The Summer Getaway by Susan Mallery

Disclaimer: I was sent a free book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

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I was so excited to read this book as Susan Mallery is becoming my favorite author. 

Book Description

One woman takes the vacation of a lifetime in this poignant and heartwarming story about the threads that hold a family together from #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery.

Single mom Robyn Caldwell needs a new plan for her future. She has always put her family first. Now, with her kids grown, she yearns for a change. But what can she do 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 ruin everything?

Take a vacation, of course. Press reset. When her great-aunt Lillian invites her to Santa Barbara for the summer, Robyn hops on the first plane to sunny California.

But it’s hard to get away when you’re the heart of the family. One by one, everyone she loves 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 possibilities she sees--for dreams, love, family. She can have everything she ever wanted if only she can muster the courage to take a chance on herself.

About Susan Mallery

#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming and humorous novels about the relationships that define women's lives—family, friendship, romance. She's best known for putting nuanced characters into emotionally complex, real-life situations with twists that surprise readers to laughter. Because Susan is passionate about animal welfare, pets play a big role in her books. Beloved by millions of readers worldwide, her books have been translated into 28 languages. Susan lives in Washington state with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur.

My Thoughts

Once again Susan has created a story that immediately sucked me in. 

In this story, our heroine is an older woman who essentially holds everyone together. This is wearing her down so she decides to get away to visit her aunt for some much-needed self-care. 

Of course, soon her family and friends follow. 

However, with the help of her free spirit aunt, Robyn soon learns her life can be different if she has the courage to change it.

I really loved this story because I could relate to Robyn in being the person everyone turns to. The difference between us is that I've learned to set boundaries whereas Robyn has not. I enjoyed watching Robyn grow and change and put herself first.

This story was so amazing. It was about love, family, growth, and learning to say no when you need to. Susan did a brilliant job creating these wonderful characters. I couldn't help but tell everyone how good this book was.

I highly recommend you grab a copy.