15 Summers Later was a heartfelt and tender book with the perfect amount of swoon. We loved the characters and were reaching for the book every chance we got.

RaeAnne Thayne's 15 Summers Later is a heartwarming and nostalgic tale that will transport readers back to the carefree days of summer love. The novel follows two childhood friends who reunite after fifteen years, rekindling their connection and exploring the possibility of a second chance at love.

Thayne's writing style is light and breezy, perfect for a leisurely summer read. The characters are likable and relatable, and the small-town setting is charming and evocative. While the plot may be predictable at times, the author's ability to evoke feelings of nostalgia and warmth makes up for any shortcomings.

If you're looking for a feel-good romance that will leave you smiling, 15 Summers Later is a delightful choice.

This is a sensitive, emotional story about childhood trauma, healing and moving forward, sisterly bonds, community and darling little animals at the shelter. This has a bit of mystery, and there is romance but it takes a backseat in the story. A quiet novel that’s both heartwarming and heartbreaking, you can’t help but feel a strong connection towards these characters. I made a great choice picking this one up. Perfect for readers wanting to add more substance with a heavier topic to their summer reading

Sweet story about two sisters with a traumatic past finding love and healing. There are many levels to this summer read.

Thanks NetGalley and Canary Street Press for the ARC.

This book was not what I was expecting. It looks like a great, easy summer read but it is all about the trauma and emotion between two sisters who are trying to figure it out..15 summers later.

15 Summers Later is a beautifully written, heartwarming novel that will leave readers with a sense of nostalgia and the belief that it’s never too late for love or second chances. Perfect for fans of sweet, emotional romances with a dash of small-town charm, RaeAnne Thayne delivers another winner that will have you sighing with satisfaction and smiling long after you’ve finished the book.

15 Summers Later by RaeAnne Thayne tells the story of sisters Madi and Ava who endured a very traumatic experience as young teens fifteen years ago. Madi has moved on and is trying to live a quiet life opening and running a pet sanctuary despite some injuries she sustained in the tragedy. Ava, on the other hand, moved away and has recently written a bestselling tell-all about the experience, which is bringing up memories that Madi wants no part of. Told in alternating POVs with excerpts from Ava's book at the top of each chapter, the premise of this book sounded so intriguing to me! I was hoping for a blend of mystery and romance, but found...neither.

As I was reading, I found that I wasn't connecting to either of the main female characters. The story was quite slow and repetitive and more heavy than the cover of the book suggests. I would have loved to have read more in detail about the cult and the girls escape in detail rather than in the little snippets at the beginning of the chapters.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

There was a disconnect between the cover and the story. It had me thinking this was going to be a sweet summer read. It was heavy with a side of romance and forgiveness.
Two estranged sisters, Ava & Madi, recount the horrific events that they endured 15 years ago. It's been forced to be talked about since Ava has written a book detailing their lives in a cult and the night of their escape. While their meddling grandma tries to get them to reconnect, truths are uncovered, friends become lovers, and demons are finally faced.

A story of two sisters and a horrific incident in their past that still colours their present lives. I found that I wanted to know a bit more of the incident, it was kind of tempered,. The resolution to their relationship and their love lives was satisfying.

If you are looking for a light-hearted, beachy romance, I'm afraid this isn't the book you're looking for. Some of the themes in this book were quite heavy but not in a way that brought down the romantic, hopeful mood of the story overall.
Madison & Ava are sisters who survived a very traumatic childhood. Ava has just published a tell-all book and it's caused a strain in her already fractured relationship with her sister. Now she may have lost her husband because of those secrets she revealed in the book but not to him. She returns to her hometown to visit her grandma and her sister, the only one who truly understands what she's been through. Madison isn't so happy to see her sister after, what she believes is, the betrayal of putting their secrets out to the world. She's just opened a no-kill animal shelter that she runs with Luke, who, along with his family, played a huge part in rescuing the girls as teenagers and who she also happens to be in love with.
RaeAnne Thayne goes on to weave a story full of pain, family, second chances, love and moving forward. It was emotional in the best of ways. Although reading about their tragic past invokes feelings of sadness, pain and anger at what they've been through and how each of the sisters chooses to process so differently, ultimately they are both doing it through love and hope to move forward and you can't help but feel every bit of those emotions for them. The relationship that builds between Madison and Luke was a slow-burn but gave the story just that perfect amount of romance that I tend to NEED in the books I read.
This is a definite must read for anyone who enjoys good women's fiction with heart.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley for voluntary review

I love books like this that span many years and multiple timelines. This book had wonderful friendships and romances. The characters were multidimensional and I loved them!

15 Summers Later is a nostalgic and bittersweet story that revisits friendships and past loves, but it doesn’t entirely hit the emotional highs it seems to aim for. The premise—old friends reuniting after many years—promises plenty of drama and heartfelt moments, and while there are flashes of that, the story can feel a bit predictable and unevenly paced.

The characters are relatable, though some feel like they rely on familiar tropes, and the plot, while enjoyable, doesn’t dive deeply enough into the complexities of relationships that have changed over time. The writing is straightforward and does a good job of capturing the summer setting, but there are moments where it lacks the emotional depth to fully engage the reader.

Overall, 15 Summers Later offers an easy, enjoyable read for those who love stories of reunions and second chances, but it may not leave a lasting impact for readers looking for something more layered and profound.

Fifteen summers ago, a tragedy almost destroyed Ava and Madison Howell’s lives. They have moved on, but Ava writes a best selling memoir about the events and the secrets revealed might just destroy her marriage. Madison (Madi) has started a no-kill shelter in their hometown of Emerald Creek Idaho. She is in love with the town veterinarian, and is not happy that her secrets have been put out there for all to read about. Her struggling shelter is given a large anonymous donation which finally allows her to quit her part-time job with Dr. Luke Gentry and work fulltime at the shelter. Luke donates a lot of time to the shelter and the more they are together, the more they both develop feelings for the other, but neither wants to tell the other. Ava is struggling, trying not to tell anyone about the troubles in her marriage, but can she keep it a secret as it looks like they might be headed down the road to divorce.

This is not the usual beach read that I expected from RaeAnne Thayne, but it is still a well-written and plotted book that I have come to expect from this author. The tragedy in their past is dark and brutal, although not graphically described, it is included in the flashbacks and quotes from the book that begin each chapter. I really liked the characters of Ava, Madi, Luke and the girls grandma. They all support one another, but it is not until the end when we find out why Ava felt she had to write the book. Writing the book caused a lot of friction between the sisters, but many people felt the book was important and showed how brave people can be. This is a book of overcoming your past, family, friends, new beginnings, reconciliation and romance. I enjoyed this book, even though some of the content was surprising and may trigger some people.

This is a story about 2 sisters repairing their relationship 15 summers after a traumatic event that they’re both still processing. Ava wrote a memoir about their experiences, but Madi just wants to forget. We get chapters from both their perspectives as well as their friend Luke, who is tied to their trauma. It was interesting how the backstory was heavy and dark, but the current story felt lighter…like you could feel the respective fear and the hope in each story. I liked how each chapter started with an excerpt from the memoir and gave the reader additional background info—great technique! But, now I wish I could read that fictitious memoir!! I enjoyed this book as much as the others I’ve read by RaeAnne Thayne. I’ll definitely read more of hers.

"15 Summers Later" is another great story by RaeAnne Thayne. I've read quite a few stories by her at this point and always enjoy the characters, stories and locations she comes up with.

In this instance, the story follows the lives of Ava and Madi Howell. As teenagers, they escaped a survivalist compound after being held captive and tortured. They're freedom came at a great cost, though. They lost their father in the process, and someone else was killed in the conflict as they sought help from them.

Fifteen years later, and Ava and Madi are both still living with the consequences of that fateful summer, but in different ways. Ava wrote a book about their experience, and it's become a runaway bestseller. Unfortunately, Madi has no interested in revisiting the past, which the book forces her to do as people start to connect her with it. And this puts a lot of strain on the already fragile relationship between the two sisters.

As they each come to terms with how that summer changed them, they discover more about themselves and each other than they'd ever known before. But to get to that point, they're going to have to trust each other. And that proves harder for them both than you'd think.

But as they each try to recover from the onslaught of memories the book's success has forced upon them, they also discover healing and eventually a way to create the lives they've always wanted.

Thank you to RaeAnne Thayne, the publisher and NetGalley for an advance review copy. This was a great story to read, and I look forward to more from the author.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Madison and Ava. They are sisters. 15 years ago something awful happened to them. Ava writes a book about what happened. Madison doesn’t want to read it because she lived it. They both have trust issues but together they work it out and become even closer.

This is the first book I’ve read by the author and certainly won’t be my last! This book is not your typical light hearted, breezy summer read. It deals with some heavy topics like trauma, loss and family conflict.

However, this book and the relationships in it felt real. I liked seeing how the sisters navigated their trauma, relationships and starting new beginnings.

If you’re looking for a romantic, light story this is not it! it’s about a different kind love, and while there is a romance subplot, the love in this book is much deeper.

This story was sweet and touching about two sisters. They had extreme trauma growing up and are navigating their lives 15 years later. Definitely don't judge a book by the cover.

This book gave me serious Virgin River vibes in the BEST way! I couldn't put it down!! I feel like this book needs to be the start of a series because I want to know what happens next!

First I have to say the cover is very deceiving. At no point in the book are any of the characters on a floating dock on a lake. There are mountains, and two women, and that's about it.

I enjoyed this quite a lot. Two sisters who went through some pretty rough shit as teenagers have grown somewhat apart as adults. One writes a book about the rough shit, which thoroughly pisses off the other one who wants that part of her life to stay buried. There's a marriage in a rough patch, a kindly grandmother, an animal rescue, and of course, a romance you can see coming a mile away, not that the author tries to hide it. And lots and lots of dogs, so you know I loved that. Quite enjoyable.