Say You Mean It by Megan Reinking: Book Review

*Book received for consideration. All thoughts are my own.








The last thing city girl Blair Williams wants to do is travel to a remote island on a lake near the Minnesotan/Canadian border for her law firm’s company-wide retreat. Having long struggled with high-functioning depression and low self-esteem, she attempts to fake her way through the weekend while battling the ever-present melancholy and negative internal thoughts that plague her. While there, she takes comfort in the quiet and serene setting, befriending Graham, the owner of the barely surviving Ruby Lodge.

With his mom currently in the nursing home, suffering from Alzheimer’s, and his dad preoccupied with taking care of her, Graham Peterson is left to run the lodge and deal with the growing pile of bills that threaten to jeopardize its future.

After a successful retreat filled with various team-building activities, something small seems to shift inside Blair. Enough so that when Graham calls her weeks later, looking for legal advice, she doesn’t hesitate to drop everything and travel back to the island to help. When the work is done, will she end up returning to her lackluster life? Or will the lure of the quiet island and the way it—and Graham—makes her feel be too strong to resist?


Megan Reinking is a wife and mother who lives in Minnesota, where she spends her days reading, writing, or chauffering her three children around town. She's a homebody who loves quiet, lazy days and connecting with family and friends.


Ooh, this book felt so cozy... like a warm hug from a friend!

As someone who deals with various mental illnesses, to include depression, I love seeing that represented in fiction. I thought Blair's struggles with depression were depicted so very well in this story. Admittedly, there were moments where seeing my own frequent thoughts from Blair was a little difficult... while at the same time making me feel like I wasn't alone in them. If you struggle with mental health, be sure to read the author's note to decide if it'd a good fit for you right now.

The chemistry between Blair and Graham was absolutely perfect. I loved his steady support of her needs throughout the story and the safety that she found in that. It was the sweetest thing, and I just adored it. Blair does start the book in a different relationship, which I don't always love in a book... but I think it was clear very early on that it wasn't meant to last, so I didn't mind it at all in this one. That said, this made for a perfect slow burn that felt just right for this story. I loved these two so much, I didn't want their story to end.

Say You Mean It is a closed-door romance. It does have implied intimacy and a few subtle fade-to-black moments (non-married couple). There is also a bit of minor language throughout the story as well.


Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3Q7khUn