4.75 stars!
This book was such a fun read that also makes you contemplate what matters most in life. The two parallel storylines complemented one another so well. The only reason it was not a perfect 5-star read was because the author didn't really tell us what Georgina decided to do with her company at the end. I was half expecting her to give the company to Kelsey during her acceptance speech, but that did not happen. She also did not give the company to her assistance JP. I assume she didn't name a successor then and is continuing to run the company remotely while she lives with her husband?

Thank you to netgalley for giving me a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Full transparency- I do plan on being a little bit self editing when writing this review, because I made the mistake of picking up two books with a similar premise of "something happens to the main character and they feel that they got a second chance at life and need to re-examine who they are spending there precious time on this earth" pretty much back to back. This wasn't on purpose and I regretted that this happened almost immediately but it is what it is so I am going to do my best to disregard any negative feelings I had due to my mistake.
This book is a bit heavy handed with its messaging and that did impact my overall enjoyment but I also think that is its biggest weakness. I actually think that in spite of that, the character development and the complicated relationships are expressed very well. I do wish that there was more clarity on the feelings of the husband that left. I don't think I really bought how easily persuaded and how easy he was to forgive and forget. Overall, the plot progresses at a good pace and I think the dual POV served the plot progression well.
As for the audiobook, I think both narrators did a great job though I do think the older woman's narration was just a bit better.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eGalley of this audiobook in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was a sweet, heart-warming, and relatable novel that really thrived on its dual narrators who gave mirroring, fun perspectives from start to finish.

I found myself having a lot of empathy and understanding for Kelsey, while heartbroken at the condition of Georgina and her long life made successful only by pushing loved ones away. While it's a fiction novel with plenty of humor and romance to boot, it has a lot of important "life lessons" related to the work-focused mindset of so many people, as well as the unbreakable bond of family.

I enjoyed this novel and found it was a breeze to listen to! Would consider reading more by Courtney Walsh in the future. Narrators Tanya Eby and Cathi Colas were also great in this work.

Massive thanks to Courtney and Netgalley! I listened to this via audiobook!

What to generally expect:
⭐ Grieving + Guilt
⭐ Forgiveness + Friendship
⭐ A story of love weaved through
⭐ An overarching story of two people who are strangers who become friends after a hospital stay

Thoughts:
First a lot of reviews had this coming in with a slow start. I can agree that if this had been in text form for me it may have been a struggle to keep at it BUT the audiobook does this way more justice! I adored the story of Kelsey + Georgina! The bold, unforgiving honesty that Kelsey shares with Georgina really sparks a fire to come to terms with her past. To see her son, to mend fences, and to enjoy the life she has. Something I think so many of us can relate to these days. It's also a kick in the pants for Kelsey who now is viewing life a shade different than before her accident. Remembering to find the joy in the NOW is a big component of the story. Enjoying the moments and creating memories without a phone in hand or the busyness of the world to overwhelm and smother the joy we can have.

This journey is similar for the two as they spark an unexpected friendship, heal old wounds and believe in themselves both together and individually. I really enjoyed that this was a story not just about love and friendship but about the depths hard days can have but the healing that comes with it. It's a raw and uplifting story one I really enjoyed on audiobook! Shout out to both Tanya Ebi and Cathi Colas for the narration of this story! You were positively perfect and lovely voicing this story!


Synopsis:
A near-death experience catapults workaholic junior editor Kelsey Worthington into changing her life--one yes at a time.

Kelsey Worthington always dreamed of being a writer, but she's settled into a routine of helping other people tell their stories in her job as a junior editor. She doesn't go outside of her comfort zone. Her relationships are safe. Her job is secure. Her existence is stable. And she's great with that.

And then, the accident.

While she's in the hospital overnight, she meets an older woman named Georgina Tate--a glass-ceiling-shattering, wildly successful businesswoman. Georgina sacrificed everything to become the woman she is today, but now, with a pair of failing kidneys and only a handful of months left to live, Georgina is forced to come face-to-face with her regrets. Kelsey is forced to reckon with her own list of "things I'll do someday," and she starts to ask a simple but life-changing What if I said yes to all the things I normally say no to? And The Yes Plan is born.

It takes some convincing, but Georgina finally agrees to go along with Kelsey on her Summer of Yes adventures. The two of them set off to see what might be out there waiting for them if they simply open themselves up to it. Together, they say yes to whatever comes their way--a whole day being tourists in their own New York City, dinner with strangers, a convertible that is far from practical but so much fun. But when Kelsey springs a surprise visit to Georgina's son Hayden and Georgina's ex-husband (who is not so much of an ex), the older woman is less than thrilled. But this is where the true journey begins.

Two stories of love, forgiveness, regret, romance, and finding a way to live a fearless life intertwine as these two women make an indelible impression on each other. And it all starts with a simple "yes."

This has all the makings for a book that I really like - An older protagonist, a road trip, unlikely friendships but the pieces didn't fall into place exactly as I was hoping. I think the problem is that I read The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise earlier this year and loved that one so much more. I think overall this book was really fun and worth the read, but I was hoping for a little bit more in the end.

This author can write no wrong. She bridges a generation with this story about finding true happiness and making the most of every day. I loved all of the chapters and the growth was real. It’s still filled with humor, but Sonic’s heart. Made me want to go in a road trip and be more spontaneous in my life. Really made me stop and think about the things I give my attention to and reminded me to keep a proper perspective. Loved it!! Narration was incredible!

The Summer of Yes was just what I needed while on vacation this summer. It was a story of unexpected friendship, humor, fear of regret, and love. I highly recommend this light-hearted read.

Thank you NetGalley and Courtney Walsh for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

The book is about two women in different life stages, with different experiences, personalities, and problems, who go on to say yes to experiencing life more. Very beautiful character development, with a slowish start, but ends up being a page turner that makes you smile. Nice themes of prioritising the right things, and forgiveness, with a touch of romance. Enjoyed it very much.

✍︎︎ ⒷⓄⓄⓀ ⓇⒺⓋⒾⒺⓌ ✍︎︎

𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚋𝚢 @courtneywalsh
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

“Because times change. People change. ‘Life moves pretty fast. And if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

Kelsey's life has been stuck in a rut, she's always dreamed of being a writer but she settled for helping others write their books instead. So when a random crazy car accident changes her life, she realizes she needs to finally start living for herself. While stuck in the hospital she meets Georgina Tate, an iconic famous business woman, and learns she's dying. Kelsey comes up with the plan for the two of them to go on a summer roadtrip and say yes to living life to the fullest before it's too late!

I thought this was such a sweet read. It was so nice seeing female friendship in this way, a young woman and an older woman coming together to get out of both of their comfort zones and learn to live life. There were moments where I was getting a similar vibe "evelyn hugo" with a young reporter and an older iconic star talking about working in a memoir. There were def moments where i was frustrated with both of them, and how stubborn and stuck in their ways they were. But it all worked out in the end, and it was so sweet seeing Georgina find her way back to her family and them welcoming her with open hearts and minds.

QOTD: If you could travel anywhere, where would you want to go most?

#courtneywalsh #thesummerofyes #audiobooks

* 𝘪 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸*

This audiobook was fabulous. Kelsey and Georgina were brought to life. This book will definitely put a smile on your face.

The Summer of Yes was one of my most anticipated summer reads! It was a great reminder to not take the people that mean the most in your life for granted!

I loved the plot of this book and truly enjoyed the author’s writing style. I love a good read that is wholesome and really focuses on how special a relationship between two female friends can be. I was always taught to be there for other women even when they may have given you an excuse or two not to be in their corner. The two main characters in The Summer of Yes, Georgina Tate and Kelsey Worthington, did just that. Although, it took Georgina a little bit of time to warm up to Kelsey’s (too) bubbly personality and antics. I will say that the book fell a little short for me in a couple of places. I would have liked to see more sassy banter between Georgina and Kelsey. I was expecting more Thelma and Louise moments. I would have also liked to have seen a dash more romance. Overall, a good summer (with a few serious themes) read that I would recommend to anyone that loves the romance genre and women’s fiction.

Takeaway:
The Culture of Yes is becoming more and more popular in corporate america and higher education. This culture encourages a mindset of looking for any possible way to say yes. This required an individual to create solutions and possibilities to make things work instead of focusing on the negative outcomes and what could go wrong.

Favorite Quotes:
“It’s not always the big yeses that make a difference in your life. Sometimes that beauty of the moment is found in the little yeses of everyday life.”

“Because times change. People change. Life moves pretty fast. And if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Favorite Characters:
Hayden (Georgina’s Son)
Dylan (Georgina’s Husband)

This book was a dnf for me unfortunately, i couldnt get into it at all! I’m not sure what it was, maybe the timing but this book and I didnt click. I would still be interested in maybe picking up the paperback version or reading anything else by this author. The ARC copy is greatly appreciated!

Super cute! I did the audio on this and I kind of wish I read the book instead.. such great lessons to implement into my life! And it was likable and fun and cute!

I loved this book. Really made me think about putting yourself first and saying yes to yourself. I loved the relationship between Kelsey and Georgina that also developed perfectly.

It took me a long time to write this review because finishing this book left a void in me.

I'm not usually a reader of romance, but this book touched something in me. Kelsey's journey to self discovery is just beautiful, and touched me on a deeper level - the whole ~finding the balance between work and life~ is my current strugle. Also Georgina's personality and story is just marvelous. Full of regret and old patterns, and full of fear of change. Also, Hayden and his father are just *chefs kiss*.

I loved this book! It was fun to flip briefly between the two narrators. I didn’t love Tanya Eby this time which surprises me because I have loved her in the past. But Georgina’s narrator was awesome! I love that they got an actual older woman to do her voice. It made it so authentic! And I do feel Ms Eby’s voice for Georgina was pretty spot on as well. Kelsey and Hayden’s story was sweet and lovely, but Dylan and Georgina’s story was just as enticing to me. I will definitely be going back and reading more Courtney Walsh. She had me crying through the end but it was worth every sentimental tear. Thank you so much to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for this ALC!

I am a sucker for intergenerational friendships which was a main point in this one. While the characters could be a bit frustrating, overall I really enjoyed the plot and thought it was well written. The narrator was very good which helped with reading this one. Definitely would pick up more books by Walsh if I am looking for an easy read that I don’t need to think too heavily about.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this one in exchange for an honest review.

This is a quick easy read that follows the story of two unlikely to be friends who meet in unfortunate circumstances and one almost dares the other to explore the big mystery that is life.

I listened to the audiobook which passed the time quickly although it did feel that everything happened quite conveniently and there was a lot of history of hurt that was brushed away very quickly

Huge thank you to the author for this gifted copy!

This cover is the epitome of summer happiness. Kelsey starts off as an unhappy workaholic, but her decision to start saying "yes" brings her so much happiness along the way! It's a very joyful and hopefully book with great character arcs, and such the perfect summer read.

I could definitely relate to Kelsey, as I tend to be a people-pleaser at work and am actively trying to say "no" more in my work life so that I can say "yes" more in my personal life. It really resonated!

The audiobook performance was particularly joyful--I thought the narrator was a great fit.

Ah, Courtney Walsh. Can she write a bad book? The answer is no, absolutely not. I think is say this every time I read (or listen) to a book by her, but I just don't understand how its possible that every book I read by Walsh becomes a new favorite. The Summer of Yes should go in the dictionary as the definition of a perfect summer beach read. It was just so fun and a perfect escape. I couldn't get enough of the characters and this whole theme of saying yes and living your life, taking risks, and making and sharing memories with those you love/care for.. Seriously, I just loved every single minute listening to this warm, heartfelt, meaningful, and empowering story! A pure delight if every way, from both the story itself and the listening experience with the dual narrators, The Summer of Yes is a MUST read/listen!

Many thanks to HarperCollins Christian Publishing and Netgalley for the gifted audiobook!