While I really liked the idea behind the book of a guy falling in love at summer camp the actual connection between the two characters was lacking. The pace of the story made it difficult to remain invested and I could feel my mind wandering. It felt like a bunch of chapters could have been left out and I still would have understood the story. I’d still tell others to check it out but it is more of a slow paced read.


Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

I already like #KerryWilkinson’s thrillers, #ThePartyatNumber12 &
#TheBoyfriend that I’ve been on tour for. This was a nice change to read a #generalfiction and #romance genre from him. Sweet and touching!

#Narrator, #JoeJameson, did a fantastic job!

Thank you so much, Kerry Wilkinson, bookouture & netgalley for the #audiobook & ecopy & give my honest review! All opinions are my own. Thank you, #TeamBookouture, for including me on the tour

Thanks to NetGalley, publisher and author, for the review copy of this book. This author keeps on delivering wonderful, touching stories. I am not a fan of the romantic genre, but to every rule there is an exception, and what an exception this was. I only requested to read this book because of how much I like the author's style. Now I have to say, I will read anything written by this author. Story, characters and the narration style were wonderful. I saw so much growth in Joe. I really liked the relationship between him and his sister. I liked George. And I loved Amy's and Joe's love story. Wonderful story!

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Truly, Madly Amy' by Kerry Wilkinson.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Kerry Wilkinson, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 21st July 2022.

This is the fifth book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'The Child Across The Street', 'The Party At Number 12', 'The Boyfriend', 'The Child In The Photo' which I would also recommend reading.

I was originally drawn to this book by its cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'Perfect for fans of David Nicholls, Mike Gayle, and anyone who remembers the carefree days of being just sixteen, when the world was full of possibility.' I am a huge fan of David so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Kerry and if this is as good as 'The Child Across The Street' 'The Child In The Photo', 'The Party At Number 12' and 'The Boyfriend' it is sure to be an excellent read. I am also excited to see what his writing style is for a completely different genre to what I'm used to with his psychological thrillers. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 55 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in England, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited England on several occasions so am looking forward to seeing if I recognise anywhere that Kerry has based the book on.

This book is written in first person perspective and the main protagonist is Joe Miller. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them.


Well, well, well Wow!!! What an absolute cracker of a book!!! This book sucked me straight in from beginning to the extremely emotional ending. It was extremely well written with excellent descriptions which put me straight into the storyline making me feel like a teen again. The blog and the cover suited the book perfectly.

I must say that when I originally seen this book and then seen the author I most definitely had to do a double take!!! You know when you know an author for one genre, you have read several of their books and then BOOM you've gone from psychological thriller to coming-of-age teen, it takes quite a while to get over the shock!!! So, I did my research, discovered That YES this IS the same Kerry Wilkinson that has set my heart racing and put me on the edge of my seat and filled with tension. I am then a bit dubious and concerned wondering whether this man who can keep me up worrying if my door is locked at night can really make a successful romance. Well, I had absolutely nothing to worry about whatsoever!! Kerry is obviously a man of many talents and absolutely smashed romance just as well as he does psychological thrillers!! Congratulations Kerry that is an absolutely fantastic achievement!!!! Anyway, moving on....

I absolutely love, love, LOVED the storyline!!! I have never actually read a book that is based around a summer camp, or one that is set in 1999, when I would have been in my terror thirtweens!!! Oh God what an age!!! I'm sure if there was a local summer camp then my parents would have been the first to sign me up to it!!! I absolutely loved the fact that the chapters weren't just boring numbers but titles that related to the chapter. Kerry set the atmosphere of a summer camp absolutely perfectly and I had a feeling he had been to one even before reading the authors notes as he describes them extremely well from what I have seen on TV.

I read approximately half of this book on kindle and listened to approximately half on audio book. I must also give a huge congratulations to the narrator Joe Jameson who not only brought the storyline to life by really portraying the emotions through his voice but by doing absolutely fantastic impressions of males and females with different accents so a HUGE congratulations Joe. I cannot imagine that this was anywhere near an easy feat!!! I am looking forward to discovering more books read by yourself as you definitely have a perfect "book" voice!! I sometimes struggle to absorb the storyline through an audio book but if you are the same as me I can promise you will not have that problem with this amazing narrator!!

DON'T EVEN CHECK THE FIRST PAGE OUT AS IT SUCKED ME STRAIGHT IN UNTIL I GOT TO THE VERY LAST WORD IN THE AUTHORS NOTES!! AN ABSOLUTE SUCCESS!!

Dont be put off by the genre change with Kerry as I can promise you he has absolutely smashed it and is even better than some of the books I have seen where the author had only focused on romance!!

The storyline took me straight back to 1999 and Savage Garden with 'Truly Madly Deeoly', I absolutely LOVE that song. It is absolutely rammed with different emotions from happiness to guilt, sadness to anger, love to hate. It completely captures the intensity of love, mental health, grief and the stresses of every day life! I loved that at the end Kerry mentions Covid and the restrictions happening which was intriguing as it took me straight back into lockdown times and made me even more grateful that things have seemed to start slowly calming down.

Beautiful and bittersweet. Make sure you have the ejvhhbbb::bb~

I completely blew through this book in a day. This book will take you back to your first love and your first kiss regardless of how old you are. Watching Joe join summer camp, meet Amy, fall in love, grow up and so much more was very emotional as you see so much7> change in him from the start of the book to the very last page. I absolutely loved both Joe and Amy and became completely and watching them meet and go through so much while Joe is struggling with his Mum who is also going through hell was beautiful. I felt honoured to be there to see this happen and some of the events that they went through, well I think most of us Brits can say we have likely done at least one!! That is the other thing I love about this book is that it is so realistic it makes the author believe they are reading a diary rather than a fictional book. It wasn't just Joe and Amy I became invested in but Joe's Mum and sister Michelle, Joe's friends such as Mark, Pete, Ian, Dan and Luke, Sarah's friend Gem, the absolutely amazing George and the sweet Charlotte. My heart absolutely broke when I read about a certain character, absolutely gutting 😭. I really can't say any more about that event. I couldn't stand Charlotte's mother who I thought should have showed much more support to her and give her more time. You can't love everyone though and whether you love them or hate them this absolutely fantastic group of realistic characters come together to make this storyline one that will stay wait you for a very long time!!! "

Please make sure you read the authors note at the end. I really enjoyed reading it and I'm sure you will also find it exciting and intriguing!!"

This book was an absolute breath of fresh air! I thoroughly enjoyed this coming-of-age tale and
recommend everyone read the Author's note. I would also love see what became of Joe and Amy, along with yourself Kerry 😉

CONGRATULATIONS KERRY ON YET ANOTHER ABSOLUTELY ADDICTIVE PAGE TURNER!!!! THIS IS WHY YOU ARE ONE OF MY TOP 5 MALE AUTHORS!!! HERE'S TO YOUR NEXT SUCCESS 🥂

Overall a am absolutely stunning, bittersweet page turning that will keep you hooked and wantong more is his books.

Genres covered in this novel include Coming-Of-Age Fiction, Humorous Literary and Romance Literary amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of David Nicholls, Mike Gayle, and anyone who remembers the carefree days of being just sixteen, when the world was full of possibility.

390 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited (at time of review) which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Truly Madly Amy is the perfect summer read with it's "summer camp vibes". Took me straight back to the years I went to camp although it was all girls. Man it would've been fun to have boys at camp! This summer is about romance,friendship, and growing up.
Joe has graduated and accepted a job as a summer camp counselor. Joe feels like it'll be good to get away and deal with his grief over loosing his dad, run some activities and decide what he wants to do with his life. What he forgets is that he'll be in charge of a bunch of kids who are extremely demanding. Just when Joe starts to question his place at the camp he spots the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. Joe falls Truly,Madly, in love with Amy.
She's not like other girls and just exudes confidence and a playful spirit. Amy pushes Joe out of his comfort zone and makes him feel like he's finally living. She believes in him. But as they say all good things must come to an end. Joe has been keeping his home life a secret and soon that won't be an option. If he tells Amy the truth will she stand by him? Is Joe willing to risk it all in order to share his life with someone?

Sadly I couldn't really get into this book. I found it all a tad too slow and I also didn't really like the characters. It was also written in a completely different way to the authors other books. So I didn't really find it very enjoyable. I'm really sorry

I’m a huge fan of Kerry’s books so I was looking forward to reading this one, despite it not being his usual psychological thrillers Unfortunately, it didn’t really keep my attention, the pace is slow and I couldn't connect with any of the characters.

This is a coming-of-age story about a life-changing summer, when Joe, still reeling from the death of his father, meets Amy at camp and she opens his eyes to new possibilities. It’s also about the whammy of first love. Joe’s struggles to handle his anger and the stress of his family life while also wanting to change his behavior and future are so well written. The relationship between Joe and Amy and the way she opens him up to new possibilities is touching. The fact that they read Little Women together is endearing.

Does Joe give in to his old patterns or reach for something new? Can you become a new person in six weeks? What is growing up all about? This book will explore all of that through a nostalgic trip to the late 1990’s and an unforgettable first love. Do you love coming-of-age romances? Check this one out.

I received a free copy of this book from Bookouture via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

Truly, Madly, Amy by Kerry Wilkinson was not what I was expecting from the title or cover. It packed much more of a punch and had depth. The story mainly focuses on Joe’s life as a 16 year old, going through his own family problems and transitioning from school to the next steps of life- a real coming of age story, Set in England, the characters and town came across as from 30 years ago and living some kind of American dream so it was a surprise that the current pandemic was mentioned as the story wound down at the end, Joe’s connection with Amy felt natural and had all the innocence of their age. I enjoyed the complex relationships Joe had in the town with his friends and family and how they developed with the story.

I went into this book expecting a bit more of a romance feel since it is a “first love” kinda deal however it is definitely more focused as a coming of age tale. I loved the nostalgic vibes that flowed off the pages and enjoyed the perspective of growing up and that first love through a male perspective. It’s not often done and even less often done in a relatable or enjoyable way for female readers from my experience.

Both the main character, Joe, and Amy are likable and easy to care for. The focus of the novel is during a shorter time period told as a reflection looking back and I felt that it highlighted some very real experiences and feelings that teenagers have. This was a good book to break up some of the more heavily romance genre reads I’ve had lately.

I am a big fan of Kerry Wilkinson so I was a little unsure of what to expect from this story as it is so different from his normal style. I need not have worried as this was another fantastic story. I loved the story and I loved the characters - It was really great.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

For Joe, it's 1999. School is over, and with zero idea with what he's meant to do with the rest of his life, he's reluctantly accepted a job at the local summer camp. Anything to draw out the sharp grief of missing his dad and move on from what the school calls his "anger problems", But getting screamed at by hyperactive ten year olds is almost enough to make him quit on day one. Then he sees Amy Ashworth for the very first time, her black shiny hair shining in the sun - and learns that nothing hits you harder than first love.

This is a story about falling in love for the first time and the problems that come with it. We learn of Joe's family and friends, also the lessons he learned that summer. I felt the story was more about Joe than it was a love story. Amy didn't really feature until the second half and we didn't really know a lot about her. The pace is slow and I couldn't connect with any of the characters even though we could feel Joe's emotions.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #KerryWilkinson for my ARC of #TrulyMadlyAmy in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I'm not sure I've ever read a coming-of-age story told from the male perspective.  I was so drawn into the story.  I felt what Joe Miller felt.  While I was never a counselor, I remember camp and he nailed it.  I loved that as the story progressed, he teased you with facts and yet didn't tell anything before he was ready to.  What happened to his Dad.  What broke his Mom.  What trouble did he get into.  I love Joe and Amy and how they meshed.  And felt how he was torn between his two group of friends.  How he matured through the book.  How can you not love a boy that reads Little Woman to impress a girl?  And something you see so little of these days, the chapters had headings.



It is a heartwarming love story mixed in with a turning point in life.  I laughed and cried.  It seems like the perfect summer book to break up all of my thriller reads.

Coming of age, Kerry Wilkinson style! This book was different than the other books I have read by him, but just as good! Wilkinson takes readers back to the summer of 1999 when school is out, and memories are made. It's nostalgic, heartwarming and bittersweet just as they synopsis said it would be. This book was a breath of fresh air! I thoroughly enjoyed this coming-of-age tale and recommend everyone read the Author's note.

Summer 1999- School is over and Joe has taken a job at a local summer camp. He hopes to figure out what he wants to do with his life. He is still reeling from missing his dad and has had issues at school. Maybe watching ten-year old's is not the best plan and yet, it changes everything for him.

He is ready to throw in the towel until he sets eyes on Amy. Falling in love for the first time, Joe can't believe he has met someone like her. Bring on the Nostalgia!! Joe has so many emotions and goes through so many things during the summer. Joe changes and grows, and readers get to be fly on the wall when he does. This also had me thinking of my summer after school was out, that feeling of one part of your life being over while the next is yet to begin. That being in flux while life goes on and you experience it. Wilkinson has captured that feeling perfectly.

This was such an enjoyable book that had me looking back while feeling the feels. Summer, first love, friendship, family, and growth are all explored in this book.

Heartwarming, nostalgic, and hard to put down! The perfect book for summer!

Thank you to Bookouture, Bookouture Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was not my usual type of novel but I’m a fan of Kerry’s books so I was looking forward to reading it. This was a nice easy read but it didn’t really keep my attention.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of "Truly, Madly, Amy" by Kerry Wilkinson! It is being released on July 21st, 2022.

This novel tells the story of Joe, who is a sixteen-year-old in 1999, spending his summer working at a summer camp. His sister Michelle gets him the job to distract him from the fact that his mother is depressed over the death of her husband/his father. He falls in love with another assistant counselor named Amy. We as readers also get a look at how Joe interacts with his work friends versus the friend group that he hung out with during the school year. Towards the end of the book, we get a glimpse at the characters 20 years in the future as well.

Overall, I rated this book a 3.5/5 stars!

I am a huge Kerry Wilkinson fan, having read and enjoyed all of his books but I was really sceptical about this total change of genre. I shouldn’t have worried as the brilliant writing has just been adapted to a new style and thankfully there’s still the odd sarcastic comment that is so him too.
On the face of it a coming of age book, as we meet Joe as he leaves school at that crucial crossroads in life, but this book covers so much more. This is a great read that captures the intensity of first love, grief, mental health and just pain old life in all its rawness. Reminded me in part of that time in my life and also a less sex filled version of Normal People.

This was pretty cute! I'm definitely realizing second chance romance isn't really my thing, however, friends to lovers definitely is. And this was a really fun setting! I want more summer camp vibes all the time forever!

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your titles. I really not the opportunity!

I do appreciate it and continue to review books that I get the chance to read.
Thanks again!

While this is not my usual genre, I am a big Kerry Wilkinson fan for his psychological thrillers and I decided to give TRULY MADLY AMY a go...just because it's Kerry. And I tried to like it...I really did. But I couldn't. I couldn't connect to the characters and I felt like Joe and Amy (and everyone else) were in some kind of alternate universe and I was looking in at something I truly couldn't fathom or get a grip on. I don't know if it's an age thing or that I grew up in a different generation or even a completely different country. In 1999 I was approaching 30 and life as a 16 year old then was a far cry from what it was like when I was 16. I also never had summer camps, never partook in underage drinking and first love for me didn't happen till I was about 19 or 20. The seventies and eighties were the background for my childhood and adolescence...the nineties are different altogether.

TRULY MADLY AMY is described as a coming of age story and I guess it is and it follows Joe going from mid-teens to adulthood and all the situations in which he finds himself. He reluctantly accepts a job at a local summer camp as an assistant counsellor (which I think is a bit of a misnomer and should just be called assistants as counsellors require some form of training and thus the givers of advice and therapy...not the type of role given here). He is still grieving the loss of his dad two years previous and his home life is nothing short of miserable, especially as the only other sane one within those walls is his elder sister who packs up and leaves home within his first week at summer camp. Leaving him to deal with his difficult mother. He was cited as having "anger problems" and is now having to deal with being screamed at by hyperactive ten year olds. It's almost enough to make him give up on day one. Almost.

Then he meets Amy Ashworth. Her black hair shining in the sun. Her laughter that lights up her eyes. Her smile that makes his heart melt. And Joe learns that nothing hits harder than first love.

Amy fascinates and frightens him. And yet she is the first person he has felt anything for and it overwhelms and consumes him. He experiences many firsts with Amy from parties to kisses under the stars, but then what is left of his family is fractured into pieces, he isn't sure how he and Amy will survive.

Personally, I didn't like either Joe or Amy...or pretty much anyone else in the story. I felt nothing for any of them, felt no connection to them, and I doubt I will remember anything more about them upon closing the book. I made it 30% of the way through before giving up and skimming to the final chapter to see how it ended...and was left in confusion because I had missed all that happened in between. But I really didn't care to go back and find out. TRULY MADLY AMY will just have to be one of those books I tried but couldn't.

I am not really a fan of coming of age stories or young adult fiction. I only decided to check it out as I am fan of the authors psychological thrillers which are far more my thing...that and the fact I love his sense of humour and always appreciate his witty quips he tosses into his books. TRULY MADLY AMY was touted as being hilarious as well as heartwarming and all that but apart from a few witty words, I could find none of the sense of humour I was loosing forward to.

That's not to say that TRULY MADLY AMY is not well-written or a great read. For many, it is and from what I see of reviews it has been. But it's not for me and while I am glad I did give it a go stepping out of my usual comfort zone, it wasn't for me. But well done Kerry Wilkinson and hats off for a going a completely different road than usual. It shows versatility and flexibility as a writer as well as great talent.

I would like to thank #KerryWilkinson, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TrulyMadlyAmy in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.