Summer with the Sullivans

Summer with the Sullivans Train-based Romantic Chaos I love starting a new Sienna Waters novel. Sweet anticipation! How soon before the first laugh? Will it be a polite chuckle? Probably not. A disbelieving snort? Possibly. Or a full-throated guffaw that startles innocent bystanders (again)? Yes, that. Summer with the Sullivans is the fourth Sienna Waters novel I have reviewed. There is a different feel to this novel, especially at the start. Don’t despair. There are still some good belly-laughs and ridiculous situations (like Archie’s interchangeable and disposable dates), but Summer with the Sullivans has a more serious tone than the previous Sienna Waters novels that I have read. Unlike For My Finale, when I laughed so hard right out of the gate that I startled the birds and squirrels in our yard, Summer with the Sullivans holds its best humor in reserve, a treasure trove unlocked and liberally shared towards the end of the story. I had almost resigned myself to a more sparing use of humor, but was pleasantly surprised—so have faith and keep reading! The dire state of our world today has cast a pall over so many aspects of our lives, sucking joy and happiness from everyone in a way that can not help but be reflected in the literature we read, especially when dealing with the marginalized and vulnerable (LGBTQ+, minorities, the poor). Brave authors, like Sienna Waters (and so many others), strike back by holding out hope, making declarations, and telling the stories…

Summer with the Sullivans is another British romcom by Sienna Waters. The Sullivans are an affluent disaster of a family. Enter Sasha, the youngest son's best friend, who pretends to be his girlfriend in a futile attempt to hide the fact that he is gay from his grandmother. When Sasha meets his icy, workaholic sister, who has her own secrets, sparks fly. Should they? Surely, they shouldn't. Will they? Won't they? What if they do? By the end of the holiday, the whole family will have to come clean about all the things they were afraid to say. Hilarity ensued, and I enjoyed several laugh-out-loud moments. I appreciated the absurdity, the tender moments, spicy times, and the ridiculous family dynamics. Summer with the Sullivans is a silly, lighthearted novel with bits of wisdom sprinkled throughout. This is a quick, easy read that is good for a few laughs—a relaxing, happily-ever-after tale. I will always recommend Sienna Waters for satisfying feel-good stories. #oppositesattract #richpoor #femmefemme #bestfriendssister #holiday #vacation #fakedatingbrother #gayrep #birep #British #romcom #gardening #unemployed #bankingfinance #Cornwall #England #UK #gaybestfriend #icequeen #workaholic #countryside #summer #dysfunctionalfamily #HEA #epilogue.