I enjoyed this feel good story that is told from 2 very different characters. If you are looking for an uplifting story with an easy to follow plot this one is for you. We are given complex relationships that need healing, laughable moments, and characters to cheer on to the end.
Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I adored this book!

I loved the characters and their dynamics, even if they were messy and/or complicated. I liked the story line of a summer of yes and a super unexpected friendship. Ending in the most beautiful of ways

I really loved this book! It was such a cute story and made me wanna go on a rode trip and do things that scare me. I will definitely be looking out for more books by this author!

How many times in our day to day lives do we say no? What happens if we just said yes even half the time? Can you imagine how many rather exciting opportunities and experiences we are missing out on.

Kelsey was running an errand for work and is hit by a car. When she wakes up in the hospital, she makes a decision. She could've died, and she's been missing out on life. Giving her all for a job that she doesn't like. She wants to be a writer but has always questioned whether she can actually do it.

In walks Georgina. Georgina is the total opposite. Georgina is at the top of her career. She has put her career as number one, over her marriage, over her child. She has always wanted to the best businesswoman in New York City. She hasn't cared what she has to do to achieve this level of success.
But one problem, her kidneys are failing. Georgina is now confronted with not only her health but what she has done to her personal life to get to her level of success.

These two set out on a journey, Georgina could learn to dream a little and love life and maybe even try to repair some relationships that have been lost. Kelsey can learn from Georgina what it can take to achieve her dreams, give her some confidence to make some hard choices. But the two will far learn and experience more than the ever realized. The riches and love of life will be of learning to say yes even when it's a little scary.

Grab a good drink and head to the beach for this amazing adventure. Say yes!

What if you said yes to everything instead of the usual no? The Summer of Yes is about two women Kelsey and Georgina who meet in the hospital both experiencing situations that leave a mark on them. The characters are lovable and the storyline is clever, but not quite as engaging as some of Walsh’s other books. With that being said, it is still a cute light hearted read that will leave you feeling good at the end.
Thank you NetGalley, and Harper Collins Christian Publishing for my advanced copy.

I listened to the audiobook for this title and would definitely recommend it. The narrator was great and the book was a fun enjoyable summer read. The book follows two characters Kelsey and Georgina both meet in a hospital. Kelsey has just been in a car accident and Georgina was there for her dialysis. Kelsey during this whole encounter realizes how she is wasting her life on things that do not matter to her and asks Georgina who's facing the same problems to go on a summer of yes, It's basically yes day for grown-ups.This book is definitely character driven and they really make the story stand out. The writing was fun too, Courtney made the characters so rich and flawed that I liked reading about them and their struggles made them feel so realistic. I would say I understood where Kelsey was coming from but she had no right to meddle in Georgina's life the way she did and for Georgina.

Overall, an enjoyable read that I would recommend FOR people wanting character driven books and a fun read about female friendship.

Dual-POV journey - one woman at the beginning of her adult life, the other nearing its end. Kelsey, a junior editor, survives a near-death experience and decides to embrace life with a “Yes Plan.” Georgina, a successful businesswoman with failing kidneys, joins her. Their adventures—touristing in New York, dinner with strangers, and a road trip to North Carolina—unfold with introspection and gentle romance. However, the pacing occasionally falters, earning this heartwarming tale only 3.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for the e book. This is my first book by Courtney Walsh and it is definitely not going to be the last. The premise of the book is so heartwarming and thought provoking. It made me think that so many of us can’t find their calling in life due to their fear of what the future holds. Fear of the unknown stopped the mc from taking risks and doing what she loves. She falsely thought that what she did in life is the right thing, little that she knows that she is prone to take the safest road to avoid risk and being hurt. In this novel you discover that the safest route isn’t always the right one. Something else I loved about this book that it has no spice at all. There are noble feelings and love but no smutty scenes thankfully.

A joyful message of friendships in unlikely places, taking chances, having faith in taking those chances, and being open to life’s opportunities. Saying yes to more is an idea that sticks with you after reading this heartwarming story. There were a few plot areas that I found myself wondering how they were going to resolve - namely regarding the main character’s family. I love hearing how the book has resonated with the author’s life too - highly recommend!

This was a refreshing take on living life to its fullest, a perspective shift and making more “yes” choices to life’s opportunities. I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet and emotional story from Courtney Walsh.

Audiobook was beautifully narrated and the story was full of hope. Thanks for an early copy through NetGalley.

This book was slow to start, it felt like nothing really happened in the first 45% of it. And even when it did get interesting it became very repetitive. I was hoping for an adventure of two women with lots of regrets and what I got was two women who have unrealistic romances. It was too sickly sweet and cheesy for my tastes and I wish the romantic relationships were built up to a little more... They felt very rushed.

I think this solidifies that I am done with this author. Too much navel gazing. Too cheesy. Just not at all my cup of tea when it comes to romance or women’s fiction

What would you do with a second chance at life?

✨ Book Review: THE SUMMER OF YES by Courtney Walsh ✨

🚙 Book Synopsis: After a freak accident puts Kelsey in the hospital and in the same room as a grand dame New York City businesswoman, Georgina Tate, Kelsey feels the need to reevaluate her isolated, career-driven life. And she’s decided that Ms. Tate is the perfect person to go along with a summer full of saying yes to the things that bring joy. When Georgina actually says yes to this scheme (with her own conditions), they’re off on the summer adventure of a lifetime.

🏁 My Take: Kelsey may be the heroine who starts the summer of yes and self discovery, but Georgina Tate is the character that makes this story sing. Her acerbic wit is a wonderful counterbalance to Kelsey’s overly sunny and optimistic viewpoint. Plus, Georgina’s lessons learned and relationships repaired were the real tearjerkers because she’s older and more stubbornly set in her ways. Ultimately, she has more to overcome. Even the audio narration of Ms. Georgina Tate, with her biting New York accent, was stellar.

Overall the story was solid. I loved the premise and it definitely made me smell the roses a bit more. Go into this for the life outlook makeover and/or the female relationships. I found the romance to be quite secondary.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

😘 Thanks to @ThomasNelson, @TNZFiction, and @NetGalley for an eARC and audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much to Courtney Walsh and Thomas Nelson for gifting me a review copy of The Summer of Yes.

I just love that Courtney Walsh writes books that make us happy, and this book is no exception. Wonderful characters, positive friendships, love, forgiveness, an uplifting plot that will pull at your heartstrings, and an inspirational message about not having regrets.

A near-death experience and then a hospital stay leads Kelsey Worthington to meet Georgina Tate. Georgina’s kidneys are failing and she finds she has some regrets about the things she pushed aside in life. She’s a lesson in not putting things off until ‘someday’, and after some convincing Kelsey and Georgina head off on her Summer of Yes adventure.

The audio is fantastically narrated by Tanya Eby and Cathi Colas, and comes in at just under 11.5 hours.

A great read with such emotion and power behind the storyline. The main character was hard to enjoy and some of the story just seemed so unrealistic, how her son just up and forgave her without consequence. Maybe i wasn't the target audience but what i did take from it, is that life is short and that resonated with me a lot.

If you woke up in a hospital bed and discovered you should be dead, how would that change how you lived?

Kelsey Worthington’s writing dreams were collecting dust under the strictly ordered tasks that filled her days, along with all the fun and spontaneity that no longer fit within her self-imposed structure. Until a car jumped the curb and almost killed her.

Georgina Tate is THE legendary New York businesswoman who is the gold standard for every woman who dreams of running their own successful business. She is confident and demanding. And she is dying.

When Kelsey and Georgina end up in the same hospital room, the unlikely pairing sets off a summer of change neither of them saw coming. Deciding they both need to change their habits and find their joy, Kelsey convinces a very reluctant Georgina to join her on a road trip. And so begins their Summer of Yes – saying yes to the things that scare them, that haunt them, and that they’ve simply never tried.

Neither knew where they were heading or what they’d find there, but it was a summer that re-wrote both their stories.

Though this book was a little repetitive in the beginning (I found myself wanting to tell Kelsey to get on with it a few times 😉), it did draw me in about halfway, and I thoroughly enjoyed the last half of the book. Now I want a road trip and my own Summer of Yes!

A fun, love- and life-affirming book that may just pull you out of your comfort zone. Go ahead, eat that ice cream, take that trip, maybe write that book, and definitely say that “I love you!”

Thank you to HarperCollins Christian Publishing/Thomas Nelson Fiction, NetGalley, and author Courtney Walsh for the complimentary advance copy! It was my pleasure to write this candid review.

The story follows Kelsey and Georgina who meet while in the hospital. When Kelsey quickly recovers she has a new lease on life and is determined to say yes to things and bring Georgina along for the ride.

When Kelsey discovers Georgina is estranged from her family she makes it her mission to reunite them.

I typically love Courtney Walsh for a light romance with a guaranteed happily ever after. The Summer of Yes delivered on the happily ever after, but it was slow to start and I wish the book focused on one of the couples more, it felt by the time we got into the romance both couples were glossed over.

This was a cute, lighthearted read where the romance trope was only a fraction of the actual storyline. Our story begins when Kelsey is reevaluating her life in the hospital after a medical scare, and gets some hard-hitting advice from Georgina that springs her into a summer of getting outside of her comfort zone. But Kelsey’s summer of yes is only a small part of the story.

Throughout her journey, we get to see the genuine friendship blossom between the two woman, as much as Georgina pretends she doesn’t want it! I loved that the younger and older woman learned so much from each other throughout the summer’s adventures. The multi-generation female friendship felt so refreshing and wholesome. However, things begin to take a turn when Kelsey sets out to reunite Georgina with her son and ex-husband. From there, the storyline grows to explore family dynamics and forgiveness, as well as rekindled and new love.

This is definitely a book to read if you’re looking for a hopeful, feel-good story!

"The Sumer of Yes" stars a junior editor Kelsey who has just gone through a life-threatening accident. Inspired by her near-death experience and her dying hospital roommate - the fabulous, rich and famous Georgina Tate- she decides to chase life and follow her dreams. She is starting with the summer of YES! She will say yes to anything life throws at her way! And she will take Georgina along on the ride, even if she doesn't want to. And so starts the summer of yes, where both women will discover what is important for them in life.

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What a fun audiobook this one was! It gave me major "The Devil Wears Prada" vibes at times. It might be because of the dynamic of the two FMCs, but well...in "The Summer of Yes" they have a bit of a healthier relationship. I truly liked the storyline of the book. I feel like it has a bit more of a deeper meaning than regular romances and reminds you (at least it made me) to live life to the fullest and get out of your comfort zone.

One of my favourite quotes from the book:
""And there is one important thing I forgot about being a young woman with dreams."
"What is it?" she asks. I draw in a breath.
"We all need someone to believe in us.""

My overall rating of the book is 4 stars. I liked the storyline and the characters and I'd recommend it to all the other romance lovers out there who wish to read a romance book with a bit more of a deeper meaning.

I would like to thank the author, the publishers and NetGalley for giving me a chance to listen to the ALC of this book.

This premise of this book seemed really cute, but the young FMC was super annoying and the older FMC was equally annoying. The younger FMC’s idea of “the summer of yes” seems like a great idea. It could have been, if she didn’t force everyone else to come along for the ride. This was almost a DNF, but I really wanted to see how it ended. It was okay, but overall I really couldn’t get into it.