Summertime Punchline is a good book with likable characters which is a must for me in the light fiction/rom-com genre. The story doesn't lean into the the stand up comedy as much as I thought it might, but the writing itself is witty and there is the right balance of flashback to Del and Eddie's teen years to understand their history.

It'll make for an enjoyable summer beach read.

You can never go home again until your life blows up and you have to. Down on her luck comedienne Del lands back in Evergreen, New Jersey after 10 years. She's preparing for a comedy festival that could make our break her life. Oh yeah, and THE guy from high school is there.

This book was a great read. So creative. The characters feelings come across as so raw. They're well written and relatable. They feel like someone you might know. The love the alternating timelines telling Del and Eddie's stories throughout the book. There's two stories going at once and they both had me on the edge of my seat wondering how they were going to end.

Betty's paints a beautiful picture of Evergreen and the people in it. I've never had the desire to visit Jersey (especially after watching so many seasons of Jersey Shore) but this book makes me think that it might be worth the trip. I'll be on the look out for Betty's next book!

4.5 stars!!

wow this book sucks you in. it is so easy to read and enjoy. i loved !! betty corrello has a very unique & comedic writing style which is so entertaining. i laughed A LOT. i smiled A LOT. this book is funny, hopeful, sweet and feels a little bit like coming home. the perfect summer read!

i seriously love everything about eddie. he is so cute and kind and sweet and caring and so good to delfina!! & delfina? she has so much personality i love it. she goes through so much growth and my heart was just bursting with pride. i LOVED the flashbacks of eddie & delfina in high school!!!! i honestly could say so much more but find myself at a loss for words. please read!

thank you Netgalley & Avon Books for the eARC! this is my honest review.

🎤😂❤️🏖️

Summertime Punchline by Betty Corrello is an absolute blast! You've got Delfina Silva-Miller, this aspiring comedian who's all set to perform at a big comedy festival until life throws her a major curveball. Suddenly, she's back in her hometown, facing her past and maybe even finding a little unexpected romance along the way. Betty Corrello's writing totally nails the vibe of the boardwalks and beaches, and the characters feel so real you'll swear you've met them before. Summertime Punchline is the perfect beach read for soaking up those summer vibes!

Thanks, NetGalley!

This was strange and quirky at times. It had a very coming of age feel but eneded up being pretty predictable. The angst between the two mc carries for many years and their outside drama is a lot at times.
About 3.5 stars for me. It had some good moments.

This book is so stinkin cute! For a debut novel, Betty Corrello totally knocked it out of the park. Her main characters are strong and bold, with obvious character growth and even the supporting characters are easy to love. Del's journey is fun and wholesome and I loved getting to see her relationship with Eddie in both the current and past setting - it gave the story so much depth.

Del & Sam's relationship is also a key staple of the book that I love. Their unlikely bond from teenage years to adulthood feels so realistic. I'm not sure if this is a second-chance romance or enemies to lovers, or both!? Either way, I'm down for it. The romance was a bit of a slow build, but I knew I liked Eddie the second we were introduced, and their build did not disappoint.

Highly recommend this book to anyone who may be interested!

Wow. “Summertime Punchline” is one of those romances that packs a punch. The slow burn romance feels so real and angsty. The character development is relatable with edge. The atmosphere and vibes are perfect for summer reading. Despite being about a comedian, the story is not too funny or frivolous. It pulls your heart into it.

For those who love:
⛱️ Frenemies-to-Lovers
⛱️ Second Chance Romance
⛱️ Slow Burn
⛱️ Comedian + Musician
⛱️ Dual Timeline
⛱️ Single Dad
⛱️ No Third-Act Breakup
⛱️ Curvy FMC

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was cute. I liked that the MC was a comedian, that’s not a profession you often see for female characters. A few trigger warnings to be had here-death of parent, overdose, neglectful parent.

Del is a standup comic who has had a string of bad luck. She moves back to her hometown of Evergreen NJ to regroup, and finds out that her high school nemesis, Eddie, now owns the town bar.

✅ dual timeline
✅ second chance romance
✅ protagonists in their late 20s

My god the chemistry between them 🥵
🌶️: slow burn

What a refreshingly funny and sweet debut! I have to admit, I was a little hesitant about going into a book with a stand-up comedian protagonist, because sometimes the "comedy" can overshadow character development and plot. And comedy is so subjective that if you aren't into the style of the stand-up, it can mar your experience of the book. Fortunately, the performance elements of stand-up comedy were used efficiently and moved the story forward.

Anyways, this is a second-chance, enemies-to-lovers story. Delfina, our MC, recently quit her job to focus on a a big comedy festival that could be her big break. She comes home early one day to find her roommate and boyfriend getting busy. She flees the apartment, borrows a friend's car and makes her way to the place she vowed years ago to never go back: her hometown in Jersey to live with her grandma.

For Delfina, the most heartbreaking piece of the break-up is she can't mine for comedic material in her relationship. In her eyes, she is the joke. She also runs into her high school nemesis, Eddie. They've got bad blood, but gradually strike up a friendship, and you know these two kids were hot for each other back in the day (and probably in the present as well).

Second chance romances are not my favorites, especially when the high school romance is depicted as perfect and swoony, and the characters seems super mature. Fortunately, Delfina and Eddie's high school versions of themselves are realistically depicted as messy, sensitive, and emotionally immature.

I really look forward to seeing what Ms. Corrello comes up with next.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the ARC for my honest review

Love a good second chance romance! This one did not disappoint. Will be a wonderful summer beach type read. The characters were so relatable and real. I loved the build up and tension of the relationship and all that it took to get to the end.
Cannot wait to get my hands on the physical copy of this book soon!

Review posted on Goodreads 4/11/24.

A hilarious and devastatingly beautiful debut romance that makes you long for a place you've never visited.

Summertime Punchline follows the story of Del, an up-and-coming comedian who returns to her hometown of Evergreen, New Jersey, after losing her boyfriend, job, and apartment—yikes! In Evergreen, she is forced to confront the past she left behind 10 years ago, including her estranged father and her complicated high school crush, Eddie, all while navigating her own career trajectory and deciding on the future she envisions.

The Writing
Betty Corrello masterfully combines lighthearted comedic moments with deeper thematic elements, finding just the right balance between humor and warmth. Corrello also evokes a sense of nostalgia by setting scenes in various Evergreen landmarks—like the state fair, local pizza joint, and dog beach—which resonate universally, regardless of personal ties to New Jersey. The only drawback is the pacing; both the beginning and ending feel rushed, with a somewhat unsatisfactory conflict and resolution. However, I was hooked for the build-up.

The Characters
Betty Corrello does a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life. Del and Eddie share a palpable chemistry, which is a difficult feat to accomplish, and in the end makes or breaks a romance novel. Del's character and personality is well developed, but her friends come across as unnecessary side characters who don't contribute meaningfully to the narrative.

Overall, this was such a fun and fast read, that was surprisingly heartwarming and nostalgic.

My rating: 4.25⭐️

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Avon and Haper Voyager, and Betty Corello for this early read!

Publication Date: May 21, 2024

This was such a cute, short romcom. It was face paced and so entertaining.

Delfina is a comedian down on her luck. Her boyfriend cheated on her with her roommate, she just quit her job, and now she has to rework her entire set for the biggest comedy show she’s ever been invited to. She moves back to her hometown just to cross paths with the kid who teased her when she was younger.

I loved the vibe. It was set in Jersey. AND it had one of my favorite songs quoted.

Hard to believe this is a debut novel. It is swoony and romantic, and I love the flashbacks to high school. Both MCs work so hard for their HEA, and it is so well-deserved.

Del returns to her hometown at the Jersey Shore and reunites with an old flame in this debut novel. Perfect for fans of authors like Kristian Higgins or Tessa Bailey, it is both poignant and funny (Del is a comic by trade!). I love second chance romance, and this one does not disappoint. Eddie the afore mentioned old flame, is a single dad / bar owner / musician, and the story offers lots of flashbacks into both their history and Del's tumultuous backstory with her dad. It's a feel good novel with a lot of heart.

Let me start this review off by saying that Del and Eddie actually EMBODIED Suburban Legends by Taylor Swift. I think that is one of the highest compliments I can give to a fictional couple, given my obsession with that song. A sincere thank you to Betty Corrello for giving me the opportunity to bestow that honor on a romcom.

One thing I really appreciated with this book was that it was interesting. I was actually eager to get back to reading it after I put it down. I think that I have unfortunately encountered too many boring romcoms, which sucks, because I do love this genre. Not the case here! I found myself pretty invested in Del and her life, not just her romance. I was definitely rooting for her throughout the novel, and I am proud of her character development and where she ended up. It was satisfying to read.

As for the romance, I did like Del and Eddie together a lot, and I totally bought their chemistry. However, I found the progression of their relationship in the book’s current-day timeline to be a little bit boring. I could call it too fast, but they did go a decade without speaking, so technically I guess it was slow in the long run. I kind of wish we had spent more time in the high-school timeline, which I found a bit more interesting. I also would have liked more pining.

I was also kind of surprised that this book was not as funny as I hoped it would be. I’ve definitely had some romance novels NOT centered around a comedian protagonist where I’ve still laughed out loud multiple times. This is absolutely not to say that this book is bad, but don’t go into it expecting to be constantly giggling or anything.

MINOR SPOILERS HERE. One aspect I want to praise about this novel is the lack of a third-act breakup. I was truly expecting one and was happy that the characters communicated with each other instead.

Overall, I had a good time reading this book, and I think other people should try it too. I look forward to see what Betty Corrello does next in her writing career!

I read this book in one day, I couldn’t put it down! I really enjoy a second chance romance with a switching timeline. This one had me hooked from the beginning. That said, I did feel there was a bit of a disconnect between the two timelines. I was hoping for a little more insight into Eddie’s thoughts and actions from the past. Overall though, I loved Del and Eddie together and I appreciated the low conflict ending.

This book was well written and the premise and romance were cute, but overall I found this book to be more frustrating than enjoyable.

My biggest issue was the ending, * I really hate that the FMC gave up her dream of being a standup, that she was just finally becoming successful at, to stay in central Jersey because she falls in love with a man.*

There was also what I felt like was an unresolved plot - *all of the flashbacks were about the main characters’ relationship, and their up and down. We saw each time they got together and broke up, but the final break up, we never got a reason. Why was he so different after two weeks with his dad in PR?*

Also, so many of the main character’s internal dialogue revolved around her weight - both during the highschool flashbacks and present day. That felt like one of the main plot points, and it was overwhelming.

Good story, a clean romance with fun characters. I enjoyed the writing style. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

So, so lovely. This was such an elegant, self-assured debut with laugh-out-loud humor and really tender prose. And truly, I was laughing rather hard. But it's far from funny fluff, it's very much a Romance with substance, levity, swoon, and a hint of steam. Corrello is a fantastic writer, and this especially shows in how she details setting. Jersey Shore really comes to life with her writing, from the characters that populate the town, to the descriptions of weather, the landscape, the sunlight, etc--all just lovely, lush and evocative. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Avon and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.