The Summer Book Club by Susan Mallery Published by Harlequin on February 13, 2024
Genres: Fiction / Family Life / Marriage & Divorce, Fiction / Family Life / Siblings, Fiction / Friendship, Fiction / Romance / Contemporary
Pages: 384
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley
"A charming, feel-good story of the ways that devoted friends—and great books!—can change our lives with the summer vibes I’m needing right now! There’s a dose of Susan Mallery magic in all her novels; this one just might have an extra scoop!" – Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times bestselling author
The rules of summer book club are simple:
- No sad books
- No pressure
- Yessssss, wine!
Besties Laurel and Paris are excited to welcome Cassie to the group. This year, the book club is all about fill-your-heart reads, an escape from the chaos of the everyday—running a business, raising a family, juggling a hundred to-dos. Even the dog is demanding (but the bestest boy).
Since Laurel’s divorce, she feels like the Worst Mom Ever. Her skepticism of men may have scarred her vulnerable daughters. Cassie has an unfortunate habit of falling for ridiculous man-boys who dump her once she fixes them. Paris knows good men exist. She’s still reeling after chasing off the only one brave enough—and foolish enough—to marry her.
Inspired by the heroines who risk everything for fulfillment, Laurel, Paris and Cassie begin to take chances—big chances—in life, in love. Facing an unwritten chapter can be terrifying. But it can be exhilarating, too, if only they can find the courage to change.
“Susan Mallery is a maven of heartwarming summer reads! The Summer Book Club is a page-turner about the best things in life: books, friendship, love, and finding the courage to live our best lives.” – Katherine Center, New York Times bestselling author
Get lost in more beach reads by Susan Mallery:
- The Happiness Plan
- The Sister Effect
- The Boardwalk Bookshop
- The Summer Getaway
- The Stepsisters
My Review
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