cooking up a summer fling

Sam has a problem. She had been working at a prestigious restaurant in Boston for years, and just when she thought it was her time to snag that executive chef job, the rug got pulled out from under her. Her boss hired an outsider to come in and take over the kitchen, telling Samantha that he doesn’t think she’s up to the job because of her dyslexia. Even though she’d spend years working in that kitchen, proving her ability to plan and multitask successfully, she was passed over. She quit immediately.

However, that means she is facing the summer without a job. And facing having to tell her dad that she quit her job. So when he asked her to come out to Martha’s Vineyard for a couple of months to watch her younger half-brother Tyler while he and his wife go to Europe, she jumps at the chance. She had spent summers out there when she was a kid, and she hadn’t found time to visit for years. But the ferry ride changes things.

Sam was standing close to the edge of the boat as it made its way to the island. A group of frat boys were joking around, until one of them was about to heave. He was making his way to the side of the boat, and Sam could see that she was in the line of vomit. She turned to the guy reading next to her and tried to get his attention so she had room to move. He finally looked up and realized what was happening, and he managed to help Sam move out of the way. But his book went overboard in the commotion.

It’s not until Sam goes to the local library to visit her best friend Emily that she realizes that the reader from the ferry is the interim library director, so Sam will be seeing him whenever she drops by to visit Emily at work or to drop Tyler off at robotics camp there. She’s not a reader herself, but she can’t deny her attraction to Ben.

As the days flow into weeks and Sam finds a job as a chef for a local weekly happy hour, she finds her time filling up with building a relationship with Tyler and helping Emily through a personal crisis. And in the midst of that, there is a handsome librarian flirting with her, not judging her for her dyslexia, and opening her eyes to the enjoyment of stories by reading a book to her. Sam realizes that her summer fling may turn out to be more than she planned on, and she can’t help but wonder what will happen when her summer reading is done?

Summer Reading is the latest rom com from bestselling author Jenn McKinlay. It’s a sweet story of opposites coming together, a cook and non-cook, a reader and a non-reader, and finding out how they can tell stories together, whether through words or through food. The characters bring a lot of energy and kindness to this novel, and the recipes (yes, there are recipes) and the romance bring the heat.

I was so impressed by Summer Reading’s commitment to telling the story of someone who doesn’t read, going so far as to make sure the book is printed with a font that is easier for dyslexics to follow. Fans of rom coms who don’t like to read may find this a gateway to a whole new world of stories, especially when they realize how Sam’s friends are more than willing to stand up to anyone who judges her for not reading. But even in the earnestness to make this book friendly to non-readers, the story is not lost. There are stories about family and friends to help fill out the romance and add nuance, humor, and heart to the love story.

I thought Summer Reading was enjoyable and readable, the perfect book for, well, summer reading. It would be perfect to take to the beach, to the pool, or to your favorite reading chair close to snacks and air conditioning. It’s sweet without being cloying, spicy without losing its balance, and the perfect pairing for a delicious citrus cocktail.

Egalleys for Summer Reading were provided by the author, with many thanks.