A good summer read… the description was very interesting but as I read it was a meh for me. It is light and a good beach reach.

Three friends spend their summers working at a book store in Provincetown while in college. Once they graduate they go their separate ways, but not all are happy about the separation. Colleen stays in P'town as that is where she lives. Her parents own the bookstore and she runs it for them. Now her pregnancy has created issues where she cannot work and calls in one of her friends.

Shelby left P'town for New York and became a successful published author. While facing a deadline for her second novel, she gets the call from Colleen to help. Although she knows it will stretch her thin, she agrees to return to help. Her help and presence is not welcomed by the third of the three friends, Hunter, who resents Shelby's book for being based on Hunter's life and for ditching Justin when she left for NY.

P'town is a small enough place that of course they will all be in each other's lives again this summer.

The storyline was good and different enough to make it interesting. What annoyed me was the constant refence to what people were wearing and what song was playing on the radio. It added nothing to the story and seemed like filler. Other than that, besides being ***spoiler alert*** rather predictable, it was a good beach read.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

This is exactly what I would hope for from a beach read - light & breezy but with enough low level drama to keep me engaged without getting too intense. I really enjoyed reading about Shelby, Hunter and Colleen as they navigate friendship, careers, romance and family life. I flew through this one and would definitely recommend! My one complaint is that while I love multiple POV books, this one jumped around a lot and without an indication that we were moving from one POV to another - not sure if this is just a ARC e-galley formatting problem that will be fixed in the final copies or if intentional, but it made it just a bit harder to follow.

3.5⭐️

I really love a second chance, summer romance so I was excited to read this book! Shelby, Hunter and Colleen always spent their summers together in Provincetown Cape Cod during college. Their love of literature is what brought them together, but it also separated them while they all went on to follow their dreams. Shelby moved to New York to become an author, Hunter lives in Boston trying to become an Editor and Colleen is now managing her family’s bookstore in Provincetown. When Hunter loses her job and Shelby is needed in Provincetown, all three friends are together for the first time in 3 years. They are all dealing with issues in their careers, friendships and love lives. This book was really sweet! I loved how the author focused on all of the different kinds of relationships in life. I was interested in all of the main plots in the book, but my one complaint is that the point of view did jump around without warning. I really enjoyed this book and it would be a great beach read!

Thank you to Jamie Brenner, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I think about a book to read on the beach this is exactly the type of book I’m picturing. It’s breezy and light, a beautiful summer setting and had characters that are dealing with some personal dramas that will keep me intrigued. It follows three women who are best friends and they’re all dealing with some sort of issue. Some are personal and some are within their little friend group but all were compelling for me. Shelby is an author and I always really enjoy reading books about writing and Colleen’s family owns a local bookstore so that aspect was fun as well. Hunter works in the literary field so the title is more than fitting and everything about the plot is a book lovers dream. Besides the friendship dynamics between the ladies there are some small romance subplots so a little something for everyone here. If you’re looking for a fast paced and enjoyable read to devour by the pool or on the beach this one would be a great choice.

I was torn on this book. I thought it was really good…I loved the characters, including the character of the Cape. The downside, WAY too long. It was 20 chapters too long. I would tell someone about this book vs recommeding they read it all because of the length. Okay, now that we got that out of the way, the storyline really was lovely. I love the realness of the relationships and friendships. The realness of hurting someone and not realizing that you had. It had some perfect moments and even though the length got me, I did love the story.
I would rate this story a 4 and the length a 1., for that, I am rating the overall book a 3…and that kinda hurts, because it really was good.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC. This book is a perfect beach read as other reviewers have stated. As a long time visitor of Cape Cod, I found this book easy to identify with. Who doesn’t like reading about places they know? This book was more about friendships and the struggles that accompany them, than a romance which is a nice change of pace for a beach read. The characters were easy to relate to and the scenarios were realistic. I found it to be an enjoyable read and would recommend.

It took a little bit to get the characters straight, but once I did I loved the build up. The story flowed well with great stories and enough of a backstory to make it all makes sense. I really enjoyed the book and hated that it ended

I appreciate the chance to read this ARC, @netgalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing.

The blurb was interesting enough for me to request a copy of this book. Small town vibe with the idea of a second chance romance, what could have I asked for?
Unfortunately, as with most books I've reading recently, the expectations fell short.

Though fast paced, I couldn't relate much to the characters. The third person pov and the switch between many, many characters in the story, with no smooth transition, was somewhat annoying to read.

As I said, I didn't relate much to the characters. The FMCs kept repeating the same mistakes, the apparent growth of one character, from mindless encounters with men, deciding out of the blue to have a serious relationship. The second chance romance was thrown at us. They didn't speak at all during the entire book, then, at the end of the book, they meet and kiss.

I wanted to enjoy this, but unfortunately, there were many parts that did not work for me.

#arc #arcreader #arcreviewer #anovelsummer #jamiebrenner #beachread #netgalley #netgalley2024 #2024bookchallenge #smalltown #secondchance

A good summer read. Plots are interesting and characters likeable. I recommend it for an easy read. More of this series to come

****Publishing July 16****

Shelby, Hunter, and Colleen were best friends, who lived on Cape Cod, until jobs pulled them apart. Shelby to New York to pursue writing her novel, Hunter moved to Boston to pursue book publishing, while Colleen was staying on Cape Cod to run her family’s bookshop, Land’s End Bookshop. They made a pact to return every year in the summer, but Shelby did not. 3 Years later, Shelby, a bestselling author, went back to Cape Cod on her book tour. When she is expecting a warm welcome, she gets the opposite instead! She is left heartbroken. When Colleen asks her to help with the bookstore help over the summer, she reluctantly agrees. Can Shelby regain the friendships and trust she lost? Will she be able to do this when there is a deadline for her next book?

This book drew me in from the start! It quickly becomes a page turner with the likable characters, the ups and downs of the friendships, and an entertaining story. Such a well written book that has characters you will be cheering on as they figure out their new path. A fun and entertaining beach read that is perfect for your pool or beach bag!

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing (Park Row). I was provided an ARC of A Novel Summer by Jamie Brenner via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The story centers around three young women who are friends and have formed a strong bond. They are still friends even as they move on to new adventures in their own lives.
Shelby has just published her for novel based on her summer experiences living and working in Provincetown on Cape Cod. Colleen is running her family's bookstore Land's End Bookshop. Hunter wants to find success as an editor.
This is a great beach read while you have your toes in the sand. You get to travel to Cape Cod's beautiful coastal setting.
New beginnings, heartbreak, second chances, characters grow in different ways, friendships, romance and finding one's place to call home.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

A Novel Summer by Jamie Brenner is the ideal beach read for the summer season. With its captivating storyline featuring rival bookshops, second chance romance, and friend drama, this novel provides the perfect escape to the picturesque setting of Cape Cod. Grab a copy and immerse yourself in this delightful tale of love, rivalry, and friendship against the backdrop of a charming seaside town.

Ah, to be under 25 with the world before you! Three friends finish college and their lives diverge in spite of their promises to meet every summer in Provincetown, Cape Cod.

When Shelly, Hunter & Colleen get together 3 years after graduation their lives are somewhat how they planned they would be. Shelly moved to NYC, has written and old her first novel, and while on her first book tour, it becomes a best-seller. Hunter is in Boston at a Publishing house learning to be an editor, Colleen is running the family bookstore in Ptown with a surprise pregnancy of twins.

Juggling book tour season, writing a second novel and helping Colleen by running Land's Ending Bookstore for the summer Shelby is stunned when Hunter breaks off their friendship over a misunderstanding of the main character in Shelby's first novel. The friendships are further strained by men they are involved with.

The plot moved steadily and the situations were sometimes predictable, sometimes not as believable, but always interesting.

delightful book of three friends from college all with aspirations in the book industry.
Shelby wants to write novels with ‘ happy endings’
Hunter wants to be an Editor
College is content to own her family book store.
Author, Jamie Bremer has written a charming. Ok about their successes and failures that tear them apart and bring them back to their ‘happy ending.’
Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row for an early copy of this entertaining book. The comments and review are my honest opinion.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars. I enjoyed this romantic tale, but had some problems with it. First, I don't know how the author could go the whole book without mentioning that Provincetown is one of the most LGBTQ+-friendly places in the country. Sure, there were several gay characters, but jeez, the author just ignored the town's identity totally. Second, the "friendships" portrayed seemed very shallow and selfish. The responses by Shelby's friends to their characterizations in the book were very juvenile, and felt one-dimensional. I didn't like most of the characters, not that's essential for me to enjoy a story, but there were only I few I appreciated, Mia for one.

On the positive side, I enjoyed the author's characterization and descriptions of Provincetown and the Cape. It IS a beautiful town and area.

Even with my serious issues with the story, I still enjoyed reading it. I would read more from the author.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

I’ve loved most of Jamie Brenner’s previous novels with their beautiful locations and well-drawn, endearing characters. Her latest book, “A Novel Summer,” has the beautiful setting and well-drawn characters; however, I found most of them far from endearing. In fact, they appeared to me as shallow, selfish and petty. Perhaps this was due to their age (mid-twenties) and lack of maturity, but I couldn’t get past my initial dislike of the main characters. Throughout the book I wanted to shout at Shelby to find another favorite location other than Provincetown and leave these toxic people behind her.

The book revolves around two college roommates, Shelby and Hunter, together with Colleen, who Shelby and Hunter are friends with during their summers spent in Provincetown between their years in college and the summer following graduation. During this time, Shelby stayed in Hunter’s family summer estate and worked part time at Colleen’s family owned bookstore, Land's End Books.

Three years after that final summer, Shelby has written a debut beach novel based on her summers spent in Provincetown, which becomes an instant New York Times Bestseller. As a favor to her friend, Shelby agrees to do her first book reading and signing at Colleen’s bookstore. During the reading, Hunter publicly berates her for betraying her friends in the book, specifically Hunter herself.

Shortly after this public humiliation, Colleen asks Shelby to spend the summer managing Colleen’s family bookstore. Colleen is on bedrest with a difficult pregnancy and needs a manager to not only keep the bookstore open, but make a profit to prove to Colleen’s parents, who are absentee landlords, that the bookstore is worth keeping open despite their desire to sell it. Shelby agrees even though she is busy promoting her new book and trying to meet a deadline on her second novel. An added complication is that Justin Lombardi, Shelby’s summer boy friend who she abruptly broke up with her last summer in Provincetown before she moved to New York to pursue a career as a novelist, will be there.

Justin is involved with Kate Hendrik, who is opening a branch of her family’s bookstore in Provincetown. Justin uses his position on the town council to vote in favor of allowing this competing bookstore to be located in Provincetown, and against Shelby’s proposal on behalf of Land’s End Books to allow use of the public beach behind the small bookstore for special events.

As I mentioned previously, I found the characters very unlikeable. First, there was Hunter who selfishly berated and humiliated Shelby ostensibly for including details of her private life in one of the book’s characters, while really being jealous of her success. In addition, Colleen was self-centered in expecting Shelby to drop everything despite her busy schedule to help Colleen save her bookstore. Later in the book, Colleen does something even more selfish, which seemed particularly egregious considering the sacrifices Shelby made to help Colleen with the bookstore. And then there was Justin, who betrayed his home town bookstore and friend, Colleen, to cater to his girl friend’s needs.

All this being said, the book was well-written, with beautiful descriptions of Provincetown, and well-drawn characters, with lots of tension between them. My negative reaction to the characters is probably personal and other readers might not react to them in the same way, and thus will not find them a detraction from their enjoyment of the book.

This story of three old friends from college has just enough twists and unexpected turns to be wonderfully fresh. You can take nothing for granted about their love lives or career ambitions. Life happens and doesn't always fall in with their plans. Their decisions about what's important and what isn't lead to satisfying but not necessarily expected endings.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed Gilt, but A Novel Summer feels more like a rough draft that needs some work. The premise is interesting, but there are way too many plot lines and points of view. I had to read the first few pages multiple times just to figure out what was going on and who was who. The sections abruptly changed points of view so it’s hard to even know whose perspective we are getting.

I also didn’t find any of the three main characters to be likable. They were supposed to be best friends, but the friendships felt weak and superficial. All three women were selfish, and the complete lack of transparency was hard to believe. Colleen was supposed to be the “glue”of the trio, but she ended up being a total hypocrite when it came to the book issue. Speaking of which, Colleen’s parents seem awful and not supportive in any way. Plus, Colleen let them treat her like a child. With so much going on, it felt like no one character was fully developed and all the relationships felt fickle.

Overall, there were just too many issues for me to really get into the book.

Thank you @netgalley for the advanced copy. I will be anxious to read this book when it comes out in July, but this ARC just felt disjointed to me. I don't know if it's because it was an ARC or if that's the way the book will be written.