It is not very often that really good writers, who can bend sentences to their whim, can also write deeply sexy stories. I highly recommend this one.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

This story was beautiful. Lark and Nick had such good chemistry. I really liked the representation of Larks struggles with her mental health, and panic attacks. I felt like they were portrayed very accurately. I loved how caring and attentive Nick was and how he respected Lark and gave her space to work on herself and get into a healthy space.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Lark and Nick. They have known each other since high school. They see each other several years later. Lark takes an art class that Nick is teaching for the summer. There is an attraction. Lark and Nick are making big decisions this summer. Hey start dating. Everything comes to a head when Nick has to go back to New York and decide what to do with his business and Lark goes to Paris They meet up a year later and declare their love.

“I want to be strong enough to swim by someone’s side, not pull them under because I’m drowning.”

This was such an authentic and relatable book! It is truly a love story to anyone who is still trying to figure out what they want in life

"The Summer of Perfect Mistakes" by Cynthia St. Aubin is a poignant and evocative portrayal of self-discovery, second chances, and the liberating journey from perfection to authenticity. The novel delves into the life of Lark Woodley, a young woman grappling with the aftermath of losing her sense of perfection and struggling to reconstruct her identity in the wake of societal pressures and personal expectations.

St. Aubin skillfully navigates Lark's emotional landscape, portraying her as a multifaceted and relatable character who undergoes a profound transformation throughout the story. As Lark tentatively navigates the fragments of her former self and contends with the watchful gaze of her parents, she finds solace and inspiration in an unexpected source—the enigmatic and magnetic Nick Hoffman. Their burgeoning connection becomes a catalyst for Lark's newfound sense of freedom and self-expression, as she immerses herself in a world of art, passion, and uncharted experiences.

The author paints a vivid and immersive portrait of Lark's journey, infusing the narrative with vibrant imagery, tender moments, and a palpable sense of growth and empowerment. From the warmth of her interactions with a colorful cast of characters to the bittersweet realization that her newfound joys may be fleeting, the novel captures the essence of seizing the present and embracing imperfection as a path to self-fulfillment.

"The Summer of Perfect Mistakes" masterfully encapsulates the complexities of embracing one's true self and the liberating power of letting go of the pursuit of perfection. With its nuanced exploration of relationships, personal growth, and the beauty of imperfection, this novel is a compelling and heartfelt portrayal of resilience and self-discovery that will resonate with readers seeking a deeply moving and uplifting story.

This was the perfect summer read. I loved how much depth the characters had, the situationship was so fun to read and I loved the journey that the author took us on. A great read!

Loved this!! I thought their story was so well done and the pacing is perfect! I really enjoyed the characters development though out the book and their chemistry was good too! Great read and will recommend!

THE SUMMER OF PERFECT MISTAKES - Cynthia St. Aubin

Personal Growth - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - After a breakdown, Lark (and the rest of Spring Valley) knows that her once-perfect life wasn’t really perfect. Now she's trying to put the fragile pieces back together, but she’s only a faint sketch of the person she was, with blurry, tentative lines—and under the constant scrutiny of her overbearing (but well-meaning) parents. The only bright spot in her life is a community art class taught by Nick Hoffman, the rebellious but hot guy from high school. Suddenly Lark’s world is taking shape and the colors are growing more vibrant. But Lark needs to find herself and doesn’t know how (or if) she can ever let go of trying to be perfect.

Writing - 4 stars - This is a new-to-me author, and she was able to build her characters right away so that I was rooting for their romantic success. She writes in a warm and casual style that is easy to read and which built a sexual tension that was compelling.

Characters - 4 stars - The characters are definitely people that I'd like to hang out with, despite their problems. Lark, although she's struggling with rebuilding her life after a breakdown, is friendly and nice and seems like someone enjoyable to be with. Yes, she's competitive, but that's mostly because she has always tried to live up to her parents' expectations rather than feeling the competitive role herself. Nick, the bad boy in high school that I would have avoided, has grown into a fine man--hard working and driven. But he isn't afraid to joke around and have fun. I liked their witty banter and the intelligence they both showed even though they're both having a hard time finding their footing. Secondary characters of Linda and Tammy and even Julia (Nick's mom) are fun and add some background oomph and entertainment to the story.

Title - 3.5 stars - I didn't get the sense of urgency that the summer was ending, even though I knew that's what we were supposed to feel. So, the summer didn't seem significant to me, even though the title indicated that.

Cover - 4 stars - I guess the cover shows their walk around a lake, which was in one fairly short scene in the book. It's not what I would call representative of the story, although it's a beautiful scene, with colors that draw the eye.

Overall - 4 stars - This was a very pleasant read, with the romance between Lark and Nick front and center. It was fascinating, however, to learn about the underlying depression and unhappiness beneath Lark's outer self. It made sense to me, since her parents were unrelenting in their smothering love and support. I liked that Nick was able to relieve some of the pressure by helping her to reset her life, going back to high school days and antics that she had never participated in. The only drawback, for me, was the last couple of chapters where Lark decided for both she and Nick how their relationship would work. She didn't give him any options, and he pretty much had to go along with her decision. Not cool, Lark, especially after you'd just complained about your parents doing the same thing to you. We still got the HEA, but I found myself annoyed with Lark throughout much of the ending.

Wow! Talk about coming out of your shell. Lark has overachieving parents that shared that trait with her. Nick struggles from nice guy syndrome as he tries to be what his dad would’ve wanted. A chance meeting has these old high school mates making an unexpected connection. Through encouragement they come into their own personalities and reach their dreams. It’s a slow burn story with lots of characters to help these two. This is a standalone story but if you enjoyed this you’ll love St. Aubin’s other books. I got to read an early copy and wrote this review voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this book, this is my objective review. Lark is a young med school student with anxiety issues. She's taking an art class at the local community college in her hometown as she decides whether or not to return to med school. Her art teacher is Nick, an acquaintance from high school. Both Nick and Lark are home for the summer, fleeing perceived personal failures. They reconnect and their relationship blooms as the summer goes on. This is a quick read, it started out slow for me but did get more engaging as I got further in. The story was fine, not spectacular but written well enough that I was interested to see if Lark and Nick grew and vanquished their personal demons. Lark's experience with anxiety and depression gave her character some depth. The author co-wrote a series I really like (Townsend Harbor) and I was ready to love this book based on that alone, but it just didn't grab me like I'd hoped and certainly not as much as the Townsend Harbor books have. As other reviewers have mentioned there were typos and errors, enough to pull me out of the story a bit. Since it was an advanced reader copy, hopefully those issues were fixed before publication. Also, this book is described as a romantic comedy, but there wasn't much that was comedic about this book, which was disappointing. Overall a quick read with a enough of an engaging plot for me to finish, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped.

The Summer of Perfect Mistakes-a standalone

By Cynthia St. Aubin-read Nevermore Bookstore and gave 4*

Publication 6-25-24, read 6-23-24

🌎Setting: Spring Valley

⚠️anxiety/depression

Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lark Woodley + Nick Hoffman

✔ NA/Contemporary Romance
✔ 2nd chance
✔ found family
✔ mental health rep
✔ summer romance
✔ dual POVs
✔ return to hometown
✔ HEA

Thoughts:

- Nick was a godsend to Lark at the toughest time in her life. He encouraged her self-expression and didn't want her to be perfect.

-I loved the mental health representation as someone who deals with it. It was a realistic depiction of a breakdown and finding your way back. Therapy and family/friends' support were necessary, and Lark got that from Nick, Tammy, and Linda. Even her parents made an effort at the end.

-Nick's issue with his partner was the same problem Lark had-trying to be something he's not. They didn't have the same goal or moral compass for their startup.

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley and Afterglow Books by Harlequin for this ARC 💙! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are mine alone.

The Summer of Perfect Mistakes by Cynthia St. Aubin is a wonderful contemporary romance story.
Woah! I adored this book. With these fantastic characters.
I really enjoyed reading this book and getting to know these dynamic characters. The characters are so well developed and the storylines that deal with complex and real struggles.
I could visualize everything so perfectly. She paints with words and her characters who come to life on the page.
She writes in such a way that makes you care about the characters.
She hooks you from the first words and keeps your interested until the end of the story.
A touching novel that I couldn’t get enough of.
I loved her writing so much I’m checking out her previous titles.

Thank You NetGalley and Afterglow Books by Harlequin for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

📚ARC Review 📚

The Summer of Perfect Mistakes ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Lark’s life looks like she’s got it all. She was prom queen, valedictorian at college, had a great boyfriend and she is in medical school at an Ivy League University. But after having a mental breakdown in public, after her boyfriend proposed, she is back home trying to figure out her life. Her parents gave her 27 days to figure it out. Her mom suggested she take an art class at the local community college, since she used to love it. Lark is shocked when she finds out her teacher is none other than Nick, know as the high school “bad boy”. Nick is back home for the summer as well. When he sees Lark in his class, he knows she’s not the same girl he went to high school with. What has happened to her? Determined to help her find her herself again, he will do anything during the summer they have together.

Overall, I liked this book. I liked Lark’s character and how she is finding herself with the help of Nick. It’s hard to have pressure on you to be perfect and she learns that she doesn’t have to be, she just needs to be herself. The banter between them was funny at times and they had great chemistry. I do wish the ending wasn’t as rushed and we got an epilogue to finish it out better so that’s why I gave it a 3.5 stars. It was a fun summer read though!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin - Romance for my advanced readers copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

The Summer of Perfect Mistakes is a delightful romantic comedy that captured my heart. Lark Woodley, once the perfect girl in Spring Valley, is now trying to rebuild her life after a major breakdown. The story beautifully portrays her journey of self-discovery and healing. The highlight of her transformation is the community art class taught by Nick Hoffman, her high school crush who appreciates her for who she truly is, flaws and all. Their developing relationship is both heartwarming and spicy and had me rooting for them throughout the book. The vibrant cast of characters, from the quirky Southern divorcées to the endearing Nick, adds depth and humor to the story. Cynthia St. Aubin’s writing is engaging and authentic, making it easy to root for Lark as she learns to embrace imperfection. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a heartfelt, feel-good summer read

Very grateful to the publisher @ for my copy , opinions are my own

I absolutely fell in love with these characters! This story is an emotional rollercoaster. I smiled, I laughed, I cried, and a couple times I screamed at my kindle. Cynthia St Aubin has a talent for creating a story that grabs you and makes you feel like you are right there beside the characters. This would be an excellent beach read.

Lark was the perfect one in Spring Valley. She had brains, beauty, and was from an affluent family.

Then when she went to college to be a doctor, she fell apart. Back home in Spring Valley, she is not the same girl. Trying to figure out what to do, she signs up for an art class. Art is the last thing she can remember that made her happy. Her community college art teacher is Nick, a guy she vaguely knew in highschool.

This book was okay, but I was constantly waiting to find out what specifically made Lark fall apart. Spoiler alert: I never did. I felt like this novel had potential, but could never figure out where it wanted to go.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Romance for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I thought this book was YA when I requested it, so seeing "Harlequin" on the cover surprised me!

Honestly, I related a lot with Lark's back story. I grew up being expected to be perfect in everything that I tried, and I also had more than one breakdown before my 30th birthday. Ms. St. Aubin did a great job detailing what it feels like to have anxiety and panic attacks (and overbearing parents, too!).

I liked Nick, but I found myself enjoying all the secondary characters more. I felt like the ending/epilogue were rushed, especially with all the changes that both characters went through by the end. And honestly, the romance scenes didn't seem to flow with the rest of the story -- some of the scenes were jarringly different from the tone of the rest of the book.

A cute, easy summer read! Nick and Lark had amazing chemistry from the very start which had me intrigued till the very end. I had minor issues with this book, mainly with the last 50%. Things felt a bit rushed and unresolved. I had high hopes going into this book but in the end, it fell a bit flat for me. However, I still think it was a good book, especially if you're looking for a quick summer read!

What a sweet story. It had me cheering for Nick and Lark!

Both MCs return home for the summer to take a break from their current lives and figure out what it is they truly want.

I identified with Lark the most as she dealt with severe anxiety and depression. Nick was sweet and charming and made me swoon. I found the side characters endearing and quirky. The entire story gave me a warm, cozy vibe.

I definitely recommend this feel-good summer romance.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Publishing and Cynthia St. Aubin for this advanced readers ebook in exchange for an honest review.