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 really enjoyed this book. It was engaging from the very beginning, so much so I pretty much read it in one sitting. I’m not usually a fan of third person writing style. It makes it sometimes hard for me to connect to the story and find it distracting. Especially when you get many different points of views. I didn’t have that problem with this book at all. This is a book that shows that sometimes the people you can count on the most and call family are the people you choose, with some surprises along the way. I would definitely recommend this book!
Received an arc for an honest review
This is the story of Brynn, Kinsey and Eli who knew each other from summer camp during their childhoods. We get to read Brynn and Kinsey’s diary entries from their times at camp – Kinsey was the mean girl and Eli was her best friend who Brynn crushed on and received her first kiss from. As an adult, Brynn has come home and runs into Eli at the hospital. Like the dual romantic relationships in this book as well as the development of Brynn and Kinsey’s relationship.
I loved so many things about this book. I loved the dual storylines of Kinsey and Deck, Brynn and Eli. I loved how basically all the characters grew up with each other and how fate decided to bring them back together. I can’t wait to read what’s next!
The Summer Deal (Wildstone, #5) by Jill Shalvis …Jill’s books just keep getting better and better. I hated to put this down long enough to eat and sleep. I cried ugly tears, and happy tears, I laughed and had so many feelings. I don’t know how she got so much into one book. This book was what I needed to help me forget for a while what is happening in our world today. The feels in this touched my heart and the steam was good too. Can’t wait for the next book THE FOREVER GIRL.
Loved, loved this story that is so full of emotions ( I laughed and cried through our). Brynn and Kinsey were frenemies at summer camp growing up. Also attending summer camp was Eli, who just wants to be friends with everyone. Fast forward into adulthood and Brynn has returned home to Wildwood and now shares a house with Eli and Kinsey. Kinsey has a big secret that she has kept from Brynn, they are half sisters. Eli, lives out his childhood crush with Brynn. Kinsey has a complicated relationship with Deck.
This story has two romances along with plenty of drama. So many life lessons are learned, letting go of the past, forgiveness and it’s ok to love. Loved the banter between Kinsey and Brynn. This is a hard book to put down. I was not ready to say goodbye. I highly recommend!!
This is my 100th book for this year and what a beaut story it was. I started thinking thank goodness I’m working from home and not reading on the train. I could feel a tear-jerker coming on, but you know what, it just gave me the happy feels instead.
These characters were wonderful, great back stories that kept me glued to my kindle. Actually at times they annoyed me but that’s what an author wants, involvement and emotions. Secrets coming to light could have ended their rocky relationships, all of them, couples and family. You’ll just be hoping for a HEA after all the angst. I also enjoyed the flashback diary entries from when the girls were young at camp.
Fantastic read of love, pain, secrets, bad relationships and more secrets. I loved every minute.
4.5*
The Summer Deal was such a great story, I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did! Why, I don’t know- it’s not like I really had any preconceived ideas going in, but it’s one of those stories that just kind of crept up on me and took me by surprise.
I loved how Brynn, Kinsey, and Eli’s lives were all intertwined. I loved the “found family” aspect of this story. Even though Brynn has 2 wonderful moms, Kinsey and Eli, and Max, were sorely lacking in the family department and created one of their own, and welcomed (some more easily than others) Brynn into the fold when she returned home to Wildstone.
Brynn comes home bearing a heavy weight and feeling down on herself. I liked the way Ms. Shalvis had Brynn work through her issues- things didn’t automatically get better for her once she was home, at times even causing her more pain. There was a lot she needed to come to terms with, to accept and move on from, and I think it was all dealt with in a realistic way. The blossoming romance with Eli was sweet, and sexy, and it was nice to see her find someone that truly loved her. I liked that there was a bit of a second chance romance aspect to their relationship.
I enjoyed the multi points of view in this book, that we got to see things through Brynn, Kinsey, and Eli’s eyes. Their lives are all so connected, it was nice to get to “know” all three. I especially liked when we were inside Kinsey’s head, and I was happy that we got to see her grow over the course of the book. I loved her romance with Deck, he was all kinds of swoony! Her relationship with Brynn was really the catalyst for this story, and I did enjoy the way things played out between them.
The Summer Deal is a perfect summery read- sweet, swoony, and heartfelt.
Although it is book 5 in the Wildstone series, it can definitely be read as a standalone- there are no overlapping or continuing storylines.
4.5 star
I was pulled right into this story. The story has pain, secrets, second chances, and heartbreak.
If you have not read the below I would recommend reading those books(s) first
Lost and Found Sisters (Wildstone, #1)
The Good Luck Sister (Wildstone #1.5)
Rainy Day Friends (Wildstone #2)
The Lemon Sisters (Wildstone #3)
Almost Just Friends (Wildstone #4)
This is Brynn and Eli’s story. Brynn, Eli, and Kinsey are crazy in their own way. They are all dealing with different issues. Eli and Kinsey were always together but not in love as they have always just been friends. People sometimes thought they were more, but they were not. This story will get emotional at times and get you completely frustrated at others. Eli and Brynn have a ton of secrets between them and when they come out things will get shaken up. Can the trust they thought they had really be true trust or will this break them apart? Can they have a future with so little trust?
I loved these characters and the side characters. I felt I could connect with the characters and the story was a great read.
I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next story from this author.
ARC received from author for an honest review
3.5 stars
Welcome back to Wildstone, where family and friends make your life better.
There are blood family, and the family that Brynn creates is more than you expect.
I adore a second chance at romance, and I liked the relationships on the periphery of things, but I wasn’t that taken with Brynn and Eli. I was more a Deck and Kinsey fan than the main characters – but that could just be me.
And a huge personality in this tale is a dog called Mini – you’ll love this one.
I felt that Brynn was a hypocrite, calling everyone else on their behaviour, then doing exactly the same thing. She took to Kinsey being her sister in a heartbeat, but then ignored everything her sister said and wants. She grated on me.
I really liked Kinsey -she is what she is, and she doesn’t take any crap from anyone about what they think.
It sounds like I didn’t like this book, but I did, just not as much as the other Jill SHalvis books. This one was an anomoly, and I am looking forward to the next book.
In “The Summer Deal”, Jill Shalvis takes us back to Wildstone with a heart-felt and humorous story about friends and family.
Brynn, who is afraid to trust after life knocks her down.
Kinsey, who keeps everyone at a distance.
And Eli, Brynn’s childhood crush and Kinsey’s best friend, who brings them all together. Until secrets revealed threaten to tear them apart.
Ms. Shalvis has the ability to draw the reader in, making them care about the characters she creates and “The Summer Deal” is no exception. It is a must-read and deserves a place on your keeper shelf.
Brynn, Eli and Kinsey all went to the same summer camp as kids. Brynn and Kinsey didn’t care for each other and they didn’t care for camp. Eli was the peace keeper of them both. Brynn had her first kiss from Eli, so camp wasn’t always that horrible.
This story goes from past to present quite a bit and gives us the story behind why Brynn and Kinsey didn’t get along, when really they have a lot in common and share something very special.
Bynn comes back to town as an adult and a broken heart from her ex. She reconnects with Eli and she winds up moving in with him and his other roommates. It’s the perfect location, and the perfect house until she finds out Kinsey is also one of her roommates. It seems Eli likes to collect broken people and help fix them.
So many twists and turns in this story! I enjoyed the characters and the story!!
Jill Shalvis’ Wildstone series has sucked me in from the beginning and gets better with each book. The Summer Deal has the romance I’ve come to expect and also the deeper dive into familial relationships. The latter is what makes The Summer Deal that much more amazing. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a good romance, but romances don’t touch my feels as much as family stuff does (and there were lots of feels in this one).
The Summer Deal focuses on Brynn, Kinsey and Eli, who have known each other since their summer camp days. They have quite a bit of animosity between the two girls and there is also a big secret. I won’t spoil it, but the reader learns what it is well before it comes all the way out, adding a dose of tension to the story. Eli and Kinsey are more like brother and sister than friends, and Eli is Brynn’s former summertime crush. Despite all the things happening and reasons why it should work the three of them were a great “made family”.
Brynn and Kinsey each get their own romance. Brynn with Eli and Kinsey with a Deck. While I loved and appreciated the story’s focus on the family aspect, I wouldn’t have said no to more to Deck.
There were times were Brynn and Kinsey were frustrating, especially Kinsey and her motivations for her decisions. However, I can also get why one would feel that way, and truthfully if everything were perfect that would bother me more.
In addition to the main characters we see a quite a bit of Brynn’s mom’s. They were amazing and awesome and supportive, all of which Brynn needed.
If you’re a fan of Jill Shalvis’ books, you won’t be disappointed in The Summer Deal.
I was disappointed that this book fell a bit flat for me. I thought Brynn forgave Kinsey too quickly, especially after the way she had treated her in camp. Kinsey comes across as a coward. She had known Brynn was related to her since they were teenagers, and she couldn’t bring herself to tell Brynn despite Eli’s urging, nor could she bring herself to tell Brynn the truth about their father. All she had to do was be honest, and so much of the drama could have been avoided.
I started off liking Eli, but by the end I wasn’t crazy about him, either. He knew the truth and kept it from Brynn. I understood that he thought Kinsey should have been the one to tell her, but when it was clear she wasn’t going to, he should have stepped in. Then he gets mad at Brynn for getting mad at him when she finally learns the truth. I wish he had more of a backbone.
I think the only character I was really rooting for was Deck, Kinsey’s boyfriend who she won’t admit is her boyfriend. He’s also the nurse that takes care of Kinsey when she goes for dialysis. He tries to get Kinsey to do what she should, and he always supports her even if he’s disappointed with her choices.
This is the fifth book in the Wildstone series, but it can be read as a standalone. While I liked the concept of the story, the execution just didn’t work for me. This wasn’t my favorite book in the series.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy**
*I received a free copy of The Summer Deal. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review which is honest and unbiased.*
Shalvis has managed to create a cast of characters that felt so real to me! Sometimes, I wanted to slap them, and other times, I just wanted to hug them and tell them that everything would somehow be OK.
The intricate relationships, and the very different personalities of the characters were the two things that moved the story forward. And I am a big fan of character driven stories. Shalvis had two girls who hated each other at summer camp meet again as adults. Life had not been easy on either of them, but they both thought that other people’s lives were better than their own. (And isn’t that just something we do?)
Enter a very nice, sexy and handsome Eli, who was linked to both women in the past, and who wanted something more in the present.
A lovely, beautifully written romance that will make your heart soar!
Right from the beginning, I was drawn into the storytelling in The Summer Deal, another winning story in the Wildstone series by Jill Shalvis. I think the major reason I was so drawn to this story was it just felt more “real” as a story. This really felt like a real life story – as opposed to straight fiction read. Guess I was drawn into the story more than I thought!
Brynn was trying to get her act together after some tough life situations (mostly attributable to her own actions) and I really hoped that this move back to her hometown was going to be successful. There of course were hiccups along the way (of course there was!). Brynn finally decides living with her mom’s has got to stop. She needs to move out and begin her life again (that is what heartache and a louse for an ex will do to a girl – lower her self esteem). Lo and behold, the room she finds to rent is in a house with her frenemy from summer camp – Kinsey and her crush from way back then – Eli. Well this should prove interesting, and it does.
There are many secrets to ferret out as well as feelings to resolve or acknowledge. I liked the slow burn and finally a flame that was the relationship between Eli and Brynn. I really LOVED Deck, he was the perfect boyfriend for Kinsey. The moms, Raina and Olive were like yin and yang – totally polar opposites that SO worked.
One of my favourite quotes from the book relates to when Brynn’s mom’s were talking with Brynn regarding her new living arrangement, the roommates: Kinsey and Eli, and Brynn’s mixed up feelings with respect to Eli:
“He’s wonderful,” Raina said.
Olive nodded. “But he’s also a man. And where there’s a penis, there’s trouble.”
Brynn choked on her banana bread.
Definitely had me laughing!
And of course – the cover of the book just beckoned me to jump into the “pool” that is this book – very inviting.
If you are looking for a good, summer read with love, laughter, a bit of naughty and some head shaking to go along with the interesting parts – then The Summer Deal is for you. If you are a fan of Jill Shalvis – then The Summer Deal is for you. If you have never read a book by Jill Shalvis – but want to start – the The Summer Deal is for you!
*I would like to thank the author for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
Wonderful read. The story so good that even after I finished my mind wouldn’t let it go. I wanted to stay in that world. This will be one of those books I put on my keeper shelf reread again and again.
The Summer Deal is a definite DEAL for me!
Brynn, Kinsey, and Eli attended the same summer camp as kids and teens but they didn’t all have the best time or get along. Now years later they are all home in Wildstone and find that they were meant to be closer than summer camp friends, they were meant to be family.
I love the Wildstone books so much because you get all the funny and sexy of a Jill Shalvis romance but you also get an extra layer of family and self exploration….and usually two love stories!!!
Brynn needs to trust herself to make the right decisions despite a run of bad luck. Eli needs to know that someone picks him for him. And Kinsey needs someone to fight with her to prove they want to protect her as much as she wants to protect them. Add in Max, Eli’s younger brother, and Deck, Kinsey’s lover who wants to be more, not to mention a few adorable kindergarteners, Mini the dog, and Brynn’s Moms and you’ve got a story bursting with heart, love, affection, what it means to be family.
And don’t be afraid to jump into the Wildstone world right here, as the books aren’t really connected beyond being set in the same town.
I received a complimentary review copy of this book but all opinions are my own.
This is so much more than a love story about one couple. Jill Shalvis has created a wonderful story about life, love, family and friendship and all the experiences that shape us along the way whether they’re difficult or easy. And how the family you choose is just as important, sometimes more, than the one you are born into. Filled with extremely lovable yet complex characters, even if you may want to smack them sometimes, Brynn and Eli, Kinsey and Deck and of course Max, take us on a beautiful but often times messy journey. While Brynn and Eli are the main H/h and I love them for each other; there are all kinds of amazing moments that make up this heartfelt story, humorous, passionate, and serious, but all lead to a fantastic HEA. I loved them all! Such an amazing and enjoyable read!
Whenever I pick up a book by this talented author, I know that it will not only be one that I will remember for a long time ,but also one that will be thought provoking , touching and a winner. This one was just that.
The story centers around Brynn Turner, Kinsey Davis and Eli Thomas. These three met in summer camp during their childhood, never realizing that they would meet again as adults and that their lives would be intertwined forever.
Brynn returns home to Wildstone after her life emblods . Home to her wonderful moms that love her unconditionally. Kinsey, Brynn’s nemesis during camp, has suffered all her life with kidney disease and needs a transplant. Kinsey is not the easiest character to like, but once we learn about her past, we understand her.
Eli , now a marine biologist and owner of an old home by the beach, where his half-brother Max and Kinsey also live, has his own demons. He’s been left behind too many times, but he still has a heart of gold. When he sees Brynn in need, he offers her a room to rent and as he sees the opportunity not only to reconnect with her, but mainly to give Brynn and Kinsey a chance of “finding “ each other.
As these characters as well as the secondary characters, all perfect in their imperfections, navigate life, they discover that family is not always those we are born into , but those we created.
The author also reminds us , “ When it comes to love , there is no paying back…real love goes to the ends of the earth with no regrets.”
Kudos to the author for another wonderful story.
I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely y own.
Jill Shalvis is my go to author for an uplifting read with great characters. I love every book she has written, and this was no exception.