It’s a pleasure today to be joining the blog tour for the new book from Kathryn Freeman, Booked for Summer, and sharing my review. This is the tenth book in her RomCom Collection (a collection, not a series, so every book can be enjoyed as a standalone): published by One More Chapter, it’s now available for kindle and in paperback via Amazon in the UK and US, and as an ebook on all major platforms, with the audiobook to follow on 31st July. Thank you, as always, to Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading e-copy (provided via netgalley).
I just love Kate’s books – such original storylines, wonderful storytelling, fantastic chemistry between her main characters, plenty of humour (and a few tears too). I’ve been reading and enjoying her books since the very early days – just pop her name into my search bar, you’ll find all my many reviews. Her last book, Thank You, Next, was as fantastic as ever – the whole dating show set up wonderfully done, and then there were Ben & Molly with their complicated past and present. And, as always, that spark between them that smouldered at first, then the fire slowly ignited – they certainly won my heart, and I so wanted them to find happiness together (you’ll find my review here).
So let’s take a look at her latest…
A love story she didn’t see coming…
When book lover Jade Taylor applies to manage the Little Bay Book Shack on Nantucket Island over the summer, the last thing she needs is the distraction of billionaire resort owner, Liam Haven.
But things take an unexpected turn when Liam becomes Jade’s boss – a man who only reads contracts for pleasure…
In a bid to save the bookshop from being absorbed into the Haven resort, Jade is determined to teach Liam that there’s more to life than acquiring real estate. And if she can make him realise happily ever afters do exist, might she be able to save the island’s bookshop in the process?
When Jade arrives on Nantucket Island, she’s delighted to find that the Little Bay Book Shack is everything she wanted it to be – and she’s looking forward to a three month break from her usual job, running it for its owner. Little does she know that the bookshop’s days might be numbered – a prime site, ripe for development by the nearby luxury resort – and that her time there would be spent fighting for its survival. And the other surprise? Liam, the particularly hot man she hooks up with on arrival, is the billionaire who actually owns that resort, has never read a book, and is determined to close the bookshop down – unless its temporary custodian can make some money and convince him otherwise.
The setting is beautifully drawn, and the characters are wonderful. Everyone sees Jade as a blonde dummy with well-developed assets, and a tendency to never stop talking – but there’s so much more to her than that, and she certainly won me over. And Liam’s terribly moody, seemingly entirely driven by the success of his business – and rather unlikeable, until we get to know what really makes him tick, and about the particularly complex past that’s made him that way. They both have strong family relationships – which I very much enjoyed – but there’s also a particularly well-drawn supporting cast, especially Liam’s assistant Jeremy (what a fantastic character!) and the whole island community who come together with a range of motives to support Jade’s efforts.
I will admit, although I’d always expected some of the sizzle the author always does so well, that the whole book might just have been rather more spicy than I was expecting – they were at it hammer and tongs rather too quickly after saying “hello”, and I would have rather preferred a slower build-up. But it certainly overturned the usual trope a bit – lovers to enemies for a change, but with a continuing attraction between them that you could certainly feel and that they were unable to resist. There’s a strong grumpy/sunshine theme too – but the book became far more engaging for me as its story developed, when it explored the reasons for them both being the way they were, and that initial lust turned into something rather deeper.
And, while there are plenty of laughs too, the story certainly does have unexpected depth – all those family issues, the importance of friendship, the fact that money doesn’t bring happiness and that love will always find a way. The fight to save the bookshop was particularly engaging – and, once they’d got those steamy early days out of the way, the romance was one I really believed in. A summery read with a real difference and everything I enjoy about the author’s writing – and most definitely a book I’d recommend to others.
About the author
A former pharmacist, Kathryn now writes romantic comedies. Feel good books that are sexy and sweet, funny yet heart-warming. Mr Right Across the Street won the RNA Award for Romantic Comedy in 2022.
With a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), the romance in her own life is all in her head. Then again, his unstinting support of her career change proves love isn’t always about hearts and flowers – and heroes come in many disguises.
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I really like Kathryn’s books too but haven’t been able to fit one in for a wee while. Lovely review Anne!