The Summer Deal (Wildstone, #5)

by Jill Shalvis

[stacey_is_sassy]

Loving someone, faults and all…

While going for my morning walk with hubby (in a social-distancing appropriate way), I was thinking about my review of The Summer Deal. I was contemplating about how this story made me feel, and how some families are born, and some are made. While reading a lot of Jill Shalvis’ stories, I find myself appreciative of what I have when compared to the lives of the characters. I am so glad that I didn’t have to make my own version of a family because I’m pretty stoked with the one I have.

Famous last words…I mean thoughts…

Geez, my family can drive me insane with all their caring, thoughtful attentiveness and stuff. I swear my mother thinks I’m an idiot sometimes. She likes to forward me articles with helpful tips on finance, health, education, food, fashion, living with boys and a million other random subjects. It's like she's forgotten that she's already taught me how to be a good, law-abiding citizen with a brain in my head.

I should probably take all of that back but it sort of has a bit to do with The Summer Deal. See, a lot of this story is about dealing with your family whether it be the one you’re born into or the one you have made for yourself. By the end, it was very clear to me that it doesn’t matter if it’s born or made, they’ll always drive you insane but they do it because they care.

I really liked Brynn, Eli and Kinsey and found them to be extremely annoying. I think it is realistic to like characters but also find them frustrating too because nobody is perfect. In this case, Brynn is returning home from a failed relationship and she’s suffering from “I’m such an idiot” syndrome. Eli, well the poor bugger has, “my life goal is to take care of everyone else…” syndrome. And, finally, Kinsey has, “I’ll scratch your eyes out if you dare look at me with pity” syndrome. In other words, these three are MESSED UP!!

Now, you might be asking how we have three main characters but we’re not talking ménage. Well, Brynn and Eli are our love interests and Kinsey is connected to them both. I can honestly say, that Jill Shalvis does a fantastic job of convincing me that there are no romantic feelings between Eli and Kinsey, even though they have been connected since they were kids. Her way of convincing me is Deck. Wow!! I LOVED Deck! I may even be a little sad that this wasn’t Deck’s story. Not saying I didn’t enjoy Brynn and Eli's love story… but DECK.