Taylor Cole’s One Summer is an irresistible romantic read that hits all the right spots.

Former professional surfer Caleb is desperate for a fresh start after a career-ending accident put paid to all of his aspirations for the future. As he tries to figure out what he’s going to be doing next with his life when everything he’s spent a lifetime working for has been blown to smithereens by fate, the last thing on Caleb’s mind is romance. However, that might soon change when he crosses paths with Lindy who has just moved to Loor Island…

Lindy is also looking for a new beginning and hopes that Loor will be the answer to all of her problems. When she meets Caleb, sparks immediately begin to fly – but for all the wrong reasons. Worse, when she discovers that the two of them are neighbours, it looks like they are stuck with each other for the entire summer. However, they quickly realise that they might have more in common than they initially thought…

As they begin to get closer, they start trusting each other and a tentative friendship quickly develops into something much deeper than either one of them was expecting. But are they ready to take a chance on love? Or will their fears and insecurities end up costing them everything?

Taylor Cole’s One Summer is such a treat for romance fans. Perfect for reading on a sun lounger by the beach, this escapist, emotional and enjoyable romantic tale is a wonderful story that will make readers laugh and cry and fall in love with Caleb and Lindy and the magical Loor Island.

Readers looking for a slice of sun-kissed romantic escapism, look no further than Taylor Cole’s One Summer.

So I absolutely ADORE enemies to lovers. So this was right up my street, the cover, the description, the tropes. However, it really didn't capture my interest or attention, I found myself forcing to get through the book, which is really unlike me.

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Lindy finds out her mudlarker boyfriend is cheating on her with a fellow mudlarker so she quits her job and returns home to Cornwall to take a job as a petsitter on the island of Loor. Her first introduction to the locals is a grumpy guy on the beach who tells her off for collecting seashells before she meets a local surfer with a thick NZ accent.

Lindy realises the grumpy guy from the beach is her neighbour for the next six months. The two spend a lot of time together even though they don't seem to like each other. She also runs into the surfer several times in an effort to crowbar a love triangle into the story but it doesn't work with the story, it just feels forced.

There is no depth to the characters and no real growth or character development for any of them. The surfer is a completely pointless addition who adds nothing to the story. Lindy was pathetic and annoying while Caleb was mean and a bit of a dick.

The scene where Lindy and Caleb get together comes out of nowhere and has them having sex on the floor of a seaside penny arcade before playing the games naked, while describing the floor as sticky. Not at all a sexy or romantic scene. But they end up back at Caleb’s only for his wife to knock on the door the next morning but instead of waiting for an explanation, Lindy packs up and leaves the island!

Thanks to NetGalley and Aria for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

"One Summer" by Taylor Cole is a beautifully crafted, nostalgic novel that transports readers to a season filled with warmth, love, and life-changing moments. Cole's writing is evocative and richly detailed, capturing the essence of a summer that leaves an indelible mark on the characters' lives.

The story revolves around a group of characters who find themselves brought together by fate during a memorable summer. As they navigate the joys and challenges of this transformative season, they form deep connections, confront past regrets, and discover new paths forward. Cole skillfully weaves together themes of friendship, love, and personal growth, creating a narrative that resonates with anyone who has ever experienced the magic of a summer that changes everything.

The characters in "One Summer" are well-developed and relatable, each with their own unique story arcs that intertwine in meaningful ways. The setting, whether it's a seaside town or a cozy countryside, is brought to life with vivid descriptions that make you feel as though you're right there, experiencing the sun, sand, and bittersweet moments along with the characters.

"One Summer" is a perfect read for those who love stories about the fleeting beauty of summer and the lasting impact it can have on our lives. Taylor Cole has created a novel that is both heartwarming and reflective, making it an ideal escape for anyone looking to relive the magic of a summer where anything is possible.

My Thoughts: this rom-com was like a breath of fresh air and I loved it.

Told from the perspective of Lindy in short snappy chapters that are almost just like the thoughts going round her head and ending up on the paper with no ‘editing’ it made the whole thing feel more genuine, more real.

I laughed a lot whilst reading this, it was fun, lighthearted and had a whole host of characters that broke the tension between the 2 leads..h

This is marketed as an enemies to lovers.. and I was here for it! – when Lindy turns up at Loor she knows she should be alone, but there is a man in the bed, poorly and a dog too… is she in the wrong house?

A beautiful location, an escape from a crappy situation and a summer romance.. what more do you need?

I was left with a big smile on my face when I finished this one and I would definitely recommend it.

A light engaging read - perfect for your summer hols
Caleb and Lindsay make a cute couple
Perfect for fans of enemies to lovers romance
Loved the Cornish setting
Thanks @taylorcolebooks @ariafiction & @netgalley for the fab holiday read

Lindy and Caleb meet on the island of Loor. Both hiding out there for their own reasons. Some fab characters and a great setting.

This is my first read from Taylor and I believe her second novel. The story follows main character Lindy who moves to the island of Loor to house sit for the summer. There she meets Caleb, unbeknownst to her at their first unfortunate meeting, her grumpy neighbour!

I had a few wee issues with this one. The pacing is a little bit off with a big chunk of story focusing on the start of the summer as opposed to evenly pacing the story throughout. The characters get to know each other as neighbours initially then become friends however the connection didn’t feel too deep or developed between them to spark a romance.

I liked the island location with the remote and community feel both at the same time. I also loved the cover which initially drew me to the book. Also, warning! If you’re scared of snakes there are a lot of snakes in this book so just be aware of that!

There is plenty of humour in this story of starting over and finding love. Set on the remote island of Loor, the inhabitants add a liveliness to the writing. The quirky individuals seem to know what is going on on the island almost as soon as it happens. The island setting is stunning and so much of the story takes place on the beach. It is obvious from the first pages that Lindy is dissatisfied with her life and looking for a new direction. In moving to the island, she takes a leap of faith.

Lindy finds herself petsitting back in her native Cornwall but is also nursing a broken heart. The grumpy next door neighbour has a back story which she find hard to ferret out. An enemies to lovers story, it is Lindy's reactions to life on the island and to her charges which are most amusing. You also find yourself hoping that she can sort her thoughts out and see certain characters in their true light.

In short: amusing enemies to lovers tale

One Summer is a great choice for a holiday read. It has a setting that readers can be transported too, and a well written and enjoyable story too.

I found it a fun romantic read with likeable characters and would definitely read more by the author in the future.

4 stars

Thank you so much to the publisher and net galley for the early e-arc of this fun, summer book. I loved the book and the characters. it was the perfect summer book I've ever read.

Thanks to Head Of Zeus for an advanced reader copy of this book.

I really enjoyed Holiday Read so when this landed in my inbox I was thrilled and was not disappointed.

Lindy moves to Loor Island to start a new job, whilst combing the beach for sea glass she has a run in with an attractive, albeit grumpy man, Caleb, both escaping from their pasts, both neighbours for the foreseeable future and both,, annoyingly attracted to one another.

I loved the community spirit in Loor, an idyllic remote Cornish island, the enemies to lovers theme, especially loved the karma that came to Lindy’s ex!
This book just kept on giving.

“One Summer” by Taylor Cole is a delightful and heart-warming rom-com that perfectly captures the essence of an enemies-to-lovers romance. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Loor Island, the story follows Caleb, a former professional surfer recovering from a career-ending accident, and Lindy, a newcomer to the island who creates jewellery from sea glass. Their initial encounters are anything but friendly, but as they spend the summer as neighbours, their animosity slowly transforms into friendship and eventually, something more. Exploring themes of healing, forgiveness, and the power of love to overcome past traumas but also a deliciously witty and animal filled romance, set in an idyllic setting. Total beach read vibes!

Three and a half stars. I enjoyed the first part of the book - I liked how we got backstory and fleshed out the female main character. However, I was confused because I still didn’t know who the male love interest was going to be at 60%. Then I found the romance to be very rushed at the 90% mark - I would have loved it to fit with the rest of the book and be more fleshed out/believable. I also found the endings of the chapters quite abrupt, especially mid dialogue.

All up though, I enjoyed the story. A nice summery read.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Firstly, I would like to say a big thank you to Head of Zeus, Aria, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Unfortunately, this was only a 3 star read for me - just about. I was really looking forward to reading this one with a premise of a beautiful island in summer, enemies to lovers - it had all the makings of a perfect beach read. However, I was unfortunately left disappointed.

I’ll start with the good things. I really like small town, or in this case, small island, vibes where everyone knows everyone, and it’s like one big family where everyone looks out for one another. I think this was executed well, and we were introduced to some wonderful characters such as Betty who was determined to play match maker. We definitely got some cosy island vibes, and it was sweet how everyone welcomed Lindy into the island family. Ted, the dog she was looking after, amongst other pets, stole the show. An animal companion always brings out the softer, more caring side of characters.

The minimal romantic moments between Caleb and Lindy were great and the ending was definitely swoon worthy… it just would have been nice if they didn’t all happen in the final fraction of the book, and we got to see more of this transition from enemies to lovers.

This was unfortunately way too much of a slow burn romance for me - it was so slow that nothing really happened until the last 10% of the book. When I got to the 50% mark and not much had gone on at all, I hoped the second half of the book would be the ‘lovers’ part… but to no avail for quite some time.

Some of the chapters were just too short and choppy and felt like unnecessary fillers. We were pulled out of moments that could have been prolonged, like more of Lindy and Caleb on the little date his grandma had set them up on.

We have a competing love interest who seems great, but then he gets a bit of a character bashing unnecessarily. He’s also asked Lindy for her number to ask her on a date, but then this date never happens, nor does she ever get asked.

As far as characters go, Lindy wasn’t the most 3D character. Caleb would have been a mysterious character, a character with secrets we desperately wanted them to share - except the blurb already told us he was an ex pro surfer who had a bad accident, but Lindy doesn’t find this out into way into the story, and it would have been good if we didn’t find it out until then either.

This book is perfect for people who love slow burn romances, island settings, found family, and the enemies part of enemies to lovers. This one just lacked any substance for me, which was a shame as it had all the ingredients to make a perfect romance, it just wasn’t executed as well as I thought it could be.

I really wanted to love this one as the premise is just my cup of tea. Unfortunately I couldn't gel with the characters and found the romance unbelievable. I couldn't feel the chemistry and the whole setting just seemed weird to me.

Sadly this book just was not for me. The premise was okay, quite simple but as the book progresses it was too simple and needed to be fleshed out a bit. I also thought it was cringe-worthy at times. The characters were okay although I did not particularly gel with them. There are hints of a deeper plot and there are some more serious plot threads however Cole skims over these and does not fully develop them which was a shame.
This was a nice read but not for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for an advance copy.

One Summer by Taylor Cole

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Two people. Two pasts. One summer to fall in love. Caleb is a former professional surfer trying to build his life after a career-ending accident. Lindy has moved to Loor island to start a new life, combing the shores for sea glass to weave into jewelry. When the two meet, sparks fly – but not the good kind. Then they discover they're neighbours, and they're stuck with each other for one, long summer. As they slowly learn to trust each other, and find themselves sharing their stories that brought them to Loor, their dislike begins to unravel into friendship, then maybe something more. But will the weight of their pasts ruin their chance of a future?

My Opinion

This was a nice and easy book to read.

Lindy has been having rough time - she isn't happy at work and her boyfriend has been keeping secrets. Taking a job house-sitting to escape London, Lindy is definitely out of her comfort zone. Loor island certainly has some characters but it was very easy to feel at home. I read this book in one day as it was a pleasant escape from reality. This book is going to make for a great holiday read.

Rating 4/5

Such a cute romance and the perfect t summer read

Totally perfect for the beach I was laughing for half the book

A truly lovely summer romance read!! I couldn’t have finished it faster! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.