ARC Review ~ The Summer of Jake by Rachel Bailey

eARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: August 4th 2014

Publisher: Entangled Embrace

Description:
A new adult title from Entangled’s Embrace imprint… Falling in love wasn’t part of the plan…

Life is just dandy for aspiring fashion designer Annalise Farley. She has a great job (or she will once her designs are discovered), parents who only slightly disapprove, a cat that thinks she’s a dog, and a best friend…even if she hasn’t seen her in a while. But then Jake Maxwell saunters back into her life. Jake, the love god. Jake, her best friend’s older brother. Jake, who broke her heart at sixteen without realizing it, then left to become a pro surfer. Now he’s back, having taken the surfing and business worlds by storm, and he’s ready for a new challenge—catching the eye of another girl. And he wants Annalise’s help. Helping Jake land his next girlfriend is too fraught with emotional danger for her liking, but then Jake offers to put her designs in his shops. Is that the sound of her life cracking at the seams? It’s hard to tell with Jake smiling at her like she’s the only thing that makes him happy…

My Opinion

I will admit, when I first read the title for this book it didn't really capture my attention. However, I'm quickly growing to love books by this publisher so I decided to give it a go as combined with the cover it looked like a feel-good read.

This was a great summer read that was perfect for lounging around with. It was quick and easy but it also had a lot of depth to it. I was surprised by the story as I was expecting a summer romance but I got a lot more. The characters ha a lot of dimensions to them and plenty to keep the story interesting. The book was mainly a romance that wasn't reciprocated, but the small things from their past and present that challenged them have the story more depth.

As well as this I liked the build up in the relationship and how they went backwards and forth. There were times when I was screaming "just kiss her already" or "get together" but that was because I wanted to see the romance as I loved when the characters were together. The author dragged it out cleverly and kept me reading as I wanted to see their HEA. The characters' progression was believable and their emotions were relatable and easy to engage with as they grew.

Overall this was an enjoyable read that's perfect for a summer's day. It keeps you routing for the characters and isn't without the moments that tug on your heartstrings. I would definitely recommend.