Summer After Summer is a book that deserves to be read on the beach. Olivia returns home to the Hamptons to lead the packing of her familial home as they prepare to sell it. Returning means reminders of the people she turned away from in the years she stayed away including her first love, Fred. The story moves back and forth in time between current day and her past interactions with Fred.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this ARC.

I was all in for a modern re-telling of Austen's Persuasion, but Summer After Summer fell short on a couple of levels. The good: I loved the coastal vibes and the dual timelines. The most enjoyable, nostalgic parts of the novel were the teenage romance sections; Bailey really understood the assignment when writing a teenage love story.
The bad: Rich people being rich, minus the glamour. If I'm reading about millionaire WASPs, I want the DRAMA.
The ugly: SO. MUCH. TENNIS. This was also the least believable part of the novel. The main character just...casually reenenters Wimbledon every five years? ...Really?

This book has the makings of a 5-star review, but for me it fell a little short. Coastal vibes are always a win, and I liked the idea of a dual timeline to piece together the past while dealing with the present. It's not exactly a lighter read (like I expected being comped to Emily Henry), so that might have been what did me in.

For me, the pace wasn't as fast as I'd prefer, although there were moments the chemistry between Olivia and Wes were enough to keep me going. I could see this book going either way, depending on what expectations the reader has or the mood they're in. It's not a bad debut, just not fitting my mood at the moment.

Thanks to Netgalley and Alcove Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love summer romance, lost love, rekindled love and this has it all! The couple meet while in high school but circumstances keep them apart for many years only meeting up every 5 years. You wonder if they'll end up together at the end and there's a little mystery involved simmering behind the love story. If you love summer romance you'll love Summer After Summer!

“Summer After Summer” by Lauren Bailey intricately weaves a modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, offering readers a compelling narrative of love, loss, and second chances. As Olivia Taylor returns to her family’s Hamptons beach house, the novel unfolds the complexities of her failing marriage with Wes and the impending sale of her cherished childhood home. Bailey adeptly explores themes of resilience, maturity, and the enduring nature of true love. The dual timelines, shifting between past and present, unravel the history of Olivia and Fred’s relationship, providing depth to their characters. The emotional baggage carried by both protagonists adds a poignant layer to the story, capturing the essence of their past struggles and the potential for a renewed connection.

While the initial part exudes a Hallmark movie essence and sets the stage for a predictable development, some reviewers express reservations. Plot holes, particularly concerning Olivia’s family’s financial situation, raise questions about the sustainability of their affluent lifestyle. Additionally, the reviewer notes Olivia’s pettiness and certain off-putting aspects, prompting a temporary pause in reading. However, the positive aspects shine through. The book’s exploration of inner struggles, real-life events, and the resilience of young minds resonates well. Bailey’s skill in simplifying complex psychological concepts ensures accessibility for a broad audience. The positive tone, instilling hope and empowerment, stands out as a strong aspect.

In summary, “Summer After Summer” is a solid debut, recommended for romance enthusiasts and those seeking a beach read. The dual timelines, various thematic explorations, and the positive tone contribute to an enjoyable and relatable narrative. Despite some reservations, the book offers a captivating journey of love, second chances, and self-discovery. Readers are encouraged to pick up a copy for a delightful experience in the realm of modern romance.

“Summer After Summer” is by Lauren Bailey. This book is what I’d call a “summer beach read” - especially as there’s a beach house, family dynamics, and a past love (possibly a second chance). This book is told in dual timelines - past and present. I found this book to be a bit slow in the build-up. I also had so many questions (Dad and sister don’t work - how can they stay in the house with their lifestyles?) that seemed like odd holes in the story (not related to the plot but more to character building). I didn’t know this was a retelling of a Jane Austin book - as I’ve never read the original book, I think some of the frustrations I had with the storyline would’ve worked so much better during Ms. Austin’s time - but not so well in the present time. This wasn’t my cup of tea (as the miscommunication trope is not my favorite) but I can see others really enjoying this book.

Olivia and her first love Fred meet summer after summer, in love always but never a perfect
Time. When her dad is selling there home and Olivia needs to come from the city to help pack up.. she finds Fred her first love has bought it. Angry and newly separated she wants to get it done and leave. But many lies come unraveling, and friendships amended. But what happeneds when her ex husband shows up?

This book was a lot on my brain, a ton of dialog. Past and present. Born and raised Long Island I always love a good story. It was cute but just alot to follow.

Summer After Summer is a bit slow to start, but makes up for it after it gets going. A modern-day version of Persuasion, it is just different enough to keep things interesting. If you enjoy classics revamped, contemporary romance, second chances, slow burn, or a little angst in your reading, this one is sure to please! 4 Stars!

Summer romance stories are one of my favorite tropes, and Lauren Bailey perfected it while adding more dimension at the same time. I could not put this book down! I loved the dual time lines and I felt like the characters were so fleshed out and REAL.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. A cozy romance with Insta love and second chances. A beach read for sure.

Thank you to Net Galley and Alcove Press for the opportunity to read and review this title.

The title and cover drew me to this book. I enjoyed the alternating timelines and how secrets are gradually revealed. I found parts of the stories far fetched and the main characters frustrating. When I got to the end, I read the epilogue by the author of how this book is based on Jane Austen's Persuasion. Now after reading the synopsis for Persuasion, the book is a modern retelling staying very close to a majority of the details.

Ideal for Jane Austen fans and those who enjoy instant love and second chance romances.

Summer After Summer is a debut novel , and I am all for this book. It was a enjoyable read, and I highly recommended. A second chance romance... Love, love, love...

So sweet. For me a really good start. 4 stars.

I'm game for any Jane Austen retelling, even more when it's of either Persuasion or Pride and Prejudice. You can guess at my excitement when I discovered this book!

There are several things I liked about Summer After Summer, the first being the interpretation of Anne's resilience and quiet strength. This is shown in Olivia being a professional tennis player who had to overcome challenges in her career. I liked that there was another avenue to express these attributes besides negotiating relationships.

Secondly, the tension and chemistry between Olivia and Fred are palpable throughout the book, something I feel was integral to the plot of origin. Thirdly, I appreciated the relationships Olivia had with her sisters and dad. There were differences of personality and opinions, for sure, but love still undergirded everything.

Now the thing that didn't quite sit with me was the length of time over which the plot covers. Meeting once every 5 years for some 20 years feels a bit too long. Because of this, Olivia and Fred's conflict began to feel overdrawn and petty in the grand scheme of things, and didn't fit with their supposed strengths of character.

Overall, though, as a modern interpretation of Persuasion, it was a job pretty well done and I believe readers should give it a chance.

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

The perfect beach read. I loved the Hamptons setting. The depiction of young, Summer love was everything. If you are looking for a Carrie Soto is Coming Back + a love story that withstands the test of time, then this is for you.

There were plenty of nods to Persuasion which I really liked and the setting was lovely. But as one other reviewer noted, this was more like a 5th chance romance and that gave this novel a soapy quality that isn't to my taste.
It's a good beach read though.

Summer After Summer
Author : Lauren Bailey

Pub Date : 7th May -2024 @alcovepress

Tennis MC
Summer and Beach Vibe
Second Chances
Romance and Heart Breaks

Summer after Summer is a beautiful story of Olivia and Fred, their story starts when they were teenagers during the Summer break. They instantly connect and fall for each other, but there is always something that keeps them away. Sometimes its family, sometimes its destiny, sometimes its misunderstandings.
When they separated first time, Fred said that he will be at the same spot after 5 years to see if destiny still connects them. Rejected by family for marrying Fred at 18 Olivia wants only now to concentrate on her Tennis career. Little did she know that 5 years later she will again connect with Fred and their hearts which never separated will again beat with the same intensity. But 5 years and destiny has something else planned. They again go different ways.. and reconnect after 5 years.. with now things taking dramatic turns..
Every-time they meet at the gap of 5 years they meet during the Summertime with destiny playing its tricks!!
Will these two be able to find their Summer together forever????
This story flows like a beautiful summer afternoon. The story line is solid and so is the character development. The twist at the end is what makes this book special. i mean a love story with a twist.. who doesn’t like it…

Enjoy this book! Highly recommended..

QOTD: Do you like Summer Romance?? Or did you had a teen crush?? ♥️

AOTD: I love romance in every season.. 🫶🫶 and yeah I had a teen crush 😜

A retelling of Persuasion? Say no more! We need more modern retellings of this classic story -- and SUMMER AFTER SUMMER by Lauren Bailey is the perfect book to pave the way! This was so good -- definitely add it to your summer TBRs for 2024. It's going to be a hit!

The main character returns to her family’s Hampton beach home for a final time. She has come home to help pack the house up. She discovers her old boyfriend purchased the home and things began to happen. The story is a really good read. A great beach read for the summer.

PERFECTION!!! Thank you NetGalley, Lauren Bailey and Alcove Press for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

OH MY BEATING HEART!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED AND ADORED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!! 🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME HOW THIS IS THE AUTHOR'S DEBUT NOVEL!?! TO SAY I AM IMPRESSED IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT!! WHAT AN WONDERFUL, EMOTIONAL, HEARTWARMING, POWERFUL, COMPLICATED, MEANINGFUL AND BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN MODERN RETELLING OF JANE AUSTEN'S CLASSIC PERSUASION!! THIS WILL PULL AT YOUR HEARTSTRINGS SO HAVE YOUR TISSUES HANDY!! 😭🤧LAUREN BAILEY HAS CREATED SUCH A TOUCHING SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE WITH SO MUCH DEPTH AND CHARACTERS WITH REAL LIFE STRUGGLES AND RAW EMOTIONS. IT IS FILLED WITH FIRST LOVES, FATE, FAMILY, FRIENDSHIPS, LOSS, HOPE, DECEPTION, HEARTBREAK, COURAGE, PASSION, TENSION, CHEMISTRY AND SPICE!! THIS IS ONE OF THOSE BOOKS THAT WILL GIVE YOU ALL THE FEELS AND STAY WITH YOU FOREVER! LITERALLY, EVERYTHING YOU COULD POSSIBLY WANT IN A BOOK AND MORE!!

Olivia is returning to her family home on the beach in the Hamptons to help her father and sisters pack up the family estate. Moreover, she needs time away from her cheating (soon-to-be) ex, Wes. When Olivia arrives home, she discovers that the buyer is her first love, Fred, who she met 20 years ago at the age of 16. He is the love of her life but things have always been complicated for them and the timing never seemed right. At this point, Olivia fears it was never meant to be so there's no reason to feel butterflies in her stomach a the idea of seeing him again. However, she is not the same person she was the last time she saw him and Fred has changed too. This time things will be different, maybe, just maybe, fifth time's the charm!?!

I was completely captivated from beginning to end! Honestly, I thought this delightful story was just perfect! If you're a fan of Emily Henry then you will love this book and I cannot recommend it enough!! ALL the stars!!!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ah, January! A time when the chill in the air makes us reach for warm blankets and cozy reads. Let's dive into "Summer After Summer" by Lauren Bailey, a book that brings a touch of summer warmth to these frosty days. Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC and this delightful escape.

Set against the picturesque backdrop of the Hamptons, "Summer After Summer" is a contemporary nod to Jane Austen's "Persuasion," woven with the threads of lost love and second chances. We meet Olivia Taylor, grappling with a failing marriage, as she returns to her family's beach house, brimming with memories and echoes of a past romance with Fred, her first love. The narrative skillfully flits between past and present, revealing the intricate dance of Olivia and Fred's relationship.

Lauren Bailey's debut novel is a testament to her ability to craft relatable characters and emotional depth. Olivia's journey is one of self-discovery, and her character resonates with authenticity, making her struggles and growth feel real and touching. Fred, as a foil, evolves throughout the story, adding layers of complexity to their rekindled connection.

The pacing of the novel, however, has its ebbs and flows. Initially leisurely, mirroring the languorous days of summer, it picks up speed as the story progresses. This gradual build-up may test the patience of some, but for those who persevere, the reward is a rich, emotionally resonant narrative.

As a beach read, the book hits all the right notes with its vivid Hamptons setting and the ease of its prose, perfect for those seeking a mental getaway. However, the dialogue occasionally feels a bit forced, and the on-again, off-again dynamic between Olivia and Fred might be seen as repetitive. Yet, these elements are offset by the heartwarming moments and the overarching theme of hope.

In conclusion, "Summer After Summer" is a charming tale of enduring love and the twists and turns of fate. It’s a solid four-star read that provides a much-needed reminder of warmer days during these colder months. It’s a book that says sometimes love deserves a second, or maybe a fifth, chance.