Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay – heartwarming contemporary romance

Summer Reading was a delightful, emotional, and deeply heartwarming contemporary romance with excellent dyslexia representation.

Synopsis

When a woman who’d rather do anything than read meets a swoon-worthy bookworm, sparks fly, making for one hot-summer fling in New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay’s new rom-com.

For Samantha Gale, a summer on Martha’s Vineyard at her family’s tiny cottage was supposed to be about resurrecting her career as a chef, until she’s tasked with chaperoning her half-brother, Tyler. The teenage brainiac is spending his summer at the local library in a robotics competition, and there’s no place Sam, who’s dyslexic, likes less than the library. And because the universe hates her, the library’s interim director turns out to be the hot-reader guy whose book she accidentally destroyed on the ferry ride to the island.

Bennett Reynolds is on a quest to find his father, whose identity he’s never known. He’s taken the temporary job on the island to research the summer his mother spent there when she got pregnant with him. Ben tells himself he isn’t interested in a relationship right now. Yet as soon as Sam knocks his book into the ocean, he can’t stop thinking about her.

An irresistible attraction blossoms when Ben inspires Sam to create the cookbook she’s always dreamed about and she jumps all in on helping him find his father, and soon they realize their summer fling may heat up into a happily ever after.

Review

Summer Reading is a heartwarming and feel good contemporary romance that follows Samantha Gale as she returns to her hometown of Martha’s Vineyard for the summer to look after and chaperone her half brother, Tyler, after quitting the restaurant job when she was passed on for the position she worked for years.

On the ferry ride to the island, she literally crashes into Bennett Reynolds, a charming book-loving stranger, and accidentally knocks his book straight into the ocean. Unfortunately for Sam, Ben turns out to be the interim director of the local library where Tyler’s robotics camp is being held.

Their awkward first meeting slowly turns into easy conversations, growing attraction, and undeniable chemistry. But Samantha is hiding the most important part of herself from Ben. She is dyslexic and cannot read.

Of course, secrets like that never stay hidden for long, and as the summer unfolds, both Sam and Ben find themselves falling harder than they expected while knowing their time together may only last for one season. Sam has no idea where life or work will take her after summer ends, while Ben is on the island searching for answers about his father. Watching their relationship slowly evolve felt natural, tender, and genuinely emotional.

I was pulled into the story right from the beginning. The writing has such a warm, comforting quality to it that makes the book incredibly easy to sink into. What stood out to me most, though, was the representation of dyslexia and the care with which it was written. The book explores the daily struggles Samantha faces, not only with reading itself but also with the shame, judgement, and misunderstanding that often come from society.

The author explains in depth how dyslexia affects different parts of life, including the kinds of fonts and formats that can make reading easier. There is so much authenticity and compassion in the way Samantha’s experiences are portrayed.

Another aspect I absolutely loved was the relationship between Samantha and Tyler. Samantha was only a teenager when her father left her mother, remarried, and started a new family. Around the same time, she was also discovering her dyslexia and dealing with everything that came with it.

In her younger mind, Tyler and his mother became tied to the painful upheaval of her life, which prevented her from forming a real sibling bond with him. But time and maturity changed her perspective, and the summer gave them a chance to finally build that bridge between them.

Their relationship became one of the sweetest parts of the book for me. Once they started connecting, their bond felt genuine, playful, and emotional. I especially loved how their growing closeness was shown through little moments, including the step dancing scenes that brought such warmth and joy to the story.

I also loved seeing Samantha slowly reconnect with her hometown and begin enjoying life there again. Through her friendship with Emily, we get another emotional layer added to the story. Their friendship was heartfelt and supportive, but it also explored Emily’s hypochondria and the dreams she had quietly pushed aside over the years. I appreciated how the book gave its side characters depth instead of making them feel like background props.

Ben had his own emotional struggles as well. Growing up with an eccentric artist mother who refused to tell him about his father clearly left scars that shaped him deeply. His decision to take the interim library director position on Martha’s Vineyard was driven entirely by his determination to uncover the truth about his father’s identity.

I liked how open he became with Samantha over time and how willing he was to lean on both her and her friends for support. I also appreciated that he finally confronted his mother instead of continuing to live with unanswered questions.

That said, I did feel frustrated with the way he handled the revelation about his father and how quickly he let it overshadow what he had with Samantha. It was understandable emotionally, but still painful to watch unfold.

Ben and Samantha together were honestly wonderful. Their chemistry felt soft, sparkling, and incredibly genuine. They shared so many beautiful moments throughout the story, but my favorite parts were always the ones where Ben read to Samantha. And when he could not physically be there to read with her, he recorded chapters for her instead that also sparked her love for audiobooks. Those moments carried so much love, care, and understanding that they genuinely melted my heart.

I loved how they supported each other through their vulnerabilities, trusted one another, and defended each other when needed. Their emotional connection felt mature and believable rather than rushed. I especially admired the way Samantha handled heartbreak later in the story. Even while hurting, she showed so much grace and emotional strength.

The climax was both expected and surprising at the same time. While I still disliked Ben’s actions after learning the truth about his father, I appreciated that he eventually recognised his mistakes. His efforts to make things right felt sincere, and I loved Samantha’s reaction to his grand gesture in the end. The end stayed true to the emotional tone of the story and left me with that warm, comforting feeling that good summer romances are supposed to give.

Overall, Summer Reading was a delightful, emotional, and deeply heartwarming contemporary romance with excellent dyslexia representation, lovable relationships, and a beautiful balance of romance, family, friendship, and self discovery. It is the kind of book that quietly wraps around you like a warm summer evening and leaves you smiling long after you finish it.

Book Links

Goodreads | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

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Have you read this or any  book by the same author?
What’s your fav book with dyslexia representation?

Just in case you missed,,,

• Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay – heartwarming contemporary romance
• The Sweetest Oblivion by Danielle Lori – mafia romance with forbidden trope
• A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman – warm and heartbreaking fiction

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