2.5*
I loved that the story mostly took place in Norway as it is an unusual location for a Summer romance. The characters were OK. I had quite a hard time with the writing in Summer Island by Nathalie Normann. English isn't my first language but I feel like the writing was too simple, yet it was the first time there were so many words I didn't understand. I feel like it was all too shallow, we never really get in the midst of things, we just graze them. And the ending surprised me because I felt like it was rushed. I feel bad for saying that but what seemed to be a lovely Summer romance was in fact pretty disappointing.

Thank you NetGalley for the free ebook copy.

I decided to rate this book 3 1/2 stars. I absolutely loved the setting of this novel, as the author incorporated so many fascinating tidbits of Norwegian language and culture. With this being said, I didn't find there to be too much character depth nor build-up when it came to Jack and Ninni's relationship. I found the first half of the novel's pacing to be stagnant, with only the last fourth of the story including any plot development. It was only at this point that I found myself questioning where their relationship would go (or if the two would end up together).

Thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Norway was not a country I knew a lot about prior to reading this book and I really enjoyed the change in scenery. I would recommend if you're interested in:

-Frenemies to lovers
-Travel romance
-close proximity
-Sheep that look like goats
-A small island and close community
-Sheep that look like goats

This was a light and fun summer read. I truly enjoyed Ninni and Jack as separate characters but their romance didn't connect for me. I still have no idea why they were interested in each other other than attraction. I enjoyed reading about the small island community, Jack learning more about his family and his adventures on the island. This is a closed door romance. I do wish there was more to the romance but overall a fun read.

Trigger warning: death of a parent

Jack, is a brilliant chef who has chosen to leave the restaurant in which he works to visit a Norwegian island to discover the farm he has been left by the father he never knew.
Ninni lives there and has just split from her partner, who was also someone else's partner.
When they literally run into each other the storyline is set.
They meet again as Jack is set on unraveling his connection to the island and Ninni continues her life on the island.
The storyline is a little predictable but enjoyable all the same.

Summer island is such a wonderful book. It gives you all the happy go lucky feelings you look for when reading a summer romance.

I really enjoyed this book. I love reading books set in different countries, as I can’t travel myself, so I get to visit them through the books I read. The setting for this story was excellent, the descriptions of the island and the way of life of its inhabitants were enjoyable and not intrusive. I liked all of the characters, but Ninni and Jack especially. Frikk was also delightful (and didn’t die, for anyone who is also averse to pets dying in books). There was plenty of gentle humour too. I was slightly disappointed that we never learned why Agnar never got in touch with Jack.

I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a gentle romance, and a happy ending.

Once again Thank You NetGalley for allowing me to read the eARC of this book.
This was a nice and easy read. However I'm not to familiar with the Norway customs or language it was refreshing to read about them. This was a cute story of finding oneself and unconditional love. I can picture this being a good read while on vacation.

Thank you NetGalley for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

REVIEW
Summer Island is a sweet romance, but it's a bit different. The setting is Norway, and I don't think I've ever read a Norwegian based love story. The place adds to the charm of the story with quirky characters and beautiful descriptions. The plot is predictable but still a good read with all the feels.

Want to go on a Norway vacation during quarantine? This book is definitely for you! Beautiful descriptive! Amazing cover that will conjure up hygge-vibes. This is the first book that I have read that is set in Norway, and it won't be the last. I have major wanderlust now!!

In the acknowledgements to Summer Island, Natalie Normann talks about making the Nordic less noir. She's done an incredible job. Summer Island is Falling Inn Love meets Leap Year and it's a DELIGHT (those are a Hallmark movie and a rom-com, respectively). It's got an inheritance, a (closed door) romance, a remote island, and - of course - a complication. It's the first book I've read that is set in Norway, and I was immediately captivated by the beautiful setting and cultural details throughout. I was charmed by the characters, banter, and small town vibes. Normann is a prolific writer, but this is her first English book! She has a Christmas novel coming this winter and I couldn't be more excited to read it. This is the first summer read I've picked up this season, and I'm in the mood for more, so give me all your recs! Thanks to @netgalley for an advance copy of this book,

It took me some time to really get into this book as it is written in the way that a Scandinavian would speak and it took a bit of getting used to. However I was glad that I persisted as it is a really engaging story and it gives some insight into the Norwegian way of life, which is not something I had much knowledge of previously.

Summer Island follows Ninna, a Norwegian young woman returning to the island of her childhood post breakup, and Jack, a British chef who inherits a farm on the island, despite having never been there.

I'm sure you get where things are going, but along the way we're introduced to a slew of charming islanders, a peak into Norwegian culture, and a little romance that's more sweet and wholesome than it is steamy.

My fiance and I have a soft spot for Norway - it's where we got engaged! So I loved being transported back to this gorgeous country's culture and sights. And fun fact: it's the author's first book written in English!

If you like Hallmark movies, this is a sweet little summertime read and it'll be on shelves June 24. Thanks Harper UK and Netgalley for the chance to review early!

I hate giving books 1 or 2 star ratings, because I don't want the author to feel bad that they potentially wrote a bad novel. This book is not bad, it just did not work for me and I'm glad to see other reviews really liking the book and the story.

Let me talk about what did and did not work for me. First of all, I liked the characters in the book and I loved that it was set on a little island in Norway. I've only been in Norway once, but only in Oslo, so does that really count? Not sure. But this book had a lot of fun Norwegian elements, from the food, to the area, and a few words here and there. I speak Swedish fluently, so I could grasp most of the words without needing a translation, but still I liked that there were some translations intertwined in the text, as our main character, Ninni, is a translator. I also liked Jack being a cook. But that was about all I liked.

I didn't enjoy the writing style. It felt a bit choppy here and there. Not that I would have done any better tbh, but it did feel like reading one of my fan fictions that I wrote when I was in my teens. I guess I expected a bit more, but it's simple to read, so if that's your thing, go for it! The story line was a bit ehhh, I felt like there was too much happening in such a small amount of time. Idk about it. But either way, it might work better for other people.

Just overall, this book was rated because of my enjoyment. I didn't enjoy myself when I was reading this, and I was glad I finished it. But the book itself was not bad. I would probably try reading another book by the author in the future. Either way, thanks Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy!

Summer Island is a beautifully written novel set on a Norwegian island. It is well written, has great characters and you feel like you are being immersed into Norwegian culture with its descriptions. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley, One More Chapter and the author for the chance to review.

I enjoyed everything about this book. The cover drew me in straight away, it's so bright and pretty. The characters warm and the story was a lovely comfortable read for me.

I wanted to love this book. Its setting intrigued me, and I thought it would make for a great cozy summer romance. I think I misread it a little on first glance, though, because it was...not at all what I expected. The style was so jarringly choppy that it almost came off as harsh, and I felt almost nothing for the characters. Thus, I had to put this one down.

I love reading romance novels that take us to a new location instead of the usual settings. In this very enjoyable read, we travel to a small Norwegian island where British chef, Jack Greene, has surprisingly inherited a farm and lots of land from a father he never knew. There he meets Ninni who appeals to him right away. He’s truly a fish out of water, but he’s also slowly becoming entranced with the people and culture of this little out-of-the-way island. And Ninni soon is returning his interest.

What is fun is learning about Norwegian culture, especially the food as Jack explores how to use food he is discovering. Jack and Ninni make an entertaining couple and the setting is lovely. The combination makes this a romance worth reading.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Charming and delightful. A great addition to fiction collections where fluffy UK women's fiction is popular.

A light and summery read. Just what I needed!

One of the things I liked most was learning a bit more about Norwegian customs. And the island, of course! I felt like I could smell the sea... all these descriptions of the island and the life there brought back so many good memories.
I also liked Ninni and Jack, they are so different, but these differences make them complement each other.
I liked the story and enjoyed it a lot, although I wish we could have learnt more about Ninni and Jack, to get to know them better.

Thanks to HarperCollins UK / One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! It was light and sweet and a perfect summer read. I also really liked learning more about Norway and Norwegian customs.