Book Smart Kate

Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 Audiobook: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 Spice: 🌶️🌶️

by Jenn McKinlay – Many thanks to @prhaudio for a gifted copy of the audiobook of this book that is equal parts an ode to summer and a love letter to books.

For most, a summer on Martha’s Vineyard would sound like a dream. For Samantha Gale, however, it is returning to a family she’s never fully felt a part of, with her checking account on empty and having just left her chef job because she was passed over for head chef due to her dyslexia. She’ll stay with her 14-year-old half-brother while her dad and stepmom go on a European vacation. The only good part of returning is Emily, her librarian best friend. Also on the island, Ben Reynolds serves as the interim library director as he searches for the father he has never known. After a wacky meet-cute, Sam & Ben share an undeniable attraction despite both not being interested in a relationship and the fact that Ben is an avid reader, while Sam’s dyslexia has made reading a stressful rather than enjoyable activity. As they strike a deal to help each other with their goals (his father and her cookbook), they wonder if a fun summer fling might be something more.

This was such a sweet book! I love a good romance, but I love it even more when the characters experience growth. This book has personal and professional development for Sam & Ben, each facing family truths. Sam’s dyslexia is not just a plot point, but a central theme in the story, and I gained a deeper understanding of it through McKinlay’s thoughtful inclusion of details. As they spend evenings cooking together and days traversing the island searching for his dad, they learn about each other, and we get to explore this small-town community. It is a lovely, intelligent and thoughtful story.