Becc was a good girl, smart and BFFs with Eric and Serra. Becc and Eric always had chemistry, but he has other issues, including ones with his parents and he always kept Becc in the friend zone. They all head off to college and Eric and Becc begin to become estranged. Becc meets Cal after a few years, he had been Eric's mother's boyfriend, and although they are many years apart, they begin an affair. This is where I found the story getting a bit creepy. Ten years later, she and Eric meet up to attend Serra's wedding and go on a roadtrip to find some of Serra's art for her gift. This is a time to rehash their past, mend any rifts and move on. Will they be able to spend time together on the road and do this? Does Becc deserve to be forgiven?

I had mixed feelings about Becc. She was a good girl, smart and with goals, so what was she doing. To me Cal was disgusting and preying on this young girl, it was gross. I also had a hard time connecting to her, as she was a tad boring. She wanted to be a journalist and had a good voice, but could not get her break as newspapers were going by the wayside. Erik also frustrated me. He had issues with his parents, but seemed to play the poor me card a lot. Serra was upbeat and refreshing, but couldn't save this story. It is told in dual timelines, and I usually don't mind this, but the past was full of angst and that was not what I was looking for, although I did like the relationship between Becc, Serra and Erik. It jumped back and forth a lot, I wanted to stay in the present for longer times as that was this part of the story that I was engaged in. The plot was promising, but it didn't reach it's potential. I felt uncomfortable during parts of this story and found the characters difficult to connect with, in fact I got to the point where I just didn't care anymore. This one just wasn't for me. I read a lot of wonderful reviews for this book, so you may enjoy it, a lot of people did.

Summer Hours is the coming of age story focussed on Becca as she navigates high school and then makes choices that impact her life and relationships with her friend Eric. A delightful story of friendship, love, mistakes and redemption.
Thanks to NetGAlley for an ARC in exchnage for my honest review.

The choices made at 20 steer the future, for better or worse sometimes it's hard to forgive or forget. It's tough to know what you can handle at that tender age.

Based on the publication date it's easy to tell that this one has been sitting on my NetGalley shelf for quite some time. I started it a few times and just didn't really get into it, but I'm glad I finally went back and dove in! This novel is told from Becca's POV with alternating time periods of the 90s when she is graduating high school and entering college and then in 2008 while traveling to a friend's wedding. She's always been a good girl not cutting class, doing what is expected of her and so on. But one summer during an internship she makes some decisions that will alter her life in enormous ways.

I found all of the characters relatable, reminding me of myself at different stages of life, as well as, various friends and family. Even Cal seemed familiar because truthfully and unfortunately, several of us crossed paths with the Cals of the world while becoming adults and figuring life out. However, familiar and relatable didn't translate into likable for me in this novel. There were several characters that I wanted to like, but there was something in the way (although not sure what).

The plot was realistic and like the characters themselves, very relatable. Anyone who has ever graduated from high school, gone away to college, tried to find a career and so on can relate to Becca and Eric's ups and downs of finding themselves and making a place in this world. But although there were long periods of time where I was just burning up the pages wondering what would happen next, I was also met with quite a few times where I found myself skimming and/or skipping pages because the subject matter was slow and/or plain old boring.

Yes, I experienced both good and bad with this novel, but this is certainly an author I will happily read again and I would definitely recommend this to any fans of coming of age /new adult fiction.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Graydon House for providing this review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was my first from Any Mason Doan, and I found her writing to be realistic and beautiful! Sadly I do think this book was a bit of a miss for me. I don't love women's fiction and I found myself a bit bored. While this one didn't completely work for me, I think others could love it!

Loved this one and will be recommending it! Will definitely buy a finished copy for my shelves. 4 stars.

Enjoyed this book about an estranged friendship, first love and mistakes made. A great summer read - highly recommend!

This was a cute and easy read. I read it a few books ago, and it doesn’t stick out in my mind. So it’s kind of like a fun pub meal. You enjoy it while you’re eating it, but you’re not necessarily reminiscing about it days later. But you don’t regret eating it! Becc made a mistake in her college years that resulted in an estrangement with her best friend Eric (who she also may/may not have been in love with). Cut to ten years later, and she’s traveling up the coast to their third best HS friend’s wedding with this best friend. Will they get together? Will love win? Read to find out!

I was impressed by Amy Mason Doan's debut novel, thinking that there was no way it could be her first. With Amy's sophomore novel, Summer Hours, she has once again blown me away with what a talented writer she is. I liked this one even more than her first!

I enjoyed the nostalgic feel of the nineties that was prevalent throughout the story. Becc and I graduated high school at the same time, so she was easily relatable for that reason alone. There are other reasons I felt connected with her, as well. Her love for the movies was high up on that list, as I went to the movie theater all the time when I was in high school and college (long before prices skyrocketed). I also remember feeling aimless on summer breaks and taking jobs I didn't really like all that much. Amy makes great use of descriptions and details to bring this story to life.

While Amy tried to maintain an element of mystery, some parts felt like teases to a big reveal. However, other aspects of the story were still a surprise and she kept me guessing a lot of the time. My only suggestion to Amy is to research movies that came out in 1997. Hopefully this was corrected before the final print, but I noticed she mentioned some movies being shown in the summer of 1997 that came out after that time or even the following year. (Nothing gets past me when it comes to movie release dates!)

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and I felt like I was along with Becc for the ride the entire time.

Movie casting suggestions:
Becc (college): Larissa Albuquerque (I just saw her in Family Pictures on Lifetime and I knew she was it for this role.)
Becc (present): Kate Mara
Eric (college): Ezra Miller
Eric (present): Adam Driver
Cal: Billy Magnussen
Serra (college): Vanessa Marano
Maggie (college): Devery Jacobs
Mrs. Haggermaker: Judi Dench

I read The Summer List by this author last year and really enjoyed it so I was eagerly anticipating this book. I loved it!! This is a story of friendship, mistakes, love, and finding yourself. The book spans over a few years and goes back and forth in telling the relationship between Becc and Eric. As teenagers they were best friends. The summer before they left for college Eric pulled away from Becc and they remained relatively estranged for years. Meanwhile, as the years passed Becc struggled with finding her true self, her career choices, and past mistakes. Becc eventually began a secret relationship with the one person sure to drive a deeper wedge between her and Eric. The book begins with a road trip where we initially go back and forth in time between Becc and her mystery passenger. We learn about their lives leading up to the road trip. I really liked the format of the book. The characters were great and the dialogue was so engaging. I was totally invested in this book from beginning to end.

This was a great beach read. Heartwarming, thrilling, and sometimes funny, this book is about friendship, secrets, and romance. I highly recommend it!
Many thanks to Harlequin and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I couldn't put this book down! Isn't that the hallmark of wonderful storytelling? The way in which Doan pulls you in is one of her many amazing qualities as a writer. The characters were wonderfully developed and seemed so real. The setting between in two time periods was a wonderful way in which to tell this coming-of-age story that revolves around redemption, forgiveness and enduring friendships. I have never traveled along the Pacific Coast Highway, but through the beautiful and realistic descriptions of this book, I feel as though I have taken that drive many times. I highly recommend this read!

Alternating between the late 1990's and 2008, Becc's story really leads us through two important times in her life that most woman can relate to - college years and the rush and romance that comes with, and then 10 years later when we sometimes try and re-capture that life. Nostalgic, well paced, and with characters you end up relating to.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review, "Summer Hours" by Amy Mason Doan. Being a huge fan of "The Summer List", I was ready to dive into this novel. I like the premise behind it but it seemed a little slow to me. The characters were likable and I loved all the 90's references. This would be a great choice for a beach/ vacation read.

I am enjoying this book a lot! Really like how it is set in two time periods and goes back and forth between the two. Each chapter leaves me wanting to know more about the relationships between the characters and how this story will end. It is the perfect beach read, it definitely evokes those feelings of summer. It is also perfect if you're taking a trip out west, I tend to try and read books set in a locale where I plan to visit and it definitely fit the bill for a recent trip. Highly recommend!

Summer Hours is a love story of sorts, but more important it is a story of a girl (woman) Becc who experiences a few rites of passage during her lifetime. As a child, she and her best friend Eric bond over movies...any and all. Inseparable until the end of their senior year of high school, both realize that perhaps this friendship could turn into something more. It is made quite clear by the end of that summer nothing will happen.

When high school turns into college, Becc has a relationship with an older man which no one can know about. This will later impact her relationship with Eric as a final betrayal to him. Their relationship severed completely.

But when one of their childhood friends gets married in a summer wedding 10 years later Becc and Eric decide to meet up once again for a road trip almost the equivalent to Thelma and Louise (or Louis) in this case! Their awkwardness during the trip with flashbacks as to how they ended up on this journey and the walls which were built throughout the years begin to break down and crumble.

Summer Hours is a beautiful coming of age story which focuses on Becc's challenges as Miss Perfect in high school, through her college years where she has decided to have no boundaries and to keep secrets, to her working adult life where her mistakes come back to haunt her. Especially her reasons for letting her choices always interfere with her relationship with Eric.

Can you really ever go back or take back mistakes and change the trajectory of your life after you have broken it?

Thank you #NetGalley #Graydon House #Summer Hours #Amy Mason Doan for the advanced copy. The book is out now.

Summer Hours is the story of a love triangle between Becc and her relationship between both Cal and Eric. Told in two timelines, it follows the story of Becc over many years.

I loved Amy Mason Doan’s previous release The Summer List, but unfortunately never connected with the characters in this one. In this case I just think the storyline didn’t end up being a match for my interests. But I will definitely keep Amy’s writing on my radar.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Alternating between the late 1990's and 2008, Becc's story leads us through two important times in her life: her college days as a journalism student romanced by an older charming man, and now, as she prepares to attend the wedding of an old friend while reuniting after ten years with the boy who was part of her life for so long.

Full of nostalgia and breezy summer moments, Summer Hours is the second novel by Amy Mason Doan, and she has solidified herself as a new favorite summer author for me. She writes strong, relatable characters in engaging stories that embody summer without the cheesiness the genre often sparks.

Definitely recommend.

Gorgeous descriptions of the CA coast, shout outs to 90's trends and music, great characters and all of that wrapped up in a story filled with the trials and tribulations of coming of age, moving on and second chances. What more could you ask for?

I reveled in Summer Hours. It was like visiting home again because I spent quite a few years in Northern California, exploring the coast and went to college in Southern California. This is a lush book that will pull you in and keep you wanting more right up until the last page.

The finding and gifting of the long lost triptych fascinated me and I really felt like it was a symbol of the three friends, trying to find their way back to each other.

Pick up Summer Hours and prepare to ignore the rest of your day as you experience the dual time lines that captures these characters' journeys so well.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an ARC at my request. My thoughts in this review are my own and freely given.

This is a captivating coming-of-age story that blends the past and present in sunny California. It’s about the choices we make when we’re young, along with the consequences of those decisions. It’s also about love, reunions, and forgiveness. It’s the perfect summer read filled with nostalgia and longing. I can’t wait to read more by this author. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!