It begins and ends on a ferry, surrounded by the hum of engines and the tang of ocean air, but everything that matters lives in between: in warm night breezes, the soft creak of porch swings, and home-cooked candlelit dinners. Set on the island of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, Summer Reading (2023) by Jenn McKinlay unfolds in a quaint beach town filled with colorful, ornate Victorian “gingerbread” cottages, hydrangeas spilling over fences, and sun-soaked bike trails winding past quiet beaches. It is the kind of place where people sit on their porches with freshly squeezed lemonade in hand, where summer feels endless, and where the only way in or out is by ferry.
Summer Reading is a story about the pursuit of love – romantic, familial, and self-love. Samantha (Sam), a chef who adores cooking and her family, returns home and unexpectedly falls in love not only with Ben, a librarian, but also with reading itself. Living with dyslexia, Sam has always had a complicated relationship with words, yet her dream has always been to write a cookbook, and with Ben’s help, this dream slowly comes true.
Like the island itself, Summer Reading has a way of drawing you in gently. The story follows Sam as she returns to Martha’s Vineyard to care for her younger half-brother Tyler, and meets Ben, who is searching for his father. Despite Sam and Ben’s ups and downs, they ultimately find love. What I love most is how the book blends romance with personal exploration, especially Samantha’s relationship with herself. It is a light and warm read that feels like a vacation you don’t want to leave.
If you want to live out some of the story yourself on Martha’s Vineyard, here’s a guide of places to checkout, complete with map (at the bottom of this story!)…
Flying Horses Carousel is one of the island’s most nostalgic attractions, and Summer Reading brings it to life by showcasing the small-town charm of Martha’s Vineyard. As one of the oldest carousels in the country, it perfectly captures the fun and lighthearted tone. Samantha takes Tyler to the carousel, where they have to duck and weave through the crazy crowds, illustrating how tourism shapes the island. You can visit this vibrant, historic attraction today and step back in time to an older Martha’s Vineyard. Housed in a classic red barn on Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs, the carousel has been enchanting visitors since the 1880s. It is a must-see stop on any trip to the island.
On the drive from Oak Bluffs to Edgartown, you are met with the iconic Jaws Bridge. This bridge quite literally bridges the island’s pop culture history with its everyday charm, and Summer Reading captures this perfectly when Samantha and her best friend drive past it and spot tourists taking the plunge off the bridge. Even as a brief moment in the story, it speaks to the adventurous, well-loved spirit of the island. Jaws Bridge sits on Beach Road between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown, made famous by its appearance in the 1975 film Jaws. Visitors flock here every summer to jump into the water below and soak up a piece of cinematic history. It is a quintessential Martha’s Vineyard experience.
The Gale family cottage, tucked into a quiet Oak Bluffs neighborhood just a short walk from the beach, is the emotional heart of Summer Reading. With hydrangea flowers lining the fence, a cozy porch, and a small but welcoming kitchen, it is where Sam and Tyler’s relationship transforms from rocky and distant to something warm and loving. It is also where some of the book’s most tender moments unfold, from Sam recreating her grandmother’s Portuguese recipes in the kitchen to Ben reading aloud to her in the living room. While the cottage itself is fictional, the neighborhoods of Oak Bluffs are filled with charming homes just like it, many just steps from the shore. Wandering these tree-lined streets captures the cozy, love-centered feeling that makes the book so special.
The Oak Bluffs Public Library is one of the most important settings in Summer Reading, serving as a gathering place for nearly every major character. Ben is the library’s director, Tyler attends a robotics camp there each day, and Samantha’s best friend works behind the desk – making it impossible for Sam to avoid, and ultimately impossible for her not to love. It is also where Sam discovers audiobooks, finding that listening allows her to experience reading in a way her dyslexia had always made difficult, sparking a love of reading she never knew she had. The Oak Bluffs Public Library is exactly the kind of welcoming community hub the book portrays. A visit here lets you feel the warmth that runs through the pages of the novel and they host programs year-round.
The ferry from the mainland to Martha’s Vineyard frames the entire story, from beginning to end. It is where Sam and Ben meet for the first time, where she accidentally sends his book tumbling into the ocean. It is also where the story finds its romantic resolution. The Steamship Authority is the main ferry service connecting Woods Hole on Cape Cod to Martha’s Vineyard, with the trip taking just 45 minutes across the water. Taking this ferry is how most visitors arrive on the island, and watching Martha’s Vineyard appear on the horizon gives you a sense of the magic and anticipation that sets Sam’s whole summer in motion.
Oak Bluffs Town Beach is Sam’s sanctuary throughout the novel – a place she returns to again and again whenever she needs to quiet her mind and reconnect with herself. The beach is home to some of the most memorable moments in the book, including one particularly romantic scene where Ben surprises her with lunch and reads her a passage aloud, a gesture so tender it stops you in your tracks. Much like the characters themselves, Summer Reading treats the ocean as a form of therapy, and it is easy to understand why. In real life, Oak Bluffs Town Beach lives up to every expectation, with white sand, clear waters, and a peaceful atmosphere that draws visitors back summer after summer. Whether you bring a book or simply sit and listen to the waves, this beach instills the same sense of serenity that makes it so special in the story.
Located in the more rural, up-island heart of Martha’s Vineyard, the West Tisbury Farmers Market is where Sam goes to source the fresh and local ingredients that fuel her passion for cooking. It is also a deeply personal place for her, some of her most cherished memories were made wandering through its booths with her grandmother, and that connection to the past infuses every dish she creates throughout the book. The real West Tisbury Farmers Market is every bit as charming as the book suggests, founded in 1934 and featuring over 40 vendors selling fresh produce, meat, flowers, herbs, baked goods, and prepared foods. It is a true celebration of the island’s agricultural heritage and a wonderful place to spend a summer morning.
The Menemsha Fish Market is where Sam’s identity as a chef and her Portuguese heritage beautifully intersect. She comes here to pick up fresh cod, a staple of the recipes passed down to her by her vovó (grandmother), and this small detail makes her cultural roots feel vivid. It is one of those quiet moments in the story that reminds you how deeply food and memory are woven together for Sam. Tucked away on the water in the fishing village of Menemsha, this is a hidden gem that many tourists never discover. Part fish market, part waterfront restaurant, it sells freshly caught seafood right off the boats and even carries locally made clothing. Grab a lobster roll, find a spot by the water, and you will understand exactly why this place feels like such an important part of Martha’s Vineyard.
The fictional Tangled Vine Inn is nestled on the outskirts of town and surrounded by hydrangeas bursting from white to powder blue to vibrant magenta, is the setting for one of the most pivotal moments in the novel. It is here that Sam takes on a catering job, designing an entire menu from scratch with rich Portuguese inspiration, and pulls it off beautifully. While you can’t visit this particular inn, Martha’s Vineyard is full of real-life charming restaurants that capture the same beachy yet homey atmosphere. One to try: the Outermost Inn, which is described on its website as feeling “a bit like dining at the edge of the world, with sweeping ocean views and the Gay Head Light blinking just beyond your table.” Visiting one of these spots lets you step into the world Sam falls in love with.
Located on the southwest corner of the island, Ben’s mother Moira’s art studio is the setting for one of the most emotionally charged scenes in Summer Reading. Though it appears only briefly, it is where Sam and Ben finally confront Moira in their search for the truth about Ben’s father. While Moira’s studio is fictional, the town of Chilmark is very much real, and properties overlooking the Atlantic with the same artistic energy are scattered across the shoreline. Taking a drive through Chilmark is a necessary addition when visiting the island!
Should you read this book?
Summer Reading is ultimately a cute and fun read.
What makes Summer Reading such a strong place-based story is how vividly the island is described – by the end, you feel like you know your way around Martha’s Vineyard. Perfect for summer, it’s light but with more emotional depth than you might expect, particularly in how honestly it portrays Sam’s challenges with dyslexia, which I really appreciated. I had no idea how much dyslexia truly impacts individuals’ daily lives. Lynsey, from Always Reading supports this take, describing it as “a sweet and heartwarming ‘summer’ romance with a unique focus on dyslexia. It’s a pleasant way to pass the time for any romance lover.”
This book reminded me of People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry, as both stories make you feel like you’re on vacation alongside the characters while delivering a feel-good romance. If you like this book, watch The Last Song, a film set along the Carolina coast that shares the same sun-soaked atmosphere and simmering romance. Also, you may want to check out McKinlay’s linked sequel: Love at First Book (2024), which follows librarian Emily Allen (Sam’s best friend in Summer Reading) on her own romantic adventures in Ireland.
Overall, I would give Summer Reading 3 out of 5 stars. It is an enjoyable read, but the plot felt predictable in parts, and I wished the story had given more space to Samantha and Tyler’s sibling relationship. Even so, it delivered what I wanted and expected from a summer slow burn romance. For anyone who hasn’t read it yet, Summer Reading might just make you fall in love with a librarian – or at the very least, with the idea of spending a summer curled up in a sun-drenched cottage on Massachusetts’ most charming island.
If you are looking for a book that feels like summer, this is one to pick up!
[contact-field default="3" type="rating" label="Rating" labelclasses="wp-block-jetpack-label" labelhiddenbyblockvisibility="" inputclasses="" iconstyle="stars" fieldwrapperclasses="wp-block-jetpack-field-rating"]<div> </div>[/contact-field]Transparency disclosure: Buying through the book links to Amazon on this site could earn Travel Muse Magazine commission, at no cost to you (it comes out of Amazon’s end). Thanks for helping us maintain this site, while also getting a good book to make your travels better!
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