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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
the beachy vibes were wonderful as we explored long island! the aesthetic value was truly there.
i liked sam’s character, i just wish it didn’t take her as long to realize she was unhappy with her life when it was extremely obvious from the beginning. nobody in her family realized either? i wish they would have gently nudged her too rather than helping her get further into the hole she created for herself
i think the actual romance part of it happens too deep into the book and we dont see enough of them truly together :( i wanted to see more sweet scenes with them, maybe an epilogue? i felt like i wanted more
i couldn’t stand jack either
i liked sam’s character, i just wish it didn’t take her as long to realize she was unhappy with her life when it was extremely obvious from the beginning. nobody in her family realized either? i wish they would have gently nudged her too rather than helping her get further into the hole she created for herself
i think the actual romance part of it happens too deep into the book and we dont see enough of them truly together :( i wanted to see more sweet scenes with them, maybe an epilogue? i felt like i wanted more
i couldn’t stand jack either
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Same Time Next Summer marks my fourth and final Annabel Monaghan book, and while it didn’t top the list for me, it still gave me that soft, warm feeling her stories are known for. Honestly, I missed the divorced energy this time around (what can I say? There's something so raw feeling about it), but I am admittedly a bit of a sucker for emotional infidelity, so I was still in.
Sam and Wyatt are adorable, and I loved the dual POV and dual timeline structure. The flashbacks to their childhood-sweetheart beginnings were super endearing and gave the whole story a real emotional arc — you see them fall in love, fall apart, and try to make sense of it all years later. It helped all the pieces click in a satisfying way. While I didn’t love Wyatt’s arc of singer-songwriter, he was still a fine love interest. The others in Monaghan’s books are just way better.
Sam’s stuck in a life she doesn’t even like — and wow, did that resonate. There’s something about watching a character realize they’ve been performing a life instead of living one that felt a little too close to my own current existential crisis. Do I hate my job? Am I just trying to pretend I have my life together? Unclear. But this book got me reflecting.
I closed the final page with two unexpected takeaways:
1. Maybe I really do want to be a teacher? And maybe that’s okay?
2. Happiness needs to be a goal, not just a byproduct.
So here’s to the rest of the summer — to friendship, to love, and to regular self check-ins to ask, “Is this really making me happy?”
Sam and Wyatt are adorable, and I loved the dual POV and dual timeline structure. The flashbacks to their childhood-sweetheart beginnings were super endearing and gave the whole story a real emotional arc — you see them fall in love, fall apart, and try to make sense of it all years later. It helped all the pieces click in a satisfying way. While I didn’t love Wyatt’s arc of singer-songwriter, he was still a fine love interest. The others in Monaghan’s books are just way better.
Sam’s stuck in a life she doesn’t even like — and wow, did that resonate. There’s something about watching a character realize they’ve been performing a life instead of living one that felt a little too close to my own current existential crisis. Do I hate my job? Am I just trying to pretend I have my life together? Unclear. But this book got me reflecting.
I closed the final page with two unexpected takeaways:
1. Maybe I really do want to be a teacher? And maybe that’s okay?
2. Happiness needs to be a goal, not just a byproduct.
So here’s to the rest of the summer — to friendship, to love, and to regular self check-ins to ask, “Is this really making me happy?”
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Excellent beach read! Fairly short with short chapters that kept me reading. Kind of gave me slight Family Stone vibes but in reverse (SJP character is the fiancé and Dylan McDermott is our main character with the hippie artist parents). They have a summer beach house where she grew up spending her summers and she fell in love with the boy next door, Wyatt. It was cute! Recommended!
What happened to this author? Nora Goes Off Script was perfection, and focused on a demographic completely missing in cute romance books. This book rotates between YA and a genre of women 30 and under, which are plenty flooded genres. Wishing this author would return to her unique voice, and not join the sea of others, where not only is the plot formulaic, so are the characters. Such a disappointment.
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
relaxing
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Summer book ✔️
Childhood friends to lovers ✔️
Summer loving ✔️
Second chance romance ✔️
This book is the epitome of everything I adore in a contemporary romance. However, the storyline felt a tad rushed, which made the characters seem a little too surface. I wish I could've gotten more invested in them.
Childhood friends to lovers ✔️
Summer loving ✔️
Second chance romance ✔️
This book is the epitome of everything I adore in a contemporary romance. However, the storyline felt a tad rushed, which made the characters seem a little too surface. I wish I could've gotten more invested in them.
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No