⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
💭 a cute, summery, feel-good read :) I def think this is more woman’s fiction than romance, and the grumpy sunshine trope was fun to see between the two female MCs! truly so many life lessons are sprinkled throughout the road trip adventure. 👏🏼 loved all the important themes included in the story - dialysis/organ donation, forgiveness + reconciliation + second chances, learning to stick up for yourself in the workplace, and living fearlessly. 🫶🏻

Fave quote: “Regrets are more in focus when hindsight is 20/20.”

“If something makes you happy, it’s not a waste of time:”

“Love is a funny thing; it doesn’t always let you choose.”

“It’s not complicated to fight for the people you love.”

“Hindsight is always 20/20. Sometimes I wish I could have started my life with the wisdom and knowledge I have now that I’m nearing the end. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished, but I don’t love what I had to sacrifice to get here.”

Read if you enjoy: MRS. NASH’S ASHES, YOU WITH A VIEW

The Summer of Yes is a lovely story by Courtney Walsh with many object lessons embedded within. Kelsey Worthington feels as though her editing prospects are growing as she has a million follower TikTok influencer coming for an appointment to discuss a possible book deal. But it is on that morning her boss sends her out to get coffee since his assistant is out sick. On her walk back to the office Kelsey is hit by a car that jumped the curb and lands in a hospital bed. No good deed goes unpunished!

The next unexpected event is to end up with one of the most important business women in the nation in the bed next to her. Georgina Tate is the founder and owner of Tate Cosmetics, a very successful company making Georgina one of the wealthiest women in the country. But no matter how wealthy Georgina is, her money cannot buy her health.

These two unlikely women, one at the beginning of her career, the other at the end of her life, form an unusual but perfect relationship. Kelsey comes to the conclusion that both say no far too much, often followed by regrets. So this summer Kelsey uses her sick time and stored vacation time to say yes to what scares her, but mostly to help Georgina move past her major regrets.

This is such a good book! With a tightly plotted story, wonderful three-dimensional characters, and lessons in self confidence and caring for others I found it difficult to put this story down. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

This book is kind of everything you want it to be. It's a good summer read, predictable yet fun. I really like getting into these characters and I feel like we got to know them so so well, which I loved. The ending wasn't quite what I thought it was going to be, but it was better that way. The audio was well done, and I appreciated the dual narrators.

"The Summer of Yes" was such a refreshing and fun summer read. I loved the age gap and friendship that developed between the two main characters. I really enjoyed their adventure and the growth they both did thoroughout the storm. The audio was great!

Iona Iverson 🤝🏼 Georgina Tate

I thought at the beginning of this one it was nothing special but I ended up being pleasantly surprised!

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the Audio Arc. I really enjoyed the dual POV and that there was 2 voices so we could very much distinguished who was who. ." I very much enjoyed the story of Georgina and Kelsey. Two women who are taking the summer by storm and saying Yes to "everything" This story was very much relatable how we sometimes get so involved in Life that we forget to live we say no to everything and we forget to stop and smell the roses. I loved that the story really focused on the regrets of both women even though Georgina really tested my patience at times. I loved that I was able to listed to the story as well as read when I was not able to listen.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.75, Fiction, Romance)

Thank you @thomasnelson for the audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

✨The Highlights✨

. Road trip 🚗
. Bucket list vibes 🪣
. Summer vibes ☀️
. Closed Door 🚪
. Sailing Vibes 🛟
. Insta love (ish) - Main love story
. Second Chance Romance - secondary love story
. Dual POV

🎧 The audio of this book was so good! I am so thankful they chose two different female narrators for this and they both did an amazing job at channeling the individual personalities.

✨The Feels✨

This book was absolutely adorable! I love a good road trip story, and adding some summer bucket list vibes made it even better. The positive message about living life to the fullest really resonated with me, reminding us to work to live, not live to work. Kelsey was such a quirky, sunshine-filled character with a heart of gold. Her dynamic with Georgina’s no-nonsense, brash personality made for some good banter. Their growing friendship was so refreshing, and it was great to see a generational female friendship like theirs. While there are two romantic storylines, I didn’t quite get the butterflies from them—maybe they felt a bit too insta-love for me. I did also find the pacing a tad slow in the beginning for me. Still, it was a heartwarming and touching story overall and I recommend picking it up!

✨The Spoiler-Free Details✨

After a near-death experience, workaholic junior editor Kelsey Worthington decides to shake up her routine by saying yes to everything she usually avoids. Teaming up with Georgina Tate, a successful businesswoman with only months to live, the duo embarks on a series of adventurous escapades. From playing tourists in New York City to unexpected family reunions, their Summer of Yes is filled with fun, forgiveness, and life-changing moments, proving that it’s never too late to live fearlessly.

✨The Sweet Treat✨

So many great options to say YES to! I went with some salt water taffy and some mint chocolate chip ice cream for that kiss scene 🫦

The Summer of Yes - ALC - by Courtney Walsh

Thank you @thomasnelson and @zondervan for giving me the opportunity to listen to this audiobook!

What a cute book/audiobook! I feel like this was the perfect book for me to listen to this week! I was having a very stressful work week and every time I put this on I automatically relaxed and was brought back into their lives and their down right funny friendship.

Vibes: Duel POV of strong females
Duel love stories, one insta love and one second chance
Family struggles and a chance to make things right
Letting go and saying yes
Road trip Grumpy/sunshine for the two FMC
Closed door romcom

Kelsey and Georgina couldn’t be more opposite, but flip the coin and they are so similar. I loved their back and forth friendship that they formed on their individual journey of healing. Plus the hottie boat enthusiast does hurt either 😜

For a funny, feel good with a side of healing romcom check this out!

#summerofyes #bucketlist #bucketlostadventures #healing #romcom #romcombooks #audiobooks #audiobookstagram #arc #alc #netgalley #booklover #bookstagram #bookaddict

This book was such a breath of fresh air. I really enjoyed every ounce of it. I can't say anything bad about this book.

A sweet novel about saying yes to life's opportunities, intergenerational connection, and female friendship -- with romance added in, for funzies. The premise isn't the most unique, as it reads like a fictionalized take on Shonda Rhimes's Year of Yes, but I think this book would be ideal for a road trip, with its lighthearted, easy listening.

This book was a delight by Courtney Walsh! Walsh is an author who is one that I always read, and The Summer of Yes did not disappoint! When Kelsey wakes up and finds herself in the ER, she is uncertain of how she got there. Serendipitously, she meets another patient, the famous (or infamous?) Georgina Tate, who is one of the leading businesswomen in New York City. Georgina is nearing the end of her life, and young Kelsey’s is just beginning. However, they both realize that they are living lives that look differently than what they had hoped. Kelsey’s near death experience leads to an ER-bed-decision to begin saying YES to every opportunity. Begrudgingly, she convinces Georgina to do the same, and this unlikely pair starts on a summer adventure that changes them both. I was captivated from the first page, and I can’t recommend this enough! It left me pondering how I can begin to say “YES” and open myself to new things as well. This is another great one from Courtney Walsh!

Thank you, Net Galley for the ARC! The opinions shared in this review are my own.

Absolutely loved this one! This was perfection. This is the most wonderful story of life and love and remembering who you were meant to me. This story made me want to say “Yes!” And maybe even try something out of my comfort zone. Kelsey and Georgina were so relatable and their personalities played off of each other so well. And I want to be more like Kelsey. This is a wonderful summer read that will leave you with a smile in your heart. I really enjoyed the narrators and thought they did a great job!

I wish I could give this a million stars this is a story that I think all women need to read. This story is about finding yourself and speaking up for what you want so that you can be happy. To stop holding yourself back and stop listening to that voice telling you no but rather just say yes!

I was completely pulled into this story and simultaneously blown away by it. It is soooo good! I know I could find better adjectives to describe my feelings for it but it really is soooooooo good! I was hooked! I couldn't stop once I started. I loved Kelsey's character and her life evaluation after a brush with death. I felt the emotions with her and her desire to do better. One of my book besties was reading this after me and she messaged telling that she was ready to say "yes" to anything after reading this book! And let me tell you, you'll definitely be feeling that way as well. I loved how Kelsey was smart in her boundaries for what she said yes to but she was open to many possibilities for accepting good in her life that she had previously said no to or had not even thought about being open to. She saw how those decisions really narrowed down her life and caused her to have a lack of friends and anything outside of work.

I loved her connection with Georgina. Who is a hoot! An absolute hoot! But at the same time has also let several things pass her by in her life while pursuing work and her dreams! I loved the combination of Kelsey and Georgina! Their banter back and forth and their friendship was wonderful! It honestly made me think of a little bit of The Devil Wears Prada and the banter back and forth between the boss and the employee (can't remember names right now) but in a more positive way.

And yes, there is a love story...two love stories actually. Soooo good! There I go saying that again, but it's true! Sweet and messy and tender and beautiful are all good descriptive words for this book, the characters, the love stories and well, just everything! Definitely going on my favorites list and on my HIGHLY RECOMMEND list!!!

I read and listened to this one, it was soooo good!!! ;-) I loved the dual narration for Kelsey and Georgina's characters. Both narrators were spot on for their character. They brought out the emotions of the story and made it seem like they had a fun time bringing to life these characters. If you're an audiobook fan, you're going to love this one!!!

If you pick up one fun summer read this summer, let it be this one!!!

Content: Clean. Talk of death and trust and heartbreak and walking away and love. Nothing more than kisses and some clean marital talk between a married couple.

I received a digital copy from the publisher, Thomas Nelson Fiction, via NetGalley. I also received a copy of the audiobook from the producer, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading & Listening!!!

"The Summer of Yes" by Courtney Walsh is women's fiction and a rom-com. This book is very entertaining and left me with a few things to think about. If you like rom-coms, even without spice, you may really like this book!

Kelsey Worthington is a young adult assistant editor. She wakes up in a hospital room after having been hit by a car as she was walking on the sidewalk. Her roommate is a cranky, very bossy, and well-known businesswoman, Georgina Tate.

Kelsey decides that she has regrets because she doesn't have much of a life outside her job. She decides this will be her Summer of Yes. She will say yes to things she has resisted or refused to let herself try. She decides to be friendly to Georgina. There are two romances in this book, one between young adults and one between older adults. This is a nice addition in a rom-com.

This audiobook is narrated by Tanya Eby and Cathi Colas. They each did a wonderful job.

Characters - 5/5
Writing - 5/5
Plot - 5/5
Pacing - 4/5
Unputdownability - 4/5
Enjoyment - 5/5
Narration - 5/5
Cover - 3/5
Overall - 36/8 = 4 4/8 rounded up to 5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins Christian Publishing/Thomas Nelson Fiction, and Courtney Walsh for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Anything Courtney puts out into this world, I must say is gold. She has this way of giving you a hug through a book and this one is no different. Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity for letting me read this book early. It was a little gift I got on my phone and it felt like a piece of summer I got to escape to when the weather wasn't quite feeling like the warmth I was finding outside. Truly a magical read as always.

I’ve read (and adored) a few of Courtney Walsh’s holiday themed novels, so I figured I’d give her latest summer release a try. I’m happy to report that THE SUMMER OF YES was an absolute delight to read, and makes for a fantastic summer read.

I adored both protagonists, Kelsey and Georgina, and loved how the book flipped back and forth between their perspectives. I loved Kelsey’s meddling behavior and her strong-will. I applauded Georgina’s feistiness and “tell it like it is” attitude. They’re one heck of a duo, that’s for sure!

TSOY has such a great mix of serious and comical moments. It explores illness, abandonment, and forgiveness, yet it didn’t feel like a downer at all. I was smiling and giggling throughout.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Road trips and adventures
- Dual POVs
- Unlikely friendships
- Second chances
- Light romance
- Uplifting reads
- Family drama
- Strong female characters
- Stepping out of your comfort zone

If you’re a big fan of unexpected friendships with a major age-gap like THE MOSTLY TRUE STORY OF TANNER AND LOUISE, then you gotta check this one out. It’s heartwarming, funny, smart, and charming. An excellent beach read, indeed!

4/5 stars for THE SUMMER OF YES! It’s out now!

Thank you #NetGalley for the audio copy of this book - I LOVED it! Overall, the premise of saying "Yes" to everything to turn your life around is a fun one, but I loved the two-for-one opportunities of Kelsey helping Georgina. Kelsey could have selfishly put herself first, but by really helping Georgina to fix some of her biggest regrets, they BOTH change their lives.

Such a feel good story that is perfect for summer. Just say YES and read this one!

Charming, up lifting and effortless. While The Summer Of Yes isn’t deep and it’s not compelling, it IS entertaining and pleasant. Sometimes, reading about the grump and the one who drags them out of their shell is exactly what you need. That is Summer of Yes! Throw in some sweet romance (100% not spicy) and Summer Of Yes is a fun story and the audio version was 👍

Advance reader copy provided by Thomas Nelson and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audio.

I really enjoyed this book. I wasn’t sure in the beginning if I would like it but I did. Such a cute love story. The narrators did great!! Just the right amount of humor romance and spice!