A lovely, emotional, evocative friends-to-lovers debut! This will hit with the Every Summer After crowd, but The Summers Between Us is entirely its own. I loved the lush Canadian lake vibes (the setting is its own character, and Noreen does it beautifully!), the deeply complicated relationship between Lia and her family (rendered with empathy, but never sugar-coating), and the push-and-pull slow burn of Lia and Wes (you'll ache for them to finally get together!) I won't spoil, but Noreen makes some absolutely perfect narrative moves in this where I feel like the plot couldn't have been better or more character-driven. Fans of Naina Kumar, Kate Spencer, and Carley Fortune (ME!!) will be enamored by Noreen's voice! Can't wait for the next!

Thank you to Random House Canada and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review 🙂

I love this book. This emotionally resonant novel masterfully explores the complexities of cultural identity, family expectations, and second chances through the story of Lia Juma and Wesley Forest, childhood sweethearts separated by circumstances and reunited at their summer haven years later.

What a beautiful novel in a beautiful setting. I just wanted to live at this little lake and watch this romance unfold. (Reminded me of the lovely lake setting in Tom Lake and Carley Fortune books.)

Now for the best part: the relationship between Wes and Lia is tender and sweet - their care for each other is so genuine. I loved the past and present and couldn’t stop turning pages to find out what happened all those years ago. Also, as a former burned-out corporate attorney, I adored the way Lia’s job became a character and loved watching her relationship with her career change. Five out of five!

I am a sucker for a second chance romance, and The Summers Between Us absolutely delivered! I was equally invested in both the timelines, eager to see where Wes and Lia's story would go and how it would resolve. Noreen Nanja has such beautiful writing, and I can't wait to see what she does next!