In See You at the Sunset by Susan Lee, Jia Chung thought she finally had a long-term job that, okay, while it didn’t feed her soul, it paid the bills and was respectable enough 
even for her discerning parents. But her hopes are dashed when she gets fired without any true explanation. Her only recourse is to accept her grandmother’s invitation to stay for a few weeks at The Sunset Hills retirement home in Palm Springs, California, where Mimi has lived for years. Jia loved it there the last time she visited and knows she could use some of Mimi’s wisdom and care right now. The desert is still as breathtaking as ever. But when she arrives, boy have things changed at The Sunset, with no daily activities or comical shenanigans happening anymore. Jia sets out to change that in her limited time in Palm Springs. And without knowing it, she sets into motion more (positive) changes than she could have imagined.
‘Sunset Hills may not be what it used to, but Jia knew there was still life left in it. And she was determined to help everyone tap back in.’
Henry Chin takes his job as senior counsel at a NYC finance firm seriously. Well, he takes pretty much everything seriously. Particularly his beloved grandfather Dennis who wants Henry’s help in selling the family home to move to a retirement community. Seeing time take a toll on the man who raised him is a tough thing. So, he’ll do anything he can to make life comfortable for his grandfather–including flying across the country to move boxes in the desert heat. Henry is shocked when he arrives in California to see the woman he had a spectacular night with somehow at The Sunset also spending time with family. You would think they’d hit it off again right away. The attraction is certainly still there. But out of their normal environment of NYC, they clash more than they flirt. And that adds to the chaos as they handle their aging loved ones and the changes they want to see in the community to enhance the residents’ lives there.
SEE YOU AT THE SUNSET was a heartfelt romance that carried a whole host of emotions. But more than being a love story with steamy heat (and I’m not just talking about the weather in Palm Springs!) and some well-placed humor, author Susan Lee added in a thread that explored family and aging. Yes, it could be bittersweet or even downright heartbreaking at times. However, it took this novel to another level. One I think readers will cherish as well as enjoy thoroughly.
Told from the POVs of our effervescent heroine Jia and our stressed-out hero Henry, it was pretty clear from the start that their personalities were completely different. That didn’t stop their attraction, of course. But it did make things considerably more difficult when they found themselves in Palm Springs at The Sunset retirement home attending to family and personal matters. What also made it complicated was the fact that Henry and Jia had a (brief) history together. One memorable night, to be exact. But rekindling that connection once they saw each other in their real lives–not in a NYC bar–with all the messy details interrupting their sparks of attraction felt like a herculean effort most days.
TROPES/VIBES:
*Free spirit heroine vs. workaholic hero
*Celebrates diversity
*Sassy, fun seniors
*One-off turns into Forever
CW: View Spoiler »
Jia and Henry’s aging family members at The Sunset were sources of laughs, sentimental tears, and concern throughout the story. It’s tough enough to see loved ones aging and dealing with health concerns but Henry and Jia both had to contend with family issues, past and present, that affected them even in their adult lives. In the mix were also the other residents at The Sunset who, honestly, had me chuckling more often than not. I loved how Jia got the seniors interacting and socializing again with her creative but simple activities she planned out. She had such a warm, truly caring personality. And it came through loud and clear. Henry was more buttoned-up and standoffish but somehow Jia’s charm was able to warm him up to the Sunset’s residents and paved the way for him to even release some of the anxiety he’d been holding onto for too long.
If you’re a fan of diversity, lush descriptions, family drama, and of course love, then SEE YOU AT THE SUNSET will be an entertaining, immersive story to add to your summertime TBR.
QOTD: Aside from a requisite book club, what kind of activities would you create for the residents of a retirement community?
Book Info:
Publication: Published: August 11th, 2026 | MIRA |
Two enemies-to-lovers, one unforgettable summer escape…
Jia Chung is living the dream…until she gets fired from her job, yet again. With her mom breathing down her neck to move home, she needs an escape, fast. When Mimi, her beloved grandmother, invites her to spend the summer in Palm Springs, Jia jumps at the chance. Staying at Sunset Hills Senior Living Community is exactly where a free spirit like Jia can thrive—among people living their best, sun-soaked, fun-filled lives. So what if they’re all octogenarians?
Henry Shin lives by the rules. It’s what overworked corporate lawyers do. They don’t fly off to Palm Springs to help their grandfathers move into a new home. But Dennis is Henry’s only family. How else can Henry make sure he’s settled and safe? The boisterous Zumba classes, daily happy hours, and spicy book clubs were a surprise though. And at the center, leading the charge, is a bright, vivacious stunner named Jia Chung. The same face he’d had a one-night stand with a few months back. And the same woman Henry was forced to terminate at his company the morning after.
As carefree days turn into hot, steamy nights, the chemistry between Henry and Jia ignites. But when the real world beckons, should what happens at the Sunset stay at the Sunset?
Please leave a comment