Illinois Valley Woman Book Club

In My BookO ur take on Hello, Summer by Mary Kay Andrews

Summer is the perfect time to indulge in one of my personal favorite genres of books – the beach read. It’s the type of book you don’t have to think too hard about. It can be fun, lighthearted, and have a little mystery woven in. This genre is so entertaining you can stay totally invested in your book, even with multiple distractions all around you.

For this issue’s book club, we’ve selected Mary Kay Andrews’ Hello, Summer to review. Hello, Summer was released in 2020 and features intrepid reporter Conley Hawkins as she reluctantly returns to work for her family’s small-town newspaper after being squeezed out of her higher-profile job at a much bigger paper.

Conley’s take on smalltown journalism is about to change as she deals with family drama, enjoys a budding romance, and stumbles upon a huge story involving the mysterious death of a congressman that attracts national attention.

Haven’t read this one yet? Here’s what we thought of the book – without giving away any spoilers.

See CLUB page 4

SHANNON SERPETTE, NICHE EDITOR

As someone who has two decades of experience as a reporter for small and midsized newspapers, I couldn’t wait to begin reading this book. I knew I’d understand and enjoy anything that was written about the industry as a whole. Perhaps my favorite thing about the book were the passages about the main character and her struggles in the reporting world – the shrinking job market, the frenzied race to land a scoop over the other papers, dealing with reluctant sources, and the challenges of reporting in a small-town setting.

But, there’s still plenty to like about this book if you don’t have a journalism background. The mystery is well-crafted, and there is a supporting cast of memorable characters. If you’re into romance, that’s in there, too.

This was the first book by Mary Kay Andrews that I’ve read – and it won’t be the last.

JEANETTE SMITH, REGIONAL ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Hello, Summer has a little bit of everything I enjoy in a book. It had interesting characters, romance, political scandal, and family drama. I found the storyline revolving around a smalltown newspaper was especially relatable and appealing to me as I have worked in the newspaper industry for over 20 years. However, I think anyone reading it could relate to one of the characters in this book.

It is over 500 pages, but I found it a quick read. If you asked me to recommend a good book to read while on vacation, this would be it.

Our next book club pick is “The Jetsetters” by Amanda Eyre Ward.

To have your thoughts and observations on this book published in our next Illinois Valley Woman magazine, email

sserpette@shawmedia.com

by July 30th. Please include your name and city of residence along with your comments, and make sure to let us know why you liked or disliked this book. And if you have any future book suggestions, we’d love to hear them.

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