A quick beach read about three friends, their misunderstandings, support for one another, and choices. Shelby left Provincetown and her two best friends, Hunter and Colleen, to move to New York City and write a novel. She also broke up with her boyfriend, Justin, to avoid a long distance relationship. Shelby returns at Colleen’s request to manage the local bookstore while Colleen is on pregnancy bed rest. The characters could have had more depth, and the misunderstandings were a little bit far fetched. It was not my favorite by this author, but a nice easy summer book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I am surprised I have gotten this far in life without reading a Jamie Brenner novel. I was enthused with a chance to read (and review) this story as it focused on both friendship and authors.

Here, “A Novel Summer” focuses on three friends: Shelby, Hunter and Colleen. Shelby has just published her first novel, which has become a best seller. Unfortunately, when Shelby returns to Provincetown, which is where her novel was based, she does not get quite the reception she hopes for. Colleen owns a bookstore, but because she is put on bedrest due to pregnancy complications, Shelby finds herself helping out. Meanwhile Hunter has been working as an editor but faces unemployment. Each young woman goes on a journey of self-exploration as they try to move their college friendship to early adulthood.

This is a multiple POV story—we also meet Shelby’s ex, Justin, and his mother, Carmen. Plus, there is a hodgepodge of minor characters that I cannot begin to list. I wish, instead, the novel spent more time letting the main characters grow and less time making so much happen. Further, I did not always agree with the main characters or their choices but I enjoyed the setting and pacing of the story.

Three stars.

Thank you very much to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel.

Another fun summer novel by Brenner set in Provincetown.

I feel like Brenner is a staple in summer reading and having another one set in Provincetown makes it even more special.
This one marries summertime and the publishing world, which is a match made in heaven for this reader.

This story was slow at times but I feel like we really got a feel for the characters and their relationships with one another. It felt a bit dramatic at some parts but I still really enjoyed it.

I hope Brenner brings us back to Provincetown for more summers to come.

Review will be posted on 8/2/24

Shelby Archer, an author, is on tour for her debut novel. The first stop of the tour is Provincetown, Cape Cod, which she has been summering at since college and is the inspiration for her book. She is looking forward to seeing people she knows, especially her two good friends, Hunter and Colleen. But Hunter isn't really welcoming her with open arms; in fact, she is mad at Shelby because she feels that one of the characters in her novel is based on her. Cue the drama. Then there's Colleen, who is pregnant and experiencing some complications. She needs Shelby's help more than ever to keep her family's bookstore open. Shelby agrees to stick around and help (just like in the old days!) and in turn, she hopes that by staying on Cape Cod, she will be able to mend her friendships. However, things don't go as planned and it isn't as easy as she thought to fix things between the women. Jamie Brenner's A Novel Summer is a sweet beach read that fans of quiet summer novels will especially enjoy.

My favorite aspect of A Novel Summer was how Brenner included so many details surrounding publishing and running a bookstore at the beach. Bookworms will especially appreciate that aspect of the novel. There's some light romance in A Novel Summer because Shelby runs into her ex-boyfriend, not to mention his sister works at the bookstore. So onto of Shelby dealing with her friendships, she has her ex to contend with as well. However, the primary focus of the novel revolves around the three women and the various facets of their relationship.. While this wasn't my favorite of Brenner's novels, it was a nice way to pass a summer weekend.

It's not really summer without reading one of Jamie Brenner's books. Having read several of her novels, I was excited to receive and dive into her latest. Loved the three female characters, yet felt this wasn't one of my favorites. I wish Colleen's character was developed a bit more, however I loved how the relationship between Hunter and Shelby evolved. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

Loved this book. I cared about the characters and felt like I knew them. The author did a great job making you root for them and become involved in their lives. I stayed up reading later than I should have the last two nights because I had to keep going. That’s the mark of a really good book. Just so you know, it really is a chick-lit book and I say that in a very positive way.

While this did start off very slow and confusing for me, I did enjoy it and even resonated with it a bit. I think the main point of this was the friendship and Shelby finding that she doesn’t have to build up so many walls for the people she loves and cares about. I loved the storyline of her and Hunter. It’s super relatable in a sense. Sometimes we hurt our friends without meaning to and sometimes it ruins our relationship. Some might argue that best friend breakups hurt harder than a relationship breakup. While I still did enjoy this and think it’s a great summer read, I don’t think it’s in the right category. I would say this is more of a contemporary with a subplot of romance but shouldn’t be marketed as a romance. It took about 50% of the book until they even started interacting with each other. But a summer of helping friends and mending & strengthening friendships will never get old. While it wasn’t really romancey the friendship aspect made up for it making it a 4 stars for me.

Three young women vacation in a beach town on Cape Cod, and vow to return regularly to maintain their friendship. However after college their lives move apart. Shelby becomes a successful author. Colleen stays in the town, marries, and inherits her families bookshop. Hunter, independently wealthy is living a live of freedom with no purpose. When Shelby returns to town on a book tour she finds that her erstwhile friends were hurt because they felt their stories were in Shelby's book. When circumstances give Shelby an opportunity to stay and manage the book store the friends find a way to reconnect. There is also the expected romance in this beach read. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc with no pressure for a positive review.

I DNF'd at 32% I just could not connect with any of the characters at all. I don't know if I will try to give this one another chance in the future. I am 99% sure that I am just not the target audience for this one.

A Novel Summer was a nice read. It wasn't suspenseful where I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens, but I don't think that would be expected in this type of romantic beach read. I liked most of the characters and even the people who were supposed to be the villains are likeable. It's somewhat a girl does good and returns "home" story and the fallout that is created from that. She comes back to help a friend, which I thought was better than the typical trope of a down on her luck girl returning home to scrape her life together, although that is represented in a side character. I like her success as a different starting point.

It was interesting to me that so much of the conflict was around one thing - how people thought they saw themselves in her book. It didn't seem like it should be that big of a deal, since she did go to lengths to make sure it wasn't truly representative of the people who inspired it. Theme repeats itself throughout the book and at one point got particularly too far out for me to care. I liked most of the characters and even the people who were supposed to be the villains are likeable. I found it somewhat unbelievable that Shelby had the ambition and backbone to write a book and follow it through and get it published, and then turn into such a dishrag the moment she gets back to her group of friends, but maybe that's realistic in some situations. I would have liked to see her with a little more of that go-get-it backbone when it comes to dealing with the people in the local town.

All in all, a good read for a feel good moment.

A Novel Summer, what an adorable beach read! The story follows author Shelby Archer, who is coming off of major success with her debut novel. She returns to her Cape Cod hometown to help her friend Colleen run her families book store. The bookstore has been in her family for over 80 years. While there we meet many side characters, characters whose stories I was just as invested in. I really enjoyed Mia and Carmen, the family of Shelby’s ex Justin. Shelby is greeted with some animosity from her friend Hunter, and Justin, who hasn’t had closure on their sudden breakup years ago. Hunter feels betrayed by her friend after reading her novel. As the story continues Shelby tries to navigate these relationships all while writing her next novel and successfully running the bookstore. The setting was beautifully described, so much so that I’m ready to plan a trip to Cape Cod! I definitely became invested in each little story that developed throughout the major plot. I found this to be a cute beach read, rounding up from 3.5 stars! Thanks to Net Galley, Sparta Books, and Jamie Brenner for the Arc!

A sweet romance and story of friendships in a summertime setting. I enjoy reading Jamie Brenner's books.

Shelby has just written her first novel and is struggling with a follow up - she decides to revisit the Cape when an old friend needs help running her book store. There she deals with the fallout of old friendships and the stories she's put in her books. Eye opening and entertaining.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

With its quaint Cape Cod setting, this is the perfect beach read. A new author is hard at work writing her second book -- lots at stake here -- when she gets the call to return to the Cape to run her best friend's family bookstore while her friend goes through a difficult pregnancy. Romance, friend drama, and family problems abound, keeping readers' interest going at all times!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately I did not connect with the story or characters. Each character felt one dimensional and lacked emotion. I also felt like everyone was a terrible friend to one another. There wasn’t really a climax to the story, as everything was so predicable.

Thanks to HTP and Park Row Books for my advanced copy of A Novel Summer by Jamie Brenner.

A Novel Summer is set in Provincetown and about 3 friends, a bookshop and the town that draws them together. I love all of the literary references and of course a book about an author and a bookshop.

Jamie Brenner has such a fun summer writing style. While this wasn't my favorite of hers, it was still a great summer book.

A enjoyable beach read as designed, how can it be bad when it centers around books and a bookstore. Multiple interwoven story lines but not too many to be confusing. Three main female friends and their relationships over a few years but mainly one summer is the focus of the book.
My second read by this author and I’d pick up another!
Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary ebook.

3.5⭐️ rounded up

This to me was a good beach read. The story of three friend that grow apart after college with one (Shelby) writing a bestselling debut novel. Shelby used some aspects of her friends life in her book creating turmoil.
This is a great story of friendship and second chances. A story about a beach read that makes a great beach read.
I really loved this story and I wanted more of each character. I felt like maybe there were so many subplots that I didn’t get enough to be invested like I wanted to be.

A trio of friends in a special place for all of them- Provincetown in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The story centers around a town bookshop. Colleen runs the bookshop handed down from her parents. Her parents want to sell the bookshop and Colleen is taking this summer to try to increase business and keep it open. Shelby returns to Provincetown for the summer after being fired from her job in New York City. Her new novel is out, but it is offensive to friends and family back in Ptown, notably her best friend, Hunter. She returns for a book signing and stays for a while since she is unemployed. Hunter's family has a fabulous home in Provincetown and completes the trio of best friends. She is looking for meaning and purpose in life and ends up working for a local publisher. All three best friends are tied to the book industry! The story is their connection, their love interests and what is meaningful in life.
I just love Jamie Brenner's books and this one is no exception. Her descriptions of the town, the relationship among the friends and the obstacles they overcome are wonderful. Don't miss this beach read!

DNF. I just could not connect with any of the characters enough to care about the story. The chapters also needed character notes to differentiate POV

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an E-ARC of A Novel Summer. I couldn't really get into this book, I found the writing kind of choppy and bland. But it has a nice setting.