Maggie Mae Wheeler inherited a vintage record shop from her adoptive parents and has started a fling with her lifelong best friend that feels natural but not earth shattering. When he proposes off-the-cuff, she can't think of any reason to say no, except that she wants to find her birth mother first.

Her search leads her to a little place called Fire Island and a quirky bunch of people she learns are her blood-related family. There's a wedding on-island, and a chance meeting with one of the insiders gives her a way to observe them without divulging her relation to them. The festivities are full of the kind of drama only close-knit passionate families can produce, and despite the chaos and sheer volume of crisis that occur while she's there, Maggie finds herself drawn in by this family she's never had the opportunity to know.

This book was like a breath of fresh air. It's not so much about Maggie's romantic relationships, but about all of the relationships she cultivates, both old and new. It's about friendship and family and chosen family and the messy webs of relationships we find ourselves caught up in. Humans are messy and complicated and passionate, and that leads us to do sometimes strange things and make mistakes. But with love in our hearts, things eventually turn out right again. Usually.

Songs of Summer is filled with a quirky cast of characters you won't soon forget and a playlist of songs you'll find yourself bopping to without meaning to. I really connected to Maggie's story, and I can't wait to see what else is to come in this trilogy by Jane L. Rosen!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Maggie May Wheeler found out she was adopted at age nine, and by the time she turned thirty, both of her adoptive parents—who had taken her in later in their lives—had passed away. Grieving their loss, Maggie clings to the most enduring relationship in her life: her childhood best friend Jason and his warm, loving family. Their bond spans decades, and Maggie starts to wonder if Jason might actually be her soulmate.

But everything shifts when she begins searching for her birth mother and uncovers a whole new family. With them comes a different world, unexpected opportunities, and the possibility of a new kind of love.

I really enjoyed this book—it’s set on Fire Island and filled with a chaotic, soap opera-esque cast of characters. The small-town and family dynamics add a dramatic flair that kept me engaged. My biggest struggle was the shifting points of view in each chapter—even from minor characters we barely know—which I found a bit disorienting. I wished the narrative had stayed more grounded in Maggie, Jason, Matt, and Bea’s story. As the plot progressed, the increasing chaos and emotional intensity from every direction caused the story to lose some of its shine.

That said, it’s a perfect beach read—you definitely won’t be bored.

Maggie grew up an only child having been adopted by an older couple who owns a record store in Ohio. She has loving parents and a great childhood, but has always felt that something is missing. Growing up, much of that void is filled by her neighbor, Jason, who becomes her best friend and whose family becomes an extended part of hers. Fast forward to adulthood, and she and Jason are still inseparable. When Maggie’s parents pass away, she inherits the record store and, for the first time, feels free to look for her birth mother. She does an online genetic test and the results point her to a professor at a college in the same state. Jason is with her all the way and drives with her to the campus so they can track down this woman. They learn that she will be leaving on sabbatical for the next school year but will first be going to Fire Island for a wedding.

Jason and Maggie have loved each other since they were kids and Jason asks her to marry him, but she feels she can’t move forward in her life until she resolves this issue with her birth mother. Alone, Maggie goes to Fire Island to see if she can find the woman and then decide if she wants to meet her.

While on Fire Island Maggie meets Matt, whose mother is best friends with Maggie’s birth mother and whose wedding they are all there to celebrate. With Matt’s help, Maggie is able to meet her birth mother and other family members without anyone realizing who she is. In this way, Maggie is able to get to know them without the stress of anyone else knowing her identity. Along the way, she falls in love with all of them, including Matt, who is perfect for her in every way.

This was a sweet story about different kinds of love—family, romantic, best friends—and the complications that can be a part of all of those relationships…but also how things in life fall into place once you find where you belong. I also loved the musical references and how the author carried that theme so seamlessly throughout the book. My favorite parts of the book came through the scenes with the variety of supporting characters. They added so much humor and flavor to the story and I found all the woven pieces thoroughly enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is definitely a summer read. Cute story. Loved the family dynamic. I loved that the book didn’t waste any time and got right to the point. But I also felt that at times it was a bit rushed. overall it was an enjoyable read.

This was a very sweet and lighthearted novel that I completely forgave how anticlimactic the actual plot was. This is very rare of me to do but I think I just wanted something happy so badly, without the angst and this was the perfect book for that.

This book takes on a lot of POVs…A LOT. At times it did feel like it was unnecessary to get the POV of a certain character but somehow it worked out. I liked the family dynamics that came into play, although I do wish they would have taken a bit more time with the resolutions.

What I really enjoyed was Maggie’s romance situation. I won’t go into it too much but I found how quickly she moved on to be so unrealistic but then I remember the doubt was there in the beginning. Matt was an absolute cutie and a great love interest.

I really liked the track titles being the chapter titles. I found that to be fun and I plan to create a playlist on my Spotify because I enjoyed the variety of the music.

Overall, a great and easy read for a vacation. Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

i loved Matt and Maggie! This book was heavy but I enjoyed it! Maggie, who wad adopted gets the dna test results and decides to track down and meet her birth mother.. she ends up crashing her mothers best friends wedding. There were so many different dynamics to this story it made it addicting and hard to put down.

I really enjoyed this book, especially the setting. The book was a perfect balance of humor and romance. This makes me want to take a visit to Fire Island and read the author's other books about Fire Island.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher Berkeley for the eARC!

Take a ride with Maggie as she discovers her heritage and connects with her birth mom in this emotional read that perfectly captures young love, finding yourself, and becoming who you were always meant to be.

After the loss of her family, Maggie has just found out the identity of her birth mother and decides to try to establish a relationship with her, before getting thrust into an unforgettable experience that has her questioning all of the life choices she has made up to this point.

This book will have you laughing and reaching for the tissues as you delve into a young women’s life through the unique lens of her father’s love of music. It’s a truly unique experience that will give you all the summer feels.

This is my third Jane L. Rosen book, and it didn’t disappoint! I love how she brings us right to the shores of Fire Island. Which even if you haven’t gotten the pleasure of visiting, you can picture exactly what it’s like from how she describes it. Growing up there, I can attest that time truly does stop there. I loved Maggie’s character and I really appreciated that she brought all of the other beloved characters back from her previous books. Not only was this book so fun because of the playlist she included, but I loved the new characters, too. I loved the theme of family throughout this book, whether they were blood related or not. Definitely pick up this book for a summer read AND I definitely recommend her previous FI books, On Fire Island and Seven Summer Weekends. Ps, have some tissues nearby because some parts of this book are a tear jerker. Thank you soo much to Netgalley, Jane L. Rosen, and Berkeley Publishing for access to this e-arc.

This book was amazing and will be the perfect summer read. I wanted to read this because it was sort of giving me Mamma Mia vibes but a little more serious. With that in mind, I found this very enjoyable.

Rosen really captured the feeling of summer and covered heavy topics such as adoption and loss. This was the perfect combination between emotional and lighthearted. Maggie is so relatable. She's feeling lost and the book is about finding connection again after loss. I think her journey is very well written and will certainly tug on heartstrings of readers. The chemistry between Maggie and Matt is instant and I had a lot of fun with their romance.

This will be a perfect summer read, especially if you're on Fire Island. Would recommend!

Oh Fire Island! Songs of Summer captures the essence of heartfelt storytelling that I love this author for. To be honest I didn’t even read the description, I saw the author name and knew I had to read it. This book beautifully weaves together past and present narratives, allowing readers to recognize and appreciate backstories of beloved characters.

Maggie, had a warm childhood filled with music and love, but learning she was adopted left a void. After losing her parents before turning 30, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery that leads her to Fire Island. There, she encounters a vibrant community, and family. Initially hesitant, she explores these connections by posing as the girlfriend of a local, immersing herself in their lives.

This book boasts endearing characters, like the familiar Shep, along with new ones who become equally lovable. It highlights themes of love, laughter, and self-discovery, reminiscent of Elin Hilderbrand's novels. A light and engaging read that's perfect for summer.

As an adoptive mother, I appreciated the nuanced representation of adoption. The story acknowledges the challenges and lingering questions associated with adoption, including the yearning to uncover one's roots. Maggie’s hesitation to address her adoption earlier and her parents’ lack of openness struck an emotional chord.

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This is a light summer read. I didn’t realize it was part of a series but it held up well as a standalone. I especially loved the vintage music store and all the fun references. The plot may have been a bit predictable but overall a great read for the beach!

I absolutely loved this book! It was so exciting to see all the Fire Island characters back again, and Maggie’s journey of self-discovery was both heartwarming and captivating. The setting, the romance, and the emotional depth made this such a compelling read. I was completely swept up in Maggie’s search for where she truly belongs, and the wedding weekend drama added the perfect touch of fun and chaos. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

Maggie discovered she was adopted at a young age but didn’t decide to look for her birth mother until she was 30. On this journey she was able to meet her almost her whole family before finally revealing who she was.

This book was emotional and sweet. It dealt with a lot of heavy subjects like adoption, abandonment, grief, love, and friendship. There are a lot of POV in this book, which usually makes it hard to follow along but the author did an amazing job of keeping all the characters and plot together that I was able to follow along. This would make an excellent summer read while enjoying a nice time on a beach.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

4.25 Stars
A delayed coming-of-age (30 being the new 20) love story (familial, romantic, and self love), this work is the first one I've read in the Fire Island series or by this author and I loved it. Loved the premise, the characters and setting, the soundtrack/playlist, and the themes. It's one part romance, one part family drama and reconciliation, and one part the happier ending that you hope all adoptees receive when searching for their birth families. It's well-written and fast-paced. I felt the MCs were closer in age to 20 than 30, and, other than The Proclaimers are Scottish and not Irish, the novel is a solid Summer beach read. I'm planning to read other Fire Island books now too.

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I read Seven Summer Weekends last fall and really enjoyed it so I was excited to see the story continue with this one. I loved the multiple POVs of so many different characters. I loved reading more about the characters from the last book as well as meeting new ones. This book was one I just wanted to keep reading to find out how everything was connected and how it all turned out.

This book dealt with some important/heavy issues such as adoption, searching for a birth mother, family betrayal, forgiveness, and much more. I loved how these important issues were handled. I felt really connected with the characters as I read and felt like I really became connected to them as I read. While there were very serious issues, characters like Shep kept the book lighthearted and fun.

In both books, the first book in the trilogy (On Fire Island} was referenced more than once. I still have not read it and now want to even more so it will be my next read!

I also love that the info for the Spotify playlist for this book was included at the end. I will definitely be listening to it!

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ARC!

Songs of Summer by Jane L Rosen is a heartwarming, easy read.

Maggie May Wheeler is thirty, engaged about to marry her best friend. While going through some of her stuff, she comes across an old letter she wrote herself as a teenager. The letter prompts her to go looking for her birth mother and she ends up getting a lot more than she bargained for.

Her quest takes her to Fire Island where her birth mother is a guess at a wedding. She meets a local, who invited her to come to the wedding she needs to get too, as his guest. Maggie needs to find herself and figure out what ultimately is important to her.

Songs of Summer is a light-hearted read that talks about some tough things. Told from multiple points of view, each chapter has a theme song, so the book makes a playlist. You can even find a link to the playlist on the author's website which is a fun add on.

Special thanks to Jane L.Rosen and Berkeley Publishing for partnering with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Thanks to Berkley for an advanced copy of Songs of Summer by Jane L Rosen.

I loved On Fire Island and Seven Summer Weekends, so Songs of Summer was like returning to a favorite beach to see my favorite characters

At 30, Maggie is happy with her life but decides it's time to find her birth mother. Her search leads her to Fire Island and crashing a wedding to find out who she really is.

I loved seeing our favorite characters from the past novels and the role of music in this book. I loved the playlist at the end.

I recommend reading On Fire Island and Seven Summer Weekends prior, so you can understand some of the characters, and fall in love with these books!

Songs of Summer comes out May 20th and I highly recommend reading it.

Songs of Summer is an enjoyable novel about tangled family relationships and love. It’s set on Fire Island, off the shore of Long Island, and deals with the theme of adoption and finding one’s birthmother at the age of 30. The extended family dynamics are complex, adding to the action. Riffing on the book title and the fact that Maggie, the main character owns a record store, each chapter is a track number (like on a record) and is titled with words from a popular song. Music from the 1970’s, 80’s and later runs creatively throughout the story. Maggie, Bea, and Jason are well-rounded characters, while humor and a twist or two color the mostly predictable plot.
Some of the characters here appear in Rosen’s earlier novel, On Fire Island, and for this reader were less well defined and harder to keep straight. I recommend this book for fans of Susan Mallery and Elin Hilderbrand. It’s a coming-into-your-own beach book and could be fun for a book group wanting something lighter.

I am a big fan of the original book in this series (On Fire Island), but haven't found the same magic in the sequels. I enjoyed Maggie May and Matt's meet cute and will they/won't they storyline, and the sisters storyline was good too. I wanted to see more of a happy ending for Jason.