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 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. ( )

Very predictable, and some implausible characters and plot . ( )

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 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. ( )

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 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. ( )

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 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 ( )