<b>Summer After Summer</b> by Lauren Bailey is a modern retelling of Jane Austen’s <b>Persuasion</b>. Olivia Taylor leaves her soon-to-be ex husband in NYC and heads to the Hamptons to help her father and sisters pack up their family estate. After many years of financial trouble, someone has finally purchased their sprawling beachfront property for an amount the family could not pass up. Packing up the estate will not be an easy task, it is the house they grew up in, the house their mother died in, and it holds a lifetime of memories including the time spent with her first love, Fred. Olivia doesn’t have the best relationship with her father and she and her sisters are not close, so naturally there is some family drama sprinkled in as well. It isn’t until she arrives back in the Hamptons that she finds out that Fred is the one who purchased the house. It has been 20 years since Olivia first met Fred on the beach and five years since their last interaction, which did not end well, but perhaps the fifth time’s the charm for them.

Fred and Olivia end up crossing paths every five years and through flashbacks to 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2018, the reader gets to experience all of their missed opportunities over the years. The chemistry between the MCs was evident as was their angst every time things didn’t work out. This book has a lovely cover, the possibility of a second chance romance, a very likable MMC, and takes place in a quaint beachside town, things that I enjoy in a summer read, but for me there were a few things that kept me from rating it higher. First of all Olivia, the FMC, came across as very immature and even petty at times. I would expect that in her teen years, but not as 36 year old woman. I understand her career as a tennis pro played a role in everything, but the very detailed tennis scenes felt like excess and not necessary to move the narrative forward. Lastly, the repetitive lack of communication between Olivia and Fred and self-sabotage was aggravating, but this is a personal issue since I find those to be one of my least favorite things when it comes to failed romances.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Megan Tusing, who skillfully portrayed a wide range of characters, making it effortless to distinguish between them, even as they aged. While her narration was generally excellent, there were moments when the narration felt excessively dramatic, which was disproportionate to the events in the story at the time. However, despite these minor critiques, the book has strong writing and an overall enjoyable narrative. I was emotionally invested in Olivia and Fred’s journey and was hoping for a happy ending for them. Overall, this was a solid debut novel and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick beach read. 3.5 stars 💫

Lauren Bailey's novel Summer After Summer was such a delight. The book follows Sophie and Frank back and forth through different summers they have spent together. Though the characters' actions frustrated me at times, they felt so human and realistic and I was definitely rooting for them throughout. I listened to it on audio and at the beginning it was a little hard to follow because the timelines jumped a lot, but it got better as I continued to listen.

This book is cute, bingeworthy, and the perfect summer read. I will absolutely be reading more by this author.

Thank you to Lauren Bailey, Net Galley, and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Good summer book! It really felt like she touched on real life problems within this and felt realistic to me. It was emotional yet heartwarming. A wonderful read!

Thank you Dreamscape for an early audiobook copy.

"Summer After Summer" follows Olivia and Fred, as they first meet as teenagers on the beaches of Hampton, and snippets of the various summers that the two spend together, each depicting the collapse of their love story. "Persuasion" retellings are always difficult as Jane Austin's most pensive novel, but I think Lauren Bailey did a good job of adapting the source material and developing Olivia and Fred into their own characters. Die-hard Jane Austin fans may be frustrated with the big detail that Bailey changed from Anne and Fredrick's story, but I think the change was pulled off for Olivia and Fredrick.

Megan Tusing's narration was excellent for telling Oliva's story and this will be a perfect summer beach read to recommend to readers.

Summer After Summer was such a heart=breaking listen. It kept me engaged, wanting to know what happened Olivia Taylor and Fred, would they or wouldn't they end up together? There are so many things I enjoyed about this one. Olivia's dedication to tennis being one of the things. I also enjoyed the twist in the book. Like whoa. While I sort of saw it coming, I liked it -- not for certain characters, but for the overall story. It worked.

I enjoyed the narrator, Megan Tusing. as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced listen in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Olivia comes to the Hamptons to help dad pack up their home since it just sold but she is also trying to get away from her husband while they are in a rocky place. She was not expecting to run into Fred, the real love she didn't get to keep, and find out that he is the one buying the house. She is worried of all the emotion that it will bring but knowing that she is separating form her husband makes it a little easier to be able to explore.

I really enjoyed this story and the ending was perfect for the funky business I felt had been going on the whole time. Ann seemed too good to be true and the fact that Wes wanted to come back in the middle of everything and be involved in financial decisions gave me the ick. The flashbacks to previous times with Fred got to be a lot since there were quite a few of them, but I did enjoy getting to see their backstory as well. It reminded me of an Elin Hiderbrand style book set at the beach with family and relationship drama till something blows everything up!

Thank you NetGalley and Lauren Bailey for the audio ARC of Summer After Summer!

First of all the narration was absolutely perfect. Good narration can really make or break an audio book for me and this one was firmly in the camp of great narration.

In terms of the actual story, I really enjoyed it. The concept was a mix of a little cliche (but aren’t all romances A LITTLE cliche?) and surprisingly twisty. The only thing that was a bit of a miss for me was the constant timeline jumping. At times, it was hard to reconcile where in the timeline I was until a few minutes into the chapter which caused me a little confusion in certain parts of the story.

Overall I really enjoyed this audiobook and I think it’s going to be a great summer read!

3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was okay, there wasn't really anything super special nor was there anything that made it a "bad book", there just wasn't much that made the story stand out.
It was just your typical coastal romance book revolving around a house and old past love with some family drama.

The characters were pretty realistic and all had their own issues which I liked, even though some of the characters weren't likeable lol

It was a really fast read and I still couldn't put it down.
The book was still enjoyable and I would still love to read more books from this author

This fell quite flat for me, and was a bit of an annoying read. Far fetched, and out there. Probably the book for someone, but just not my thing.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the chance to listen to this audio and review.

DNF. This book was just so predictable. I felt like it was a direct copy or compilation of every other "summer" romance story out there. It was. not original and I grew bored around 20%. Onward.

ʙ ᴏ ᴏ ᴋ • ʀ ᴇ ᴠ ɪ ᴇ ᴡ

📖 Summer After Summer
✍🏻 @laurenbaileyauthor
⭐️ 4.5
🫶🏻 ARC #41 of 2024
📚 95/100

🄿 🅄 🄱 • 🄳 🄰 🅃 🄴: May 7th, 2024

First off I want to say thank you to @netgalley, @laurenbaileyauthor, @alcovepress and @dreamscape_media for this ebook/audio ARC.

I really enjoyed this book! It gave me Mary Kay Andrews vibes.

♥️ fated mates / second chances
🏠 small town
✨ young love
🕰️ duel timeline
😰 drama, mystery and some thrill
🏖️ beach vibes
☀️ summer scenes
💸 wealth

I’ll say it again….it had it all! I LOOVVEEEE a book that has family drama, romance/love and even some mystery and a twist. Like romance is romance. Thrillers are thrillers. BUT when you throw it all into one, 🤌🏻

On another note, the audio was does fantastic! My favorite narrator, so it made it all that much better.

Tennis, often referred to as the "sport of a lifetime," is a captivating game that combines athleticism, strategy, and mental acuity. Played on a rectangular court, tennis involves hitting a ball back and forth over a net using racquets. It can be enjoyed at various levels, from casual recreational play to competitive tournaments.

One of the most appealing aspects of tennis is its accessibility. It can be played by people of all ages and skill levels, making it a versatile activity for individuals and families alike. Whether played singles or doubles, tennis provides an excellent cardiovascular workout while also improving coordination, agility, and reflexes.

Beyond its physical benefits, tennis is also renowned for its mental challenges. Players must strategize and adapt their game plan based on their opponent's strengths and weaknesses, making each match a dynamic and engaging experience. The mental fortitude required to stay focused and composed under pressure is a skill that can be applied both on and off the court.

Additionally, tennis fosters values such as sportsmanship, respect, and perseverance. The tradition of shaking hands with opponents at the end of a match symbolizes the spirit of fair play and mutual respect that is inherent in the sport.

Whether you're a seasoned player or a newcomer to the game, tennis offers a unique blend of physical activity, mental stimulation, and social interaction that makes it truly special. So grab a racquet, find a court, and experience the joy of tennis for yourself!

A second chance romance that has you cheering for the main character. Olivia's character development and self confidence throughout the novel is inspiring to read about.

I really liked the narrator, the pace and the different character voices. I could visualize all the characters

This is a second-chance summer romance. I almost did not request this book, because I assumed from the blurb that the book would be about a woman coming to the Hamptons and spending the summer grieving her marriage and I did not feel like reading about divorce if you got that impression from the blurb as well, be assured this is not that book.

The book centres on Olivia’s relationship with her first love Fred. They spent five summers together over the span of twenty years and the story switches between the past summers and the current summer of 2023.

As we know from the start that they were not together at the beginning of the summer of 2023, we know that something always stood in the way of the relationship in those past summers. This makes the story very engaging and suspenseful because as soon as the reader finds out how the previous summer’s heartbreak came about, the next get-together is around the corner. I personally had to listen to the full audiobook at high speed in one go, because I never got to a place where I could put the story down.

That being said, I don’t think this kind of romance is for me. There is too much heartbreak for too little enjoyment. Don’t get me wrong, the book is very well written, but this kind of heartbreak is not what I usually look for in a romance novel. I don’t mind a bit of melancholy, a bit of yearning, right person-wrong-time, life issues or whatever else could happen to cause heartbreak if the characters redeem themselves enough to make up for it and it makes sense for the story. But with this book, I got the impression that the heartbreak just happens to keep the reader interested and the story going on for longer and not for any other reason.

<spoiler> The first two summers still seem sweet and I am willing to forgive their mistakes because of their age, but during the next two summers, the actions of both love interests make them very unlikable. This could have been mitigated if the current summer of 2023 made up for it - If the characters faced their past mistakes, worked on their miscommunication, made grand gestures or their yearning for each other was more palpable. Instead, it feels more like the summer of 2023 is there to keep the suspense going for no reason. If Fred was really so head over heels for Olivia and had planned so much to get back together with her, why is he dating someone else? If he bought the house for her why would he make her get rid of everything in it and why wouldn’t he consult her regarding changes he wants to make to her childhood home?

Both Fred and Olivia make the same mistakes as during the previous two summers they have spent together by holding on to their second choice. That doesn’t seem very romantic to me. Given that the majority of the current summer is spent this way, and all the previous summers are short (in one of them, they only meet up twice) and end in heartbreak, we also see very little of the character’s happiness. </spoiler>

Something I liked about this book was the atmosphere. In the current summer, Olivia is clearing out her childhood home in the Hamptons and I enjoyed the impressions we got from that, especially the old library, the diaries and letters Olivia finds and the random cocktail hours every day. During their first summer, we also get to see Olivia and Fred enjoying the Hamptons atmosphere more. Olivia also spends the majority of the book playing professional tennis and I enjoyed the scenes about that. Her struggle to be a relevant player and maintain any kind of happiness felt very tangible.

While most of the side characters were fine and helped the story and the building of the atmosphere, I found the revelation that Wes is the „evil“ ex with ulterior motives to be a bit too on the nose. With Olivia and Fred barely going through any character development (Olivia even dresses like she did when she was 16) and most of the side characters being one dimensional (the motherly caring aunt, the selfish sister with children, the meddling best friend..), I would say that this book is more story driven than it is character driven. I would hope for a development in this regard for future novels. This book is an impressive debut novel nonetheless and I will watch out for future Lauren Bailey novels.

So if you are looking for a summer read that is more story-driven than character-driven with a second-chance romance that entails a lot of heartbreak, this is the book for you!

I listened to the audiobook and would recommend the experience. An audiobook is especially fitting for this book, so it can be enjoyed during a summer vacation, maybe at the beach, without any effort or straining your eyes! Megan Tusing is a talented narrator and I have enjoyed many of her audio performances, although I sometimes find her intonation to come across as ‘accusatory’, I think when she is stressing the importance of something, even when it is not fitting to the story.

I would rate my overall experience with 3,5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for gifting me this ALC of the audiobook to review.

I have a weakness for second chance romances; always rooting for the lovers to find their happy ever after as a couple. Summer After Summer takes this trope to the extreme by giving Olivia and Fred chance after chance after chance after chance.

They meet as teenagers and the attraction is immediate and intense, but youth and circumstances keep them apart. Every five years they find themselves reconnecting and the sparks reignite, yet something always gets in the way. When Olivia’s childhood Hamptons home is sold, they are together again. Is their fairy tale ending still possible.

Megan Tusing does an excellent job narrating this book. She takes us along on Olivia and Fred’s journey. There’s lots to keep track of in this book that covers many failed attempts at love over a number of years, and the pace drags at times. Overall this was an enjoyable, if not memorable, story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Olivia comes back to the Hamptons to help her family pack up their family home, only to find her old ex, Fred, is the one who has now bought the property.

This second chance romance was quite a sweet read. I enjoyed the dual timelines of then and now so we could see the buildup of Olivia and Fred's relationship and what went wrong. The chemistry between the main characters was evident throughout and I couldn't help rooting for them to hurry up and make it official! I enjoyed listening to the audiobook (the narration was excellent!) as I read along and loved listening to all the tennis talk!

3.5

Fred and Olivia met as teenagers. They fell- hard. But the timing wasn't right. Five years later, they fell again. Again, the timing isn't right. History keeps repeating itself every five years. But now things are different. Olivia's family is losing their family estate in the Hamptons. Olivia escapes her crumbling marriage in Manhattan and goes home to ready the house. Where she finds out that the new buyer is... Fred. Fred is seeing someone. Olivia thinks she wants to repair her marriage. So maybe everyone is where they should be. Or maybe the timing is finally right.

I like the concept of the story, but I didn't like any of the characters. It is hard to root for a couple in a romance if you do not even like them. And I saw the climax coming 10 miles away.

I still enjoyed the book. But I feel it would have been so much better if the characters were better people.

Megan Tusing narrates the audiobook and does a good job, as usual.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.