Secrets of Summer

by Susan Mallery, Tanya Eby (Narrator)

Revisit this heartfelt second chance romance book from New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery. Previously published as A Dad for Billie.

Banker Adam Barrington’s quiet life is disrupted when a baseball smashes his window. Intrigued by the eight-year-old culprit who recently moved next door, Adam is shocked to discover that her mother is Jane Southwick, his ex-fiancée, who left him at the altar years ago.
When Jane decided to return to her hometown and move in to her parent’s old house, she knew that facing her next-door neighbor was inevitable, but when her daughter finds a window to his house—and his heart—Jane is delighted with the bond growing between Adam and the little girl. Now she must confess the secret she has been carrying in her heart for years and risk everything for a second chance at love and family.

Revisit recently published titles by Susan
The One Next Door
Hometown Hero
Home with the Cowboy
Christmas in Whitehorn
Summer on the Ranch

Audible Audio

Expected publication June 16, 2026

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

[Rosi Colmenares · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

For fans of:
Second chance romance
Family secrets
Found family

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC.

This was a sweet, emotional women’s fiction read with a second chance romance at its heart.

The story follows Jane as she returns to her childhood home carrying secrets from her past, including ones involving her ex-fiancé, Adam. I really liked the setup, especially how a softball through Adam’s window ends up reconnecting lives that have been separated for years.

The romance was sweet, but I appreciated that the story also tackled heavier topics and family dynamics, which gave it more depth.

I listened to the audiobook and thought Tanya Eby did a great job with the narration. I did end up speeding it up a bit because it felt slow, but overall I enjoyed listening to it.

The pacing dragged in a few spots for me, and some of Billie’s dialogue didn’t always feel natural, but I was still invested enough to keep listening.

Overall, a heartfelt and nostalgic read about family, forgiveness, and finding your way back to the people who matter most

[Heaven (HeavenIsReading) · Rating 1 out of 5]

ALC Review.

Oh brother. This book looks like a fun, contemporary romance but it was a snooze. The characters were so flat and barely any of their backstory was truly explored or explained. The kid was aggressively annoying. The constant pushing of a heterosexual future relationship on the kid was gross. "One day you'll like boys" and "One day you'll like kissing". The kid was like, 8. And if I had to hear "I haven't a clue" one more time I was going to lose it. The narrator made the characters extra annoying.

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

I was in need of a lighter audiobook before bed after powering through a string of thrillers, so this ended up being the perfect palate cleanser. I had complimentary access to the ALC through The Hive Influencer Program via auto-approval through NetGalley, making it an easy choice to pick up.

The audiobook was narrated by Tanya Eby, who delivered a performance that fit the women’s fiction tone well. Her narration had a mature warmth to it while still feeling age appropriate for the characters and story. I did end up increasing the playback speed since 1x felt a bit slow for my personal preference, but overall I enjoyed her delivery.

I liked the setup surrounding Adam, the MMC, and the young girl, Billie, whose softball crashes through his window, sparking the reconnecting of lives long separated. Her mother Jane, the FMC, has returned to her childhood home carrying secrets from her past, including ones involving Adam, her ex-fiancé. The second chance romance element was sweet, but the story also explored some heavier emotional topics that gave it more depth than a typical fluffy romance.

There were moments where the pacing dragged a bit for me, and some of the dialogue, particularly from Billie, felt slightly unnatural. Still, I remained invested enough in the characters and their journey to enjoy the story overall. If you’re looking for an emotional, easy-reading women’s fiction romance with a touch of nostalgia and heart, this may be a good fit.

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Secrets of Summer (Previously published as A Dad for Billie.)
Author: Susan Mallery
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Tanya Eby
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Genre: Women's Fiction
Pub Date: June 16, 2026
My Rating: 3.4 Stars
Pages: 384

Story starts when eight-year-old Billie who is new to the neighborhood is practicing her baseball skills a wild pitch goes through the neighbor Adam Barrington’s window. Adam and Billie work out an arrangement to pay for the window when her mother walks out.
Adam is shocked to discover that Billie’s mother is Jane Southwick, his ex-fiancée, who left him at the altar years ago.
When Jane decided to return to her hometown and move into her parent’s old house, she knew that facing her next-door neighbor was inevitable.
However, a bond soon grows between Adam and her daughter which pleases Jane. Hmmm and why might that be? Yep Adam is the father, but he and Jane broke up before she knew she was expecting.

So is Jane hoping for a second chance with Adam and having the real family she has always hoped to have?
Hmmm – I am going to leave it up to you to read and find out.

Want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for granted me this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date is June 16, 2026.

[Elizabeth Ann Hurt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely adored this audio book!!! Thank you to Harlequin Audio & Net Galley for this advanced copy of Secrets of Summer! It was such a beautiful summer escape! A story of second chances, love, and a little drama, the perfect southern summer beach read! I finished it in a day, I couldn't put it down, such a wholesome lighter book which was just what I needed!!!