In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, Lucy Giordano and her family return to their Jersey shore home after 9 months of restoration. When Lucy looks out her window and sees summer boy Connor Malloy she flashes back to their hookup the day the storm hit. He had promised to call her but did not. Lucy moves on and becomes her childhood friend Andrew’s girlfriend, but when Connor returns, she knows her feelings for him are still there. Amidst the romantic turmoil, Lucy, who wants to be a marine mammologist, works at “reclamming” the bay and seeks an internship at that will further her dreams.

A quick YA read which for some reason sucked me in unexpectedly. Perhaps I could relate to some level to some of the events and conflicting feelings from way back when I was that age and all was quite nostalgic for me.
Lucy and her twin brother Liam live in a 'summer' island off New Jersey. In the aftermath of the biggest storm in a hundred years storm Sandy which washed out a lot of the area. The town is recovering and so is Lucy after an encounter with long time summer crush Connor on the morning of the storm.
Now almost a year later all their lives have moved on or so it seems on the surface. Lucy and Connor struggle to come to terms with their true feelings despite now having other partners.
Super quick and light read for YA readers.

Thanks to Sourcebooks who provided a copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Wow! This was a great, fast-pace romantic read that gave me a ton of summer, coastal vibes!
Our story starts off with Lucy looking out the window at the boy-next-door-for-the-summer and feels a sense of longing from seeing him. This was the first time she sees him after they share a romantic moment on the heels of Hurricane Sandy, which tears up their community and their homes. Lucy is under the impression that Connor is a player, and that their moment together meant absolutely nothing to him. However, as the story progresses, we secrets are revealed, and an inner hurricane blows through Lucy's head and heart.
So, we get the story within the story as the months progress from Memorial Day until near the end of Summer. We get flashes of what happened between her and Connor leading up to The Big Mistake, and the picture starts to become clear as to what lead up to it. This book does a fantastic job depicting the devastation and turmoil of both home and emotions when a storm tears apart one's home, and people are uprooted. Lucy is one who hates change, newness, because her home, her friends, are all she knows. It's her safety net and solace, and now, with everything turned upside down, this becomes uncertainty and fear.
Flash forward to present, and we see Lucy and Connor interact, keeping their romantic moment a secret slowly starts to unravel, affecting others around them. The two of them have moved on with different people, neither of which they are completely happy with. Nevertheless, they soldier on, until the disastrous prom night when she is faced with hard truths about herself and her boyfriend Andrew, and has to make a decision. It's this disastrous prom night that would rip apart her group of friends, leaving her feeling isolated and miserable, and forcing herself to reevaluate what she wants in life.
Throughout the story, all the characters here grow and develop along with the tides of change and challenges. The ending came at a pretty thrilling and satisfying conclusion. Excellent description here about surfing and beaches. Makes me want to go visit the Jersey Shore myself.

It definitely took a little bit for me to get into it (about chapter 7 or 8) but it was a cute story. I ended up going on to read the other book associated with this one and enjoyed that one a bit more. My problem with getting into this book was that there were a handful of parts in the story where I had to reread the paragraph quite a few times to try to figure out what the author was trying to convey - not sure if it was the punctuation or the wording - but it happened a handful of times. I did really enjoy the way she described the scenery and the vibe of the shore. Ultimately, I have decided to still recommend this book to my friends and followers as it was a cute trope.

I have always been a big fan of books about teens at beach-lined coastal towns and coming-of-age stories. I think summer is a great time to discover yourself and grow as a person. The Summer Before Me and You was exactly what I was looking for.

The story follows Lucy as she tries to get back to regular life in her coastal town after a terrorizing hurricane that took her away for a long time. I really enjoyed Lucy’s character. She reminded me of myself as a teen and her development throughout the book. Doktorski did a marvelous job of showing Lucy’s character growth and the struggles she dealt with. I loved watching her relationship with Connor heal itself, even when she wasn’t aware of it. I think Connor was such a fun character as well. He was your average teenage boy, but his emotional depth was a breath of fresh air to read and his character was instantly likable.

Doktorski not only wrote a really good YA story with a romance blended in, but the coming-of-age aspect. Sometimes it feels like we’ve read every version of a story that could possibly exist, so I love it when one hits just right and feels original. Doktorski has done that with The Summer Before Me and You. A truly fantastic adventure after a disaster, following along as two teens figure out life and a community recovers. Must read!

i remember super storm sandy and all the damage it cause. i lives in Jersey sitting that time. one of the hardest things to go through so o completely understood and felt for all the characters and everything they had to do through. it was still enjoyable and good to see that we were not alone.

The main character was a joy to read about, she was very relatable and dedicated. her relationship with her friend, family and neighbors were all very real and authentic to the Jersey shore. sometimes it's ok to be you and do things for yourself, like they say sometimes you need to self care first.

i enjoyed her relationship with Connor her neighbor and am outside who only comes to the shore on holidays and what not. i was really rooting for them and of course you will have to read the book too find out what happens.

overall o really enjoyed the book and was actually sad when it ended because i wanted to continue to see what was going to happen between them all. i could totally go for some continuation.

really great read!!!!

So cute!! Lucy, a local girl at the Jersey Shore, navigates the fleeting romances of summer tourists until charming Connor Malloy stirs deeper feelings within her. When Superstorm Sandy disrupts their lives, Lucy must mend her heart and home in its wake. As memories resurface and Connor returns, this summer promises to ignite more than just fireworks. Woven with love and loss, this poignant tale explores fresh starts and the possibility of second chances against the backdrop of a coastal town's seasonal ebb and flow.. I thought this book was super cute and enjoyed the writing. The characters are maniacal, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to the publisher and the author for allowing me to arc read this book in exchange for my honest review

The Summer After You and Me was a sweet YA story that takes place in NJ right after Superstorm Sandy. At the time it was written, some of the pain of that storm would still have been fresh in the mind of the authors and some readers as well I would imagine. The fact that it is mentioned over and over again doesn't bother me at all. I would never want to be 17 again but I can still remember how everything felt so BIG then. EVERYTHING. Lucy went from being focused on her future to having "boys" in her life including her best friend and the "summer" boy next door. I'm not sure I would have handled anything any different had I been in her shoes. I had tears in my eyes at one point because lordy I remember how it felt to be so purposefully left out by people who were supposed to love you. I had one eye roll and I REALLY disliked how the author dealt with "older women who dress younger than their age" (perhaps because she was describing me but I think we need to let people be who they are without the ageist judgment.) Sweet with a satisfying end to the story.

Rebuilding after a storm is harder than almost-seventeen-year-old Luce/Lucy/Lucia thought it would be. With the storm came complications in her own life, and now that life is moving at full speed again, Lucy no longer knows where she belongs. Lucy knows who she is, but she doesn’t know if that’s enough anymore. Secrets have torn her from everyone she’s loved, and she just wants everything to be normal.

In this adorable, quick and easy read from Jennifer Salvato Doktorski, Lucy is a remarkable main character. She’s the type of young adult heroine that makes you swoon and reminisce on your teenage years (even if they weren’t quite as eventful or interesting…okay my teenage years weren’t eventful or interesting, but I DIGRESS.)

Lucy shows compassion much like many other teenagers, and I think that anyone can relate to this story at any age. Lucy is strong willed with a future, trying to navigate the thin line between what feels right and what everyone else thinks is right.

This story truthfully had every aspect I look for in YA romance novels—strong friendships (and some drama for a little pizazz), loving family, and all the boy drama a girl could need. I didn’t know what the outcome of this book would be, but it did, in fact, make me tear up a little bit.

I might be getting soft, but this book is adorable, and I absolutely loved it.

This book had all the feels. It was like Sarah Dessen and Jessi Kirby had a baby. It was honest. It felt like I was reading a real story, like these characters actually existed and wanted to share their lives with me.

Every character left an impression on the pages, and not a single moment went unnoticed. This book was full of witty lines, angst and swoon-worthy moments. My personal favorite part of any YA romance is a little motherly advice, and this book had it. Mom’s make everything better.

I look forward to reading much more of Jennifer Salvato Doktorski‘s work in the future and can’t wait to swoon at the next story.

Thanks to @netgalley & @sourcebooksfire for this ARC. The Summer After Me and You releases on April 2nd, I think you all should read it so we can swoon together.

The Summer After You and Me, by Jennifer Doktorski, is a YA novel romance and while I do like reading YA novels, this one fell a bit flat for me. I struggled to finish (but read eery page). It was a cute story, but lacked the umph to keep my attention. Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

What could possibly go wrong when your best friend becomes your boyfriend? Practically everything!! Lucy and Andrew have been friends forever. But maybe friendship beats love? Or does love trump friendship? And what about Connor, one of the summer residents who lives across the street? Lucy has been warned about getting involved but he makes her heart beat faster every time she sees him!

Amid the wreckage of Hurricane Sandy, Lucy and her twin brother find love and maturity in one awesome summer! A perfect beach read or YA Book Club selection!

I was a huge Sarah Dessen lover growing up and I expected this book to be similar. I was thoroughly annoyed by Lucy and just couldn't. She has a boyfriend but cheated on him with Conner. She is such a pick me I couldn't finish the book because 90% of it was her drooling over all the towns eligible boys and being jealous of the other girls. Then the storm hits and her biggest concern is what boy will give her attention next.

The Summer After You And Me" by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski is a decent read, capturing the essence of summer love and teenage drama. While the story is engaging and the characters are relatable, there were moments where the plot felt a bit predictable, and some character developments lacked depth. However, Doktorski's writing style is enjoyable, and the beach setting adds to the overall charm of the novel. Overall, it's a light and entertaining summer read, but it falls short of being truly exceptional.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for my honest review. This one was not for me and the romance was not to my liking.

Unfortunately this one did not work for me at all. I hated the FMC she was truly insufferable, I had to DNF as I could not continue with her for 320 pages, she was not a nice person. I truly wanted to love it but it did not do it for me.

Thank you Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"The Summer After You and Me" by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski offers a delightful mix of summer romance, coastal charm, and self-discovery that will keep readers entertained from start to finish. This is a really fun book to read at the beach or during summer vacation. I read this book in the winter time, which made me just wish for the warm days ahead. I can see this book being one you finish one afternoon at the pool/beach, and it will keep you feeling warm inside the rest of the day.

At its heart, the story follows Rosie, who finds herself on a nine-day road trip with her best friend Matty and his friends Spencer and Logan after a fiery incident involving her ex-boyfriend lands her in trouble. Despite initial reluctance from the boys, especially Logan, Rosie's journey of growth and self-reflection begins to unfold in unexpected ways.

One of the standout aspects of the book is its humor, with Rosie's witty inner commentary and the quirky antics of her friends providing plenty of laughs along the way. I thought this inner commentary felt very authentic and realistic; the characters actually felt like teenagers as they chatted with one another as well as through their actions. Despite her initial self-centeredness, Rosie's character development is well-executed as she grapples with the consequences of her actions and learns to see beyond herself. If you find yourself not liking Rosie at first, try giving her a few more chapters as I really liked how her character grew throughout the book.

The romance in the story is both sweet and realistic, with Rosie's interactions with Logan adding depth to the narrative. I did find the romance developing a bit quickly, but the gradual attraction between Rosie and Logan feels authentic and adds to the overall charm of the story. I also didn’t particularly enjoy the behavior of certain supporting characters, particularly Lucy's twin brother and friends. However, these flaws do little to detract from my enjoyment of the book with the romance.

Also, Doktorski skillfully captures the essence of a coastal town in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, adding depth and authenticity to the setting. Lucy's passion for marine wildlife and her dedication to her hometown provide a refreshing backdrop to the romance and self-discovery themes.

Overall "The Summer After You and Me" is a heartwarming summer read that balances romance, humor, and self-discovery with skill and charm. I will definitely be revisiting this book in the summertime.

I have been provided with a review copy of The Summer After You and Me from NetGalley for an impartial review. I just really enjoyed this story and I just didn’t want it to end. I just lost myself in and I just couldn’t get enough of these interesting characters. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

I think Lucy's relationships follow storm Sandy.  There is a big upheaval between the friends that takes time to repair.  Lucy's family has to repair their house just as Lucy has to work on her relationships.

Watching Lucy choose between two guys, her brother and her friends is hard.  It is typical teens - not thinking what is best for Lucy, but what is best for themselves.

If I had a young adult reader, I would recommend this book.  It is something they could relate to, the language was acceptable and there were lessons that were learned.