Title: The Summer Getaway
Author: Susan Mallery
Year published: 2022
Category: Adult fiction
Pages: 416 pages
Summary: One woman discovers the beauty in chaos in this poignant and heartwarming story about the threads that hold family together from #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery.
With her divorce settlement about to run out and a mortgage she can’t afford, Robyn Caldwell needs a plan for her future. She nurtured her family and neglected herself. But how’s she supposed to think when her daughter has become the most demanding bride ever, her son won’t even consider college, her best friend is on the brink of marital disaster and her ex is making a monumentally bad decision that could bring everything crashing down on Robyn’s head? So when her great-aunt Lillian invites her to Santa Barbara for the summer, Robyn hops on the first plane.
But it’s hard to run away when you’re the heart of the family. One by one, everyone she left behind follows her across the country. Somehow, their baggage doesn’t feel as heavy in the sun-drenched, mishmash mansion. The more time Robyn spends with free-spirited Lillian, the more she sees the appeal in taking chances—on dreams, on love, on family. Life is meant to be lived on purpose. All she has to do is muster the courage to take a chance on herself.
Excerpt:
Since her parents’ divorce four years ago, Cord Caldwell had been enjoying the
single life. He was a serial dater who always had a girlfriend. The longest she’d known
him to be without someone in his life was maybe three days. Her mother, on the other
hand, had waited a year to start dating. She told Harlow that she hadn’t met anyone
interesting enough to see more than a couple of times. That had changed about a year
ago, when her mom had gotten involved with Jase, a local cardiologist. They’d become
a thing, dating exclusively. Her mother rarely shared details, unlike her dad, who
sometimes told her too much.
She waited a couple of minutes, but her father showed no signs of ending the call.
Finally she caught his eye and tapped on her watch.
“Hey, let me call you back,” he said, his tone low and sexy. “Uh-huh. Me, too.”
Harlow did her best not to gag. Yes, she and her father were both adults, but she
didn’t like seeing this side of him. He was her parent, not a friend. But Cord had never
been big on boundaries.
“What’s up?” he asked when he’d ended the call.
“We’re back from the charter.” She tossed him the keys. “She’s clean and ready for
tomorrow. Austin’s off, and I’m taking out the fishermen. I’ll be back at five thirty.” In the
morning. Not her favorite, but part of the job. “You’ll look over the paperwork from the
lawyer?”
Her father hesitated just long enough for her to guess the truth. “Dad, why won’t you
read through the offer? You have to agree to the terms before we can move forward on
buying the business.”
“I’ll get to it.”
“It’s been nearly a week. Can you read it tonight?”
“Sure. Tonight.”
She ignored her surge of frustration. “We talked about this all last summer. You said it
was a great idea for us to expand into the easy money of kayak and paddleboard
rentals. I did everything you said. I found a good business to buy, I came up with a
business plan, I talked to a lawyer, and now we’re ready to present an offer as soon as
you say go. Have you changed your mind?”
“I’ve been busy, Harlow. I’ll get to it.”
When? But she knew there was no point in pushing. Her father moved at his own
pace.
“Then I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said before walking out of his office.
She collected her handbag, then joined Enid out front.
“What?” her friend asked. “You upset?”
“It’s just my dad. He’s dragging his feet on the purchase.”
“Of the business you want him to buy?”
“Yeah. But I’ll let it go. Come on, you. We’ll have the best girls’ night out ever.”
Enid laughed. “That’s a very high bar.”
Tour Schedule:
Monday, February 21st: Books Cooks Looks
Tuesday, February 22nd: Reading Reality
Wednesday, February 23rd: SusanLovesBooks
Thursday, February 24th: Kahakai Kitchen
Friday, February 25th: From the TBR Pile
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Monday, February 28th: Laura’s Reviews
Tuesday, March 1st: Bookchickdi
Wednesday, March 2nd: The Bookish Dilettante
Thursday, March 3rd: What is That Book About
Friday, March 4th: The Romance Dish
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Monday, March 7th: Girl Who Reads
Tuesday, March 8th: Bibliotica
Wednesday, March 9th: Helen’s Book Blog
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Sunday, March 13th: Novel Gossip
Monday, March 14th: Books and Bindings
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