This is one of those that I feel is pretty easy to get through, even though it’s long. Definitely can tell it’s a YA thriller, which might turn off some readers, but I think if you’re looking for a well written, easy to read and get through fast, with a bit of mystery and thrills, this might be the perfect book for you! Will definitely give the author another try, as I enjoyed it enough that I would definitely enjoy seeing how she progresses as an author! Would definitely recommend to those looking for a lighter mystery/thriller; as this is definitely on the not so graphic or intense side!

I enjoyed reading this book. The characters were likeable and relatable, especially Spooner, the goofy friend of the group. The plot is packed with twists and turns, and I was engaged throughout the book - trying to figure out what exactly was going to happen next. It will definitely be one I'll add to my library collection.

The story centers around Darby and Morgan, who were once the best of friends. Over the last 2 years, they no longer speak to each other and their friendship group has split. They don't start to come back together until their science teacher's body is found in the marsh where they attended camp two summers ago. No one remembers exactly what happened - it's like their memories were erased...until they start getting glimpses of those memories as their emotions take hold.

Two years ago, seven high school students went with their science teacher to a local summer camp to train as counselors. The teacher, Dr. Horowitz, disappeared and the seven students came back changed. Two years later, the body of Dr. Horowitz is found in the marsh near the summer camp, and the students are suspects. None of the students remember what happened during those two weeks. They each have some recollection of camp, but there are large gaps in their memories of those two weeks, as well as portions of that summer. Darby has images of something scary happening but cannot make sense of them. Morgan knows there is an area in his memory that he cannot access for some reason. In addition to the events at the summer camp, there were other significant events that summer, some of which they remember and some they don't. Darby wants answers as to what happened two years ago, but her friends are largely resistant. However, when one member of the group (Spooner) disappears and when they start receiving threatening notes, as well as videos of events that occurred that summer but which they don't remember (and which are embarrassing or could cause serious problems if revealed), they begin to work together to try to figure out what happened to them. However, their efforts are complicated by information that is revealed, which raises questions about whether they can be trusted and whether particular parents may have been involved somehow.

In addition to the mystery of what happened two years ago, a major theme of the book is how we perceive ourselves and how others perceive us. Darby's older brother, Christian, had rebelled against the rules of their parents, especially their mother, causing a lot of problems. As a result, Darby feels extra pressure to be the "good" child, which is reinforced by statements by her father about how she is a good person, and he can trust her. However, Darby has a "bad" side, and she has a keepsake bin hidden in her room with evidence of her "bad" side. Most of the things represented by the items in the keepsake bin are not objectively "bad", but rather representative of typical teenage behavior and rebellion, and are only "bad" in the sense of violating her parents' rules. Darby believes that this aspect of herself must be hidden because if people knew the "true" Darby they would be disappointed and would not like her. This makes it much harder on her when she learns things about her actions that summer that do not match the image of herself she tries to portray. Other characters also have struggles with who they are, which I leave for the reader to discover for themselves.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

The Summer We Forgot is a YA suspense novel about a friend group on 30A that have completely lost all memories of one particular summer. That would be odd on its own, but to intensify the mystery, the summer they cannot remember was apparently rife with crime, including the death of their teacher who they were all volunteering for at camp. This is a book about what it really means to be good...and what it means about us when we do bad things. How does outward perfection play into goodness, if it does at all? Who can we trust - can we trust those closest to us, or even ourselves?

My thoughts: It was good, but the book was overwritten for the genre. A lot of the musings and memories between the friends could have been cut out. That being said, I had trouble putting it down at times, which is saying something because I usually DNF this genre. Being a Floridian and having vacationed on 30A growing up, I really enjoyed the setting and thought it felt authentic. As usual with this genre, the capability of the MCs fluctuated wildly which made lots of scenes unbelievable.

Content: The depicted highschool experience felt realistic if you weren't a straightlaced kid at 16. I think it will resonate with the larger teen/YA audience, although that is not a good thing 🤷‍♀️ This is *not* Christian fiction or inspirational fiction (I mention this bc of the Christian publisher). This is a secular YA mystery and it does have content like partying, drinking, and teen make outs; general steamy verbiage about teen romantic interests; mentions that the older brother has one night stands and is technically involved with a minor; no language however. I'd liken it to a CW show if you're an old fogie like me 😅 (and back in my day CW was broadcast Warner Bros mkay👩‍🦳) For Christian moms, I wouldn't recommend your teen reading this, sorry to be a wet blanket.

Prepare yourself as this book is on the long side for a thriller at 384 pages but you are going to want to devour it in one sitting! I had to force myself to put it down (sleep isn't important right?). Overall just a really thrilling read which should be at the top of everyone's 2022 reading list!

I have to be honest that I was expecting something entirely different from this one. Dearest Josephine was one of my very favorite reads of 2021, and when I heard that not only did Caroline George have a new novel coming out, but that it was going to be a young adult murder mystery, I couldn't wait to dive into it. However, right from the opening chapters I had a feeling this wasn't going to be a book I was going to end up enjoying, and even though I kept hoping that wouldn't be the case, this one ended up being a total disappointment, and is definitely my least favorite read of the year so far.

The Summer We Forgot is about a group of seven teenagers who two summers ago took a two week training course at a summer camp together in order to become counselors later that year, and not one of them can remember what happened at camp or much of the rest of that summer. Most of them kind of lost touch with each other around the same time, and their friendship group has kind of diminished. When the camp director's body is discovered at the summer camp in the present day, the seven teens begin suspecting they're forgetting something critical about what happened that summer. As they try and put the pieces together, they're not sure who to trust or what's the truth and what is simply lies.

I ended up having to force myself to finish this one. It was way too long for what was necessary in my opinion, and I had such a hard time keeping the characters straight. The story is told from the POV's of Darby and her one time best friend turned love interest Morgan, and I honestly couldn't keep track of which POV was which. Their voices sound identical, even though they're not supposed to have that much in common. A lot of the story is the same events being focused on over and over again, and I felt it could have cut a lot of the word count if some of that had been excluded. This story also deals with a lot of dark content, and I wouldn't particularly recommend it for younger teens. While it definitely deals with trauma and grief and mental illness, it also heavily focuses around teens drinking and partying, and quite a bit of make out sessions which I really didn't want to be reading about.

Even though I wasn't particularly enjoying it, I kept pushing myself to finish it as there was so much hype surrounding the murder. However, I found all that build up to be a huge disappointment in the end, and I didn't really find much of it to be too big of a surprise.

Final Rating: 2/5.

I may be in the minority on this one, but I really didn't enjoy it, it wasn't at all what I was expecting, it was a lot edgier than I felt was necessary, and it's not one I'll be personally recommending.

Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to advance read and review this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

There's something about reading a book set in a warm climate when you're stuck in cold New England. I was instantly transported to the Florida panhandle in THE SUMMER WE FORGOT, where we meet a group of teens who have no recollection of their summer from 2 years past. When their former science teacher's body is discovered, they find themselves trying to unravel what actually happened during that summer.

I don't read a lot of YA, but I will say, with the exception of the characters being teens, I didn't feel like I was reading a YA novel. It felt like many of the thrillers I read. The writing was absolutely beautiful, the characters were interesting and all had very distinct personalities, and I loved the additional stories of love, mental illness, and more.

The entire time I was reading it, I certainly felt like I was watching Outer Banks. Needless to say, if you're a fan of Outer Banks, you'll probably really enjoy this read!

4/5 stars

Thank you Thomas Nelson, TLC Book Tours, NetGalley for the digital ARC!

This book was such an amazing book. The ending was unforeseen for me. I found myself lost in the story wanting more. The character development between Morgan and Darby was PHENOMENAL. I have never loved a mystery romance blossom like this one. I might have just found a favorite author now 😅

This book definitely exceeded my expectations. It was definitely a great suspenseful quick read. It threw in lots of different elements that I adored. The author says that she was inspired to write this book because of “Outer Banks” the hit show, Which I have never watched. So maybe that’s another good thing for me, i dont have something to compare it to, so it’s a very exciting book for me.

I thought this book would be similar to Karen macmanus of they wish they were us, some popular young adult mysteries. However this was not and I was bored. Something about the writing style was off and just bugged me. I was so close to DNF the book but I pushed through….kinda wish I hadn’t

The Summer We Forgot follows a group of teenagers who are under suspicion after their science teacher is found dead.

They all worked alongside him at a summer camp two years ago, however none of them can remember a single thing about the summer.

This book is told in a dual POV by Morgan and Darby two of the teenagers who were camp counsellors.

I went into this book with high hopes as I loved Caroline George’s last novel Dear Josephine but I just couldn’t warm to this one.

The conflict felt forced (I haven’t been a teenager for a while but would you really not speak to someone for 2 years over a kiss?!) and the ending fell flat for me. The build up was really slow but then resolved itself really quickly in the last few pages.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. But you might enjoy it if you like teenage-based mysteries.

This one left me feeling mixed. Without spoilers apart of me loved this and how everything played out but the other half is a bit conflicted.

This book was a light teenage mystery read. Readers will appreciate who like slow-building suspense, and the concept was interesting that a close-knit group of friends could all forget one tragic summer. It was a bit too slow-paced for me and I hard a hard time engaging with the characters, but others might enjoy.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Thomas Nelson— FICTION and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


A suspenseful coming of age story that’s gripping from the beginning.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson publishing for an e-arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This was a very fun novel that took me back to my high school years (not that my high school years had quite as much drama as this) and immersed me in a beach town setting in the middle of summer. This is my first novel by Caroline George and, although I am rapidly aging out of the young adult genre, I found this to be a refreshing entry into an oversaturated market. The premise is unlike any other young adult thriller I have read or heard about and is what initially grabbed my attention. I loved the character work and the budding romances which all felt true to high school aged teens. I also appreciated the dual points of view to tell both sides of the same story. The plot was definitely the weakest part of the book as I found it mostly predictable and a bit ridiculous at times but I still had fun with it. I think the ending wrapped things up very nicely and I like where the story left off. It very much felt like a group of friends experiencing something together and being bonded closer through the experience. Recommend to anyone who wants an original premise in the young adult thriller genre.

"Caroline George once again transports readers with lush, evocative prose, leading them to ask the question: what happens when we can't even trust ourselves?

Some memories are better left forgotten.

Darby and Morgan haven't spoken for two years, and their friend group has splintered. But when the body of their former science teacher is found in the marsh where they attended camp that summer, they realize they have more questions than answers...and even fewer memories.

No one remembers - or no one is talking.

The group of reunited friends begins to suspect that a murderer is stalking the coastal highway 30A, and they must try to recover their memories as quickly as possible...before the history they can't remember repeats itself.

Everyone has a secret.

As tensions rise and time runs out, Darby and Morgan begin to wonder if they can believe one another...or if they can even trust themselves.

Some memories are better left forgotten.

Darby and Morgan haven't spoken for two years, and their friend group has splintered. But when the body of their former science teacher is found in the marsh where they attended camp that summer, they realize they have more questions than answers...and even fewer memories.

No one remembers - or no one is talking.

The group of reunited friends suspects that a murderer is stalking the coastal highway 30A, and they are desperate to recover their memories as quickly as possible...before their history they can't remember repeats itself.

Everyone has a secret.

As tensions rise and time runs out, Darby and Morgan begin to wonder if they can believe one another...or if they can even trust themselves."

Summer camps mysteries here we come!

After reading Dearest Josephine, I had no doubt that whatever Caroline George wrote next would be just as good. And I was right.

While The Summer We Forgot was a bit slower paced for a murder mystery than I was expecting, the characters and setting aesthetics more than made up for that. I've never been to this part of Florida, but after reading, I feel like I have. I could picture everything so well, and I will never look at a summer campground the same way again. If anything, this book has a vibe that lives and breathes right along side the characters, who also feel authentic and complete and fascinating to follow.

Some aspects of the murder mystery weren't super surprisingly given the situation, but I appreciate that there was more going on than the initial "hey, there's a dead body" plot. I like how each piece of the puzzle is revealed so it feels like I'm investigating right alongside the characters. There were so many other factors building upon each other that it made for a satisfying ending even if it wasn't super shocking.

This is a book for fans of murder mysteries, settings that are part of the story, and teen characters that act like teenagers. Caroline George is an author to keep an eye on. She’s definitely going places with her writing.

2 summers ago Darby and her friend group worked as counsellors at a summer camp, because camp started their science teacher , who organized the camp, goes missing. The group falls apart shortly after. Until two years later they come together after their teachers body is found. Except they begin to realize they have no recollection of that summer.

It’s been a minute since I’ve read something so thrilling and heartbreaking in all the same breath.

The concept behind this novel is so unique and unlike any YA thrillers I’ve read. Everything was unveiled at a nice pace keeping the book rolling forward! So many times when reading thrillers too much is kept from the reader and it feels discouraging. In this case I felt like I was right along side the counsellors as they slowly pieced together the events of the forgotten summer.

The final reveal at the end as they pieced together who was after them absolutely shattered my heart. The characters were developed so well that my heart broke for them.
I absolutely loved The summer we forget. Especially how everything wrapped up so nicely in the end giving the group a relative happy ending.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

This book was an enjoyable, suspenseful read I was able to finish in one sitting.

Interesting concept that an entire group of teenagers could not recall the events of their summer two years ago.

The ending was a little far fetched for me, but otherwise enjoyable.

This book had me on the edge of my seat. I loved that I couldn’t guess until the end what exactly was happening and who the bad guy was. I even suspected the wrong person.
I did find that there was a little bit much going on with the broken friendships, Darbys secret and the mystery at the camp but nevertheless I couldn’t put this book down until I finished it.
The characters were well rounded and everybody had his own personality. Clichés weren’t noticeable at all.
What I find a bit sad is that the relationship with Darby and her brother wasn’t really resolved and we never got to find out what happened between them.

“We’re not what people have done to us. We’re not what we’ve done to ourselves. We’re not the past. We’re the future. Not what’s been done. What we’ll do. And I plan to do a lot of good with him.”

Caroline’s writing is lyrical. It’s my jam. It’s the kind of stuff you save to a Pinterest board because it makes you feel something. It makes you feel a lot of things because you can relate and it feels good. You think “Oh, it’s not just me who feels that way.” That’s a really good feeling. I just love her writing! She has a gift.
While picking up a thriller isn’t usual for me, it was written by the author of Dearest Josephine so I had to try it. Plus the book is a vibe. A book about a friend group of teenagers who grew up together surrounded by beaches and sunshine and summer? Totally my thing. 😍

I quickly became intrigued with the plot of the story. But the characters drove this book for me. This friend group was so fun. I love books with friend groups and these people— they were one of a kind.
I liked Darby. She was broken and real. Relatable. Her POV felt like it was her diary. I loved that.
I loved Morgan too. He’s not perfect but he’s got a big heart and really sweet.
I grew to care about every person in their friend group. I especially loved Cyrus and Spooner. They lightened the mood and were total goofballs and I loved them for it. My heart broke for Spooner. I really, really just wanted to hug him. Why is there the fictional barrier??😭 Actually, I wanted to hug all of them. But really, they were all great.

This book is darker. It deals with trauma. It’s not exactly a light read. It’s emotional. But it’s got a message in there that’s worth taking away. Life’s messy. It’s not perfect. But we can’t let the past steal the future from us.
Caroline writes being a teenager so well. It’s emotional and confusing. She captured that. It’s a lot of figuring out who you are. This book has a lot of depth.
There’s so many things I highlighted on my kindle because woww… so many good lines in here. I was close to tears several times.

As for content, obviously there’s some violence and gruesome stuff. Quite a bit of kissing, making out, some partying, and an attempted assault (not detailed) (Note: most of that was from the character’s past they can’t remember.) Sometimes the kissing was a little too detailed for my liking. Other than that, there really wasn’t anything else that made me uncomfortable that I can remember. I’d recommend it to older teens for that and because I think they’d relate to the characters more too.

There were a few slow parts, but it definitely picked up speed towards the end I could not put it down. My mind was blown, people. I did NOT see that coming. It was a thriller for sure.

The author’s note was golden.❤️ I was about to get teared up because I relate so much.

This was a wild ride. It was fun. It was emotional. I loved getting to know this gang. I loved the setting and the beachy vibes. I love the writing so much. The suspense had me on the edge of my seat and there were some plot twists I did NOT see coming. Like at all. It was darker than what I typically read but I liked it a lot. I grew attached to these characters. After all, I feel like we went through a lot together. ;)

Okay, and I have to add some of my fav quotes because the writing is beautiful😍

“In every scrapbook, regardless of stickers and smiles, pain writes between the lines. I went almost eighteen years of my life viewing hurt as a thing to hide, because no home décor from Hobby Lobby says, “You will cry, but your tears are worth remembering.” Mess and all, I am worth remembering.”

“When I asked him how to deal with pain, he replied, “Just break.” Until then I didn’t realize I had been waiting for permission to hurt and heal.”

“You should know . . . I don’t help people because I’m a good person,” Darby says after a while. “I do it because I’m afraid to disappoint. Part of me thinks people will leave if they see my mess, so I hide it, always have. I become whoever I believe they want me to be.”

“Because Dad tells me there’s no such thing as easy, no foolproof way to get through life unscathed. Every decision brings challenges. So, we don’t get easy. We only choose our hard.”

“Crowds don’t fix loneliness. I mean, the world could adore us, and we might still feel like the only people in it.”

“He would look at me like a best friend, hold my hand like someone more. We’d talk about the Forgotten Summer and our greatest regrets, and I’d say mine was losing him.”

“Everyone here plays—or played—a role in my life. Their faces pepper my scrapbooks and social media feeds. They remember me like I remember them. We wrote a history book, then burned the pages.”

““In the pursuit of perfection, I forgot I was already enough.”

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.