As the summer ends, friendship begins… When single mom Joy Lee abandoned her old life to take a job at a lakeside resort, she found something that her family’s wealth and influence could never buy: peace of mind. Not easy to come by for the once-burned divorcée who keeps everyone at a distance. But when her new friend, Maris, dares her to take a chance with the drive-in’s charismatic new … charismatic new owner, everything changes for Joy and her young son.
A difficult childhood has left Maris Kennedy with definite priorities. Her job running Summer’s End, the camp store and café, comes first. Always. Nothing could ever make her risk that hard-won security–especially not her free-spirited colleague. But the more she encourages Joy to open herself up to new experiences, the more Maris begins to wonder what she, too, might be missing.
Learning how to trust will bring Joy and Maris together. And soon they form a friendship that leaves them as close as sisters–and open to love where they least expect it…in Summer’s End.
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OMG, OMG I absolutely love this book. I laughed and cried and I even got a bit angry when I was reading it. Lori knows how to write such a great book. You will truly fall in love with all of this characters, even Chaos. You really must read it! Thank you Lori for such a great book!!
I loved reading about Joy, Jack, Royce and the entire “family” at Summers End. This book reminds us all that family isn’t about blood in our veins but the love and connection we have with others, friends who become family. Wonderful novel and it has to be on your must read list.
I enjoyed returning to the RV park! Lori Foster knows how to pull at your heartstrings with likable characters with complicated pasts. A great read!
What an absolutely fun read…. not only do you get a romance but there are two HEA’s. Two sisters by choice both work for the same RV park doing various stuff fall for two different guys in a fun combinational romance.
What did I like? Author does a great job pulling the romance together since it is two different couples. Royce just bought the drive in and he is paired up with Joy, single mother and activities director. Maris owns the store/restaurant and pairs up with Daron who has been chasing her for awhile. You get two romances in one and an exceptional book. Love that cover.
Would I buy or recommend? Lori Foster needs no recommendations…
If she’s not on your auto buy list then she should be. Always a spectacular read… and all her books come with amazing stories. I love this series.
Thoughts for the author? Congratulations on a brilliant book! Loved it. I look forward to all your books. Thanks so much for a free copy so I could voice my opinion. Five stars.
Two HEA’s in one book… what’s not to love?!?!?! As with all Lori Foster’s books, there is a little of everything you would want in a romance. Especially great characters that you fall in love with. All the residents and/or employees at the RV resort make up a wonderful “family of friends” and shows how not all families have to be blood related and how special friendships can be.
In THE SISTERS OF SUMMERS END by Lori Foster, the two ladies each learn life lesson, discover things about themselves, and become open to love and life. It’s delightful must-read women’s lit that may have you singing a bit too.
Cooper’s Charm is a special place, where the people who work there love their jobs, look after their coworkers, and get to live in a beautiful lakeside vacation spot. I loved the way Joy Lee has made a life there for herself and Jack, her son, and the way she maintains her independence. Maris, who runs Summer’s End, the camp store, is an amazing woman with wicked organizational skills and always has fresh coffee and sumptuous cookies on hand. As these two develop a closer friendship, they also deal with their histories before coming to Cooper’s Charm.
Now for the men. Royce is new to the area. It was hard not to fall in love with this man, He has so much to offer, a strong, and willingly helps out whenever he can. Daren is the most wonderful character, always in a good mood, ready to lend a hand, and steadily working on breaking down Maris’ walls for her to let him in.
The best thing about this book is the sense of community, how they really are like an extended family in many ways. The way everyone interacted made me wish I could move to Cooper’s Charm. Oh, and there are dogs!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.
I was wondering where the sisters would come in to play at Coopers Charm RV park since after reading the first book, Coopers Charm, and knowing there was only one set of sisters residing at the park and they had their story line in the first book. After finishing this book I realized sisters don’t have to be defined by blood only. The best kind of family is the ones we pick for ourselves.
Joy has had a single focus in life since she became a mother to Jack. Once her family disowned her, she set out to make a life for her and her baby and almost 6 years later she has found her stride. Living and working at Coopers Charm has been a dream come true, having taken pity on her pregnant self and hiring her on the spot while providing an apartment, Cooper saved her life and soul. These people are her family now and she hasn’t looked back.
Royce has looked to make a change in his life since his mother passed away. Buying the old drive in seemed like the perfect way to escape all of life’s hardships and taking care of himself unencumbered. He never counted on Joy or Jack working their way into not only his life but also his heart.
Secondary in this novel is the story of Maris and Daron. We met both these characters, and got a hint of their flirtation/denial in Cooper’s Charm. Maris is a fiercely independent woman who wants nothing to do with playboy Daron. Or at least that is what she keeps telling herself and anyone that asks. Her body may argue that point with her mind. Daron has pursued Maris for years, knowing deep in his soul that she is the one for him above anyone else. Having her refuse his advances all these years has just made him want her more. When she finally decides it is ok to act on her feelings and still be the independent woman she desires to be, she jumps all in with Daron.
Joy, Royce, Daron and Maris have a romantic fall season at Coopers Charm RV park. They navigate the newness of relationships while trying to maintain so type of normalcy with the lives they’ve come to appreciate. When Joy’s mother makes an unexpected appearance in her life again, Joy needs to reevaluated and make choices that will affect her future as well as Jack’s.
Once again I am taken to a fictional place with wonderful characters that make me want to search them out in real life. The people of Coopers Charm RV resort come together to form stronger bonds than most families will ever experience in their lifetime. 5 out of 5 stars for this wonderful story of friendship, sisterhood and family that I read and reviewed in advance without any expectations. I’m hoping to return to Coopers Charm sooner rather than later, to catch up with these friends who have formed lifelong bonds.
For so long Joy Lee’s sole focus has been on providing her young son with the life he deserves and her work at the recreation center. Both of which becoming so time consuming that she hasn’t given much thought to making friends, or opening her heart to love. But then she meets Maris Kennedy, a camp store owner, and the two quickly form a sister-like bond, one that makes Joy feel like she finally has someone in her corner. They confide in one another, and learn that they both have issues in trusting men, and being brave enough to let one into their lives again. Both quick to say they don’t have time for a relationship, when in reality it’s just fear of being burnt again.
But then two suitors come into the ladies’ lives, and while Maris is quick to push Joy towards drive-in owner Royce Nakirk, she herself lacks the nerve to let Daron Hardy into her life. Love is tricky for Maris due to her difficult childhood, she has an overwhelming fear of being hurt to overcome. But little by little patience, a dedicated man, and unwavering chemistry help to open her mind and heart to the possibility of love.
Joy and Royce hit if off right off the bat, their attraction is electric, but they both have commitment hang-ups. Neither of them are really in the market for anything long-term, but once they start spending time together, they realize that there is something worth hanging onto there. They must find the courage to let their heart take the lead for once, and quiet their nagging love-deterring minds.
Page after page I found myself delighted by Ms. Foster’s perfectly penned words and her charismatic characters, Sisters of Summer’s End is a can’t miss tale! I am no stranger to this author’s work, and while I thoroughly enjoy her steamier suspenseful, I must admit I also really enjoyed this newest, more emotional, offering. She strayed a little from her usual path, and brought us a more heartfelt tale about the bonds of friendships, healing, and love. I loved this book and the journey it took me on, it was gave my heartstrings a nice little tug, made me smile, and left me with a renewed sense of appreciation for my friends. If you are looking for a heartwarming book to settle down with this summer, I highly recommend you get your hands on this one, it’s certain to touch your heart!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
This!! This was just so much more than a romance.
Started out very family oriented at a beautiful campground, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with the area and the ideals of what a campground could be.
Joy with son, Jack, has lived and worked here for years, enter Royce, new guy in area running the drive-in, and there’s chemistry. A lot of baggage on both sides, a lot of uncertainty, to taking some very big steps forward.
Maris, owner of Summer’s End and Daron, maintenance engineer, have known each other a long time and the chemistry is there also, but it’s laughable the ends that Maris goes to denying it all. Until she doesn’t.
Through this all, Maris and Joy find deep friendship, what sister of the heart truly means and sharing everything LoL.
Bonus when Royce finds and keeps Chaos, adding to the awww factor of kids and puppies.
The 2nd in a series, stand alone, started out a smidge slow for me, but necessary, to get all the feels and depth of this dual romance.
Such an emotionally happy ending
I received an ARC for my honest review.
Lori Foster hit this one out of the ball park. Sister’s of Summer’s End is more than just a romance. It is about four people discovering their own strengths, opening up to friendships, discovering what family means and of course it wouldn’t be Lori Foster without some romance thrown in for good measure. Joy with her son Jake, learns how to trust in love again. Maris learns to accept her past of growing up poor and with Joy finds the true meaning of friendship. Royce and Darin show Joy and Maris that they are more than what they believed they were. The characters come alive in this story and you will find yourself laughing with them and cheering them on. I even found myself downloading the Kindle app for mobile devices to my smart phone in order to keep reading as I didn’t want to put my tablet down when I had to leave for work. I definitely recommend reading this highly enjoyable story.
Everything about this book was fantastic.
From seeing Cooper and Phoenix, Baxter and Ridley , Maris and Daron again and getting to know Joy, Jack and Royce.
The way Joy and Royce’s relationship unfolded along with Jack being a huge part of it was fun to watch. I kept thinking, “These two have no clue .” How they started out ,I knew how’d it go, just took them longer to figure out.
Then we get the bonus of watching Daron chase Maris , her reaction and how things go with them.
Mix in everyone else, a couple of dogs , exciting love scenes between the characters , Jack’s amazing talent and his ability to make all the adults love him. Then we have people from the past , they all make this book an amazing ride. I went to through so many emotions reading this. Happiness, sad, angry. Thoughts like… “Woo ! Is it hot in here or is it just me?” , “Talk about nerve!”, “Wow really? Come on!” And then there was “FINALLY!”
So to say I thoroughly loved this story and all of the characters in it would be 100% accurate.
A MUST read in my opinion . I’m hoping Lori gives us, in a short story, what we all , I am sure, want that’ll wrap everything up in a nice, big bow. You’ll know what I mean after you’ve read this.
I received an ARC provided by the author & publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Lori Foster outdid herself, what an incredible book, just loved it!! You will love Royce, Joy & Jack and Daron & Maris who are such strong & likable characters, you won’t want the story to end. Reading this book makes you want to work at Coopers Charm too & makes you wish all the wonderful characters were your friends as well!! You also can’t forget the adorable rescue dogs Chaos & Sugar. A definite must read!!
This was a cute read! Aside from the two romances, which ranged from sweet to sexy, I absolutely loved the burgeoning friendship between Joy and Maris! Even though they’d worked together for years, neither one had really taken a step out of their comfort zones and it was nice to see a positive female friendship. Joy’s son, Jack was just an all-around cutie pants with his artistic eye and loving personality. And I can’t forget the furbaby! Chaos was a rescue dog Royce, Joy and Jack found, and he more then lived up to his namesake…
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A family is not forged in blood & relation but in love! Joy was turned away from her family in her time of greatest need but she managed to land at Summers End & built her own family out of her son & her co-workers. Maris and Joy became as close as sisters and held each other up when they needed encouragement. They pushed each other forward in their relationships when they alone would have held back. Daron and Royce become close friends & treat each other as brothers as the story progresses.
I loved these characters! Ms. Foster takes you through every emotion you can feel within family interactions in this story! Jack & Chaos are wonderful comic additions to the story. With Jack, you realize how hard life has been on Joy in the last years but that it was totally worth it. I really can’t find the words to properly explain this story & how it affected me. Give it a chance! You really will enjoy it.
This was a feel good story from the start. Joy and Royce were engaging however Jack stole the heart of the story. I loved seeing Joy and Maris become good friends and Joy opening herself up to the family that she had created. It was obvious from the first meeting that Jack and Royce were gong to be the best of buddies and I was not disappointed in that relationship and how it evolved. Chaos and Jack were so heart warming. I loved how Daron broke down Maris’s defenses and also showed her the world around her with different eyes. This was a family that cared and protected each other. This is a great story!!
Sisters of Summer’s End is a Sweet, Sexy, Heartwarming read. Two women, Joy and Maris who come from different backgrounds, but find common ground as sister friends. Then there is the attraction between Joy and hottie drive-in owner Royce. Both want a no commitment relationship, or so they think..let the sparks fly. Joy’s little boy Jack was so cute and Let’s not forget Chaos (love the name) the adopted puppy.
I loved Joy’s initial run down of Royce. Butt. Nana. Neat Freak. Lol. The intimate scenes are smexy and just right. There’s a wrench thrown in when Joy’s estranged mom comes to Cooper’s Charm looking for Joy.
We get a secondary story with Maris and Daron. These two were a treat. Daron working on breaking down Maris’s emotional walls was fun to watch, and Maris opening up to the possibility of love.
I loved the first book Cooper’s Charm and I was happy to see cameos of Coop, Baxter, Phoenix and Riley. and Sisters of Summer’s End is equally loved. Lori Foster writes my favorite Alpha, hotties and smart capable heroines. She melds two romance story’s so flawlessly and always has a satisfying HEA.
Grab this gem, Ms. Foster never disappoints.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy.
I really liked Sisters of Summers End. It was refreshing and yet still felt like coming home.
Isn’t it just like life and love to screw up two completely normal peoples’ plans? Our H is finally putting his priorities first after caring for another until the end. His first priority is getting the local drive-in running on all cylinders. Our h is sticking to being the best mom and employee for the local campground, Cooper’s Charm, she can be. It’s a respectable plan – one I identified with. I’m not sure of Foster’s experience with single moms but in several instances she hit it spot on.
One thing I really liked about our H is, when he recognized the pull he had for our h, he didn’t run from it. The easy plot of “commitment-phobe” isn’t something you often see in Foster books as her works are evidence of her originality and creativity. That doesn’t mean you will never see one of her books with this line of thought because some people really are commitment-phones! I simply mean to say she doesn’t use it as a default or go-to as many writers seem to.
As with Cooper’s Charm, we got a bonus love story in Maris and Daron. Maris, too, had a plan – routines, pride, financial comfort, and independence. Daron comes off like a player but being a player and playing the field are two very different things. And, now, Darron is doing neither because he can’t shake Maris from his thoughts anymore!
Side Note: I LOVED the budding friendship between Maris and Joy. It was so…real!
As the book progresses the reader truly understands the tilting of this book. A warm, refreshing, friendship…a sisterhood grows between Maris and Joy. Those two definitely deserved to have a sister in their lives. It’s a beautiful thread within this book. I love a good romance but in this day and age of manufactured online “friendships” there was something so endearing about this friendship that I honestly loved reading about it as much as the romances.
Everything was believable, even relatable. The character development was well done (as it always is with Foster). The love was sweet and heart-warming. This book was a definite 4.5 across the board.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy.
Lori Foster never disappoints! This is the ultimate HEA story. It has kids and dogs, family strife all wrapped up in a family of the heart.
All the characters were strong; well developed and very likable. I especially like a well-behaved child. I’d even be up for another book continuing with both brides-to-be and what follows.
This book was gifted to me by the publisher in return for an honest review. on this one!
A wonderful trip back to Cooper’s Charm RV Resort in this second book of the series. It did not disappoint! I fell in love with Royce and Joy and especially Jack! Wait until you meet Chaos! I really enjoy the way Lori incorporates 2 stories in one! You get to cheer on both the lucky men and women in the same book! I liked the way the group rallied around Joy and the way she finally opened up to Maris and vice versa. They each needed the other to get through their past baggage and learn to love who they are and let their men love them. There are some steamy moments in that great Lori Foster style and some tears that I didn’t expect. That’s all I’m saying for now. This is a fantastic continuation of this series and I highly recommend it! I received an ARC and this is my honest and unsolicited opinion.