I love the connection of the characters, love this author's way of story telling, I cant wait to recommend this to my customers

ARC Thank you Harlequin and @netgalley for this advance copy for my review.

I really enjoyed this book. Good summer read in my opinion. Story contained two of my favorite things - female friendships and indie bookstore. Fast paced. The POV shift can be difficult to follow at times but I still enjoyed the book.

Well written and sweet, a perfect cozy summer read. The romance was not the main focus of the story but more of a subplot. I would have liked more background on the "before" - it would have helped me get more invested in the characters. I also found that Shelby lacked a bit of aelf-awareness, but don't we all at some point? It made things frustrating at homes, but overall a calming read.

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

When looking for something to read, A Novel Summer caught my attention right away. It's a beach read that takes place on Cape Cod in Provincetown. And it is also about writers, publishers and booksellers, the love of Cape Cod and finding inspiration and true happiness! What a great combination!

Shelby Archer is a debut author who returns to Provincetown, where she spent her college summers, to help her close friend run the local and long-standing bookstore in town. When she returns, she must cope with broken friendships, an old love, feelings that she had put aside, supporting a best friend and navigating the book and dating/social scene. I loved the set-up and was really looking forward to some exciting events. Unfortunately, I found much of the storyline somewhat predictable and ordinary. I enjoyed the characters and could relate to them, but perhaps a few more "villains" would have spiced things up. However, if you love books, Provincetown and romance, you should definitely pick this up. 3.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row for the digital ARC.

📖Book Review📖
A Novel Summer by Jamie Brenner
Publication Date: 07/16/2024
Genre: Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Follow friends Shelby, Colleen, and Hunter as they realize life throws curveballs, but maybe that swerve set them on the right path.
Shelby returns to Provincetown to first kickoff her book tour at her friend Colleen’s bookstore. However, Shelby realizes not everyone was happy with her book. Not long after her return to New York, Shelby returns to PTown to help her Colleen run her family’s bookstore for the summer and complete her second novel.

I don’t enjoy giving book reviews less than four stars, but I couldn’t give this more than three. This was almost a DNF. The first half of the book would not hold my attention. The POV jumps left things tangled. The lack of honest communication between Shelby and Hunter, and Shelby and Justin with little growth almost prevented me from finishing. However, once I was at about 52%, the story turned, and I finished it in one go.

It’s a wonderful storyline about friendship and life, and I honestly can’t wait to see the author grow and improve with every book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

#ANovelSummer #bookreview #NetGalleyReview #NetGalley #HarlequinPublishing #ARCreads

A story about friendship with a bookish theme set in the perfect summer vibes small town. Competing bookstores one indie and local one a bigger chain. Plus the drama that goes along with it. Not to mention the jealousy exhibited by friends. Gave off summer beach book vibes.

A Novel Summer by Jamie Brenner is the perfect summer read if you are a book lover! Shelby Archer, an author, comes to Cape Cod to run her friend's bookstore for the summer. This book includes second chance romance, friendship drama, and author/publishing roles. I thoroughly enjoyed being engrossed in all things books!

Thanks to NetGalley and Park Row for the advanced digital copy of the book.

This book was the perfect summer beach read as it focused on friends, life, and a second chance. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book which centered around three best friends who met in their freshman year of college. Life and careers after graduation have caused them to grow apart. Shelby, Colleen, and Hunter spent all of their summers during college in Provincetown where Colleen lives and Hunter is spending her summer there after being laid off. Shelby was just returning to spend the summer and work on writing her second book. I found their lives fascinating and it made me want to go to the Cape.

I liked how the book focused on the ups and downs of their friendship and where life was taking them. They all were at some kind of crossroad and had some tough decisions to make.

It was such fun that their careers revolved around books. Shelby was a writer, Colleen worked at her family's bookstore, and Hunter had worked for a publishing company in Boston. It was a fascinating world to read about and I could not put the book down. I would love to see another book by this author set in Provincetown. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

The story was really cute. Set in a picture perfect beach town - I wanted to jump into the pages of this beautiful, close-knit small town. I loved the connection to books - the main character is an author who is helping a friend run her small bookshop. I loved that the main character goes through a lot of personal growth - from figuring out what she wants, how to be a great and supportive friend, neighbor and the second-chance romance. Unfortunately, the characters were just blah to me. I wanted more dimension, more drama, more spark. They all kind of seemed like strangers to me by the end of the book - no different than the beginning. I feel like a little more details on their life and the lead up to today would have made a huge difference. I wanted to love or hate them - but instead I felt that I did not know them well enough to do either. Overall, a quick, easy and great book for those long and beautiful summer days.

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing Park Row for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Jamie Brenner. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

When Shelby Archer returns to Provincetown to celebrate the publication of her first novel, she is expecting to get a warm welcome. Instead, her friends are giving her the cold shoulder, especially Harper who feels betrayed that one of Shelby's book characters is based on her. She tries working on her next novel which is under deadline, but is not having any luck. When her friend, Colleen, who owns the local bookshop needs help for the summer, Shelby returns to manage the store. But is history about to repeat itself?

This is a wonderful book to pack along for your summer beach trip. Plus, I loved all the book-related topics and learned more about both the publishing and the selling ends of how our beloved books make it to readers. There is a full cast of intriguing characters - both main and side - and I especially liked Mia's story. This book is full of sunshine, the importance of friendships, and second chances, with a bit of romance along the way.

I have been a fan of Jamie’s books for years and A Novel Summer is another hit for her. I loved the friendship of Hunter, Shelby and Colleen. Even though they had their struggles, they ended up being honest with each other and figuring it out, which is true friendship. There’s always romance but it wasn’t the focus but a subplot. One of these days I’ll make it to Ptown and see why she loves it so much.

3 high school friends return to Cape Cod for the Summer. Old boyfriends, books, bookstores, friendship and love are a perfect combination for a great Summer beach read!

A Novel Summer takes place in Cape Cod and is the story of 3 high school friends who wind up back in their small town, their lives entwined thanks to a bookstore and a book written by one of them, based on their lives. We have competing bookstores with a corporate bookstore coming to town, we have angst over former boyfriends, we have old fights resurfacing, we have internal struggles to figure out life’s direction. And that is all mixed in with an unbelievably idyllic small beach town setting and lifelong female friendships being put to the test. It was the quintessential beach read and so easy to get lost in the setting and the characters. And any book centered around a book and a bookstore is a win for me.

The plot of A Novel Summer was really enjoyable. I loved the characters a lot. This book really portraits how hard it is to navigate adult female friendships. The ending felt a little rush and the romance feels a little underdeveloped. Overall, it was a cute beach read.

A perfect relaxing, throw in your beach bag summer read for readers who love books about bookstores. I loved the Provincetown and bookstore setting. I was expecting a little more romance element, but that wasn't there. Overall it kept me reading and turning the pages, but I didn't love it as much as some of her previous books.

I always enjoy reading Jamie Brenner’s books. Beach reads with substance. Love the Provincetown setting, would like to visit there someday. Friendships, bookstores and a little romance, it’s all here!

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of A Novel Summer, by Jamie Brenner, from Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

We had some Talenti dairy-free Roman Raspberry sorbetto for dessert the other night, and while it wasn’t the single-most wonderful thing I’d ever consumed in my life, it was light and bright and the perfect follow-up to a heavy meal of three different kinds of pizza.

Reading this pleasant bit of escapism (combined with a surprising amount of well-done realism) today after having finished a-long slog through something else felt akin to having that bit frozen sweetness in my life Sunday.

Was it an easy-to-read beach read? Absolutely.

Did it change my life/will it change the world? Nope and probably not.

Is there anything wrong with any of that? Nope, not at all, if you’re in the right mood.

I did roll my eyes, HARD, at the various musical selections cited. But, then again, I am not of the age group for which this book is intended. And my tastes tend more toward twangy steel guitars and heavy metal than pop, so I suppose I should not judge.

Ahem.

PS
Note To Future Kristi: Only read Jamie Brenner when you’re in the mood for mostly chaste romance with a lot of friend and family drama. You have only yourself to blame for not reading AND COMPREHENDING, FOR PETE’S SAKE, that this was a Harlequin book. And would you look at that? Now you have to get over being that kind of reading snob. You liked it!

DESCRIPTION
The perfect summer beach read! Rival bookshops, second chance romance, friend drama, it was the perfect book to curl up and escape to the Cape.”
—Pamela Kelley, bestselling author of Bookshop by the Bay

A bestselling author finds love and second chances in the stacks of a quaint beach town bookshop

Author Shelby Archer found inspiration for her first novel while living on the picturesque shores of Provincetown on Cape Cod. When she comes to the town to celebrate her new bestseller, she is expecting a warm homecoming. But instead she is confronted with the cold shoulders of friends and neighbors who feel exposed and betrayed.

Heartbroken, Shelby tries to move on and focus on her next novel. But then an unexpected call comes: her dear friend who owns the beloved Land's End bookshop needs help for the summer. Shelby reluctantly returns to the Cape to manage the store.

Back at the beach, Shelby sets her focus on the tiny seaside shop, getting lost in the shelves of steamy romance novels and dusty classics and trying to right the wrongs of her past. With every page turned and every customer served, Shelby comes closer to gaining back the trust of those she hurt. But as her manuscript deadline nears, she is again forced to choose between her own success and a second chance at love and belonging.

I had really high hopes for this book but it fell a little flat for me; it does have the small town coastal vibes which I LOVE but it felt a little predictable. It felt like there was a lot going on with the plot and characters. I felt like following the different POV's was confusing at times which made me lose interest in the story. There were points that I did really enjoy which is why I am giving this book 3 stars (for now). It has a lot of potential and I see the direction Brenner was taking this story in. I will be rereading this story and attempting to give it an0ther chance because who knows I may end up loving it!

Thank you netgally and Brenner for giving me the chance to read the arc!

3.5 stars

I love the setting of Ptown. It is a place that I dream of visiting and A Novel Summer took me right into the town. I could picture the quaint town with the shops with their doors open. Land’s End sounds like the perfect bookstore to find a cozy corner and lose yourself for hours within the bookshelves.

The characters of Shelby, Colleen, and Hunter as friends was a challenge at time for me. Hunter held a grudge for a silly reason and did not want to talk about it, Colleen refused to accept help and Shelby was floundering in her life and career. While they were friends, they did not seem to trust each other enough to talk to each other. I struggled with how best of friends could be that way. I wanted inside jokes, late night chats, and that fierceness that best friends have for each other.

A Novel Summer is easy to read and I did enjoy it. I liked that author events held at Land’s End and the way customers could come in and ask for a Green Book and would walk out with the Green Book they wanted.

This is my first book from Jamie Brenner and I will look for more from her.

I have loved several of Jamie Brenner’s books in the past, but this book did not feel the same. The overall storyline is interesting, if not predictable. I enjoyed the small down, everyone working together feel. The biggest difficulty for me was there were so many characters and there was no marker of when that POV was changing. Because we got so many POV it all felt more superficial, and there wasn’t a great flow. I do think Brenner does a great job of setting the physical scene, as I did feel really transported. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.