Five-Star Summer

Love all of Sarah Morgan's books. The latest does not disappoint.

Evie has her dream job…sort of. She is the interim general manager of a boutique hotel in Cornwell. This is a job she really wanted, but it’s not what she imagined. As Evie grew up in the town, most of the hotel staff have known her since she was a young child. Therefore, she finds it difficult to motivate the staff and have them take her seriously. The staff like everything “the way they’ve always done it”. Evie has reached out to corporate management for help to no avail. She’s getting her courage up to apply for another job.Abby is sent by the corporate office to help Evie for the summer. They get along well, and seem to have the same work ethic. Each one has a secret and is terrified it will get out and spoil the camaraderie between them.

Evie Hamilton is frustrated to the point that she is considered finding a job elsewhere. She is the Acting General manager of The Alexander Cornwall a five-star hotel. She grew up in and around the hotel as her father worked there and she was with him most days. Thus she knows the hotel inside and out and all of its long-time employees. So, when the General Manager has a heart attack, Evie steps in as Acting GM. She soon learns that the GM has been lax in giving out too many perks to guests, in addition to too many employees being a bit slack in their duties. She sees that the hotel is hurting and wants to turn things around if only she can get the employees to go along with her.The Corporate hotel office learns that there may be some problems so they send Abby Jones to help Evie for the summer. But rather than a simple helper-bee, Abby is hiding a secret of who she really is. Upon arrival, Evie and Abby click together well and Evie is delighted that Abby is agreeable to help in any way that she can. Abby will be staying at a pub in town and the owner is Tristan whose first meeting with Abby was unpleasant but he goes out of his way to make that up to her.Evie recently hired a new chef, Luca, who is an excellent cook and is improving the kitchen and the meals that the restaurant offers. Not only is he a great chef, but he’s easy on the eyes as well.Can the hotel return to its profitability? Will there be new couples joined? I loved this story and all of the characters. The author knows how to make people seem so real and down to earth. So enjoy this story and learn more about the workings of a five-star hotel!I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️After absolutely loving The Holiday Cottage, I couldn’t wait to read Five-Star Summer — it ended up being such an enjoyable escape.Sarah Morgan has a real talent for creating stories that instantly transport you, and the charming Cornish setting was one of my favorite parts of this book. Between the coastal backdrop, the cozy hotel atmosphere, and the small-town dynamics, it felt like stepping into one of those comforting Netflix rom-coms that you can happily lose yourself in for a few hours.The story centers around Evie Hamilton, who is desperately trying to restore a struggling hotel, and Abby Jones, who arrives in Cornwall under somewhat complicated circumstances of her own. I really enjoyed watching their friendship develop throughout the story, especially as both women slowly began confronting the parts of their lives they’d been avoiding. Their relationship felt heartfelt and genuine, and the supporting characters — particularly the charming chef and gruff pub owner — added a lot of warmth and personality to the story.What I appreciated most about this book is that it was simply a really nice reading experience. Sometimes you want a twisty thriller or an emotionally heavy story, and sometimes you just want a book you can sink into and enjoy without overthinking everything. Five-Star Summer was exactly that for me. It’s warm, engaging, and filled with enough heart, friendship, and romance to make it the perfect spring and summer read.Overall, this was a lovely escape and exactly the kind of comforting, feel-good story I needed. Sarah Morgan continues to be such a dependable author for me when I’m in the mood for something charming, emotional, and easy to get lost in!

This was such a wholesome, feel-good read with a charming closed-door romance at its heart. Set around a hotel group, the story follows a unique family dynamic where both mother and daughter—and father and daughter—work closely together, adding an extra layer of warmth and complexity to everything that unfolds. When Alexandra sends her daughter undercover to The Alexandra in Cornish to figure out what’s really going on, it sets the stage for a story full of heart, subtle tension, and meaningful connections.What I loved most was how all the relationships intertwined. It gave the story a sense of realism and depth that made everything feel grounded and believable, while still being incredibly engaging.This book completely surprised me in the best way. It didn’t go where I expected it to—but honestly, it turned out even better than I imagined. I found myself smiling and laughing the entire time, just fully enjoying the journey.If you love cozy seaside escapes, strong family dynamics, and closed-door romance—especially if you’re a fan of Jill Shalvis—this is definitely one you’ll want to pick up.