Thank you to NetGalley, Bridget Morrissey, and Berkeley for an advance copy of That Summer Feeling in exchange for an honest review. I truly love stories that focus on summer camps because I have fond memories of camp growing up! This truly was a beautiful story full of love, exploration, and growth. You truly can’t help but cheer Garland on as she recovers from her divorce by learning about herself at an adult summer camp. This was full of some fantastic supporting characters as well! Don’t miss out on this great summer read as it’s available now! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for GR.

5/5⭐️

That Summer Feeling is the perfect queer summer camp romcom and EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ IT. I mean it, I’m not kidding. Read it.

When Garland agrees to attend adult summer camp for a week in the hopes of reinventing herself after her divorce, she doesn’t expect to run into the man the universe seems to think is her soulmate - or his beautiful, funny and kind sister, Stevie, whom she can’t stop thinking about. As a week at summer camp forces her to take risks and put herself out there, Garland must decide if who she’s become (and who she’s found) is destined to end at the end of camp or last forever.

Honestly, what is there not to love about this book? To start, it’s a sapphic summer camp romcom. Let me repeat that: IT’S A SAPPHIC SUMMER CAMP ROMCOM. I read that and knew immediately I needed to read this book. I don’t know how Bridget managed to bottle the feeling of attending a sleep away summer camp (camp activities, late night swims in the lake, community meals in the mess hall, making forever friends with your cabin mates), but she did and it’s diffused into every page of this story.

On top of that, the characters are all so likeable (save for one who shall not be named) and all SO FREAKING FUNNY. This entire book had me laughing the entire time alone in my room. The author’s humour, however, was balanced with profound moments of emotional depth and growth which made it delightful to read.

Also, the relationships are so great, both romantic and not. Siblings, friendships, and romances (Stevie and Garland had me kicking my feet and giggling like an idiot, I stg): all of them were so well-written and just made me happy.

So yeah, I loved this book and which I could feel how I felt while reading it all the time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an open and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was a cozy read. Loved the adult summer camp and all the competitions were so fun! This had a large cast of characters but I still felt like I knew most of them. I think the romance was a little too insta for me. It moved very fast for only a week, I wish they had worked on a long distance relationship for a bit before getting together the way they did in the end. This was a happy book and I enjoyed it was not very angsty.

I thoroughly enjoyed this summer camp-set sapphic romcom. I related to Garland’s late sexual awakening and the characters were all charming and lovable.

That Summer Feeling by Bridget Morrissey takes place at a sleepaway camp for adults! How fun is that premise for a book, it makes for a fun summer read. A newly divorced 32-year-old Garland Moore is the main character trying to find herself. She attends the summer camp with her sister for a week. They make friends with other fun characters as they learn it's never too late to change. Overall I enjoyed this book. My issue was the extreme insta-love element that was not believable for me. The love story would have been more believable if this summer camp were a bit longer.

Thank you, Berkley and PRH Audio, for my complimentary copies for my honest review.

✨ Book Review ✨

A big thank you to @berkleypub @netgalley for this #gifted copy of #ThatSummerFeeling !!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖That Summer Feeling by Bridget Morrissey

A sapphic romance about a woman who finds love unexpectedly.

What to expect:

💋 Romance
👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩 Sapphic
🏕️ Atmospheric
💖 Friends to Lovers

Quick thoughts:

✨ Fun summer camp vibes!
✨ A healing journey.
✨ Great chemistry.
✨ Cute found family.

Overall thoughts:

A divorcee, Garland, goes to an adult summer camp with her sister in order to heal and find herself again. Once there she meets and befriends another camper named Stevie. Initially attracted to Stevie’s brother for kismet reasons, she slowly finds herself developing feelings for Stevie instead.

I loved the summer camp setting, it felt authentic and fun. All of the games and traditions really set the scene. The friendship that blossomed between Garland and Stevie was beautifully crafted and a nice segue into their romantic relationship. I would say this is a friends to lovers story. It does get spicy but just for one scene. Things do technically progress quickly because they’re only at the camp for a week but the pacing was so steady I didn’t really notice it was only a week.

Everything that Garland thinks she knows about herself goes out the window throughout this story. I loved watching her break everything down about herself then slowly pick up the pieces. I also loved the found family aspect and how they played into Garlands perception of herself. There is a cute little “one year later” chapter at the end that really brought the story full circle. If you’re looking for a cute, light summer read then consider this one for sure!

This was such a lovely book to read. The setting was perfect! As an adult who never got to experience summer camp, this was a dream come true for me (parent trap mentions and all). It was moving, heartfelt, and an overall relatable story to read. The characters were flawed & complex, but human and entertaining. The idea that Garland lived her life because of what she saw as typical, not rocking the boat, and what sounded good on paper is probably a highly common thing for my generation. It could applied to more than just romantic relationships. We go college because that's what we are supposed to do. We settle down, get a "meaningful, successful" job and if that doesn't happen, then we aren't successful adults. Starting over can be hard, but doing it authentically for ourselves and not others is the best gift.

Title: That Summer Feeling (publishing date 5.30.23)
Author: Bridget Morrissey
Summary: Garland Moore used to believe in magic, the power of optimism, and signs from the universe. Then her husband surprised her with divorce papers over Valentine's Day dinner. Now Garland isn't sure what to believe anymore, except that she's clearly never meant to love again. When new friends invite her to spend a week at their reopened sleepaway camp, she and her sister decide it's an opportunity to enjoy the kind of summer getaway they never had as kids. If Garland still believed in signs, this would sure seem like one. Summer camp is a chance to let go of her past and start fresh.
Nestled into the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains, Camp Carl Cove provides the exact escape Garland always dreamed of, until she runs into Mason--the man she had a premonition about after one brief meeting years ago. No matter how she tries to run, the universe appears determined to bring love back into Garland's life. She even ends up rooming with Mason's sister Stevie, a vibrant former park ranger who is as charming as she is competitive. The more time Garland spends with Stevie, the more the signs confuse her. The stars are aligning in a way Garland never could have predicted.
Amid camp tournaments and moonlit dances, Garland continues to be pulled toward the beautiful blonde outdoorswoman who makes her laugh and swoon. Summer camp doesn't last forever, but if Garland can learn to trust her heart, the love she finds there just might.
What I loved about this book: Adult summer camp; bi-representation, characters who follow their hearts, fast read.
Opportunity for improvement: I have no negative remarks; I loved the book!
ARC provided by @netgalley in exchange for an honest review. @berkleypub #queerbookstagram #lgbt #wlw #lgbtqia #loveislove #queerrepresentationmatters #lgbtqbooks #bookstagram #queerbooks #books #booklover #booksofinstagram #bookish #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #booknerd #lgbtqreads #pride #queerreads #summercampromance #romance #lesbianromance #wlwromance

I can’t begin to shout about this book enough, I love thy how almost everyone I had this book recommended loved it too! And, I am hoping on more people to pick up Bridget’s backlist while they’re at it. It was perfect time to read this sapphic romance, during Pride Month! The sapphic representation was swoon-worthy, and the romance emotional and engaging!!

“The perfect summer rom-com doesn’t exi-“

That Summer Feeling has entered the chat.

I love love loved every minute of this! Garland is recently divorced and isn’t looking for love ever again. But when she meets the man she had a premonition about 3 years ago at the adult summer camp her and her sister signed up for, she thinks the universe might be giving her a second chance. The only problem is, she doesn’t really like this guy romantically, but she definitely has feelings for his human sunshine of a sister. As things heat up between them, Garland has to decide if she’s willing to risk another heartbreak for a second chance at true love.

Garland was so funny without even trying and her and Stevie had amazing chemistry. I laughed so much reading this! It was just such a good time, but also heartfelt and warm. And it definitely made me want to go to an adult summer camp. Perfection!

This review also gave me the excuse to make s’mores dip, so win-win.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for this arc it was lovely!

This may be one of the cutest books I read this year. I loved how it was second chance romance but with the sister (DUN DUN DUN!!!) Because in my real life sapphic dreams it was always with my male friends' sisters! I just never knew how to talk to them. At least our MC figured it out here!

After a surprise divorce, 32 year old Garland is starting over by attending an adults-only summer camp with her sister. But she's startled to see the man of her dreams also in attendance--literally. When she was on her way to her honeymoon years earlier, she had run into Mason in the airport and when he handled her a bracelet she had dropped, a memory of them together, surrounded by his family, unbelievably happy, flashed through her head. But Garland is more interested in her cabinmate and new friend, Mason's sister, Stevie. She and Stevie grow closer as camp progresses and Garland begins to wonder whether she misunderstood the vision, and it wasn't Mason she was having her HEA with...

This book was lovely. A perfect summer read. I love the idea of a summer camp for adults (though I may be more like Garland's eldest sister and prefer the tropics if I have a week off), and it works as an amazing setting for a romance novel. Seeing Garland discover her sexuality (past thirty, especially) without fear or shame was wonderful to watch, and her and Stevie are #couplegoals. I wish we had gotten a tad more info on Garland's sister (it was unclear to me whether she was coming out as asexual or simply trying to tell Garland there were more important things than romance), but I absolutely adored this book overall. Not to mention the stunning cover art!

Thanks to Berkley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 10/10

This is a sapphic summer romance great for readers that love a very quick strangers-to-friends-to-lovers storyline.
Down on her luck divorcee, Garland is convinced that she's destined for unhappiness. When she takes a chance at fun and attends a summer camp for grown-ups she thinks she finds the man of her dreams with her roommate Stevie's brother. But as camp continues, Garland finds herself more interested in Stevie and exploring the new feelings that are developing for her bunkmate. With a main character exploring her identity and coming into her own this is a quick summer romance perfect for reading by the lake in the sun.

3.2 ⭐️

This book was a sweet and quick read about the magic of summer camp and found family. This book made nostalgic of my summer camp days. I didn’t find myself truly believing in the romance at times, but the fun characters and setting made up for it. A fun summer read for sure!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

🕮 Insta-Love Sapphic Romance
🕮 Adult Summer Camp
🕮 Low Angst

Pros: This is a sweet romance that feels like a hug in book form. There is relatively no angst and the love story between Garland and Stevie is kind and thoughtful. This is an insta-love story so some may find the story hard to believe but so much of the book is devoted to conversions and moments between Stevie and Garland that it’s easy to see why they fall in love. The idea of an adult summer camp is cute and was a great setting for a romance story.

Cons: Because the story takes place over 6 days, it was hard to believe that Garland would make so many monumental discoveries about herself in that short amount of time. Not just the love story, but her realizations about her marriage, her sister, and her sexuality seemed very quick. I also would have liked to see more interactions between Garland and the other campers. There is a plotline involving Garland’s sister Dara that doesn’t come to a resolution so I hope that means her story will be the next book-otherwise I don’t see the point in introducing it.

I can't really slam the insta-love in this one because I actually knew my husband for a short time before I married him.
I'm going with this book is just okay. I don't think I'll remember it for a week.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

A breezy summer camp getaway. Garland is newly divorced and a little driftless when her sister Dara convinces her to join her at a week of summer camp for adults. Soon they’re caught up in color games, sunrise lake swims, and summer camp romance. Everyone has their reasons for needing this return to childhood, and Garland starts to realize some big things about herself. Including why she’s drawn to her roommate, the kind, competitive, adorable Stevie, rather than Stevie’s pack of strapping brothers.

I could’ve used more of Garland and Dara actually delving into their shared childhood trauma, but that would’ve been a different kind of book. Hopefully everyone is getting therapy off page. And you’ll need to be okay with instalove, given that camp is only a week long.

If you’re someone who loved camp as a kid, or watched The Parent Trap and longed to be there, you’ll enjoy That Summer Feeling.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re looking for a fun, sapphic romance to add to your summer reading list then look no further than That Summer Feeling by Bridget Morrissey. It’s got an adult queer awakening, sapphic insta-love, found family, and so much more. It’s a perfect read for your next summer vacation!

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Summer camp is an experience like no other. One Garland Moore and her sister, Dara, never got to experience as kids. So when a couple of Garland’s rideshare passengers tell her about Camp Carl Cove, their newly reopened summer camp, the Moore sisters jump at the chance to experience camp life. Garland hopes it will be a nice distraction from the painful divorce she’s recently gone through.

Garland arrives at camp with an open mind, hoping to take more risks and rediscover who she is only to be blind-sided by the appearance of a mystery man she once encountered for a brief moment in an airport. As a long time believer in signs from the universe, Garland sees this as an opportunity to get to know her “soulmate” only to be blind-sided by the feelings she develops for his sister instead.

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This book was so much fun! It was like a nice, warm hug underneath the summer stars with fireflies twinkling all around. The summer camp vibes were incredible and it made me want to find an adult summer camp just so I can shout Hee-Haw as I do the Hoedown Throwdown.

Garland’s character development is one of my favorite arcs I’ve read this year. She goes to camp in order to push herself to try new things and take more risks, and she doesn’t hold back. During her marriage, she made herself smaller to fit the expectations of her husband and of the people around her, yet at camp she becomes herself and makes choices for herself.

I found much of Garland’s journey to be extremely relatable. She’s a people pleaser. She’s so scared of making the wrong decision that she doesn’t make one at all. She hides herself and her own desires just to make other people more comfortable. I lost count of the amount of times I was frustrated (in a good way) with her and shouted “Girl! What are you doing!?”

But that was the beauty of her journey. She was at camp to break free of those bad habits and become her more authentic self. And it just so happens that becoming her more authentic self involves her queer awakening.

Garland and Stevie are nearly inseparable from the moment they meet. Garland can’t stop thinking about Stevie and finds herself missing her when she’s not around. For those of us on the outside, it’s obvious she’s fallen and fallen hard but for Stevie, but Garland’s still convinced it’s Stevie’s brother, Mason, who is the one she’s supposed to fall for despite having no feeling whatsoever toward him.

Personally, I am more of a slow-burn romance fan and even though there were a few moments that made me cringe, the way this insta-romance was set up did not disappoint. Stevie and Garland got to know each other organically, and talked about real things which created a real, adult relationship between them. You could tell it wasn’t going to be just a summer fling but a lasting relationship.

That Summer Feeling may be a fun summer romance, but it’s also so much more than that. It’s a testament to the importance of staying true to yourself and living your life on your own terms instead of living according to other people’s expectations.

I fell in love with Morrissey’s writing when A Thousand Miles came out last year. That Summer Feeling is equally wonderful, this time focusing on a sapphic romance between Stevie and Garland. Narrated by the incredibly talented who brings so much depth, humor and love to their story.

While That Summer Feeling focuses on Stevie and Garland, all different types of relationships are explored here. Friendships. Siblings. New love. Old love. Rekindled love. And most importantly: self love.

Marge was a big time MVP for me. Her part in the paint balloon battle had me completely cracking up. And for fans of A Thousand Miles, listen/read carefully to her connection to Dee!

To my mood readers who want a book that feels like pure summertime nostalgia- you need to grab That Summer Feeling! HEEHAW!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an eARC!

Bridget Morrissey has been a must-read for me since Love Scenes and this book was no different.

Garland Moore is hot on the heels of a divorce she didn't want and heading off to an adult summer camp with her sister Dara when she stumbles into her new roommate, Stevie. Their initial connection is undeniable (and while I don't normally buy into an insta-love scenario, this book is so soft I didn't mind it), but things are complicated when Garland realizes Stevie's brother is a man who made a brief cameo in her own past...but caused her to rethink everything.

This book delivered on its title and the summer vibes were immaculate. Ever since seeing the Parent Trap (which gives the book one of its sweetest moments between Garland and Dara, who had a less than idyllic childhood) I've wanted a summer camp experience of my own. I loved seeing how Garland's wit and overall magic won over the other campers and the way the found family just wraps you in the biggest hug.

The angst level is low so there are spots where it feels like a little bit of plot is missing, but overall reading the book felt like coasting down a hill in you're bike -- easy and delightful. Garland's overall journey had a strong thread throughout and I think that was the most important.