Review: The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther

Thank you Sourcebooks Fire for my copy of The Summer of Broken Rules! All thoughts are my own.

Oh, I just adored this book. Between the cover and the Martha’s Vineyard setting, I knew it was a must read for me. And then I was just delightfully surprised by what I found inside! Romance, a sex positive relationship between the main character and her parents, a huge magical family, and so much heart. I loved it, finishing it very quickly and wish there was more.

If you enjoyed 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston, I think you’ll like The Summer of Broken Rules!

Synopsis:

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“Meredith Fox has been going to Martha's Vineyard for the summer as long as she can remember. But this summer is the first one back since the death of Meredith's sister. It will all be overwhelming, but even more since since the entire extended family will be together for her cousin's big wedding.

Unfortunately, Meredith's longtime boyfriend unexpectedly dumped her two weeks before the wedding, leaving her dateless. Luckily, she has the perfect distraction. Her family has a tradition of playing the ultimate game of Assassin every summer, and this year it will take place during the week of wedding festivities.

But her target just happens to be a very cute groomsman. She's determined to not let herself get distracted, not let herself be lost in another doomed relationship. But as the week progresses, she can't help falling for him, which may cost her not only the game, but also her heart.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

  1. The Setting—As a New Englander, I crave summer stories set on the magical islands we have. I haven’t read as many books set on Martha’s Vineyard so this was such a treat. The vast family farm and beaches, local shops, bike baths. It was so wonderful to escape into.

  2. The Romance—This book is marketed as YA but I really think it blurs the lines between YA and New Adult, with an 18 year old protagonist and 20 year old love interest. It’s sex positive and sweet and though things move fast, it felt totally believable as a summer romance that swept away the characters.

  3. The Family—The family aspect of this book is SO GOOD. Everyone is on the family camp/estate for a wedding plus there’s a family wide game of Assassin happening. I love those kinds of stories and I think if you enjoyed 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston, you’ll be a fan of this one.

What Didn’t Work:

  1. I can see some people complaining about a certain “cheese level” to the romance, and usually I am the first one to roll my eyes, but it WORKED! I think when young people feel so strongly and know they’ve found a connection, they say and do things that feel so dramatic to those of us on the other side of adolescence, but it doesn’t mean it’s not genuine.

TW/CW: death of a sibling, grief, car accident

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Steam Rating: 0/5 Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Book ReviewPhoebe Wrightthe summer of broken rules, summer reading, book reviewComment