As an avid reader, I enjoy reading in the summertime when I don’t have school or have any work to worry about. I listen to music while I read, usually pop or country, which helps me relax. I have a lot of free time in the summer, so that’s when I can just sit on the porch outside and enjoy the sun shining down.
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
Persephone Fraser made the biggest mistake of her life a decade ago at Barry’s Bay, the place where everything went wrong. She now lives in the city instead of on the lakeshore of her childhood house. Percy suddenly receives a phone call that sends her back to Barry’s Bay and back to Sam Florek, who she fell in love with. Over the years, Sam and Percy have been inseparable until their friendship fell apart. Percy has to confront the decisions she made six summers ago.
I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and an easy read. The book switches between past and present which was interesting and you get to see what’s happening from the character’s perspectives. I liked the romance in this book, it wasn’t overpowering the storyline too much. Since the story took place on a lake, it gave me summer vibes and it felt like I was right there with Sam and Percy.
Borrow My Heart by Kasie West
Wren likes to stick to her plan and has a list of rules when it comes to dating. While she’s in a cafe, a cute boy named Asher walks in. Wren overhears a conversation with Asher and his friend, and she realizes that he’s getting catfished by his online crush. Making an impulsive decision, Wren pretends to be Asher’s “crush.” As the two begin hanging out with each other, Wren keeps trying to find the right time to tell Asher she isn’t who he thinks she is.
This book was an amazing read, so much so that I read it in one day. There was a smart twist in the middle which I didn’t see coming. I related to Wren a lot because of her love for animals and the fact that she works at an animal shelter. Although there were some rocky times with Asher and Wren, they both talked it out and resolved their situation together. I felt like Asher and Wren really complimented each other and they got along pretty well.
The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy
Cassie Soul hasn’t spent summer in Avalon Bay in years. Suddenly, her grandma is going to sell the boardwalk that’s been in the family for five decades. Cassie returns to the small beach town to spend time with family and maybe even have a summer fling. On her first night, she meets Tate Bartlett, who is a sailing instructor and the town’s “favorite boy.” He doesn’t want to hurt Cassie, so he puts her in the friend-zone. Soon, he realizes that that isn’t a good idea. As Cassie and Tate navigate between friends and lovers, some secrets come up and their relationship is put to the test.
I really enjoyed this book. During the first half, the story was kind of slow but after that, it started to pick up. Both Cassie and Tate have lots of chemistry and are honest with each other. Their communication with each other was something I liked reading. This really gave me summer vibes and I enjoyed all the summer games that they were participating in in the story and it felt like I was with the characters playing along.
The Lost Bookshop by Evie Wood
Opaline, Martha and Henry have been side characters to their own lives. Opaline narrates this story in the past, where she works in a bookstore. In the present, Martha has escaped an abusive marriage and is trying to stand on her own feet by working as a housekeeper. Henry is a Ph.D. student who is obsessed with an old manuscript, and he’s ready to do anything to find it. Connecting the two strangers is a missing bookshop. As Henry and Martha learn more about it, the bookshop seems to want to be found by them.
This was a very magical book. It had some heartbreak, romance, mystery and magic. There were lots of library references and different odes to literary figures. Each of the characters were very interesting to learn about. I really liked Martha and how she looks at life with a new perspective. She goes along with life and tries to find the best in every situation. Overall, this was a really great book and I loved all the magical and fantasy elements that Wood had to offer.
