The Summer Sisters

Sara Richardson

Jul 2021 · Sold by Forever

About this ebook

Three sisters search to reunite their family and find love along the way in this heartwarming, multi-generational novel—fans of Lori Foster and Maisey Yates won't be able to resist this author's "unputdownable, unforgettable stories from the heart" (Jill Shalvis, New York Times bestselling author). 

The Buchanan sisters share everything—including their inherited Juniper Inn. But when their mother won’t let go of a decades-long feud with their Aunt Sassy to attend the inn’s grand re-opening, the sisters decide a family reunion is long overdue.

Youngest sister Rose is determined to put together an extravagant celebration. Only she needs to convince a certain surly hardware store owner to help finish the inn’s renovations.

After a heartbreaking end to her marriage, Dahlia and her kids are just starting to rebuild their lives. Dahlia’s even considering opening herself up to love again, but will that upset the stability she’s worked so hard to give her children?

Sassy McGrath has never stopped missing her sister, Lillian, and though they’ve both been too stubborn to reconcile, some shocking news might finally change everything. As family bonds are tested, will these two very different generations of women find the strength to believe in themselves and each other?

Ratings and reviews

ARC for honest review with no compensation Received from NetGalley 4.5 stars The Summer Sisters is book 2 in the Juniper Springs series by Sara Richardson, a continuation of the Buchanan sisters and Aunt Sassy. The sisters are determined to have a long overdo family reunion between their mother and Aunt Sassy but first they need to get the Juniper Inn updated so they can re-open…but one thing after another happens. Once you starts reading you can’t put it down. Family relationships, friendships, divorce, dilemmas, heartbreak, romance is just some of what is happening…

The Summer Sisters is the second book in the Juniper Springs series where we once again follow the Buchanan sisters and their Aunt Sassy. Now that the sisters have inherited the Inn from their aunt, it's time for them to get it renovated and have a grand re-opening. Rose and Dahlia, along with Dally's children, are now living full time in Juniper Springs. Rose is working to get the Inn completely redone and ready to welcome their first guests back. Aunt Sassy has been away on a trip, but she's due back in time for the Inn to re-open. Rose has been overwhelmed trying to get everything done, but she is determined to get it done on time and within budget. When their Mom, who has been estranged from her sister Sassy for years, comes to town, the girls decide it's time for the family to reconcile. This story is about love, loss, letting go and finding what truly makes you happy and is important. I enjoyed all of the characters and I'm invested in these women and what comes of them! Such a great summer read!

3.5 stars-THE SUMMERS SISTERS is the second instalment in Sara Richardson’s contemporary, adult JUNIPER SPRINGS story of women’s fiction focusing on the Buchanan sisters (Rose, Magnolia, Dahlia), their mother Lillian, and their aging aunt Sassy. Told from three third person perspectives (Rose, Dahlia, Sassy) THE SUMMER SISTERS advances the series approximately eight months after Aunt Sassy ‘gave’ the Buchanan sisters the Juniper Inn, in Juniper Springs, Colorado. Magnolia went home to start a family with her husband Eric, while Rose and Dahlia remained behind to work on the repairs and upgrades at the Juniper Inn. Dahlia is a divorcee, single mother who has fallen in love with Juniper Springs’ only doctor but Dahlia’s ten year old daughter is struggling in the wake of her parents divorce, and begins to make life difficult for her mother going forward.Believing her children have already suffered enough, Dahlia is willing to push Dr. Ike out of her life, and in doing so, pushes away the man with whom she will fall in love. Rose, as the youngest, walked away from her last relationship realizing she wasn’t in love with a man who wanted something different but Rose had fallen in love with the local hardware store owner Colt, Aunt Sassy’s ‘step-son’ of a sort, but nothing seemed to have progressed in recent months. When Colt announced he was selling the store, and moving out of state, Rose began to withdraw believing she wasn’t worthy of Colt’s love. Meanwhile, Sassy’s return from a few months on the road finds the spunky spinster struggling with health issues. When the town’s mayor stepped down, Sassy was voted in as the interim mayor, and walked into a potential minefield of small town problems, falling in love in the process with the man at the center of the controversy. Rose, Dahlia and Magnolia’s mother Lillian has been estranged from her sister Sassy for years, and neither one is willing to reveal the truth about what happened or why. As the Buchanan sisters struggle with their mother’s anger towards their beloved Aunt Sassy, secrets will be revealed, and a health scare pushes the sisters together, at last. THE SUMMER SISTERS is an ensemble storyline following several paths and relationships, friendships and love but as individuals, each of the heroines struggles with issues of self-esteem, acceptance, a lack of communication, and a stubborn streak that knows no end. Rose and Dahlia’s love lives are threatened by headstrong women, and persistent doubt, while Lillian’s embattled relationship with her sister Sassy stems from resentment and perceived betrayal at a time when she needed her sister the most. At times, it was a struggle to like or accept any or all of the heroines’ -their immature behavior was often difficult but in the end, forgiveness, acceptance and friendships aka character development overcame any of the aforementioned attitudes and behaviors. The premise is entertaining; the characters are energetic, and colorful; the romances are mostly implied.

About the author

National bestselling author Sara Richardson composes uplifting stories that illustrate the rocky roads of love, friendship, and family relationships. Her characters are strong women journeying to define their lives and pursue their dreams. Her books have received numerous award nominations and critical acclaim, with Publishers Weekly recognizing her stories as "emotionally rich, charmingly funny, and sensitive."

After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, Sarah realized she was too empathetic to be a reporter and started writing her first novel. When not writing, Sara can be found promoting women's health and empowerment by teaching Pilates or hiking the trails near her house. A lifelong Colorado girl, Sara lives and plays near the mountains with her husband, two sons, two fur babies, and a tortoise named Leo.