Just for the Summer is a lovely character study by Melody Carlson. Ginny Masters has worked her way to general manager of the chic boutique Hotel Jackson Seattle, but the journey was long and difficult and her boss, Diana Jackson, isn’t making things any easier as Ginny continually proves herself. Ginny began working alongside her late mother in the laundry when she was 16, went off to college after high school but returned after just two years when her mother passed away so she could raise her younger sister Gillian. But the negative everything that Ginny endured had about pushed her to the breaking point.

Jacqueline Potter came to her grandfather’s fishing lodge in Idaho upon her college graduation with a hospitality degree. Although fun at first, Jacqueline is no longer enamored of the beautiful scenery, the ordinary lodgings, or the hard work to care for it all. She may have a college degree but no practical experience and was not a good manager at all.

Both ladies are at the ends of their ropes when they discover a job switch site and sign up to switch for something different for the summer, then are matched with each other for the summer swap. While Jacqueline has visions of grandeur upon her arrival, she soon learns she is out of her league. Meanwhile, Ginny is in love with the lodge and all the people there. She willingly helps Margie, who runs the kitchen and garden, and Cassie, the overburdened housekeeper. Ginny finds a quick friendship with fishing guide Ben and owner Jack. Using elbow grease and attic finds, Ginny fixes up the rooms one cabin at a time. And Ginny is happier than she had been in a very long time.

This is such a very good story examining the personalities of hard worker versus entitled. These characters are so well drawn and the story well plotted. I very much enjoyed this story and I do recommend it!

What a fun, easy reading sweet romance!

Ginny, hotel manager for a boutique hotel switches jobs for 60 days with Jackie, managing her family's rustic fishing lodge. In those couple months, both their lives change! Ginny finds she's more comfortable and then falls for her fishing guide. Jackie manages to make a mess of her job, but then redeems herself with a second chance. The characters are great, the story keeps rolling along and it's a quick, fun read!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

A fun set up of the lets-switch-lives! type storyline, but I was disappointed that Ginny appears to be the only grownup here. Its not just Jacqueline, who she switches jobs with, who is immature - everyone else at both hotels are so immature it was cringey to read at times. I would have liked if it had been a little more even in both women discovering new things and appreciating old ones, but its really just Ginny running around cleaning up everyone's messes and doing what's she told. Signing up for the job-switch website is really the only real agency she has here and i was disappointed she doesn't gain more by the end. Also, i did not buy the romance with her and Ben AT ALL. He starts out as a jerk and never gets better - I kept waiting for the "real" romantic interest to show up, but sadly, it was not to be. So, a good idea but poor execution.

I enjoyed this story of finding out if the grass is actually greener on the other side. Ginny and Jacqueline switch places through a job swap app and the fun begins. Ginny heads to a fishing lodge to fill in as the manager, while Jacqueline heads to the city to manage a lovely upscale hotel. Things are not always as good as they seem, but sometimes they're better. Just for the Summer is an entertaining read, light-hearted and enjoyable, with a dose of reality, just the right amount of tension, and likeable characters. If you enjoy contemporary fiction-you'll want to read Melody Carlson's latest. I've liked all of her books.

Genevieve, "Ginny" manages a boutique hotel and Jacqueline manages a fishing lodge. Both women are unhappy at their places of employment. One is a sweet, hard-working and purposeful person and the other is a spoiled, conniving brat. Each one signs up for a temporary job swap and are matched with one another's positions. What an adventure it becomes.
I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from one of my favorite authors, Melody Carlson and the publisher through NetGalley. It is a very enjoyable read. The two women are so different with completely different locations and ambience. This is a journey for each one with twists and turns.
I easily found a favorite character and set of characters at one of the locations. There's even potential for romance too. I love the idea of the story. This would be a fun read while on vacation.

I have enjoyed Melody Carlson's books for MANY years (they were one of my first introductions to Christian fiction as a teenager, in fact) and I always look forward to reading her new ones. This was no exception. I loved this idea of two women who are unhappy with their work situations agreeing to swap jobs for 60 days. Fun concept, right? And it really did make for a fun story that I found myself enjoying. Ginny was a great character and I found myself really enjoying her parts of the story a lot. That said, Jacqueline was not my favorite. She was spoiled and at times a bit manipulative even. While I definitely think that was the point and we needed to see where she was coming from to see her growth in the end... I do wish there would have been more of that. It came, eventually, but it was definitely towards the very end of the story. While this is listed as romance and does have a little bit in there, I thought the romance didn't take as much of a front stage as I might have expected... not a bad thing, just something to keep in mind if that's not your preference. Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable read and one that I would definitely recommend checking out!

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All opinions are my own.

While initially entertaining, unfortunately, the characters didn't click with me as a reader. Also, I didn't realize it was a Christian Romance, which isn't my usual category. Ginny was the only character I cared about, and Jackie was horrible with no growth. There was a bit, but in the last twenty pages. Ben and Adrian were not good love interests, and that definition of them is a stretch. There are no actual "romance" scenes (not even a bit of kissing). Some of the book was wasted with Ginny's sister, which could have had a more significant part, but that opportunity was missed. The only characters with any growth were Ginny (she learned to chill out) and Diana, who realized she was being a bit too much.

The idea of switching jobs with someone for a bit is a great idea! You are either going to love it or hate it! This book was so fun! Sometimes you just have to shake things up a bit! I loved this book! The concept just really appealed to me and was really an enjoyable read.

Ginny: an upscale hotel manager in Seattle. Worked her way up from housekeeping to manager within 10 years. Has a boss, Diane who is a pain to work with.

Jackie: granddaughter to Jack, who owns a fishing lodge. She works as the manager & absolutely hates it.

Ginny & Jackie are not fans of their jobs and decide to switch for the summer. Jackie loves the finer things in life & is having a hard time managing a fishing lodge in the middle of the woods. When she notices Ginny is interested in swapping jobs for the summer at an upscale hotel, she jumps on the opportunity. Ginny wants something more low-key & quiet. She is a workaholic who has no idea how to have fun. When she sees Jackie works at a fishing lodge, she decides it is the perfect fit.


Quick, easy read. I liked the idea & concept of the book, but really couldn’t stand Jackie as a character. It really made it hard to get into the book.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book and its premise. Ginny works for a Seattle boutique hotel. Jacqueline takes care of her family’s fishing lodge in Idaho. The two decide to switch jobs. The story follows the two women and how they handle each other jobs. A quick fun read. Thank you to NetGalley and Revell. His is my own opinion.

An engaging and entertaining romance. It is more about the job swap than romance, but that certainly does play into the situations. It did seem as if all characters become more enlightened quickly. But then I am reading a few pages while in the story line things are taking place over a couple months. Possibly enough time for eyes to be opened and behavior change. No matter, this is enjoyable reading and not real life anyway. We want all to get to their happily ever after. Made me think of a Hallmark movie as there was no kissing until the end. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Tropes & Themes:
- Age Gap
- Office Romance
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Single Dad
- Opposite Attract

I think this had a lot of potential but it feel flat in a few areas. It started out great and then it just kind of fizzled out. It was kind of cut and dry without any fluff or filling in the middle. There was no faith/Christian elements through more than halfway through the book then all of a sudden Ginny was trusting God and praying. As soon as the faith started it ended. I enjoyed those aspects of her faith but as brief as they were, I think there should have been more throughout to the book to mark it Christian Fiction or omit it all together for a clean read.

I really loved Ginnys character. She was sweet, hardworking and down to earth. She honestly made the book and was the most developed character. Jacqueline in the other hand was spoiled, pretentious and downright delusional. Frankly, she got on my nerves and her character growth felt forced for the sake of an ending. It was extremely fast paced and she was magically a new humbled person in a span of 2 weeks.

For the romance aspect, this didn't feel like a romance really. I could understand the relationship between Adrian and Ginny based on the fact we were told of their previous dating relationship and why they ended things. I didn't like that Adrains affection was so wishy washy. One minute, he'd wants to date/marry her and the next he was telling her she was a workaholic and needed help or he was dating Jacqueline.

As far as Ginny and Ben go, their "romance" didnt feel like romance at all. I did like that they had time to get to know each other over weeks but there was no build up. There were no mentions of feelings for one another or anything but as soon as Ginny got back to Seattle she was heartbroken? From what? And then when she returned they loved each other?

Overall this was an enjoyable, clean and sweet read. I loved the short chapters, making this a quick one to get through. I loved the setting at the fishing lodge as well as Jack and Margie. I found myself wanting to visit and even do a little fishing while I was there. If there ever was a sequel I would love to see a romance between Jack and Margie. Jack deserves it.

Thank you NetGalley, and Revell for the opportunity to read and review this advanced copy.

Just for the Summer
by Melody Carlson
Pub Date: March 19, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
In this fabulous new twist on an age-old fable, award-winning and bestselling author Melody Carlson introduces you to two career-focused women who are about to discover that there's more to finding happiness than just switching up the scenery.
The story follows Ginny, working at a high-end Seattle resort, and Jacqueline, at her family's fishing lodge in Idaho. Both discontent with their jobs, they decide on a 60-day job swap for the summer.
I read a lot of thrillers and this book provided a great escape for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it provided a delightful escape. In the midst of more intense reads, "Just for the Summer" is the perfect feel-good interlude. Highly recommended for those seeking a charming and uplifting novel to break up their literary journey.
I highly recommend the author and book!
5 stars

Two girls swap their jobs and their house for two months. Ginny is a hardworking manager from a hotel that is run by the ungrateful, demanding and unreasonable Diana. Jacqueline works for her grandfather’s fishing lodge, but unlike Ginny she’s quite lazy and only interested in the glam and glitz of a rich girl’s life. So when they swap jobs, both of them are in for a surprise. Jacqueline can't believe her luck when she meets the posh Diana, but soon realizes not everything is as wonderful as it seems. And Ginny’s co-workers can’t believe their eyes when Ginny helps out with cleaning and cooking and plans improvements to make the lodge more attractive for customers.
I was very invested in the book and curious about what would happen. Would Ginny succeed in getting grumpy old granddad to agree on improvements for the lodge? And if so, how? What will happen to Jacqueline; how soon will she find out about Diana being a nasty, unreliable boss? Who finds out first that the other one is faking it; Jacqueline or Diana? Will they get into a fight or will Jacqueline scramble to keep her job in order to have a chance to make it in the hip hotel world, full of wealthy people and opportunities? And how about the men: Diana’s son Adrian and fisherman Ben; are they potential love interest? This book has so many elements that can be used to mix it all up and create a great story.
The secondary characters are overall well-suited. I liked particularly Jack; him being spitting mad at the doctor made me laugh out loud because you could guess what would happen! Diana was the perfect horrible boss; Margie hardworking, Adrian a mommy’s boy - you can picture themselves in your head. Ben was a bit disappointing, I would have liked him more but his story didn’t really work for me. He had potential but adding Alexi to the mix made Ben look indecisive and immature. I felt it came out of nowhere and the way he acted and the people involved felt not really realistic to me.
But I liked the main characters and the way their stories evolved. Jacqueline was really self-centered and snobbish and a bit mean, but I liked that she had to eat some humble pie. I just would’ve had her eat it for quite some time; I think she came off lightly, but I like that forgiveness and a second chance were offered.
Overall a very nice, clean read about which I can recommend! Although I missed an epilogue and the story ended quite abruptly, the way both of Ginny and Jacqueline’s stories were written was satisfying. You will definitely like this book. This was my first Melody Carlson book but I am looking forward to reading more books by her!
I received and reviewed an advanced copy of this book and I am grateful for this opportunity. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I had no idea what this book was about when I started reading it. I picked it up because I had read a book by this author several years ago and remember enjoying it a lot and wanted to read another by her. I wasn't disappointed. This book was really well written and had a cast of characters who were realistic and likeable.

This book was a quick and easy read and I really enjoyed the story. It was easy to know what was going to happen from the beginning but that didn't make the book any less enjoyable to read. In fact, I found it to be a nice, comforting read and a nice way to spend an evening.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion which I have given.

Just for the Summer by Melody Carlson has a cute premise. A job can get humdrum after a number of years. It would be a nice change of pace to be able switch positions with someone for two months. You get to go to a different state, meet new people, and experience new challenges. I like Ginny, but I really did not like Jackie. There was little change in Jackie’s character. I doubt this leopard would change her spots for long. I did not like that Ginny was labeled a workaholic (what is wrong with someone who enjoys their job and most of the people at their workplace). It was suggested to Ginny that she have fun and needed a man in her life. I did not like the implication that Ginny (or any person) needed a man (or woman) for her life to be complete. I enjoyed Ginny’s time at the fishing camp. There were some interesting characters and scenes as well as humor. One of the relationships did not make sense considering how the female manipulated the man for most of the story. Just for the Summer has a feel-good ending. Just for the Summer is a nice story, but I did not enjoy it as much as other books by this author.

Melody Carlson's novels are just gun to read and this is no exception. Two women switch homes and jobs for the summer and soon both are finding themselves in a fun twist of romance. Quirky, fun, and not to be missed.

This was such a fun read! I really enjoyed Melody Carlson's Just for the Summer. She is one of my favorites for light hearted romance books and does a great job developing her characters in this book. If you are looking for a good book to take on vacation this one should fit the bill!

In this one Seattle native Ginny who runs an exclusive hotel as the manager is fed up with the hotel's owner. She signs up for a job swap website just to see what might happen. Meanwhile Jacqueline is fed up with the rustic fishing retreat owned by her grandfather and is willing to do anything to escape to something higher class. The two women start messaging each other, get the owners of their establishments to agree to a 60 day contract and they switch jobs and homes.

Will Jacqueline succeed in the big city? Will Ginny acclimate to a quiet, rustic lifestyle - read this one and find out. I hope you enjoy it as much as i did.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I'm going to be sharing this one with friends because it's just that good!

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Ginny Masters and Jacqueline Potter, two hotel managers, make the decision to “swap jobs” for sixty days. Ginny leaves her bustling (and unfulfilling) life running a boutique Seattle hotel for Jacqueline’s family fishing lodge and Jacqueline gleefully trades in her never-been-touched waders for her high heels at the promise of a glistening city life. Over the course of a month, Ginny discovers a new part of herself– one that enjoys learning to fish and watching the stars, and slowly finds herself falling in love not only with the handsome guide but also the serenity of Idaho. Jacqueline, on the other hand, flounders spectacularly.

Told in dual perspectives JUST FOR THE SUMMER is one of those books brimming with possibility that just falls a little flat. While I loved Ginny’s story of finding personal happiness and new chapters– Jacqueline was not it for me. She was abrasive, annoying, manipulative, and self centered, with ALL of her character growth occurring in the last few chapters at an unrealistic speed. Some characters, in my humble opinion, are not worth redemption– or at least unearned redemption.

Additionally, this book took an unexpected turn at about the 67% mark into Christian Fiction. Which is fine, and on further investigation seems to be the author’s wheelhouse, but nothing in the story leading up to the moment made me think this was a religious romance.

All in all, JUST FOR THE SUMMER probably won’t be my favorite summer read– but it was a fun story regardless.

This book surprised me, I was expecting an enjoyable read but I loved it and found it to be a five a star read for me.

In this book we follow two hotel/lodge managers, Ginny and Jacqueline, both discontent with their current lives, who sign up for a website and sign a contract to switch lives for 60 days.

I immediately warmed to Ginny's character, but Jacqueline took a while to grow on me, most of the time I just wanted to shout at her.

This is a great clean read, there is romance yet I think the character growth storylines are more prominent, both within our main characters and the supporting ones.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.