I would like to thank NetGalley, Kensington Books and Colleen French for an e arc copy of this book.
Ellen decides that this summer she will go the family cottage on the beach, tidy it out and get it ready for sale. She invites her best friend Lara to join her when she learns that Lara’s cancer has come back and she needs more Chemo. Ellen wants to help Lara and look after her but Lara has other ideas. She knows how stagnant Ellen’s life had become and plans on helping Ellen find herself again. What Ellen didn’t envision was finding her back porch filled with various friends Lara makes during her chemo. All the friends are going through their own battles with cancer and chemo. They all gel over their shared experiences and as they share their thoughts and ideas they bond further.
Ellen is very unsure about having this support group but as she gradually gets to know the friends, she learns lessons from them.
This is a very poignant story and one I am not sure how I feel about it rating wise. How can you put a star rating on a book that does leave you feeling melancholy?

Heart warming read about learning something from everyone you meet, and meeting people where they are. Some things can't be changed or fixed, but learning to accept and enjoy the beautiful parts of every day life is powerful. .

I enjoyed this story even though it was not my usual read. It was about Ellen , who was trying to find herself, Lenora, an elderly lady who was coming into Ellen's beach house in the morning and it is interesting to find out why. Ellen's best friend Lara who is battling cancer for and second time and the front porch group of Lara's cancer group. See how they all help Ellen find her self. This is a very good read. I do recommend it. Also I don't give away to spoilers.

The Summer I Found Myself was a ho hum read for me. I struggled to connect to any of the characters. I liked the beach setting and the history behind it. I thought Ellen was a stick in the mud. She eventually evolves, but I’d almost lost hope. I liked Lara the nest. She had gumption and grit, although facing a devastating crisis. I read this on a rainy dreary day and many of the characters have major illnesses, which made it quite depressing. This one just didn’t strike a chord with me.

Sometimes a book finds you at the most perfect time. The Summer I Found Myself by Colleen French is lovely with relatable, engaging characters set in a sweet little beach town I'd love to find. Highly recommended.

So this book had some slow moments in it but the rest was well done. It’s definitely a finding yourself type of book with some deep parts that you need to be ready for.

5 stars
The Summer I Found Myself
by Colleen French
French has written a profoundly touching book about dealing with loss, death and the unknown without falling into the trap of turning this book into a cliché. I wish I had a Pine, Alex, Tara or any of the rest of the porch crew in my life. The storyline of Lenora was beautifully written and seamlessly included in the story. The evolution of Ellen was incredible and the ending wholly unexpected,
I have never read a book of hers prior to The Summer I Found Myself but I will be sure to find more of her books Asap. I highly recommend this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley.

WoW this book was great! The main character Ellen I really connected with her! The development there was amazing! This story was really touching! I enjoyed reading about her journey!
I would recommend this to get out of a reading funk like I was and it helped! This wss my first book by Colleen and it won't be my last!