Summer Reading

TLDR: Generally a cute read but underdeveloped in my opinion. Love the attempt at representation for neurodivergent representation, but it was pretty clear the author has no experience with ADHD or dyslexia. Sam’s attitude toward reading was believable but I think the author missed the mark otherwise. The overall story was cute, but I wish there was more attention given to the development of the relationship. I wanted more of a peek into Sam and Ben’s sleuthing! Lastly, the final conflict felt forced. I didn’t believe it for a second. While made the ending also feel forced and half-hearted.

all i remember is the font

This book was cute and I really liked the two characters together! The second-hand embarrassment was present a bit too much in the last part of the book. It was a fun summer read and I would recommend! 4⭐️

4.5/5⭐️ Rep: dyslexia(MC) Thank you so much to Berkeley Romance for sending me this book for free! I really enjoyed this one! I thought this looked cute, but I was extra excited to find that this book had dyslexia rep, which is not something I see in books much! I feel like this book taught me a lot about dyslexia as well as being neurodivergent. This is also printed in what is supposed to be dyslexia-friendly font, which is so cool!! props to Berkeley for this!🫶🏻 Besides the disability rep, this was such a cute summer romance! Ben is a librarian and Sam is a chef who’s never much cared for reading due to her dyslexia, but he changes that (HE READS TO HER) There’s also a mystery aspect to this story, as Ben is on the search for his father, whom he’s never met. Additionally, this book had some wonderful family relationships. A big aspect of this book is Sam building a relationship with her teenage half brother Tyler, and I loved their brother/sister dynamic! It made me laugh a lot, but their relationship was also super sweet. Overall, I really enjoyed this one, and I’m so glad Berkeley sent it to me! Thank you again!

Maybe I am a grump but my heart has been hardened. I think the overwhelming number of books lately that feature a main character that is/has ADHD, Anxiety, Autism, etc is so overdone at this point. I don't even feel for these characters anymore, it's just entertainment fodder. I didn't even care about her dyslexia. I know it's her going through it and not me, but she seemed so hung up on it and didn't even try to come up with ways to cope. I know she wasn't diagnosed until later in life, but this ain't the olden days. She grew up around the internet. She made it work while being a chef, why not work on it in other parts of her life? I have never in my life had someone demand that I read something in front of them. Could not Sam have just told people, "I have dyslexia so give me some time", or other things like: -I will sign it when I have time to read it -I am busy right now -My reading glasses are not here Or, my favorite: -No These days people jokingly say they have dyslexia as casually as they say they have OCD. The stigma is not like it used to be. People won't hate her for having it. If they do, then there was no hope for them in the first place. They will find a way to judge you anyway, if not for your dyslexia, than for your hair/shoes/voice, etc. I was lost on her not enjoying reading though! I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but when she slammed audiobooks I was ready to throw hands. If you are hanging around people that trash talk audiobooks, then you need to find better friends. How could Sam not know the joy of audiobooks??? That there are books (she can buy or the library can order) that come in dyslexic friendly font? That she can change the font on her phone to a dyslexic friendly font or even have it speak the texts to her (that part blew my mind, the way she reacted to him sending her texts. Only for her, a few chapters later, to want to send him a long text)(Also, sight impaired people use phones)? That she could get an ereader and change ANY book into a dyslexic friendly font or have the book read to her? I am sorry. She is putting limitations on herself that she did not need to. I didn't want to put that much focus on the dyslexia, but that's literally what Sam let define her life. Besides all that, I loved the growing relationship between Sam and her brother. I loved seeing the highs and the lows. I loved that she got to work and do what she loved whilst on break. I loved her relationship with Ben. The first meeting was pretty cute. I felt his pain in that moment. I did think their romance and mystery was sweet.

I read another book by this author that I thought was cute, so I was eager to pick this up. Again, it was cute. The setting was great; I loved the beachy, small-town vibe. I loved the representation of dyslexia and ADHD. I even learned a few things, such as how there are specific fonts that are easier to read than others. I also loved watching Sam form a bond with her brother. It was so sweet. But my favorite aspect was the cooking. My mouth was watering every time Sam mentioned a dish she was making. Adding the recipes at the end was a nice touch as well. My problem with this was the characters. Sam and Ben felt flat, and I wanted more build-up to their relationship because it developed quickly. I wanted more tension between them. I still thought it was good, and would recommend it if you're looking for a beach read.