I thought I was getting a sweet summer romance. And this is that - but SO much more.

Sam has dyslexia. She learned to deal and cope, in school and life in general, but it's there always. I loved how the beginning of the book explains the font changes and explains why they were done and how it makes a difference for those with dyslexia.

Ben was a doll and the way he he didn't try to force Sam to be a reader, but instead read to her just warmed my heart.

My favorite part of the book was watching the sibling relationship between Sam and Tyler grow!

This book had humor, but deals with so many deeper issues. I enjoyed this read so much!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing and Let's Talk Books Promo for an ARC and allowing me to take part in this Berkley Buddy Read!

I love summery romances and romances related to books, so I was looking forward to this one and wish I liked it a lot more than I did! I appreciated the inclusion of an MC with a really significant reading disability, and how the realistic difficulties were portrayed along with descriptions of the strengths it eventually highlighted for Sam, but a lot of the discussion felt really stilted; I found this happened pretty regularly with the dialogue in particular, though, as when Sam is describing her grandmother and says, “She kept her red agate rosary tucked safely in the pocket of her crisp gingham apron,” a sentiment which reads well as narration but very awkwardly when you imagine someone saying it aloud in conversation. I also liked the dynamic of the relationship between Tyler and Sam, although I did feel like they bonded more quickly than their initial interactions would have indicated, and the fact that Em did have some plots of her own, although she was somewhat lightly characterized and the storyline trailed a little toward the end. Ben was fine as a love interest - very bland and generically hot, but quite kind - although I didn’t feel much chemistry between him and Sam, and the plot about searching for his father seemed to come very late to really be such a major factor toward the end of the book; it made the ending seem a bit contrived and only added for typical romcom drama. I also would have liked something else to wrap up the Moira character, who got a couple of in-depth and fairly compelling if villainous scenes only to disappear entirely.

Cute and light, but somewhat clumsy and I didn’t find myself particularly connecting with any of the characters, their relationships, or the plot points. Might appeal to those who enjoyed The City Baker's Guide to Country Living.

This was a sweet, quick, and heartwarming read. I think this was the light read I needed for a rainy weekend! This is the first book I read from this author. And this author took the opportunity to make this book so much more than a romance, which is what really made the story more real.

This may be one of my favorite books of the summer! I love the characters, and I especially love how they are well developed. This is a skill not all authors have with their characters. Having a cousin whose daughter has almost a 10 on the 1-10 scale of dyslexia, I love seeing a main female character who also has this disability. I do not like using that word, a different way of learning. I like that better. She falls in love with the me male version… an avid reader who is a librarian. You would think this is a couple who would not get along, but you are oh so wrong. I love this sweet story with humor, while dealing with deep issues. It is a great romcom, but honestly is so much more than that.

I cannot recommend this book enough. I am going to recommend this to my cousin, and anyone else dealing with dyslexia. This shows how amazing their life can be, not a tragedy. Well done.

Thank you to the author, one of my all-time favorites(!), publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Samantha is a chef who is on Martha’s Vineyard for the summer to resurrect her career as a chef but is asked to chaperone her younger half-brother, a kid she barely knows. She has dyslexia, and it has plagued her all her life. She’s “not a reader” which she feels holds her back in life and in relationships.

Ben is a librarian and a big reader. He’s on the island as an interim director of the library and when he meets Samantha for the first time she accidentally tosses his book into the ocean.

While this book was enjoyable enough the multiple storylines got to be A LOT. Ben is trying to find his dad, a man he’s never met. Tyler and Samantha are trying to connect as siblings. Tyler has his own insecurities. Sam’s best friend, Emily, has her own crisis. Sam and Tyler’s dad is yet another plot point but that manages to go nowhere. At times it felt like there was so much going on and no one relationship was written with any of the emotion that would keep me invested in the story. Also, I applaud the author’s attempt to represent neurodiversity but when you have to have the character tell you they’re neurodivergent over and over you miss the mark on characterization.

I have been feeling like I've been reading slowly lately, but I devoured this read extra fast! Taking place in Martha's Vineyard, Summer Reading involves a chef coming to her family's summer vacation place to housesit and watch her half-brother while her dad and stepmom go on a European adventure. Having not really spent much time together due to their 14 year age gap, Sam and her younger brother Tyler have a rough go of it at first, but they do have the chance to bond. Sam also gets to reconnect with her childhood best friend Emily and Emily's temporary boss, Ben, who is described as very attractive. Sam struggles to read due to her dyslexia, whereas Emily and Ben both work at the library and are mega-readers. The dyslexia representation was excellent, and I was impressed it was also printed in a dyslexia-friendly font, taking care to bolden rather than italicize and to make sure no words were hyphenated at the end of a line.
I was entertained throughout and breezed through this read. There was one part near the ending that I didn't think made sense in the book or with the character's arc. Perhaps you'll read it and not be bothered by it, though. Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. This book will be available Tuesday 5/16, and reading it will sweep you away to Martha's Vineyard - this may be the summer I finally visit it! Or I'll just continue reading on my back porch in the meantime 😎

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars

Summer Reading is the perfect “kickoff to summer” book. It follows Samantha Gale, a chef who decides to spend her summer with her family on Martha’s Vineyard after being passed over for a promotion. Samantha has a meet-cute with a hot guy on the ferry who turns out to be the local librarian. Samantha has always struggled with her dyslexia, so the library has been one of her least favorite places. Over the course of a summer, Samantha finds love, builds a relationship with her half-brother, and finally starts working towards her dream of writing a cookbook.

This was a sweet and heartwarming read with a beautiful setting. I loved the neurodivergence rep and the sibling relationship. The romance was cute and light. Overall, I enjoyed this romcom and think it will be a perfect beach bag book.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

***ARC Provided by the Publisher via NetGalley***

There was a lot I really liked about this book.

I loved Samantha (Sam) and how strong she was as a character and i really loved that the author didn't shy away from not only letting us know she is dyslexic but actually showing some of those struggles. It made her real and it made her feel like a complex heroine with strengths and weakness, just like all of us.

Ben, well we didn't really get to know him all that well. A lot of what we found out about him was in reaction to what we found out about Sam. Yes it made him a strong romantic partner, but more in the abstract.

This book needed, in my opinion, a dual POV. I didn't ever really feel like I knew more than who Ben was on the surface and it made it hard to connect with him as anything on than the person dating Sam. There's a part near the end where he does something that I remember thinking wasn't like him...but then I realized I didn't know him well enough to know if this IS how he processes serious things or not. By the end of a romance I should know a character well enough to know how he will handle life changing news.

Ironically it's how well written Samantha was that made Ben feel a little...shallower...in comparison.

I did still enjoy parts of this. I did finish it.

And I loved Sam, I think I just felt like I wanted more of Ben than I got and this feeling made it hard for a full emotional connection to some of the story.

I'm unable to recommend this title.

Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay
Rating: 3.5 stars
Pub Date: 5/16

Thank you so much to @berkleyromance for the physical copy and eARC! #berkleypartner #berkleyig

Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay is a contemporary rom-com perfect to throw in your beach bag. The story follows Samantha Gale, a dyslexic chef who spends the summer on Martha's Vineyard to take care of her teenage half-brother, Tyler, while her parents are on vacation. Sam is not a fan of reading and has never been interested in books, which makes it all the more surprising when she falls for the library director, Bennett Reynolds.

The story is charming, and Sam and Ben have a sweet romance. Ben is a romance reader’s dream come true! Not only does he love reading romance novels, but he’s willing to read them out loud…sign me up! Sam lost her job recently and is determined to make the most of her time on the island, cooking and trying new recipes. The descriptions of the food are mouth-watering, and I googled some of them to see if they were anything I could try to make.

The brother/sister relationship between Sam and Tyler developed into something really special throughout the course of the story, and it was a joy to watch. I also loved the beachy setting! I went to Martha’s Vineyard on my honeymoon, and McKinlay vividly described the island's beauty, making it a character in its own right.

However, there are a few things that didn’t work for me. I had a hard time relating to the characters, and while Ben has some charming moments, the romance itself fell a little flat for me. There’s a section towards the end where Ben acts completely out of character, leaving me feeling like I didn't know him at all. And while I enjoyed the neurodivergent and dyslexic rep, the way the subject of Sam’s dyslexia was handled bothered me. It felt like Sam was her own worst enemy and was holding herself back instead of finding ways to live with her condition and make the most of it.

Overall, Summer Reading is a fun and light-hearted rom-com perfect for a summer day. Although it has some shortcomings, the book's charming setting and sweet romance make it an enjoyable read. If you're looking for a breezy beach read with a touch of romance, this book is worth checking out.

Sam has returned to her family’s cottage on Martha’s Vineyard to watch her teenaged half-brother when his parents are on vacation. Things take an unexpected turn when she ends up helping Ben, the director of the library, search for his father. Sam’s dyslexia has long made her feel like reading and writing are not for her but Ben never makes her feel judged for that. Will Ben’s father be the only thing they find this summer or is a relationship in the cards too?

What I loved:
-ADHD/dyslexia representation
-Author’s note about the measures taken to make the book more accessible to people with dyslexia
-Storylines about books/reading
-Seeing Sam and her brother develop a relationship and get to know each other
-The cooking!

I loved so many parts of this book but the romance was unfortunately not one of them. I didn’t really feel any chemistry between Ben and Sam despite them both being such likeable characters independently. The family relationships and Sam navigating her dyslexia storylines more than made up for the romance storyline to me and definitely made this book worth the read!

Thank you to Berkley for the advanced reading copy!

4 Getting So Much More than a Summer on Martha’s Vineyard Stars!!

This is my first book by Ms. McKinlay and what a great introduction to her writing. I can honestly say I’ve never read a book where one of the MC’s has dyslexia and/or is neurodivergent. It puts an entirely different spin on what my normal romance books are about. Ms. McKinlay does a fabulous job of explaining the why’s of how she changed things in the formatting of this book to make it easier for someone with dyslexia to read. What’s also different in this book is that the Hero is the book lover aka Library Director for the Martha’s Vineyard Library. This adds a whole new element to Sam and Ben’s story.

There’s so much to love about this story. There’s the brother/sister relationship that starts with so much tension but over the summer manages to grow into something that is strong and filled with love and forgiveness and support. The love story between Sam and Ben is a slow starter and there are some road blocks, some of their own making that could make it difficult for them to see their way to a forever love. I’m not going to lie, I had some problems with Ben, but in the back of my mind I kind of understood him a little bit and he totally made it up to me by the end of the book. I have so much respect for how Sam’s character was written and all the details of how she lives her life with dyslexia and the way she coped with it in all aspects of her life.

Overall this is a book that I’m going to be recommending to all my friends. It’s a love story that I wasn’t expecting and those are always the best kind.

I think my favorite part of this book was the MC's growing relationship with her much younger half brother. That said, the entire book was highly enjoyable with very likeable characters. Though there was little conflict between the MC and LI until the very end, they had wonderful chemistry. I appreciated the dyslexia rep.

I loved this book. I was terrified that I would find the depictions of librarians cliche and inaccurate, but as a former librarian herself, Jenn McKinlay, did an excellent job of featuring two librarian characters prominently and with a healthy (but not over the top) dose of romanticization. More important to me was the representation of the protagonist's dyslexia and Sam's journey to accepting her neurodivergence. Jenn also touched on Sam's best friend Em's mental health issues and existential dilemmas of what she should pursue and where she should live that many twenty=somethings, myself included, experience. Throw in some family drama and the beautiful background of Martha's Vineyard and you've got a compelling beach read that captures and holds attention. "Summer Reading" has rich characters, story lines with substance, and is one that will stick with me.

Published on May 13, 2023 to goodreads and storygraph
Additional Content will be posted on release day

4⭐️

This book is the perfect fun summer read! This book follows Samantha, a recently unemployed chef who is moving back home for the summer to babysit his 14-year old half brother while their parents are away for the summer and Ben who is in Vineyard in search of his father. After a funny first meeting, they cross paths a second time at the local library where Sam’s brothers robotics camp is and where Ben works. Sparks fly and Ben and Sam become infatuated with each other. Sam feels safe with Ben as he is the first guy to not belittle her for her dyslexia. Ben and Sam both search for his father and after finding out some truths about him, they’re happily ever after may go overboard. As a person with dyslexia, I loved the representation! This is a fun read which surrounds family, learning, and overcoming obstacles!

Favorite Quote:
“I didn’t know what to expect tonight,” he said. “I was prepared for the worst. So I recorded myself reading the rest of our book for you, because I know you’ll want to know how it ends. It’s all queued up. Just press play.”

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to @netgalley @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @prhaudio for a free download of the audiobook.

Hot male librarian?! Plus, a lot of food talk?! Sign me up! On hiatus from her cooking career, Samantha comes to stay with her teenage brother for the summer while he participates in a robotics camp at the library and their parents go tour Europe. Sam’s best friend from growing up works at the library and just happens to have a steamy boss filling in as the temporary head librarian, Ben. To Sam, they are doomed from the start because she is dyslexic and does not want anything to do with books…though she is one heck of a chef! Ben, while on the search for a father he never knew, only has eyes for Sam.

I loved the love story here. It was not about one person trying to fix the other. Sam and Ben were truly champions for the wants and needs of the other person. There was not miscommunication or love triangles. I could not help cheering for them both in their adventures together and separate. I also liked learning more about dyslexia and the struggles as a result. I have a bigger appreciation for the adaptation and success from those that have it.

5 stars

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #berkleypub #berkleyromance #berkleybuddyreads #prhaudio #ltbreaderteam #berkelywritesstrongwomen #summerreading #jennmckinlay

Conveniently free from work, Sam travels home for the summer to her family’s cottage on Martha’s Vineyard to chaperone Tyler, her teenage half brother, while her dad & step mom travel to Europe.

On the ferry over, Sam (the anti bookworm) has the best meet cute with “hot reader guy”, but doesn’t catch his name. “Hot reader guy” turns out to be the interim library director that Tyler frequents.

This book was so cute & brought all the summer vibes ☀️ While I didn’t fall head over heels for it, I know this will be a favorite for many.

There was a lot to enjoy! I will always be interested in a Cape Cod / Martha’s Vineyard setting. I loved how we were shown real towns & landmarks. Foodies will love this one, too. All the Portuguese dishes mentioned had my mouth practically watering. Then, the added bit of mystery surrounding Ben & his search for his father added some

Speaking of Ben, it must be said that the men in this one stole the show. Ben is a hero MADE FOR romance fans. A sexy librarian willing to snuggle up & read you a romance?! Say no more 🙌🏻 He’s both kind & thoughtful while still bringing all the heat.

The highlight for me was watching Sam’s relationship with Tyler. They struggled to connect at first, but it was clear both sides wanted to share a stronger bond & it was so satisfying to watch it grow over time.

What I didn’t like:

While I enjoyed the dyslexia rep & genuinely learned something while reading, it occasionally felt like it was more about how Sam was held back by her condition rather than how she could overcome it & thrive.

The third act crisis threw me off a bit, too. Ben reacted in a way that felt uncharacteristic for him, which might have contributed to the ending feeling a bit rushed.

Review: I love this book! I read it in a day, because I couldn't stop reading it! Sam was a great main character. And Ben! He is now one of my favorite bookish love interests, he was absolutely wonderful. I loved how Sam's family played such a big part in the book. Her friend was a fantastic character, and I can't wait to read her book! I don’t have enough words to describe how much I enjoyed this novel. A 5 star read, I highly recommend it!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

✔️ 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 summer beach read
✔️ fun romcom with some deeper issues
✔️ dyslexic chef female protagonist
✔️ librarian male protagonist
✔️ Martha’s Vineyard summertime setting

I picked this up because one of the main characters is an interim library director — what I just finished doing for 10 of the last 15 months! It seemed too perfect and I immediately requested it from NetGalley.

This book has all the summertime vibes you could want in a beach read, plus it’s funny and both characters are totally lovable.

I also learned so much about dyslexia and I was excited to read in the author’s note that the physical version will be printed in a dyslexia-friendly font and use bold characters instead of italics.

Oh man I devoured this! A neurodivergent chef and a sexy librarian?!? Say less!!!

I love how both main characters navigate their issue. There was lost, and found, family all around and it was simply so tender.

I loved this book so much!

Thank you Berkley Romance for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this read.

A wonderful contemporary romance about relationships, falling in love, and finding yourself, Summer Reading is a fresh and fun read. The story follows Samantha, a chef who has dyslexia and hates to read and Bennett, a hunky librarian searching for information about his family. Samantha has returned to Martha’s Vineyard to her family’s home to watch her teenage brother for the summer. Passed over for a deserved promotion, Samantha left her job and is in transition, so spending the summer on the Vineyard is a perfect place for Samantha to figure out what’s next. And when she meets the new and hunky librarian, her summer looks even better.

Samantha is such a relatable protagonist, and I really enjoyed her journey. She’s trying to figure out what to do career-wise now that she quit her job, she has a distant relationship with her family, and she’s returning to an island where she spent a lot of her childhood. She has such a vivacious personality, and she’s so funny! She’s also really smart, though she doesn’t give herself nearly enough credit. Samantha has dyslexia and is neurodivergent, and she definitely has negative feelings about herself. It’s not surprising years of insults, judgment, and discrimination have affected her confidence and sense of self. I think being back on the island, reconnecting with her roots, and meeting new people give her a different outlook on herself and life.

Bennett has a lot to do with Samantha’s growth, and I absolutely adored him!! A hunky librarian reading a romance novel to a woman who hates reading? I was sold! Their love story is so sweet and charming and beyond romantic. From their first meeting, you could totally feel the chemistry between them, and I love how their relationship progressed over the course of the novel. Bennett is a such swoon-tastic book boyfriend! The way he woos Samantha is lovely. OMG their banter is perfection, and they have as many fun and funny conversations as they do serious or romantic ones. One of my favorite scenes is when Samantha teaches Bennett and her brother different dance moves. It’s so fun and funny, but it also says so much about them and their feelings for each other.

I also love that Bennett gets Samantha to see herself the way he sees her. He helps Samantha see that people read and learn differently and that her struggles with dyslexia and ADHD show how incredibly intelligent she is. He offers her a different perspective that she never really considered, and it empowers her. I think being back in Martha’s Vineyard, a place where she had so many wonderful times, connecting with her brother, spending time with her best friend, and having this new relationship with Ben changed her in incomprehensible ways.

The story explores so many different relationships in Samantha’s life, and the standout is her relationship with Tyler, her 14-year-old brother. Her relationship with her brother changed so much. They are fabulous together, and the way they tease and banter back and forth is the best. Samantha and her best friend are great too. They have total ride-or-die vibes. Even her relationships with her father and stepmother changed, and I think it shows how much Samantha has grown over the course of the summer.

The mystery behind Bennett’s father was interesting too. Bennett took a position on the island so he could investigate his family history since he never knew who his father was. I love how his journey took us to many different places on the Vineyard. I don’t live too far from this gorgeous island, and the author captured it well. It’s a beautiful place to visit, especially in the summer, and McKinlay makes me want to hop on the ferry (which is only one town over from me) and head over there!

Summer Reading has everything I love in a contemporary romance. It’s fun and funny, emotional and entertaining, and the romance is wonderful. Oh, and the food!!! Samantha cooked up some delicious-sounding food, and I want to try it all! Special thanks to Berkley Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.