Just for the Summer - by Melody Carlson (Paperback)

Ginny and Jacqueline have similar occupations, both managers of very different places. Ginny manages a boutique hotel in Seattle and is under the thumb of a demanding boss who treats her more like her personal servant than a valued employee. Jacqueline, feeling displaced by her mother’s new choice of a husband, flees that situation to manage her grandfather’s fishing lodge in a beautiful rustic setting. Jacqueline wants to do bigger and better things with her life, so she is not happy with fish, smelly fishermen and log cabins. Since neither young woman is happy, the perfect solution is for them to swap jobs for the summer. This is an amusing story with some deep undertones about finding happiness within yourself instead of expecting circumstances to always go your way. Once the young women switch jobs, Ginny continues to be a stellar employee, looking for ways to improve the lodge and to make everyone as happy with the setting as she is. Jacqueline, on the other hand, has taken her demanding and self-centered personality along with her and manages to alienate the other employees at the hotel while enraging her new boss. The two young women have several conflicts, some drama and a lot of fun finding out what their strengths and weaknesses are and discovering how to be their best selves, no matter where that may take them. I enjoyed the characters, especially the fishing guide Ben at the fishing lodge and the grandfather Jack. Both are common sense, no nonsense men who have learned to cope, adapt and adjust with changes. All of the characters are fully developed and fun to get to know. Even spoiled and entitled Jacqueline ended up having some redeeming qualities, making her one of the most dynamic characters in the book. The plot was well-paced, perfect for a rom-com with some drama mixed in. With life lessons about moving forward, taking chances and learning from mistakes, this is a book not to be missed by fans of entertaining and engaging reads. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Ginny manages an upscale boutique hotel in Seattle, and she can do her job in her sleep. Everything runs like a well-oiled machine unless her boss, Diana, steps in. She is famous for causing problems, blaming them on Ginny, and expecting her to fix them. After Diana's latest escapade, Ginny is ready for a change, and she just found it--a site where people swap jobs for sixty days. Jacqueline manages her grandfather's run-down fishing lodge. It is in the backwoods, and she hates every part of it. When Jacqueline stumbles on the job swap site, she knows this is her way out. Both women connect, and immediately make arraignments to trade jobs. Although Jacqueline lied about the condition of the lodge, Ginny is thrilled to be in such a beautiful location. She immediately rolls up her sleeves to get to work improving the lodge. Ginny finds herself fitting in well with everyone, especially the handsome fishing guide. She never wants to leave. Despite pulling out all the stops, Jacqueline's plan to catch the attention of Diana's son has barely gotten off the ground. Additionally, she is not used to working as hard as Ginny. It doesn't take Diana long to demand that Ginny come back. Jacqueline creates a bunch of lies designed to get Ginny to leave the fishing lodge. Will it work? This entertaining story is a page-turner, and the job swapping idea is a great twist. It is fun to read about the ideas Ginny has, along with wondering if the lies Jacqueline has told will catch up with her. I highly recommend this clean tale. It will be enjoyed by fans of DIY, stories of starting over, and well-written books. Thank you, Revell Books, for providing Tickmenot with a book to review. Opinions are my own.

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.

this book was SUCH a cute, light read. it takes you through a dual adventure of two women who do a job swap - one from Seattle managing a boutique hotel in the city, and the other from the countryside managing a fisherman’s lodge on a river. as you can imagine, it was so fun to read through the journey of these two polar opposites as they each go to be manager at opposing workplaces - they even swapped living situations and all. this of course included their work bosses as well, which was super funny to witness. overall, this was a light, bittersweet read that included the sweetest romance story for Ginny. at times, Jacqueline was not the most likable character for me 🙈 but my liking for her came around in the end. “Ginny had just been marveling at the stars in the heavens, but now she felt like the stars shimmering inside her shone even brighter.” 🥹🩷🥹🩷🥹

This was a very fun book. I enjoyed the job trade and have to admit there are were times I would have wanted to do something like that! I liked Ginny who seems to give her all to her job, but Jacqueline, with whom she traded jobs and locations, seemed not so likeable as Ginny. The story was enjoyable and a nice light read. There are some twists and a bit of romance and a quick read. I have enjoyed this and other books from this author. I will continue to do so. I enjoyed this book! I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“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. ~ What ~ This two-hundred-and-eighty-eight-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? ~ Why ~ I appreciate learning when I read, it was nice this one included the behind-the-scenes of hotel management, both at high to low end environments. I liked how some of the relationships panned out and were well described. ~ Why Not ~ Those who do not like a tale that has vain, winey 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 were more trust in God and the eternal plan of salvation included. ~ Wish ~ Since this is supposedly a Christian read, I wish it had more than one person mentioning a couple of prayers and one Bible verse. ~ Want ~ If you like a quick read about women who are unhappy at their jobs and looking for a change, this is a nice escape. Thanks to Revell, Interviews & Reviews, and the author for this complimentary book. I am under no obligation to give a positive review. Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars