I went into The Summer of You and Me expecting a soap opera-style romance—long-lost husbands with amnesia, dramatic betrayals, the whole thing. Instead, I found a thoughtful, well-paced story about love, loss, and self-discovery. The slow-moving relationships and well-adjusted characters made it all the more compelling, and just when I was sure I had the ending figured out, I was completely wrong. As someone raised by a single mom who never met my father, this book left me overthinking how different life could have been in another world. It’s not often a romance novel makes me reflect that deeply, but this one did.

This one is tough for me. The overall storyline wasn't bad but something just fell flat for me. The first 75% of the book was okay, it kept my attention but felt kind of boring. Nothing significant happened an didn't provide any real emotions or feelings for me within the characters. It felt slightly depressing.

The twist actually surprised me, which made this 3 stars for me vs. 2. Its not often that I dont see a twist coming but I didn't. Once we got the information, which came very fast and summed everything up pretty much immediately, I felt like the story line drug on again until it ended.

I listened to the audiobook. The narrator was good, but I always love books with dual narration better. Hearing the female voice make the male voice and call Maggie "honey" kept making me cringe.

Overall I didn't hate it. I just didn't love it.

The Summer of You and Me is an emotional and bittersweet story of love, loss, and unexpected second chances. When Maggie spots someone who looks exactly like her late husband at a state fair, it sets off a heartbreaking journey of uncovering long-buried secrets. As she and Josh navigate their growing feelings, family tensions rise, and grief lingers in every corner of their story.

Denise Hunter delivers a deeply moving read filled with heartache, hope, and emotional twists that will stay with you long after the final page. Prepare yourself—this one hurts, but it’s beautifully worth it.

This book somehow had me feeling ALL the things. It was sweet, nostalgic, hopeful and romantic. The idea of seeing your deceased ex spouse is... Well, really sad. I loved the MMC in this, who is also her (former??) brother-in-law. Such a sweet love story with actual boundaries and healthy conversations being had.

On the narrator: She was great!! Perfect for the nostalgia in this story.

My first by Denise H. Loved!

4.5/5.0

I am a big fan of Denise Hunter. I just finished listening to The Summer of You and Me. I loved it!!!

It was a slower start for me on this one, but once I got more into the mystery and drama of it I enjoyed it! I loved the grief of a spouse displayed in this story, it felt raw and messy which the reality. I also adored Maggie’s relationship with her daughter, it was so sweet! However, I didn’t buy into the romance between Maggie and John and it just felt trauma bonded to me. John was obsessed from the start and Maggie felt removed for most of it. I didn’t enjoy the comparison of John to her late husband.. idk didn’t hit for me. I didn’t NOT enjoy this book, but I wasn’t in love. The ending wrapped up well for me and the plot twist bumped up the stars.

I was captivated from the beginning and the mystery over the man that Maggie saw at the Carnival that resembled her late husband. It has been five years since she lost her husband. Seeing this young man that resembles her husband sends her on this unraveling of what really happened to him. Josh is her late husband's brother and has been helping Maggie with her five year old daughter Zoey. The way Maggie and Josh dove into the mystery and tried to unravel the clues. I love the twists and turns that came in the story.

The audiobook is narrated by Kim Churchill. She did such a great job voicing this story and the various characters. The tone and emotion was perfect. She really kept the story flowing. She had varying voices for Josh and Maggie and I could follow their various dialogue.

Maggie returns to her hometown five years after her husband was killed in action. She needs to face the memories to put it all to rest once and for all. But nearly immediately upon arrival- she sees her husband, Ethan, in a crowd. She enlists the help of Josh, her brother in law, to find the man.
Josh has been in love with Maggie since the day he met her in middle school. He is determined to finally tell her how he feels. Will she reciprocate?

For the most part, I enjoyed this. I really liked Josh and Maggie's relationship.

What I didn't like- the way they investigated Will. It was kind of invasive and creepy.
I also find one revelation later on to be icky. I get it from a technical aspect, but I still kept cringing.

Kim Churchill narrates the audiobook.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

This has such a fascinating premise. What would you do if you saw your husband walking around at an amusement park? That’s all normal, but what if your husband has been dead for five years? And what if you never saw his dead body, because he died in a war, far from home? This is how The Summer of You and Me begins and hang on, because there are quite a few twists!

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook!

I wasn't really into this. It was 100% me. The writing was good and plot was fine. But it just wasn't for me. I wasn't completely into it until the mmc found out he had a son. It touched my heart and I felt so happy for him and his some. Especially, due to his situation with him being sick and not being able to conceive. I would still recommend it for others to read!

Such a sweet Christian romance with plenty of twists. Another hit by Denise Hunter.

Five years after her husband's death, Maggie is finally ready to let go of him and the dreams she had for their future. A summer at Seabrook, where she and Ethan first became childhood sweethearts, seems the perfect time and place to find closure. Plus, she gets to spend time with his family, the Reynoldses, whom she loves like her own.

Unbeknownst to Maggie, her brother-in-law, Josh Reynolds, has been in love with her since they first met all those years ago. But his brother ultimately won Maggie's heart, and Josh's unrequited love has ruined all of his relationships. If Maggie is ready to move on, then Josh is ready to lay it all on the line and come clean about his true feelings for her.

But his plans soon get put on hold when, shortly after Maggie returns to Seabrook, she runs into a man who could pass for Ethan's twin. But he disappears into the amusement-park crowd before she can confront him.

The event rattles Maggie, stirs up impossible questions, and sends Josh and her on a quest to discover the man's true identity. But their search ends up raising more questions than answers--and soon Maggie isn't sure she wants those answers at all.

Thank you NetGalley for the eaudiobook edition of The Summer of You and Me by Denise Hunter. Below is my personal review about this title.

Maggie is a young widow with a young a child. She’s a kind-hearted, loving individual and she’s ready for love again. I’m sure she wasn’t expecting what happened when love found her, but even when I thought I had it all figured out- the author tossed me a shocking curveball. It was a bit emotional, lighthearted and a fun listen!

The narrator was great for this audiobook and I enjoyed listening to it.

This was my second novel by Denise Hunter and she’s amazing! In both of her books the characters are relatable and flawed, allowing the reader to connect with the story on a personal level. Pub date 4/22
This was a such beautiful story. It’s packed full of love, grief, family, friendship, forgiveness and even mystery. All of the characters (except Maggie’s mom 😅) are wonderful and so well-written, I couldn’t help connecting with them. The plot is very unique which makes the book even better.
Maggie and Josh’s friendship was so sweet, especially his enduring love for her. I really hoped they would get their “happily ever after”.
The author will take you on an emotional pursuit for answers. Along the way, you will think they have found their answers and another piece of information will change the course of their path. The twists and turns made it impossible to put this book down. I sobbed several times and even gasped out loud more than once.
Highly recommend 💕
Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity to read this complimentary advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW 🎧

Thank you NetGalley and Zonderville and Thomas Nelson publishing for the audio ARC.

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As far as the audio goes it was a great audio listen. I enjoyed the narrator and she did a great job making the book flow.

I really enjoyed this one! I have never read a book by Denise Hunter and it won’t be my last! The writing was great, and kept me wanting to listen to it.
After her husband's death five years ago, Maggie is ready to find closure and she returns to Seabrook. This is the town where she and her late husband, Ethan, grew up and met as high school sweethearts. He was killed in combat. While at rhr hometown the carnival with her daughter, the last thing she expected was to see her husband, or at least someone who looked just like him! It really throws Maggie for a loop. Josh (Ethan's brother), are determined to find out the man's true identity. In the midst of doing that they fall in and love and realize they have always loved each other. It was honestly like listening to a Hallmark and I was here for it! Highly recommend it!

The mysterious man that looks like Maggie's dead husband is the twist that keeps this book moving.

I thought the narration was really good on this one. She was a great voice for Maggie.

I loved how Josh would drop everything to be there for Maggie and I loved how they worked together to find the mystery man and figure out why he looked like her late husband.

This book kept me guessing until the end. I liked the evolution of fthe mystery with a side of romance. This was kind of a quiet romance. Josh is just the ultimate guy that does everything he can for the woman he loves.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.