From New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis comes a friends-to-frenemies-to-lovers story… Add in a few secrets. Shake. Stir. Then read on a lazy summer day at the beach… 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.
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I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Brynn and Kinsey were roommates at summer camp every year and they hated each other. Eli is Kinsey’s best friend and had a crush on Brynn. Fast forward many years. Brynn runs in to Eli and tries to act like she doesn’t remember him. (As we all have done.)
This story shows us how you can overcome many obstacles and even become friends with your enemies. While this book isn’t as funny as Jill’s other books, you will still enjoy reading it.
Wildstone is a small town overflowing with drama. With every book I know I will get lots and lots of drama but I will also get a happily ever after.
The Summer Deal dealt out a lot of drama. A house full of misfits are intertwined through their pasts and daily struggles. When they add another roommate the walls come crumbling down as the characters deal with the emotions of living, dying, sacrifice, and love.
The Summer Deal is an emotional roller coaster about two couples. Most romances center around one couple. I really enjoyed cheering on two couples. Deck and Kinsey have been in a thing for awhile but her walls won’t let her move forward. Brynn has returned to Wildstone after a nasty breakup. Her Life needs to move forward, but can’t.
A panic attack brings Brynn to the ER. A false call has Kinsey at the OR with Eli, her BFF, by her side. Frustrations puts him and Brynn together where he has always wanted them. Past, present and future intertwine.
Their moving forward had me in tears. Their misdirections had me screaming. Their resolutions had me dancing in the sun. The Summer Deal brought light to a dark day. The epilogue made the journey worthwhile.
Book 5 in the Wildstone series did not disappoint! This was a great story about relationships, childhood friends, perceptions and romance! I loved reading the interactions, friendship and between Brynn, Kinsey, and Eli as they navigate their childhood summer friendship of the past as adults!! Really enjoyed!!
One of the best contemporary romances I’ve read lately. I love the dynamic of the 5 main characters. (I do hope to find out more about Max later on). Not only do you have romance but you have a fun sister spin. These characters and their relationships are so believable and you want to root so hard for them.
It can only be a bad thing when you find yourself renting a room from the boy you have had a crush for years and find your other roommate is the same girl you hated from summer camp. When this happens to Brynn the enemies to frenemies relationship she has with Kinsley only becomes more deeper when Kinsley secret is revealed and it would not be a Jill Shalvis novel unless the romance between Eli and Brynn is torn apart because of the hatred. Can everyone find their HEA after the anger subsides? Can the two girls actually become closer than either of them ever realized? This story had it all – great characters, a storyline that I could not put down as well as an ending that put a smile on my face. Once again Jill Shalvis does not disappoint.
In “The Summer Deal” (Wildstone #5) by Jill Shalvis we are thrown into the life of Brynn Turner. Her life has not been what she had thought it would be and to try to get it back together she returns home. But an unexpected run in with Eli, a childhood crush, ends up complicating her life in ways she could never had imagined.
Not only do we get to see Brynn try to navigate her two moms, a forced friendship with a childhood nemesis named Kinsey, a new romance with Eli, but you throw in a few other great secondary characters and a jalapeno sky raisin loving dog and you have a great read.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.
Always more than I expected!
Yes, this is a romantic summer read. But it’s packing a wallop of an emotional chaser. Eli has had two important women in his life since childhood, Kinsey and Brynn. To his great aggravation, they hate each other. And oh, yes, they all live together. As the story unfolds, we discover Brynn and Kinsey have a unique bond and I loved watching the three of them navigate their new relationships! Great read, very emotional!
This is a wonderful story of family, by blood or chosen, you’ll laugh, cry and ugh! Brynn is a self proclaimed hot mess, one she feels she’s been all her life and this book starts with her coming home with her tail between her legs after her ex dumped her and left her homeless. Coming home wasn’t easy, she didn’t want her moms to know how bad her relationship was nor the fact he cleared out her bank account and ran up her credit card, a real gem, but home she came to be smothered by her caring moms. Brynn needs a place of her own, breathing room to get back on her feet. In comes Eli, her childhood-summer camp-crush, looking oh so grown up and mighty sexy with a room to rent. Hey her life’s looking up right? Eli’s BBF and roommate was none other than her summer camp nemesis, Kinsey the leader of the Mean Girls-not going to work, no way can she live with her again. Lots of secrets, regrets, humor, and feels fill this book, quirky characters make this a wonderful read!
Eli Thomas is a marine biologist for a nonprofit organization. He is close friends with Kinsey Davis. Eli offers Brynn a room to rent in the hopes that she and Kinsey will bond. However, having her under the same roof allows him to act on the feelings he has had since childhood. Can Eli convince the two women to forget their differences? Will Kinsey’s secrets destroy that hope? And will their conflict stand in the way of his relationship with Brynn?
Brynn Turner returns to Wildstone, California, to get her life back in order. On her first night home, she runs into Eli Thomas, her childhood crush, at the ER. Brynn reluctantly agrees to rent a room from him to escape her mothers’ smothering. She never expected to find her nemesis living in the same house. Brynn learns some startling information about Kinsey. Can Brynn and Kinsley mend their differences? Will Brynn let her insecurities interfere in her budding relationship with Eli?
Eli is such a sweetheart! Despite a crappy childhood, he still manages to maintain a selfless personality. I adore Eli’s devotion and caring for the people he considers family. There is little he would not do for them. Basically, Eli is the type of friend that everyone needs in their life. What I adore the most about Eli is how he refuses to pressure Brynn into anything she is not ready for. He is aware she has been hurt, so he would rather Brynn be certain about starting something between them.
Brynn took me a while to warm up to. She came off hypocritical at times. I understand her need for people, especially Kinsey and Eli, to be truthful with her. However, she should have extended the same courtesy to them. I empathize with Brynn’s need to feel as if she belonged and not feel like an outsider. I have been in her shoes when I was a teenager. What I like the most about Brynn is how she used her past connections to help Eli. She has witnessed his selflessness in helping others without asking help in return. She took initiative and reached out to get what he needed.
THE SUMMER DEAL is book five in Jill Shalvis’ contemporary romance series, WILDSTONE. This story can definitely stand alone because characters from the previous books do not make appearances. I notice how this book, along with ALMOST JUST FRIENDS, has a different formula than what is normally found in romance stories. It makes me curious to read the first three books and novella to see if the trend holds with them also.
THE SUMMER DEAL is an emotional tale that emphasizes the fact that family are not always blood. I really like the new direction the author is taking with this series. I cannot wait to see who in Wildstone gets their story told next.
Review courtesy of Romance Junkies
This book continues the Wildstone series, which while not having recurring characters is set in the same town of Wildstone. If you have read previous books in this series, this book continues in the same vein. It revolves around Bynn and Kinsey who are half sisters with only one of them knowing about it.
As in most of Ms. Shalvis’ books the relationships are the most prominent feature, and this is no exception. Brynn returns home devastated from a busted relationship and runs into her old friend Eli who offers her a rental room in his house. She accepts, not knowing her arch nemesis from camp Kinsey is renting a room there already. The plot revolves around relationship growth. Between the 2 half sisters and the loves of their lives. I enjoy books that are character driven and loved this. If you have enjoyed the previous books in this series you will not be disappointed with this one.
Jill Shalvis is a go to author for me. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from the author and am leaving an honest and unbiased review .
This is ultimately a story about friendship and familial love, showing you sometimes choose your family and it’s not always blood that bonds.
Bryn and Kinsey have a strained relationship , caused by unkind actions when they were children . The two reconnect after years apart , when Bryn moves back to Wildstone , after a bad breakup with her boyfriend leaves her homeless. She meets an old friend Eli , who has a room for rent. Through him she meets up with Kinsey and his brother Max.
There are a wide range of supporting characters to flesh out the storyline. Bryn’s mother’s are so funny . I loved the dynamics between them. Bryn and Eli interactions together are very humorous and heart warming. Neither is looking for a romantic relationship but their attraction is obvious and they are both wary of their feelings.
Kinsey and Bryn share a familial relationship that Bryn is unaware of and the storyline revolves around their acceptance of each other.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who likes Reanne Thayne
Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “The Summer Deal” by Jill Shalvis, William Morrow, June 2020
Jill Shalvis, author of “The Summer Deal” has written an intriguing, memorable and entertaining novel. The Genres for this story are Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, and Romance. There are two time-lines in the story, with the same characters, and the present takes place mostly in Wildstone and goes back to the past when it pertains to the characters and events. The author describes her characters as complex and complicated.
After a bad experience, Brynn Turner finds herself back home. Brynn is feeling insecure and unsure of herself and has to decide what she will do next in her life. Brynn has a panic attack and her family goes with her to the hospital. When Brynn is discharged, she goes to the snack machine and runs into a former camp-friend, Eli. Eli is at the hospital with Kinsey Davis, who was also at the same camp and made Brynn’s life difficult. Eli knows an important secret. about the two girls.
Eli owns a home near the water, and rents rooms. He convinces Brynn that that would be a perfect place for her to be. Brynn doesn’t realize that Kinsey is one of his “roomies” as well. Not only is Eli still attracted to Brynn from camp, but he does have a plan to hopefully get the two girls to talk.
I love that the author discusses, friendship, forgiveness, second chances, and the importance of family, friendship, love, trust, and hope. I would highly recommend this book.
I enjoyed this book, not what I’m used to from the author but I did like it! 4 stars for this!
We follow a few people in this story, but our main characters are Brynn, Kinsey & Eli, and a bit of Kinsey’s not friend but with benefits Deck.
Kinsey has a secret, Eli knows it, and it has to do with Brynn. Kinsey has been a thorn in Brynn’s side for years every summer at camp. When you find out the secret you will be shocked! But there is other things going on with these two and the other characters that will hold your attention throughout the book. Will the woman be able to let love into their fragile lives? You’ll have to read and find out!
The Summer Deal was an emotional story with lots of drama and secrets. The main characters were Brynn, Kinsey and Eli. Brynn and Kinsey are frenemies and half sisters but Brynn doesn’t know it. And Kinsey and Eli are best friends. These three have known eachother since childhood and Eli and Brynn shared childhood crushes. Now some years later they’ve all reconnected and Eli and Brynn explore their renewed chemistry and try to find their happily ever after while Brynn and Kinsey try to navigate how to be friends and sisters. Secrets will be revealed. Emotions run high and lots of hurt feelings are involved but this story keeps you reading until the very end. An overall very enjoyable story about love and friendship in all forms.
*I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book*
When you can bust out laughing while reading a book it deserves 5 stars. I was laughing so hard at a scene my cat ran away. There is a lot of emotion in this book. Both Brynn and Kinsey need to work on themselves. Kinsey needs to learn to be nicer and Brynn needs to learn to be more assertive. Along with Eli, Max and Deck both woman will find their way. They all have a past together they need to get over and help each other grow. This book is funny, fun, sad, emotional and has a little sexy to it. I never wanted the book to end but at the same time I couldn’t put it down.
*I received a copy of this book via the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.*
This is another wonderful return to Wildstone. The setting is the same in this pseudo-series, but each book is a stand alone with little to no character crossover. This is another of Jill Shalvis’s excellent women’s fiction that gives the reader a captivating story filled with interesting and quirky characters who see themselves as broken, of interactions between friends and frenemies, of family relations, of learning to let go and let others in, of learning to love. There’s plenty of chemistry, angst, frustration, emotion, all brought together in a heartwarming story of the ties that bind and those things that make a family. I loved the book and highly recommend it!
What a LOL, frenemies to friends/sisters who find each other when grown, an old crush who becomes more and shows us how dysfunctional family life can be and still come out of it with a love like no other. Loved this one!!!
I really enjoyed this book even though the some of the characters can be a little bit more on the unlovable side with good intentions. It’s about families of all kinds, by blood or bonding of friends. About being accepted for who you are, not who you should be. Some of the relationships might have progressed faster than expected but Ms Shalvis has a way with building the relationships with snappy dialogue and a look at their past. Especially Brynn and Kinsey’s past relationship. Also, who wouldn’t love to have Brynn’s moms in their life, smothering but caring and including everyone. Definitely a keeper!
This is about Kinsey and Brynn. They went to summer camp together all their childhood, but didn’t get along. Kinsey had fought health problems all her life, and that led her to not wanting to let anyone get close. Brynn, grew up being bullied. When Brynn returns home, to get over a bad relationship she meets Eli, who was the first boy she ever kissed, years ago at summer camp. And this leads to her moving in with him, Kinsey, and Eli’s brother Max. Each one of them have their own issues and insecurities. Kinsey and Brynn discover they are more connected than just going to camp.
I really enjoyed this story. It was sweet and funny. The characters were all so real, and you could really get their personalities and what made them. This was very well written, and the story came alive on the page. It definitely kept me interested.
Brynn Turner’s moving home at almost 30, not exactly the plan she had for her life. After her latest boyfriend scammed her and took off with almost everything, the contents of her bank accounts included, she needs some time to reset and get her life in order. When a panic attack lands her in the ER the last thing she needs is to bump into Eli, her childhood summer camp crush and friend of Kinsey Davis, summer camp mean girl. Kinsey Davis has spent her entire life in and out of the hospital, most of that time with her best friend Eli by her side. Kinsey’s had a rough life and has learned to not get her hopes up or attached to people. Eli couldn’t be more thrilled to see Brynn, realizing that time hasn’t dulled his affections for her, he offers her a room for rent in his house. When secrets start to come out, Brynn questions everything she thought she knew about her new roommates.
This is such a wonderfully written story. It’s about much so more than just Brynn and Eli’s relationship, we get a bit of Kinsey and Deck, and see all the characters work through some pretty tough issues. I really enjoyed that it was about more than one relationship, the plot wasn’t confusing or overwhelming. Each character’s voice and distinct personality stayed true to them until the end, which I feel not all authors do well. Despite her prickly exterior, I adored Kinsey, and the amount of love and fierce protectiveness she had for the people that she did let in. Brynn was so relatable to me, feeling like an all-around train wreck most of the time, I’m so glad she learned to fight for the important people in her life. Despite the heavier plot, there was definitely comic relief in the form of Brynn’s moms, they brought some much-needed levity and had me cackling. This is such a great read about so much more than just romantic love, it’s about found family, forgiveness, patience, honesty and fighting for those you love. Highly recommend