Samantha Gale was looking forward to spending the summer lazing around her family's cottage on Martha's Vineyard, figuring out a way to resurrect her career as a chef. Instead, she's chaperoning her younger half-brother while he attends a summer robotics program at the local library. Being dyslexic, Sam has never felt comfortable in libraries, and her unease grows when she learns that the new director is none other than the handsome man she met on the ferry-- right after she accidentally dropped his book into the ocean.

Bennett Reynolds has taken a temporary position on the island to research the summer his mother lived there and find out who his father is. Neither one is looking for a relationship, but that doesn't stop them from engaging in a little fling. Soon, Sam is helping Ben track down his father, and Ben inspires Sam to start that cookbook she's always dreamt of. As the weeks pass, their feelings only grow stronger, and they realize what they've truly been looking for might've been in front of them the whole time.

I read another book by this author that I thought was cute, so I was eager to pick this up. Again, it was cute. The setting was great; I loved the beachy, small-town vibe. I loved the representation of dyslexia and ADHD. I even learned a few things, such as how there are specific fonts that are easier to read than others. I also loved watching Sam form a bond with her brother. It was so sweet. But my favorite aspect was the cooking. My mouth was watering every time Sam mentioned a dish she was making. Adding the recipes at the end was a nice touch as well. My problem with this was the characters. Sam and Ben felt flat, and I wanted more build-up to their relationship because it developed quickly. I wanted more tension between them. I still thought it was good, and would recommend it if you're looking for a beach read.

Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay is a standalone novel. We meet Samantha (Sam) Gale, our heroine, who is returning home to Martha’s Vineyard, to spend the summer at her family’s cottage to chaperone her half-brother, Tyler. Her parents are going away to Europe on vacation for most of the summer, and since she quit her job (passed over on a promotion) as a chef in a well-known restaurant, she agrees to come home. Tyler (who is 14) and Sam aren’t that close, since she rarely visits, and he is enrolled in spending his summer at the local library in a robotics competition. Sam, who has struggled all her life with dyslexia, is happy she doesn’t have to be around his class, keeping her dyslexia a secret.

While on the ferry home, she meets a handsome stranger, who she accidently destroyed the book he was reading. Bennett (Ben) Reynolds, our hero, has taken a job as the director at the library for the summer, as he is also trying to search for the father he never knew. When Sam visits her friend in the library, she is shocked to see the handsome stranger now working there. In a short time, a slow built romance begins, with Ben finding himself very attracted to Sam, and will help him try to find his father. Sam also gets a job at a new restaurant to handle Friday Night appetizers, which she will make her own recipes, which turns out to be very successful.

The relationship between Ben and Sam was wonderful to watch, as he learned about Sam’s dyslexia, and would read the book out loud for her to enjoy the story; he was so sweet, endearing and supportive for Sam. He also convinced Sam that she should write a cookbook, since she had so many wonderful recipes. Sam worried, as she knew she was falling for him, and she did not plan on staying past the summer. Will Sam and Ben find a way to stay together?

Most of all I loved the bonding between Tyler and Sam, as in a short time he totally opened up to Sam, and they were so much fun together. I adored Tyler teasing Sam about her relationship with Ben, as well as Sam teaching him how to dance, and meet his girlfriend. It was so warm and loving to watch them become so close.

Summer Reading was a sweet, heartwarming story, with a wonderful sibling relationship, a great couple, and fun likeable characters throughout. We learn a lot about dyslexia, as well as the book is written in a dyslexia friendly font. There were also some great food recipes. Summer Reading was a delightful read, written so very well by Jenn McKinley.

Thoughts:

- First and foremost I love that dyslexia is a core part of the main character, Samantha. I don't know that I've read a book that's represented dyslexia before and I enjoyed how well written and informative it was in this novel. I can't speak for the dyslexic community, but as a reader I felt it was written and represented in a way that I learned so much. Also, one of the side characters was a hypochondriac, which again I have not seen represented much. Thank you to the author for including these.

- Sexy librarian = sold!! Us bookstagrammers are suckers for books about books and add in a sexy male librarian and we about melt into our chairs. All the heart eyes for Ben! He is so patient and supportive of helping Sam through her disability. Their chemistry is so hot!

- The sibling bonding was spot on with Sam and her little brother, Tyler. Their banter back and forth was also super adorable.

- With Sam being a chef there was lots of talk about yummy food. Prepare to be hungry and want to cook all the things. Lucky for us, all the recipes mentioned are listed in the back of the book.

- Martha's Vineyard is the perfect setting and I loved being able to live vicariously through all the tourists while I sat on my couch watching it snow outside.

- This is such a light and breezy, fast-paced rom-com that you'll for sure want to include in your beach bag this summer.

First and foremost, I love that the main character in Summer Reading, Samantha, is dyslexic and that it plays such a central role in her life and relationships. My dad was dyslexic, and he often told me about how it affected him both when he was in school and as an adult. This is a topic close to my heart, and I loved getting to know a character who is dyslexic, how it affects her self-esteem, and how she navigates life around it. Here, it’s described with authenticity and sensitivity, and I loved seeing Samantha overcome her self-doubt and find that she’s accepted and deserving exactly how she is.

Taking it even further, I appreciate that Summer Reading is being published in a way that is friendly for dyslexic readers: sans serif font, use of bold instead of italics for emphasis, wider spacing between letters and words, and adjusted margins. It’s wonderful that this book is so inclusive!

Samantha has a lot of reservations about pursing a romance with Ben. He’s not only a big reader… he’s a librarian. How can she, a non-reader, have a lasting relationship with someone who’s devoted his life to books? Moreover, they’re both in Martha’s Vineyard, MA for the summer, with vague plans to move on to other jobs elsewhere once the summer ends. If they are going to pursue something, it will have to just be a summer fling… right? Despite these qualms, Samantha and Ben work together so easily. They’re a lovable couple who makes sense together, even with those surface-level differences. Their romance is breezy and sweet, and their reading dates are adorable. Fun fact: They read Paris Is Always a Good Idea together!! And then Samantha listens to an audiobook of Wait for It! Anyone who’s read those Jenn McKinlay books will be particularly charmed. Ben and Samantha fit together perfectly, and the conflicts they face aren’t with each other so much as personal issues and family issues.

Family is a major theme throughout Summer Reading. Samantha is there to babysit (or rather, chaperone) her 14-year-old half-brother, Tyler. They haven’t spent much quality time together up until now, but throughout this summer, they’ll finally have a chance to bond. I’m very close with my younger sister, and I always love seeing sibling relationships. Samantha and Tyler don’t start off that great, but I enjoyed seeing them start to understand and support one another.

For Ben, family is a bit more difficult: He never knew his father, and his unusual mother refuses to tell him who he is. Ben is on a quest to find this long-lost father, and Samantha is happy to help. But the answers they uncover may not be what either of them is expecting!

Summer Reading addresses important and difficult topics, like dyslexia, diverse family dynamics, and a friend’s health issues. But it’s also a charming, easy, and adorable read with fun, witty banter and heartwarming moments between the characters. It’s about romantic love, family love, and love between friends, and I enjoyed every second of it.

If you want a breezy, funny romance about family and neurodivergence, Summer Reading is the perfect book. You’ll love the characters and be left with a craving for Portuguese food. (Luckily there are some yummy-looking recipes in the back!)

And the fun will continue in a follow-up book focused on Samantha’s friend, Emily, and her trip to Ireland. I already can’t wait to read that!

This was cute, if a bit boring. Very sweet sibling relationship, low-stress potential sickness, minimal conflict. The story was enjoyable - I just wanted MORE.

Samantha Gale has quit her job as a chef after being passed over for promotion and is spending the summer on Martha's Vineyard chaperoning her half-brother while their parents take their dream vacation to Europe. She is dyslexic and feels that her disability is the reason she wasn't promoted.

Now, she's spending time with the brother she barely knows given their fourteen-year age difference. She's chauffeuring him to robotics camp at the local public library and reconnecting with old friends. The new library director is Bennett Reynolds who has come to Martha's Vineyard on a quest to find the father he never knew. His mother who is a famous artist has been downright obstructionist about sharing information with him.

As Sam and Ben search for any information about Ben's father, they fall in love. But Sam wonder if a woman who doesn't read can have any sort of future with a book loving guy.

I loved the relationship between Ben and Sam. I also loved Sam as a character who is so used to seeing herself through the eyes of her disability that she can't see herself as the strong, intelligent, friendly woman that she actually is. It takes Ben's encouragement and acceptance to let her see herself as others see her.

I liked the author's note at the beginning which talks about dyslexia. The book itself is designed to be friendly for dyslexics with a sans serif font and some other accommodations including bold print instead of italics and different word spacing.

I enjoyed this book! Definitely gave summer vibes and made me wish for life on an island. I also thought the immersive font for dyslexia was incredibly fascinating, it was something I had never considered while reading. An awesome inclusion by the author!

This was a super cute and fun rom-com. When I read that there was a sexy librarian, I was instantly sold.

Samantha Gale is back on Martha’s Vineyard for the summer, trying to resurrect her career as a chef. Until she’s asked to chaperon her younger half brother. Bennett Reynolds is on a quest to find his father whom he’s never known. He takes a job as the library interim director for the summer, hoping to do some research about the summer his mother spent there. After Sam accidentally throws Ben’s book in the ocean on the ferry ride, he can’t seem to stop thinking about her.

This book was amazing. I loved the characters and the story line. The author did an amazing job with representing mental illness and mental health. Our main heroine is dyslexic and one of the side characters is a hypochondriac. Sam and Ben’s relationship was so freakin cute and Ben’s just a giant teddy bear. The sibling bonding was perfection and the food made me damn well hungry.

If you’re looking for a fast paced rom-com to pick up during the summer time then I highly recommend picking this one up on May 16th!

Thank you so much to Berkley and NetGalley for the e-arc!

After a meet-cute that involved a book being thrown overboard a ferry, this cute summertime romance is just as charming as it is funny. Summer Reading follows Sam, an ambitious chef who has returned to her hometown of Martha's Vineyard to look after her half-brother for the summer. While being back and connecting with her sibling is rewarding, it also brings back bitter memories of her feeling left out due to her dyslexia. This is where Ben comes in, the new boss of the town's library, and the book owner Sam mistakenly throws overboard. After that awkward encounter and their constant running into each other, Sam and Ben begin to form a bond in which they help each other and catch feelings along the way.

I thought this was so adorable! The relationship between Sam and Ben can be described as pure. They have so much love and mutual respect from the beginning, making their love story even more enjoyable. While I would have liked to see a little more romance and a little less side plot of their personal lives, I still thought this was a swoon and binge-worthy romance perfect for summer.

Samantha goes back to Martha's vineyard, after being gone for 10 years, to watch her teenage brother while their dad and mom go on a trip to Europe. Sam thought she would be spending her summer on the beach. She had not counted on building a relationship with her brother or falling in love.
I loved this book! The chemistry between Samantha and Ben is so hot! I love how Ben is not judgmental of Samantha's disability, rather he helps her through it. I also enjoyed watching the sister and brother relationship that gets built between Sam and Tyler. Just an all around wholesome story.

When Samantha’s father and step mom ask her to come to the Vineyard for the summer and watch her 14 year old step brother for the summer while they take a European vacation, Samantha jumps at the chance. Being that she is now unemployed, she could use a place to stay, and how hard can watching a 14 year old be? When she meets Ben, sparks immediately fly, but how could a bookworm like Ben want a dyslexic like her?

Being such a big reader, it is so hard to imagine how hard reading can be for some people. I truly loved that McKinlay included so much about dyslexia in this book. The authors note in the front of the book was really beautiful and I loved everything done to make this book easier for everyone to read. I also adored Ben and Sam’s relationship and how supportive they were of each other throughout the story. plus the side characters of Em and Tyler were fabulous as well. Overall I found this book super enjoyable but also informative!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.75

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
- Opposites Attract
- Lovable Characters
- Sibiling Bonding
- Dyslexia/Neurodivergent Rep
- Yummy Portuguese Food

It might be Spring but reading these felt a warm summer day on the beach. The story of Samantha and Ben was very cute and had me smiling (and blushing). I mean, what is hotter than Ben (a librarian) having Sam sit in his lap while he reads her a romance novel? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

McKinlay does a wonderful job of representing dyslexia and how Samantha has had to compensate and try to hide it her whole life. I've never understood just how hard it was for those with dyslexia and this book really opened my eyes to their struggles.

I gave this a 4 because there is a side story of Sam and her best friends health that kind of went nowhere and I would have much rather had those pages spent with Sam and Ben diving more into the journey of finding out who Ben's dad is.

I would've loved to just see more Ben and Sam overall because while their romance is cute and steamy, the best part of the book for me was how Sam's relationship with her younger brother blossomed and they were able to overcome their past differences.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced ecopy of this book in exchanged for a fair and honest review.

While I enjoyed Summer Reading - let's be honest what's not to love about a book where the hot male lead is a librarian!?!?!? - I felt that it was far too repetitive in its writing. I felt that it didn't really dive into the emotional aspect of the story and everything was just too surface level. I ended up skimming the last 25% of the book just to see how it ended, but I was fairly close to DNFing this one.

Jenn McKinlay has firmly cemented herself as one of my favorite authors. I have yet to find a series or story I did not enjoy and Summer Reading is no exception.

When a chef comes home to Martha's vineyard to regroup and spend time with her family she is not expecting the local library director to upend her whole world and we are so glad he does. I am not sure if I enjoyed the story of sam bonding with her half brother or the tenderness of the bidding romance more here.

When you are ready for a feel good read with lots of heart, Summer Reading will be waiting and ready to fill your order.

Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay is a delightful romantic comedy that will leave you with a smile on your face. The story revolves around Samantha Gale, a chef who finds herself spending the summer on Martha's Vineyard with her half-brother Tyler. Sam is dyslexic and dislikes libraries, which poses a problem when Tyler spends his summer there participating in a robotics competition. Things get complicated when Sam meets Bennett Reynolds, the interim director of the library, who happens to be a bookworm, and whose book she accidentally destroyed on the ferry ride to the island.

The chemistry between Sam and Ben is immediate and palpable, and their banter is both witty and charming. As they work together to create the cookbook Sam has always dreamed of and help Ben find his father, their relationship deepens, and they realize they may have found something more significant than a summer fling.

The characters are well-developed and relatable, and the story is full of humor, heart, and a little bit of mystery. The descriptions of Martha's Vineyard are vivid and transport the reader to this idyllic location, making it the perfect summer read.

Summer Reading is a perfect blend of romance, humor, and mystery, making it an enjoyable read for fans of all genres. Jenn McKinlay's writing is engaging, and the plot is well-crafted, making this book hard to put down. If you're looking for a lighthearted and entertaining romantic comedy to read this summer, then Summer Reading is the book for you. Highly recommended!

Summer Reading is the perfect title. This will be the perfect vacation read for people looking for a light, easy to read romance.

I think those going in hoping for a book centered around a romantic filled summer, will be slightly disappointed. While this is a wonderful book, it’s not really a romance, it’s more of women's fiction with romance as a secondary plot line. There are moments where the romance is front and centered, but overall this book felt like the protagonist's journey to self discovery.

Overall this book was a great read. The theme resonated with me and the relationships kept this book fresh. The writing felt vivid to where the pages would jump from the pages and I would easily get myself lost in the book. This was a quick and heartwarming read that makes this perfect “summer reading”. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC

A nice forced-proximity romance to while away summer hours. Our two main characters are stuck on a tiny island for the season, one babysitting and the other trying to discover family secrets. As they get to know each other more they can't help but get closer. The question is, can this new found romance make it past the summer?

Nice escapist reading.

3.5 stars
This cover is amazing! It’s perfect for a read at the book on a hot day. I do appreciate the author bringing awareness to dyslexia and writing in a friendly format. A++ for that! I think for the most part this was a quick read but I feel like it was slow at times and I would lose grasp with it. I was itching for more romance between Sam and Ben. It felt half done. Loved the rest of the characters and the setting!

A super light hearted summer read. I enjoyed it and would definitely recommend to others who are looking for a good beach read.