Will the disruptors of your life lead you to say YES to living one?

Kelsey was living a perfectly adequate (observer) life when a literal run-in lands her in the hospital. While coming to the realization of where she is, she also recognizes she's not alone, and her new roommate is anything but happy with it. Enter: Georgina Tate. Makeup mogul & all around boss of a female business owner.

With Georgina by her side, Kelsey embarks on a 'Summer of Yes' and discovers that it's not always the big yeses that make a difference in your life. Sometimes the beauty of the moment is found in the little yeses of everyday life.

I already knew Courtney Walsh was an auto-buy author. ‘The Summer of Yes’ is a disruptor to the life of the reader in only the best sense. Listening to this book brings clarity to how we spend the yeses in our life and acts as a reminder of the value of how we spend our time.

Note: I received an advanced listener copy of this book courtesy of netgalley. All thoughts and reviews are my own. In fact, I was actively reading the copy I purchased myself when I received the advanced audio copy and switched to listening.

This was such a fun and endearing story with a little bit of romance. The character development was excellent. I love how Courtney Walsh has incorporated multi-generational relationships in this book and her previous book. The only downfall of the audiobook was I could not stand the narrator's voice. I read the actual book first and if I had listened to it instead, I would not have liked the book as much due to the narrator.

What an absolute joy to read! I always love picking up Walsh’s books because they are so lighthearted and always something I need in the summer. The Summer of Yes was full of fun, deeper moments and just everything you want in a feel-good story. This book was basically one big hug for the soul!

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?

I just adored everything about the story! It was full of fun and quirky characters that make you want to jump into the story.

But, my favorite was Kelsey’s character and the way she was able to open herself up to the world, people around her and to some fun new experience. Her character was so relatable since we all have those geeky and socially awkward moments along with those fearful moments that can hold us back when venturing beyond our comfort zone to try new things.

Steam level: Clean

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:

Dual POV
Finding Yourself
Pure fun in a book
Bit of romance
Second chances
Laugh out loud moments
Relatable Characters
Smart Independent Women
Working through fear

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻?

Tanya Eby and Cathi Colas absolutely blew it out of the park with their narration!

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?

This was such a fast-paced story! I flew through the audio during my commute and then tacked on some extra miles during my walk, just so I could finish listening to it.

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?

Yes! This story is about finding yourself, not giving up, and living life to the fullest. It is just a book full of sunshine and one that will have you smiling from beginning to end!

I really love this book and the story grab me when I didn't expect it. The relationship between Kelsey and Georgina are completely 2 different people. I love the trope between the two character grumpy/sunshine that played between them and didn't realized they needed the change. Overall this story was a breath of fresh air and Courtney wrote it beautifully together when sometimes do you do need to say yes to take the chance before its too late. I can't wait to see what more comes in the work!

I must admit, the gorgeous cover hooked me in, then the synopsis but...it just didn't grab me like I wanted it to. It was way too slow for my liking.

It took far too long for Kelsey to get Georgina to agree to a road trip (which was around the streets of NY, so not very road trippy) then she stuck her nose into some very private personal business and made major life decisions on Georgina's behalf.

I didn't find either woman particularly likeable. And I think this is why I found the romance for both a bit unbelievable. Kelsey was a convenient insta-love and Georgina was forgiven waaaay too quickly for me to believe.

Enjoyable enough for me to finish it but not enough to recommend.

I loved this book. It was not at all what I was expecting. It was so much more thoughtful and deep than I thought it would be. I loved the grumpy/sunshine troupe played out with two women who needed each other. The growth and change of each was great to see. I know what it’s like to feel like life is just happening to you. It’s so easy to be content because it’s comfortable but some of the best moments come from stretching ourselves. The ending of the book made my eyes well up with tears. It was so beautiful. I liked the subtle romance in the book but for me, even if that wasn’t a part of the story I would have still loved this book. The audio book was narrated very well and overall so glad I got to experience this story.

The Summer of Yes is a cute romance that's perfect for summer reading. Kelsey Worthington has a dead-end job as an editor for a publishing company. Her life is pretty mundane, too. If that weren't bad enough, she wakes up in a hospital bed, unsure of how she got there. She shares a hospital room with a famous cosmetics company founder, Georgina Tate. Georgina's days are numbered due to illness. Kelsey's accident has made her realize that she needs a little change and adventure in her life. She's sure that Georgina could use a little excitement, too. It takes a lot of persuading, but Kelsey convinces Georgina to go on a road trip. The caveat is that they have to say yes to everything! Along the way, they both try things they've never done and find romance, too. This is a really fun, light read. The audiobook narration is well done also.

Thanks to HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and NetGalley for a review copy of this book and audiobook.

I loved this charming story of two unlikely women becoming friends as they start saying "yes" to activities they normally wouldn't choose to do. I enjoyed reading about Kelsey and Georgina's adventures, their struggles, and how they helped each other improve their lives. I appreciated the sweet romance between the two couples. It made for a delightful summer read. The love between Georgina and Dylan was so touching. It was a wonderful example of what true love is. My favorite quote from the book was when Georgina said, "Don't wait to love the ones you love." It is such a true statement. Kelsey and Hayden were also a perfect match as they supported each other in the difficult life decisions they each had to make. I loved listening to the audiobook! Tanya Eby and Cathi Coles did an excellent job of telling the story. I especially loved listening to Georgina's voice. I felt it was spot on. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

When Kelsey wakes up in a hospital room after being hit by a car, she finds out her roommate is none other than Georgina Tate. Georgina is a very successful women who is the CEO of her own company and the subject of many business courses. However, she has sacrificed the most important things in her life to get where she is today. After talking to Georgina, Kelsey notices the similarities in her life and wants to make a change. She cashes out her vacation time and decides to do a summer of yes. Kelsey is determined to also help Georgina in her journey to help Georgina fix the regrets in her life before it is too late. The summer of yes starts a journey for both Kelsey and Georgina to figure what they truly want out of life.

This book was a lot of fun. I loved Kelsey and Georgina for the main characters. Their banter was entertaining, and I felt that Georgina was the perfect mentor for Kelsey, while Kelsey was the push Georgina needed to realize what aspect of her life was more important. The romance between Kelsey and Hayden added another aspect of this book that I loved. I feel in love with this book and at the end it made me think what is truly important in my life.

Audiobook: I would highly recommend the audiobook for The Summer of Yes. There is a narrator for both Georgina and Kelsey's point of view and felt that both narrators did an excellent job for their characters.

The Summer of Yes is out now!

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction and Haper Collins Christian Publishing for the advance copy of The Summer of Yes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: contemporary fiction📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
I liked this one but I didn’t love it

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
All the adventures
Road trip
Themes of forgiveness
Great character growth
Light hearted summer reads
Second chances
Dual POV
NYC and NC settings
Unlikely friendships

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
The side of romance
Great audio narration
Sassy old lady vibes

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
Slow start

I loved this book. It made me feel happy. I listened to this one and felt like I was right there with Kelsey! I lived how she got out of her comfort zone and inspired others to get out of their comfort zones too!

I LOVED this feel good book. I was lucky enough to get an #arc of #thesummerofyes from #netgalley and flew right through it. The narrator was fantastic, the underlying messages of the book were great, and even the note from the author at the end added to the entire experience. If you are looking to say yes to a different kind of love story, say yes to yourself and this book!

Strong 4 stars! Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for allowing me to read this book! This was so good! This is about a woman who gets hit by a car and wakes up in a hospital with no memory of the event and nobody there to be with her. She ends up sharing a room with a 75 year old lady who is the CEO of a huge make up company. The woman is cold and very businesslike, but as the book goes on the 2 form a friendship (led by our main character, Kelsey). Georgina (the older lady) had put her career above EVERYTHING including her husband and son for her entire life, so now near the end of her life she has nobody. She serves as a cautionary tale of sorts for Kelsey because Kelsey is currently living a similar lifestyle as an editor. Kelsey convinces Georgina to join her in her "summer of yes" where she says yes to things that had formerly scared her. She starts putting her friends first, putting herself out there, etc. She and Georgina go on a road trip and, unbeknownst to Georgina, they're going to see her son and husband. The way they all come together was so interesting and heartwarming to watch. Realistic? probably not. Entertaining and sweet? YES! At first I was thinking, "please don't have a romance in this book", but when the romance did come I was so here for it! Overall, this was a great read!

What a cute summer story! I love the cover and this author was new for me. It was such a blow me away cute story! I kept smiling the whole time! I loved the character development and the banter so much!! A must read for summer! The audiobook was amazing! Great narration

Loved this book. It was such a sweet premise and I loved her bravery to say yes to things that scared her and she normally would say no to.

After sharing a hospital room with her professional idol, who she aspires to be like, Kelsey realizes that if she keeps going on her current trajectory (anti-social workaholic), her life may not be quite as great as she thinks it will be. So she goes on an adventure of saying yes to all the things she normally wouldn't, dragging her reluctant new mentor, Georgina, along for the ride. (Be warned, the adventure is just to one place... not very adventurous)

Let's talk Kelsey. I'm not quite sure why she thinks she's on the same trajectory as Georgina. G is a take-no-prisoners do-what-it-takes kind of woman, whereas professionally, Kelsey is kind of a doormat. She may want to be like Georgina, but she's not. Even as I say that, though, I have to acknowledge that she's persistent, at least with Georgina. But in a strangely weak, slightly petulant way.

Georgina: I identified the most with her. Not because I'm tough or hard core in anyway, but the way her innermonologue told the truth of how she wanted to react, but the wrong thing always came out because she was so afraid. To me, definitely the more nuanced character.

Hayden and Dad: Both complete cinnamon rolls. Like, to the point of being walked all over by their mother/wife. The romance wasn't super engaging for either of them... maybe a little more flutter with Hayden/Kelsey... but if you're looking for a swoony romance, this isn't it.

This is definitely woman's lit focused on the character arcs of Kelsey and Georgina, and I will say that in the end, Kelsey learned to stand up for herself at work, and Georgina learned to prioritize her family, so that was good.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, from whom I receive da complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Rating: 4 ⭐️
Pub Date: July 2, 2024
How I Read It: 🎧

Synopsis
Sometimes you’re too busy with work and you realize that you’ve missed out on your life. This is the realization Kelsey Worthington has after she is sitting in a hospital bed because she got hit by a car. After waking up next to Georgina Tate, a legendary business woman in NYC, she realizes that things need to change. Even though her and Georgina are very different, they are met with the same regret: they have said “no” to too many things in their life, and it’s time to start saying “yes.” Kelsey coaxes Georgina into a taking an adventure with her, to catch up on all the things they have said “no” to in their life.

My Thoughts
This was such a cute, feel good story, one that I really needed to listen to. I myself fall into the trap of saying no to everything because my priority is work. This story was so sweet and heartwarming, and I just loved that Kelsey and Georgina were so different because it made their banter was adorable. There’s a couple of love stories woven into it, which I won’t spoil for you, but were fun and cute to read.

Final Thoughts
You will fall in love with each of the characters and cheer them on throughout the book. Overall, this is a fun summer read and great for a day at the beach!

❗️Of Note
🏥 Illness/Death

Themes:
🎶 Friendship
🚗 Road Trip

Ratings
Characters: 5 ⭐️
Pace: 3 ⭐️
Enjoyability: 4 ⭐️
Narrator: 5 ⭐️

Thank you to HarperCollins Christian Publishing | Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

I feel like this is one of those stories that everyone can benefit from reading and also is a book that needs very little description. Just pick it up and start reading!

This book pulled me out of my reading slump and had me invested from the very beginning. I really enjoyed following Kelsey and Georgie through this story, seeing the parallels and differences in their stories and watching how the two could help shape one another’s lives as they each figure out what’s next for them. Such a great women’s fiction meets romance story with awesome themes!

Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for an advanced audiobook copy of this story. Both narrators did a great job bringing these characters to life. All opinions are my own.

"The world is going to tel you all kinds of things about yourself. You're not good enough or smart enough or strong enough or thin enough or rich enough or talented enough. They'll come up with a million reasons you can't do the thing you want to do. The thing you were born to do."

I loved the relationship between Kelsey and Georgina! They played off of each other really nicely with their quick wit and ways they showed they cared about each other. I enjoyed that the romance(s) took a backseat to the themes of friendship and second chances. I can always count on Courtney Walsh for a clean and sweet read. I truly enjoyed the story!

Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction and Courtney Walsh for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh and narrated by Tanya Eby & Cathi Colas is not only a perfect Summer listen/ Read but also, an inspo-novel for year round


Kelsey wakes up in hospital and finds out she has been hit by a car and sustained a non-life threatening but quite painful head injury. She is a workaholic, always doing everything she thinks is right to stay under the radar, work hard, get a promotion. Saying no to the majority of social events in her private life, work work work. But when the glamorous and very well known Georgina Tate is wheeled in to share her hospital room, life begins to turn in the direction that she chooses for herself

Georgina Tate is hugely successful as a businesswoman, a mogul of the cosmetics world, but like Kelsey, she is alone, a little bitter, and with kidney failure. Incensed at having to share a hospital room with someone who is as headstrong as she is, yet, this woman, kelsy, Calli, Kaley, whatever, has an idea. What if we start saying yes to everythig, what if we stop denying ourselves everything we want in life You know what? Road Trip!

I absolutely adore this book and it translates so well as an audiobook too thanks to Tana Eby and Cathi Colas' outstanding narrating. Bright, driven, dynamic and touching, this is probably one of my favourite Summer reads this year. Bloody wonderful

Thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins Christian Publishing | Thomas Nelson Fiction, Courtney Walsh and the narrators for this fantastic ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own