I've loved Jennifer Dugan's books but while this one was good I don't think I...loved it as much. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for the socioeconomic storylines, but I did like the characters.

I am mind blown by this book it was so much fun to read. I've been in a reading slump for a bit and wasn't enjoying books as much but this book had my full attention from start to finish. The characters both have so personality which clearly shines through in their own perspectives. The major contrast between them is their class status with Birdie coming from a highly privileged background while Cass has to work hard for her future. I'm glad this depiction wasn't superficial, but the author took the effort of showing both sides of the coin while stressing on the struggles both MCs undergo.

There's so many sweet moments throughout the story that I am in love with. The scenes are beautifully written with super cute interactions and banter. I think it makes for a lovely cozy rom com that also goes over some important issues. In particular, Bentley and Six were awesome as both a couple and a pair of protective besties when it came to Cass. I wouldn't mind reading a whole other book about them. Ada and Mitchell felt like grayer characters who had plenty things wrong about them but that also felt real seeing that's what life is like. (For added context, Ada isn't very open to Birdie's perspective many times and Mitchell is Birdie's ex with a slight redemption arc)

Some things I didn't really agree with were Birdie's mom being a major villainous character throughout without any explanation of how she became so, especially with Birdie saying she wasn't always like this. Birdie's dad on the other hand is projected as a good guy, maybe slightly misled in his ways. I don't see how this narrative makes sense with his actions repeatedly contradicting what he says. Seeing him and Cass's dad, Gordon felt like a guy who didn't care all too much about his daughter or the consequences of his action but only nonchalantly cared about his business. His attitude was just not that obvious because of the contrast with Verity who was a stereotypical self-obsessed villain.

Overall, I think this is a highly engaging and well written book that deserves the attention and love of all the readers out there. Highly recommend.

3.5 rounded down
this book was much more than romance, surprisingly there were great conversations of parental emotional abuse, money divide, and coming out and what happens when it doesn't go perfectly. This book was definitely more character driven and they were written so detailed. i really loved how they each had their own ambitions and had more than just the relationship to worry about. The only part of this book that i didn't love was how fast the romance moved, i really wished there was more growth in the feelings that we see. the epilogue and when birdie and cass first get together are my favorite parts and i really wished there were more moments like that. i feel that there were more fights and resentfulness between them than actual deep connections. honestly i would kill for a sequel of them in college. i really enjoyed the passion that cass had for helping people that birdie also learned from her. also the conversation about social media parents and how it affects their kids was super important and relevant. im glad that it showed how kids are affected by this borderline abuse. the relationships between other characters such as birdie and her dad was a very well written and developed plot line. i am only rating this book 3.5 instead of 4 because i wish i didn't go into it thinking it was all romance, i would have enjoyed it much more if i wasn't waiting for more romantic moments while reading.

Thank you to Penguin Group and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

summer girls is a dislike-to-lovers sapphic YA romance. it's engaging in the beginning, with our protagonists, birdie and cass, butting heads at every turn. their quarrells initially are very understandable, considering how different their lives and circumstances are.

it's when they get together that the story started to fall off for me. firstly, cass and birdie got together too quickly. we barely saw them coming to terms with their feelings for one another before suddenly they were dating. even the part where they confessed their feelings for each other just felt severely lacking.

their romance needed more longing. i also wish we got to know more about what their friendship was like when they were kids, before they drifted apart, because it was barely touched on.

cass also started to become very frustrating in the second half. whilst i understand why she resented birdie for her privileged lifestyle, i hated how much she lacked empathy and was always so judgemental towards her. having a momfluencer comes with its own baggage and trauma and i wish cass would've been more considerate of the unique issues birdie faced.

this was definitely book i finished with the sole thought of "they're definitely breaking up after the epilogue"

This story was so heartwarming and I enjoyed the relationship we see from Birdie and Cass. The commentary on socioeconomic differences and the privileges that come with money, were portrayed in such a meaningful way. I loved the way we see these two manage family expectations, social expectations, and more throughout the story. Both of them grew so much individually and the lessons learned are so important for young readers today.

The only thing holding me back from rating this higher was the constant miscommunication. As such a great story for young readers about navigating socioeconomic issues, managing parental expectations, and exploring love, I would have appreciated more focus on learning good communication. I still adore the story and will absolutely be recommending to others, but wanted just a bit more here.

Thank you to Penguin for access to the eARC!

cute! classic rich privileged influencer discovers reality with her hard working small town childhood bestie who's now her #1 public enemy, eventually falling in love. but times TEN for Birdie. She really did struggle with being stuck in the image her mother molded her as and not knowing who she was outside of it. She does find out though! Happy endings all around.

Casey was a tad bit annoying at first and just overly rude until I remembered what the hell these rich people were taking over their livelihoods they should be more mad. What I don't understand though, is Birdie's dad's character. He's portrayed as one of the "good" rich guys but he's really not doing anything to show it. Troubles of trying to have a "good" rich character 😭. The writing was a bit awkward at parts too, or written in a choppy bald way at random intervals throughout the book. Threw off the flow a bit but not terribly unbearable.

Overall sweet, solid, summer sapphic YA read but hey, it's Jennifer Dugan, what else to expect? 3.5/5 Thank you NetGalley + Penguin Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Summer Girls is a heartfelt YA sapphic romance that perfectly captures the magic of summer, self discovery, and unexpected love. The story follows Birdie, a rich and privileged girl sent to her family’s summer home as punishment, and Cass, the responsible and dependable “townie” who have known each other since they were kids, but have since grown apart. Despite their vastly different lifestyles, one summer changes everything.

Told through dual POV, this book explores themes of growth, identity, and coming to terms with how toxic miscommunication and not standing up for yourself can be. The bi representation felt authentic, and I loved how both characters had to confront their insecurities while figuring out who they were truly meant to be.

Summer Girls is a great pick for fans of opposites attract YA romances and stories about finding yourself when you least expect it!

First off, thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group, and Jennifer Dugan for letting me read this!

Summer girls is written from the dual POV of Cass and Birdie. Two girls with very different upbringings but connected by their dads. Cass’s dad works for Birdie’s father, which comes with its owns ups and downs. Birdie ends up getting herself into a bit of pickle when she crashes her boyfriend’s very expensive car. She is sent off to the beach to spend the summer with her father. The problem? She has no social media, no car, she has to get a job, AND she’ll be under the supervision of her ex childhood friend Cass. Neither girls are a fan of this arrangement, but will that change over the course of the summer?

This queer YA book is a great summer read! It was a fairly quick and easy read, which I appreciate from time to time! Dugan portrays bisexuality in a raw and real way. I really enjoyed Cass and Birdie as well as the side characters (especially Cass’s friends). You can truly feel their emotions as you read this book. Overall, I rated it 4 stars and definitely recommend that you check it out!

Sumer Girls by Jennifer Dugan was a sweet ya romance. Teens will love this book. It is a heartwarming read.

This book is pretty much exactly what you expect it to be. It reads very YA, though sometimes I did not feel like their voices felt 17-18 (it felt like what an adult thinks 17-18 year olds should sound like).

The B-plot surrounding affordable housing is actually great and very nuanced. I actually think it’s an important story to have in a YA book, and not one we see often.

Other than that, there is nothing really special about this book. But if you’re looking for a feel-good cozy YA summer romance, this is a good choice!

Thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for the ARC!

Summer Girls is a dual-pov novel, following Birdie -- daughter of an influencer who, after a very public and very messy split from her boyfriend involving cheating and a crashed $200k car, goes to spend the summer with her father in Newport -- and Cass -- a Newport townie who has a rule with her best friend to never get with a summer girl. Oh yeah and her and Birdie's dad work together and they were friends as kids. Juicy!

I adored both of them with my whole heart. Starting with Birdie -- I hadn't realized how big of a role the social media influencer aspect would play and I was pleasantly surprised. I think it's an apt conversation, especially in this day and age as critique of "Mommy Bloggers" has come to an all-time high. Birdie's struggles with her whole life, all the way back to when she was potty-training as a toddler, being broadcast to the internet and her future being scripted for her. I thought this aspect was handled well and treated with care.

As for Cass, she's a lifeguard who lives year-round at the beach and is sick of seeing her friends and neighbors homes bought out from them and turned into overpriced vacation rentals, shoving those she cares about out of town. She's passionate and fiery and stands up for what she believes in. She works with her parents at a coalition to support affordable housing. Their biggest opponent, however? None other than Birdie's father, George, a real estate developer who is also her own father's best friend. I really enjoyed the discussion of how the two manage to coexist despite having wildly different views.

After being sent to Newport, George enlists Cass to keep an eye on Birdie, help her find a job, and keep her out of trouble. The two have a shared history that, despite their intial disdain for each other, eventually bubbles over into something new.

Now, while this book is great -- and 1000% up my alley -- it was not without its flaws. I do wish there was more build-up to their relationship. They hate each other at first, which I loved as I'm always down for enemies/rivals-to-lovers, but it feels like very quickly Birdie is attracted to Cass. I don't mind enemies-to-lovers having moments where they notice how attractive the other is -- that builds tension -- but it seems to very quickly jump into them both liking each other. I wish they had a few more non-hostile encounters because it just felt somewhat unrealistic. I would've liked a slightly slower burn with more build-up. I also don't think the "I had a crush on her as kids" was fully fleshed out enough either, as all we get of their past friendship is Cass thinking about how Birdie wouldn't play with her and Birdie reflecting on not being able to play to make her mom happy. However, I still fully enjoyed their relationship and was rooting for them!

As for the side characters, they were all interesting (I'll be briefer here, I swear, lol). Loved Bentley, of course, liked Six (though, strangely, felt a little bad they only mention his name once? And call him Six to his face? But I guess he said he liked it... LOL), Mitchell was a good antagonist and was at least slightly redeemed by the end in a way that felt deserved, and also enjoyed Ada but... felt like she was not the bestttt friend to Birdie? Maybe that was meant to be intentional but especially in regards to her not being 100% accepting of Birdie being bi when she came out; I thought for sure we'd come back to that, or she'd apologize, or even it'd be revealed that she was weird because she was queer too, but nope. I still liked her, obviously, but I wish either that or her storyline about also trying to please her parents had been more explored to add more depth to her character.

Despite that, I loved the story and the local/vacationer plot. I was happy with the ending and felt it resolved everything that needed to be resolved.

Overall, I am so so glad I was able to read this book early. Middle school me who devoured every summer romance she could get her hands on would have squealed over every cute moment (and let's be real, 20-year-old me was still doing the same). I'm so glad we've finally gotten to a point where sapphic stories can be cute and light and summery. Thank you to Netgalley for the arc!

4 stars!

Reading the back of the book, I wanted to LOVE this so badly. As someone who loves opposites attract and enemies to lovers, this story left something to be desired.

One of the main issues I had was the lack of build up from their mutual dislike to crushes, and I wish I’d had a smoother transition to really sink my teeth into the story. The girls also had tons of communication issues—which while true to the age group it’s geared at—their repeat arguments were cyclical and as a reader, it was frustrating to be in the same loop over and over again. Which admittedly, Cass's resentment of Birdie's privileges, coupled with Birdie's difficulty supporting herself or Cass, created a toxic element in their relationship.

I also had a hard time getting into the story due to the leaning into info dumping at the beginning of the book making it feel slow to start.

Overall 3/5

“Summer Girls” was a decent book. It had its sweet parts, but the arguing was constant and very repetitive. A ton of miscommunication and lack of empathy in some part, It made this book somewhat difficult to get involved in.

Cass and Birdie make for an interesting couple, as their lives are so vastly different with the rich/poo dynamic — which is a major source of tension and misunderstanding in the story — but yet they are connected through their fathers’ business relationship and personal friendship.

The personal growth of Birdie as she learned how to stand-up for herself to her overbearing social media obsessed mother was great especially once she figured out what was really important to her. I also liked the supporting cast, especially Bentley and Six.

Overall not a bad YA book, but not my favorite. I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

“Summer Girls” was a very enjoyable book. If you are sentimental, parts of this book will definitely tug at your heart strings. If you are a romantic, you will likely when Cass and Birdie reveal their feelings for each other, as well as Birdie's "big gesture" to win back Cass after possibly ruining things forever.

Cass and Birdie make for an interesting couple, as their lives are so vastly different — which is a major source of tension and misunderstanding in the story — but yet they are connected through their fathers’ business relationship and personal friendship and Birdie’s dad’s support for Cass’s education and professional prospects.

I liked the personal growth of Birdie as she learned how to stand-up for herself to her overbearing social media obsessed mother, and as she started to figure out what was really important to her. I also liked the supporting cast, especially Bentley and Six.

Summer Girls by Jennifer Dugan left me with some mixed feelings. I really enjoyed the sweet dynamic between Cass and Birdie once they finally got together—their banter was fun, and their soft moments were heartwarming. However, the way the rich vs. poor dynamic played out between them didn’t quite work for me.

One thing that stood out was the lack of communication. It felt like they were having the same argument over and over again, which got a little frustrating at times. That said, neither character was perfect, and they both made mistakes in their relationship, which feels realistic for a YA romance.

Despite these issues, the book was a quick and engaging read that kept me hooked enough to finish it in one sitting. It’s a fun summer read for fans of the author and a great pick for anyone looking for a light, romance-filled escape.

3.5 — this is a really cute story, definitely better than a lot of YA romances.

however, birdie and cass argued about the same thing over and over again, it started to get a little annoying and felt repetitive. i know it's their main conflict, but it felt like the story just kept going in circles

“Summer Girls” is the perfect summer romance. This book is heartfelt, genuine, and in general a nice read. The story is set in a beach town, and it explores the dynamics between locals and tourists. Birdies character growth was pretty well done, it felt a like a very drastic change but overall wasn’t rushed. I liked seeing her journey throughout the book, and how it impacted her relationship with Cass. Cass went through less character growth, but I still liked the way her character developed. Overall this book is cute and is making me miss the summertime!

3.97 ★ — very sweet and butterfly-inducing. possibly one of my favorite ya romances, maybe romances in general, actually. fun characters, fuzziest romance scenes, a plot i was truly invested in.

there were two things i didn't like, however. the first being the absolute lack of communication. it felt they were arguing about the same things every chapter, with birdie constantly relapsing into her townie-hate vocabulary and ruining things. which isn't to say cass wasn't also picking a fight repeatedly, but i think she was usually right, so i'm ignoring that. but seriously, it was almost every chapter.

the second thing i didn't like was that the narrative, maybe subconsciously, i don't know, seems to target rich girls more than rich boys. the constant use of "rich bitch" for the girls vs calling the one rich male birdie's "horrible ex" quite literally in the same sentence was... interesting. subtle misogyny always annoys me, even if it's not that deep, i guess.

anyway, i still really loved this, because lesbianism makes me overlook just about anything, but i can't give it four stars.

I was hooked from the moment I started reading. The book grabs you quickly establishing who the characters are and you get to see them growth as they get out of their comfort zones. It was a beautiful journey that I’ll take with the characters every time I read the book.

The side characters were well written as well which elevates the story but they never take over and never overshadow the main characters. Sometimes the main characters are so well done that I start to want their story more than the one I’m reading but that wasn’t the case here.

This will definitely be a fun summer read for fans of the author and should find new fans as well.

The only complaint I have with this book is that it kept me up way too late, because I COULDN’T STOP READING. I loved this story so much. The two main characters were so sweet together, and I loved how you could see through the cracks even when they were “enemies.” The rescue scene (that’s all I’ll say) was so sweet, it had me swooning. Neither character was perfect and they both made mistakes when it came to their relationship, which makes sense for a YA book. I also liked that because there wasn’t a “bad guy” in their drama.

I also really enjoyed the side characters in the book. They were multi-dimensional and there were things to like and dislike about most of them (except maybe Birdie’s mom, she kind of just sucked).

This is a great summer read that I would recommend to anyone looking for a sweet YA book about two girls from different worlds.