Publication Date: May 26, 2026
When two misfits discover they’ve inherited the same beach house, sparks fly in the most unexpected ways, in this hilarious and heartfelt rom-com from the New York Times bestselling author of Summer Reading.
Free-spirited travel influencer Hannah Spencer has spent five years touring the country in her vintage van, alone save for her hulking Great Dane, Dude. Until an unexpected inheritance from her pops has Hannah thinking about putting down roots in Cape Split, North Carolina, where she’s the new owner of a worse-for-wear seaside beach house. Or, rather, fifty percent of one. Turns out Simon O’Malley inherited the other half from his gramps.
As Simon and Hannah spend the summer tag-teaming repairs on the crumbling cottage, they discover it was once home to a timeless love story. As their own relationship shifts from enemies to friends to lovers, they begin to wonder if the house’s romantic past might be a good omen for their future together. But there’s one problem—Simon is set on selling the property at the end of the summer.
For Hannah, the Split isn’t like anyplace she’s ever been, and Simon isn’t like any man she’s ever known—she doesn’t want to let this new life go. She just needs Simon to see their budding relationship and this newfound community in the same way, or their first summer share might also be their last.
The vivid descriptions from the start of The Summer Share by Jenn McKinlay had me instantly invested in the story. Who doesn’t love relaxing with a romcom and dreaming of the summer days ahead?
Independent Hannah and her Great Dane, Dude, are trying to leave their nomadic lifestyle behind. Since she’s inherited her grandfather’s fishing cottage in the Outer Banks, she thought that would be a good place to start.
However, Hannah didn’t expect to find someone fishing off her dock when she arrived, and to find the condition of the cottage worse than she expected. Apparently, Simon had inherited fifty percent of the property from their respective grandfathers, and there are conditions in the wills that neither one was aware of since they didn’t know they had a partner—in more ways than expected—and didn’t fully own it. The next two months should definitely be interesting!
There are some laugh-out-loud moments in this contemporary romance, with sparks flying and glares. Friendly neighbors are willing to lend a helping hand or share a bit of gossip. Hannah and Simon try to recreate some of their grandfathers’ activities and favorite pastimes. We get to meet Simon’s family, and his father was hard to like. He was all about what he wanted and what benefited him.
The book had plenty of romance, steamy moments, release of grief, and lots of reminiscing. The ending is satisfying with a happily ever after, as dreams do come true when you are true to yourself.
The Summer Share is an emotional contemporary romance with highs and lows but also a happy ending.
Jenn McKinlay is the award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. Her work has been translated into multiple languages in countries all over the world. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with kids, pets, and her husband’s guitars.
