Review - - Five-Star Summer

Five-Star Summer

by Sarah Morgan

Publisher: MIRA

Release Date: May 5, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

Running a five-star Cornish hotel should have been Evie Hamilton’s dream job. But restoring it to its former glory is going to take a miracle. All Evie has is grit, and a hoard of unruly staff who love to speculate about her love life. She needs back-up, and fast.

Enter Abby Jones. Parachuted in by the hotel’s umbrella company for the summer, Abby thinks Evie could be the best friend she never had. But Abby has her own agenda for being in Cornwall. If her real motives are uncovered, their friendship is going to melt away faster than an ice cream in the summer sun.

Yet Abby’s arrival starts a chain reaction. With the help of a charming chef and a gruff pub owner, they begin to embrace their true selves and the bonds that unite them. But it’s not just the hotel’s five-star reputation that needs rebuilding – Evie and Abby will also have to brave tearing down their lives in order to reshape their futures…

PJ's Thoughts:

I can always count on Sarah Morgan to sweep me away to intriguing places with stories that never fail to touch my heart. With her newest novel, Five-Star Summer, that place is Cornwall and the story is another keeper I found hard to put down.

Much like Abby Jones, I found myself immersed in the rugged beauty of the Cornish coast, the charm of the village locals, and the hotel that stands as their slightly tarnished crown jewel. And, like Evie, I wanted to see that hotel restored to her previous glory. But the story is more than just the hotel. So much more.

Relationships are something Sarah Morgan excels at creating and she's at her best in this book. There's the friendship that grows between Abby and Evie. I love these two, how they bond over the summer as they work together with their shared goal; how they learn from one another, share confidences, encourage one another to live their best lives. But there are also secrets simmering below the surface because, of course. It couldn't be that easy, right?

Then, there are the relationships between Evie and the hotel staff, people who have known her since birth and are having trouble letting go of behaviors honed over 20+ years. The gradual changes that have to happen for Evie to be successful - and happy - are organic and believable.

Romance isn't at the forefront of this story but it absolutely hold a place for both Abby and Evie. I enjoyed both of the men at the heart of their romantic journeys.

And, finally, it wouldn't be a Sarah Morgan book without messy, emotional, life-altering family dynamics. This time, the secrets that unfold hold more than a few unexpected surprises that add depth, growth, and heart-tugging emotion to more than one happy ending. 

Five-Star Summer has my enthusiastic recommendation for your summer reading list.