Audrey is an 80's teen whose only wish is to become famous. As she sets out on a summer road trip, she embarks on her quest for fame with some daring adventures.
Jasmine, in the present day, discovers a hint involving a long lost heirloom and begins her quest to find it. What she finds is a history of lives touched and paths forever changed.
This book will touch your heart.

This book is about Audrey, a teenager girl in the 80s and Jasmine, a woman in today's age. An old family heirloom gets their lives to connect.
At first, I was not a fan of Audrey, with her teenager rebellion and bad decisions. But the more you learn about her, the better you start understanding her. It is also heartwarming to see the amount of growth she goes throughout the book and the fact that she really was a caring and special person, and a good part of her attitude had to do with her grief.
With Jasmine, I feel like she had not really found her voice and it was easy to see how people had an impact in her daily life. I did like the fact that the book shows how much pressure women goes through during her child bearing years. It can be incredibly hard to deal with it, especially if you are dealing with infertility issues. The constant nagging from family and friends does not help and I wish her family was a little more supportive of her personal goals, rather than treating her as just a vessel to carry a child. Despite all that, she's determined to find out more about Audrey and in this journey you see how many lives were impacted by her, including Jasmine's, even if not personally.
The book was slow paced at first, but it gets your attention quickly once their stories start to develop.
Overall, I recommend this book, however, check for trigger warnings first. I can see this being a though read if you have infertility issues or has lost a child/sibling.

Thank you NetGalley, Wendy Day and Open Sky publishing for proving me a copy of this book in exchange of my honest and unbiased opinion.

Summer 1987: When rebellious 16-year-old Audrey is forced to ride shotgun with her dad on a six-week cross-country sales trip, she’s sure her summer is ruined. But with the help of her best friend, she is determined to make the best of it. In her thread-worn backpack is a stack of black and white photos she plans to hang in diners wherever she goes- adding herself to the walls of fame. After all, she knows she’s going to be famous someday. But becoming famous isn’t the same as leaving a legacy.

Summer 2017: Thirty-four-year-old Jasmine needs one thing to complete her almost perfect life- a baby. Facing family pressure and a ticking biological clock, getting pregnant is her primary focus. Then she stumbles upon a black and white glossy photo tacked up on a diner wall amid a field of famous faces. The girl in the photo is wearing a unique necklace Jasmine recognizes as a family heirloom, lost by her Granny years before. As Jasmine sets out to find the girl and the necklace, she discovers that the best-laid plans are often written in sand.

The cover on this caught my attention. It's absolutely stunning. If you enjoy women's fiction, you will enjoy this. The dual timeline works well, and following Jasmine's story from different points of her life give us a deeper understanding of who she is and how she became that person. Highly recommended if you enjoy literary/women's fiction! 4⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

AND THEN IT WAS SEPTEMBER - WENDY DAY

If you're looking for an emotional yet heartwarming story that has fun 80s vibes and a solid set of mysteries at its core, I think you'll love And then it was September. Here's a synopsis:

Come for the 80s vibes. Stay for the story. A missing necklace, a backpack full of photos, and two women trying to outrun their families' expectations.

Actually, a blurb is what you'll get because the less you know about the storyline, the more enjoyable it is. In a nutshell, the book follows two perspectives: Audrey in 1987 and Jasmine in 2017. The first timeline is an ode to the 80s in some ways, and music is a big focus.

Chapter over chapter, the characters are carefully constructed, giving us a real sense of who they are and their current situations. Both are very much on a journey, and there is overlap between them and what they experience. Even though I would describe this as a lighter read, some heavier themes are explored so check the TWs at the end.

There are numerous mysteries to solve too, which helps to set a good pace right up until the end.

I had a few issues with this read; there was quite a bit of repetition, some issues felt oversimplified and one character continuously acted beyond her age. The big moments also felt a bit rushed. Lastly, this book is unequivocally filled with good characters. I personally like a little more shades of grey when it comes to characterisation.

But for anyone looking for something that's light, engaging and heartwarming, this one's for you. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for my copy of this book.

Review score: 3/5

TWs: infertility, miscarriage, d*ath, illness, natural disasters

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing an ARC of And Then It Was September.

This book starts on a high note with its creative structure: each chapter is tied to a playlist, offering a unique glimpse into the characters and setting the tone before the story even begins. I loved this idea—it instantly gave depth and flavor to the narrative.

Wendy Day’s writing style is engaging, balancing character exploration without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary exposition. The story alternates between two timelines, and while both are intriguing, I found Jasmine’s storyline more compelling. Her perspective as a 35-year-old felt relatable, grounded, and emotionally resonant, (even though I'm closer in age to Audrey).

On the other hand, Audrey’s chapters—though they captured the essence of teenage struggles—felt a bit forced at times. The overuse of 80s slang in her voice detracted from the authenticity of her character, making her a bit harder to connect with. Despite this, the contrasts between the two protagonists add richness to the narrative, and the interplay between their stories keeps the book interesting.

The relationship between Jasmine and Tyson stood out as a highlight—well-written and believable, full of subtle emotional beats that make their connection feel real.

Overall, And Then It Was September is an enjoyable and unique read with a strong structure, a vivid writing style, and characters that draw you in, even if some aspects don’t hit quite as well. Fans of dual-timeline narratives with a hint of nostalgia will appreciate this one.

4/5 stars.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the two timelines of 1987 and 2017. Both Audrey and Jasmine were well written and it was so well thought out. I couldn't put it down once I started it. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you Net Galley ARC

There were so many things to like about this book - dual timelines (1987 and 2017); dual POVs; a Southern setting; and a mystery to be solved.

If you grew up in the 80s (or were a teen or young adult in the latter part of that decade) and loved that era's music and pop culture, then this book will fill that 80s niche for you.

The chapters alternate between the voice of Jasmine, a 34 year old wife and yearning mother to be, and Audrey, a 16 year old who has been forced to travel cross country with her salesman father for the summer.

The mystery hinges on Jasmine spotting a family heirloom necklace on a 30 year old black and white glossy picture of Audrey on the wall of some Southern diner. Jasmine is certain it is the same necklace made by a beau of her Granny's 50+ years ago, which had been lost at a Civil Rights march,

It's a fun ride tracking down stories and identities from the past in a pursuit for the necklace.

Thank you, NetGalley and Open Sky Publishing, for the opportunity to jump into this eye opening jaunt. And, what about that gorgeous cover?

This book came out awhile ago but I still wanted to come back here and leave a review. I was initially attracted to this ARC because of the gorgeous cover, but I stayed for the story. This is a dual timeline book. Audrey lives in 1987 and Jasmine in 2017. I love the 80's Nostalgia. It was an addictive read once I started it( sorry it took me so long!) and I am looking forward to reading more from this author. Congrats on the release!

I liked the concept of this book, the storyline was there but didn’t completely follow through to be as promising as I expected. Jasmines character was almost flawless, which made it hard to relate within the book. As well as, the other characters fell flat and to me almost made me irritated just reading about them and would want to skip over their parts within the book. The book never left anything up for interpretation any longer than a few pages. So I wish the suspense of it all would have lasted longer and had more details to draw it all together.

Overall, it was a nice easy read that kept me entertained throughout it.

This was horrible. I feel like two stars is really a stretch. Audrey's character made this book somewhat redeemable, but nothing could truly overcome the Jasmine's character and her insufferable attitude. She's spoiled, narcissistic, and petulant; everyone's life had to revolve around her struggles and her view on everything. The author really pushed racial issues (or the perception of issues) throughout the book, and not in a good way. Her entitlement attitude was a complete turn off, and blew this book up for me. I'm normally pretty non-judgmental about other reviews, but the fact that this book has so many 5-star reviews makes me question the status of this reading community.

This book was a complete surprise. It was hard to get into at first but then I was sucked in by Audrey and Jasmine's story.

A young girl goes on a business trip with her father and both of them are dealing with grief. I thought this book did a great job of showing the details of grief and how it can affect families. You can't help but love Audrey and her spunk. Then you have Jasmine's story of infertility. As a person who has gone through infertility herself, this was a very gut wrenching look at what that is like for a woman.

There were a few things that I didn't like. I didn't like how Jasmine's mom was portrayed or all the stereotypes thrown into the book. I feel like some of that was unnecessary to the story and made it less endearing. I didn't really like Jasmine's husband either and wish that he had some more depth. I also wish the ending had been a bit more flushed out. I felt like it ended abruptly. I really wanted to know Granny's reaction.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read.

A mystery, part set in 1987 and part in 2017. This story had all the mysterious vibes and 80's nostalgia and that cover!!!! Thank you netgalley for the arc

"And Then It Was September" by Wendy Day is a captivating dual narrative novel that weaves together the stories of 16-year-old Audrey, set in 1987, and Jasmine, who is in her 30s, set in 2017.

Jasmine notices a young, beautiful girl's photo up on the Wall of Fame in a diner wearing a one-of-a-kind necklace that had belonged to her great-grandmother and passed on to her Granny, who lost it at a civil rights rally many years ago. Determined to find the necklace and return it to her Granny, her only clue is the girl's name - Audrey. Jasmine soon learns that Audrey had been on a quest to become famous in the 80s and taped her headshot in as many diners and bars as she could. This leads Jasmine on an incredible adventure that shares a beautiful story about Audrey's life and background.

Both characters were well-developed, and I really enjoyed Audrey's uniqueness. I struggled a bit with Jasmine's antiquated character, though. However, I do understand where the character was coming from with setting up the new house and then trying to start a family, and this was why she was putting her career on hold, but it came across as a lot of whining when it was reinforced with her husband, her family, her circle of friends, and within her own thoughts. It was a lot, but I did enjoy her persistence.

Wendy Day's writing style kept me engaged, as did the vivid descriptions and settings and highly emotional relationships, especially between Audrey and her dad - that was some road trip he took her on. I could really feel their pain and the love they had for one another.

The plot was well-paced, with unexpected twists and turns that kept me eagerly turning the pages until I neared the final chapters, and everything just wrapped up very suddenly. While I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others, I felt that the ending could have been more satisfying and needed the same pace as the rest of the book.

Overall, "And Then It Was September" is a beautiful novel that I'm glad to have read.

And that cover is absolutely GORGEOUS!

Thank you, #NetGalley, #WendyDay, and #OpenSkyPublishing, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Car accident, child death, depression, miscarriage, mental health, teen pregnancy.

This was such an interesting story!

It's a dual timeline - Audrey's story is set in 1987, and it's fabulous! Love the 80s references and it brought back some great memories. Audrey is an awesome character, she's got chutzpa! She's on a road trip with her dad, a traveling salesman, and decides to put up autographed 8x10s of herself on all the "famous" walls of people. It's a fun story, but has a lot of serious points with her relationships with her parents.

The second story is Jasime's story - it's set in 2017. She sees a photo of Audrey's and realizes the necklace is similar to the family heirloom her Granny lost years ago. She's determined to get the necklace back and follows the trail of Audrey's photos to find her.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

This was a pleasant and quick read. There are two main characters - one is a 16 year old girl, wise beyond her years, who is unhappy about having to travel around the south in the summer of 1987 with her father while he does his rounds as a salesman (it is not explained why this was necessary), the other character is a woman in 2017 who lives a privileged life with her lawyer husband, her only job is to get pregnant. When she sees a photograph at a bakery of the 16 year old girl, she sees the necklace that her grandmother lost over 40 years ago, and begins an odyssey to get it back.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this novel.

I received this book for free from Netgally for my honest review. This cover was gorgeous so it made me want to read it. However, the old fashioned belief system really made it a hard read for me. Jasmine was so focused on having a baby and living the life that her family expected of her. I get it was the 80’s, but it was a hard thing to get through. The story was interesting enough. This was a book written from two different women’s views, one traveling with her dad and leaving pictures everywhere in hopes people will recognize her when she gets famous, and another girl from about 30 years later looking for the other girl who is wearing a necklace she recognizes. I feel like this book needed some extra editing to make it less choppy and maybe a better ending. I know plenty of women who wijld really enjoy this book.

This was a good book. I liked following the characters through the two dual timelines and seeing how they’re connected. I do think it was aimed more towards teenagers but it was still good
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and especially the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review of the book!!

Wendy Day's And Then It Was September is a poignant and deeply moving exploration of love, loss, and the subtle transitions that mark the passage of time. Set against the backdrop of the changing seasons, Day's writing has a lyrical quality that draws readers into the internal worlds of her characters, making their emotional journeys feel both intimate and universal.
The novel shines in its portrayal of complex relationships, particularly how grief and healing can weave in and out of daily life, often in ways we least expect. Day's characters are fully realized—flawed yet likable, and the way she interweaves their stories offers a rich and satisfying narrative experience.
Overall, And Then It Was September is a heartfelt reflection on the seasons of life, capturing the bittersweet beauty of change. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy stories that linger with them long after the final page.
Thank you Net galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read the book.

I received a free electronic version of this book through netgalley. I'm going to be honest I went in completely blind with this book, I didn't read the description so I had no idea what to expect or what the book was about. I was pleasantly surprised. I applied to read this book purely on how beautiful the cover was. I'm glad I went in without knowing anything about the story because it really was a beautiful read. If you're not into women's literature this book isn't for you, it's not a fast paced thriller or an epic fantasy, it is a heartwarming tale about grief. The book is dual character and dual timeline which was very interesting, I've never seen that before. The chapters are also really short which makes it easy to fly through this book. I will admit it started a little slow but the more I read and learnt about Audrey and the impact she had on others without even realising it I was hooked. Audrey is a teenager that goes through so many difficult things especially for a girl of her age but has more grace and spreads more positivity than people twice her age. The other character is jasmine who suffers her own heartbreak and I feel was a little lost, and in her own way Audrey gave Jasmine a new sense of purpose too. I think if you want a heartwarming story of 2 women from 2 different times this book is definitely for you.

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. It has dual timelines and I enjoyed Audrey's timeline much more than Jasmine's. However, the story just seemed kind of choppy to me. I feel like we were just dropped into the middle of the book and we really didn't know who the main characters were. Also, I think the story ended abruptly. I would've liked to know more about Audrey's life after the road trip with her Father.
Over all this book was just okay for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book for review.