Scan barcode
A review by abooklikeyou
Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I'm going to be honest, I wasn't too sure about this one. I was sold by the cover and the notion that this was going to explore childhood friends-to-lovers/ second chance romance (my favorite trope). I heard this had all the nostalgia vibes and so many elements that I loved. But, the start of this book was a huge let down for me. It started out as a 2 star, moved to a 3, and then when hit the second half of the book and was able to award this one a 3.5 star review. Let me explain...
Things I Didn't Like:
- There was a change in POV (i.e. first person and third person) when the timelines jumped, which made the writing choppy and hard to read at times. I typically love multiple timelines and POVs, but I don't think it was done well here.
- Personally, I thought the therapy rep in this was awful. I was so angry with what Dr. Judy told Sam.
- I think I was so detached from the story that when the "thing" that tore Sam & Wyatt apart as kids happened and started spiraling I was just like, really? Don't get me wrong, I can understand the effect that would have on someone, especially seeing the two different lives Sam and Wyatt lived. It just seemed a little extreme to me.
- Really the first half of the book. Overall, I just didn't care about the characters. I felt like I was being told that two people fell in love without really understanding how or why.
And then we had "The Turn Around:"
- The second half of this book was much better than the first. While I still didn't feel fully invested in the characters, I started to open up more to them once we stayed in the present timeline.
- What Wyatt said on page 192 - SWOON!
- I liked uncovering Wyatt's secret even though it wasn't really a surprise twist.
Overall, this was nowhere near my perfect book, but I do think after the redemption in the second half I can recommend this. I know that we all have different reading tastes, and this book definitely has its audience! So check it out if it sounds interesting to you.
Things I Didn't Like:
- There was a change in POV (i.e. first person and third person) when the timelines jumped, which made the writing choppy and hard to read at times. I typically love multiple timelines and POVs, but I don't think it was done well here.
- Personally, I thought the therapy rep in this was awful. I was so angry with what Dr. Judy told Sam.
- I think I was so detached from the story that when the "thing" that tore Sam & Wyatt apart as kids happened and started spiraling I was just like, really? Don't get me wrong, I can understand the effect that would have on someone, especially seeing the two different lives Sam and Wyatt lived. It just seemed a little extreme to me.
- Really the first half of the book. Overall, I just didn't care about the characters. I felt like I was being told that two people fell in love without really understanding how or why.
And then we had "The Turn Around:"
- The second half of this book was much better than the first. While I still didn't feel fully invested in the characters, I started to open up more to them once we stayed in the present timeline.
- What Wyatt said on page 192 - SWOON!
- I liked uncovering Wyatt's secret even though it wasn't really a surprise twist.
Overall, this was nowhere near my perfect book, but I do think after the redemption in the second half I can recommend this. I know that we all have different reading tastes, and this book definitely has its audience! So check it out if it sounds interesting to you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Minor: Sexual content