If you're nostalgic for your sleepaway camp days, you need to pick this one up this summer!

I though this book was so adorable! I loved that the setting of Camp Chickawah was such an important character in and of itself, and I could almost SMELL the Deet while I read! I don't think this book will hit for those readers who never experienced sleepaway camp, but for me this hit right in the childhood!

I had some minor issues with the story - mostly that I wished Hillary and Jessie took a bit more time to re-define their friendship. To me it felt like they hated each other and then all of a sudden after a game of capture the flag they were besties again without even having to have a conversation about it. I wanted a little more depth from their reconnection, especially since it seemed to be the most important relationship of the book.

Other than that, it was a really cute and entertaining read! The central concept felt really high-stakes and I loved both of the romance storylines. Overall, this one felt a bit more surface level than I generally like my romances, but I had a great time reading it and it was perfect for this time of year.

Thank you Berkley Romance and PRH Audio lo for my gifted copies! All opinions are my own.

I’ve enjoyed all of Ali Brady’s books, but I think this is my favorite!

This was such a perfect nostalgic summer read. Jessie and Hillary haven’t seen each other in years despite being the best of friends at camp. When they find out it will be the camp’s last summer, Jessie and her team host weeks of camp for adults to return and reminisce.

I loved seeing them repair their friendship. I also really liked the romances with Luke and Cooper. They took a little bit of a backseat to the friendship story, but I still enjoyed it. This was such a perfect summer/beach read.

Karissa Vacker and Brittany Pressley are two of my favorite narrators and their narration of this book was fantastic.

TW- death of a pet

This book took me back to summer camp, where friendships and teenage crushes were so important and every feeling was so intense.
This book is charming and funny and I highly recommend reading it,
5 stars.

Synopsis:
Growing up, Jessie and Hillary lived for summer, when they’d be reunited at Camp Chickawah. The best friends vowed to become counselors together someday, but they drifted apart after Hillary broke her promise and only Jessie stuck to their plan, working her way up to become the camp director. 

When Jessie learns that the camp will be sold, she decides to plan one last hurrah, inviting past campers—including Hillary—to a nostalgic “adult summer camp” before closing for good. Jessie and Hillary rebuild their friendship as they relive the best time of their lives—only now there are adult beverages, skinny dipping, and romantic entanglements. Straitlaced Hillary agrees to a “no strings attached” summer fling with the camp chef, while outgoing Jessie is drawn to a moody, reclusive writer who’s rented a cabin to work on his novel.

The friends soon realize this doesn’t have to be the last summer. They’ll team up and work together, just like the old days. But if they can’t save their beloved camp, will they be able to take the happiness of this summer away with them?

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I am not a summer camp person, but I loved Until Next Summer. It's the perfect combination of grumpy-sunshine and enemies to friends/lovers. The characters are fun, relatable, and easy to cheer for. In short, Until Next Summer is everything a summer beach/pool/summer camp read should be...lighthearted but with an underlying message. I love each of the authors that make up the Ali Brady team separately, but together they're spectacular, and I'm already looking forward to their next book!

I absolutely loved this heartfelt story. The way the two characters were woven together was touching, and seeing them each get their HEA was the highlight of my summer (see what I did there?) The characters were all unique, the setting felt authentic (and made me miss my summer camp days!), and the love stories were fulfilling. Hats off to the writers!

Read if you like:
2️⃣ Two Stories in One
🏕️ Summer Camp
👯‍♀️ Friendships
⏳ Reconnecting and Mending Relationships
✡️ Jewish Rep

I truly love the way that Ali Brady pairs up to give two for one stories with opposite FMC’s that each fit the writing style of this author duo!

I really loved the mix of Jessie and Hilary’s stories with Jessie being the girl who made summer camp her whole life, and Hilary that lived a rigid life all for the appearance/outcomes she was “expected” to have by her rich lawyer father.

When Jessie learns the camp is being sold, she decides to have one last summer bringing old campers back over the summer to relive camp one last time before it’s sold and shut down…

But when old campers come together and find little bits of what they needed, they decide to try to figure out how to save the camp over the summer,

I really loved the story of reuniting, healing old wounds, rekindling friendship, finding love, and fighting for your passion as this story had so much heart!

If you are wanting a summery & nostalgic read, I highly recommend this one! Thank you so much to Berkley and PRHA for my gifted ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC!

This was my first Ali Brady book and it definitely won’t be my last! I can’t wait to go back through her backlist now that I’ve had a taste of her writing. This was a great summer romance read with the perfect amount of spice! Found family, self discovery and great romance- what more could you want in a summer romance book?!

Thanks to Berkley and Ali Brady for the copy of this book!

Not only have I loved all of Ali Brady's books, but I also loved this one! They are just on a roll with books that dive into female relationships like friendship or sisterhood while also having great romance storylines. I loved the summer camp nostalgia and dual romance storylines in this book - it was the perfect summer read!

Give me all the Summer time books!

I feel as though I live all year round anticipating Memorial Day weekend. It's as though I only truly live between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

I know I am not alone in this.

Any who, I love all things summer, especially summer reading

Now lets take a favorite author and a favorite season and make them give each other a big fat kiss.

WAL-LAH

Until Next Summer

I think I just found my book of the year.

Ali Brady, slays.

Thank you Berkley, Ali Brady and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read early in exchange for an honest review.

This is an easy 5 stars, buy the book

Check out this teaser :

Two former best friends each find love at an adults-only summer camp in this romantic and nostalgic novel that proves “once a camp person, always a camp person.”

Growing up, Jessie and Hillary lived for summer, when they’d be reunited at Camp Chickawah. The best friends vowed to become counselors together someday, but they drifted apart after Hillary broke her promise and only Jessie stuck to their plan, working her way up to become the camp director.

When Jessie learns that the camp will be sold, she decides to plan one last hurrah, inviting past campers—including Hillary—to a nostalgic “adult summer camp” before closing for good. Jessie and Hillary rebuild their friendship as they relive the best time of their lives—only now there are adult beverages, skinny dipping, and romantic entanglements. Straitlaced Hillary agrees to a “no strings attached” summer fling with the camp chef, while outgoing Jessie is drawn to a moody, reclusive writer who’s rented a cabin to work on his novel.

The friends soon realize this doesn’t have to be the last summer. They’ll team up and work together, just like the old days. But if they can’t save their beloved camp, will they be able to take the happiness of this summer away with them?

What a pleasant surprise, this book was unexpectedly good. It was a pleasure to read. It brought back so many memories of sleepaway camp. Two old friends meet up after ten years of not speaking It took a while for their friendship to rekindle, but it did. this book is a terrific HEA. Thank you Berkley Publishing for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Read This Book.

this is my third adult summer camp book. I went to summer camp once as a kid and cried every single day and wrote letters to my parents begging to come home. so yeah, I don’t think this set up is for me.

however, the friendship repairing really is the main focus of this book. oh and saving the camp. the romance took a back seat and I feel a little confused. I wanted to like this for easy summer reading, and it is if you enjoy women’s fic with a summer camp setting.

the two povs are the two friends reconnecting with each other after not seeing each other for years. like, it’s not that deep? they were camp friends. idk.

I do love a fwb set up to oops actually I have real feelings, and that was my fav part of this.

thank you NetGalley and berkley romance for an arc. It’s out now.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own. @BerkleyPub @BerkleyRomance #BerkleyPartner #Berkley #BerkleyBookstagram #BerkleyBookTok


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If romance - Tropes?

Read if you like

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Many Thanks again to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

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If you are interested in seeing more of my reviews and other content feel free to connect with me here <3:

https://linktr.ee/bookreviewsbyjules (links to my Instagram, Goodreads, TikTok, Storygraph, My blog and Substack newsletter, etc)

If you are a publisher or author who has questions about my reviews (as well as questions about my stats, reach or engagement), please free to email me. I am also open to requests for book reviews from authors or publishers. Thank you again for taking time to read my review, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own. @BerkleyPub @BerkleyRomance #BerkleyPartner #Berkley #BerkleyBookstagram #BerkleyBookTok

I think this might quite possibly be my favorite book by Ali Brady yet. It was a fun and romantic book and I loved the summer camp setting (but for adults!) I enjoyed Jessie and Hillary as the two FMCs and their respective love interests as well. I loved how some other characters from Ali Brady's books cameoed which made me wonder if all of their books will be set in the same universe (the three books they have written have overlapping settings and some characters). With that being said this book can be read as a standalone.

Definitely on the list of my top books of 2024. I can't wait to see what Ali Brady comes up with next! Wish I could rate higher than 5 stars!

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Many Thanks again to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

********


If you are interested in seeing more of my reviews and other content feel free to connect with me here <3:

https://linktr.ee/bookreviewsbyjules (links to my Instagram, Goodreads, TikTok, Storygraph, My blog and Substack newsletter, etc)

If you are a publisher or author who has questions about my reviews (as well as questions about my stats, reach or engagement), please free to email me. I am also open to requests for book reviews from authors or publishers. Thank you again for taking time to read my review, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

This book was absolutely amazing, and I couldn't put it down! The idea of returning to summer camp, facing challenges, rekindling old friendships, making new ones, and falling in love was so captivating. The dual perspectives added depth to the story, allowing me to connect with each character's journey on a personal level. The plot was engaging, the writing style, the pacing, and spice were all done amazing!

I can't wait to dive into more of their books! If they’re anything like this one, I know I'll be hooked from start to finish. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves a good story about friendship, love, and personal growth.

Thank you Berkley, Netgalley and Ali for the ARC! 🤍

Thanks to Berkley for the eARC; all opinions are my own.


What a fun premise for a book! I think adults who went to summer camp as a kid and loved it will think to themselves now and then "wouldn't it be great to go to summer camp as an adult?"
This book really leans into that premise, with a camp on the verge of closing down deciding to open it's doors for one last summer for adult summer camp, inviting alumni and letting them relive their favourite camp experiences, with the bonus of better food, wine, no curfews, and no counsellors.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I liked how it was dual POV, but with two FMCs, former best friends who had a falling out and are reunited after many years. the story follows them as adults trying to figure out how they fit into the world around them, if they can become friends again, and also, exploring relationships with guys they had met at camp many years prior.

I found the book to be a bit slow at times, and I found myself skimming pages to get ahead. The writing was well done, and learning afterwards that it's two people writing under one author name, I was impressed with how seamless it all was. I would not have guessed it was two people writing.

A fun book that let me relive some camp memories, both good and bad!

I have never attended sleep away camp, but I have always loved the culture of it. ❤︎ I enjoy books about summer camp, but I’m not sure I’ve enjoyed one more than this emotional rollercoaster of a book! I was sobbing happy tears through the entire second half. No joke!

Life long camp lover, Jessie has made a career at the camp she attended as a kid. There is just nothing else like it. But, when the property and business is at risk of being sold, she has one last summer to go out with a bang (or hopefully change the owner’s mind). For one last summer, they are shifting gears and hosting an adult version of summer camp, where other adults can relive their glorious camp days.

Hillary, Jessie’s childhood best friend desires just that. She takes a step away from her lawyer life and takes a job as arts and crafts director… but there is one problem. Hillary and Jessie haven’t spoken in over a decade. After a falling out, their friendship splintered and both are hesitant but hopeful.

There are some amazing romances in this book. I absolutely loved them!! But, they don’t hold a candle to the female friendship that is showcased in this book! OMG! It was just so good. The ups and downs are epic. There is so much heart and soul in this book. A true five star!

Jessie has been devoted to her summer camp (Camp Chickawah) since she was young. It was her home away from home and her "safe place" after her parent's divorce. She's now the head "runner" of the camp and has devastating news... the camp is being sold. Set to make it the best last summer, she starts an adults only summer camp. Sounds great in theory, until her ex best-friend Hillary applies to run the arts and crafts section. Hillary... who promised to come back to camp years back and never showed.

Hillary has been trying to please her dad and Aaron (ICK) her whole life. Now, with the opportunity to go back to her favorite summer place, she's ready to take a risk and find herself again.

I really enjoyed listening to Until Next Summer by duo Ali Brady until chapter 28 hit. Books that have what happened in that chapter need a TRIGGER/CONTENT warning at the beginning of the book. Sadly, that part made me sick to my stomach for a few hours and I had to fast pace listen to the last chunk. . Overall, this is more of a "love story" to summer camp and discovering oneself. Fantastic narrators, fantastic premise, not a fantastic downhill slide in a few chapters.

Love love love. I grew up going to a camp and I had signed up for their alumni weekend this summer. I’m so excited to see old friends and people who are still involved with camp, 15 years later. This book had all of the nostalgia vibes. I loved the rebuilding of the friendships, the romance, and the fact that Jack lost.

My review has been posted today, 7/9/24 at the following link.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9ODFa0y6WF/?igsh=MXU2dGZ6ejk1M2QzNQ==

Until Next Summer is the story of estranged friends Jessie and Hillary, who were best friends growing up and attending Camp Chickawah every summer. They grew up and had a falling out. Jessie is now director of the camp, and Hillary is a business consultant in Chicago. When Camp Chickawah is in danger of closing, Jessie decides to host a summer of adult camp for former campers. Hillary signs on as Arts and Crafts teacher for the summer, and these old friends are reunited. As they work toward mending their friendship, they both are also reunited with long-ago crushes from their camp years - Cooper (Hillary's first kiss) and Luke (Jessie's big crush). Together they work on ideas to try to save their beloved camp.

I wanted to read this novel because it sounded like a perfect summer read. I was a camp kid and love books set in summer camps. And I absolutely LOVED Until Next Summer.

This book checks off some great beach read checkmarks for me:

Friendship
Not one but two sweet love stories
A nostalgic camp setting
Lots of great supporting characters
A lovely, moving dog story (Luke's elderly dog attends camp with him)

The storytelling is appealing and fast moving, with passages like:

"No matter the age gap or difference in our backgrounds, we’d start swapping stories, sharing memories. The gruff custodian at my elementary school bragged about winning Color Wars when he was fourteen. A bus driver sang his favorite camp song (The Princess Pat . . . lived in a tree), complete with hand motions. My pediatrician told me she once caught her marshmallow on fire and then, panicking, waved her roasting stick in the air, causing the marshmallow to fall onto her bare foot. She even showed me the burn scar, taking her shoe off in the middle of her clinic room while I waited for my twelve-year-old vaccinations. Here’s what I took from those conversations: there’s something magical about summer camp. Those days stick in your mind like pine sap in your hair, like the scent of campfire smoke on your clothes. Even decades later, the memories remain vivid. Which is why I decided that I didn’t want to spend ten months slogging through what everyone else called Real Life only to spend two months living what felt like my real life. I wanted it all the time. It’s sometimes still hard to believe I achieved that childhood dream. That this is my full-time, year-round, always and forever job. I am the head camp director at Camp Chickawah, and we’ve just completed another successful summer session." (eBook location 129).

I highly recommend Until Next Summer for anyone looking for a fun summer read -- and especially for anyone who loves nostalgic summer camp settings.

As a former camper, Until Next Summer holds a special place in my heart! While I was only a weeklong camper (and not the full summer), I still remember how incredible it felt to be away from the world in the woods, spending time with other kids my age.

It was such a fun experience going back to camp as an adult through this novel! Ali Brady also did a great job explaining the unique aspects of the camp experience for readers who haven’t been themselves. There was nothing exclusive about this story, just a celebration of a special place!

As I’ve come to expect from Ali Brady, they continued their tradition of placing a female relationship at the center of the story. Whether it’s sisters or friends, I love the importance they place on these treasured connections. The romance is there, but it’s not center stage. It serves as a sweet complement to the true joy of some of the most important relationships in women’s lives.