Ana's Reviews > The Summer House

Originally posted on This Chick Reads

I'm a HUGE fan of Jenny Hale and she really is my go-to author whenever I'm in need of a sweet romance book. She's got such an enormous talent and writing skills and really can create the most gorgeous, lovable characters. Especially the male characters, boy..they'll sweep you off your feet. The Summer House is truly an enjoyable and gorgeous read, just like the cover. I remember seeing the cover for the first time and thinking how mesmerizing it is. How it screams 'Freedom' and 'Beauty'. Besides thinking the cover art is amazing I really think it captures the very essence of the story.

Callie and her friend, Olivia have just bought a house in North Carolina’s Outer Banks and they're doing their best to finish renovating and open the B & B just by the end of summer. Ever since the first time they visited Olivia's grandmother in this small, picturesque place they've dreamed of buying a house there and starting their own business. They were thrilled when they finally could make an offer on the house and start their new business venture. As in all of Hale's stories, there's a dishy hero ready to sweep the heroine off her feet. A guy most romance lovers will drool over, and list him in their top 10 book hero crushes. Luke Sullivan is gorgeous, smart, classy and despite the rumors he's a playboy, he's actually a great and well mannered guy. If I wasn't already familiar with Jenny's books I might have feared of 'rich boy meets a not so rich girl'cliche, and even think the hero would be a spoiled brat, however I knew this was not going to be the case. Jenny's book couples sometimes tend to be on the border of too good to be true or 'too perfect', however this doesn't bother me the slightest. It's actually one of the reasons why I love books, especially romance ones, cause in these stories everything is possible and I can forget all about my real problems and even for a while believe the world is perfect. The story is just so gorgeous it actually makes you forget about yourself as you get immersed in Callie's life, her relationship with Luke and the mystery of the diary.

Speaking of this mysterious diary, Callie stumbles upon while renovating the house, it contains some very intriguing things, some secrets which might destroy certain people and their lives. Should she reveal it? Should she do something about it?

While there are kind of two stories to follow, the whole mystery part is in the background and adds more drama to the book. It's clear Jenny wanted to give the book more depth and complexity however I didn't find it as interesting as the romance part. Don't get me wrong, it still kept my interest and made me turn the pages with the speed of light, however if I compare it to the romance...it didn't flow that easy. But I was (as usual) totally immersed in Luke and Callie's story and adored the chemistry between them. If you're looking for a clean romance, this is definitely the book for you.

Another forte of Jenny's is location and how she manages to completely transport you to this beautiful, colourful place in North Carolina. It's like you can smell the salt in the air, feel the sunshine rays on your skin, breathe in the sea air. I could close my eyes and already feel at the beach, feeling that freedom and enjoying the nature. Jenny's the absolute master in describing the scenery and making you feel like you're actually there.

If you're a fan of sweet romance stories that will leave you feeling all fuzzy and warm inside, look no further! The Summer House is the perfect beach read. Prepare yourself to meet your next book crush (Luke <3 ) and to spend hours gushing about it.