Very enjoyable read that is mostly lighthearted but does deal with some more serious topics. I loved the relationship between Hannah and Libby. I liked how the authors included topics of mental health naturally as part of the characters' journeys without making it a major plot point. Overall, a light, fun read perfect for beach bags this summer.

✨ Review ✨ The Comeback Summer by Ali Brady

Hannah and Libby are trying to save the PR firm their grandmother started and both embark on a 12-week challenge to get out of their comfort zones set by a potential client. Hannah is challenged to go on 12 first dates and Libby's challenged to get more active, training for a mud run challenge race.

The book reads like a mix of women's fiction and romance (with a bonus of TWO romances), and I enjoyed watching different relationships grow and develop -- between the sisters, love interests, and friends. This book is all about growth and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and that made it really lovely to read.

I had some mixed feelings about Hannah's love interest, cheering for it at times and scowling at it in others, and I'm still not sure how I feel about it at the end. However, this book flew by and felt like a warm hug to read.

I loved also how it showcased Chicago -- its sights and sounds and tastes and more. That gave it some extra sparkle!

I'd read another book by Ali Brady anytime!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: f/m romance and women's fiction
Setting: Chicago
Pub Date: out now

Read this if you like:
⭕️ sister relationships
⭕️ characters pushing their comfort zone
⭕️ entrepreneurial women
⭕️ Chicago

Thanks to Berkley, Ali Brady and #netgalley for early copies of this book!

I love a good women's fiction novel in the summertime and this book was a delight. It deals with two sisters trying to keep their grandmother's PR company in the black. Secrets are revealed and it makes the sisters question their relationship with each other.

Hannah and Libby are at a turning point, in order to save the business that their grandmother left them they are going to have to take on a 12 week challenge to break out of their comfort zones. What they discover about themselves and what they want surprises them. Will they be able to break out of their comfort zones and create the lives they want? A story of family and expectations and breaking out of your comfort zone to create the life you want that is perfect for summer reading.

More like 3 and a half Stars ✨!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Pub for my advanced copy of The Comeback Summer!

This is a really hard review for me to write because I wanted to give this book 5 stars ✨.
I love Bradeigh to pieces and I consider her a good friend. Her and Alison both are phenomenal writers.

This book was good but I had a couple hiccups with it.

First, the good.

✨ The Sisters- I loved their dynamic. How close they were. How family and legacy were important to them. Their relationship. Their contrasting characteristics and lifestyles. They were amazing.

✨ The Setting- Chicago is one of those cities that I’ve always wanted to visit and I could really feel it’s energy when the sisters were out and about.

✨ The Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone Concept- I really enjoyed the concept, how the sisters bonded and helped each other achieve their goals that were outlined for them in the Crush Your Comfort Zone program.

✨ The Romance- There are two separate romances represented in this book and I preferred one over the other. The second chance romance storyline is the one that I was invested in the most which is surprising because that’s not usually my jam.

Why This Wasn’t a 5 Star For Me -

I really struggled to get into this book. When physically reading it I found myself putting it down and easily getting distracted with other things. After pub day I ended up purchasing the audio and that did help.

The plus sized rep - I actually really loved that Libby was plus sized. You can see it on the cover art which is adorable btw. Love the cover. It’s the way that Libby’s weight was handled and the dialogue that was sometimes used when discussing her body.

Overall - I still recommend this book.

Author duo @alibradybooks has written a fabulous summer sister story: THE COMEBACK SUMMER - out last week.
It strikes the perfect balance of lighthearted and fun with the necessary depth and touch on heavier topics to lift it from pure entertainment to a book that makes you think and reflect.

This coming of age romance mix follows sisters Hannah & Libby as they need to mount desperate attempts to save their late grandmother's PR agency when a podcast host whose spiel „Crushing Your Comfort Zone“ is fabulously successful asks them to complete a 12 week challenge to push past their comfort zones and gain her as a big new client.
Each sister has different reasons for being stuck in a rut and each has been relying on the other to reliably „play her part“ - Issues such as body image, mental health, and their sister dynamics as well as the distinction between healthy compromise and giving up your dreams for someone else are addressed.
The sisters at the center of the story mean that there are two love stories playing out where you usually would just get one but the real heart of the book is not the love stories but the character arc of the sisters individually while shaping their adult relationship with one another.

This book has a perfect Chicago setting right on the lakeshore for anyone who loves the Windy City.

Stuck in a rut ? The sisters are bound by the roles they‘ve been playing for each other all their lives - the book had me thinking about my own life and how much I am not branching out because I’d have to venture outside my comfort zone and how much of it is actual need because my kids still need to be completely and totally dependable. With the second one moving out this summer it is definitely worth contemplating…

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

𝙏𝙬𝙤 𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙯𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧’𝙨 𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙘𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩, 𝙨𝙚𝙭𝙮, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡.

📍 Read if you like:
• Forced Proximity
• Second Chance Romance
• Sisterhood
• Summer Reads

I went into this book not expecting to have loved it as much as I did. It’s on the chunky side, but I flew through the book. I enjoyed it so much.

Chicago was such an interesting setting for this book. When I think of a beach, I would never have imagined Chicago - but it was so fascinating.

Hannah and Libby had a strong sisterhood relationship that I loved. There’s a strong found family trope with them and I loved how they were so positive with their appearance.

The authors did such a great job combining both characters. I can see why they write as a duo, they work together so well and it clearly shows through the writing.

There’s amazing body positivity and Jewish representation that I loved. There’s also mental health representation that I thought was done so well.

As for the romance, I loved the second chance and forced proximity tropes. I loved both characters and their love interest.

This book was surprisingly really enjoyable. This would be the perfect beach read with such lovable characters and amazing representation. The Chicago setting was unique and the romance was heartwarming. I would highly recommend picking this one up this summer!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Berkley for the review copy in exchange for my honest review!

•𝗧𝗪/𝗖𝗪: Fatphobia, mental illness, terminal illness

These authors are my new favorite for rom coms. I know when I pick up their books that I'm going to enjoy the plot and the characters. The story was engaging and flowed nicely. I was invested in the characters and wanted to know the outcome. I loved that each sister really grew by the end of the book. Loved the crushing the comfort zone theme, sisterhood, PR firm, Chicago setting, Down & Dirty, and the love interests. I will definitely read more by these authors and recommend this book.

Read if you like:
🥇Self-Improvement Challenge
💕 Two for One Romance
✌🏻Two POV
🕍 Jewish Rep
🥈Second Chance Romance
🚶🏻‍♀️Body positivity
👯‍♀️ Sisters

Libby and Hannah are trying to keep their grandmothers business a float but struggling when they get the opportunity to pitch for a client that could help save their business- but with one hitch- they have to do her 12 week self-improvement journey where they work on something that is holding them back.

Hannah must go on 12 dates and put herself out there again as she hasn’t moved on from her first love yet.

Libby needs to learn to love her body and stop being so afraid of putting physical effort in as her perception of her body has been holding her back in many aspects.

As the two work through their journey they both grow together, and separately. I really enjoyed seeing how the miscommunication trope was used with the sisters as from personal experience I can say it’s really hard to stand up for yourself when your big sister you have always looked up to has put you in a box.

This story is mostly a story of character growth and seeing the relationship between Hannah and Libby grow, but it is also a story of them growing to be happy with themselves and their growth giving them the opportunity to be in a place to accept love.

If you want a book focused on character growth with some romance and for anyone needing to feel main character energy in their own lives I highly recommend this one!

Thanks so much Berkley for my ARC and PRH Audio for my free audiobook!

This is a sweet book about sisters and stepping out of your comfort zone.

Sisters and business partners Libby and Hannah need to save their failing family business. When a potential new client comes along, a self-help guru who is responsible for the “Crush Your Comfort Zone” program. In order to seal the deal, the sisters must both participate in the 12-week program.

It is a romance, but it’s so much more. It’s a story about challenging yourself, figuring out what you want, loving yourself with all your flaws and sisterhood. I loved reading about Libby and Hannah and following their own journeys throughout the “Crush Your Comfort Zone” program. Both characters learned so much about themselves and showed tremendous growth by the end. You also get two sweet romances. If you’re looking for a fun beach read for this summer, then this is it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really fun, fluffy beach read with some really well executed themes of self-acceptance and growth. Like Libby, I'm not usually a fan of second chance romances, but I found that I actually did enjoy this one - possibly because I could actually see how the two characters had grown apart so that they could come back together, and maybe partially because this seemed like the less manipulative, more well executed romance of the two. I did enjoy Adam's character, and the romance between him and Libby was swoony, but I definitely felt like the Hannah-Josh romance had more of a build up and history to it.

All in all, I really did enjoy this one, and will probably check out the authors' other works - the preview of their next novel in the back of this one also seemed like it will be a fun time.

Thank you Berkley for my copy of The Comeback Summer! All thoughts are my own.

Last Summer, I read and loved The Beach Trap by Ali Brady so I was really excited for their latest novel! I really loved the Chicago setting and how fun this book was, but I didn’t end up loving it. Things felt a little disjointed for me and it was on the long side. But! It was easy breezy and fun, perfect for Summer.

Synopsis:

“Hannah and Libby need a miracle. The PR agency they inherited from their grandmother is losing clients left and right, and the sisters are devastated at the thought of closing. The situation seems hopeless—until in walks Lou, an eccentric self-help guru who is looking for a new PR agency. Her business could solve all their problems—but there’s a catch. Whoever works with Lou must complete a twelve-week challenge as part of her “Crush Your Comfort Zone” program.Hannah, whose worst nightmare is making small talk with strangers, is challenged to go on twelve first dates. Libby, who once claimed to have period cramps for four weeks straight to get out of gym class, is challenged to compete in an obstacle course race. The challenges begin with Hannah helping Libby train and Libby managing the dating app on her sister’s behalf. They’re both making good progress—until Hannah’s first love rolls into town, and Libby accidentally falls for a guy she’s supposed to be setting up with her sister.Things get even more complicated when secrets come to light, making the sisters question the one relationship they’ve always counted on: each other. With their company’s future on the line, they can’t afford to fail. But in trying to make a comeback to honor their grandmother, are they pushing themselves down the wrong path?” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Setting—I loved seeing Chicago in the Summer! It was delightful and I wish there would have been more.

The Love Interest—I really liked Adam! I found him to be charming and I liked how that love story played out. The situation with Hannah and Josh was a bit more complicated and I didn’t anticipate the twist!

What Didn’t Work:

Didn’t Feel the Stakes—There were some serious things happening to these characters and they told us they were important, but I didn’t FEEL the stakes at all. It all seemed a little showy? I don’t know.

Second Act Too Long—Everything wrapped up really quickly and while I enjoy that about Romance, it

Some language about food/weight—I think I’m just REALLY sensitive to this and picky, cause it was minimal, but a couple lines rubbed me the wrong way.

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Content Warnings:

fatphobia, terminal illness (mentioned), grief

I enjoyed last year's The Beach Trap and was so excited to receive and participate in the traveling arc! This runs longer for a romance but it was necessary to build such a robust storyline for each sister. I thought the sister dynamic in this one was much stronger than in The Beach Trap. Hannah and Libby are two very different sisters but you could always feel their love, support, and commitment in seeing the best in the other one. I was invested in both women and could root and commiserate with both and cheer on their character growth during each week of their challenge. I loved the themes of body positivity and managing anxiety weaved throughout.

Recommend if you enjoy
👯‍♀️Story about sisters
🎙️True crime podcasts
👟 Tough mudder type obstacle courses
🔯 Jewish and curvy rep
💕 Second chance romance stories

I loved this so much! I love the fact that the MC's in Ali Brady's books are sisters. It's like getting two stories in one with the focus on relationships between siblings as well as romances for both women!

I enjoyed the premise of this book and it made me think that a challenge like these two women participate in would be good for anyone. We get so comfortable in our lives that we don't see the possibilities that await us if we just push past those comfort zones.

I thought the plotline between the sisters was genuine and relatable. I've grown away from my sister from time to time but there's always a way back. I also enjoyed the romances Libby and Hannah had, the insecurities they overcome, and the growth they both have from beginning to end. I can't wait for more romances from these two authors! I 100% recommend!

You're summer rom com is here! The Comeback Summer by writing duo, Ali Brady, needs to be on your vacation reading list. While struggling to save their grandmother's PR business, two sisters get an offer to pitch a self-help podcaster guru as a new client, but they must first take on a series of challenges to "crush their comfort zones." along the way, you get TWO romance novels in one plus the sister story. It's "medium steamy" romance and will be a great vacation or pool read.

Thank you to Berkely Publishing and Negalley for the electronic advanced copy.

The Comeback Summer by Ali Brady had me feeling all the feels. The writing was smooth and I easily fell into this world. The relationships, especially the sister relationships is what stood out to me. I related, I empathized and I felt everything. The Comeback Summer address being pushed out of your comfort zone and I think that’s an example that would be good for many people. There is so much for people to relate to here and this is more than a sweet summer beach read. I highly recommend.

Thank you to the authors for the gifted e-copy.

Ali Brady is a dynamic writing duo and I will read anything these two write, alone or together! The Comeback Summer is a bingeable book about two sisters that are trying to save their grandma's PR company from going under, and in doing so, end up learning so much about themselves.

Libby and Hannah are pretty co dependent, but throughout this book, they learn how to be their own person. Their newest potential client has a self help podcast/brand, and she challenges them to complete her 12 week challenge to get out of their comfort zones before she'll sign on as a client. Neither girl is excited about this idea, but agree to the terms anyway.

The alternating POVs lend well to telling their story, and ultimately the struggles each of them is going through personally and as a pair. The side characters were fun too - I loved Alex, and Great Scott was my favorite! He needs a book now too!

I could really see this book being made into a movie! I loved the Jewish rep too.

Thank you to @netgalley @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @prhaudio for a free download of the audiobook.

Sisters, Hannah, and Libby are looking for a miracle that will help save the PR firm left to them by their grandmother. In walks their fairy godmother…aka Lou, who actually is a podcaster and self-help guru. Regardless, a brilliant potential client. If they can get through Lou’s “Crush Your Comfort Zone” twelve-week challenge, she will hire the sisters. Lou assigns them a goal for their challenge that will help broaden their lives, more than even Hannah or Libby expects.

This was a fun sister story with self-discovery and some romance mixed in. It makes you think about where you might even find yourself stuck and not progressing towards your own heart’s desires.

5 stars

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #berkleypub #berkleyromance #berkleybuddyreads #prhaudio #ltbreaderteam #berkelywritesstrongwomen #thecomebacksummer #alibrady

This is the perfect summer read - a total delight!. I adored the relationship between Libby and Hannah and their summer of discovery. Each sister was very relatable in their struggles to exist outside of their comfort zone and finding ways to love themselves and all of the flaws that make them fabulous! Throw in some great romance and this is a great book that you will definitely want to pick up this summer!

I love a good sister story and with their newest novel The Comeback Summer, writer duo Ali Brady really knocked it out of the park! It’s smart, fun, and heartfelt and just had me cheering the sisters on every step of the way.

The story follows Hannah and Libby, who have taken over their late grandmother’s PR firm but are really struggling to make a go of it. If they lose any more clients, they will seriously be in danger of going out of business. Lou, a wildly popular self-help guru, is looking for a new PR firm to represent her but says she will consider Hannah and Libby for the job, but only if they are willing to complete her 12 week “Crush Your Comfort Zone” program. Even though both sisters inwardly cringe at the idea of completing the program, Lou would be a big enough client to save the business, so they reluctantly agree. Lou goes on to customize a challenge for each sister, to help them combat their biggest fears. Hannah, whose comfort zone is numbers, struggles to make small talk to strangers, is tasked with going on 12 first dates. Libby, whose comfort zone is curling up with her cat and a good romance novel, is tasked with a 12 week training program to get her into good enough shape to compete in the annual “Down and Dirty” obstacle course race.

This truly was such a wonderful read! I loved watching the sisters in action and was equally invested in both Hannah and Libby. I really enjoyed how much the story focused not just on their efforts to crush their comfort zones, but also on the dynamics of their relationship as siblings. The authors did a wonderful job of realistically portraying the ups and downs of a self help journey, as well as the natural ups and downs that any relationship experiences. I loved how much personal growth both Libby and Hannah experience and how much they learn about themselves and about each other throughout the process.

There are romantic relationships for each sister as well and I thoroughly enjoyed those. For Hannah, it’s a second chance romance and for Libby, it’s a relationship that happens when she least expects it. While I adored both of their love interests and was cheering them on, I really have to say that it was the beautiful exploration of the theme of sisterhood that made me fall in love with The Comeback Summer.