For What It's Worth


Thursday, June 18, 2020

Blog tour: Review of The Summer Deal by Jill Shalvis


Brynn Turner desperately wishes she had it together, but her personal life is like a ping-pong match that’s left her scared and hurt after so many attempts to get it right. In search of a place to lick her wounds and get a fresh start, she heads back home to Wildstone.



And then there’s Kinsey Davis, who after battling serious health issues her entire twenty-nine years of life, is tired of hoping for . . . well, anything. She's fierce, tough, and she’s keeping more than one bombshell of a secret from Brynn -- her long-time frenemy.


But then Brynn runs into Kinsey's best friend, Eli, renewing her childhood crush. The good news: he’s still easy-going and funny and sexy as hell.


The bad news: when he gets her to agree to a summer-time deal to trust him to do right by her, no matter what, she never dreams it’ll result in finding a piece of herself she didn’t even know was missing. She could have real connections, possibly love, and a future—if she can only learn to let go of the past.


As the long days of summer wind down, the three of them must discover if forgiveness is enough to grasp the unconditional love that’s right in front of them. ~ Goodreads

Source: ARC was provided via the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review: In my early days of blogging, Jill Shalvis was one of my go to authors. Somehow I drifted away from her books (too many books - too little time syndrome) for a few years but noticed I had Rainy Day Friends on my book cart from a conference years ago. Wondering if my reading tastes had changed and if she was still a “go to author”, I picked it up to read with a little trepidation. I should not have worried – it was like coming home to a good friends and family.

Shalvis’s books are filled with love, family and connections. The characters are real and flawed but struggle to do the right thing. And there’s always an adorable pet or two!

The Summer Deal has all these things but surprised me with three POV’s. Brynn – coming home after a bad break up, moves in with her wonderful but hovering moms, Kinsey – Brynn’s childhood nemesis, prickly af, and dealing with serious health issues and one humdinger of a secret, and Eli – Kinsey’s best friend and Brynn’s childhood crush (it was very mutual).

Once Brynn is home, she realizes she can’t live in the same house as her overbearing mothers and takes up Eli’s offer to move into his place to help with rent. One problem. Kinsey lives there too.
Well, really multiple problems. Kinsey and Brynn's growing feelings for Eli. Can she trust either of them? Or her own judgement?

These three carry so much baggage – from their childhoods, with each other and the present day secrets they all keep. Secrets is not a trope I like. At all. But I think it was done really well here.
Being able to see each POV and the why of the secrets really helped me to understand where they were all coming from. It wasn’t malicious or done out of selfishness. In fact, it was born out of love and trying to keep each other safe.

I don’t want to say too much because the blurb keeps things vague so I will too but watching all three learn to open their hearts and learn to trust again was a beautiful thing.

The supporting characters were just as wonderful. Eli’s brother (hopefully he gets a book!), Kinsey’s boyfriend (if he gets his way), Brynn’s mom’s with their open hearts.

I’m SO glad I rediscovered this author and I won’t be taking a break from her again.


Connect with Jill
Website |  Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Tumbler | Goodreads



BUY LINKS for ALMOST JUST FRIENDS:

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Bookshop.org | iBooks | GooglePlay

Photo Credit: Susan Zweigle, ZR Studios






Enter below to win a copy of The Summer Deal! Open to US and Canada residents. A print copy will be mailed to the winner by the publisher via UPS.

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36 comments:

  1. Welcome back! I adored this book, and as always, it was a warm hug and left me feeling good. The one thing I don't like about this series is that Shalvis doesn't revisit characters. They all life in Wildstone, but they aren't featured in other books or really connected. I was hoping for more Carpriotti stories after reading Rainy Day Friends, and I got all new characters in the next book. Still love them all, and this has been a solid series for me.

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    Replies
    1. I didn't realize that. I like revisiting too but, like I said, it's been so long since I've read her. I won't leave again lol

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  2. Yay for re-discovering an author you love. It sounds like this book did well with including three POV's.

    Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. I thought so! That doesn't usually work for me and they had such different personalities and motives.

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  3. KAREN. I feel like I never see blog tours on your blog! I've only read Shalvis' holiday books, so I'll need to branch out! I'm happy you were able to fall back in love.

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    1. Ha! I know! I only do that if I'm pretty damn sure I'll like the book. And the publisher was fantastic forwarding all I would need.

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  4. I definitely relate to the too little books too little time thing. I have so many authors/series that I've ignored because of it. You've inspired me to try to rediscover some of my old favorites!

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    1. Every year I want to make time for re-reads of my favorites but I'm always so swamped. I really have made a point of catching up though so I hope to incorporate those and just getting back to authors I've loved.

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  5. So the secrets work for once, I can live with them then

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    1. Still don't love ther big secret plot but they had their reasons and I got it.

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  6. I'm exactly the same, I used to love Jill SHalvis releases but lately I just haven't been reaching for her books. You might be right about the too many books too little time syndrome. I'm pleased to see her books are still good and I definitely need to get reading something new from her. I might have to check this out, I think I might actually have it somewhere so time for me to remember why I loved Jill Shalvis.

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    Replies
    1. It's so hard to keep up with ALL the books. But it was nice to rediscover a favorite author.

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  7. This sounds so good! This author is new to me, but 2020 has changed up my reading habits a bit so maybe I'll give her a shot. Thanks for sharing!

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    Replies
    1. I'm the same - I'm reading so varied right now.

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  8. I loved this book, and the series!! The characters were what made this book so awesome. I wanted to hang out with them!

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    Replies
    1. Yes. They were frustrating so many times but I really got it and wanted to help them all.

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  9. I've only read Lost & Found Sisters, but it's a series I've been meaning to continue! I love following her on Instagram. :)

    Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬

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    1. I really love her books. A nice balance of story, friends/family and romance.

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  10. I've never read a Shalvis book before but I see her books everywhere... I'm glad returning to an old favourite author didn't disappoint!

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    1. Her characters can be a bit prickly but I like them! lol And I love the family/friends/pets that she always has.

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  11. I'm not sure I've read a Jill Shalvis book, but you've made me want to try one!

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    1. Really? i think you would like them. messy but relatable.

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  12. I've only read one or two books by Shalvis, but I really enjoyed them. Seems like this book was a definite win!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. I was so happy that my tastes didn't change so much that I didn't like her books anymore.

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  13. I love that you got to read this author again! :) And this sounds like a wonderful read! Great review! :)

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    1. I'm finally getting time to go back to my favorites. Happy that I still like her lol

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  14. It's nice that you were able to reconnect with a favorite author. that's always a good feeling I find. I love it when characters feel real and it's just comfortable reading about them... the book version of comfort food haha.

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    1. She writes pretty flawed characters so you get equally irritated while also wanting to hug them lol

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  15. My favorite summer memory is family vacations.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mine is the beach. I grew up in RI and it's almost required that you go every weekend!

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  16. As a kid, I just loved riding my bike around the lake and heading off to King's Dominion for the all the fun and laughter. Hugs, RO

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    1. Oh neat. We used to the beach every weekend and have the radiator overheat lol

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  17. An author lots of people have recommended to me though I have yet to read any of the books ... maybe one day. Good luck to everyone entering the giveaway

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    1. I'm not sure it's your kind of book - there is a focus on romance but I do think you would like the way she writes friends and family.

      Delete
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