The Summer of Jake

Great beach read!

This is SUCH a fun read, even if you don’t read it in your head using an Australian accent like I did. The inside of Annalise’s head is a brilliant place to be (I imagine the inside of her cat/dog’s head is pretty entertaining, as well). Between raising a cat that thinks it’s a dog, speaking to her libido, etc., I just wanted to stay inside there.

It was funny, lighthearted, and a great beach read (too bad I started it on the way home from sand and surf). Yes, Annalise and Jake both do their fair share of pining after the other, but there’s no overdramatic angst or fake depth. Instead, there’s awkward moments and tons of sexual frustration and tension.

That’s not to say there’s no depth – it’s just not overdone, like most books. Annalise has always had a thing for Jake, but she realizes the depth of her feelings and it leads to a moment of total clarity regarding past relationships. Jake grows up, comes to terms with things said to him in the past, and makes a conscious decision to change.

Speaking of Jake, most of this book I wanted to slap him on the forehead, “Shoulda had a V8!”-style. But in a loving way, of course. How could you not love him? His favorite movie quote is from P.S. I Love You. He’d just been holding on to so many things from when he was, like, 7-years-old, that he couldn’t see them from an adult’s perspective, just how he saw them when they were said. But then he “manned the eff up” and I wanted to climb him.