This summer romance was so enjoyable. I am a sucker for a good contemporary romance set by an ocean especially during the summer. When Cor looses someone very close and special to her she is left heartbroken and reeling from the tragedy, but strives to complete the list of things her and her best friend wanted to complete before college. As the story goes on she finds healing and new begins that she never expected to find. Although things get complicated when Mannix comes into the picture and takes her breath away. She is soon left wondering if she can have what has started between them and keep her promise to the whales and her best friend or if she is going to have to give up on to have the other. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook. I absolutely loved it.

The Edge of Summer was a cute little romance with a big feeling of love not only towards a couple but towards a best friends and majestic sea life.

While there were slow moments here and there, overall it was a very cute and complete story.

Cons - This story definitely needs content warnings, and the beginning was a little confusing trying to decipher whether or not The main characters friend was dead or actually alive.

Who knew a book about whale would be so cute?

I really enjoyed the setting and the summer vibes, I liked how the author chose to writing some pretty difficult topics, such as grief and loss. I loved the MMC, he was funny, sweet and the perfect book boyfriend, I loved how he always stood up for himself, the FMC, on the other hand, although she grows a lot during the course of the book, is quite insufferable, everytime she had the opportunity to choose for herself, she does "the wrong thing". Thankfully, as in every other romance novel, everything turns out just great in the end.

The writing style and narration were fluid and easy to enjoy. I will be back for more books by this author.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Tantor audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

*Also, I loved the book cover, I will be buying the physical copy just to be able to display such beauty on my shelf.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to listen to this audio book in return for an honest review.
Synopsis
Fans of Sarah Dessen and Morgan Matson will be swept away by this big-hearted novel about one girl navigating first loss and first love during her summer on Cape Cod.

Saving the whales has been Coriander Cabot and her best friend Ella’s dream since elementary school. But when tragedy strikes, Cor is left to complete the list of things they wanted to accomplish before college alone, including a marine biology internship on Cape Cod.

Cor's summer of healing and new beginnings turns complicated when she meets Mannix, a local lifeguard who completely takes her breath away. But she knows whatever she has with Mannix might not last, and that her focus should be on rescuing the humpback whales from entanglement. As the tide changes, Cor finds herself distracted and struggling with her priorities.

Can she follow her heart and keep her promise to the whales and her best friend?

I don’t fit the demographic for this book at all, so while I thoroughly enjoyed it, I keep trying to cast my mind back to being of the age that fits the demograph and remember who I was then, and yes I think she’d have absolutely love this.
I really like coriander even though it came over that she’d done some fairly crappy things, that’s really what shapes us into adulthood, and aside from the beautifully described landscape of cape cod, the really well written friends and love interest I felt that’s exactly what this was, a tale of becoming who you are through lessons learned. It was cute, warm, endearing and I think it’d be a great y/a novel choice. The narration worked really well too!

I started reading (hearing) this book for it's title in the start. This book not only describes about edge of summer, it also says about edge of people, characters, growth, priority, love. Everyone, atleast, once in their lifetime will be forced to make decisions and that decision is not going to be favor of all the loved ones. That doesn't mean you should not choose. It means you have to own the choice you make even though it destroys you and your loved one. Mannix and Cor find their way back to each other. Cor came to Cape Cod with a checklist to crossout. While doing that, she also managed to heal the fraction of her soul. The author really brings out the character well and words are very articulate. I can feel the depth of the words, sentences, paragraphs and it's refreshing. The narrator has done an amazing job in differentiationg voices along with providing power to the lines. The emphasis on sea world and lives really brings out the uniqueness of this book.

Fantastic narrator for this sweet YA book. I was very pleased to hear a YA narrator with a voice that sounded “young” - she also did a great job transitioning into the side characters’ voices. A sweet, young summer romance that takes place in the beautiful setting of Cape Cod. Erica George perfectly develops these flawed YA characters throughout the book. A moving storyline about friendship, regret and moving on from your past that is coupled with a swoony summer romance. The book also effortlessly weaves environmental issues surrounding whales woven through the storyline and you finish with a wealth of new knowledge about the subject.

First and foremost, I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed it! The narrator did a great job keeping the flow of the story and performing all the characters.

I liked the story. It was very sweet and easy going for the most part. It starts out with Coriander’s best friend, Ella, passing away the summer before this story begins. The book follows Cor while she lives out she and Ella’s dream of working with the whales and all the friends she makes and adventures she has along the way.

I really liked Mannix. He has a cool name AND he was just a sweet guy. I loved watching his relationship with Cor fluctuate throughout the book.

All in all, it was a great listen. You should definitely check it out if you want a quick and very easy listen.

The Edge of Summer by Erica George follows Coriander Cabot who is spending the summer on Cape Cod with a marine biology internship that her late best friend had always dreamed about. Before Cor’s best friend passed, they wished for nothing more than to save the whales. Cor is determined to make this happen through her summer internship. Along the way, she makes new friends, builds familial relationships, and sparks a summer romance she hadn’t expected.
I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook for The Edge of Summer. It’s so easy to get captivated in this audiobook and I found it impossible to hit pause. The narrator fit Coriander beautifully and her voice was exactly what I pictured Cor to sound like. The narrator brought the book alive in a way I didn’t even know was possible. It was so easy to picture Cor’s summer on Cape Cod. The book was paced really well and the narration really brought the pacing to life.
I really enjoyed the book itself as well. George’s writing style and story was so fun to get into and read about. She made Cor feel relatable and human. George knew how to pull the reader in and make me feel so connected to Cor’s story. The premise of the story was so interesting and I loved to hear about Coriander’s trials and triumphs.
I love any and every summer romance book out there, but this one stood out to me. George’s take on grief and death was so captivating to read about. Although I’ve never experienced death like Coriander has, George made me feel incredibly connected to what Cor was going through. I felt like I was living her grief with her and like I was experiencing the exact same pain she was going through. This was definitely elevated by the narrator and the way the book was told in the audiobook format. I could feel the emotion through the narration.
Cor’s romance with Mannix was also something that made this book so fun to listen to. Mannix was so bright and fun and I thought his character matched so well with Cor. I loved seeing them go through the summer with each other and I could really feel the emotions they were feeling for each other. Mannix was such an adorable guy and I loved seeing him pine for Cor. Right off the bat, he was smitten with her and I loved to see it.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading/listening to The Edge of Summer by Erica George and I gave this book 4.5 stars. I appreciate NetGalley for giving me a copy of this audiobook.
You can find my public review of this book on my Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/paperbackfrogs/) and on my Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/haleyyun). These reviews will be posted sometime in the week prior to the release day of My Mechanical Romance. I will also be talking about this book in an upcoming video on my YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS9Dcya1aVVxRvALp9FVKMw).

In a Nutshell: Loved the whales. Liked the location and summery feel. Hated the main character. ONLY FOR OLDER YA READERS.

Story Synopsis:
Coriander, fondly called ‘Cor’, who is almost eighteen, is spending her summer at Cape Cod, working with the local marine institute to save whales from entanglement. She is also coping with the death of her best friend Ella and still sees her at key moments. Life at Cape Cod is going as expected, but the entry of local guy Mannix shatters Cor’s resolve of not dating anyone during the summer. The story focusses mostly on Cor and her rapport with the others around her, especially the budding relationship with Mannix, and partly on the whale initiatives
The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Cor.

Where the book worked for me:
👍 I am an animal lover and the reason I requested this book was that huge whale fluke on the cover. (I’ve never read a story set around whales.) The story does complete justice to the whale conservation and safety idea, providing a detailed glimpse of how our habits are damaging the natural world. If you need just one reason to read this book, it ought to be for the whales. I loved every scene related to the whales. The author's note at the end about whale conservation shows her knowledge and passion for the topic.
👍 There is queer representation in the book. It could have been better (a part of it felt very clichéd) but I appreciate the attempt, especially as one character goes by they/them and this pronoun usage is adhered to faithfully.
👍 There are some sweet moments between Cor and Mannix.
👍 Loved the setting of Cape Cod. The small town vibe came across well.


Where the book could have worked better for me:
👎 A character named ‘Coriander’ - sheesh! I love coriander the herb but to hear it as a character name was not just distracting but also funny.
👎 I just didn’t like Cor. I am still trying to figure out why everyone in the story went gaga over her. She was a liar, self-centred, irresponsible, and took almost everyone around her for granted, be it Ella, Mannix, her uncle with whom she is staying her colleagues,… Two scenes towards the end irritated the heck out of me but as I don’t want to go into spoilers, let’s just say she wasn’t an ideal lead. (Hearing everything in her first person perspective made it even worse.)
👎 Mannix the character was sketched much better but I have a major issue with his portrayal. He was tall, handsome, kind, caring, a brave lifeguard, a good bartender, a knowledgeable plumber, an extraordinary chef, a home business owner, great with kids. In other words, Mannix is going to single-handedly spoil the expectations of young girls/guys all over the world. Does a character have to be so perfect in YA? Isn’t it better to keep things realistic?
👎 The writing is quite surface-level. No depth to anyone or anything. Mannix’s relationship with his dad and Cor’s guilty conscience over Ella’s death are major topics but these are trivialised and brushed under the carpet. (Yeah okay, this is somewhat expected in a YA book.)
👎 It gets somewhat repetitive in between. (Having the audiobook helped a lot.)
👎 I hate it when the word “spastic” is used as a derogatory adjective. People might speak like this in real life but the usage shouldn’t be propagated through books, especially those meant for younger readers.

The audiobook experience:
The audiobook, clocking at almost 9 hours, is narrated brilliantly by Kathryn Lynhurst. She captured the voices and accents of every single character wonderfully and I enjoyed the book far more because of her. 5 stars to her performance.

⚠ Note: Though this is marked as YA, it is not suggested for the younger end of that age segment. Content warnings: Multiple uses of ‘f*ck’ and ‘sh*t’, a sex scene (this fades to black but before it does, it does have some 18+ content), multiple instances of tongue kissing, underage drinking.

Recommended for older YA readers (16+) who are looking for a light and breezy read. YA Romance lovers will enjoy it.

2.5 stars, rounding up as the audiobook made it much better.

My thanks to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of “The Edge of Summer”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown, and Company for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook of The Edge of Summer by Erica George. It was a magnificent book to listen to on the way to the coast.
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The Edge of Summer is a breath of salt air; sweet, fresh, with a bite of realness. The book follows Coriander, or Cor for short, as she embarks on a summer of checking off her list. It’s a simple list, but it hold so much weight. The list she made with Ella, her best friend. However, Ella died and this is the first summer back at Cape Cod after the accident. Riddled with guilt and pain from the loss, Cor starts the internship they had always dreamed about. Alone. She spends her summer with the whales, seals, and new found friends and boys. Of course, nothing is ever straight forward especially when feelings are involved.
~
The story kept me so entertained, needing to know what would happen next. George perfectly captured the essence of summer. The beaches, salt water, sun, and of course whales. All the talk of whales was so amazing. She also really touched on grief. The way it rolls through your life like the tide. It also helps that the audiobook narrator read the book so well. She read smoothly, and clearly. I definitely recommend you read or listen to this book.

The description states that Sarah Dessens fans will love this book and they were not wrong. It was wholedome and sweet.

I read a ton of YA, so I’ve been privy to the YA transformation into more inclusive & socially aware texts. Sometimes the inclusivity & social awareness comes off as a contrived afterthought. That wasn’t the case here. The whale drove this narrative. George’s depth of understanding of the plight of the sea mammal rang out as authentic and was powerful. The protagonist’s choices reflected her angst, her passion, and her truth.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this audiobook of The Edge of Summer by Erica George.
I enjoyed this one! It was a really entertaining book but I wasn’t able to fully immerse myself in the story after the reference of Tiktok, it sucked me out of it. Other than that, the audiobook was great and I liked the storyline and learning more about whale safety! 3⭐️
However, the main character of this story infuriated me. Choosing to go and see a whale over comforting your boyfriend at the hospital while his dad is dying? And then telling him he expects too much of her and he can’t have everything when he wants it? Insufferable.

*advanced copy - Audiobook
Read in the POV of Coriander - a girl who is doing an internship in Cape Cod. Cor meets Mannix and they hit it off instantly. Cor is only in Cape Cod for the summer and only wants to focus on saving the whales to prove herself to Ella - her best friend who died the previous year. Cor struggles to prioritize her relationship with Mannix while fulfilling her purpose in saving the whales which is something Cor and Ella bonded over.

This story had a huge story line of “save the whales” since it is important to the main character and her best friend. At times, I felt like the story dragged on and I kept wanting more to the story.
The plot goes back and forth between current and past to describe Cor and Ella’s relationship from before she died. I thought this was a bit vague and didn’t demonstrate the heartache and best friend relationship that I was expecting/wanting.

Overall, it was a cute story about “finding yourself” and a little bit of a love story.

as a very big wale lover, this is one of the best books i’ve ever read. & i am now a very big cori lover. the main character was so lovable & i was rooting for her & her character development all the way! such a quick read because of the beautiful writing, flawless story & amazing narration

This story was adorable. It included som great and real scenarios about whales that I thought were fascinating.

I loved both of the main characters. One, Cor, dealing with the grief of losing her friend and trying her best to balance the conflicting priorities in life. The other, Maddix, is a hardworking kid trying to navigate a difficult family life while pursuing the career he dreamt of.

This book is just the perfect summer read. From trying not to get attached, to falling quickly in love, to the inevitable break - I promise this book will still have you jumping for joy at the end.

I also thought the narrator was wonderful and pleasant to listen to.

Thank you Tantor Audio and Netgalley for giving me the chance to listen to this audiobook for free in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed the setting, Cape Cod, and the fact that this YA summer read centered around saving the whales. It also deals with loss as main character Coriander lost her best friend Ella the previous summer. I was however missing something. I felt like the storyline was sometimes lacking depth and did not feel the relationship between Cor and her love interest at all. The end felt somewhat rushed too. Overall I think this is a fine book (and a great audiobook, I loved the narrator Kathryn Lynhurst) but just a 3 star for me I'm afraid.

Who knew a book that keeps bringing up whales would be so good? Love the main character. She's gone through alot losing her best friend then tries to keep momentum in her life by checking off her bucket list and plans she had. A crazy mix when she and the other main character are drawn together. I completely loved them though. You can totally feel the chemistry. It's great to see how the story plays out. Loved the author's writing style. The audiobook's narrator really did a great job keeping you interested and mixing up the tone between characters. This was an easy read. Such a beautiful story. And the ending!! Such a flawless book.

This ARC in audiobook format was given to me by NetGalley and the publishers to read and review. All statements above are my true opinion after fully listening to the audiobook.

This was a sweet YA romance book.

After the loss of her best friend (and regret that goes with the loss) Cor spends her summer trying to complete the summer bucket list in Cape Cod that they had intended to complete together.

This book has family, friends, new love and so much adventure. Perfect summer read!! Don’t skip this one.

Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for a review!!

Grief is a process... You must work through it at your own pace. There are good days and bad days, but you keep going and hopefully you come through the other end, not whole but mended. Coriander is in the middle of that process when she comes to intern for a ocean wildlife sanctuary the summer before her senior year of high school. Her oldest friend died the previous summer and they both had a deep love and appreciation for whales, one in particular. Cor looked forward to a summer of honoring her friend, who still on occasion appears to her, and saving whales. Cor did not plan on falling in love, but she did. Cor struggles with how her friendship with Ella dissolved, while trying to commit to the goals they wanted in better times. Cor wanted this summer to be about Ella and the whales, but love jumps in the middle. Mannix and Cori are trying to navigate young love, while she is still trying to process real loss. I loved seeing Cor grow into a stronger young woman throughout this book. She was a lost, but through helping Fraction, and facing her faults, she finds sure footing and purpose. This was a great story of love and overcoming loss.