben, becomes something more complex.

What to expect:

💋 Romance
🌶️ Spicy
🧬 Brother/Sister Relationship
👯‍♀️ Female Friendship

Quick thoughts:

✨ Audiobooks for the win.
✨ Neurodivergent friendly font and layout.
✨ Bookish guy and dyslexic girl.
✨ Cute older sister, younger brother relationship.

Overall thoughts:

I thought the writing style flowed nicely. The overall Martha’s Vineyard atmosphere felt authentic. Also, the neurodivergent friendly font and formatting was a nice touch.

This story really revolves around the romance between Sam and Ben as well as her relationship with her little brother. Sam wanted to connect with her younger brother, Tyler, while chaperoning him for the summer. They have their ups and downs but overall I loved their dynamic and how they helped each other grow.

The romance between her and Ben slowly unfolded. This was a satisfying slow burn that moved at a decent pace. It does get a bit spicy. I thought it worked well in the story. I also thought they had good chemistry.

It was interesting to learn about dyslexia and how it affects a persons entire world. I didn’t really know much about it but feel like I have a better understanding now. Also, I loved how having Ben read out loud to her helped Sam reconnect with books.

Such a charming beach read about two characters, Samantha (who has dyslexia) and Bennett (interim library director) who are searching for different things during a summer in Martha's Vineyard and end up finding each other.

Sam wants to restart her cooking career; Bennett wants to find the identity of his father. They meet after Sam accidentally knocks his book into the ocean on a ferry ride. An inauspicious start, to be certain, but there is nothing inauspicious about their growing connection, nor about Sam's growing relationship with stepbrother Tyler.

I love that the author, who has dyslexic family members, chose a dyslexic-friendly font for this book and explains the challenges and gifts of the disorder through Sam's life. It's the book's chief strength, and adds depth and authenticity.

If I were heading to the beach right now, the aptly named SUMMER READING would be at the top of my book bag, as important as my sunnies and swimsuit. Happy summer reading!

Samantha Gale is between jobs - actually, after being passed up for a promotion in her job as a professional chef, she quit - she agrees to look after her teenaged stepbrother Tyler while her father and stepmother travel. Things begin a bit rocky for Sam and Tyler as she was already a teenager when he was born and she did her own thing. One of her responsibilities is to shuttle Tyler back and forth to robotics camp which is being held at the library.

When she meets the head librarian named Ben, she does a double take. She just met him on the ferry as she was heading to Martha’s Vineyard and she was gobsmacked. He was pure beauty, but not the man for her. How did she know that? When they were on the ferry, he was reading a book. Considering that Sam is dyslexic, so therefore does not enjoy reading in any way whatsoever, after talking to him for a few moments on the ferry, she was certain that no matter how good looking he is, he would not want to have anything to do with her.

Despite this obvious difference between Sam and Ben, sparks fly and their attraction is undeniable. However, Sam has a lot of baggage, and a lot of that has to do with her neurodiversity. Past relationships have taught her that being with someone that is book smart is not in the cards for her. However, Ben has other ideas and the more time they spend together, the more it seems that this new relationship just might work. Meanwhile, as a chef, Sam knows that she’s soon must find a job, so once her time on the Vineyard is over, she needs to get on with her life.

What a wonderful read. I loved the relationships in this book. Most notably, Sam and Tyler, half siblings who learned how much they really cared about one another. Then I loved Sam and Ben, and how the two of them grew in their relationship and how empathetic he was towards her and how he found ways to work around her being dyslexic. Lastly, I also enjoyed the fact that Sam truly loved her stepmother, and even though she is very close to her own mother, her stepmother is someone that she adored. So while this book was indeed a romance, these relationships in this book really pulled this book together.

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