As someone who went to summer camp (specifically one where everyone has T1D) but wasn’t completely obsessed with it outside of the summer, I was a little worried I would find Until Next Summer cheesy or cringey. I was absolutely incorrect with my worries, because this book was phenomenal! The platonic soulmate trope between bffs is one of my fav non-romantic tropes. I adored Jess and Hillary’s growth as individuals and within their friendship. The romantic angst both of them experienced was not only unique, but just perfect!! I felt so much love and nostalgia while reading this; it honestly brought back so many memories for me. Until Next Summer is so much more than a romance. It’s a love letter to the friendships we keep close to our hearts no matter the distance and the joy one finds during summer surrounded by a community bonded through competition and goofiness. This was a blast to read and I def recommend it!

Thank you to Berkley, NetGalley, and the authors for sending me an early copy!

Thank you to PRHAudio for a free audiobook and the Berkley for an eARC copy.

Did I ever go to summer camp? Nope. Did this book make me feel like I did? Absolutely!

Jessie and Hillary met at summer camp and became BFFs. They planned to become counselors there together, but life happened and they haven't seen each other in years. Jessie is now the director of this camp. Hillary is a business advisor.

When Jessie learns the camp is going to be sold, she decides to have one last hurrah of a summer by inviting adults who attended as kids to come back.

Hillary is going through some stuff in life and decides to go. Can they mend their friendship? Can they save the camp?

There's some romance two, but the friendship part was my favorite.

Jessie and Hillary were best friends at summer camp until Hillary backed out on their promise to become camp counselors together. Then they never talked again. 10 years later, Jessie is running the overnight camp the last summer before it shuts down. For the final summer, Jessie had the idea to make it an adult overnight camp, with each week being for past campers who had come to Camp Chickawah as kids. Hillary applies to work as the Arts and Crafts director, making this the first time they have seen each other since their last summer at camp. Now they have to see if they can rebuild their friendship and possibly save the camp that means so much to them.

In theory, this book was super cute. In actuality, it was a little bit long and a lot bit cheesy. I liked the characters but I felt like the authors focused on the wrong things sometimes. I felt like their friendship resolved so quickly. I also didn’t love how immature Jessie ad Hillary both were. For example, Luke (a cranky writer who becomes a love interest for Jessie) pulls away from Jessie and says “I can’t get into a relationship right now”. Which, yeah, totally sucks, but also felt completely honest and not like it has anything to do with Jessie. Yet Jessie takes it personally and proceeds to get back at him by dumping an entire bucket of syrup on his head.

Hillary seems a little bit more mature, but she is also just dense. In the first few chapters, her boyfriend asks for them to take a break so that he can sleep around while she’s gone all summer and it takes her until she’s been at camp for a few weeks to realize that was a shitty thing for this dude to do. They were dating for 2 years! Of course it’s a shitty thing to do!

I liked the chemistry between Hillary and Cooper but I felt like I wanted more from Luke and Jessie. They had some decent banter but sometimes it felt a little forced. I think maybe I felt a little torn between the story about trying to save the camp and having an adult summer camp with building friendship and then the romances. It can be tricky juggling 3 separate relationships while also writing a save the camp plot.

It also was much too long in my opinion. This book was well over 400 pages and I think it could’ve been accomplished in about 100 less. It felt like it moved so slowly to me while they also frequently talked about how quickly life at camp seems to move.

Parts of this book were very cute, but it just never seemed to hook me fully. I found it to be long and slow and I just never connected with the characters. I did love the setting, so I think if you’re a summer camp person you might enjoy this. I also think if I had been a little younger when I read it I would’ve enjoyed it more. I’d be open to reading more by Ali Brady in the future, but this one was not my favorite.

Until Next Summer is a cute, heartfelt summer read set at one of the most iconic summer locations, sleepaway camp! As a former camp kid myself, this book made me so nostalgic for those summers spent in the woods and on the lake.

I did not know what to expect going into a book with two female leads who both get HEAs by the end, I was worried that it would make the book too busy. It did not. Hillary and Jessie's stories were so intertwined that it made complete sense to watch their romantic love stories unfold and their platonic love story did.

The dynamic between Hillary and Cooper was so electric I love that they went from first kiss at camp all those years ago to rekindling that as adults. Luke and Jessie's friends to enemies to lovers storyline was incredible to read. The tension was delicious.

I loved the cast of other camp employees and getting immersed in the world of Camp Chickawah. Now where can I sign up for their adult camp?

I never went to summer camp but adult summer camp sounds amazinggg!

I'm a sucker for second chances at romance, friendship, everything, so I loved that this book was full of them. The multiple POV from Jessie and Hillary was great because while this book is full of romance, it focuses on friendship so much and we get to see both of these characters fall in love with guys from their past and reestablish their friendship which had been so vital to them in their youth. I really liked the two FMCs and the group as a whole. There's a big theme of found family here and I like that the story focuses on everyone, while still giving Jessie and Hillary the spotlight and developing their romantic relationships. I found myself rooting for everyone to save the camp and having nostalgia for simpler days -- even though I didn't go to summer camp, this book made me miss summers of running around with the neighborhood kids and the shenanigans and adventures we got up to back then. This is a great summer read!

Thank you Berkley for the digital ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5
🌶️🌶️ 2/5

This book was absolutely perfect for summer! It brought back all the summer camp nostalgia and had me aching to be there with the other adult campers! 🏕️ 🛶

I wouldn’t classify this one as a romance because the rebuilding of Jessie and Hillary’s friendship was just as prevalent, if not more. Watching these estranged best friends find their way back to one another after many years and working through their differences was really moving. Even though I do not see this book as a romance, there was a bit of spice! I don’t know about you, but when I was younger, I totally wanted to fall in love at summer camp! 😂

I’m so happy I had the chance to read this one. It will definitely stick with me!

Thank you @berkleyromance for the #gifted book!

Until Next Summer is a heartfelt story about friendship, second chances, and the bittersweetness of letting go. Ali Brady skillfully captures the magic of summer camp nostalgia while weaving in the complexities of adulthood. Jessie and Hillary’s rekindled friendship is at the core of the story, offering a touching exploration of how time and life changes can test even the strongest bonds.

Thank you to Berkeley for the advanced copy. I really enjoyed it!

Thank you to @berkleypub for the #gifted copy of the book.

Jessie and Hillary went to camp as kids and were the best of friends. Jessie made a life there as Camp Director and eventually her friendship with Hillary drifted apart. Their summer camp is only going to be open for one last summer and Jessie decides to make it an adult summer camp and invite back past campers.

I loved this book! It took me right back to summer camp and oh what fun would an adult summer camp be! If only Adult summer camps were a real thing! After all, most of us enjoyed our summer camp experiences right down to the summer love.

"This kind of happiness doesn't come from a checklist. It comes from living, from taking risks and following your heart."

Oh, this was such an incredible book. Perfect summer read with lots of nostalgia for those who attended summer camp. I didn't realize how appealing an adult summer camp would be to me until now! And two romances plus a beautiful friendship renewal. There were just so many good things about this book. Lovable characters, fun camp activities and a group effort to save the camp that really warmed my heart.

I included the first quote because I loved the message of sometimes needing to let go of timelines, checklists and expectations and enjoy the unknown and pleasant surprises life can bring.

Ratings
Quality of Writing 5/5
Pacing 5/5
Plot Development 5/5
Character Development 5/5
Overall Enjoyability 5/5

I just finished Until Next Summer by Ali Brady, and it’s the perfect read for anyone craving a feel-good trip down memory lane! Even if you’re like me and never actually did the whole summer camp thing. Okay, so I did go to summer camp, but I made my grandparents come pick me up before the week was up. But I digress . . .

This book is like a warm hug from your childhood bestie. It follows Jessie and Hillary, two former camp buddies who reunite for one last hurrah at their old stomping grounds, Camp Chickawah. Jessie’s all grown up and running the show now, but with the camp facing closure, she decides to go out with a bang by throwing an “adult summer camp” for former campers.

What follows is a nostalgic rollercoaster ride filled with laughs, romance, and just the right amount of drama. Picture ghost stories around the campfire, but now with cocktails in hand! The author nails that bittersweet feeling of revisiting your past while figuring out your future.

I loved watching Jessie and Hillary patch up their friendship and rediscover why they were besties in the first place. And don’t even get me started on the summer flings – let’s just say things get steamy, and not just because of the campfire!

This book hits all the right notes – it’s funny, heartwarming, and might even inspire you to dig out your old camp t-shirt. If you’re looking for a read that’ll transport you back to simpler times while still keeping things spicy, “Until Next Summer” should be next up on your TBR.

Trust me, by the end, you’ll be wishing you could sign up for next summer’s session at Camp Chickawah!

I absolutely LOVVVEEEED the setting here!!! I want more than anything to go to summer camp for grown ups. I never got to be a camp kid, so I love that I could live that experience through Until Next Summer 💕❤️. I need a camp friendship like Hillary and Jessie!

What I didn’t love was the romance. Luke was an asshole and was so rude to Jessie, I could never ship them. And it was so hard to get to know Cooper, like he always felt like a cardboard cutout of a playful chef and never anything more. I never felt the spark between him and Hillary.

Until Next Summer was a 3 star read for me. I really adored Camp Chickawa, Jessie’s growth, and the rekindling of the girlhood, but I wasn’t into the romance 🤷🏽‍♀️

This is one of the many things I love about this community is being brought together with so many people to share one book. I was lucky number 13 for our team and I absolutely loved the notes my previous readers left in the margins of this one! It’s so fun to see others thoughts and I shared some in my reel.

This one is about camp, and how growing up sometimes it was the only place that felt like home and a place of belonging. I absolutely loved this read and I especially loved the traveling arc for this one because I thought it gave such a sense of community!

This is a P E R F E C T summer read and will definitely having you feeling all of the nostalgia.

This was one of the best summer camp novels I have read in awhile. Ali Brady brings us to a world filled with love, longing, friendship and second chances. The writing gave me chills from the very first page and I loved every second of it. I loved the way every character really came into their own and it was one of the best books I've read in awhile.

This story made me want to curl up on a hammock with a citronella candle and s'mores. The perfect summer vibes of camp are told with multiple pov's and dual romances. It brought back some pretty great memories from my childhood and I can't wait to listen to the audiobook again!

Campfire vibes and genuine friendships!

4.5 stars - What I enjoyed most about this story was that it wasn't just about one or two characters, but multiple characters on their journey to happiness and love. My heart broke once during the book and while I knew it was coming, there was no preparing my tear ducts.

** Childhood Friends
** Found Family
** Summer Camp

This story made me want to curl up on a hammock with a citronella candle and s'mores. The perfect summer vibes of camp are told with multiple pov's and dual romances. It brought back some pretty great memories from my childhood and I can't wait to listen to the audiobook again!

Camp Chickawah is also featured in The Beach Trap, and while it's not necessary to read that book prior to enjoying this one, it's not one you should miss out on.

Old besties Jessie and Hillary reunite after years apart as Camp Chickawah, the place they met and bonded at is about to be sold and close for good. They mend fences over wonderful memories and unite to save the camp, each finding romance with past campers, Luke, the broody author, and Cooper the camp chef.

Until Next Summer was full of nostalgia, looking back at the good times of summer, even if you didn’t do camp as a youngster. The story makes me remember summer vacations by the lake, swimming, boating, campfires, smores, and fun getting away from it all! I enjoyed both Jessie and Hillary’s journey back to friends and sorting out their lives along the way! This is the perfect feel-good, summer read!

Until Next Summer is an adult summer camp romance with strong female friendships and self discovery. Whether you are a "camp person" or not, you can enjoy this steamy summer romcom!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for the electronic copy.

I want to go to.camp, but this book will do for now. I loved the nostalgic feeling and the two for one romances on this book. This book was well written and so much fun!

Until Next Summer is an upbeat, sweet, engaging read. I loved the focus on friendship and the lasting impact of summer camp. While the synopsis emphasizes romance, the romantic connections are secondary to the deep connections between lifelong friends -- very refreshing and engaging. Even if you’re not actually a camp person, Until Next Summer may make you feel like you could have been. This book is a terrific choice for summer reading… preferably on a beach blanket on the shores of a gorgeous lake.

So sweet, so spicy, and just a total delight from beginning to end. The protagonists are believable and funny, the side characters are hilarious and heartwarming and the romance is so good. I loved this homage to the beauty and wonder of summer camp and found family!