You can almost feel the splashing water, a summer breeze, and the sand between your toes. This book will make you very excited for summer! The descriptions in this book are beautiful and warm. The story is extremely heartwarming.

The book is very well written. The characters are thought out and feel real. Ciara Knight did a very good job of developing these characters and their storylines. I loved Julie and Trevor's relationship, and how they support each other. Even in their misunderstandings and with all the trouble that comes along, their story together is very sweet.

I have to mention the humor in this book as well. There are some pretty hilarious parts in this book and some fun dialogues in between. You will indeed get the full package in this book!

The cover is furthermore absolutely adorable and beautiful! You can not help but get the summer vibe from this cover!

This novel is charming, lovely, and the true definition of sweet romance! This was my first time reading one of Ciara Knights novels, but definitely not my last of hers!

Julie Boone has been a widow for three years. To make her happy, her daughter organize a meeting with his club of friends' books, which they created before they went their separate ways when they were young.

Trevor Ashford moves to Florida after a divorce from Seattle. He wants to open a small shipping company and live a life in peace.

However, it is not as simple as it seems. Everyone gets there in the same place at the right time. it’s not easy for both but you can both give yourself a new opportunity. There is attraction, trust, friendship and more.


I love the slowing taking part of the friendship in the first place. Discovering leaf after leaf the pure nature of all friends. And it was so nice to read abut people in late 40s. The times goes too fast. But we can live it is so many ways. Maybe some other book of them would be nice to read. So much worm really.

I received a copy on Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. Special gratitude goes to
BookBuzz publishers who approved me.

Pub Date 08 jun 2021

I received an ARC from Author Collective 20 Publishing through NetGalley. Julie lost her husband three years ago and her daughter comes to visit because she is worried about her mother. Julie has basically stopped living too, not wanting to move forward without her husband. Her daughter has a surprise for her 50th birthday. She has invited the girls from the Summer Island Book Club for a reunion, and they haven't seen each other since they all went their separate ways to begin their adult life.
At first Julie was upset because she thought her old friends had gone out into the world, and she had stayed and done nothing. Her daughter reminded her of the best thing she had accomplished, and said none of them would come any way, so her daughter gave her the envelopes, and they had all accepted and was excited about getting together again.
Meanwhile, Trevor has moved to Florida to open a small boat charter company. As he and his friend was taking apart the engine of one of the boats, a furry animal came aboard and took a screw that they would need to put the boat back together. The animal seemed to be playing with them as they followed it and ended up at Julie's shop. Houdini the town ferret was playing matchmaker. Trevor had just got divorced and didn't want any woman.
It is going to be a couple of weeks, of getting reacquainted, getting to know who they each are now, and who they each are becoming. Yes it definitely is a recipe for some mischief with Houdini, and he does add some spice, but it is also about taking the time to get to know a person before judging them.
This is a great book to read, the people are fascinating, and it is interesting seeing in just a few short weeks all they learned about themselves, and like a butterfly emerged changed.

I knew I was going to love this book! Widow, Julie Boone has lived her life and is content, so she thought until her daughter gives her the perfect nightmare of a fiftieth birthday gift-her three childhood besties!
The characters were the best part! They made this book fun! Light hearted! Interesting!
I would recommend this romance to anyone

This story grabbed me from the very first page and had me both laughing and crying with equal measure throughout.

This tells the story of Julie who is a young widow, and the recently divorced Trevor who both meet by chance and although neither are keen, fly.

Like Julie, I am a young widow too, so could relate to how she was feeling. I have to say Ciara got it spot on.

I highly recommend this book, it was a great read.

If you’re looking for a wholesome quick beach read, this is the one for you. Julie can’t move past her husband’s death and stagnant life on a Florida Island. Her daughter comes back, along with Julie’s high school friends to kick start her life. A handsome neighbor, Trevor, adds drama to the story. My favorite was the ferret, Houdini. He added comedy to scenes and was a diva. I always like a beach scene. I like that two wounded souls were willing to take a shot at love again. A nice beach read.

This book is the amazing friendship reunion we all need sometimes. Bri decides her widowed mother of 3 years, Julie, need a fresh start. Bri invites Julie's childhood friends to visit for her 50th birthday. Together, they all learn that true friendship can withstand the test of time, and together they can help Julie find love and passion again.

I am excited for the next book in this series to see where the Summer Book Club women continue with their path together.

This book is definitely a must read for your summer list!

Julie became a widow three years ago and is turning 50 soon. To surprise her mom and encourage her to restart her life, her daughter invites her best friends from when they were teenagers into town. In the meantime, Julie meets handsome divorcee Trevor who recently moved into town to restart his life. Will romance bloom between them?
I loved the small beach town setting as always and the fact that Julie is an older woman finding love and romance again. It was a delightful, sweet, and short summer read.

Thanks to Netgalley I received 

 a acr for a honest review 


I love when I read a book that has an older female character. First I fell in love with the cover. It was a nice sweet summer read. I I've  love reading Julie Journey this book will always have a special place in my heart. 5 star read. 


Happy Reading 📚

Lisa

This is certainly a book that will pull you in right from the first page and keep you thoroughly engaged. We meet some great characters along the way, A great book to take to the beach (when we can travel) fun and light hearted ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Really enjoyed this book. I feel it was written really well and shows the true love and friendship between friends and the characters. Really recommend this one.

Well written book loaded with fun characters. Learning to let go and move on with your life after losing someone you've loved isn't easy. Julie was lucky because she had the love of her daughter and friends to hold her up till she could on her own. I'd like to thank netgalley for the advanced copy.

A wonderful summer read. Julie has been a widow for 3 years, and her daughter has decided she needs a jump start. She contacts her childhood best friends to come for her 50th birthday party. A handsome divorced Trevor is also on the island, trying to overcome his own issues. Good characters, good writing, and highly recommend this one. Hard to put down.

I truly enjoyed this book, I loved the fact that this story was written about characters that are 40+. As an avid reader I find more romances are written about twenty somethings and I’m over that stage in life and can’t relate. I wish there was more character building in the secondary characters (I hope each friend will have their own book). I love small town and friendships, this was a great read!

A book club, beach, vacation read. Fiction at its best. This tale has your rooting for the characters you’ve come to care about amongst the pages. Carla Knight is a queen.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Julie, a widow, thinks she’s content and she’s lived her life the best way she could, that is until her daughter, gives her a fiftieth birthday present - her three besties from her childhood, who come to celebrate with her.

This is not what she was expecting and is a bit overwhelmed. Suddenly her life’s a lot more melodramatic than the peace she’s known to have.

They seem to think that her life isn’t past the best yet and a sailor, whose moved to the town is the perfect person to spend the rest of her life with.

Trevor, from a big city life has come here after he’s been through a failed marriage, and his reputation worse. He’s hoping to open a business, a charter company with his small boat.

Houdini-a pet ferret, takes an engine part, Trevor has no choice to follow his little dance, and so he’s lead to Julie. Now he’s got a choice to make, to be a recluse or open up to a new love......

Thank you #Netgalley for advanced copy!

This was a fun quick summer read, just wish I was on an island or beach! This novel follows Julie, an artist, widow, mother who lives on summer island. Her husband unexpectedly passed away three years ago and she has been slowly trying to get her life back together. Growing up she had a group of close girl friends, but unfortunately over time they lost touch. But with Julie's 50th birthday quickly approaching, her daughter Bri decided to bring them all back to the island for a birthday celebration. Meanwhile, Julie runs into a new man on the island, Trevor. Trevor has escaped his old drama filled life to develop a charter company on the island. There is an instant connection between Trevor and Julie. This novel follows Julie slowly opening up to her first relationship after her husbands death.

Julie is about to turn 50 and with her parents gone husband died and her daughter moved on with her own life julie was feeling left out. When her daughter walked in the door as a surprise things started to happen. First she knew her daughter was silently needing her as much as she needed her daughter. But Bri was determined to show her mom that just cause your a widow and 50 life can go on. So she went behind her moms back and invited the group to a reunion and things heated from there.

Summer Island Book Club is a story of the reunion of long time friends and new relationships. Widow, Julie Boone still lives in her hometown while her three childhood best friends have moved out of town and haven't visited in a while. She feels that they are all so much more successful in life and love than she is but she is content with her routine life. As a surprise for her 50th birthday, her daughter invites the 3 besties for a weekend birthday celebration. Julie is overwhelmed when her peaceful life becomes a crazy time of makeovers, drama and matchmaking with her friends,

To make things interesting, Trevor Ashford has just moved to Florida to open a small boat charter company in peace after escaping the big city life and a failed marriage. Things get interesting when Trevor and his visiting friend encounter the three women, This is a fun book and I recommend it,

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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Widow, Julie Boone has lived her life and is content, so she thought until her daughter gives her the perfect nightmare of a fiftieth birthday gift-her three childhood besties. The arrival of her wildly successful, buttinski friends, overwhelms Julie when her life goes from peaceful to melodrama, makeovers, and matchmaking. Especially when they make her believe there is still life to be lived with one handsome sailor who’s just moved to town.

Trevor Ashford retreats from big city life to sunny Florida after a failed marriage and damaged reputation. His only wish is to open a small boat charter company in peace, but when Houdini-a mischievous pet ferret-steals an engine part and leads him on a merry chase into the arms of Julie Boone, he has to choose between being a recluse or embracing a new love.
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This was a sweet summer read, enjoyable especially to me because the characters were a little different than your average romance novel. Instead of a dog (and I love almost nothing more than I love dogs), the book featured a pet ferret. Instead of a protagonist in her 20s or 30s (and I have nothing against women in their 20s and 30s), the book featured someone quickly approaching 50. It was refreshing to read about someone who was entering a new phase in her life, instead of someone who was experiencing her first great love story. And the supporting characters were all delightful as well. Whether you read this one sitting on a deck overlooking the ocean, out on the beach listening to the waves, or curled up in your living room, as I did, letting your imagination take you there, this is a fun, entertaining book that anyone would enjoy. I absolutely recommend it.

I kindly received an eARC advance copy of this book to read and review though NetGalley.

Recently widowed, Julie is approaching 50. She lives in a small seaside town in Florida where she grew up, married Joe and had her daughter at a young age.

Her daughter Bri returns home to write a book and summons Julie’s childhood girlfriends (the Summer Island Book Club) to come be with her for her 50th.

Around the same time, Julie meets Trevor a new to town single and recently divorced guy.

The friends and Julie’s daughter encourage her to get to know him better. There are some stumbling blocks between their past hurts and the interfering ex wife but there is a happy ending in this story.

It’s a cute, quick read that kept me occupied on a lazy Sunday with trip to the beach and Spring sun. 🏖 😉

Julie has been a widow for three years and is content with her life. Her daughter comes home and throws her a fiftieth birthday party. Three of her closest childhood friends also return for the party and Julie realizes it is time to move on with her life. It doesn't hurt that there is a new resident on the island who catches her eye. I enjoyed this book and loved how the characters were middle age. Great summer read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

A small town contemporary romance novel about an almost 50 year old recently widowed Jewels and the recently divorced Trevor (similarly aged!). The secondary story line followed Jewels reuniting with her high school best friends and restarting their Summer Island Book Club. A special beach, an alligator and old stories helped make this book one I couldn't put down. The angst and issues over Trevor's' exwifes pregnancy and appearing randomly to cause drama were well written and the beach scene was absolutely hilarious!

I normally don't read or like what I would term middle aged romance or clean romance (aka no sex). Having said that this book was fantastic. The camaraderie ad witty banter between the Summer Island Book Club members was funny and realistic. I barely noticed the middle aged thing and the caring and tenderness between Jewels and Trevor was so sweet that I didn't miss the sex in the story.

My only criticism was that Jewels daughter Bri was prominent in the story and the mystery surrounding her reasons for returning home were not really explored in any way.

I can't wait to read the next in the series!!!

Thank you NetGalley, Ciara Knight and Author Collective 20 for the ARC of Summer Island Book Club. This is my personal review.
This is a perfect book to spend a few hours with as you relax and get to know the characters in this book.
The combination of friends to help Julie celebrate turning 50 that were invited by Julie’s daughter makes for an interesting time for all of them.
I became so connected with everyone in the book and I look forward to reading more from Ciara Knight in the future.

First, let me say I loved the outdoor shower scene and the comments that followed! Too funny, just enough sexual tension without getting naughty. There is so much I enjoyed about this book, a middle aged couple, a daughter cheering on her Mom, long lost friends reconnecting, the best guy friend who holds him accountable, gives good and bad advice, but most, I loved that Julie and Trevor seemed like real people with real life problems.

Without any spoilers, the ending was adorable. Julie and Trevor are meant to be. Both have loved, suffered and grown from their past. They are willing to try again. This is a great light-hearted read to relax with for your ‘beach’ or summer vacation reading that is clean with just the right amount of sexual tension. The rest of the series has a great beginning here with such diverse characters.

I love to read books that has a main female character is older and close to my age. It makes it much easier to relate to what the character is experiencing. This book fit that perfectly. I wish there were more!
A nice clean, uncomplicated, well-written storyline about a widow and her new future with reacquainted childhood friends, her daughter and a new man in her life. This would be a perfect book to read while enjoying the sunshine at the beach or in your backyard. I recommend it!

Thanks to the publisher, Author Collective 20 and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this delightful book!

Summer Island Book Club is the perfect summer read! Julie is almost 50 and her daughter decides to help her get out of the stagnant life she seems to be living. She invites her best friends from high school to help her Mom celebrate her big day. Julie meets a new man named Trevor and you see the romance develop between these two characters. A great story of female friendship and a second chance at love!

A fun, easy summer read. Julie is a widow turning 50 and feels stuck in her life. Or so everyone keeps telling her. Her daughter rounds up Julie's childhood friends, the Summer Island Book Club, to come back for a visit and soon things are getting crazy! Throw in a new-comer, Trevor, a handsome divorcee starting up a charter boat tour company on the island and one crazy ferret and it's a lot of fun. Fun, loveable characters - could easily see this being a great series!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A very cute romance. I enjoyed the characters and the book even made me laugh out loud in some parts. Very witty..would read from this author again!

Summer Island Book Club is a woman’s fiction story of new beginnings by letting go off old insecurities first. It is listed as a Friendship Beach Novel but I don’t know if it is the first of the series by Ciara Knight.

I think many compare themselves to others but often find that they had no need to do that. Julie Boone is a widow who talk means well giving her a special birthday visit from her high school best friends,. Often things go different than we plan which is the case this time. Sometimes the shakeup is exactly what is needed. Lots of drama, advice but also a new love interest too. This is a sweet fun read reminding us to live every day fully.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Summer Island Book Club
by: Ciara Knight
Publisher: Author Collective 20
publication date: 6/8/21
reviewed by: Jennifer Smith
As her milestone fiftieth birthday approaches, coastal Florida resident Julie Boone's past, present, and future are aligned to merge. Author Ciara Knight makes those connections through her sweet, gentle, and funny writing with focus on preserving treasured friendships, healing from lost love, and readiness for acceptance of new love.
The past - Julie is a widow of three years, having lost her beloved husband Joe. She also is a member of her beloved Summer Island Book Club from her high school years, although her friendships with members Wind, Trevor and Kat have faded like old photographs over the years.
The present - She is the content mom of thirty-one-year-old daughter Bri, pet mom to Houdini, a ferret with personality plus, owner of Summer Island Gift Shop, and an artist at heart.
The future - Is love on the horizon? Kind, handsome, and witty Trevor Ashford, a recent divorcee, has just moved to Summer Island from Seattle for a fresh start as a charter boat company owner and guide. Can faded friendships become vibrant again? Bri has invited the members of the Summer Island Book Club to return to their childhood town to help Julie celebrate her birthday and keep the legacy of the club going.
Knight's story is as warm as the Florida sun and as breezy as the ocean winds, with special surprises surrounding the club's secret meeting place, Friendship Island. This book is for all who believe in the enduring power of lifelong female friendships and the exciting possibility of second chances at love. Celebrate with Julie, her friends, family and community on the occasion of her fiftieth birthday in Knight's romantic, funny and tender Summer Island story.
Thank you to Net Galley and Author Collective Twenty for the Advanced Reader's Copy and the opportunity to review this book. My review is sent to Net Galley on June 7, 2021 and to Goodreads, Book Bub, Barnes and Noble, and Facebook Groups on June 8, 2021.
 #SummerIslandBookClub #NetGalley

Romance and the return of your three best friends for your surprise 50th birthday. The friends personalities are so amusing and the romance is so sweet. A wonderful book to read when you are looking for friends, fun, and romance!

Summer Island Book Club
By Ciara Knight

Julie is trying to adapt to life as a single women, she still hasn’t gotten over the death of her husband three years before. He daughter see’s how unhappy her mother is so she decides to throw her a 50th birthday party inviting her best high school friends.
They call themselves The Summer Island Book Club.

While her friends are arriving she meets Trevor when her pet ferret steals a tool from him. He is getting over a divorce and came to Floria to start to rebuild his life and get a charter service going.

I loved this book because of the friendships, there always there when you need them even if they aren’t close by in distance they are always in your heart. And it’s never to late to start over even if tragedy happens.

I received this temp e-book from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest opinion.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is in the mood for a book about great friendships and love. I loved the characters they where fun to get to know, and sometimes life does have happy endings.

Summer Island Book Club is a misnomer for a delightful story of a thirty years’ plus reunion of former high school best friends. Filled with doubts these four women would have anything in common, the main character, a widow, who remained in their small hometown feels inadequate tonite with her successful worldly friends. But just a new man enters the picture, she quickly discovers the familiarity of fun when “the girls are back in town.” Three decades may have passed, but these women realize their youthful bonds unite them as “forever friends.” As such, it is only fitting that their latest plot is to help the heroine see that life and love can begin anew as the best 50th birthday gift!

Another great beach book. A quick read, but delightful. Friends, birthday celebrations, new beginnings. I really enjoyed this book!

This is a perfect book to slip into your beach or pool bag. It has some humor, awesome characters and a fun story line. There are wonderful relationships to follow - mother/daughter, friendships, and romance. It has all I want in a romance - strong women, good men and very little steam.

The ending is exactly what you expect and want. This is my first Ciara Knight book, so I will be adding some to my list to read and looking forward to her next one.

Great book and author. Looking forward to the next book in the series. I highly recommend this book and author to read

Julie is not looking for love, nor is Trevor. But situations will bring them together. Will their love bloom? Good story.

Julie is turning 50 and has been in a rut since her husband died 3 years ago. As a surprise her daughter contacts her 3 high school besties to come back to Florida to help her celebrate. It's been years but they click again and its as if time stood still.

Trevor has escaped Seattle for sunny Florida to start over after a divorce from a manipulative and conniving model.. He's bought a run down motel and marina hoping to run charter and sightseeing cruises. While overhauling a marine motor, an adventurous ferret steaks one of the screws he needs to put the motor back together. That's how Trevor and Julie meet, but can they overcome their pasts to follow the sparks and forge ahead in new relationship territory.

It's a cute, funny, and quick read that I enjoyed. Perfect for reading at the beach or poolside.

I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinions.

Julie’s daughter Bri returns home to help her mom celebrate her 50th birthday and encourage her to move on with her life after the death of her husband. To help with this she’s invited along some extra guests, Julie’s high school best friends.

I really liked the premise of this book and I loved the characters and the setting and I’m not normally someone to say this but I felt this book could have been longer. The romance element felt a little rushed with barely any build up and I think I’d have enjoyed it more if the relationship had had longer to develop.

The name of the book confused me a little too as there is barely any mention of a bookclub (other than the daughter choosing a book to gain admission to the “club”) and I’m not sure if there were aspects of the story relating to this that were removed during editing but I wish there had been more correlation to this as it felt a little like there was something missing because of this.

A quick, sweet, light beach read that transports you to a beautiful little beach town and introduces you to a host of lovable characters, i just wanted a little more from them.
3.5 stars rounded up

This book is the perfect summer read and great to take with you to the beach or pool. The author paints pictures with words and makes you feel like you are in the book with the vivid scenergy, emotions, and amazing characters.

It was a Quick and light read. What I liked about this book. I liked that the Main characters were of a mature age. In most books they twnd to be younger. I liked that It was about a strong female friendship and being there for each other. I liked that It was about loss, but being avle to continue to live. I would have liked more mest ON the bone in some chapters. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

Easy summer read, great for the beach. Loved it! I have recommended it to all my reader friends who are fans of the genre!

#summerislandbookclub
#ciaraknight
#friendshipbeachnovel
#romance
#NetGalley published 6/8/2021
#authorcollective20

⭐⭐⭐💫 (rounding up for rating to 4⭐)
I've never read a romance as an ARC. It used to be my genre go-to, but no longer. I decided to try this. IMO, this would be the perfect kind of story for #harlequinbooks to pick up and publish.

It's 270 pgs but a super quick, fun, easy read. It's a second chance romance. Which is my favorite of the romance tropes. She's widowed. Her daughter and friends are pushing her to get out there. He's divorced. His best friend is pushing him. And of course some silliness ensues. As well as the normal miscommunication that comes with these stories.

It's a cute book. Perfect for the romance lovers. I just like my books with more than just romance to them. I've decided to round up from the 3.5 for ratings bc I'd be curious to try another one of her books.

#humor
#womensfiction
#friendship
#bookstagram #booknerds #bookworm #booklover #bookdragon #readalot #ilovereading #inkdrinker #librarymouse #booknerdbookreviews #bookaddict #bookaholic #bookrecommendation #bookreview #booknerdigan #bookish

Just finished the first book in the Friendship Beach series and lovvvvvedddd it. Was in awe over the chemistry between Trevor and Julie, inspired by the close friendship between Trace, Wind, Kat, Bri, and of course Julie. Was hooked right when I started the first chapter and didn’t want it to end when I finished the last chapter. Can’t wait to continue to read the rest of the books in the series.