The Summer Book Club follows three women navigating life after losing love and working to keep avoiding it but getting their second chances anyway. Friends since childhood, Laurel and Paris, are in their late thirties, divorced, and trying to keep their businesses running and successful, while late twenties newcomer from the East Coast, Cassie, is fighting being thrown out of the nest for the first time. This leaned a little more towards women's fiction but the romance interests make their appearances around the 25% mark (a little later for Cassie) and flutter in and out enough to give a secondary tag of romance. This was all closed door scenes, they passionately kiss but then are “waking” up in bed after having their world rocked ten/twenty minutes later. I also thought there was an underlying tone of conservative intimacy, the “save it for someone special” idealism that felt a little icky to me but your mileage may vary. The book club aspect wasn't really included, worked to get Cassie in the group and the men later join but it really only added some fun little shout-outs to books of yore, MacKenzie's Mountain by Linda Howard; Knight of Shining Armour by Jude Deveraux; The Endearment by LaVyrle Spencer; and Night into Day by Sandra Canfield.

No more guys, she vowed. No more love. No more being stupid.

Laurel has been divorced for a year after her husband drained their bank accounts and left to start a rafting company in Jamaica. She's been stressed to say the least as she tries to keep her thrifting business, searching for low priced items at Goodwill, estate sales, etc. to up-sale on Ebay, and raise her two pre-teen daughters. She's called into the school where a teacher tells her that her oldest daughter has been saying man hating comments and Laurel realizes that her bitterness has bled over into her daughter and it's time to find some positive male role models for her girls. With some serendipitous help, she keeps running into a sound engineer named Colton and dumps her story on him and he agrees to be “just” friends with her. They, oops, have some of that not shown bedroom mind-blowing but it's back to “just” friends, until Colton's parents are visiting and then a fake-dating situationship happens.

This was probably the most emotional story, but it wasn't to do with the romance, one of Laurel's daughters is hurt and angry about their father abandoning them and them being extremely flaky while the younger daughter loves him and begs and cries for any crumbs from him. It was hurtful to see how this kind of dynamic can hurt family members individually and the family unit.

She wasn’t who she had been.

Paris' story will probably be the one most people have the hardest connecting with, she's been divorced for a little under ten years after her husband walked out without saying a word to her. Paris grew-up with an abusive mom and carried those learned traits into her marriage, letting her anger control her and was not only emotionally abusive, yelling constantly at her husband, but also physical, throwing things at him and slapping him. It was great that Paris didn't excuse her behavior before she got therapy but the keeping of bringing up scenes where she was physically abusive to her husband did kill a lot of the romance genre feelings trying to come through. Her ex comes back to town to help his mother recover from knee surgery and she learns that his wife and mother to his son died of cancer a year ago.

I probably could have made an effort to connect with this story more if the ex-husband had shown any strength in being hurt or mad over how Paris treated him during their marriage, but he pretty much shrugs it all off and thinks more about how it was wrong of him to just walk away and not speak to her. He also shows no concern over leaving his son with her to babysit, saying he “trusts” her. Good, great but she was physically abusive with you and even though she says she went to therapy and seems calm in the two/three limited times you've been around her, should you immediately trust her around a child? This is where the focus on women's fiction hurt this story, the ex was pretty much an empty vessel to just be Paris' second chance and without his character depth, the redemption after she dealt with her anger issues did not feel satisfactory.

Why did she pick loser guys she helped get back on their feet who then left her?

Cassie's story was the most interesting to me but there was some thrown out there little wildness to it. Her parents died when she was fourteen and even though she had two older siblings, her uncle came and took care of her until she was eighteen. She never got to really deal with her grief and as a consequence, she is always focused on keeping everyone around her happy and keeps her relationships light because she thinks they're going to end anyway. Her siblings see that she is stalling her life to help them out and decide to kick her out and get her to go visit the land in California her uncle left her. Cassie's hurt and doesn't want to go but when she arrives, she gets a job at a bookstore and starts to fall in love with the land and small orchard her uncle left her.

This story has a, brought up over and over again, insanely handsome archaeologist that is excavating on Cassie's land because a matriarchal society lived there long ago, cave drawings newly discovered by Cassie (brought up once and never again), gold mine find of hidden cognac barrels, and a random old guy neighbor that knows all about orchards and wants nothing in life more than to help Cassie learn how to bring back to life and take care of her newly inherited one. The insanely handsome archaeologist also has some love of first sight but when he asks out Cassie, she laughs and leaves, thinking there's no way he'd actually be interested in her. Anyway, Cassie learns to live life for herself, not be afraid of some impending doom, and accept love from an insanely handsome archaeologist.

I liked how the women's lives all intertwined with each other but the romances were definitely weaker as the men were all pretty empty vessels who only seemed capable of spouting therapy perfect emotions and relationship conversations.

The Summer Book Club focuses on three women, their friendship, their past and their strengths.
Each is facing a challenge in their life and with the love and support (even tough love) of each other they find a way to overcome their obstacles.
I enjoyed all of the characters and would have enjoyed an epilogue.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street Press for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

The Summer Book Club Rules sound perfect to me:
🤎No sad books
💜No pressure
💚Lots of wine

My thoughts:
The story revolves around the journey of three strong women, Laurel, Paris and Cassie. Getting to know them was such fun. They each have so much to overcome which endears them to you even more. They support each other as they navigate all that is thrown at them.
If you are in the mood for a story about friendships, supporting each other no matter what and second chances, this is the book you should read.
This was a book that was hard to put down. And, it is so nice when that happens. Susan Mallery’s writing just pulls you in.
The perfect book to start your summer/beach reading!
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this new book from Susan Mallery. Being able to see the different point of views of each woman, made the book more enjoyable to read. As each lady finds her way, the other friends are there to help and guide. It was great to see each one of them come into their own and grow. The book will make a great beach read. The only thing I wished for was an epilogue.

The Summer Book Club is a wonderful story of friendship and support. I found the characters and their situations very believable. I loved the way the 3 women stood by each other through all the tough things but weren't afraid to be tough when the situation called for it. They all found their way to believing they deserved a man to be happy with. I did wish there was an epilogue to give us a glimpse into the future to see if the plans being made came to fruition, but it did end on happy notes for all and I appreciate that.

I am a big fan of Susan Mallery’s books, and The Summer Book Club is another five-star read! The book tells the story of two childhood best friends who welcome a third woman to their summer book club and into their friendship circle. All three are dealing with important life decisions, and I loved the way the women supported each other through challenges. Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin, for the advance reader copy of this book!

The Summer Book Club intertwines three different and lovely stories leading to love, forgiveness, redemption, and second chances.

I have mixed feelings about this book. While I wanted all three women to find happiness and peace for themselves, I didn’t feel a strong draw to their respective romances. The hardships and past mistakes that plagued Paris, Laurel, and Cassie were given plenty of depth and feeling and I enjoyed their up-and-down journeys.

Paris and Jonah’s second chance at love grabbed me the most. Their unresolved guilt and emotions were apparent in every word and interaction and had the biggest impact. I’d say Jagger (Laurel’s daughter) was my favorite. Everything she felt about her father and her parent’s divorce was very realistic and I was impressed by the way she stood up for herself.

As with all Susan Mallery’s books, this is mostly a story about women’s struggles and dreams, with some sweet romance added.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another fantastic book by Susan Mallery! I'm always happy to read one of her stories!

Three friends, a wine bar and a summer book club. It's a fun read, with strong women, an indepth storyline and lots of fun romance. Each lady has issues they're working through and men causing them trouble - they pull together to help each other and find love.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

This book is a heartwarming tale of friendship, love, and the courage to change. The story revolves around three women: Laurel, Paris, and newcomer Cassie. They find solace and laughter in their book club, where they only read books that aren't sad and welcome wine. As they navigate life's challenges - from Laurel's post-divorce doubts to Cassie's pattern of choosing the wrong men, and Paris's struggle with past relationship scars - they draw inspiration from the strong heroines they read about. This novel captures the essence of female camaraderie and the transformative power of taking chances. Mallery's skillful storytelling and relatable characters make this book a delightful read, emphasizing the importance of support and friendship in overcoming life's hurdles.

I am a big fan of beach reads and when I saw this book I leapt at the chance to read it. While it started off enjoyable, it slowly petered out and I ended up bored by the end.
Laurel and Paris have been friends for nearly 30 years, since they were 7. They have seen each other through many tough times including Paris’ husband leaving her due to her abusive tendencies and Laurel’s husband leaving her and their two girls with nothing but the expensive house he insisted they buy. Over the last many years though, both friends have grown in ways that they are no longer their old selves. When Cassie, a young woman 10 years their junior, moves to town in the beginning stages of her own journey to growth, they take her in and help her learn to live for herself.
The three women do have a summer book club, but it plays such a minor part in this that it seems the title is merely the easiest thing to have called this book. While I initially loved all 3 of the women’s stories they all mirrored each other exactly and it became extremely predictable and really quite boring. In addition, I feel like this was 100 pages too long.
While I think Ms. Mallery started with a great idea, it just didn’t seem to work in the end. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advanced copy of this. The Summer Book Club hit the shelves on February 13th.

Another wonderful book by Ms Mallery

I am a big fan of Susan Mallery, I think I have read all of her books. I found the Summer Book Club has all the ingredients of a woman's fiction book for your summer vacation, fireside reading, or anytime you want to treat yourself to a break. There's the requisite romance, but along the way serious issues are explored, such as anger management (and in a female, not the typical male), love vs dependency, trust and how to find out what one needs for future happiness and a real sense of home.

Thank you to the publisher who lent me an e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.

THE SUMMER BOOK CLUB
by Susan Mallery
Releases February 16,2024

I absolutely loved this book! It definitely gave me some laugh out loud moments.
It’s a story of three women who have very different issues. We have Paris, who is divorced because of severe anger issues. And she just can’t trust herself to know that those anger issues are behind her.
Then there’s Laurel, and her two amazing daughters. Laurel is a Thrifter she buys and sells things that she finds at thrift stores. Her husband abandoned her and her daughters and Laurel feels she may have been setting the wrong example in how she feels and portrays men to her daughters.
Cassie is new in town. Her family threw her out to make her stand on her own two feet. So she headed to Los Lobos to check out the land that her uncle left her. She was extremely surprised at how quickly she settled in. But she was also extremely homesick!

I highly recommend this book!

This is by far one of my favorite Susan Mallery books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's not an easy thing either because I love all of her books but this one just has something special to it.

I've read Susan Mallery and this book is currently high demand at my library so I thought it was worth a read. A previous review described it as unpolished and I have to agree. My expectations definitely outweighed the result.

Susan Mallery does not disappoint in this new summer novel. This book follows the lives of three very different characters and the way that they navigate through the twists and turns of life. The characters are fun and lovable. I can't wait to read her next book and join my own book club.

Laurel, Paige and Cassie are 3 very different women, with different issues they’re dealing with in their love lives and family lives, they depend on each other while enjoying their summer book club.

Over the course of reading 80s romances, these 3 learn what’s truly important in love and life, and I get to revisit some of my favorite books! Win-win, or is it?

Now, first, the kids in this book are absolutely necessary and perfect! And I want a Bandit of my own! Also, I think it’s time to start our own club.

Pub Day Book Review! Thank you @netgalley, @htpbooks and @canarystreetpress for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
I’ve been reading Susan Mallery books for several years now (well before I had this account). I enjoy them and some are better than others, but I think now that I’ve discovered so many new-to-me authors, I don’t rush to read these books like I used to.
Susan Mallery writes women’s fiction and they are usually about a group of female friends, each going through their own struggle. Often the themes in her books include friendship, family, romance, and new beginnings. The Summer Book Club is about two best friends, Laurel and Paris, and Cassie who moves to town and joins their book club and friend group. They are each single and have their own issues with getting into a relationship.
This wasn’t my favourite of her books as some of the storylines seemed a bit exaggerated, but I do generally like her writing and I find her books to be pretty quick reads. If you like books that follow a certain formula or books about a group of female friends, you might enjoy this book.

Always a fan of a Susan Mallery book! Friendship, love, finding happiness. This book is very heartwarming, I love the 3 friends and their journeys separately and together to reach their new happiness. Characters are well developed and likeable and more than that, they are relatable. Great read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Summer Book Club
By: Susan Mallery
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing
Pub Date: 2/13/24

When Cassie was just 14 years old her parents passed away leaving her older brother, older sister and herself alone. Her uncle came to live with them but as her siblings moved out Cassie just stuck. She still lived in the same apartment above the bar her brother now owns and runs. She has continued to help her sister with her daughters, just in general, she takes care of people, even her boyfriends. She feels like the fixer she’s there to pep somebody up and then they move on without her. After an awful day, and another horrible break up her brother and sister unload on her telling her she isn’t needed and she needs to love on. She had inherited some land and a house in California when her uncle passed and she hasn’t been to see it. She packs her car and takes off. Coming into the tiny town, she quickly makes friends, finds a place to live, get a job, and even starts a relationship, a healthy one at that. But when her sister calls crying will she go running to fix it all again or hold on to what she’s built?
As always the relationships between characters are utterly perfect. Each woman had her own issues to come either for themselves or their children.

I want to first thank Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press, and Netgalley for the ARC of The Summer Book Club by Susan Mallery in return for an honest review. I was so excited to see Susan Mallery on Netgalley and was even more pumped to see she had a new book coming out. I loved her book The Boardwalk Book Shop so much when I read it last summer so needless to say I had high hopes for this one. Everything you read in this review is entirely my thoughts and opinions.

Much like The Boardwalk Book Shop, we are following three women at different stages in their lives. When I say stages I do not necessarily mean ages but more like phases in their lives. Does that make sense? I hope so. Laurel is a recently divorced mom of two pre-teen girls who happens to run her own thrifting business. Her ex-husband walked out on them one year ago and cleaned out their bank account. He is a man who chases his dreams no matter the consequences to those around him. This behavior has led to the belief that men are scum by Jagger their oldest daughter. Did I mention that she is only twelve? The knowledge of this has Laurel worried for her daughters. She does not want them to grow up thinking that all men are bad even though she sometimes thinks so herself. Her friend Paris suggests that she befriends a man because the girls need good male representation in their lives. This may not be a bad idea but how does one go about befriending a man? We get to see how Laurel goes about doing just that and she may get more than she has bargained for in the deal.

Paris is a divorced woman who was raised by an abusive woman. She runs her own farm stand and has a dog named Bandit. Paris has been besties with Laurel since they were seven years old. Laurel has stuck with Paris through all of her rage issues including the years Paris spent in therapy to come to grips with why she behaved the way that she did. Since Paris's divorce, she has not been in any kind of romantic relationship because she is fearful of how she will behave toward a partner. I can understand this fear because her behavior is after all what caused her ex-husband to leave. Paris is a hard-working woman who is very dependable when it comes to her friends and their children. Her life is going very well until one day when her ex-husband shows up at the farm stand. This unexpected return throws Paris off and she is not sure how she feels about it. Will this appearance from the love of her life derail her? Will she be able to keep herself in check and more importantly will she be able to stop herself from falling for him once again?

Cassie is a single woman who was recently been dumped by her boyfriend. Her siblings have also told her that she needs to move out and live her own life. She needs to stop trying to fix everything and everyone and discover what it is that she wants out of life. The things that make her happy. They encourage her to go to Los Lobos in CA to look at the inheritance that her uncle has left her. I mean seriously a house and some land in CA why wouldn't you want to go see it? Cassie is terrified of leaving her family and the only home she has ever known in Bar Harbor Maine. Nevertheless, she sets off on this journey that she is resentful of even having to take. Cassie soon finds herself a job and joins a book club. This bookclub isn't just run by anyone but it is run by Laurel and Paris. Cassie discovers that there is more to life than just fixing other people's problems and just maybe she can find a life that she loves and not merely one that she just exists.

This story is one of female friendships, courage, love, found family, and discovery. If you are looking for a read with fully fleshed-out characters who are not simple but have complicated pasts and emotions then this might just be the book for you. If you love female friendships, found family, love, and happily ever afters then pick this one up because you will not be disappointed. I very much enjoyed this story and once again I want to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press, and Netgalley for the ARC of The Summer Book Club by Susan Mallery it was a wonderful read.

Trigger Warnings:
-Parental Abuse
-Theft
-Divorce
-Parental Death