Just for the Summer

Author: Melody Carlson
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 288
Release Date: March 19, 2024
Publisher: Revell

If you lived in a different place and had a different job, couldn't you have a different life?

Ginny Masters manages a popular boutique hotel in Seattle and manages it with aplomb. But the daily challenges and irritations of a fast-paced job and a demanding boss are starting to get to her.

Jacqueline Potter manages her grandfather's fishing lodge in Idaho because it was the only job she could find after graduating with her hospitality degree. She's grateful for the work but longs for a more sophisticated and cosmopolitan life she's just not going to find in this backwoods town.

The solution to both their problems seems obvious. Just for the summer, they'll swap jobs and lifestyles--and even love interests. But they'll soon find that there's more to finding happiness than just switching up the scenery.

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Reviewer: Conny Withay

“Hopefully Hotel Jackson would run more efficiently and seamlessly that Grandpa's Podunk fishing lodge,” Jacqueline wonders in Melody Carson’s novel, Just for the Summer.

This 288-page paperback targets those who enjoy a clean contemporary romance involving swapping jobs and lifestyles. Using the word darn, the topics of verbal abuse, injury, and death may not be appropriate for immature readers. The ending includes the author’s biography, a teaser for another book by the writer, and advertisements.

In this tale set in a high-end posh boutique in Seattle and an old fishing lodge in Idaho Falls, Ginny and Jacqueline are opposites who are looking for satisfaction in their lives, especially in their vocation of hotel managers. When they agree to swap jobs, Ginny finds the slower life in Idaho soothing to her soul, while Jacqueline learns her city dreams need refining. As the two get used to different experiences, will they find love, too?

I appreciate learning when I read. It was nice that this one included the behind-the-scenes of hotel management, both in high-end and low-end environments. I liked how some of the relationships panned out and were well described.

Those who do not like a tale that has vain, whiney characters may want to skip this one, as two of them can be grating on the nerves. The expected ending is rather rushed and stereotypical. With God and prayer referenced lightly, some may wish there was more trust in God and the eternal plan of salvation included.

Since this is supposedly a Christian read, I wish it had more than one person mentioning a couple of prayers and one Bible verse.

If you like a quick read about women who are unhappy at their jobs and looking for a change, this is a nice escape.

For my honest opinion, I received a complimentary copy from Revell Publishers via Interviews & Reviews. I was under no obligation to give a positive review.

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Reviewer: Emily Stephens

I really enjoyed this "trading places" style romance! The book follows two women with similar jobs (Ginny, at a boutique hotel in Seattle) and Jackie (at a fishing lodge in Idaho), who decide to switch jobs for the summer. Is this really a thing? If so, I would love to try it!

It was fun watching each woman experience her regular job in a completely different place with a completely different vibe. I liked seeing how each dealt with the unique challenges provided by the temporary location. Each woman also enjoyed a bit of light/slow-burn romance, which was also a lot of fun!

Ginny was obviously a Christian, and I appreciated how her faith guided her life choices and actions. It's always nice to see a Christian woman as the main character! Jackie didn't seem to have any strong religious beliefs, but I didn't dislike her as much as some other reviewers. I think she definitely has a lot more growing up to do, but she's young and ambitious, which I didn't see as a bad thing.

I found both storylines interesting, and while enjoying the one I was currently reading, I was also eager to get back to the other one.

Overall a fun and light Christian fiction novel perfect for summer or beach reading!

I received a review copy courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.

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Reviewer: Monica Huyser

Ginny Master has spent a lot of years working in the hospitality industry and currently manages a popular hotel in Seattle. Lately, her boss has been more demanding, and the work has been getting to her. She has started to dream about new positions in other places that would be less stressful.

Jacqueline Potter manages her grandfather's fishing lodge in Idaho because she couldn't get another job after college with a hospitality degree. She doesn't like fishing, and she dreams of being somewhere where her more sophisticated tastes can be appreciated. She is young and not very mature.

Both ladies discover that they can swap jobs through an online website, which they do for sixty days. But will just changing their scenery make each of the women happy?

I enjoyed Melody Carlson's latest novel, Just for the Summer. The idea of switching jobs is one that I have not read before, so I found the book intriguing.

I especially enjoyed Ginny's storyline. I love the outdoors and am closer in age to Ginny, so I could most relate to her. I liked all of the characters at the fishing lodge as well. I did not find Jacqueline as likeable. Her storyline was harder to relate to since she is more of a difficult person. I did find it interesting to see how Ginny's former boss would come to a realization about how good she already had it with Ginny. Ginny also had faith in God and did spend some time in prayer, which I liked, although that was not a big part of the book.

I enjoyed Just for the Summer and read it quickly. Carlson has written many books and has a well-honed writing style, so her stories flow well. However, I did find the ending somewhat rushed. I would have liked to have had a little more time with Ginny and Ben at the end. I also wasn't sure it was quite believable that Jacqueline could make all of those changes so quickly. Still, all in all, I did enjoy the book.

I received a copy of this book from Revell through Interviews & Reviews. All opinions are my own.

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