"The Summer Swap" by Sarah Morgan is a captivating tale that seamlessly weaves together themes of love, loss, and self-discovery against the picturesque backdrop of Cape Cod's Dune Cottage. Cecilia Lapthorne's decision to return to the cottage on her seventy-fifth birthday sets the stage for a journey filled with unexpected twists and turns.

One of the highlights of the novel is the complex relationship between Cecilia and Lily, two women from different generations who find solace and understanding in each other's company. Despite their initial awkwardness, their bond deepens as they navigate their shared experiences and secrets.

Morgan's skillful storytelling draws readers into the world of Dune Cottage, evoking a sense of nostalgia and longing for simpler times. The setting itself feels like a character, with its windswept beaches, hidden coves, and weathered charm serving as the perfect backdrop for the characters' emotional journeys.

As the story unfolds, Todd's arrival adds an unexpected twist to the narrative, challenging the newfound bond between Cecilia and Lily. His presence forces them to confront their pasts and reconsider their futures, leading to moments of heartache and ultimately, growth.

What sets "The Summer Swap" apart is its ability to balance moments of poignancy with lightheartedness and humor. Morgan's prose is both evocative and witty, making it impossible to put the book down.

Overall, "The Summer Swap" is a delightful read that will appeal to fans of contemporary fiction and summer romances alike. With its charming setting, relatable characters, and heartfelt storytelling, it's a book that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned.

This was my first Sarah Morgan book, and I really enjoyed it. I loved the characters and storyline. It was a fun quick read but covered so many relationship dynamics.

This would make a good summer read

This is my first book by Sarah Morgan, and I enjoyed it. I love books featuring multiple viewpoints and generations, and this book has three characters from three generations as its focus. Cecelia in some aspects reminded me of my own wise grandmother and also embodied values that I embrace as a new grandmother, so I could relate to her. However, I could relate to Lily and Kristen as well, so that made reading even more enjoyable. Readers should be able to identify with one if not all three of these women in some aspect.

Without spoiling, the story was engaging after about the first five pages. It moved quickly (sometimes too quickly) and kept me engaged. The three women’s stories intersected nicely although I would have liked a bit more development, especially in Lily’s history with the siblings. I read this book easily in less than a day, so room is definitely available for additional backstory with Todd and Hannah.

Since this is a stand-alone book, I would have loved an epilogue—just a few pages maybe looking two or three years into the future. I was invested enough into the characters to care about how they might be doing down the road. This is a good thing!

I liked this book enough to seek out Morgan’s other books, and I recommend it as an easy, sweet, and somewhat predictable beach read. I wish I could rate it here as 4.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The perfect summer read. It tells the story of women of three generations from each of their view point. All three are at a crossroads in their lives and struggling with how to handle that and deciding what comes next. There is of course romance along the way and a beach cottage to be renovated…changes which parallel the changes needed in the women’s lives. This is an enjoyable easy summer read for fans of the beach romance stories.

This is the perfect summer beach read. It follows three women who all have their own secrets, grief and needs for second chances. This was such a good read and now I want a beach escape too.

2.5 stars

I really wanted to love this one. The story was cute and refreshing- there was a lot going on here that made me stick with it.

However, it was extremely repetitive, often times verbatim, and the massive amount of “hints” from the very beginning of the book made it incredibly predictable at every turn.

I did enjoy the premise. Cameron Lapthrone, a famous artist, has died. His supportive, and also artistic wife Cecilia, is trying to reinvent herself after his passing.

Their daughter, Kristin, has always supported (and worked for) her father and his art world. Her marriage is shaky and her grown children are both going through their own bumps in the road.

Lily is a young aspiring artist who is close to the family. Watching everyone’s lives intertwine and the family relationships and bonds was definitely the highlight of the book for me.

The book is told from the POV of these three women, 3 generations, all looking for something new out of life.

It’s a fast, EASY summer read. There’s enough depth to keep going, the story is sweet yet predictable, and it felt very drawn out to me.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced e-copy of this book. The publication date for The Summer Swap is May 7, 2024.

For more of Angie and Lauren's book reviews, please follow us on Instagram. @BluejackBookGirls

✨ Here for the vibes ✨

The Summer Swap focuses on three multi-generational women. Each woman goes through her own journey of self discovery and love. While they are all on their own paths, all of the women’s stories intertwine. I found the story to be quick paced and interesting! I would recommend to anyone who loves an easy, woman’s lit, beach read.

Plus the Cape vibes are immaculate.🎨🌊

I wish we could’ve gotten more of Lily and Cecelia’s relationship and their dynamic would’ve continued throughout the whole book. I also wish we would’ve gotten more detail into Lily and Todd’s relationship and how they fell in love because a lot of that seemed to happen off the page. In general I would’ve liked more of Lily. Overall I really enjoyed this story. Thank you for the opportunity to read it as an arc

Sarah Morgan always hits it out of the park. Characters you invest yourself in and an interesting plot. She is a comfort read for me. Not to missed.

Sarah Morgan is one of my favorite authors, and she doesn't disappoint with The Summer Swap. Three women are at a turning point in their lives. Lily just dropped out of medical school and is cleaning houses on Cape Cod for the summer until she figures out how to make a living at what she really has a passion for-art. One of the cottages she cleans hasn't been used for years, so she starts sleeping there because her living arrangements fell through. What she doesn't know, is that her best friend Hannah's grandmother, Cecilia Lapthorne and mother, Kristen Buckingham, are also at a crossroads, due to the death of Cecilia's husband Cameron, a world renowned artist, who Kristen also worked for. Cecilia decides to go to the summer cottage she and her husband shared to figure out what comes next for her, and discovers Lily staying there. Cecilia hadn't been to the cottage for years, and her husband was supposed to have sold it, so she asks Lily to stay on as caretaker while she is deciding what to do with the cottage. Kristen is married to a brilliant, but frequently absent, surgeon, Theo, and without her father's work to keep her busy, she is realizing that she is unhappy playing second fiddle to her husband's career, and joins her mother in Cape Cod to decide whether or not to make a change. Will their summer on the Cape allow them to discover how to move in the right direction for each of their lives? Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for an ebook advanced copy to review.

As we are coming into the warmer months this is exactly the type of story I look for—friendship, romance, and the beach! We have three strong women who are all dealing with big changes. This is more women’s fiction than romance, but the romance is very sweet and swoon worthy.

This book HAS to be on your beach reads for 2024. I literally devoured this book. It is not a rom-com, but is filled with stories of romance, family relationships, and friendships that will leave your heart feeling so happy!!

Summer Swap is told from the perspective of 3 females, all of who are in different stages of life but all dealing with very life-altering decisions. Lily is in her twenties contemplating where to move forward in her career without disappointing her family, Kristen is in her late forties in a lifeless marriage, and Cecilia is a 75-year old widow wondering what to make of her life now that she is not in the shadow of her famous husband. Each character is so relatable and I loved reading how their stories unfolded and intertwined.

Content info: Very mild language and one “romantic” scene that is still closed-door in my opinion.

Literally one of the best books I have read in 2024–I would recommend to anyone!! This was my first book by Sarah Morgan and I will definitely be reading more!

Thank you NetGalley and Canary Street Press for the e-ARC version of this book releasing May 2024!

@sarahmorganwrites @netgalley @canarystreetpress
#books #bookstagram #bookreview #beachread #romance #cleanreads #closeddoorromance

***3.5 STARS***

Content Warning: cheating, marital problems, family secrets

+ This is a multigenerational story. Cameron Lapthorne is a famous artist who had just passed away and what remains is a family who is dealing with grief and some regrets. I liked seeing how they eventually come together as family secrets are revealed and healing can begin. There is another main character, Lily, who is connected to the family. Her storyline intertwines with Cecelia’s and I thought it was a nice way of continuing the love of art in the Lapthorne family.

+ Another big theme in this book is about marriage. It showed how the Lapthorne women in the book were overshadowed by their husband’s successful careers, and what it eventually did to their marriage. I found it all very relatable.

+ I thought it was refreshing that Cecelia’s grandson, Todd, gets to shine as he represents the younger generation of Lapthorne family. He’s sure of himself, and not afraid to follow a career of his choosing which all of them seem to admire. The romance surrounding him and Lily was cute. He and Lily definitely represent the generation who is allowed and more willing to forgo family expectations and do what their heart desires, even while struggling to achieve their happiness.

+ Only issue with the book was that it felt rushed at times. Todd and Lily have been mutually pining for one another for years but don’t even come together in the book to discuss this until the halfway mark so I wish they were together much earlier.

My Thoughts:

This is a great book about family and love and perfect to read at the beach or pool. The setting is lovely and definitely gives off summer beach vibes. It’s a quick story but I think had enough depth because of the multigenerational aspect which I enjoyed.

this was a story with grief, family, and healing with healthy moments of romance sprinkled in to create a story. it was a quick, easy, read with enjoyable characters with dual pov (which is my fav)

4.5⭐️ This was my first Sarah Morgan book, but it will not be my last!! I LOVED this book!! It was so cute & the perfect feel good summer read. Such a quick and easy read. Wish I would’ve read it sitting on the beach, but every time I was reading I felt like I was sitting in the cottage listening to the ocean with the characters. Definitely recommend everyone add it to their TBR for this summer!

I loved the different POVs we got, & the characters were so lovable! The different journeys of grief, friendships, relationships, & finding the right path in life, were all so amazing to read. I loved all the advice that was given (I think I highlighted like 30 things!) & how much everyone cared for each other. Can’t wait to read more Sarah Morgan books! 🩵

I would like to thank NetGalley, Sarah Morgan, Harlequin Trade Publishing & Canary Street Press for an advance copy of The Summer Swap to give my honest opinion.

Wow, this book was everything I needed going into the summer! Reading it literally made me feel like I was living in coastal town, drinking a glass of wine, overlooking the water.
At first, it felt hard to keep track who’s who, given that the chapters are from different points of view, across different generations, but once I kept going, it all straightened out! I love how everyone intertwined together. Through all of the different characters, Sarah Morgan wonderfully encompassed themes of true love, finding happiness, following your dreams, and processing grief. Despite some of the heavier topics, The Summer Swap left me feeling light and refreshed every time I put it down.

Thank you to Sarah Morgan, Harlequin Trade Publishing, & NetGalley for allowing me to read an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and 100% recommend it!

I absolutely adored this book and the vibe that it gave. It going over sensitive/heavy topics such as grief was done amazingly. This book has now become one of my favorites from this year so far!

Sweet story, slow plot.

While this was a sweet story, it was just that- sweet. I thought there was little depth and the plot was slow. Also, I found the characters to be a bit cliché and lacking depth- especially Lily. With that said, I don’t think this is a bad book if you’re looking for a fluffy palate cleanser. Just know that the characters and plot line are going to be predictable.

I was able to read an e-ARC of this novel courtesy of The Hive. I was excited for the chance to read this one, because I absolutely loved The Book Club Hotel. The Summer Swap does not disappoint! A lovely story of three women's journeys to new beginnings, second chances, and finding happiness. This will make a great feel-good summer read!

What a joy! This was the perfect read for spring/summer time. I loved the characters and the journey they were on.

Ironically, as a New England Native, I read this book on vacation in FL. I loved the location of Cape Cod, and the change in Sarah Morgan’s scenery from winter to summer! The different POVs were a little confusing at times, though it did all come together. Though not as light as I hoped, this novel tied in family woes, friends, and love over many years. Would recommend!