One Week Left, Big Changes Ahead, and Holding On to this Summer

Hi, y’all,

Summer always seems to carry a little extra emotion with it, doesn’t it? Endings and beginnings. That’s usually reserved for the end of the calendar year, but the end of spring and the end of the school year brings about its own kind of beginning.

Maybe it’s the way everything feels temporary. Sunsets that last forever until suddenly they don’t, schedules shift, kids growing up faster than we’re ready for, and moments we wish we could pause just a little longer, or even indefinitely.

This week has been one of those emotional balancing acts for me.

First, happy anniversary to my husband. Through every deadline, event weekend, stressful season, and chaotic chapter of life, he’s been my steady place. Life looks very different than it did when we started this journey together, but somehow every year becomes more meaningful than the last.

At the same time, I’ve been wrestling with something I know many parents understand: preparing for my daughter to leave for college in just a few months.

I’m excited for her. Truly. She’s stepping into a future full of opportunities, independence, and experiences that will shape who she becomes. I know she is going to do amazing things.

But if I’m being honest, there’s also heartache mixed into that excitement.

Mental health conversations often focus on the big, obvious moments, but sometimes it’s the quieter transitions that hit hardest. The realization that routines are changing. That your house will sound different. Empty. That an era of your life is ending while another begins.

Some days I handle it well. Other days I find myself unexpectedly emotional over the smallest thing. A college email notification, cleaning out a closet, realizing how few summers are left in the way I’ve always known them.

So if you’re in a season of change too, just know you’re not alone in it.

And because I firmly believe books are one of the best ways to escape for a little while when life feels heavy, I wanted to remind you there’s only ONE WEEK LEFT to grab the Girls of Summer boxset sale.

If you love summer romance, friendship, baseball, that last summer before the end of high school, messy emotions, and stories about finding yourself during life’s biggest transitions, this collection was made for you.

There’s something comforting about summer stories this time of year—the kind that remind us that even when life changes, there’s still beauty waiting in the next chapter.

Thank you, as always, for being here, reading these emails, and letting me share both the exciting parts of life and the harder ones too.

I hope you find a little joy, a little peace, and maybe a really good summer read this week.

Happy Reading,

Lynn

On Kindle Unlimited? Check out On Call by Bethany Shaw!

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