Very cliche. The trope's bordered on offensive. Could have used more editing. The setting of Barcelona is enjoyable so overall an okay read.

Honestly, I wasn't a fan of this one. The characters were annoying at times, and it felt like the story just dragged on. I'd give it a 2. The overall idea and plot were decent, but the execution was lacking. There was a lot of time jumping and flipping between characters, which made it super hard to follow. The constant swapping of POVs, especially at critical points, just added to the confusion.

This book was okay. The story feels clunky, and there’s a lot of seesawing back and forth between present and past, to the point it could be confusing which time frame we’re in. The ending ties up a little too neatly - suddenly large epiphanies and revelations clean up tumultuous, emotional pasts in neat bows.

Also, frankly, parts of this book had what felt were continuity errors, and others were just gross.

“Charlie smirks. 'I snogged her cousin, but I didn't know they were related. He was just a fit bloke in a club who thought I was fit too - what's a girl supposed to do?'
I wince, but my mouth twitches into a smile.
'You're a nightmare.' … Charlie shrugs. 'It's sex, not marriage, and it's not like I deliberately screw people over, things just ... happen.
I raise an eyebrow.
'Come on! I'm not that bad. I like a bit of fun and I'm always upfront about everything. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗲.”
𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘮: 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺

“Mum told me she could have lived a life without ever working. Instead, she chose me over the money her father refused to give her 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆.”
𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺? 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴, 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳? 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵… 𝘸𝘰𝘸. 𝘐𝘤𝘬.

“I told her about my boring finance job in the City where I'd worked my way up over the years.”
𝘎𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬; 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 21. 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 3 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘴 “𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴” 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘤𝘩.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙇𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙋𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬.

Summer Ever After” was a quick read. The setting was described beautifully of Barcelona. As well, the description of the food was appetizing. The story is told dueling time of 10 years. It was a good read, just at points, it was a bit slow. Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for this advance read. Out July 1st.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc. my god, was this edited at all? also, using the cheating trope was lazy. especially making the characters queer or bi to make it seem like they've never met or read about queerness in their life.

Title: Summer Ever After

Author: Jane Crittenden
Genre: Romance

Rating: ★★★1/2

Ten years ago, Alice's life was all about the joy of traveling and the excitement of starting a cookery apprenticeship. During her adventures, she fell in love with the food, the sun, and the incredibly handsome Andy Hall. But a family tragedy pulled her back to London, leaving behind her budding romance and the dreams she cherished.

Now, Alice has the chance to return to Spain, only to find herself working alongside Andy, the one man who ever broke her heart.

Time has changed them both, yet Andy's frustratingly good looks and the undeniable spark between them remain the same. Not ready to risk getting hurt again, Alice immerses herself in the culinary delights of the city, rediscovering a life she once dreamed of. As she explores the vibrant flavours of Barcelona, Alice begins to see new possibilities unfold under the hot Spanish sun.

What I Loved:

Summer Ever After is a charming and evocative romance that captures the beauty and magic of second chances. The setting in Spain, with its sun-soaked streets and tantalising cuisine, provides a perfect backdrop for Alice's journey of rediscovery and rekindled romance.

The dynamic between Alice and Andy is both heartwarming and realistic. Their decade apart adds depth to their reunion, making their interactions filled with a mix of nostalgia, hesitation, and undeniable chemistry. I enjoyed how their past and present are woven together, even if the switching between timelines was a bit confusing at first. This narrative style ultimately adds to the charm, painting a fuller picture of their relationship and personal growth.

Alice's passion for food and cooking is vividly described, making her culinary explorations in Barcelona a delightful aspect of the story. The way she rediscovers her dreams and redefines her aspirations is inspiring and adds a rich layer to her character.

Summer Ever After is a delightful read. Jane Crittenden has crafted a story that is both touching and uplifting, making it a perfect pick for those who believe in second chances and that want a nice summer read.

Thank you to The Publisher Lake Union Publishing, The Author Jane Crittenden & Netgalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

Overall I liked the premise of the book but not everything was my cup of tea. The characters were written very well but a lot of them annoyed me most of the time. I liked the FMC though.
Especially the little moments were great in this book and made me feel a lot. But overall the miscommunication trope just left me very frustrated all the time (but I'm not a fan of the trope anyway, it's just very overdone here as well).

Summer Ever After is the story of Alice and Andy during two summers ten years apart. The premise was promising but the delivery was ultimately confusing? At several points, I felt myself being pulled out of the story trying to figure out what was going on and if I had missed something. Personally, I struggled with the revelation that Andy was married, and despite later explanations and information, it tainted the story for me especially as there was no indication of this in the description and it nearly led me to not finish the book. Overall, I think the premise is promising, but the story needed additional exposition to fully round out.

"Summer Ever After" by Jane Crittenden is a delightful and heartwarming summer romance that captivates from the first page. Set in a picturesque seaside town, the story follows a relatable protagonist on a journey of self-discovery and rekindled love. Crittenden’s vivid descriptions and engaging storytelling make the setting come alive, while the romantic tension between the main characters kept me hooked the whole time!!

The novel expertly balances lighthearted moments with deeper themes of love, forgiveness, and personal growth.

Overall, "Summer Ever After" is a refreshing summer read that celebrates second chances and the magic of the season. I highly recommend!!

This has been a really great summer for romance books. I think romance readers will enjoy this book and I highly recommend it.

⭐⭐1/2

Summer Ever After is a lovely escapist romance that is unfortunately sullied by some questionable rep, a couple frustrating characters, and a few tropes that are just personally not my cup of tea. Still, the storyline is charming, the MMC endearing, and it’s all tied up with a bow of “happily ever after” that, despite it all, melted my heart.

“My heart aches. That’s the trouble with memories. They have a habit of creeping back into your head when you think you’ve managed to erase them.”

What I loved:

Alice is such a relatable and loveable character, and a lot of her struggles and shortcomings speak to me personally

Much of the cast of characters, including the smaller characters, feel fully fleshed out and three-dimensional

The plot, especially the smaller moments, feels incredibly true-to-life.

While I’m not usually a fan of split-POV, this book handles it incredibly well.

And what I didn’t:

I find the miscommunication or lack of communication trope incredibly frustrating, and this book relies on it a lot.

While I understand that there are people who do fit stereotypes, the choice to write a promiscuous pansexual character who cheats on her partner and a helpless fat character weaponizing her incompetence to be more lazy rubbed me the wrong way.

Dani’s growth especially rubbed me the wrong way, with all of her problems seemingly disappearing as soon as Alice stopped coddling her/she found a man. I understand the use of her weight loss as a marker of her growth, but it also made me uncomfortable, especially the way it's portrayed as the pounds “melting off” the second she got over herself and found a lover.

The twist at the end in Alice’s story was infuriating (see: the lack of communication trope).

You Should Read This If:

You enjoy escapist romances

You love exploring different cultures—especially through food

You enjoy (or at least don’t mind) the use of miscommunication as a plot device

This one was a nice simple easy read. Perfect for summer fit the season! Good writing, actually my first read by this author.

Summer Ever After gave fun summer abroad vibes. I really enjoyed the setting of Barcelona in the summer. I also liked that it was dual timelines and the past timeline focused on Andy’s POV and the present focused on Alice’s. I had a fun time reading the first 60% of the book but then after that, especially the ending, felt like a women’s fiction which isn’t necessarily a genre I enjoy. I also continuously kept forgetting or mixing up the side characters and two of them were extremely annoying. I also felt like there were a lot of things just left up to the imagination or maybe the author just forgot about them? And it seemed like after ten years, the characters hadn’t matured and they were facing the same exact problems that they did ten years ago which was extremely frustrating to read about. I also felt like the book could have been at least 60 pages shorter.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC!

☆ I’d recommend this book if you love:
🥘 descriptive writing about food
☀️ European summers
✨ past and present timelines

☆ Spice: closed door 🚪
☆ Language: some explicit language
☆ When to read: summer ☀️

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC.

Alice and Andy met in Barcelona ten years ago, when they were 20 and 21 and had some unforgettable weeks together. They fell in love but something happened and Alice returned to London alone, but has never forgotten him. Now, ten years later, her work in a language school brings her suddenly back to Barcelona and to Andy. Unfortunately, he is married to the elegant Mariana and they want to buy the language school she works for!

There are two timelines: ten years ago narrated by Andy in the past tense, the now narrated by Alice in the present tense. This worked really quite well for me.

The utterly gorgeous cover drew me in, and the warm-hearted second chances story reads well.

I loved the copious food descriptions (both Alice and Andy are foodies) but instead of describing Barcelona's famous art and architecture the author concentrates on sunshine and food and while there is a genuine love for cooking shining through, I found it a little limiting as a description of a world-class city.

The main problem is that the miscommunication and misunderstandings trope is used too heavily. We don't find out what happened to rip them apart until the very end of the book (and it is so dumb!). Especially Alice is a very frustrating character, but Andy is also someone who just let life happen to him because of the trauma with his brother Matt's death, which he feels responsible for. He is in very good company with Alice here who thinks she is responsible for her mother's accident, and that her penance is to forever having to look after her. Honestly, sometimes I wanted to bang their heads together! Alice's pansexual sister Charlie is such a breath of fresh air, and has exactly the right approach with their mother, something Alice neither sees nor appreciates until late in the day.

The epilogue is lovely though, with a happy ending for everyone. This is a pleasant escapist summer read if you can get over the fact they could have had a happy ending ten years earlier (and if you forget that Brexit exists which means you now can't simply move country like that anymore).

3.75 stars

Summer Ever After by J. Crittenden, published by Lake Union Publishing is the perfect summer, beach read. Set in beautiful Spain you can only fall in love with characters and story.
Blurb: Ten years ago, while travelling before starting a cookery apprenticeship, Alice fell head over heels for Barcelona: the food, the sun and the gorgeous Andy Hall…Family tragedy sent her back to London, but now, finally, she’s been given the chance to return. Only to find herself working alongside none other than Andy, the only man to ever break her heart.

The decade apart has changed them both, though he still has his frustratingly good looks―and is Alice imagining it or does the spark that always existed between them still burn just as brightly? Not ready to risk getting hurt again, she focuses on exploring the culinary delights of the city, and begins to remember a life she once dreamed of…

I usually do not DNF books, but for this one I had to. It was so hard to get into that I was dreading even thinking about reading it.

Thanks to NeGalley and Lake Union for the opportunity to read Summer Ever After by Jane Crittenden. A perfect book for those who enjoy food and travel with their romance.

This deliciously evocative modern romance brings together the themes of a heartbreaker from the past, current family dynamics, a love of food and cooking and, yes, love! It's a sensitive and expertly plotted delve into identity, the mistakes we make and whether it's too late to rectify them. A must for anyone who wants to feel caught up in a tangled love story and whisked away to warmer climes.