For the Love of Summer: A Summer Beach Read

by Susan Mallery

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery comes an unforgettable tale about finding friendship with the unlikeliest person…

As the owner of Twisted, Seattle’s best salons, Erica knows that the sharpest cuts come from the people we love. She’s terrified that she’s losing her teen daughter, Summer, to her “other” family, especially to her stepmom, Allison.

All it takes to blow up Allison’s happy life is one collect call. From prison. Her beloved husband, Peter, has been arrested, leaving Allison pregnant, broke, scared and alone with a toddler. But when her stepdaughter ferrets out the truth, the teen rushes to the last person Allison wants to ask for help—her husband’s battle-ax ex.

Erica would do anything for Summer, even take in the woman her daughter loves like a second mom. Allison feels intimidated by Erica—a woman who would never let herself become so dependent on a man. But the more time they spend together, the more Allison realizes what Erica truly needs is a friend. Can two women who married the same man move beyond their complicated past and rethink what it means to be family?

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Womens Fiction, Audiobook, Summer

401 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 4, 2024

About the author

#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming and humorous novels about the relationships that define women's lives—family, friendship, romance. She's best known for putting nuanced characters into emotionally complex, real-life situations with twists that surprise readers to laughter. Because Susan is passionate about animal welfare, pets play a big role in her books. Beloved by millions of readers worldwide, her books have been translated into 28 languages.

Critics have dubbed Mallery "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!" It's no wonder that her books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list.

Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.

Susan lives in Washington state with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the Love of Summer by Susan Mallery is a women’s fiction title that deals with friendship and family drama and with a slight side of romance to the story. The story in For the Love of Summer is one that does change the point of view between the characters involved but does take place in the present timeline.

Erica was once married to Peter and they share their wonderful teenage daughter, Summer. After their divorce Peter went on to marry Allison and start a second family with her which includes their young toddler, Jackson, and another baby on the way but they always include Summer in their lives welcoming her to their family too.

Since the divorce Erica was motivated more than ever to continue to bring her business, Twisted, Seattle’s best salons to the top and doesn’t really want a man in her life permanently again. What Erica never expected though was to bring Allison and Peter’s new family into her life but when Peter is arrested Allison is left with nothing and no where to turn and Summer is determined she and her mother need to help “family”.

I’ve read several of Susan Mallery’s books before and always enjoy them so I was looking forward to diving into For the Love of Summer. Thankfully I was right when I expected to enjoy this one but even more so I really loved the creativity to this whole new twist to what family means. Just how many people would step into Erica’s shoes and what she does in this book is probably an extremely low number but it worked for this book and really pulled me into the characters lives and struggles. Definitely a book I’d recommend checking out if you are looking for something a little out of the ordinary that is truly a thought provoking read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic story! I never expect anything but the best from Susan Mallery but she always continues to surprise me with new characters and stories. But what I truly appreciate is how she always captures a multitude of personalities, temperaments, flaws, characteristics and makes these characters real and relatable. I think Erika might be one of my favorite characters, as well as the man in her live, Killion. I always fly through these stories, but I had a hard time putting this one down. The focus on the strength and comfort to be found in female friendships, a loving and supportive family system, and how it's hard to feel out of step with others was a pleasure to read. I always finish a book renewed in my belief that there are good people in the world, trying to do the right things, and trying to take care of one another. Best part of my weekend was reading this book.

[Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s official… SUMMER is here!! ☀️ 🏖 Nothing says summer like a new @susanmallery book!! I mean… just look 👀 at these gorgeous covers!! Tomorrow 6/4 is pub day - grab a copy of For The Love of Summer!!! 🥳🥳 Huge shoutout to the buzzzy @htp_hive 🐝 @_mira_books_ @htpbooks for this absolutely gorgeous gifted copy!! 😍 I freaked out when I got it! 😉 THANK YOU!! 🥰🥰

@susanmallery books always make my heart ❤️ happy. We all know I read alot of … hmm.. murder books. 😂🤷‍♀️… Sometimes you just want a feel good book. I love @susanmallery books because not only do you walk away feeling warm and happy… they have alot of depth… well developed characters… that I want to go hang out with… Well all except Peter. 😂🤨 Let’s talk about our guy Peter….

So you are a real boss girl. 👱‍♀️ You own a VERY successful salon 💇‍♀️… and you are killing it. 👏 That is our girl Erica… she is in total control… except what happens when…

Your ex husband that walked out on you… goes to jail .. 😳… his new wifey is pregnant 🤰… broke … and YOUR daughter Summer… sweet Summer… wants to help…😳.. Awkward doesn’t even begin to explain this situation… 😉

What ensued was an amazing story of family… friends… and forgiveness… I loved EVERYONE… except Peter.😂🤷‍♀️ Sorry Peter… I tend to hold a grudge..😂

I absolutely love all of her books!!

🏖🏖🏖 Is this on your TBR?? Do you have a favorite @susanmallery book??

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can always count on Susan Mallery for a wonderful summer beach read that is usually woven around intricate relationships. I was excited to be able to read this one. It is about a very unlikely friendship.

Description:
As the owner of Twisted, Seattle’s best salons, Erica knows that the sharpest cuts come from the people we love. She’s terrified that she’s losing her teen daughter, Summer, to her “other” family, especially to her stepmom, Allison.

All it takes to blow up Allison’s happy life is one collect call. From prison. Her beloved husband, Peter, has been arrested, leaving Allison pregnant, broke, scared and alone with a toddler. But when her stepdaughter ferrets out the truth, the teen rushes to the last person Allison wants to ask for help—her husband’s battle-ax ex.

Erica would do anything for Summer, even take in the woman her daughter loves like a second mom. Allison feels intimidated by Erica—a woman who would never let herself become so dependent on a man. But the more time they spend together, the more Allison realizes what Erica truly needs is a friend. Can two women who married the same man move beyond their complicated past and rethink what it means to be family?

My Thoughts:
So many tricky feelings in this book for the characters to work through. Everyone was in turmoil. Eric is a formidable figure with her confidence and problem-solving skills. Allison comes across as needy and lost, but lovable. Summer is a happy, loving teen who is already exhibiting signs of her mother's confidence an potential. I really don't think there are many people in this world who would have done what Erica did for Summer. Taking in the woman who married her ex-husband to live in her house just reeks of trauma. There's a lot of anxiety and drama in this book that kept me tied in knots and thinking about what I would have done and how I might have handled it. I enjoyed the book and think anyone who likes a good soap opera would love it too. This one might make a good movie.

Thanks to MIRA through Netgalley for an advance copy.

[Sherri Thacker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always look forward to Susan Mallory’s newest book. This one roped me in from the very first page. Erica was married to Peter but they got divorced and he then married Alison. Peter finds himself in jail and poor Alison is practically homeless with a 18 month old and is pregnant by Peter. Erica steps up and helps her find her way again. It’s quite a story! I enjoyed it! A feel good story to me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release. Due out June 2024.

[Cassie Mann · Rating 1 out of 5]

ARC Review! Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced copy of this read in exchange for my honest review!

I am so sorry to report that I absolutely HATED this book. I was trying to power through a spite read but finally decided to give up at the 70% mark. You know it's bad when you have to abandon ship that late in the game, I couldn't even bring myself to get through the last 30%.

When Allison's husband Peter is arrested for money laundering, wire fraud, and threatening police, she is left suddenly with no access to their bank accounts, a toddler, and a baby on the way. Peter claims the charges are all a misunderstanding and he'll be out soon, but Allison is left to swallow her pride and face it alone. She'd rather do quite literally anything than turn to Peter's ex-wife, Erica, for help, but when her step-daughter gets her mom involved, the two women put aside their differences for the sake of the girl they love: Summer.

It was genuinely shocking to me how literally NOTHING happened in about 300 pages. No plot. Whatsoever. Lots of talk about being "so worried for Allison and the baby" but I really could not tell you what happened in this book otherwise. I mean how many times can we talk about not having enough money to afford fresh vegetables for the toddler - and when money does come we're relieved we can buy fresh vegetables. It was every chapter!!

Not a single character was likeable - they were either selfish or whiney (or both!). And the way the dialogue is written is so incredibly unnatural. Everything felt so forced and weird. If I interacted with people who spoke like this in real life I would be concerned for their wellbeing.

I hate give a book 1 star as much as I hate to DNF (I think this is only my second DNF of the year!). I can power through a lot, but this was not it. I feel like I've read Susan Mallery before and don't remember disliking her writing this much, but this was not for me.

[Melike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susan Mallory hit it out of the ballpark with this book. Excellent story and characters, especially Erica. Unfortunately, the narrator is not my favorite; but the story made up for it.

[Carlie Bond · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m teetering on whether I should give this one star or two. This was a ROUGH read for me. I’m not sure if this was the author’s first book but it seemed like very juvenile writing. Any time a conversation between characters would happen it seemed so unnatural. So many lines were just… weird and not organic at all. And their moods gave me whiplash. I wanted to DNF constantly but pushed through which is the ONLY reason I’m thinking 2 stars. The storyline is fine, but the writing is just so choppy. And the ending? It was SO abrupt. I feel like the author wrote 9/10ths of it and then was like okay that’s all I have left in me and I don’t know how to finish it up sooooo I’ll just be done here.

The title was misleading. The reason I wanted to read it was the cover and title make you think it’s a summer read. It isn’t. While it’s a good play on words as the name of a character is Summer, it was like being catfished haha!

Speaking of summer. Such a hard character for me. I feel like they’d make her seem well beyond her years then she would whine like a 4 year old. It was so bizarre. And she really was just a big brat.

So yes. Characters that are imperfect are great. But these characters were so flawed and I just feel like they missed out completely on development… they were just left suspended in a needing to do better state, with no chance to really grow. That’s what the last 10th of the book should’ve been. But here we are. Feeling like I read for nothing. All I have to say to Killian who I’m 93% sure is a robot, is runrunrunrun.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC read.

Side note. Had this not been an ARC read I would likely have DNFd. You’ve been warned. I read a book on average in a matter of a few days. This took me almost 3 weeks and was not a long book by any means.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a FANTASTIC story.. no question rating this all the stars!! Superb.

[Kristin N · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the Love of Summer was my first novel from Mallery, and I loved so much about it. It read similar (to me) to a Lisa Scottoline book and I mean that in a good way- overall it was maybe just a bit lighter? It had so much of a redeeming storyline in a background that could be a super heavy and hard reading book.

Summer is precious. I loved the friendships that pop up throughout the book. Character-wise, this book hit it out of the park. I honestly don’t know that I would change any single character.

I loved that even though you have this super business career driven woman, she’s still loving and soft, and you get to see so many different angles from her! As an example, I love that she��s good with young children. A lot of times this kind of a character is written as someone who is very uncomfortable or awkward with children and it doesn’t have to be!

The support that you see from so many different characters is just incredible. I will be picking this one up many times in the future, I think!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC; all opinions are honest and individual.

[Cathie (ClassyLibrarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susan Mallery has never disappointed me. This book is not an exception. When I began reading it I expected the usual Ms. Mallery novel, but this one tackles a few hard themes. It is not a fluffy book but it isn’t a hard read either so I am going to call it a beach read with teeth. I read it in two days and felt invested in each character. Summer is a sweetheart. Allison I just kept rooting for. Erica is so strong and a fantastic friend to have, a ride or die. Peter is appalling.

There are themes of financial insecurity, imprisonment, death and single parenting.

Partially open door romance in I believe two points.

I am still feeling the happy glow from reading this book.
It just makes me want to hang out with my girlfriends more and cherish my family.

[Mary Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very repetitive- not my genre I guess.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

When tragedy strikes, we can wallow in adversity or find a path to succeed. .Erica and Allison ban together for the love of Summer. The teen is committed to helping Allison and stepbrother after her father is taken to jail. While only sixteen, she makes it her mission to solve their financial problems by enlisting Erica to allow Summer's stepfamily to move into their home.

Erica and Allison form an unlikely friendship each possessing a strength the other lacks. Erica is a leader and always appears under control yet she's afraid to trust men. Allison greatest gift is her love for people but she needs stability Erica affords. Full of charm, wit and the novel depicts the lengths people will go to help others. Readers will become an honorary family member while reading #FortheLoveofSummer.

[Leanne Colton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish book. Stopped at 41%.

The premise is ridiculous. Who would actually let their ex-husband’s new wife and child move in with them all because their bratty teenage daughter thought it was a good idea? Summer is a horrible brat, Allison is completely immature, and I just didn’t like Erica for some reason. I usually love Susan Mallery, and this was one if my most anticipated books, but I just can’t do it.

[Mary Jackson _TheMaryReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book by Mallery. It was such an unusual story line one that you would never think possible. But it was such a refreshing story. Two wives that were married to the same man becoming great friends, living together, making a fantastic family together. I loved everything about this book besides Peter. Summer was the best character ever. All I can say is I recommend this book to everyone.
A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

[Carlymor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erica is an astute businesswoman and has no time for anything else- with the exception is her daughter Summer, for whom she would do anything. She's not exactly happy to help her ex husband's current wife Allison, but will do it because Summer asked her to. Allison's husband has been arrested and she has a toddler, a baby on the way and is about to lose her home. Erica reluctantly takes in Allison and the two women realize they actually can be friends. I'm not a big reader of "women's fiction", but I do enjoy Susan Mallery's books. This had a unique plot that I enjoyed.

[Colleen Gehan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok I have so much to say - this was one of the worst books I’ve ever read but somehow I still slightly enjoyed it. The writing was terrible, so bad that I caught a mistake at one point where the author switched the names of the criminal husband with the 3 year old toddler son, to say I was confused for a few pages is an understatement

The amount of unnecessary details was insane. Why did they keep mentioning the airplanes flying over the prison?? The flow of conversations was so unnatural and who self reflects and describes deep rooted causes to their anger in the middle of a convo?? Apparently everyone in this story

Erica slays (knew that from the beginning) but Allison is actually the most incompetent woman I’ve ever read about. I didn’t even really feel bad for her because she wasn’t doing anything to help herself she just kept crying and saying she was gonna live in her car. Annoying but I know she was going through it

Last thing - this wasn’t about summer at all!? The cover artist 10000% didn’t read the book and made a misleading cover (I’m a victim of judging a book by its cover, lesson learned). Don’t even get me started about Summer, what a bizarre relationship she had with her mother

Erica and Killion kept this whole thing together. Also justice for Mara who they all kept judging let the woman have gentlemen callers

[Josefa Wann · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't understand all the 5 stars ratings. Did we read the same book?
I didn't like/empathize with any of the main female characters:
-A spoiled, entitled, teen brat.
-A whiny, repetitious, annoying, clueless, immature second wife.
-A first wife that showed promise, until she became disjointed and annoying at the end.
-The grandmother, was the only one that made a little sense.

I kept on reading because I didn't think it would get worse, but it did! and how! What a waste of my time.

And to answer some of the questions at the end...PLEASE, no sequel.
The title of the book as well as the cover were totally misleading.
Very repetitious!!!!

[Karlee Campbell · Rating 2 out of 5]

So disappointed in this one. Loved the concept, very unique and could make for a great story. Sadly, it was incredibly repetitive. The characters had no dimension, and kept saying the same thing in every scene over and over. Do not recommend.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t let the cover fool you, this is not a summer romance novel! This story follows Erica and Allison- two women who don’t really have much in common except they married the same man. Erica doesn’t know much about Peter’s new wife and is happy to keep it that way. Allison has heard horrible stories about Erica from her husband and doesn’t understand how their teenage daughter, Summer, is so wonderful when her mother is such a cold hearted b***h. The two women are suddenly forced together when Peter gets arrested on multiple felony charges. Allison is pregnant, their lease is ending, and all of their accounts have been frozen by the government. Summer loves her step mother and begs her mom to step in and help. The one main gripe I have with the book is the way the adults treat summer. Erica does at one point lay into Allison about telling her daughter too much, but then Erica has summer sitting on on conversations about the business and Allison moving in and it just felt odd to me to have a teenager be such a big part of these incredibly serious conversations. It also seemed like EVERYONE in Erica’s life was immediately on board with Allison moving in and that felt a little forced. As far as the story goes, I really enjoyed this one. I loved that the focus was mostly of female friendships and being independent rather than just on the relationships the two main characters had with Peter. The story felt fresh and interesting to me and I enjoyed that Allison and Erica were two very different people who found ways to connect despite that. One of my favorite lines in this book happens when, at one point, Summer is dealing with some issues at school and Erica says to her “I promise to be lawful in every way, but I will hate them in my heart” and I really felt that in my soul 😂. This would be a great vacation read that you will be sure to fly through.

[Jo Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really sweet actually. I enjoyed the story a lot, something changed midway for me with the narration though and I didn’t love it. However the message of women supporting women even in the most awkward of situations I was completely all in for.

Thank you to Harper Collins Audio U.K. and NetGalley for the ELC

P.an apologies that my reviews are brief atm, hopefully business as usual soon.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mallery does it again with her story of the ex wife going above and beyond for the current wife. Erica is mega successful with her chain of high end salon and spas and her wonderful daughter Summer. The only dim spot is her ex husband, but she's moved on from him. But when her ex goes to jail for money laundering, Erica finds herself drawn into the drama by Summer. Summer is close with her stepmom Allison and her half brother Jackson. So when all Allison's bank accounts are frozen in the wake of her husband's arrest, she's at a loss. Especially since baby number two is due in a few months. But Summer manages to cajole Erica into helping and it may just turn out to be a blessing for her as well.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I hope the final copy has more clear transitions, because the way this read, it felt like it jumped from scene to scene, leaving me with whiplash. I also didn't feel any chemistry between Erica and Killion. I thought the way they had their relationship set up in the beginning worked for them and was low key annoyed at how everyone else acted about it. Also, how Erika acted about what her ex did to her before the divorce, insisting he wasn't a criminal while they were married. Yes he was! Still, overall, this was a fun one. I like Mallery's stand alones, but I'm over her series books for sure.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

When tragedy strikes, we can wallow in adversity or find a path to succeed. .Erica and Allison ban together for the love of Summer. The teen is committed to helping Allison and stepbrother after her father is taken to jail. While only sixteen, she makes it her mission to solve their financial problems by enlisting Erica to allow Summer's stepfamily to move into their home.

Erica and Allison form an unlikely friendship each possessing a strength the other lacks. Erica is a leader and always appears under control yet she's afraid to trust men. Allison greatest gift is her love for people but she needs stability Erica affords. Full of charm, wit and the novel depicts the lengths people will go to help others. Readers will become an honorary family member while reading #FortheLoveofSummer.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The positive reviews and captivating cover initially drew me in, promising a light, summer read. However, the story—centered around a teenaged character named Summer—didn't quite live up to this expectation. The uneven editing, marked by noticeable redundancy, frequently interrupted the reading flow. While the theme of female empowerment is commendable, the characters felt underdeveloped and lacked depth, making it hard to form a strong emotional connection. Unfortunately, the audiobook narration was disappointing, prompting me to switch to the print version. The ending, though satisfying, felt rushed. Though it falls short of its initial promise, it still offers a quick, light read.

[Jilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
Lately I’ve been reading books by a few other authors, who really have developed their characterization. This book left me feeling like the story was just being told, not las authentic as some others I read.
Also, I’m not sure I found the story line to be believable. Erica was too giving, had too much money, and presented too many opportunities she just happened to have e at hand….

[Kimmy Goldman · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF…very redundant and nothing seemed to “happen” by the time I reached page 100.

[Terri Flood · Rating 2 out of 5]

A 16 year old running the show with mama's money. Not for me.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this one! I have read the Bakery Sisters series from Susan Mallery and expected this to be similar, which I was happy about since I enjoyed those. But this one is different. It is still a romance but that is not the main focus of the book. It is more about friendship, family, and women supporting and lifting women, which I was thrilled to read!

I loved all of the characters except Peter, who we are not meant to love anyway! lol
The banter between the two main women was so fun and it reminded me of how me and my friend talk to each other.

This was a quick read and I highly recommend this one!



Susan Mallery

[Melanie McGrade Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susan Mallery is one of those authors that are always a go-to for me. I will pick one of her books to read without even reading to see what it is about, because I know I will love it. Not surprisingly, that is what happened with this one, too.

Right from the beginning, I was pulled in to this book, and enjoyed reading every page. The characters were compelling and the story was original and not the typical storyline. A wife, an ex-wife, the man they both married who is now in prison, and the teenage daughter whose love and compassion brings all of their lives together in a much stronger and closer way than it ever was.

A great and easy read about women, family, and relationships. Highly recommended.

#fortheloveofsummer

[Melissa Widener · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the Love of Summer by Susan Mallery
3.9⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 0.3/5
Cursing: mild-
Genres/Tropes: Romance, mystery, women fiction,
Format/Source: audio by Hoopla
Settings: Seattle
Audience: Adult
Characters: Darren, Erica, Poppy, Summer, Allison, Peter, Killian,
👍 mid length chapters, story line, strong, independent FMC, friendship
👎 slow at times