A heartwarming novel about second chances.

Addison Irwin is a career driven woman who finds herself unemployed after mistakenly posting a comment about her boss during a Zoom meeting. While trying to figure out the next step, she learns that she has inherited a beach house on Fire Island from her estranged Aunt Gicky. Debating rather to keep or sell the property, Addison heads to the island, where she soon discovers she also inherited a list of guests along with a handsome, grumpy neighbor for the next seven weekends.

I really enjoyed this novel. I loved the calming atmospheric feel of Fire Island and the character driven narrative. Addison was very relatable. I loved the journey she goes through during her time on the island and the close relationships she builds with the community and her guests. Through her encounters, not only do we get a glimpse into her aunt’s life, but Addison’s own growth and self-discovery. There is also romance in this novel. In the beginning there was a lot of miscommunications, which I was not a fan of. However, as the story progressed and misunderstandings were resolved, I ended up really loving the growth and vulnerability of our two main characters and how they helped each other find love again.

Overall, it is a beautiful story about taking chances, finding one’s passion, and embracing new possibilities. Definitely would recommend.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

RATING: 2.5 ⭐️ (rounded up)

From the stunning watercolor cover to the whole premise of this novel, I was so excited to read this ARC. Unfortunately, it was not for me in the end.

I really loved the characters and the idea of going through seven summer weekends as they navigate loss, love, growing up in a sense, rekindling passions, etc. However, what made it difficult to read, was the writing style. Instead of leading into different pieces of the story it was written more as a play-by-play or a bedtime story.

I know Jane has a wonderful fanbase of readers who appreciate her stories and writing and I can’t wait for them to love on it, but unfortunately for me that wasn’t the case.

NOTE: This is a follow-up to her previous novel On Fire Island, which I didn’t know until the end, so this can be safely read as a standalone.

Thank you NetGalley, Jane L. Rosen, and Berkley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The softest DNF known to man at thirty (ish) perecnt

The premise was interesting and we jumped right into in the plot which set it up to be an engaging read . The prose was gut wrenching and atmospheric. I felt like I was right in that small beach town , inhaling the salt air with the main character . I wished we had a little more time with each visitor (up until the point at which I read).

Unfortunately , I just haven't been reaching for this due to the MANY reading slumps I've been in and so continuing at this stage would be a disservice to the book and my personal enjoyment I get from reading . I will definitely re-visit this story on audio upon release!

This was like a breath of fresh air after reading several dark stories lately! Addison and Ben are great - first they fight and then they fall for each other. I love characters who are smart about their lives and who they love. I also love that Ben is a writer and Addison rekindles her passion and art talent.

Thanks to the publisher and #netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC!

Seven Summer Weekends by Jane L. Rosen is the perfect light summer read. I was instantly drawn in by the easily likeable characters and the author's attention to details. The friendships and bonds formed between the characters were so real. I enjoyed the setting of this book and the plot very much! Overall, I think this book was a joy to read and others will enjoy it also. I will recommend to friends also.

This book has me in a summer mood and I really enjoyed it. I can my patrons checking this book out all summer long!

Addison, not Addy makes one misstep and the career she has building her whole life blows up in her face. Fortunately, she recieves a notification that an aunt, estranged from her family, has left her a house on Fire Island! With no job tying her down, Addison takes off for the beach. She learns that she will be hosting 7 different renters for the small cottage on the property and she meets each one as she packs up the property and tries to determine her next steps.

This sweet story is just lovely. Each guest knew Addison's aunt better than she and she slowly learns to love her Aunt and the house that she left. Join Addison in the adventure of a lifetime at one of the best beaches of the world! #berkley #sevensummerweekends #janelrosen

I just finished this lovely read. I really enjoyed Seven Summer Weekends by Jane L. Rosen @janelrosen This was a quick and fluffy read. I would highly recommend adding to your tbr for the summer.
I loved reading about Allison getting to know and understand her Aunt and her story. The banter between Allison and Ben was funny. Ben was hilarious and quick with his witty comebacks.

In this enjoyable summer-themed book, main character Addison gets fired from her fancy advertising job - then finds out the aunt she hasn’t seen since she was little because her family was estranged from her has died and left Addison her house on Fire Island. Initially planning to sell it, she decides to stay for the summer and over the course of the seven summer weekends (and weeks) of the title, she finds herself changing, including opening up to the possibility of romance!

This was another winner from Jane L Rosen - I just love all of her books. This one surprised me because it’s really kind of a sequel to her last book, On Fire Island, which is not mentioned at all in the publisher blurb. Yes, Addison is a brand new character so you could theoretically read it as a stand-alone - but potential love interest Ben is the widower of On Fire Island narrator Julia, and other familiar characters make an appearance as well. So, while you could definitely read it on its own, it definitely is more enjoyable and I think would have more emotional impact if you read it second.

Anyway, I laughed and I cried, enjoyed the romance, enjoyed the quirky side characters, and loved how the summer beach setting took me away on some dreary cold and rainy days!

Seven Summer Weekends
by Jane L. Rosen
Pub Date: June 4, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
A woman inherits a beach house, along with a series of weekend guests, while butting heads with the irritable (and irritatingly handsome) man next door, in this sparkling new escape from Jane L. Rosen.
One of my new favorite authors:
The cast of characters that arrive each of the seven weekends help her to understand her aunt more. She hadn’t seen her aunt since she was a child but remembered her fondly. Her parents had a falling out with this aunt that Addison never understood.
Between the setting of Fire Island and the lovable characters, this book was a perfect summer escape on a cold winter day!

I highly recommend this one!

I am appreciative of the chance to receive an ARC in exchange for sharing my genuine thoughts about the book. Thank you Jane Rosen and Berkeley Publishing.

Addison Irwin has dedicated herself to her career for the past decade, only to find herself suddenly unemployed after an unintentional slip-up during a Zoom call. With her life thrown into disarray, she learns of inheriting a home on Fire Island from her estranged Aunt Gicky. Determined to assess the property, Addison heads to the island.

Her neighbour, Ben, proves to be a puzzle—sometimes friendly, sometimes distant.

As Addison settles into her new role as caretaker, welcoming summer guests to the cottage, she encounters individuals who were once close to her Aunt, offering glimpses into her Aunt's life. Despite having vague memories of her Aunt, Addison discovers a longstanding family rift.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book's narrative style and the diverse cast of characters. Addison's bonds with her visiting friends on Fire Island were particularly captivating.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book for your reading list. After finishing it, I'm excited to explore Jane's previous work set on Fire Island. It's refreshing to find a novel that defies the typical romance genre.

This book is a must-read and has piqued my interest in Fire Island. I'm adding it to my bucket list as it sounds like a charming and idyllic destination. I would rate this book 4.25 to 4.5 out of 5.

After an egregious zoom gaffe Addison suddenly finds herself unemployed, unhireable and a bit lost. Serendipitously, she learns that her aunt, who she has some vague early childhood memories of, has left her a house (with an artist studio) on Fire Island. With nothing better to do for the summer other than wallow, she decides to spend time out there deciding whether to keep or sell it. Addison then spends the summer meeting the neighborhood’s close knit cast of characters as well as hosting the guests her aunt has booked in the studio. After spending the summer learning about the aunt she never got to know and a budding new relationship with her neighbor, Addison can’t decide what to do with her new house and the ties she is beginning to feel towards Fire Island.

While it is not said in any blurb, this is somewhat of a sequel to On Fire Island (although it can be a standalone, or read out of order) and I loved revisiting people I now consider old friends. Since I am on Fire Island every summer (and have been for over 20 years) I really do feel a kinship to these books and these characters. I love how @janerosen writes about grief and respectfully and beautifully about the next chapter in life after loss. But Jane manages to balance serious topics and keep the novel a bit light because the characters are fun and funny. If you haven’t read On Fire Island, go read before this one comes out!!

4.25 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC

Seven Summer Weekends was such a cute read! It had me hooked from the beginning and through each week that takes place in the book I wanted more and more to visit Fire Island myself! My favorite part of the book was the unique storytelling format that Rosen uses - each new character that comes into the story gets their own background chapter which made me fall in love with them, cheer for them, and, yes, cry for them too. Off to go find On Fire Island by Jane L. Rosen now too!

This was a very interesting story. The characters were likeable, and the story was easy to follow. I just wish that there was a rating system for books like movies. There was one very steamy sex scene and a few others were implied. There was some cussing, but it seemed to fit the story and it wasn't every other word. I don't consider myself a prude, but I don't think you need to include sex and cussing to make a good book. I probably won't read anymore from this author.

Advanced Book Review! Thank you @netgalley and @berkleypub for sending me this book for review. Opinions are my own.
Seven Summer Weekends was my first book by Jane L. Rosen and definitely not my last. I’ve On Fire Island on my list to read for a while, but I read this one first in preparation a pre-pub book club chat with the author. I didn’t realize the two books were connected! You can definitely read this one as a stand-alone though.
I really loved this book – the Jewish rep, the Sex and the City references, Addison’s friends, the art descriptions, and especially the Fire Island setting and community. Having been to Fire Island about six years ago to stay with my husband’s relatives, I felt like I could easily picture it.
After Addison inherits a Fire Island house from her estranged aunt, she spends the summer there to decide whether she wants to keep or sell the property. Over the course of seven weekends, she hosts various visitors to the island, and gets to know her neighbours – one in particular – who help her connect with her aunt and figure out her path forward. It’s a story of how much can change over the course of a summer and how relationships with both new and familiar people can impact your life in various ways.
It was kind of a miscommunication trop between Addison and Ben. As you all know, I normally don’t love miscommunication in a novel, but this was done so well and so much better that I didn’t mind it.
I was so sad for Addison, having to learn about her fabulous aunt from others, following a falling out between her aunt and her father. Jane Rosen kept me in suspense throughout much of the book waiting to find out what they fought about and I can honestly say, I was truly surprised. I loved that Addison was able to connect with her aunt through their passion for art, and through that, Addison is able to find important pieces of herself she thought she had let go.
I need to mention how much I love the cover. After you read the book, you realize its significance even more so. The publishers really knocked this one out of the park (IYKYK about baseball in this book).

If I had to describe this novel in one sentence I'd say, it's the kind of read that you- "just one more chapter" it until suddenly you've read the entire book in one sitting (Needless to say I loved it)

Addison is excited to finally get promoted at the ad agency she's been working at for years, but after a zoom meeting blunder she is promptly fired instead. She doesn't have much time to wallow though, because she learns that her estranged aunt Gicky has passed away & left Addison her house on Fire Island, complete with a guest house & art studio.

Addison takes her newfound time off to sort out the house & her aunt's belongings, fully intending to sell the house. But she also has to accommodate her aunt's guests- Gicky has her guest house rented out for a handful of weekends during the summer. As Addison meets the people in Gicky's life who adored her, she starts to put the fragmented pieces of her aunt's life story together, determined to get to the bottom of what happened to cause her parents to cut all communication with her aunt in the first place. Between all that she's learning from these warm & kind people, and spending time dabbling in her aunt's art studio, Addie begins to feel like she's waking up a part of herself that has long since been dormant.

As she spends more and more time with the people of the neighborhood she starts to waiver about selling, especially when some miscommunications with her hateful attractive neighbor reveal that he may not be so hateful after all.

Right away I was taken with the characters the author had crafted, both main & secondary characters. Our leads were fully formed, intelligent adults each dealing with their own shape of pain, each with reason to stare into the uncertainty of "now what?", brave enough to figure it out. There was something so refreshingly positive in the undertones of the novel, this theme of learning to see things in a different way, being more present & open to life. I saw pieces of myself in both Gicky & Addie, surprised to find how much it made me feel seen, & I especially appreciated the nods to Judaism/depictions of Jewish lifestyle

This follow up to one of my favorite reads last summer, On Fire Island, starts with Addison Irwin, recently fired from her dream job, inheriting her late aunt's beach house. While deciding to keep the house or sell it, she meets her neighbor, Ben, who lost his wife a few years ago.

This author has quickly become one of my favorites for a summer read. She's got a way of setting the scene so you can feel yourself in the middle of a beach town. The characters that come and go to Addison's rental house do such a great job at shaping her future and helping her move on, as well as helping her get to understand the aunt she never really got to know. The female relationship in the book are well written and friendship goals. I loved how both Addison and Ben help each other move on from their losses and open themselves up to new opportunities in their lives. I'd definitely recommend reading On Fire Island before this one to get the most out of the story.

4.5/5⭐

I always know I can count on Jane L. Rosen for a great read, and I loved Seven Summer Weekends. Even though I live on Long Island, her books make me always want to hop of the ferry and explore Fire Island, and while this book deals with grief, I still think it is a perfect beach read. I loved all of the quirky characters you meet in the book and following Addison and Ben on their journeys.

This was such a fun beach read! It was definitely a slow build at times, but such a good story with many different characters. Add this to your summer reading list! It’s the perfect summer read.

This book took me awhile to get through, in part because the language is stilted at times, and there is a lot of telling rather than showing. I think part of it is that we don't know Addison prior to the getting fired/moving to Fire Island upheaval, so her pronouncements on what she's like or not like are not otherwise known to the reader. Also these people misunderstood each other worse than any two people have ever misunderstood anyone. But this would be a fun beach read and I definitely want to buy a house on Fire Island now, so 3.5 rounded up.

I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.