There is a fine line between being indulged and being spoiled rotten. That’s what kept popping into my mind while reading THE SUMMER GETAWAY by Susan Mallery. If anyone wanted to create some characters that were challenging to like, this story provided the perfect vehicle.

At the center is a family split by a divorce. That’s never easy but this was an almost anticipated end to a marriage. A husband cheating with much younger women, if not physically but certainly bent on flirting. Then you have a twenty something daughter busy planning her dream wedding. The problem is her insistence on her childhood wedding dreams. There’s a problem with accepting changes. Because of a health issue when she was young, Harlow has been pampered. That’s understandable but, as an adult, it’s not attractive on many levels.

Eighteen-year-old son Austin is flitting back and forth on his desire for independence. At the same time Austin’s attachment to his mother is very strong. Family is important. Austin is a realist too. Life has changed for all of them.

The mom Robyn finds herself at a crossroads in her own life, and disappointed in a lack of planning for her own future. She’s also worried that Austin isn’t planning on college and Harlow is too young to be getting married.

With so much static, Robyn needs some calm. She heads off to the home of her Aunt Lillian and Uncle Leo, who have always been her sanctuary, peace and security. Robyn needs that right now. What she didn’t expect was her reaction to Mason, Uncle Leo’s nephew slated to inherit part of Lillian and Leo’s estate. The two had never met. Didn’t know what to expect of the other. And both equally gobsmacked.
Delightful turn of events written with aplomb by the master Susan Mallery. Once you have that smile on your face it’s almost impossible to wipe it off. All you want is a happy ending, even if you know there will be random thorns in the path.

THE SUMMER GETAWAY is a tale about changes and growth, both physical and emotional. With insecurities abounding the characters in THE SUMMER GETAWAY learn to accept changes and move with them along a new course in their lives. Life is about adapting to rough patches. Learning to respect yourself and realizing that what worked in the past just may need some tweaking.

Trust is a central theme in THE SUMMER GETAWAY.  Robyn’s sense of trust and security was severely tested in her marriage to her now ex Cord. Perhaps Robyn had stars in her eyes when she met Cord. But her determination to keep the family together for the sake of her children led her down a path of disappointment and betrayal on many levels. In THE SUMMER GETAWAY it seems prudent to run toward the one place that has happy memories. But as Susan Mallery illustrates how important it is to look to the future with your eyes wide open. Taking an honest look at the behavior of those surrounding you will ultimately help everyone. Everyone needs a reality check occasionally. And this cast of characters is ripe for that.

Book Summary