I really enjoy reading Denise Hunter's novels and The Summer of You and Me was just as enjoyable with the setting in a small town, a mystery, and unrequited love.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Denise Hunter never fails to deliver captivating and unique love stories that will keep me intrigued from start to finish... and this one was certainly no exception. To be honest, a war widow and her deceased husband's brother is one of those things that maybe shouldn't work or would be very difficult to pull off in a way that feels okay... but I couldn't help but love this story. The two had such a fantastic chemistry and I didn't think that it ever came across as taking away from that previous love or betraying it in any way. It was a complicated relationship, without a doubt, but one that I really enjoyed just the same. The added mystery of who the man that looked just like her late husband was only made the story more intriguing. It kept me guessing right through to the very end... with a twist that I certainly did not see coming. You'll definitely want to read it to see what happens! If you enjoy Christian romance, you absolutely won't want to miss this one!

**ARC received via Netgalley for consideration. All opinions are my own.

I finished it... but I don't really think I liked it??? There were some sweet moments, but the premise sold the book way better than the book itself.

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC!

2.75 stars | I was really excited when I started this book because of how unique the plotline sounded but I didn’t love the execution of it unfortunately. I loved the mystery aspect of this book but a lot of the other parts of this book just didn’t hit for me.

To start off, the pacing felt very off in my opinion. For the first 75% of this book I really struggled to connect with the characters and was very bored. Then, within the last quarter of the book the plot twist is unraveled (very quickly) and all this information is just thrown at you. It felt pretty messy (in my opinion). Towards the end there’s a ton of information thrown upon the reader; and to me it felt like it came out of nowhere and kind of unnecessary. With the information that is given it leaves the reader with questions and it gives the sense that the story is unfinished. The ending just felt a bit off to me.

I did like how this book dealt with the heavier topics that were in it. It didn’t brush over them at all, and really took the time to discuss them with a good amount of detail. I also really liked the main two characters that this story focuses on.

When I first finished this book I felt extremely conflicted on how I felt overall. It’s not necessarily bad, but I just don’t have a lot to say on it. At the same time I didn’t love it. It feels very middle ground to me.

Thank you to netgalley for sending me an arc to review. As always, thoughts are my own, and are no way influenced by early access to this title.

This is my first Denise Hunter book.

It’s been 5 years since Maggie lost her husband in the war. Josh his brother has also been there to help her get through everything. She has no idea that Josh has always been in love with Maggie. After 5 years as a widow will she be able to move on with her life. Will she fall in love with Josh her best friend.

The book completely surprised me—it was such a thrilling and enjoyable read! That twist at the end had my jaw on the floor—I’m still recovering!

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Thomas Nelson Fiction through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Denise Hunter has hit the mark again!
Maggie Reynolds has experienced great joy and love as well as great loss and sorrow. She's spent five years mourning the loss of her husband Ethan while raising their daughter Zoey who he never had a chance to meet. She's shouldered all the burden and feels that she's done an okay job being on her own and raising her daughter. She's finally in a place in her life where she might be open to a new relationship but she needs to be sure and she needs to be sure that Ethan's family is ready for that.
Josh Reynolds owns his own business and has reached success in his life. He's set for everything except for watching his sister-in-law mourn the loss of his brother Ethan and raise their daughter on her own. He's done everything he can to be there for both of them and help Maggie through losing Ethan and putting herself back together. He's excited for her and Zoey to spend the summer in Seabrook, North Carolina, and be closer to family. He's also ready to take a step to happiness for his future. But just as he thinks it's time, Maggie makes a startling discovery that will change their lives.
Reader, you will love Maggie and Zoey; you will cheer in Josh's corner; you will be delighted by Erin, Josh's sister and Maggie's sister-in-law; you will silently wish Maggie's mother be sent to a land far far away. Reader, you will discover love, heartache, compassion, honesty, forgiveness and rediscovery. Reader, you will not be disappointed!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I always enjoy a story by this author. She is consistent in writing stories that are inspiring. I enjoy the characters and how they come to find their way in the end. There is always a story that alllows you to walk the journey of healing and finding truth and faith. There isn’t a book I have read by her I didn’t enjoy.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

Loved that there was a bit of mystery in this well written enjoyable book. I will definitely look to read additional titles from this author

This was a great book about unfolding what you think you know! Maggie and Josh think they know they truth, at least the truth that appears to be right in front of them, but they really don't. And are they going to let that truth come between them and their happiness?

This book had a good pace and was interesting. I was caught off guard with the romance and didn't really like it. It felt off to me. The story did have a good mystery which I did enjoy.


Thank you to NetGalley and Denise Hunter for allowing me to read this book!

I enjoyed this book. It had a little bit of everything romance, trust issues, suspense , a child, an animal, heartache, untruths and a beautiful setting. This book kept my interest and kept me guessing. As with most books like this we have a breakup, before we have the will they get back together moment. This one I struggled with. I struggle with the we are a happy couple, oh no we are not because of a misunderstanding.

The Summer of Me and You is an upcoming novel from Denise Hunter. It was my first read by this author and it won’t be my last!

As I hunkered down here in Minnesota, my mind was on the beach in North Carolina where we meet Maggie Reynolds and her daughter Zoey. Maggie is a widow of five years, having lost her husband while he was serving oversees in the military. She is still close with his family, especially her sister-in-law and best friend Erin and her brother-in-law Josh.

When Maggie returns to Seabrook for the summer and sees her late husband’s look-a-like at the pier, she becomes determined to find out if her husband really died five years ago or if there’s another reason he has a doppelgänger wandering his hometown.

While this novel is no thriller, I couldn’t help myself from turning the page over and over to get one step closer to figuring out who this guy is and how all the puzzle pieces fit together.

There’s also a very sweet love story woven throughout Maggie’s summer. I want to spoil everything for you but I won’t! Add The Summer of You and Me to your TBR immediately and prepare for it to be your favorite easy beach read after its release on April 21st 📖⛱️

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Denise Hunter for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#thesummerofyouandme #northcarolina #beach #beachread #reel #bookreview #ARC #netgalley #denisehunter #novel #romance #bookish #arcreview #beachaesthetic

Well written enjoyable book. I will be looking for more of her work in the future as this one was hard to put down.

This book was filled with mystery, self discovery and romance and considering it was set in a beach town I’m going to declare it a beach read too. It’s one of those books that has a little something for everyone and it held my interest throughout the book. I felt like I was on summer vacation in the middle of January in Chicago which speaks more to the author than to me. I’m absolutely not going to give the plot away this time so grab the book and your beach towel give it a read.



"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

I always take the opportunity to read a book by Denise Hunter. She is my favorite romance writer and with this book she added an element of mystery which I love since romantic suspense is my favorite genre. Maggie Reynolds has been a widow for five years. She has a small child which her husband Ethan never got the opportunity to see. Maggie's brother-in-law Ryan has been in love with Maggie since he was a teen. He hopes to let his feelings be known to her but when she returns to Seabrook she sees a man at an amusement park who is the spitting image of her late husband. She begins to question of whether or no this man is actually her husband or someone else. I was engrossed in the whole book wanting the mystery to be revealed. I was more involved in the mysterious man than the love story developing between Maggie and Ryan.

One thing I did not like about Ryan is that he was married before and the marriage failed because his wife knew that he was in love with his sister-in-law. This was confirmed when he was under dental sedation for surgery. He should have never married someone unless they had his whole heart and he did not.

All and all it was an enjoyable book to read. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys reading Denise Hunter.

I find this book a tricky one to review. I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story where we have this man that looks just like Ethan, Maggie's apparently dead husband. I had some guesses as to where that was going and was pleasantly surprised to find out that I was wrong. On the other hand, the romance side of the book was too heavy on the physical side for my preference. So, I loved parts and wished others would be a bit different.

You can never go wrong with a small town second chance romance. Something about it makes you warm and cozy. Emotional journey that makes you feel it all.

This book was written by an author that was new to me and I’m delighted to find out that this was her 40th book! Plenty of books for me to go back and read! This book was a beautiful clean romance story that has some twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages to find out how all the threads weave together. A quick read that has strong character development and a very good plot.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction as I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wow! What a unique story — a “sort of” second chance romance, an intriguing mystery, and a beautiful, slow burn romance.

I love Josh. He’s the younger brother who never measures up to his perfect older brother (now deceased). Josh is definitely charming and yet rather insecure as well… and he’s loved Maggie since forever.

Maggie is five years into mourning the loss of her husband, Josh‘s older brother Ethan, but she’s also feeling ready to move on. Josh has been her rock for years and a dear friend, but she has never thought of him as more.

This is their story, which is beautiful, somewhat heart wrenching, and with a great intriguing mystery to solve.

I loved their relationship, even though my heart went out to Josh frequently. And I absolutely loved the ending and the revelation of the mystery. So well told!

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley with a request to give my honest opinion.