Reviews - The Summer of You and Me

80 reviews for:

The Summer of You and Me

Denise Hunter

3.8 AVERAGE

stephanieiferrari's review against another edition

4.0

• widow falling for her brother-in-law

• mystery identity

• secret love for years

• small town summer setting

• family secrets

• grief and healing

• second chance romance

REVIEW

This book goes all in on emotional chaos and somehow lands it. We’ve got Maggie, a widow who lost her military husband Ethan five years ago. She’s a single mom to Zoe, trying to put her life back together while spending the summer at Seabrook, the beach town where she and Ethan first fell in love. Cue the brother-in-law Josh, who has been in love with her the entire time and calls her things like “honey” and “babe” in a way that walks the line between comforting and absolutely bizarre considering she was married to his brother. But this is not your usual will-they-won’t-they. It’s more like “should-they-oh-my-god-wait-what.”

So Maggie’s out with Zoe at a carnival, she takes a photo, and in the background is a guy who looks exactly like her dead husband. Panic sets in. Is Ethan alive? Was it a lie? Is he back to reclaim his old life? Instead of jumping straight to a soap opera twist, the story goes into a slow burn mystery. Josh helps Maggie track the guy down and hires him to work at his boat business so they can get closer without scaring him off. For a while, the working theory is that he might be Ethan’s secret half-brother, the result of their dad’s affair. But nope. That would be too simple. Turns out this man is Josh’s son. As in, Josh fathered a child years ago and didn’t know it until now.

So Maggie is grieving her husband, raising her daughter, falling for his brother, and then finds out the guy she thought might be her late husband is actually her new boyfriend’s surprise son. That’s a lot of therapy hours for one summer. But somehow the story keeps its footing.

Zoe’s sweet and grounded, Josh is a bit too perfect but it works, and Maggie is fully fleshed out. She’s exhausted, confused, brave, and trying her best through every plot twist thrown her way. She ends up taking in Josh’s son and they create this unconventional little family. Also she ditches teaching to become a swimming coach because that’s what she really loves and honestly that small moment of self-actualization amidst all the family drama is what sealed it for me.

It’s definitely wild and you have to suspend disbelief more than once but it’s got a strong emotional core. Everyone’s healing, everyone’s trying, and there’s no real villain except for maybe Maggie’s narcissistic mom who’s always hovering with judgment and guilt trips.

Four stars. Messy but heartfelt. If you’re into romances that come with baggage, small-town secrets, and a complicated but sweet happily ever after, this one delivers

jengarr's review against another edition

4.0

hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

shughes2425's review against another edition

3.75

mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

kathrynpfeifer's review against another edition

5.0

Denise Hunter never disappoints. Her latest, The Summer of You and Me was a sweet love story that captured my full attention. Tender, poignant, and, at times, heart breaking, this story contained every element of the perfect romance. I fully enjoyed the interplay between the characters as perfectly timed tension dodged their every move. The struggles of the cast were all too relatable, complete with moments of pain and of hope. I could not get enough of this story! Denise Hunter knows how to craft a novel that will embed itself into you heart.

I received this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

ashleycrane's review against another edition

3.5

The short synopsis: 5-years after her husband’s death, Maggie Reynolds returns to her husband’s hometown for the summer for the summer with her young daughter. She is ready to move forward until she spots someone who may or may not be the late husband she thought she’d lost.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This cover immediately caught my eye as I was hunting for some summer reads 🎡 And well, it did not disappoint to kick off my summer reading... from the coastal town setting, a mystery element, and second chance at love... it was pure summer reading goodness 💕
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This is a story about love after loss and the courage it takes to move forward. Great for readers who enjoy tender romances with high emotional stakes… with a good hint of mystery. I’d recommend reading! This was my first book by this author but I will definitely be exploring her backlist.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🎧 The audio narration was fine; potentially better enjoyed in print.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✝️ This book is classified as Christian Fiction, however the only elements I could recall when writing this review were a prayer and church attendance; no deep Christian themes IMO.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Read if you enjoy: slow-burn clean romance (kissing only), friends to lovers, small beach town vibes, second chances, dual POV, complex relationships, cozy mysteries, grief & healing
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀