Ivy and Conrad are navigating the loss of their spouses and learning to live in a world without them. It was beautiful to see how they navigate their lives and learn how to move on but still loving their spouses. I had trouble with the beginning of the book but found myself enjoying it later on.

3.5 stars.

Malibu Summer is a heartwarming, feel good romance that brings together two people from vastly different worlds. Ivy, an environmental scientist pursuing her PhD, and Conrad, a successful Hollywood writer/producer, have one thing in common... They're both widowers navigating life without their spouses.

When Ivy moves into Conrad's guesthouse to help him update his garden and enhance its curb appeal, neither of them expects their professional arrangement to blossom into something deeper. Their connection is slow building and tender, with plenty of emotional depth as they each work through their grief and begin to open their hears again. But the real scene stealer? Conrad's younger son, whose interactions with Ivy are some of the most touching moments in the book.

I enjoyed the chemistry between Ivy and Conrad, and the story had enough warmth and charm to keep me invested. However, some moments felt a bit predictable, and I wished for a little more depth in certain areas. That said, if you're looking for a sweet romance set against the beautiful backdrop of Malibu, this one is a solid pick.

A cute read that dives deep into the world of grief. Every single main character is in some phase of grief throughout this entire story, and while it does have it's sweet and romantic parts, it's definitely heavy at times too. Overall, I liked it. The writing was okay, but the plot was good which kept me engaged. The title doesn't fully make sense to the book since the story takes place over much longer than the summer, but it is what it is.

All in all, a good story.
Thank you Penguin Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
3.5/5 stars

Malibu Summer by Libby Gill
Malibu Summer is a heartwarming and nostalgic novel that captures the carefree spirit of summer and the complexities of relationships. Libby Gill weaves a story of friendship, self-discovery, and second chances set against the stunning backdrop of Malibu. With its relatable characters and uplifting tone, this novel is a perfect beach read, filled with emotion, humor, and beautiful moments that will stay with readers long after the last page.

A grieving window needs some time away from her job and her life and decided to become a gardener at a rich guy’s house. Things happen.

I found this one to be really fun. I liked the setup for the romance, although I wasn’t a fan of the MMC who was quite a bit older and also made more money than the FMC. but I felt like their conversations and connection made sense.

I found the writing style to be a little clunky at times, which is why I’m dropping to a 3 instead of a 4. There were a couple instances where something was just worded or phrased weird. It never got to the point that it was offensive, but sometimes I would literally pause my reading to side-eye a sentence.

Overall, it was a fun read, but not one I think that will be super memorable.

I am generally a fan of a Hollywood romance, but this one missed the mark a bit for me. It may have been my state of mind, but the heaviness of the book wasn't what I was looking for. Still, I am sure many readers will connect with Malibu Summer by Libby Gill.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

Malibu Summer by Libby Gill offers a poignant and heartwarming exploration of grief, second chances, and the unexpected paths love can take. Ivy Bauer, a bright young soil scientist and inventor, finds herself reeling from the sudden death of her husband. Seeking solace, she takes on a summer job as a gardener in Malibu, hoping to escape her overwhelming grief. Meanwhile, Conrad Reed, a once-successful Hollywood figure, is struggling with his own set of challenges: the loss of his wife, the responsibility of caring for his anxious stepson Hudson, and a career in freefall.
The book’s strength lies in its nuanced portrayal of grief and the complex dynamics of blended families. Both Ivy and Conrad have experienced tremendous loss, and their individual journeys toward healing are thoughtfully explored. While the initial tension between Ivy and Conrad might seem like the usual romantic trope, their relationship slowly transforms into something more meaningful as they open up to each other. The development of their romance, though at times slow, feels earned and genuine, making it a satisfying evolution from initial conflict to tender affection.
Overall, Malibu Summer is a sweet, uplifting story about love’s ability to heal even the most broken of hearts. If you're a fan of slow-burn romance and characters who find unexpected connections in the midst of personal struggles, this novel might just be the perfect escape.
Thank you to Penguin and Libby Gill for the opportunity to read and review this book.

We adored Malibu Summer and easily fell in love with the characters and the setting. Libby was a new to us author and we are so excited to see what she has up her sleeve next!

The concept of the book had potential, but it was poorly executed: plotlines that went nowhere, underdeveloped characters, and dozens of missed opportunities to connect the reader to the characters and their actions.

A lot of the plot happened off the page, meaning so did much of the character development. It made for a jarring experience. The two main characters, Conrad and Ivy, seemed like friendly acquaintances and then all of a sudden are in love. What? Surely, they were spending time together if that was the case, but we weren't seeing it on the page.

Meanwhile, obstacles and threats arose and were dealt within a page in the tritest ways possible. An example: [SPOILER] a paparazzo tries to blackmail Conrad with photos of his dead wife, and conveniently dies himself within the next chapter. Police tell Conrad that he was obsessed with Conrad's ex-wife, stepson, and dog, but as to why...well, that remains forever a mystery. Completely unnecessary plot line, other than to put Conrad's stepson in a dangerous location later in the novel--something that could have been accomplished without the paparazzo character or plot line altogether.

You can see the poor character development and too-easily-resolved dilemmas merge in several scenes, such as [SPOILER] when Ivy wants to buy out the Silicon Valley investor who has been adding toxic synthetics into her organic gardening product. Apparently, Ivy and Conrad practices her delivery in advance, but we miss what could have been a good scene that shows how Conrad supports Ivy. Ivy emerges from that 3-pages interaction with the investor the victor, but you can practically see the investor shaking her fist and then twirling her Snidely Whiplash moustache. A few chapters later, the investor is suing Ivy. Great! Perhaps a conflict with some heft! One chapter later, Conrad has somehow convinced 60 Minutes to confront the investor outside her building like the national news show is doing a version of a local station's "gotcha" segment. And by the end of the confrontation with the reporter--one that lasts a page or so--the investor is declaring there is no lawsuit. Ivy, watching this at home, is leaping in the air and cheering. Yeesh.

I rarely tell people to just forego a book altogether, because there's a pot for every lid and maybe this one could be for you. But this book? I'd suggest you pass. There are much, MUCH better showbiz romances or romances featuring grieving people. I get the sense maybe this was published less on its literary merits and more because of the author's connections.

The author didn't have a bad idea at the foundations of this. It just wasn't executed well. On the bright side, the cover is lovely.

We have two new widowers after their partners are killed in accidents. Due to a friend they find themselves thrown together when Ivy moves into the cottage on Conrad’s land. These two have to work through grief to find being more. This was a very intense book with a lot of grief but a HEA at the end.

I genuinely downloaded this one because I liked the cover a lot and it sounded good - the grief in this story I feel like was betrayed really well, just two lost people who experienced one of the worst things ever trying to navigate and move on. I really enjoyed this for it being a debut novel!

I really liked the premise of this story, but it felt like important bits were missing and extra bits were added.

A love story between an environmental scientist and a Hollywood writer is definitely unique. Even more so that their stories both start off with tragedy. It was a cute story but I feel like it could have been developed more in certain aspects. There were parts of the story line that would drop off and then abruptly pick back up out of seemingly nowhere.

Thank you #penguin and #netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Don’t let this cover fool you this is heavier than expected, but a beautiful story!

When Environmental Scientist, Ivy Bauer & Hollywood hotshot, Conrad Reed are forced together the only thing they have in common is the recent loss of their respective spouses. This story follows them each through their deep grief while putting their lives back together. Ivy is living in the guest house on Conrad’s property as his gardener for the summer. She’s taken a sabbatical from her work on her irrigation system. Conrad is back to work & struggling to maintain control on his latest project while being the sole caretaker for his late wife’s young son. The two seem to be exactly what the other needs to move forward in life.

Malibu Summer is author, Libby Gill’s fiction debut. While I enjoyed the writing style I didn’t care for the male main character. I did find myself skimming through his narrative. I didn’t buy their chemistry either. I did enjoy the writing style & will pick up another by this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Books & Libby Gill for the advanced copy of her fiction debut out May 21, 2024!

This is the second book I've read this week about a widow(er) and I really enjoyed it. I was moved by the grief musings and the interesting narration style.

TW for violence against a child and car crash

I did not care for this book. There was to much drama and not any chemistry. I also felt like the plot was lacking in some places.

This is a tough review to write. I enjoyed a lot about Malibu Summer by Libby Gill. (Thank you, @uplitreads !) I thought the focus on grief was done really well. The two main characters had interesting careers and there was a lot of detail and obvious research that went into that. I also really loved the character Mak and her relationship with both Ivy and Conrad.

Ultimately, I just needed a little more. A little more depth to the relationships, romantic and platonic. The relationship between the main two characters wasn’t really developed. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if it was categorized as fiction instead of romance? It just felt like something was missing.

There is a good start here and a great foundation for an emotional exploration of how grief affects people. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Set on a sunny Malibu hillside, the story follows Ivy Bauer, a bright environmental scientist who, after her husband’s tragic death, takes a summer job as a gardener to grieve. She ends up working for Conrad Reed, a wealthy Hollywood actor struggling with his late wife's death, his sweet stepson Hudson, and a career heading in a direction he's feeling unsure about.

What a unique plot for this debut novel. What I liked: Ivy is intelligent and passionate about her work and she shares her joy of learning with Hudson and her new Malibu community. A focus on our care of the environment and our earth is incredibly applicable and importance should be placed on the people who are studying new, healthier methods. Hudson is so sweet and earnest. The relationship he develops with Ivy is compelling, as it doesn't feel forced or out of place in the story.

What I struggled with: I didn't feel that the connection between Ivy and Conrad made sense. Conrad was pretty unlikable and he often seemed distant even in his interactions with Ivy. It truly felt that she had more chemistry with JP! Because of this forced love story, the second half of the book was difficult to believe. On top of that, it got messy with the Sal blackmail and Alexandra chemical additives storylines.

All in all, I would give this novel 3 stars, as many of the descriptions placed me right in the Malibu sun, among the plants and by the pool - not a bad place to be.

Thank you so much to Libby Gilly, UpLit Reads and Penguin Books for sending me a physical copy of this book and giving me the opportunity to provide a honest review.

I enjoyed this book! I started out reading the kindle version but switched to audio when I realized it was narrated by one of my favorites- Therese Plummer. She never misses, and this of course was no exception. I like how the author described the very different grief processes that the characters went through - Ivy, Conrad and Hudson. There was a lot going on - soil science, Hollywood BTS, grief, kindergarten and natural disasters! I’ve never been to California but I can imagine this is all actually pretty accurate for that area, haha. There were several tropes that I liked as well: opposites attract, single-dad, women-in-STEM, love after loss, found family - the author was able to incorporate them all seamlessly. Definitely add this one to your TBR if you want to savor the last bit of summer!