Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy

3 Stars

Summer Ever After follows Alice and Andy as they reunite in Spain, ten years after the summer they first fall in love. Told through alternating timelines—Alice's POV in the present and Andy's POV from a decade ago—the story unfolds as they navigate old feelings, regrets, and the possibility of a second chance.

I appreciated that Alice is a TESOL teacher, and I loved the scenes where she teaches Andy the art and joy of cooking. (These moments were so warm and intimate, I felt like I was intruding.) The setting in Spain added a lovely, sun-soaked backdrop that made the romance even more atmospheric.

However... the constant miscommunications between the two main characters were frustrating. Just when you think they've worked through something, another misunderstanding pops us. It started to feel repetitive, which took away from my overall enjoyment of the journey.

3.5 Stars
I expected a light, summery read, but this book had more depth than I anticipated. Communication (or the lack thereof) played a big role, and while I loved the setting, some of the character choices had me frustrated—especially the sister’s view on cheating! The romance was a bit of a fade-to-black situation, but overall, it was an enjoyable read.

#SummerEverAfter #NetGalley

Let me start by saying I love this cover, it would definitely make me pick the book up at first glance if I saw it in store. Sadly I didn't enjoy the contents quite as much.

The characters were frankly just not likeable. I usually enjoy a book set in another country which describes food and locations, I could only dream of experiencing from a generally wet and cold England. Especially if it is a second chance romance, but sadly the plot was also a bit all over the place and I lost track of what was happening. I did enjoy the setting of Barcelona which is one of the places on my bucket list. But there was just something missing for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Barcelona tourist board should be paying this author because as soon as I put the book down I was googling flights. I wanted to visit all the places the characters had been to especially those that were off the main tourist areas. I have to admit though that I found the way the narrative jumped from Alice to Andy and from the past to the present a bit confusing at times. All in all it was a lovely romance just made for a sunlounger with a piña colada in one had. Very enjoyable.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book

I want to start by thanking the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. I really wanted to love this book, but I don’t find it to be as much of a page turner as I expected.

This one was an interesting read for me. I loved the setting and the way Crittenden described it. I didn't love the depiction of some of the characters, and found them to be harmful, specifically bi characters. Still a cute summer read but kind of lost interest throughout with the characters. I also don't love miscommunication storylines so that could also be why I didn't love it as much as I thought I would. Overall this was still a cute summer read, but you may want to look into the storyline a little bit before starting.

This book is what I needed, perfect romance, angst drama, family burden altogether it was a great story. I loved the story building and character developing. Alice takes care of her mom because she thinks she caused the accident and her mom is too childish to do anything by herself. I hated her mom first because she doesn't let her children live her life and live off of her, behaving like a spoiled kid. When Alice left, day by day she developed and helped her younger daughter. I loved Alice and Andy's romance, how they feel for each other.

Thank you netgalley for this eARC!

I was a little bit disappointed with this book. I thought that I gonna enjoy it better. But it was not for me.

The Summer Ever After is a cute summer romance book. If you are looking for something cute, fun, summery and a perfect escape, this is it.

This summer romance book was entertaining, cute, fun, summery and a perfect escape. I didn't loved it, but I enjoyed it.

These characters were insufferable what the heck. I've read worse books, but this one is definitely pretty high up there.

There's a lot of things I don't understand about this book. 1) I understand if a parent becomes injured or takes ill, many children will take them in and become a caregiver. However, Alice's mom seems to be so genuinely mean to her daughter that I'm not sure how she toughs it out. Also, 2) WHY DOES SHE THINK HER MOM'S CONDITION IS HER FAULT? I get "why" but not the actual WHY. IT'S SO DUMB.

The relationships in this book are not solid enough for me to care about. Why should I care about these two getting back together when they couldn't sort their shit out over the past 10-15 years anyways? THEY DIDN'T EVEN TRY!

Not my fave, as you can tell.

I'd have to agree with the other reviewers - I did like this book, but I wasn't in love with it! Part of the reason that I'm reviewing it after the publish date was that I just took awhile to get through it; books in this vein are usually ones I can finish within two to three days as long as I'm not super busy, but I just couldn't get into it. I think part of it was that I just couldn't truly root for either of the characters. When I love a book, I find myself rooting for them to be better/get together/succeed in some way and that just wasn't happening here.

**Book Review: _Summer Ever After_ by Jane Crittenden**

_Jane Crittenden's_ _Summer Ever After_ is a delightful and heartwarming escape into the joys and surprises of summertime romance. With its charming characters, picturesque settings, and relatable life dilemmas, this novel captures the essence of an unforgettable summer. Crittenden’s storytelling is both light-hearted and emotionally engaging, drawing readers into a tale of love, self-discovery, and the beauty of new beginnings.

The novel's mix of humor, warmth, and poignant moments makes it a perfect read for those looking to be swept away by a feel-good story. _Summer Ever After_ is an enchanting reminder that sometimes, the best adventures are the ones that take us by surprise.

Such a great read! Highly recommend this one.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Story line was cute and an easy summer read but I wasn’t a huge fan of how the characters were portrayed and the lack of communication during the WHOLE book. It was as if we were being dragged through just to extend the plot. I just wish it had a more believable plot with a bit more of an actual story to it.

"Summer Ever After" by Jane Crittenden is marketed as a contemporary romance novel set in the vibrant city of Barcelona. The story follows Alice, who, after a decade, returns to the city where she once found love and heartbreak. Working alongside her former flame, Andy, she navigates old feelings and new possibilities in the culinary world of Spain.

Whilst the culinary journey through Barcelona can be appreciated, there are issues with character development and the overall narrative structure. It appears that the book's editing process might not have addressed these concerns adequately. The back and forth between past and present day could have been more fluent, instead it made for a choppy read as they implied story lines didn't align.

Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

I had such high hopes about this book but I unfortunately found this book slow and upsetting.

Its about a girl names Alice who takes care of her mom but her mom has an accident and leaves her with limitd mobility.
Alice is riddled with guilt and this leaves a strain on their relationship.
I could not get past the guilt but it gives you hope on forgiveness and second chances.

I received a ARC from netgalley on this second chance romance. This is my first book from Jane Crittenden. There is a 10 year span when Alice has a work opportunity to better her career and when she shows up to work in Barcelona she is confronted with a flood of memories and Andy. Andy is now married and is her new boss....

4 ☆

Themes/Tropes: HEA, Dual POV, Time Jump, Second Chances

Alice is working at a language school and taking care of her mother after an accident has left her mother with limited mobility. Alice believes she is to blame and carries that guilt with her as she thinks about the events of 10 years ago. 10 years ago she was in Barcelona with Andy with so much promise of the future. A misunderstanding left them with unresolved feelings and a sense of what could have been.

I enjoyed this book but I thought the pacing was a little slow. It is a cute story about two people getting a second chance at their forever together. The characters felt real and it read like a slice of life of these two characters as they figured out their future. This is a good contemporary fiction novel that leaves you believing in second chances and that there is always time to build the future you want.