For the Love of Summer by Susan Mallery #bookreview #womensfiction #romance #contemporary

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Title: For the Love of Summer

Author:  Susan Mallery

Publisher: MIRA 

Publication Date: June 4, 2024

Page Count:  414

My rating: 5 stars

About the book:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery comes an unforgettable beach read about the unbreakable bond between mothers and daughters and finding friendship with the unlikeliest person, perfect for fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Emily Giffin…

As the owner of Twisted, Seattle’s best salons, Erica knows that the sharpest cuts come from the people we love. She’s terrified that she’s losing her teen daughter, Summer, to her “other” family, especially to her stepmom, Allison.

All it takes to blow up Allison’s happy life is one collect call. From prison. Her beloved husband, Peter, has been arrested, leaving Allison pregnant, broke, scared and alone with a toddler. But when her stepdaughter ferrets out the truth, the teen rushes to the last person Allison wants to ask for help—her husband’s battle-ax ex.

Erica would do anything for Summer, even take in the woman her daughter loves like a second mom. Allison feels intimidated by Erica—a woman who would never let herself become so dependent on a man. But the more time they spend together, the more Allison realizes what Erica truly needs is a friend. Can two women who married the same man move beyond their complicated past and rethink what it means to be family?

For the Love of Summer by Susan Mallery is a women’s fiction title that deals with friendship and family drama and with a slight side of romance to the story. The story in For the Love of Summer is one that does change the point of view between the characters involved but does take place in the present timeline.

Erica was once married to Peter and they share their wonderful teenage daughter, Summer. After their divorce Peter went on to marry Allison and start a second family with her which includes their young toddler, Jackson, and another baby on the way but they always include Summer in their lives welcoming her to their family too.

Since the divorce Erica was motivated more than ever to continue to bring her business, Twisted, Seattle’s best salons to the top and doesn’t really want a man in her life permanently again. What Erica never expected though was to bring Allison and Peter’s new family into her life but when Peter is arrested Allison is left with nothing and no where to turn and Summer is determined she and her mother need to help “family”.

I’ve read several of Susan Mallery’s books before and always enjoy them so I was looking forward to diving into For the Love of Summer. Thankfully I was right when I expected to enjoy this one but even more so I really loved the creativity to this whole new twist to what family means. Just how many people would step into Erica’s shoes and what she does in this book is probably an extremely low number but it worked for this book and really pulled me into the characters lives and struggles. Definitely a book I’d recommend checking out if you are looking for something a little out of the ordinary that is truly a thought provoking read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:
Susan Mallery is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of books about the relationships that define women’s lives—romance, friendship, family. With compassion and humor, Susan keenly observes how people think and feel, in stories that take readers on an emotional journey. Sometimes heartbreaking, often funny, and always uplifting, Susan’s books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list, thanks to her ever growing legions of fans.

Critics, too, have heaped praise on “the new queen of romantic fiction.” (Walmart) Booklist says, “Romance novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling,” and RT Book Reviews puts her “in a class by herself!”

Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her popular series, the Fool’s Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.

Susan lives in Seattle with her husband, a ragdoll cat, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Animals play a big role in her books, as well, as she believes they’re an integral component to a happy life. Visit Susan online at http://www.SusanMallery.com.