Summer Sky

Lake Lyla #1

by Jenna Starly

Summer Sky isn’t looking for love — she’s looking for peace.

After a disastrous relationship, Summer has sworn off commitment. Her life in Lake Lyla is simple and steady: she’s close with her family, loves her community, and is fiercely protective of her heart.

Enter Cole, a former Marine, devoted dad, and Lake Lyla’s newest resident. He never expected to fall for someone like Summer — especially someone who hides behind baggy sweatshirts and quick wit — but the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to ignore the pull between them.

Teaching his daughter soccer, exploring hidden lake spots, and laughter that turns into something deeper… nothing about this was supposed to turn into real love. But sometimes the person you think will never be yours becomes the reason you believe in love again.

The first standalone in the Lake Lyla series, Summer Sky is a heartfelt slow-burn contemporary romance about letting down your guard, embracing second chances, and discovering that love might just find you where you least expect it.

​​​​​​​Perfect for fans of cozy small-town reads and swoony relationships. Kindle Unlimited.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Summer, Rom Com, Summer Reads, Contemporary Romance

247 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 11, 2022

About the author

The author of flirty, fun, fast feels, Jenna Starly is the pen name of women's fiction writer Erin Gordon. Learn more at JennaStarly.com.

Reviews

[Glire · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you are wondering if in this year authors keep using strange metaphors to describe eyes/hair color — the answer is yes.

“I should have known from the glistening, wavy hair the color of a cappuccino with extra milk that the nursery employee is none other than Summer.”

Not my type —at all—, but if you enjoy Hallmark movies you are probably going to love this book.

[Emmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy (ARC) of Summer Sky and devoured the book in just a few days. The lovable characters, charming setting, and well-written yet easy-to-read narrative made Summer Sky one of my favorite reads. The setting of Lake Lyla is vivid and full of quirks and charms, making it the perfect location for this romance novel. The main characters, Cole and Summer, are authentic, real, and instantly lovable. They are surrounded by a host of supporting family members and friends that are equally as lovable: from Livvy (Cole’s outspoken daughter) to Theo (Summer’s fatherly neighbor), these characters add a familial feel to the novel. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who’s looking for a quick, heartwarming, easy-to-love book. I can’t wait for Jenna Starly’s next book in the series!

[Lloyd Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. There was everything you want in a romance - poignancy, humor, and great characters. I need the author to make me care, and I certainly did that. I'm sure that after you read it, you will be anxiously awaiting Book 2, Autumn Sky. I know I am!

[Lori Corenthal · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're looking for a story to make you laugh, smile, cry and feel hopeful about relationships - Summer Sky will not disappoint. I received an ARC (advanced reader copy) and almost did not put this story down until I'd completed it. The setting is described in beautiful detail, the characters have depth and are easy to relate to and it's not hard to find bits of ones self in both Cole and Summer - two slightly damaged souls trying to work through their difficult pasts. Jenna Starly has created truly special characters and I can't wait to read about Autumn and Winter!

[deltabear · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't read a lot of romance, but this book may change that trend! The plot revolves around Summer and Cole, both of whom are multi-dimensional interesting characters. The setting (summer in a lake community) is perfect for a summer read, but could be refreshing year round since it features locals, and not vacationers. Our heroine is confident in life but a bit hesitant in relationships. She has a fascinating family (apparently we will hear more about her family in future books)! The best thing about this novel is the spot-on perfect insights. I felt like the author GETS me using the most charming of words. For example, as Summer (awkwardly) walks with a not-so-clear date: "'Well, I say, ”this is me', which is a totally bizarre thing to say. It’s not like we’d been walking along and just arrived to my car. Smooth. ”Need a ride?" Appreciated the ARC, and now will go buy more copies!

[Karli Moscinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun love story. Easy read that lets you cheer on the characters. I like that the following books are about each individual sister and who they are. Looking forward to reading more from this author

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5

[Selys Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series already! In general, it’s pretty female positive and does a great job advocating for mental health in a serious way without affecting the overall light fun feel of the book. And omg I lost track of how many times my jaw dropped! My only real complaint is that I feel like the ending was rushed and escalated quickly. It didn’t match the pacing of the rest of he book as much. I wanted to spend more time in Lake Lyla with everyone! At least I have two more books in the series to look forward to!

[Sharon A Shovan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two troubled souls afraid of commitment and letting go of the past. Summer is a long time resident of Lake Lyla, CA, who starts coaching a soccer team of preteen girls. While coaching the girls she meets the parents especially Cole who is a single dad of Livvy, a player. There is an attraction between them but they are very cautious. Are these two willing to take a risk? Is it possible they could be good for each other? Well, let’s see how to goes.

[Halofs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed it.

[Katie Herrel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Could not put it down! Read it from front to back!

[KSS · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and could not put it down!! Such a fun read…the characters are so interesting and the lake setting is ideal! Highly recommend if you are looking for a book to read on vacation or just to escape!

[Maddie A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was AMAZING AND JUST PLAIN SWEET. It also had The Office references which I LOVED. This is literally the perfect romance book and my all time favorite read this year

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review and I have to say, I loved it. So fun to read a great romance novel. Will there be more? I cannot wait to read the next one.

[lena_likes_to_read · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐ overall a good book, but i felt the engagement was a bit rushed at the end. I did enjoy their relationship.

[Mama That Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received this book in my romance reveal book box and I absolutely LOVED it. Read it in just a few hours!

[Shandalyn GodnBooksnThings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute Cozy Read

This was a cute cozy read, I really enjoyed the relationship Cole had with his daughter Livvy. I got some nuggets from Summer and really loved that she recognized her toxic traits and made it a point to work on herself.

[Ashley McCloney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute cozy romance book that felt a little bit like a Hallmark movie. It was about two people afraid to love again. The lead characters were lovable. My favorite part of the book was the relationship between Cole & his daughter Livvy. Cute story though it did feel rushed. It’s part of the Lake Lyla series; not sure if I’ll pick up the others or not. This one did make me want to transport to Lake Lyla to see their beautiful scenery though. 3 stars nothing too memorable but a quick cute read.

[V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! It is easy to fall in love with all of the characters in this first book of the Lake Lyla Romance series. I’m planning to devour them in order, asap!

This is my first book by Jenna Starly and it won’t be my last! She has a wonderful way of drawing in the reader with her well chosen words- I didn’t want to put it down!

While I received an ARC copy of this book, this review is my honest opinion. I’ll be searching for more of her work in the future!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amy Tippins · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a cute story of a second chance at love. Cole is an ex- Marine who has recently relocated to the town of Lake Lyla to be closer to his ex and their daughter. Lake Lyla is an idyllic small town and he instantly falls in love with its beauty and simplicity. Summer is a life long resident of Lake Lyla and decides to share the town's hidden treasures with Cole so he can appreciate them, too. They have both dedicated themselves to lives of singleness, but as their relationship develops, they begin to question if being alone really is for the best. An easy read, not too much depth, but a nice book to read as a palette cleanser. There were a good bit of grammatical errors that detracted from the flow of the story, but hopefully more efficient editing will take place before the next two books are released.

[Carina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw the second book in this series advertised as a 'must read' so thought I'd take a punt and buy all three books (the third 'Winter Sky' is due for release later this year). This isn't a bad book, it's not great, but it's cute.

I did find Summer a bit annoying, and the strong powerful women pep talks was a bit belaboured and heavy handed.

I'll obviously read on but I doubt the series will stick in my mind. As such it means it should have a decent reread value.

[Megan Coné · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has a great premise but instead of developing a detailed and in-depth story, it was SUPER rushed. It wasn't a horrible read, it just felt like it was missing so much. I was able to finish the book in a few hours so I don't feel like my time was wasted. I will most likely read the other 2 books in the series, as I can't NOT finish a series. Hopefully they are better or, at least, as short and quick of a read as this one.

[Aly · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s cute just super rushed. They never even established dating yet all of a sudden he’s proposing… I literally thought I missed a few chapters.

A ton of quotes from The Office that I love though, especially the quote in the proposal!

[Kenzi · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 19%

This series sounded really cute and I was looking forward to reading it. However, I couldn’t get over all of the grammatical errors that were happening! Alongside this, there was nothing that felt special about the book, if that even makes sense.

[Katie Jeter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring. Sooooo extremely boring. I had to force myself to finish it.

[Rachel Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable beach read! Well written and the development of characters was both interesting and easy to follow. I look forward to reading “Autumn Sky” and “Winter Sky”.

[Bethany durst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book but it truly felt like an unrealistic ending for them to fall in love that easy - I felt like it was missing parts and was rushed

[Brandy Durst · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book but was a little cliche for my liking and the ending seemed rushed.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this novel in my July 2023 Romance Reveal book box. I had not heard of this novel or the author prior to receiving the subscription box. I quickly got to reading this novel as the description sounded so cute. This novel is about Summer and Lake Lylas new resident, single father, and formal marine Cole. Cole and his daughter moved to the area from Cincinnati. Summer avoids relationships and Cole had not planned on really dating or finding anyone however with the help of certain citizens primarily Coles daughter and Summers father the couple embark on finding happiness together. This is full of banter, is very entertaining and it’s such a sweet novel that’s quick to read!

[Savannah Blackburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was a cute quick read basically just to kill time