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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book came out of nowhere and was the most fabulous story! If you are a fan of The Summer I Turned Pretty, but you're an adult this book could have the relationship love triangle for you. (Belly & Conrad, Belly & Jeremiah. IYKYK).
I listened to the audio on this one and I spent the entire time rooting for Samantha. After her husband of over twenty years asked her for an open marriage I was so living for her adventures with the swoon worthy Logan. He's got hot bad boy turned single dad energy AND he restores classic cars. Again, swoon! The journey for this story is glorious and the destination will leave you satisfied!
I listened to the audio on this one and I spent the entire time rooting for Samantha. After her husband of over twenty years asked her for an open marriage I was so living for her adventures with the swoon worthy Logan. He's got hot bad boy turned single dad energy AND he restores classic cars. Again, swoon! The journey for this story is glorious and the destination will leave you satisfied!
challenging
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
I enjoyed this story pretty well. The narration was good. Easy to listen to! This is a book about finding yourself after losing yourself time and time again in everyone else, taking care of everyone except yourself, and juggling life, motherhood, being a wife, and making a house a home.
The cover of this book seems fun/flirty, but this deals with some heavy, real-life stuff, like growing out of love with your spouse and having an empty nest with no kids at home. Who are you when all of that is gone? I think it's something you probably don't think about until it's staring you in the face. I loved that she got her happily ever after, though. 🙂
With all that being said, there was a ton of inner monologue that felt really repetitive. I get it. Those things kept going through her head, but man, it was a whole lot of the same thoughts..
The cover of this book seems fun/flirty, but this deals with some heavy, real-life stuff, like growing out of love with your spouse and having an empty nest with no kids at home. Who are you when all of that is gone? I think it's something you probably don't think about until it's staring you in the face. I loved that she got her happily ever after, though. 🙂
With all that being said, there was a ton of inner monologue that felt really repetitive. I get it. Those things kept going through her head, but man, it was a whole lot of the same thoughts..
adventurous
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
A chapter in and my heart was fully broken.
I didn’t see this plot line coming. I thought I had downloaded a different book with the same name.
I expected fluff and I got so much more.
The betrayal I felt when mmc1 told fmc he wanted to open his marriage to sow his wild oats feeling as if he missed something was palpable. I sobbed.
And then, when he knew she wasn’t into the idea decided they would do it anyhow and that Mr. Oats would just fly back into his wife’s life and resume life after fully reaping the “benefits” of his summer of sex.
This was a great book. If you’re like me and love the pain felt in Evidence of the affair and after I do, you’ll like this gem.
I didn’t see this plot line coming. I thought I had downloaded a different book with the same name.
I expected fluff and I got so much more.
And then, when he knew she wasn’t into the idea decided they would do it anyhow and that Mr. Oats would just fly back into his wife’s life and resume life after fully reaping the “benefits” of his summer of sex.
This was a great book. If you’re like me and love the pain felt in Evidence of the affair and after I do, you’ll like this gem.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to Netgalley and Canary Street Press by Maisey Yates,
Cruel Summer took a little while to pull me in, but once it did, I was fully invested. This story is equal parts emotional, dramatic, and ultimately satisfying. While the slower start had me wondering where things were headed, I’m glad I stuck with it.
The characters are layered, each carrying emotional baggage that unfolds gradually in a way that feels honest and human. Once the story found its rhythm, I found myself really caring about where these people would end up.
If you're looking for a summer read with emotional depth and a satisfying conclusion, Cruel Summer is worth a spot on your list. Just be patient with the pacing early on.
Cruel Summer took a little while to pull me in, but once it did, I was fully invested. This story is equal parts emotional, dramatic, and ultimately satisfying. While the slower start had me wondering where things were headed, I’m glad I stuck with it.
The characters are layered, each carrying emotional baggage that unfolds gradually in a way that feels honest and human. Once the story found its rhythm, I found myself really caring about where these people would end up.
If you're looking for a summer read with emotional depth and a satisfying conclusion, Cruel Summer is worth a spot on your list. Just be patient with the pacing early on.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you Maisey Yates, Netgalley, Nancy Peterson and Harlequin Audio for the opportunity to listen to this ALC. I went into this and the first chapter had me questioning whether I was going to like this book at all but I am so so glad that I stuck it out. The premise of this book was so interesting and the character growth was wonderful. Nancy Peterson's narration was impeccable and brought every bit of the story to life brilliantly.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
You guys, this one hit a little too close to home for me. Not that my husband has ever asked for an open marriage, but we are high school sweethearts who have never been with anyone else in their life. I am not ruining any spoilers because that’s in the blurb itself.
I could very easily put myself into the main character’s shoes. I’m not a saint – I’ve thought how I’ve missed out on multiple things by being with the same man since I was 14. So, when Will proposed an open marriage to Sam and how Sam felt, I could see both sides. I knew why Will was asking and I could also understand how horrible Sam felt that she felt that she wasn’t good enough for her husband. The conflicting emotions this book evoked in myself felt like this book was written for me.
As a 35-year-old woman (I had to do the math because I’m at that stage of life where I don’t remember) with two small kids with said man I’ve been with since I was 14, reading about someone who was 40 years and had three grown children wasn’t too far out of my wheelhouse (except the grown children lol). My husband and I have been through A LOT in the few years we have had children. But that is a different review for a different day.
Logan, Will’s best friend, is of course someone I imagined to be Glen Powell. Because, why wouldn’t his best friend be wonderful looking, and swoon-worthy. Sam and Logan has gone on family vacations throughout the years, and Sam was a pseudo mom to Chole, Logan’s daughter, after his wife passed. There was never any cheating between the two of them ever, just a connection.
Once Will requested for an open marriage, Logan offered Sam the chance to be his co-rider on his classic car trips. Of course, he restores classic cars and then takes them to the owners. They’ve traveled together, but never alone.
I was really into this book until about the middle part, and it slowed down for me. There was a lot of internal and sometimes duplicate thoughts from Sam. I had hoped for a bit more angst than what we did get throughout this book, but I highly enjoyed when Logan and Sam did have dialogue with each other. It was connected and had depth to their friendship. Of course, I rooted for them from the very beginning. I don’t think you pick up this book without already rooting for him LOL
Maisy Yates makes us wait for it. Slow burn. Sexual Tension. She did surprise me a little with a small tidbit about their history that I didn’t see coming.
Was this my favorite read of the summer? No. Did it keep my attention and provide some good insights on life? It certainly did. Was I happy at how it ended? YES.
#avidreaderbookblog #readingislife #bookblogger #bookbloggersofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #romance #romancebookstagram #romancebookstagrammer #romancebookblogger #maisyyates #maisyyatesauthor
I could very easily put myself into the main character’s shoes. I’m not a saint – I’ve thought how I’ve missed out on multiple things by being with the same man since I was 14. So, when Will proposed an open marriage to Sam and how Sam felt, I could see both sides. I knew why Will was asking and I could also understand how horrible Sam felt that she felt that she wasn’t good enough for her husband. The conflicting emotions this book evoked in myself felt like this book was written for me.
As a 35-year-old woman (I had to do the math because I’m at that stage of life where I don’t remember) with two small kids with said man I’ve been with since I was 14, reading about someone who was 40 years and had three grown children wasn’t too far out of my wheelhouse (except the grown children lol). My husband and I have been through A LOT in the few years we have had children. But that is a different review for a different day.
Logan, Will’s best friend, is of course someone I imagined to be Glen Powell. Because, why wouldn’t his best friend be wonderful looking, and swoon-worthy. Sam and Logan has gone on family vacations throughout the years, and Sam was a pseudo mom to Chole, Logan’s daughter, after his wife passed. There was never any cheating between the two of them ever, just a connection.
Once Will requested for an open marriage, Logan offered Sam the chance to be his co-rider on his classic car trips. Of course, he restores classic cars and then takes them to the owners. They’ve traveled together, but never alone.
I was really into this book until about the middle part, and it slowed down for me. There was a lot of internal and sometimes duplicate thoughts from Sam. I had hoped for a bit more angst than what we did get throughout this book, but I highly enjoyed when Logan and Sam did have dialogue with each other. It was connected and had depth to their friendship. Of course, I rooted for them from the very beginning. I don’t think you pick up this book without already rooting for him LOL
Maisy Yates makes us wait for it. Slow burn. Sexual Tension. She did surprise me a little with a small tidbit about their history that I didn’t see coming.
Was this my favorite read of the summer? No. Did it keep my attention and provide some good insights on life? It certainly did. Was I happy at how it ended? YES.
#avidreaderbookblog #readingislife #bookblogger #bookbloggersofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #romance #romancebookstagram #romancebookstagrammer #romancebookblogger #maisyyates #maisyyatesauthor
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No