The Summer House

Callie and her friend Olivia have purchased the run down bed and breakfast known as Beachcomber and plan to restore it. Callie needs a change after breaking up with her longtime boyfriend and not finding any kind of fulfillment in her job. She soon meets playboy and heir, Luke Sullivan. He seems like a nice guy, but she's read about his reputation with women. Also, she doesn't have time for distraction, but Luke won't take no for an answer and Callie finds herself splitting her time between working on her business and seeing Luke. Something's gotta give, but secrets in the journal Callie finds written by the house's former owner could change everything.

From the synopsis, I expected The Summer House to be a romantic mystery, but that show more isn't the case at all. It is actually a gentle story about two women looking for a slower lifestyle on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. While they aren't looking for love, they find it anyway in the form of two cousins who are also looking for something new in their lives. The plot is enjoyable if not a little bit slow at times, however, my opinion may be based on false expectation. The characters in the story are likable and well developed, but the story lacks action or drama until nearly the end of the book. Overall, The Summer House is a quiet, relaxed story with a satisfying conclusion. show less

Callie Weaver and her best friend Olivia Dixon are starting over. With Olivia's son in tow, they have purchased a large beach house and are renovating to open as a bed and breakfast on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Callie and Olivia are doing a lot of work themselves so the last thing they have time for is a relationship. The timing does not always work as planned. When Callie runs into Luke Sullivan (rich, heartthrob playboy), something happens to both of them. As they tentatively begin to get to know one another, life gets in the way. While Callie and Olivia are working on the house they stumble across an old diary and a lock box belonging to the previous owner and her brother. When Callie starts to read the diary and looks at show more the contents of the lockbox, secrets emerge. Secrets that could derail her new relationship. If that is not enough, a hurricane is moving in to the Outer Banks and they are forced to evacuate. Will the Bed And Breakfast survive? Will Callie and Luke's new relationship survive? What will the secrets mean to the other residents of The Waves.

The Summer House by Jenny Hale is a great summer read. I loved the story. This was more than girl meets rich handsome playboy. There was a whole story behind both Luke and Callie. His family was likable and very real. I loved Olivia and her son Wyatt. They were a very important part of the story as well. The setting was amazing. The descriptions of the island, the Sullivan home and even the Hurricane and its aftermath were so real, I could picture it all. Yes there is romance, yes there are some happy endings, yes there is also drama and major decisions to be made. Overall, a good story that I have come to expect from Jenny Hale. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley. show less

This is a well-written, fun, light-hearted romance you’ll fall in love with thanks to a heartwarming plot, great group of characters and a beautiful North Carolina setting all rolled together to make the perfect summer escape.

The storyline is fabulous and includes a great twist as it winds down towards the end making you wish there would be a sequel so you can follow where this great couple go next. It’s one of those books you can easily fall into and binge your way to the finish without taking a break as you soak in the chemistry between Callie and Luke.

I hadn’t read anything prior by Jenny Hale but she’s going on my authors to watch list because I adored her writing. By the end of the book you’ll find yourself hopping online show more to plan out your own trip to North Carolina so you can see for yourself the beauty Hale managed to capture. show less

I love a good beach and poolside book ,and The Summer House was perfection. I've never read Jenny Hale, but I will from now on. The story was delightful with a complexity that is subtle and clever. Callie and Olivia are working hard for their dream of renovating a beach house, and I totally respect that. The setting of the Outer Banks is ideal because it's so beautiful. It brings a certain atmospheric presence of serenity and hope. Of course, no beach book is complete without a little romance and mystery. Callie and Luke have a potential relationship, but is he who he seems to be? A diary of some dramatic secrets is found, but what does that mean? Share the information or not? You will have to read to find out. This story will make you show more smile and transport you to a wind swept coastal hideaway, if you're not there already! I received a complimentary copy from Forever and Grand Central Publishing. All opinions expressed are my own. show less

Review:

I felt like I was at a cottage on the beach as I was reading this book. I could feel the sand on my feet and hear the waves roll in. This was such a tender love story that it just pulled me in right away. I admit that I did not want to like Luke Sullivan at first and I was sure that he was going to be bad news for Callie but Luke did win me over. The banter between these two was funny and had me laugh at times. Callie was not looking for romance and made that more than clear to Luke but he did not take no for an answer, not in a bad way mind you, Luke just persevered through all of Callie's protests. I liked Callie, she was happy in her own skin and had accepted herself for who she is. Callie's main goal was to fix up the beach show more house and set up the Bed and Breakfast with her best friend Olivia. I admired Callie for not getting too side tracked from this goal. The heat between Luke and Callie was slow burning but steady, I could just feel the passion that they had for each other but Callie was trying to put on the back burner. Luke's mother was an interesting character and the author weaves her into this book in a very interesting way. Then there is the mystery of a diary that Callie finds and cannot resist reading. The diary tells of a love lost and Callie decides to try and find the brother of the woman who wrote this diary. There is much more to this diary and the story in it but I do not want to spoil the mystery for anyone. Suffice it to say the author adds a nice little twist to this beach romance and this adds depth to the story that worked well for me.

Final Thoughts:

What a touching love story , the main one between Luke and Callie and a decades old one that brought a few tears to my eyes. I am hoping to read more from a few of these characters mainly Olivia , Aiden and Luke's sister. I would love to hear each of these sub-characters stories and revisit this charming town on the beach.This review was originally posted on Cindy's Book Binge show less

Callie Weaver and best friend Olivia Dixon have put their savings together and have purchased a beach house. It is a real fixer-upper, but they are both so motivated and excited and cannot wait to begin renovations. They had admired the house for years, and it sits right on North Carolina's outer banks. When it is completed Callie and Olivia plan on making it into a bed-and-breakfast.

When Callie sees Luke Sullivan, a millionaire trying to learn to surf, she is immediately drawn to him. However, he has a staunch reputation as a playboy, so she is determined not to get involved with him. During their renovations, they discover a diary and it reveals secrets that could ruin everything for everyone involved. At first, Callie is hesitant to show more read it, so the question is whether or not she will and how it will affect not only Callie and Olivia as owners of the house, but also the brewing relationship between Callie and Luke.

I enjoyed Luke and Callie's relationship, even though it was rather a slow burn, with a lot of the focus on the renovations and the diary. One additional factor in the story is that the past of at least one of the characters might have a long range affect on their futures. I enjoyed how that was blended in. This warm and affecting story by Jenny Hale was a great, quick read and had a satisfying conclusion.

Many thanks to Forever for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion. show less

This is a sweet summer beach read sure to make you long for a visit in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. Callie Weaver has just made a lifelong dream come true when she and childhood best friend Olivia purchase the old home they've admired and start to renovate as an inn. Life becomes complicated when she meets local real estate heir and playboy Luke Sullivan. Despite Callie's hesitation Luke shows her judgement of him may not be accurate. Filled with friendship, family, romance, twists and intrigue, and a coastal location to die for, Jenny Hale's latest has all the ingredients of a perfect summer escape.
I received an advanced reader copy (eGalley) from Bookouture through NetGalley. This review reflects my honest and unbiased opinions.