I really enjoyed this tale of female friendship and saying yes!! These characters are so realistic and while they were sometimes annoying I think the way the characters thought/acted were how a lot of people would act in a similar situation. The only thing I would change is MORE Georgina!!

If Courtney Walsh writes it, I will read it. Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson. I loved this book, I can see it being one of my favorite reads of the summer.

I discovered myself wanting to approach the summer filled with a lot of “yesses.” I loved to think about the difference it made in both Kelsey and Georgina’s lives when Kelsey convinces Georgina to head off on a wild adventure. The characters were well developed and the relationships that developed were touching. This is a light summer read that is great for curling up at the pool or by the ocean. You will be treated to a story of love, forgiveness, second chances, and hope. Amazing at the new beginnings that can happen when you say “yes”!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

A slow start, but it really picked up and I ended up liking it by the end. I really
Enjoyed the friendship and the banter with our main characters.

This is a no for me.

The plot of this book is just as original as a Hallmark movie.. The writing doesn't add anything to it either. It wants to be emotional at times except it uses too much telling and not enough showing to make the reader feel that emotional energy too... And in the end it is just as cheesy and sweet as a Hallmark movie. I am usually a fan of cheesiness, but that's when the book gives me something more, which this book failed to do.

It's not the women friendship adventure I hoped it would be, it's not even a good romance book - when the female friendship theme failed I really hoped the romance will lift the plot up, but alas, it didn't. There are two romance plots, one is short and a second chance, it's where the author really pushed the emotional and while a Hallmark film might make me tear up in that moment, the book didn't, and the other one is an insta-love that we don't really believe. All the relationships in this book are very surface-level, except for the old relationship which feel more believable only because we know these people knew each other for more than two pages...

I really wanted to like this book, I really hoped it was so much more than it actually is. Unfortunately it doesn't offer anything new and I am sure I will forget it as soon as I post this review.

Run to pick up this book!

Meet Georgina. An older woman that chose work over all else. Kelsey, a twenty something that loves her job and is happy in New York living her life. An unexpected event bring these 2 women together and their lives will change forever. Is it possible they can go on a journey of a summer of yeses together to make each other better but more importantly find what is truly important to them.

This is a page turner! It has solid characters with a done before but not this way storyline that keeps you engaged. A new favorite author for me!

This cute contemporary novel focuses on self-discovery, featuring an enjoyable plot and writing style. My only critique is that I wished it were a bit more fast-paced, but overall, it's a good read.

Spicy: G
52 Book Club Summer Book Prompt #10 - Finding Balance in Life

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

When Kelsy Worthington wakes up in the hospital after being hit by a car on the coffee run, she finds herself sharing a room with the original girl boss, Georgina Tate, a self-made cosmetics titan. Turns out Georgina is dying and she might have some regrets in her life - not that she wants to talk to Kelsey about them. But her near death experience has given Kelsey an insight into her own hyper-focused world where she has no time for anything but work. So Kelsey decides that she and Georgina are going to have a summer of yes. A reluctant Georgina gets dragged along and before she knows it, Kelsey has brought them to the small town where Georgina’s estranged husband and son live - her very handsome, very eligible son. You know where this is going.

This was just a delight of an audio book. It was the perfect for a road trip but also kept me from pulling out my hair as I sat in rush hour traffic. The narrators are both excellent and brought the the characters of Kelsey and Georgina to life - especially Cathy Colas, she nailed Georgina’s haughty tone with amazing precision, I could feel her looking down her nose at me as she read.

This gem of a book came out yesterday and I am telling you to put it on your summer beach read TBR right now. Whether you read it on the beach or on the road, I think you will be warmed by this unexpected friendship and maybe, you too will embrace the things you fear and start saying yes to the things that scare you.

Kelsey Worthington, a junior editor, lives a safe, predictable life until an accident changes everything. In the hospital, she meets Georgina Tate, a successful but regretful businesswoman with failing health. Together, they embark on a "Summer of Yes," challenging themselves to embrace the unknown and rediscovering love, forgiveness, and fearlessness along the way.

I went into this knowing it was more on the women’s fiction side and was pleasantly surprised to have fallen head-over-heels for Kelsey’s sweet little romance! Though most of the story focuses on friendship and navigating ‘what ifs’, the romantic moments truly did still have their moments to shine ✨ The characters were sassy yet warm, and I think the dreamy beachside town setting will encourage everyone to say yes to getting out of the city this summer ☀️

It was really hard to think of similar titles.. the ones I listed are multigenerational stories of women with romantic subplots. Okay okay, you may think I’m crazy for adding The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but I promise I’m not! While this book has a happier tone and doesn’t include the major plot twist TSHoEH has, both stories are about a wealthy woman who has regrets and an untold story, and they share their ’secrets’ with a younger author. See? Connections everywhere.

I listened to the audiobook and particularly loved the narration of Georgina! Thank you @dreamscape_media for the ALC 🥰

Perfect for you if you like:
Strong, relatable female protagonists
Exploring life’s “what ifs”
Multi-generational women’s friendships + romance
Contemplating regret and making new decisions

Similar to:
The Switch by Beth O’Leary
Look on the Bright Side by Kristin Higgins
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

⛔️closed door romance (kisses only)
⚠️non-graphic near-death experience at the beginning of the story, regret

“I’m now realizing that life is short. And you get one shot. All the clichés, it turns out, are true.”
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Courtney Walsh has become an auto buy author for me because her books bring such joy to my life! The Summer of Yes did just that! Even the bright cheery cover makes me happy! This is a romance, but it has so much more to offer. The book makes you think and ponder and has so many quotable lines!
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I did an immersive read with both the audio, brilliantly narrated by Tanya Eby and Cathi Colas and the physical book, which arrived a wee bit early so I read it instead of the ARC I had been provided. I was so thankful that this happened because I have so many tabs placed in this book! These two narrators absolutely brought this book to life and I can’t imagine reading without them!
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After a near death experience Kelsey rethinks many things in her life and challenges herself to a summer of saying yes to things she would normally say no to. Her hospital stay caused her to meet a very successful and famous older woman who Kelsey convinces to join her in this quest. It didn’t happen that easily, but that’s for the reader to discover.
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I liked the growth that came to both of these women throughout the story! The romance was sweet the way only Courtney can write them! I could relate to a number of aspects of this book. I really enjoyed this very well written book and I recommend it to anyone who wants a great read and a book they will want to hug at the end!
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Thanks to @netgalley and @ThomasNelsonFiction for the free Advanced Copy of the book and to @HarperCollinsChristian for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

This is the most heartwarming, emotional, and romantic telling of enduring love that I’ve ever read. It presents such a delicate balance of family estrangement, coming into oneself, and new love. The fact that everything is high-stakes (life, death, second-chance at forever love, etc) and she still keeps the story low-stress really speaks to how fleshed out her characters are here. Miscommunication trope? No, we don’t know her. I loved that in a book about growing into who you want to be, clearly communicating how they felt, and what they wanted seemed to be a focus for their growth.

There’s a lot of serious moments, but there are a lot of fun & swoony moments, too. It’s a beautiful story that is perfect for summer. I listened to the audio and both of the narrators for the two women did an excellent job with the pacing of the plot. Georgina in particular was perfectly cast! In my head she’s giving Emily Gilmore, honey, and she isn’t here to play (unless the prize is a pretzel). 🥨 This entire book is a telling of right person/right time alongside the sweetest second-chance romance of the summer.

4.5⭐️ | 1🌶️

Tropes:
• Road trip
• Found family
• Second chances
• Multi-generational friendships

Wow! Just wow!

While I was quite intrigued by the blurb, I was a bit skeptical coz this was nothing like the usual romances that I read but boy did it blow my mind!

The audiobook is just as delightful as its plot. Both narrators bring boundless energy to the story, especially the woman voicing Georgina. Her narration added so much depth and charm to the character, making it much more engaging.

The power of saying yes is at the heart of this story. Kelsey's life transforms over one summer of embracing yes, bringing her new friendships, confidence, and love. Her character was very relatable at the start and seeing her embrace life and say yes to all these experiences really warmed my heart.

While I loved the idea of changing your life to find yourself, it was Georgina who truly captured my heart. Her sassy, elderly presence reminded me of my grandma (thank you Courtney!)

I loved her writing style and she has created such wonderful characters. I could really relate to Kelsey saying no out of fear and how much of life is missed because of that fear. Her journey has truly inspired me to have my very own Summer (or for someone from Mumbai, ‘Monsoon’) of yes!

I would 1000% recommend everyone to give this book a shot coz you’re going to love it.

This is my first book by Courtney Walsh and I really enjoyed it. Two workaholics that have a big age difference but have so much in common. Georgina was such a great mentor for Kelsey…but Kelsey was sooo good for Georgina. I loved their early interactions. They have amazing banter, sass, and overall dialogue. The romance aspect for both Georgina and Kelsey was sweet, refreshing and filled with new beginnings. Tanya Eby and Cathi Colas deliver an amazing performance. They bring the characters to life with perfect emotion, personality and voice. Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the complimentary copy.

I received a free advanced copy of this audiobook on Netgalley.

Uplifting, redeeming, hopeful, unexpected. "The Summer of Yes" by Courtney Walsh was a pleasant listen. While it started off quite slow, after the first 30% I was hooked and wanted to know how it all turned out.

Kelsey, a workaholic twenty-something who never says yes to anything even remotely risky finds herself laid up in a hospital bed after being hit by a car while waiting in line at Starbucks. She is "lucky" to be alive with only minor injuries. Her hospital roommate, Georgina Tate, is not so lucky. The famous make-up mogul has been diagnosed with terminal liver disease unless she finds a donor. The unlikely duo (reluctantly) see themselves in each other and (begrudgingly) embark on what Kelsey dubs "The Summer of Yes"... throwing fear to the side to experience new things.

Kelsey helps Georgina right past wrongs and Georgina helps Kelsey realize her stifled dreams.

The audiobook author was a 2.75 out of 5. The book itself was a 3.75 out of 5.

A freak accident forced Kelsey and Georgina to share a hospital room but that was only the beginning. These two set out on an adventure to say yes for the summer but it leads to so much more. Georgina reluctantly agrees to go but little does she know that Kelsey has a plan for their adventure.

I haven’t read a book by Courtney Walsh that I didn’t love! Her writing makes you laugh and cry while enjoying the story. I immediately fell in love with the characters and found myself invested in the outcome.

I enjoyed the narrators but found that the narrator for Georgina’s point of view read slower than Kelsey’s point of view. I found myself losing interest when listening to Georgina due to the slower pacing.

A big thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Christian Publishing for the ALC!

What a sweet, endearing story about the power of saying YES (and NO…but we’ll get to that)! I loved the core message about how it’s never too late to start living a life you love. The characters practically jumped off the page and felt so real, largely because the author leaned into their quirks and all-too-human choices (both good and bad) allowing them to be perfectly imperfect.

There were honestly points where I started getting frustrated by certain decisions, especially with Kelsey who had zero boundaries in the beginning. But then the characters would catch themselves and have these relatable moments of self-awareness. It was refreshing seeing that kind of growth on the page!

This book spans many aspects of life that often lead to regrets, including career paths, love lives, and family dynamics. So, there’s something for everyone. Because who hasn’t had a regret or two? But as I mentioned earlier, this book is about saying NO just as much as it’s about saying YES. And I loved seeing Kelsey and Georgina realize that it’s okay to turn a complete 180 if a certain path in life isn’t bringing you joy. For me, the takeaway was about saying YES to new opportunities, while staying true to who you are. And sometimes that means saying NO.

My one critique is that the book felt long, with some passages repeating the same message from each character’s POV multiple times. And, sadly, I wasn’t a fan of the audiobook and felt that the narration was over-enunciated to the point of distraction. I’m sure it will be great for many listeners! It just wasn’t the right experience for me.

I definitely recommend this book for fans of grumpy/sunshine friendships, found families, second chances, and wholesome summer fun!

I love Courtney Walsh and her writing style. This story was inspiring and uplifting. It’s a story of friendship and self awareness, of character growth, of saying yes and taking a chance. I loved Kelsey and Georgina’s relationship and how helped each other grow and become better version’s of themselves.
Unfortunately I did not love the narration and I think I would have preferred to read it physically. It’s still a great read and I will recommend it.

Chock-full of charm presented with a fun balance of witty banter!!!

The Summer of Yes is LAUGH-OUT-LOUD funny! And… it hurts in all the ways that remind us to get out of our comfort zones!

Also, I adore both Georgia and Kaylee, Kimberly, I mean… Kelsey :)

Mercy! I loved this refreshing, positive, inspiring, book. It was just what I needed!

#TheSummerOfYes #netgalley #ThomasNelsonFiction #womensfiction @CourtneyWalsh @BookShell_F

Huge shoutout to Harper Collins Christian Publishing and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the ARC of "The Summer of Yes" by Courtney Walsh.

The audiobook is a must-listen! The narrators are bursting with energy, making the story super engaging. It was a trip following the characters embrace their time together learning from one another.

This was my first book by Courtney Walsh and I certainly enjoyed it! I loved Georgina! She made the book!

Thank you Netgalley for an e-ARC of The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh!

I remember someone asking me once when was the last time that I tried something new and I truly struggled to recall. From then on I decided that I wanted to embrace the "yes" and try new things. This book is exactly that and I loved it! I also appreciate the clarification of not a bucket list per say, but instead saying yes to what you have been scared to try, too busy to try, too embarrassed to try, etc. The timing also couldn't have been more perfect for this read as I leave for a big "yes" trip of my own this week!

We are following along two POVs; Kelsey, our young up and coming assistant editor, and Georgina Tate, the successful business woman that Kelsey admires. Their paths cross in an unlikely way and never go back after. It just shows that your support system comes in a variety of different ages and demographics.

If you enjoy stories about second chances, starting over, non-steamy romances, cross generational friendships, and family, pick this one up!

An added bonus...As someone who knows the world of kidney failure too well, thank you Courtney for taking your writing platform and bringing awareness to organ donation 💙💚. Ironically, my "summer of yes" consists of competing in my first ever Transplant Games of America. ☺️