This was a breezy, light read—perfect for the summer!

Ginny Masters has been managing a posh boutique hotel in Seattle for years—and tolerating her insufferable manager for much too long. Meanwhile, Jacqueline Potter feels like a fish out of water managing her grandfather’s old fishing lodge in Idaho Falls.

Frustrated with their jobs, the two decide to make profiles on a job-swapping website and agree to a 60-day contract to trade management positions. These two women couldn’t be more different—work ethic included. And when things begin to fall apart earlier than anticipated, it leaves them both wondering if they’ll fall back together again.

Like I said earlier, this was a quick and easy read, but man, I had some strong feelings about one of the MCs. I don’t think I’ve ever disliked a character more than I disliked her. (You’ll figure out which one quickly.) Whew!! But clearly my strong feelings about her meant that I was invested in the story—and I was!

It was a clean read with a light faith theme. And there was character growth which I always enjoy—even though it came a bit later than I would have liked.

I’m giving this one 3.5 stars. I enjoyed it overall, but I much preferred one storyline over the other.

This was a solid two star read for me. I took a chance on this story, hoping for a fun, new beach read. I looked forward to the idea of job swapping, the hospitality industry and the beautiful settings of the city of Seattle and a rustic fishing lodge in Idaho.

I enjoyed Ginny's work ethic and her backstory as it spoke volumes of her character. I love how she brought light and life into Jack's world/lodge, sweetly cheered on those around her and in general, was a good person. I didn't love that her work-ethic was downplayed as a workaholic, or the implied idea she needed a man in her life for it to be complete, but did understand her hopes for something "more" in her life.

Jacqueline, however, was a character that I found manipulative, immature and generally annoying. I kept hoping to see her character change but it came a little too late and was without remorse. Because of her character in 75% of the story, her romance with Adrian wasn't believable. (I actually felt bad for him, a sweet guy dealing two manipulative women in his life.)

The romance between Ginny and Ben was subtle and came late in the story. I'd been hoping for more flirting, a few romantic scenes maybe, and felt there were several missed opportunities for them to have deepened their connection.

Other noteworthy elements were a touch of faith on Ginny's part, and a bit of humor in Jack's scenes that made me smile. There were several mentions of alcohol and the characters engaged in casual drinking which surprised (and disappointed) me for this publisher. There were a handful of times that the dialogue fell flat, felt stiff, or used phrases that didn't suit the young characters of a contemporary romance. I found myself skimming over certain pages because nothing was grabbing my interest in the scene.

Overall, a clean, light romance that offers an interesting plot wherein two FMCs swap jobs and step into each other's lives with one girl headed towards big city living and the other towards a rustic, riverfront lodge. If you're looking for a summer afternoon read, this may be a book you'll enjoy. Be prepared to not love a few characters very much, but keep in mind, there's a reason and some growth to be had.

CW & TW: Losing a loved one to cancer, casual drinking, several uses of "clean" swearing (darn, dad-burned, etc), divorce, toxic character traits.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to write a positive review. Thank you to the publisher for sharing this book!

Title: Just for the Summer


Author: Melody Carlson



Chapters:34



Pages: 288



Genre: Christian Contemporary Fiction Christian Contemporary romance



Rating: 4 stars



Publisher: Revell



I enjoyed Melody Carlson's Just for the Summer. I love a good switcharoo story. And Just for the summer doesn't disappoint. Though I have to admit I liked Ginny's point of view more than Jacqueline’s, it took me quite a bit to warm up to her. But Ginny I clicked with from the beginning. Big sister to big sister. Though the age gap between me and my sister is nine years not ten. So, I could easily see myself in Ginny's story. With Jacqueline for most of the story I felt like she didn’t realize what she had. And the love stories were sweet.



I do have to say there was quite a lot of character growth. And like most contemporary books I read I enjoyed the secondary characters who help make the story.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher as part of a blog tour I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.



I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Switching jobs for the summer was a dream come true for both Ginny and Jacqueline, who seemed to be stuck in their jobs. They were stuck but didn’t know where to go next. All parties agree to change jobs and living arrangements as spelled out on the job app.

It was delightful to watch two lost souls discover their place in this world. Both women quickly realize that the pursuit of happiness entails more than merely altering their surroundings Everyone is better for their discovery! Aside from the clever banter, strange and enjoyable circumstances, I was pleasantly surprised by the author’s depth in getting to the heart of the matter.

This makes for a great summer read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book from the publisher, and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

I've been reading Melody Carlson books for as long as she's been writing them. They never fail to entertain me, make me laugh, sometimes even cry, and they always point me back to Jesus!

Facing problems and unhappiness at their respective jobs, hotel manager Ginny and lodge manager Jacqueline decide to swap jobs for the summer (60 days).

This sounded like a fun story, and it was! It read very much like a cute Hallmark movie. Jacqueline and Ginny are practically opposites so it was easy to see where things were headed, but still enjoyable to read about.

I felt the end was a little rushed and abrupt, but overall a good story for a light read. I would recommend this as a vacation (maybe a fishing trip??) read to pass the time.

Just for the Summer is a beach read about two very different women. Ginny Masters has a high pressure job managing a boutique hotel in Seattle. Jacqueline Potter manages her grandfather's rustic fishing lodge in Idaho. Both are unhappy with their lives and sign up at a job swap site. They swap jobs for the summer - and find a new perspective on life as a result.

I wanted to read this novel because I enjoy Melody Carlson's books. They never disappoint!

Ginny is a very sympathetic character, hard working and sincere. She learns to relax and enjoy life more when she goes to work at the fishing lodge that needs a lot of freshening up and new energy. She also meets a handsome river guide and romantic sparks fly! Jacqueline is much less sympathetic. She is someone who loves the finer things in life and she has not wanted to really work for those things in the past. She is challenged when she goes to work in Seattle at the always busy hotel - with a very demanding boss. She also encounters a possible romantic match.

This was a fun novel and a fast read. It would be perfect for a weekend read or as a true beach read.

“Spoken like a true fisherwoman… Leave your troubles behind and go fishing.” ☕📚

This is a (General Fiction/Adult - Woman’s Fiction - Clean Romance) book by Melody Carlson, newly released from Revell on March 19, 2024.

WHAT’S TO LOVE? This clean contemporary romance had a fun take on the swapping of lives by two women. We are shown the interesting but challenging lifestyle and personality of two female characters. We get a chance to hang out inside both of their heads throughout, and they couldn’t be more different! I liked the premise that they may switch jobs, homes, and towns, but what will happen with their old friends and love interests???

Let’s start with the adorably fun book title and cover. Super cute!

I love how chapter one begins in the midst of one of them (Ginny) being reprimanded by her demanding boss in Seattle. The dual POVs are clearly separated by chapters, which I appreciate SO much (Some authors don’t do this). Chapter two begins with the other woman (Jacqueline) having a bit of a temper tandrum in Idaho.

*There is not one swear word - thank you!
*The romances are innocent and sweet - thank you!

WHAT DID I NOT LOVE SO MUCH? The dual POV is not my favorite in any book because I don’t want to know what the “love interest” is thinking. I like it to be a mystery.

However, the second POV in Just for the Summer was NOT the love interest, but another female main character. Different, but not bad. Not my fave, but not bad at all. I suppose it did help somewhat for the one “annoying” main character to be understood a little better and to be more tolerable. :)

I was a tad bored when the storyline spent time at the campground for long periods. I’m very outdoorsy, but the “fishing/camping” scene is not the most interesting thing to me. I enjoyed the goings on of the bougie hotel scene more! haha :)

CONSIDER READING IF… you want an easy, feel-good read without the worry of unnecessary language or spice, and if you love camping, fishing, slow romance, and the dream of swapping lives with someone else for a few weeks! 😀

MY RATING 🌟🌟🌟

☕📚 Thanks to Revell and NetGalley for my complimentary ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. ☕📚

Carlson's latest is a quick, easy read based on an interesting concept. While it's somewhat predictable, it's still enjoyable. I loved the dual POVs. I liked Ginny, and she has good development throughout the story. Sadly, I can't say the same about Jackie. She was just self-centered and annoying. Her transformation came together way too quickly. There are some religious elements to the story, which may be unexpected for some readers, but it's not preachy. There's also a romance angle, but, thankful, it's a minor part of the story.

My friends and I interviewed Melody Carlson about this title on StoryChats podcast here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq45hRyNJAM

This was different from most of the books I read. I didn't hate it, but it wasn't really for me.
I liked the story overall. It was basically just a feel-good book. There was little to no romance.
The two main characters were looking for happiness and decided to switch jobs. I really liked the fishing lodge, and that was really fun to read about. I didn't like Jaqueline at first.
There was also a religious aspect to this book, which I didn't realize until later on. Again, I didn't hate it, but it wasn't for me.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was a fun book.

The book had great pacing, but the ending fell flat it needed to be longer or include an epilogue. It had a lot of funny moments and I really enjoyed Ginny's character and the settings.

This is a Christian Contemporary Light Romance read. Ginny is the manager of a very upscale hotel, with a very demanding boss. She has had enough and decides to do something about it. She finds an ad about job swapping and gets an inquiry from Jaqueline. Jaqueline is pristine and not happy to be manager of her grandfathers fishing lodge. She writes to Ginny and they make a contract to job swap for two months. Both ladies are ready for a change and challenge, but will they both be surprised at what each job details? After a few weeks, one is ready to stay at there new job and the other wants to stay, however, seems overwhelmed and not knowing what to do.

I would recommend this to anyone's fun summer reading list. This is a great book to just spend a relaxing afternoon reading. I didn't want to put it down and the ending had me mad.... then it twist and I was ok with the ending... you will have to read to know what I am talking about. I love Melody Carlson books and this one is definitely another keeper to my collection. LOVED THIS STORY!!! FUN READ!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

Give me a Melody Carlson novel anytime! JUST FOR THE SUMMER, her newest release, is a delightful read. The story follows Ginny Masters, directing day-to-day activities at the swanky Hotel Jackson in Seattle, WA, and Jacqueline Potter, who works at her family’s fishing lodge in Idaho. Both women are unhappy with their jobs, apply to JobSwap, and contract for a 60-day job swap for the summer. A change-of-pace seems to be exactly what they need. New challenges crop up at their new locations, but new romances bloom, as well. Will the women be able to honor their contracts? Or is finding long-sought happiness more important?

The storyline moves quickly and flashes back and forth between locations. This is a warm, character-driven story, and the reader will remember Ginny and Jackie long after the last page is turned.

4🌟
I like the idea of 2 managers both fed up in their jobs and switching their jobs, lives and contracts to both try something new. However, I definitely preferred one character to the other as I found one of them to be quite annoying and didn't appreciate her work ethic or vibe until closer to the end to be honest. A sweet book with an importance for community, friendship and hard work.

Ginny and Jacqueline are feeling in a rut as hotel managers and decide to swap jobs for the summer to experience something new. I wasn’t sure how the job swap would pan out as I started the book, but was pleasantly surprised how it all turned out. I liked Ginny’s character with her organizational skills, hard
work ethic, and chill personality. Jacqueline, on the other hand, drove me crazv. She was a little too self-
centered and whiny for me. I loved that this book was a clean read with no swearing and no spicy love scenes. It even had a touch of religious values woven into the story which I found refreshing. I also enjoyed the HEA ending. It was the perfect way to end the book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Revell for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Just for the Summer by Melody Carlson is a sweet story about two women who trade jobs for the summer. Genevieve is a manager at an upscale boutique hotel while Jacqueline runs a fishing lodge. The two trade places for the summer and discover that life is more than where you work and where you live. Like all of her books, this one is sweet and fun with a touch of biblical truth. Loved it.

DNF this one at 20%

I wasn't able to connect with the two love interests. I really tried to push my way through but was unsuccessful. :(

This was a short and fun read. The story was sweet and I loved the dynamics between Ginny and Jack.

3.5 STARS ⭐️💫
———————
Thank you NetGalley and Revell for the opportunity to review this book.