A review by nevaeh_rose1205
It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is the most emotional and grief-heavy book in the trilogy. It’s Not Summer Without You explores what happens after the perfect summer ends — when love is messy, people drift, and grief doesn’t follow rules. The loss of Susannah weighs heavily on everyone, especially Belly and Conrad, whose bond is tested through silence and distance.

It’s quieter than Book 1 but deeper. The alternating POVs (Belly and Jeremiah) give insight into how grief fractures people differently. A story of growing pains, faded summers, and trying to hold onto something that’s slipping away.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Death of parent

Minor: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Alcohol

Yes: This book is more about feeling lost than finding anything. The death of Susannah shapes every interaction, and the absence of that summer magic leaves a hole in every relationship. Belly feels distant from herself and others, and it shows in how much she pushes and pulls people away. It’s a transitional story that sets the stage for change, and it hurts in the way grief often does — slowly and unexpectedly.