I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

We’re having a post-frost warm weather spell here in New England--it was a glorious 78 degrees in Boston on Monday, bringing back the lazy feeling of lazy summer days. Summer Fridays, set in 1999, is all about those golden-lit afternoons that go on forever, extended by a cool drink after ducking out of work a little early to spend time with someone you like.

Aspiring writer Sawyer has landing an assistant job for a publisher; it’s the habit of the office staff that when the boss leaves after lunch, they can go home and get an early start to their weekend. Sawyer has a lot on her plate, reading through the slush pile and planning her wedding to her college sweetheart, Charles, but he’s been increasingly distant and working late. On a double-date with Charles’s gorgeous co-worker Kendra and her boyfriend Nick, the chemistry between the co-workers is difficult to ignore. Later, Nick reaches out to alert Sawyer that he suspects Kendra and Charles are having an affair, and they meet to discuss and strategize, and a one-time meeting between people who don’t seem to like one another very much stretches out into Friday afternoons playing hooky–and tourist–in the city. Nick gets Sawyer out of her shell and out of her comfort zone and encourages her to ask for what she wants, while Sawyer helps Nick, a bit jaded and caustic, to soften up a little.

This is a lovely atmospheric read if you can get past the themes of cheating and infidelity–steamy and sweltering in more ways than one. Rindell captures pre-Y2K New York, IMing, the publishing industry and 9/11 in an utterly charming, heart-achey, and nostalgic way, perfect for fans of Nora Ephron’s ouevre. I love the clandestine feeling of reading someone’s texts or journals (I never would IRL, but in a novel? yes, please!). I still love communicating through chat, so the formatting of the narrative in part through AIM was a treasure to me (my G-Chat away message says, remember away messages?).

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #SummerFridays via #NetGalley courtesy of #PenguinPutnam.

It was interesting and very nostalgic. I appreciated the way the setting sucked you in. I found the romance a little stressful.

I am so torn about this book. I honestly cannot tell if I liked it or not. I wanted to like it, I believed in the love, but it took me so long to get into that I had to pick up the audio instead and bottom line the cheating is always just gonna bother me, that's a personal issue.

What a nostalgic summer read. This one had so much chemistry in it. I was turning the pages non stop hoping the timing for this couple would eventually turn out right. Infidelity may turn people off but I thought it was done right - it was messy from the start.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy of this book. Having never read one of Rindell's books, I was pleasantly surprised. Historic novels are not my favorite genre, but this mixture of historic and contemporary romance was ideal. Kendra Nick and Sawyer were all characters that were developed in detail and I was invested to read on to see their futures. 4 stars

Loved this historical fiction about the publishing world in the late 90s. It feels like a very New York story, but I am the audience for that kind of story. A great, non-saccharine romance.

A publishing employee spends her Summer Fridays with an unexpected person: the boyfriend of the woman she suspects her lawyer fiancé is having an affair with. There is a trope in this book that's not for everyone. Without spoiling, I didn't personally mind it and in fact, I was even rooting for it? It's not without consequence for the characters. OBSESSED with the New York details. The 1999 timeline made it feel nostalgic in a Nora Ephron, season 1 of Sex and the City kind of way. always love books about the publishing world! Those details really added a lot of dimension to the novel. Id maybe classify this as contempary fiction with a healthy dollop of romance.

I didn’t like or love this one, it was very mediocre. I know a lot of readers have issues with the tropes and while I didn’t like what the main character did, that's not my main reason for disliking the book. Both the writing and characters felt flat and were both very simple and boring. Nothing about the characters wow’d me and it didn’t help that I couldn’t relate to them in any way. I also don’t understand the decisions the main character made. After reading the synopsis I expected to read an emotional story that would impact me or move me but none of those things happened. I actually struggled to finish this one and wish I just dnf’d it. Overall, the writing didn’t work for me and neither did the characters. This story might have worked better as a novella since the plot didn’t need anywhere near 400 pages to tell this story.

I absolutely adored this title. It was a little bit When Harry Met Sally and a little bit You've Got Mail. Though the story was set mainly in 1999 it felt timeless and kept me constantly glued to the pages.

Slow burn romance that I enjoyed very much-it felt very believable and honest, which made me appreciate it that much more. It handled a really terrible time period with a lot of grace.

A funny love story that will make you smile when you read this novel. The characters were lovable and kind in the story. You will find yourself cheering for the other guy.

If Suzanne Rindell has a hundred fans, I am one of them. If she has one fan, I am it. If she has no fans, I am dead. I read and LOVED Three Martini Lunch several years back and was obsessed with how carefully Rindell drew the world of New York in the 50s. It was the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Younger combined. New York in its heyday and publishing to boot. Since then, Rindell is a must-read for me no matter the description of the book.

Summer Fridays was an unexpected treat because it was set in the Y2K years, not a heyday, but my adolescence. With her typical, careful world building, Rindell paints a vivid picture of the time and place of the novel and many people will find enjoy this story, from new adult readers to romance enthusiasts, to fans of historical (ouch) fiction.

What an unexpected treat! This is one of my favorite books of the summer. I expected it to be for a younger audience, but discovered that while these characters are younger it is in a time period that older readers will remember. Sawyer and Nick are such well written characters that I felt like I knew them. I was impressed with how well all of the characters were written. The story was love story - between two people and to the people of New York in 1999-2001. Since this was one of my favorites this summer, I am recommending to all types of readers. I believe this will find a wide audience - from New Adult to more seasoned readers. I look forward to what is next Suzanne Rindell. (And I really want this author to write a follow-up to this book - I want to know where these characters are today!)

New York City: 1999
Thank you, Dutton Books, for the gifted copy of Summer Fridays {partner}

Genre: Fiction
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 5.28.2024
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆

I was so surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. It took me a bit to find my rhythm, but once I did, I fell right into Suzanne Rindell's writing style. It was clear early on that the author put a lot of care into creating the characters in this story. I also read a snippet of how she came up with the concept for Summer Fridays, which made me like it even more. So, read that author's note when you have a chance!

Yes, the story centers around the MC having an affair while engaged, but it was done with good intent. Without giving anything away, there was a lot more involved with Sawyer's relationship with her fiance, and once that was revealed, it made sense. Summer Fridays would make a great book club discussion, as there would be conflicting opinions on several characters' actions. 

Read if you like: 
Exceptional character development
1990S AIM/AOL nostalgia
Insight into the publishing world
Complex relationships/feelings

I recommend reading Summer Fridays if you enjoyed watching You've Got Mail!

In New York City, there are some industries that close down on Friday afternoons. The executives take that time time to head to their houses in the Hamptons, and those who can’t afford a summer house just get the afternoon off to enjoy. Sawyer is new to the city, working as an editorial assistant while her fiancé Charles is working in a law office. Charles has to work long hours in order to move up in the firm, but Sawyer’s office closes down on Fridays, leaving her at loose ends. She doesn’t really have any work friends, and her best friend from college is teaching in Asia for a while.

Sawyer finds a quiet park where she can eat her lunch while reading manuscripts. She loves editing and wants to move up in the company, but her evenings are long, and those Friday afternoons are even longer. At a work function for Charles’s law firm, Sawyer meets another couple. Kendra also works long hours at the firm, but her boyfriend Nick works at an ad agency, so he gets those long Friday afternoons off too. After an awkward first meeting, Sawyer and Nick start chatting through emails and then dialup AOL messaging. Sawyer mentions she’s interested in doing some touristy things for her Friday afternoons. Nick, a lifelong New Yorker, is resistant, but then he decides to help Sawyer learn how to enjoy the city like a native.

During their Friday afternoons and hot dogs and drinks, Sawyer finds that she finally has a friend to talk to about her issues with her job and how she’s started writing some poetry and short stories again. Nick shares stories of growing up in the city as the son of immigrants and talks about his music. Sometimes they talk about how they think Charles and Kendra may be having an affair, and sometimes they just enjoy the day.

But as the days heat up and those Friday afternoons melt into long evenings, Sawyer starts to wonder if it really is Charles who is having the affair, or if it’s her?

Summer Fridays is a gentle romance that’s also about finding yourself, figuring out what you want, and learning to use your voice. Sawyer is a strong voice in this story, going from a young college graduate to a confident woman making her own decisions in her relationships and in her work. With charming scenes that bring to mind You’ve Got Mail and a special kind of luck, this story is a reminder of what’s most important in life.

I loved Summer Fridays. Although I don’t work at a place that offers Friday afternoons off in the summer (so aspirational though!), I can imagine the freedom that it would bring. I can feel the heat of the city, taste those hot dogs (mustard only for me), and remember the possibility of that time of life. The more time I spent with Sawyer and Nick, the more I liked them as individuals, and the more I was rooting for them to find each other in the end. This novel has all the ingredients for a lovely summer romance, and they all come together like a refreshing Sea Breeze.

Egalleys for Summer Fridays were provided by Dutton through NetGalley, with many thanks.

WOWOWOWO This book was such a pleasant surprise! I flew through it and absolutely LOVED it. For the 80s/90s kids that grew up with AIM, this one is for you!!!! A swoonworthy, adorable romance.

** I received this as an ARC from NetGalley. **

This was the first time I truly enjoyed an ARC from NetGalley. This story and its characters are well-written. I don't typically like the cheating or betrayal trope, but this story focuses on the growth of the characters more than the bad relationships they find themselves in. I like that the story takes place around the timing of the 9/11 attacks, framing it perfectly for a novel about living life to the fullest and not missing chances. I liked Sawyer and the author does a good job of explaining why she sticks with Charlie longer than the reader may think is worth it. Sawyer's struggles are very relatable to people who get stuck in a rut and don't know how to get out. I like Nick and the fun Sawyer and Nick have together, but I wish he wouldn't seem SO picture perfect; at times he feels a bit like a know-it-all.

Really good book overall!

This book may not be everyone's cup of tea but I REALLY enjoyed it. Set in 1999 New York with a chapter at the start and end during October 2001 following 9/11, this was an emotionally charged You've got mail esque summer in New York romance between two people in relationships with others who end up falling in love.

My heart was in my throat through much of this wondering if someone might not survive and if the main characters, Sawyer and Nick would end up together or not. There is some cheating - which will be the part not everyone might like, but for me it worked for this story.

Perfect for fans of books like You, again by Kate Goldbeck and anyone who enjoys a good Nora Ephron film. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review! Highly recommended!

I loved the "you've got mail" vibes and the 1999 setting. And over all I really enjoyed the story but I feel the ending was a little flat. I can't pin point what it was but it was missing something.
Also how did he keep getting her contact information.