The Summer of Sunshine and Margot by Susan Mallery
I was in the mood for a happy and romantic audiobook to listen to, so I recently picked up The Summer of Sunshine and Margot by Susan Mallery. I’ve read one or two of her books in the past and enjoyed them. So I decided to dive into this story about fraternal twin sisters looking to figure out their lives, and possibly find love. In today’s blog post, I’m be sharing my full book review of The Summer of Sunshine and Margot.
What is The Summer of Sunshine and Margot About?
The Baxter sisters come from a long line of women with disastrous luck in love. But this summer, Sunshine and Margot will turn disasters into destiny…
As an etiquette coach, Margot teaches her clients to fit in. But she’s never faced a client like Bianca, an aging movie star who gained fame—and notoriety—through a campaign of shock and awe. Schooling Bianca on the fine art of behaving like a proper diplomat’s wife requires intensive lessons, forcing Margot to move into the monastery turned mansion owned by the actress’s intensely private son. Like his incredible home, Alec’s stony exterior hides secret depths Margot would love to explore. But will he trust her enough to let her in?
Sunshine has always been the good-time sister, abandoning jobs to chase after guys who used her, then threw her away. No more. She refuses to be “that girl” again. This time, she’ll finish college, dedicate herself to her job as a nanny, and she 100 percent will not screw up her life again by falling for the wrong guy. Especially not the tempting single dad who also happens to be her boss. (from Amazon.com)
Who is author Susan Mallery?
Susan Mallery is a bestselling American author known for her heartwarming contemporary romance and women’s fiction. She is celebrated for creating engaging, character-driven stories that often explore themes of family, friendship, and love. Her most popular works include the Fool’s Gold series and standalone novels like The Summer Getaway. Mallery’s books frequently appear on The New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists, and she has a devoted following of readers worldwide. Her writing is praised for its humor, emotional depth, and relatable characters.
Who are Sunshine and Margot?
Sunshine and Margot are fraternal twin sisters. They were abandoned by their mother at a young age and were raised by a family member in her place. It’s often brought up in this story how different they are, and how they don’t even look all that much alike.
Margot is the more sensible twin, I would say. She’s very poised and takes her job as an etiquette coach very seriously. But she’s also fun. There were many times in this story where I thought she was going to lose her temper on Bianca, but she didn’t.
Meanwhile, Sunshine is the more spontaneous twin. She’s got lots of nannying experience, but she often leaves her jobs abruptly when something better (like a guy) comes along. Her job with Declan and Connor is a true gift, because they teach her what it’s like to be part of a family. She learns what it’s like to stay put in such an authentic way.
Not all sibling relationships are easy, but the women seemed to get along well with each other which was nice. It made me happy when Margot was so excited to jump in and help Sunshine with Connor’s birthday party.
My Initial Thoughts
This might seem like a piece of light summer contemporary fiction, but the characters aren’t perfect. Between the pages are threads of family drama, and characters trying to figure things out and make things right.
Family drama teaches us the complexity of human relationships and the importance of empathy, communication, and forgiveness. It reveals how unresolved issues can impact family dynamics and emphasizes the need to set boundaries, while appreciating the value of connection. Ultimately, it reminds us that love and understanding can often heal even the deepest rifts.
This is evident in the way Margot and Sunshine lead their lives, but an ideal example is the relationship between Alec and Bianca. She raised her son as a single mother. She was a free spirit who did the best that she could. But things weren’t perfect and now as an adult, she wonders if he shies away from relationships because of her.
This books is a great mix of Humor and Romance
As many times as felt my heart flutter, I also felt myself laughing. This book was a delightful read because it had a lot of humor in it. I loved all of the scenes with Sunshine and Connor (the young boy who she is nannying) because he was so funny about his ants. And I was also chuckling to myself in many of the scenes with Bianca. I don’t know how to describe her but her actions always had me surprised, especially when she was at the political convention. (IYKYK)
My Critiques
My only critique is that I felt like this would have been better as two separate books. Susan Mallery could have split up The Summer of Sunshine and Margot into two different books, one for each woman. Then we really could have gotten to know each sister and her love interest over the course of the story. I felt like there was some pretty heavy character development in this story that could have used more backstory to help explain. Basically, I just wanted to know more about each of the women and their lives.
In Conclusion
I really enjoyed this book and I think you will too! It’s a fun contemporary romance novel that tells two different stories. There’s Margot, who is try to keep her professional life separate from her personal life, no matter what. And there’s Sunshine, who doesn’t think she deserves a happy ending, even though Declan is determined to prove to her that she’s wrong.
This book is the perfect combination of family drama, humor, and adorable moments. If you haven’t read Susan Mallery before, you might have found yourself a new favorite author.
