What do you think?
The Summer Share
When two misfits discover they’ve inherited the same beach house, sparks fly in the most unexpected ways, in this hilarious and heartfelt rom-com from the New York Times bestselling author of Summer Reading.
Free-spirited travel influencer Hannah Spencer has spent five years touring the country in her vintage van, alone save for her hulking Great Dane, Dude. Until an unexpected inheritance from her pops has Hannah thinking about putting down roots in Cape Split, North Carolina, where she’s the new owner of a worse-for-wear seaside beach house. Or, rather, fifty percent of one. Turns out Simon O’Malley inherited the other half from his gramps.
As Simon and Hannah spend the summer tag-teaming repairs on the crumbling cottage, they discover it was once home to a timeless love story. As their own relationship shifts from enemies to friends to lovers, they begin to wonder if the house’s romantic past might be a good omen for their future together. But there’s one problem—Simon is set on selling the property at the end of the summer.
For Hannah, the Split isn’t like anyplace she’s ever been, and Simon isn’t like any man she’s ever known—she doesn’t want to let this new life go. She just needs Simon to see their budding relationship and this newfound community in the same way, or their first summer share might also be their last.
Free-spirited travel influencer Hannah Spencer has spent five years touring the country in her vintage van, alone save for her hulking Great Dane, Dude. Until an unexpected inheritance from her pops has Hannah thinking about putting down roots in Cape Split, North Carolina, where she’s the new owner of a worse-for-wear seaside beach house. Or, rather, fifty percent of one. Turns out Simon O’Malley inherited the other half from his gramps.
As Simon and Hannah spend the summer tag-teaming repairs on the crumbling cottage, they discover it was once home to a timeless love story. As their own relationship shifts from enemies to friends to lovers, they begin to wonder if the house’s romantic past might be a good omen for their future together. But there’s one problem—Simon is set on selling the property at the end of the summer.
For Hannah, the Split isn’t like anyplace she’s ever been, and Simon isn’t like any man she’s ever known—she doesn’t want to let this new life go. She just needs Simon to see their budding relationship and this newfound community in the same way, or their first summer share might also be their last.
Audible Audio
First published May 26, 2026
About the author
Jenn McKinlay
71 books5,578 followersJenn is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. She is also the winner of the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for romantic comedy and the Fresh Fiction award for best cozy mystery. A TEDx speaker, she is always happy to talk books, writing, reading, and the creative process to anyone who cares to listen. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with books, pets, and her husband’s guitars.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 737 reviews
January 19, 2026
There are some books that feel like a vacation, and this is one of them. From the very first pages, I felt transported to a sunlit stretch of coastline where the air smells like salt, the waves keep rhythm with your heartbeat, and an old, weathered beach house holds more secrets than you initially expect.
What begins as a chaotic inheritance situation gradually unfolds into a story about loss, healing, and the courage to start over. Hannah Spencer arrives in Cape Split with her vintage van, her towering Great Dane, and a life defined by movement. She has spent years drifting from place to place, collecting experiences instead of possessions, never fully allowing herself to settle. Simon O’Malley, on the other hand, comes carrying responsibility, financial pressure, and a deep sense of duty toward his family. When they discover they have inherited the same beach house, sparks fly immediately, not just from irritation, but from two very different worldviews colliding in one fragile, peeling cottage.As they are forced to spend the summer together repairing the house, something unexpected happens.
Hammer by hammer, paint stroke by paint stroke, their defensiveness softens. The house itself seems to breathe with them, revealing layers of its past and a beautiful love story that lingers within its walls. Watching Hannah and Simon navigate their growing connection while wrestling with their personal fears was both tender and deeply satisfying.
Their romance does not feel rushed or artificial, it grows naturally through shared memories, humor, and moments of quiet honesty.I was especially moved by how the story explores the idea of belonging. Hannah slowly realizes that freedom does not have to mean loneliness, and Simon learns that security does not have to mean sacrifice of joy.
The beach town, its warm residents, and the history embedded in the house create a comforting backdrop that made me want to linger long after I finished reading.And of course, Dude deserves his own spotlight. His presence adds humor, warmth, and a surprising emotional depth that made many scenes even more memorable.
This is not just a light summer romance. It is a heartfelt reflection on family, second chances, and the bravery it takes to choose love over fear. By the final chapters, I felt genuinely invested in both characters and reluctant to leave them behind.
A very sincere thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this heartfelt, charming, and thoroughly enjoyable romcom’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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What begins as a chaotic inheritance situation gradually unfolds into a story about loss, healing, and the courage to start over. Hannah Spencer arrives in Cape Split with her vintage van, her towering Great Dane, and a life defined by movement. She has spent years drifting from place to place, collecting experiences instead of possessions, never fully allowing herself to settle. Simon O’Malley, on the other hand, comes carrying responsibility, financial pressure, and a deep sense of duty toward his family. When they discover they have inherited the same beach house, sparks fly immediately, not just from irritation, but from two very different worldviews colliding in one fragile, peeling cottage.As they are forced to spend the summer together repairing the house, something unexpected happens.
Hammer by hammer, paint stroke by paint stroke, their defensiveness softens. The house itself seems to breathe with them, revealing layers of its past and a beautiful love story that lingers within its walls. Watching Hannah and Simon navigate their growing connection while wrestling with their personal fears was both tender and deeply satisfying.
Their romance does not feel rushed or artificial, it grows naturally through shared memories, humor, and moments of quiet honesty.I was especially moved by how the story explores the idea of belonging. Hannah slowly realizes that freedom does not have to mean loneliness, and Simon learns that security does not have to mean sacrifice of joy.
The beach town, its warm residents, and the history embedded in the house create a comforting backdrop that made me want to linger long after I finished reading.And of course, Dude deserves his own spotlight. His presence adds humor, warmth, and a surprising emotional depth that made many scenes even more memorable.
This is not just a light summer romance. It is a heartfelt reflection on family, second chances, and the bravery it takes to choose love over fear. By the final chapters, I felt genuinely invested in both characters and reluctant to leave them behind.
A very sincere thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this heartfelt, charming, and thoroughly enjoyable romcom’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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March 15, 2026
I've been a fan of Jenn McKinlay's cozy mysteries for nearly a decade, but I also enjoy her romcoms. The Summer Share is her newest romance book where the inheritance of a summer house in the Outer Banks of North Carolina is at play. Two families learn a surprising secret, and a member of each falls for the other. Easy romance. No major drama. Slow boil until it's not. A few elaborate physical scenes that leave you a little hot-n-bothered. Definitely a perfect read for someone just waiting for a second chance at romance and not expecting it to show up in the way it does.
May 28, 2026
Too slow of a plot and we circled around the same stuff over and over again.
The audio has male and female narrators and it was enjoyable at least.
The audio has male and female narrators and it was enjoyable at least.
July 4, 2026
Wow! I loved everything about this book. I laughed, I cried and it was such a perfect Summer read. I’ve purchased 3 more books by this author and look forward to reading her backlist.
September 12, 2026
North Carolina.
The Outer Banks.
The town of Cap Split.
Hannah Spencer
Arrives at the cottage in her yellow Volkswagen van with her rescued harlequin Great Dane Dude.
She's a creative travel influencer and has been living in her van for 5 years.
Her grandfather, pops, passed away 4 weeks ago.
Simon O'Malley
A pratical man, working in insurance is at the same place.
His grandfather, gramps, passed away 3 months ago.
They both inherited the house, but only 50% each.
They have to spend a summer, 2 months, sharing the house.
After that they can sell it or stay there, but the decision must be consensual.
Simon wants to sell, but Hannah, who haven't had a house in 5 years, does not.
And a battle starts between the two, with some hilarious scenes and OMG banter!
The meet-cute, Dude's intervention and her dividing the house with a roll of masking tape so he would stay in his side and she on hers!
They're always adressing one another by their surname, Spencer and O'Malley!
Then a bat appears and the shenanigans to push it outside through an open window are chef's kiss!
It stars to rain, he orders some chinese food, which he shares with her, and then a huge storm beggins.
Rain falling from the ceiling, and Hannah and Simon singing a Taylor Swift song to Dude because he is afraid of storms and the cherry on top of the cake, a branch of a tree enters through a window reaching the opposite one!
The next day, the storm gone, the neighbors come to meet them, helping with the branch and with an extra generator, bringing delicious pastries.
They are so kind and they all were friends with Billy (pops) and Bobby (gramps) for twenty years.
That they lived together when they were there and even married in a not legally bonding ceremony, also telling them where the photo album was!
A complete surprise to Hannah and Simon!
They make a deal not to talk about selling the run down cottage while they are fixing things and clearing all their grandfathers stuff.
Hannah cries a lot when she finds something that belonged to pops and he holds her in his arms, and something unexpected becomes to grow between them.
Feelings they both sense.
Simon stops to be just the handsome, hot, annoying, grumpy man who wants to take her house away and Hannah isn't just the carefree, unpredictable, annoying, irritating woman preventing him to get what he came here to do!
For the first time they have real friends, and Simon a sense of belonging, of acceptance, of encouragement he hadn't felt since art school!
Yes he was an artist once in another life.
The slow physical attraction between them is unstopable, with first light kisses, hugs, lots of kisses, followed by passionate, then tender love making.
As they find more about their grandfathers love story, they are creating one for themselves.
They confide in one another the past issues that made them who they are now.
Hannah her infertility, her ex husband divorcing her because of it, Simon his mother's death, followed by his father abandoning him and his two siblings, his big brother accident making him change his work life to something he hated!
They create a daily routine.
When they are not repairing the cottage, sorting out their grandfathers things, volunteering for something in the community, visiting their neighbors /friends, they spend every second a available
together!
And in the process, healing, learning how to forgive themselves, accepting who they really are!
Of course with the indispensable help of Dude who knows exactly who needs to scratch his ears, or his belly, or a big lick to the face!!
The Outer Banks.
The town of Cap Split.
Hannah Spencer
Arrives at the cottage in her yellow Volkswagen van with her rescued harlequin Great Dane Dude.
She's a creative travel influencer and has been living in her van for 5 years.
Her grandfather, pops, passed away 4 weeks ago.
Simon O'Malley
A pratical man, working in insurance is at the same place.
His grandfather, gramps, passed away 3 months ago.
They both inherited the house, but only 50% each.
They have to spend a summer, 2 months, sharing the house.
After that they can sell it or stay there, but the decision must be consensual.
Simon wants to sell, but Hannah, who haven't had a house in 5 years, does not.
And a battle starts between the two, with some hilarious scenes and OMG banter!
The meet-cute, Dude's intervention and her dividing the house with a roll of masking tape so he would stay in his side and she on hers!
They're always adressing one another by their surname, Spencer and O'Malley!
Then a bat appears and the shenanigans to push it outside through an open window are chef's kiss!
It stars to rain, he orders some chinese food, which he shares with her, and then a huge storm beggins.
Rain falling from the ceiling, and Hannah and Simon singing a Taylor Swift song to Dude because he is afraid of storms and the cherry on top of the cake, a branch of a tree enters through a window reaching the opposite one!
The next day, the storm gone, the neighbors come to meet them, helping with the branch and with an extra generator, bringing delicious pastries.
They are so kind and they all were friends with Billy (pops) and Bobby (gramps) for twenty years.
That they lived together when they were there and even married in a not legally bonding ceremony, also telling them where the photo album was!
A complete surprise to Hannah and Simon!
They make a deal not to talk about selling the run down cottage while they are fixing things and clearing all their grandfathers stuff.
Hannah cries a lot when she finds something that belonged to pops and he holds her in his arms, and something unexpected becomes to grow between them.
Feelings they both sense.
Simon stops to be just the handsome, hot, annoying, grumpy man who wants to take her house away and Hannah isn't just the carefree, unpredictable, annoying, irritating woman preventing him to get what he came here to do!
For the first time they have real friends, and Simon a sense of belonging, of acceptance, of encouragement he hadn't felt since art school!
Yes he was an artist once in another life.
The slow physical attraction between them is unstopable, with first light kisses, hugs, lots of kisses, followed by passionate, then tender love making.
As they find more about their grandfathers love story, they are creating one for themselves.
They confide in one another the past issues that made them who they are now.
Hannah her infertility, her ex husband divorcing her because of it, Simon his mother's death, followed by his father abandoning him and his two siblings, his big brother accident making him change his work life to something he hated!
They create a daily routine.
When they are not repairing the cottage, sorting out their grandfathers things, volunteering for something in the community, visiting their neighbors /friends, they spend every second a available
together!
And in the process, healing, learning how to forgive themselves, accepting who they really are!
Of course with the indispensable help of Dude who knows exactly who needs to scratch his ears, or his belly, or a big lick to the face!!
July 8, 2026
Hannah, a van-life travel blogger, and Simon are shocked to learn they’ve each inherited half of the same beach cottage courtesy of their grandfathers,. Hannah wants to keep the cottage, since it’s been a while since she’s put down roots and Simon wants to sell for financial reasons.
They butt heads over that, but part of the will stipulates they live there for two months before making any decisions. Cohabitating gives them a chance to see the other’s side and a chance to get to know each other. Of course, (this is a romance!) sparks of attraction fly between them.
The Summer Share is the perfect summer read! The small town of Cape Split in the Outer Banks of North Carolina sounded so charming and beautiful! Exactly the kind of place I’d want to spend a summer! The quirky, friendly community welcome Hannah and Simon right away and give them glimpses into their grandfather’s lives. I loved the gentle slow burn romance and the way both characters find peace, acceptance, and love.
I voluntarily read a copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my thoughts and opinions.
They butt heads over that, but part of the will stipulates they live there for two months before making any decisions. Cohabitating gives them a chance to see the other’s side and a chance to get to know each other. Of course, (this is a romance!) sparks of attraction fly between them.
The Summer Share is the perfect summer read! The small town of Cape Split in the Outer Banks of North Carolina sounded so charming and beautiful! Exactly the kind of place I’d want to spend a summer! The quirky, friendly community welcome Hannah and Simon right away and give them glimpses into their grandfather’s lives. I loved the gentle slow burn romance and the way both characters find peace, acceptance, and love.
I voluntarily read a copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my thoughts and opinions.
June 2, 2026
Dnf @ 75% because I just don’t care about these characters. I’m so bored. And the repetitive hang-ups are getting old.
September 9, 2026
I loved everything about this book! Perfect summer read.
May 20, 2026
*** 5/26/26 *** Happy Publication Day! This is a HEA that ties in themes of community, family responsibilities and secrets, and some fairly spicy writing in some scenes. It uses a 'novel' plot concept for the book in that two people are each willed half of a summer home. Fans of North Carolina coastal areas will appreciate the setting. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review today's release. This is a good summer read for many romance aficionados, 3.5-stars rounded to 4 for me, as I don't like a lot of graphic scenes and the "meet cute" opener chapters moved a little slowly for me.
*** 5/19/26 *** Two-thirds of the way through this late May upcoming release - thank you NetGalley for the ARC to read and review! This is a romance based on a young woman and a young man each inheriting 1/2 of a vacation home that belonged to their grandfathers. She is a 'van-life' influencer, he sells insurance (but is really an award-winning artist!), and there is a prominent Great Dane dog, plus a charming, incredibly friendly community of people around them, which is always nice. Review coming soon.
*** 5/19/26 *** Two-thirds of the way through this late May upcoming release - thank you NetGalley for the ARC to read and review! This is a romance based on a young woman and a young man each inheriting 1/2 of a vacation home that belonged to their grandfathers. She is a 'van-life' influencer, he sells insurance (but is really an award-winning artist!), and there is a prominent Great Dane dog, plus a charming, incredibly friendly community of people around them, which is always nice. Review coming soon.
May 28, 2026
this book was basically the literary equivalent of a frozen drink with a tiny umbrella in it.
the characters were charming, the chemistry was effortless, and the romance had me smiling like an idiot more times than i’d like to admit. everything about this book was just fun. not in a loud, over-the-top way, but in that “one more chapter” way where suddenly you’re halfway through and wondering where the time went.
and can we please bring back romances that are allowed to be cute? because this book understood the assignment. the flirting was adorable, the tension was there, and i was fully invested in these two getting their act together.
did this fundamentally alter the trajectory of my life? no.
did i have an amazing time? yes.
sometimes that’s all i need.
perfect poolside reading, perfect palate cleanser, and exactly the kind of book i’d recommend when someone says they just want something fun!
thank you netgalley for the arc💕
the characters were charming, the chemistry was effortless, and the romance had me smiling like an idiot more times than i’d like to admit. everything about this book was just fun. not in a loud, over-the-top way, but in that “one more chapter” way where suddenly you’re halfway through and wondering where the time went.
and can we please bring back romances that are allowed to be cute? because this book understood the assignment. the flirting was adorable, the tension was there, and i was fully invested in these two getting their act together.
did this fundamentally alter the trajectory of my life? no.
did i have an amazing time? yes.
sometimes that’s all i need.
perfect poolside reading, perfect palate cleanser, and exactly the kind of book i’d recommend when someone says they just want something fun!
thank you netgalley for the arc💕
August 9, 2026
Books with a ridiculous premise rate lower for me. In the real world, you buy the other person out or sell to a third party and split the profit. There's none of this nonsense.
Also, "You didn't do anything wrong". Except commit crimes?! 🙄
Also, "You didn't do anything wrong". Except commit crimes?! 🙄
July 29, 2026
I enjoyed watching Hannah and Simon together, and their relationship bloom. Charlie was such a delight. This was a perfect book for my summer read!
September 28, 2026
What better way to end the summer than with this summer read! I enjoyed the romance between Hannah and Simon. The secrets slowly came out throughout the story instead of all at once. It would be interesting to find out a deep secret like the two did, but they handled it how I'd hope I would. Another great read by this author! Don't skip it!
March 24, 2026
Hannah and Simon both believe they’re the sole heir to their grandfather’s beach house—but when they arrive, they’re in for a surprise. How can they both inherit the same house, and what will they decide to do with it?
This one was really sweet. Watching Hannah and Simon uncover the past—through exploring the house and connecting with the neighbors—was such a fun way to see their relationship develop. Their shared (and individual) trauma plays a big role in how they bond, which adds some emotional depth to their dynamic.
The overall vibe is incredibly cozy. The neighbors create a kind of found family that’s warm, funny, and welcoming, and honestly, they were one of my favorite parts. And the dogs—Frank and Dude, a pug and a Great Dane being best friends—were ridiculously cute.
That said, the romance itself felt a bit lacking for me. The pacing didn’t quite work—it was very slow for most of the book, and then the relationship progressed really quickly at the end, which made it feel less developed than I wanted. I’m used to more tension from McKinlay, and this one just didn’t quite deliver in that area.
But as a cozy, found-family story about uncovering the past, it really works.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This one was really sweet. Watching Hannah and Simon uncover the past—through exploring the house and connecting with the neighbors—was such a fun way to see their relationship develop. Their shared (and individual) trauma plays a big role in how they bond, which adds some emotional depth to their dynamic.
The overall vibe is incredibly cozy. The neighbors create a kind of found family that’s warm, funny, and welcoming, and honestly, they were one of my favorite parts. And the dogs—Frank and Dude, a pug and a Great Dane being best friends—were ridiculously cute.
That said, the romance itself felt a bit lacking for me. The pacing didn’t quite work—it was very slow for most of the book, and then the relationship progressed really quickly at the end, which made it feel less developed than I wanted. I’m used to more tension from McKinlay, and this one just didn’t quite deliver in that area.
But as a cozy, found-family story about uncovering the past, it really works.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 1, 2026
I loved this! I really liked the premise and the characters were great. I liked the depth of the situations the characters were in and their connection was beautiful and believable. Another hit from this author for me.
Read
January 8, 2026
Hannah + Simon
They've both inherited half of a summer sea-side house from their respective grandfathers.
They don't know each other and didn't know that their grandpas shared this beloved house.
And now they have to live in it for two months and then decide what to do with it.
Easy. Hannah wants to keep it and live there with her huge dog.
And Simon? He needs to sell it to make sure he has enough money to take care of his brother.
LET THE FUN TIMES BEGIN ....
═══════════════
So adorable!
This book brings us so many cute tropes and #hashtags in one great love story. Forced Proximity. Enemies to Lovers. Grumpy Sunshine. HGTV. Summer. Grandpa Mysteries. Family Secrets. Starting Over. Amazing Dog. Great Neighbors. Cute Small Town. And so much more!
I loved reading this. It was so funny and sweet and a bit mysterious and sad and heartbreaking.
But just so beautiful and sweet and you can't help but fall in love with the place and the whole cast and all those amazingly hilarious and heartwarming scenes with Dude the dog.
I loved it!
And I would so love to see this on TV one day!
Plus - I wouldn't mind reading the story of Simon's sister next!
THE SUMMER SHARE was such a sweet love story! Adorable, funny, sparky, sweet, mysterious, HGTV-ish and a bit sad and heartbreaking .... I adored the dog! And I loved reading this! Run to your nearest book dealer for your own Simon and Dude - these two are MINE!
If you can't click the buy-links
from your phone - click ► HERE!
💜
💜
July 14, 2026
I mean this book was so bad and corny and predictable but it was exactly the dumb beach read I was in the mood for.
August 29, 2026
3 stars is probably generous but rounding up because I’m a sucker for anything set in North Carolina
July 2, 2026
A cute, cozy, little beach read
August 22, 2026
3.25⭐️ - Beautiful cover and the plot itself seemed super cool but the actual story was way too slow. Nothing happened during the first half and then all of a sudden there is a time skip of 2 weeks and they’re in love. I am not a fan of insta love and it felt like their relationship wasn’t developed enough to justify their feelings. The book was still sweet though especially the part about their grandfathers. Also, I always enjoy a book with animals and Dude was the cutest dog ever!
December 27, 2025
A big thanks to Edelweiss for the chance to read this as an ARC!
This was SO GOOD! You will not only fall in love with the FMC and MMC, but with every single character in the book. I found myself wishing I had known Pops and Gramps in real life. They worked so hard to create a beautiful life for themselves and their grandchildren, even after that passed.
This was a 10/10 read.
This was SO GOOD! You will not only fall in love with the FMC and MMC, but with every single character in the book. I found myself wishing I had known Pops and Gramps in real life. They worked so hard to create a beautiful life for themselves and their grandchildren, even after that passed.
This was a 10/10 read.
June 12, 2026
The Summer Share by Jenn McKinlay was such a cute beach read that I totally became invested in it. The book had dual alternating POV's between the two main characters, Hannah and Simon, who co-own the beach house left to them by their individual grandfathers. I loved the Outer Banks setting and the tight-knit community of Cape Split. The stand-out of the book is Duke, Hannah's harlequin Great Dane!
Read if you enjoy:
✨ coastal southern beaches
✨ enemies to friends to lovers
✨ grumpy/sunshine
✨ forced proximity
✨ small-town community
✨ family secrets
✨ medium spice level
✨ sea turtle hatchlings
Synopsis:
Free-spirited travel influencer Hannah Spencer has spent five years touring the country in her vintage van, alone save for her hulking Great Dane, Dude. Until an unexpected inheritance from her pops has Hannah thinking about putting down roots in Cape Split, North Carolina, where she’s the new owner of a worse-for-wear seaside beach house. Or, rather, fifty percent of one. Turns out Simon O’Malley inherited the other half from his gramps.
As Simon and Hannah spend the summer tag-teaming repairs on the crumbling cottage, they discover it was once home to a timeless love story. As their own relationship shifts from enemies to friends to lovers, they begin to wonder if the house’s romantic past might be a good omen for their future together. But there’s one problem—Simon is set on selling the property at the end of the summer.
For Hannah, the Split isn’t like anyplace she’s ever been, and Simon isn’t like any man she’s ever known—she doesn’t want to let this new life go. She just needs Simon to see their budding relationship and this newfound community in the same way, or their first summer share might also be their last.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the advanced digital copy of the book.
Read if you enjoy:
✨ coastal southern beaches
✨ enemies to friends to lovers
✨ grumpy/sunshine
✨ forced proximity
✨ small-town community
✨ family secrets
✨ medium spice level
✨ sea turtle hatchlings
Synopsis:
Free-spirited travel influencer Hannah Spencer has spent five years touring the country in her vintage van, alone save for her hulking Great Dane, Dude. Until an unexpected inheritance from her pops has Hannah thinking about putting down roots in Cape Split, North Carolina, where she’s the new owner of a worse-for-wear seaside beach house. Or, rather, fifty percent of one. Turns out Simon O’Malley inherited the other half from his gramps.
As Simon and Hannah spend the summer tag-teaming repairs on the crumbling cottage, they discover it was once home to a timeless love story. As their own relationship shifts from enemies to friends to lovers, they begin to wonder if the house’s romantic past might be a good omen for their future together. But there’s one problem—Simon is set on selling the property at the end of the summer.
For Hannah, the Split isn’t like anyplace she’s ever been, and Simon isn’t like any man she’s ever known—she doesn’t want to let this new life go. She just needs Simon to see their budding relationship and this newfound community in the same way, or their first summer share might also be their last.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the advanced digital copy of the book.
Did Not Finish
August 31, 2026Not the vibe of what I want to read right now so dnf
March 23, 2026
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, Netgallet and Jenn McKinklay for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!
This book was fun but a little bland. I enjoyed the emotional storyline, but I barely felt the connection between the 2 main characters. The setting on the Outer Banks was very well done, and the characters added so much of the story. I think my biggest problem was that this book was trying to do too much at once, too many different aspects of the main characters and I wish we would have gotten deeper into some aspects. The writing was good and it was easy to understand and flowed well.
Overall a strong summery story and it would be perfect to read on a beach or on vacation.
This book was fun but a little bland. I enjoyed the emotional storyline, but I barely felt the connection between the 2 main characters. The setting on the Outer Banks was very well done, and the characters added so much of the story. I think my biggest problem was that this book was trying to do too much at once, too many different aspects of the main characters and I wish we would have gotten deeper into some aspects. The writing was good and it was easy to understand and flowed well.
Overall a strong summery story and it would be perfect to read on a beach or on vacation.
April 21, 2026
3.5 Stars
The beginning is excellent. And there was a lot to like, love, and enjoy throughout. But it also mellowed way too soon and the villainy came way too late, almost cartoonish in its delivery, and was over before it even began. I was missing some conflict and shenanigans in the middle. Still, I really liked watching the leads learn more about their grandfathers. And Dude was the real star of the story.
Overall, pleasant enough and worth the read but didn’t make a huge impression.
* I received a free early ecopy from the publisher
The beginning is excellent. And there was a lot to like, love, and enjoy throughout. But it also mellowed way too soon and the villainy came way too late, almost cartoonish in its delivery, and was over before it even began. I was missing some conflict and shenanigans in the middle. Still, I really liked watching the leads learn more about their grandfathers. And Dude was the real star of the story.
Overall, pleasant enough and worth the read but didn’t make a huge impression.
* I received a free early ecopy from the publisher
February 10, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Jenn McKinlay for this arc!!!
2.75 ⭐️
3 felt too high and 2.5 felt too low. I personally did not connect to our two MCs. I felt more connected to their granddads and the side characters. I think not really connecting to the MCs made me uninterested. I thought the backgrounds for the characters were great, but their personalities fell flat to me.
Good book to start to get into the summer vibes tho!
2.75 ⭐️
3 felt too high and 2.5 felt too low. I personally did not connect to our two MCs. I felt more connected to their granddads and the side characters. I think not really connecting to the MCs made me uninterested. I thought the backgrounds for the characters were great, but their personalities fell flat to me.
Good book to start to get into the summer vibes tho!
July 12, 2026
I think this would’ve done best as a novella because I feel like I kept reading the same scene over and over or that a scene (like the one where they capture and release the bat) that went on for so many pages. So good premise but too repetitive like if this was 210 pages it would’ve been a good 4 star since the characters were cute but I didn’t really connect w either.
August 21, 2026
not my vibe
January 18, 2026
Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy; all thoughts are my own!
📖 Book Review 📖 It’s a concept so over-the-top wild yet an oddly conceivable concept; a loved dies and truths are revealed when the will is read. For Hannah and Simon, they each learn they have inherited their grandfather’s beloved beach house - and it just so happens to be the shared inheritance. Tensions are high from the start between these two… and the chemistry works…because nothing brings about a slow summer burn like forced proximity and uncovering buried family secrets.
Jenn McKinlay’s writing is delightfully breezy, adding perfectly timed comedic breaks that fluctuate between witty banter and scenes with best-supporting character, Dude, the harlequin Great Dane. While both Hannah and Simon carry extensive battle wounds into the cottage, nothing brings about healing like salt air and a beautifully cathartic tale unfolds in The Summer Share. Just like those warm summer days, I was flipping through the chapters at lightning speed, unable to put this one down.
📖 Book Review 📖 It’s a concept so over-the-top wild yet an oddly conceivable concept; a loved dies and truths are revealed when the will is read. For Hannah and Simon, they each learn they have inherited their grandfather’s beloved beach house - and it just so happens to be the shared inheritance. Tensions are high from the start between these two… and the chemistry works…because nothing brings about a slow summer burn like forced proximity and uncovering buried family secrets.
Jenn McKinlay’s writing is delightfully breezy, adding perfectly timed comedic breaks that fluctuate between witty banter and scenes with best-supporting character, Dude, the harlequin Great Dane. While both Hannah and Simon carry extensive battle wounds into the cottage, nothing brings about healing like salt air and a beautifully cathartic tale unfolds in The Summer Share. Just like those warm summer days, I was flipping through the chapters at lightning speed, unable to put this one down.
June 22, 2026
dnf Just couldn't continue spending time with this one...the dog was the only character worth reading about. Sorry Jenn, I have so much respect for writers, but this one is just not for me.
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