Book Review: The Summer Deal (Wildstone #5) by Jill Shalvis

The Summer Deal
Wildstone #5
By: Jill Shalvis
Release Date: June 2, 2020
Publisher: William Morrow
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Source: eARC from the publisher in exchange for a honest review

Book Summary:

From New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis comes a friends-to-frenemies-to-sisters story… And then add in a love story (okay, two love stories). Shake. Stir. Read on a lazy summer day at the beach. 

Brynn Turner desperately wishes she had it together, but her personal life is like a ping-pong match that’s left her scared and hurt after so many attempts to get it right. In search of a place to lick her wounds and get a fresh start, she heads back home to Wildstone. 

And then there’s Kinsey Davis, who after battling serious health issues her entire twenty-nine years of life, is tired of hoping for . . . well, anything. She's fierce, tough, and pretty much the opposite of Brynn except for one thing: they're half-sisters. Kinsey is keeping this bombshell, and a few others as well. Long time frenemies from summer camp, there’s no way she’s going to tell Brynn they’re related. 

But then Brynn runs into Kinsey's lifelong best friend, Eli, renewing a childhood crush. He’s still easy-going and funny and sexy as hell. When he gets her to agree to a summer-time deal to trust him to do right by her, no matter what, she never dreams it’ll result in finding a piece of herself she didn’t even know was missing. She could have a sister, love, and a future―if she can only learn to let go of the past. 

As the long days of summer wind down, the three of them must discover if forgiveness is enough to grasp the unconditional love that’s right in front of them.

My Thoughts:

The Summer Deal was such a great read!  Jill Shalvis is a master storyteller, and every time I read a story of hers, I'm reminded of why I love her books so much.  Her characters are real, relatable, and likable!

We get the stories of Brynn Turner and Kinsey Davis.  The story toggles between the past (in diary entries,) and the present, in which we learn these two attended the same summer camp every year, and did not get along.  

Brynn leaves Long Beach for Wildstone when things go south with her boyfriend.  She needs a new start, and to have the support and love of her nurturing mothers, Olive and Raina.  However, she doesn't want to live with them, and prefers to have her own space.  Unfortunately, rent in Wildstone is too high for this substitute kindergarten school teacher.  So when Eli,  (her adolescent crush,) offers her a room for rent at a reasonable price in his home, she accepts.  What she doesn't realize is that Eli had a huge crush on her too, and is excited to have her back in Wildstone.  Bryn becomes upset when she learns that Kinsey is one of his roommates, and even though she decides she's going to back out of the arrangement, they convince her to stay.  

Eli and Kinsey have been best friends since they were young, and bonded over having families that abandoned them.  Eli wants to bring Brynn and Kinsey together, because he knows an important secret.  So Eli, his fun-loving half-brother Max, Brynn, and Kinsey all end up becoming roommates.

Kinsey is very sick.  She has Kidney Disease, and unfortunately transplant rejection has been a problem for her. She has a friends with benefits arrangement with Deck, a single father and nurse at the dialysis center.  Kinsey insists on keeping everyone she cares about at arms length, because she has resigned herself to death, and doesn't want to hurt anyone.  

The Summer Deal was a fantastic read!  I loved getting to know sweet, sensitive, quirky Brynn.  Kinsey was a character with many layers,  At times she could appear cold, but she had suffered so much since a young age, and we realize she is trying to protect herself, as much as she's trying to protect those around her.   Eli and Deck were both wonderful love interests that had me swooning!  They were patient, kind, caring, and compassionate.  They had their work cut out for them with Brynn, (who had major trust issues,) and Kinsey. 

I loved so much about this story!  I loved how realistic the main characters were.  Jill Shalvis brought them to life, and they felt so real to me, that they could have walked right off of the page.  They were flawed, like any person is, but had so many great qualities to them as well.  Brynn's mothers and Kindergartner’s charmed me, made me smile, and laugh.  My heart broke for the individual hurt and pain they all suffered along their unique journeys.  I was rooting the whole way through for Brynn and Kinsey to make peace with one another, and get close.  I was holding my breath hoping that Brynn and Kinsey would take a chance on love, and was ecstatic when Ms. Shalvis delivered the perfect ending!

Purchase At:

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About the Author:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website, www.jillshalvis.com, for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

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Waiting on Wednesday (111)

https://www.wishfulendings.com

Almost Just Friends

Wildstone #4

By: Jill Shalvis

Release Date: January 21, 2020

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

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Book Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis returns to Wildstone with the touching story of finding your place in the world—and the people who make it home. 

Piper Manning’s about as tough as they come, she’s had to be. She raised her siblings and they’ve thankfully flown the coop. All she has to do is finish fixing up the lake house her grandparents left her, sell it, and then she’s free. When a massive storm hits, she runs into a tall, dark and brooding stranger, Camden Reid. There’s a spark there, one that shocks her. Surprising her further, her sister and brother return, each of them holding their own secrets. The smart move would be for Piper to ignore them all but Cam unleashes emotions deep inside of her that she can’t deny, making her yearn for something she doesn’t understand. And her siblings…well, they need each other. Only when the secrets come out, it changes everything Piper thinks she knows about her family, herself…and Cam. Can she find a way to outrun the demons? The answer is closer than she thinks—just as the new life she craves may have already begun.

Why I'm Eagerly Waiting:

I'm a fan of Jill Shalvis' books.  I love the way she gives us sweet romance, and a sense of family and/or community in her stories.  She is the queen of second chance romance, and I'm looking forward to this upcoming story, because it sounds like a cute read, with some mystery, and a lot of emotion. 

What Are You Waiting On?

Book Review: I See You by Molly McAdams

I See You

By:
Molly McAdams

Release Date:
Nov. 1, 2016

Publisher:
William Morrow Paperbacks

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Source:
eARC from the publisher inn exchange for a honest review

GR's Summary:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Molly McAdams’ powerful new novel offers one of the most memorable love triangles in fiction since Twilight—perfect for fans of New Adult fiction like Jamie McGuire, Abbi Glines, and Tamarra Webber. 

Futures are uncertain, unpredictable—like ink spilled across the purest surface. Nearly imperceptible ripples move and flow until a unique stain is formed. The ink is permanently imbedded in the surface… 

During one wild night in college, Jentry Michaels is a tidal wave of ink that brands Aurora Wilde’s soul. An unparalleled stain she can’t forget despite the many months that have passed—and despite the distraction she’d hoped she would find in her new relationship with Declan, the charmer who captured her heart soon after. Jentry has irrevocably touched her soul, and he is intertwined in her present and future in ways she never fathomed. Now Aurora is faced with keeping that night hidden though it feels as if the ink has indelibly etched their story across her skin. 

When Declan is confronted with his own personal demons, Aurora must decide if she will continue to hold tight to their relationship and a safe, reliable future with him, or if she will turn to Jentry—the guy she can’t forget no matter how hard she tries.…

My Thoughts:

I See You is a new adult romance all about tough decisions, bad timing, animal attraction, and overcoming tough odds.  It is a story written in typical Molly McAdams fashion with a lot of emotion, angst, and a whopping love triangle that will tear at your heart.

Aurora "Rorie" Taylor has always been a "good" girl, who is responsible and dedicated to her studies to become an elementary school teacher.  Her senior year of college, she decides to go to a party to be someone else for the night.  She ends up meeting "Jay," at the party.  He is gorgeous, intense, and has an appeal that Rorie has never experienced before.  They spend one unbelievable, life-changing night together.  Rorie can't get him out of her mind.  However, when she goes to a college party the following weekend looking for "Jay," she doesn't find him.  

Instead she meets, Declan "Dec" Veil.  Dec is sweet, charming, fun, and attentive.  Their relationship develops pretty quickly, and soon they are moving in together.  However, Rorie can never forget Jay, and oftentimes finds herself fantasying about him.  She feels guilty, and is determined to make things work with Dec, but can't help the way she cannot get her one night stand out of her mind.

Dec's adopted brother and best friend, Jentry Michaels, is finally getting out of the Marines, and Dec can't wait for his girl to meet him.  Rorie is excited as well because she's heard all about Jentry.  She is curious what he looks like, because she hasn't even seen so much as a picture of him.  Dec's mother, who is the monster-in-law from hell, refuses to show Rorie any pictures, so you can imagine her shock when she see's Jentry for the first time, and realizes that he is her "Jay."

Jentry never got Aurora out of his mind.  The night they shared together was life-changing, and he hasn't touched a woman since.  As Dec constantly talked about the love of his life, "Rorie," Jentry never made the connection that Rorie was "Aurora," the name she introduced herself to him as.  Now to complicate matters, Jentry, is staying in the guest bedroom of Dec and Rorie's apartment, until he can find a place of his own.  Jentry vows to stay far away from Rorie, because he could never betray or hurt his brother and best friend.  How will Rorie and Jentry resist the magnetic pull towards one another?  Who will Rorie end up with, and will the three of them be able to survive the fallout of secrets revealed and irresistible temptations?

I See You was a good read.  I always enjoy Molly McAdams stories, and this one was no different.  It was a page-turner, that had me interested to see how everything would turn out.  Dec and Jentry's mother was the very definition of monster-in-law, and drove me crazy!  She said horrible things to Rorie and the things she did had me seeing red, but she kept the story that much more interesting.  I wanted Rorie to stand up to her, which she did not do, and that irked me to the core!  Dec didn't do a very good job of putting his mother in her place either, which annoyed me.  

As far as side plots go, we also get to know Jentry's troubled biological sister, Jessica, and the dysfunctional and abusive family unit they came from.  This contributed to Jentry fearing that he would turn in to his father, which as a reader I had no fear of happening, but understood why this haunted him.

My Rating:

I give, I See You, by Molly McAdams, 4 Magnetic Attraction, Unforgettable Night, Tough Decisions, Angst & Heartbreak filled Stars!

Book Teasers:

Purchase At:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound | BAM

About Molly McAdams:

Molly McAdams grew up in California but now lives in the oh-so-amazing state of Texas with her husband, daughter, and fur babies. Her hobbies include hiking, snowboarding, traveling and long walks on the beach … which roughly translates to being a homebody with her hubby and dishing out movie quotes.

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Blog Tour: To the Stars (Thatch #2) by Molly McAdams

To the Stars
Thatch #2

By:
Molly McAdams

Published:
Feb. 9, 2016

Publisher:
William Morrow PB

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Goodreads

Source:
eARC from publisher in exchange for a honest review

GR's Summary:

In the second book in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Molly McAdams’ Thatch series, Knox Alexander must convince his long-time love Harlow Evans that they’re meant to be together. 

He promised to wait for her. She told him he was wasting his time. Not waiting for him ended up being the biggest mistake of her life. 

When they were younger, Knox Alexander swore to Harlow Evans that he would wait for her to turn eighteen so they could be together. But that was three and a half years away, and Harlow couldn’t ask him to give up all the fun and thrills of going away to college for her. As the years passed, Knox remained a constant in her life—whether she liked it or not—but when her eighteenth birthday came around, Harlow’s heart belonged to someone else. 

Every day for the last four years, Harlow has been haunted by that fateful choice. And though he may appear unaffected by what happened in their past, Knox has always tried to fill the void Harlow left. But when he comes stumbling back into her life and refuses to leave, will Harlow finally let him into her heart…?

 

Thatch Series:
My Review of Letting Go Here

 

*Add this Series to Goodreads Here

My Thoughts:

A valuable lesson that I have learned from reading Molly McAdams is that I need to emotionally prepare myself, before diving into one of her books.  I also need to load up on tissue for tears, take a few breaks to regroup, and follow it up with a light fluffy read.  No matter the emotional turmoil, angst, and tears, her books are ones that I truly treasure.  Ms. McAdams has such a way of writing, that I "feel" everything that her characters go through.  I sympathize with them, anguish with them, and hope that they will get eventually get the peace and happiness that they deserve.

In To the Stars, we get Harlow "Low" Evans and Knox Alexander's story.  These two met when Low was just fifteen years old and Knox was seventeen going on eighteen.  They couldn't be together, due to their age gap.  However, they talked on the phone constantly, and saw each other frequently.  Knox wanted to do the honorable thing, and so, he promised Low that he would wait for the day that she would turn eighteen, and they could be together.  Circumstances changed, and Low ended up married to another man, but they both never stopped loving one another.

Fast forward four years later and Low is married to an abusive, sadistic, wealthy, and powerful man.  She cannot escape her fate, due to the fact that he threatens to harm her family, and has proven that he has just the means to do it.  Knox is a firefighter, who works hard, lives with his two best friends Graham and Deacon, and plays the field.  There isn't a woman who can measure up to Low.  When fate brings these two back together, the stakes are higher than ever.  Knox cannot risk losing the only woman he's ever loved.  Yet, his biggest concern is for her safety.  Can her rescue Low, and live the happily ever after that he's always dreamed of?

To the Stars was raw, traumatic, disturbing, and realistic in the portrayal of abuse.  I felt every slap, hair-pull, bruise, and choke-hold that Low endured at the hands of her crazy husband.  He was controlling, possessive, jealous, and paranoid.  Ms. McAdams captured the fear, desperation, guilt, and helplessness that victims endure at the hands of their victimizers.  Low's abuser, Collin, made my skin crawl, and I hated him with a vengeance.  If you've ever wondered why a woman would stay in an abusive relationship, read this book.  It isn't as easy to get away as you would think.  

Secondary characters from the first book in the series, Letting Go, made a reappearance.  I enjoyed reconnecting with Grey, Jagger, Graham, and Deacon.  Although, Graham and Deacon irritated me at times in the story with the way they treated Low, I know that they were just being overprotective of Knox.  You'll be happy to know that they redeem themselves in the story as they take on the 'Mother Hen' role with Low.

Low and Knox were meant to be.  They both made mistakes along the way, but that's why this story was so realistic.  I think their youth, as well as outside influences were what worked against them at the beginning.  Low lost her glow, and was scarred from the abuse that she endured.  Yet, Knox could still see through to the girl that he had fallen in love with.  Their love was eternal, and I wanted them to find their way back to each other.      

My Rating:

I give, To the Stars, by Molly McAdams, 4 Young Love, Battling The Monster, Courage, Passion, Healing, and Hope Filled Stars!  I'm looking forward to continuing the Thatch Series, and am hoping that Graham and Deacon will each eventually get their own book.

Book Teasers:

Book Excerpt:

     Just as she was leaning in for another kiss, she jolted and her eyes widened. 
     “What’s wrong?” I asked when she didn’t say anything or move. 
     “I think…” 
     “What?” 
     “Did a bird just poop on my head?” she asked in a horrified voice. 
     I laughed loudly, and looked at her like she’d lost it. “In the middle of the night? I doubt it.” Still laughing, I rolled us over and pressed my body closer to hers. As I brought my mouth back down to hers, I felt the rain start falling against the back of my neck. I let out a sigh against her lips, and said, “And that would be your bird.”  
     “No, no!” Harlow scrambled out from under me and off the blanket, and tried to take off in the direction of my truck, but I was up and after her within seconds. 
     I hooked an arm around her waist before she could get far, and swung her body back against mine. 
     “Knox!” she screamed through her laughs as she tried to get away from me. “We need to get back to the truck!” 
     “What’s a little rain when you’re from Seattle?”
     “Because I always look awful when I see you, and I actually tried to look nice this time!” She giggled and tried to pull away again, but stopped when I pressed her back to my chest. 
     “You wanted romantic,” I whispered into her ear, and wrapped an arm around her waist. I played with the sliver of skin exposed on her stomach, and smiled when she shivered against me. Taking the loose collar of her shirt in my other hand, I pulled until it fell down her arm, and moved my mouth in a line across her shoulder. “Dance with me.” 
     Harlow turned her head slowly toward mine, and our eyes locked for heated seconds as I swayed us back and forth. An audible exhale blew past her lips when I traced the bridge of my nose along her jaw and trailed the tips of my fingers up her stomach, across her chest, and down her arms. Grabbing her hands in mine, I turned her around so we were facing each other, and pulled her close again as I resumed the slow dance. 
     I’d played this out differently in my head when I’d stopped her from running back to my truck. I’d thought of having fun with the dance and making her laugh in that way that always got to me. But this … with our slow movements in the pouring rain with the girl I’d waited years for … I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Purchase At:

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo

About Molly McAdams:

Molly grew up in California but now lives in the oh-so-amazing state of Texas with her husband and furry four-legged daughters. When she's not diving into the world of her characters, some of her hobbies include hiking, snowboarding, traveling, and long walks on the beach … which roughly translates to being a homebody with her hubby and dishing out movie quotes. She has a weakness for crude-humored movies and fried pickles, and loves curling up in a fluffy comforter during a thunderstorm ... or under one in a bathtub if there are tornados. That way she can pretend they aren't really happening.

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