Warning: This book will cause you to miss appointments
Dear Reader,
Last week I missed a dentist appointment. I was a total no-show, which is not like me. At all. They even sent me a reminder the day before, and I texted back C to confirm. The reason I missed it is because I was reading an early copy of Kristy Woodson Harvey’s new book, Summer State of Mind. I was so into the story that I didn’t look up until about 30 minutes after I was supposed to arrive at the dentist.
Oops!
Needless to say, I loved Summer State of Mind, and I apologized profusely to my dentist, who laughed when I explained what happened. She forgave me! (And she preordered the book.)
I invited Kristy to send a little note to my newsletter subscribers.
A NOTE FROM KRISTY WOODSON HARVEY
Hi, reader friends,
I’m so grateful to Susan for letting me borrow a little space in your inbox today! Because if you’re here, I already know you love the same kinds of stories I do, the ones that sweep you away to a sunnier place, that make you feel a little swoony, and that give you all the feels but leave you with a smile, like Susan’s totally immersive The Bookstore Diaries!
Like Susan’s latest bestseller, Summer State of Mind is all about juicy secrets in a small town, complicated relationships, and, of course, a little romance, too!
Summer State of Mind is about Daisy, a burnt-out NICU nurse who, after the worst day of her life, escapes to the tiny coastal town of Cape Carolina. But on her first day at her new “simpler” job, an abandoned baby is discovered, sending shockwaves through the town and suddenly thrusting Daisy into the lives of an injured former baseball star, an eccentric Southern aunt, and their big, complicated family. They’ll all learn that with a lot of love, a little understanding–and a community theater production of Hello, Dolly–sometimes life conspires to bring us exactly where we belong!
This book is incredibly close to my heart, and it has been so thrilling to see it already finding its way into readers’ hands. Good Morning America revealed the cover and had me on to talk about the book! It was crazy and so fun! Garden & Gun, Southern Living, BookBub, and Zibby Owens named Summer State of Mind a Most-Anticipated Read of 2026. But what means the most to me is hearing what you think!
I’ll be on tour in NC, SC, FL, IN, MO, WA, and CA, and I’d love to see you on tour! Check out tour dates and purchasing options here!
If you’re dreaming of a summer escape, I hope you’ll come spend some time in Cape Carolina with me. Thank you so much for reading! And, Susan: Thank you for sharing your readers with me. It truly means the world!
Wishing you sunshine, blue skies, and a Summer State of Mind!
With love,
Kristy
CINCO DE MAYO RECIPE: MIGUEL’S STEAK FAJITA QUESADILLA
I looked through my recipe archive to find something delicious to share with you for Cinco de Mayo. This one was inspired by smooth-as-tequila Miguel from A Million Little Things, one of the Mischief Bay books. If steak is too pricey for you right now, this marinade is equally delicious with chicken, pork, or shrimp. (If you make it with shrimp, reduce the marinating time to about 30 minutes.)
- 2 ribeye steaks, sliced ¼-inch thick, then cut into 1-inch pieces
Marinade:
- Juice of three limes
- ½ C tequila (too bad you can't use Saldivar tequila!)
- 2 T triple sec or other orange-flavored liqueur
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 t salt
- 2 t cumin
- 8 oz Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
- 8 flour tortillas
Mix together the marinade ingredients, then pour over the steak. Marinate for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Drain and discard marinade. Cook beef pieces on the stove in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side. Set aside and wipe out the pan with a paper towel. Lower heat to medium-low. Place a flour tortilla in the pan, sprinkle with cheese. Place one-quarter of the steak pieces on it, then top with more cheese and another tortilla.
When the cheese on the bottom has melted, carefully flip over and cook another minute or so. Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve warm.
ABOUT A MILLION LITTLE THINGS
Friendship isn't just one thing, it's a million little things.
From the bestselling author of The Girls of Mischief Bay and The Friends We Keep comes a twisty tale of family dynamics that explores what can go terribly, hysterically wrong when the line between friendship and family blurs…
Zoe Saldivar is more than just single—she's ALONE. She recently broke up with her longtime boyfriend, she works from home and her best friend Jen is so obsessed with her baby that she has practically abandoned their friendship. The day Zoe accidentally traps herself in her attic with her hungry-looking cat, she realizes that it's up to her to stop living in isolation.
Her seemingly empty life takes a sudden turn for the complicated—her first new friend is Jen's widowed mom, Pam. The only guy to give her butterflies in a very long time is Jen's brother. And meanwhile, Pam is being very deliberately seduced by Zoe's own smooth-as-tequila father. Pam's flustered, Jen's annoyed and Zoe is beginning to think "alone" doesn't sound so bad, after all.
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Con amor,
