Summer after Summer is the modern day retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. I have never read Persuasion, but enjoyed this story. I loved the dual timeline between the past and the present, tying history into present. Fred and Olivia meet as teenagers and crossing paths every 5 years several times, but the timing of their relationship is never right. The final encounter at present, Olivia’s family is selling their family home after the passing of their mother, bringing Olivia back to the Hamptons. She returns to escape her cheating husband only to find out that the buyer of the home is Fred.

If you’re looking for a light summer read, this book is perfect for that.

I enjoyed listening to Megan Tusing narrate this book. Her voice was nice to listen to.

🎧Summer After Summer by Lauren Bailey
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is one of those light reads that would be perfect for the beach except for the fact that it’s entirely too long. Honestly could have been 2 books. I would have really enjoyed this second chance romance but it drug on too long. It had lots of potential and honestly I liked most of the book. The narrator did a great job of capturing the characters. Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC audio book.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Let's start with the narrator. I liked her reading for the most part, but she often trails off to show emotion, and I miss something or need to turn the volume way up. That was annoying as it happened throughout the story. The book was decent, but I found it to lag in the middle. However, I kept with it because I wanted to know how it ended.

For fans of Rebecca Serle, Lauren Bailey writes a story of summer love and heartbreak told over 20 years.

What I loved:
- the atmosphere of young summer love in the Hamptons
- the flashbacks through their time together
- the feelings this brought back thinking about summers spent away at the beach

What I didn't like:
- it was slow to listen to through the book, and then the ending came and I wanted more. I wanted that feeling the entirety of the book
- her sisters were the worst
- Olivia wasn't my favorite FMC
- I didn't get enough of Fred and Olivia to make an opinion on if they should be together or not, then the ending came and it didn't hit for me. They just seemed like they continued to hurt each other and make the same mistakes again and again.

This book was hit or miss for me, but I wanted their relationship highlighted more together.

When I saw this was a Jane Austen retelling I knew I needed to ask for this book, alas although I finished it, it didn't do it for me.

Things I liked:
The story's summer beach house setting is lovely for bringing old flames back together. Fred's character is adorable, adding lots of charm. And those flashbacks to young summer love? They really make the story special.

Things I wished were better:
While the story has its moments, the pace feels off at times, going slow then suddenly fast, especially towards the end. Olivia, the main character, isn't as interesting as I hoped. She's kind of like a bland version of Anne Elliot. And I wanted more of the present-day story to really feel the connection between Fred and Olivia. Instead, it felt forced and didn't draw me in.

Summer After Summer is the debut novel by author Lauren Bailey. Set primarily in the summer of 2023, this story also includes flashbacks to the summers of 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2018. Perhaps the fifth time Olivia Taylor and the love of her life Fred Webb are brought together will be the final charm for the bracelet Fred gave to Olivia on her sixteenth birthday.

Regardless of their feelings for one another, each time they come together it seems that in a matter of days something will happen to rip them apart. It is almost as if an outside force deigns to first tease, then tear them apart. But this summer, the summer of 2023, there are so many cards in play, with deceit, subterfuge, fraud, and misrepresentation as the Taylor family comes to the end of their hereditary ownership of their seashore estate. Not only is this the story of a family in flux, but it is also the story of those that would take advantage of this family in a twisted plot line.

This is such a well told tale with richly crafted characters and an intricately woven plot. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend this book!

Thank you for the ARC! I loved this story, it was extremely well written. Will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author!

I love this book! The story of love lost and found again over and over is the reality of many but not often portrayed in writing. It was a nice change of pace. The dialog was witty. I wish there was more of a connection with the sisters but that is easily forgiven. Highly recommend.

Absolutely loved this one! Heart aching at so many points, but so fulfilling in the end. Every character in this one got exactly what they deserved! I felt differing degrees of all the emotions in this one. Loved the setting and the style of the story—going back and forth between past and present really brought it all together. A great beach romance read!

Summer after summer by Lauren Bailey follows Olivia, who finds herself back in her childhood home while also trying to navigate her failing marriage. Olivia assists her father in sorting through the family's possessions as he prepares to sell the estate due to financial troubles. She has a hard time returning to her childhood home since her mother’s death. The situation gets even more intense as Olivia discovers that the prospective buyer is none other than Fred, her first love.

Summer after summer is a great book for anyone who loves Jane Austen’s ”Persuasion”. I absolutely love second chance romance books and thought the different time jumps into the past added depth to the storytelling. The FMC and MMC were both very relatable and the relationship was developed very well. The story also covered topics such as giving second chances, betrayal and finding oneself. I did not know it was Baileys debut novel, as it was very well written and the pacing was good.
Furthermore, the voice actor did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life.

When I decided I wanted to read Summer After Summer, I did not realize all the emotions that I would face. If you think this is just going to be some sweet summer love story, you are wrong.

It’s so much more. I had tears in my eyes more than I’d like to admit.
There was so much heartache but also in ways it had just as much love.
Not only is there heartache but quite a bit of drama to keep the story going.
It’s my first book by Lauren Bailey but I really enjoyed it. I also really like the narrator, Megan Tusing. I’m pretty sure it’s my first book by her too. She was great.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Audio for a chance to listen to an advance copy of the audio in exchange for an honest review.

"Summer After Summer" is a modern retelling of Jane Austen's "Persuasion." I wanted to love this book, but I found a few things that made me not like it so much. First, the main character Olivia was not captivating or likable in many instances. It made it very hard for me to cheer her and Fred on. Secondly, the audiobook was slow paced. The first half of the book was so slow that I almost gave up.

For a debut novel, Lauren Bailey did well. I look forward to reading her future books.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced audiobook copy.

I didn’t read the synopsis at all and just decided to request this off the title and pretty cover. I regret nothing! 😂 I got very lucky going into this one blind, it was a good romance AND was a retelling of Persuasion! I loved Persuasion!

The characters were likable, the romance was dramatic at times, and there supporting characters all brought something special to the table. I also like that there was a tiny bit of an unknown factor in the mix that added extra intrigue to the storyline. I love a good retelling and this was a delightful twist on the classic.

If you love Jane Austen and you’re looking for a romance with light to moderate spice then add it to your list!

𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗱𝗮𝘆: 𝗬𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆!
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝟰/𝟱⭐️

Thank you Dreamscape Media for the alc via Netgalley!

Summer After Summer by Lauren Bailey
Narrated by: Megan Tusing

Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the review copy!

This is beautiful story of love, summer after summer. Olivia returns to the place she grew up and met her first love while her marriage is on the rocks. Her father is selling the family estate and Olivia helps go through the family’s belongings. Her mother passed away years ago and it is hard for Olivia to be in the house and to be going through her things. Fred is buying the property, but also happens to be Olivia’s first love. The book goes back in time to each of the five years that Fred and Olivia try to make things work, then back to present day. They both have been through so much and the way this is written made me want to binge the book! I wanted to know what happened each time they tried to make things work and of course if they were going to figure out how to make it work in the present tense. There’s a few unexpected twists and turns, but it is a HEA! This is my first time listening to Megan narrate and she was great! Overall, a great second (fifth) chance romance, with family drama!

I love a good fluffy romance, but when the romance has a little Scooby Doo mystery gang action in the end... It solidified this being one of my top books of the year so far. Plus a little Wimbledon action in there. Perfectly rounded romance.

Oliva moves back to her childhood home in the Hamptons to help her family pack up and move out as their home has recently been purchased, as well as running away from her cheating husband. Coming back opens up her memories to meeting her "one that got away", Fred. Her childhood love that keeps coming back into her life in unexpected ways, but it never seems to work out. Something always gets in the way, including themselves. With her separation from her husband and Fred back in the picture, but with a casual girlfriend, feelings start coming back as if they never really went away. There have been 4 other opportunities, coming up every 5 years since their first summer. But is this the summer they finally figure it out?

I wouldn't classify this as a sports romance, but it has the perfect amount of action in it, without the reader feeling lost if they don't understand tennis. I love seeing into a niche community, and the world of professional tennis was so good. The training schedules, the time spent abroad, and Wimbledon?? I loved her perspective of the matches and how she could improve.

The romance time jumping was just enough. I didn't get lost in the time lines, and it was pretty much an even back and forth between the past and the present. Seeing their past and how it changes them every 5 years showed the best amount of growth.

I loved that this wasn't your typical "beach read", the characters were more real, with actual problems that real life people face. Olivia and her sisters, Fred, the sleezy husband Wes, and the charm bracelet.
I loved this and the narrator was awesome. No weird voices for any of the characters, and easy enough to follow along with who was speaking when. Thank you to NetGalley and Lauren Bailey!!

I was very impressed by this debut novel, which I did not realize until after I finished, is a modern retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion. The audiobook totally exceeded my expectations, and I could not stop listening!

This is a multi-timeline story about Olivia, who is now an adult in her mid-thirties. She has retired from professional tennis and just left her husband after discovering he was unfaithful. Olivia returns to her family's beloved summer home in the Hamptons to help clear it out because her father can no longer afford to keep it. She is shocked to learn that the home buyer is Fred, aka The One Who Got Away. The novel jumps back in time to the summer that Olivia and Fred met as teenagers, and then there is a chapter for every summer after, telling the story of their doomed back-and-forth romance each year.

I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys:
*Starting over
*Second chance romance
*Small town coastal settings
*LGBTQ rep
*Fans of Carly Fortune, Annabel Monaghan, Emily Henry, and other similar authors.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Dreamscape Media for this audiobook in exchange for my review!

Summer after summer is for the reader looking for a fun summer romance and an escape to the Hamptons. Olivia recently gets out of a divorce and heads back to her family vacation home for the summer to pack up her family’s estate. Fred and Olivia have tried over and over to make a relationship work and timing never seems to be on their side. With Olivia being newly single will the stars finally align? I loved the it’s always been you trope and the fun summer setting it was the perfect audiobook for May! 4⭐️

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on May 7th, 2024. Links provided.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because I really liked the narrator for the audiobook.

At 35 years old, Olivia Taylor, whose marriage is crumbling, finds herself drawn back to her childhood home in the Hamptons tasked with helping her family pack up their beloved estate, now in the process of being sold due to financial woes. Escaping the chaos of her life in New York City and the fallout with her soon-to-be-ex-husband Wes, Olivia steps into her familiar role as the family caretaker. Yet, returning home also means confronting painful memories, not least of which includes her history with Fred, her first love she’s never quite forgotten. Despite their tumultuous past and multiple attempts to make it work, Olivia can’t help but feel a stir of hope when she sees him again after five years since they last crossed paths and 20 years since they first met. Both she and Fred have changed and as she navigates through the remnants of her past life and the possibilities of a new beginning, Olivia struggles with trying to figure out what she really wants out of life. Could it be that the fifth attempt at love is finally destined to succeed? This compelling story weaves a tale of love, loss, and the possibility of second chance against the nostalgic backdrop of a family home with a tender past.

Told in alternating chapters of present day (July 2023) and flashbacks between the Julys of 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2018, Summer After Summer was a sweet story about love, second chances, betrayal, and finding oneself. Second chance romances are often one of my favorite storylines so it is likely that my feelings regarding this book are slightly influenced by that fact. I really enjoyed seeing Olivia and Fred’s entire story unfold with the use of flashbacks every other chapter. There is definitely a fair amount of angst throughout the entire book, and it is clear that Olivia and Fred just keep finding each other at the wrong times in their lives. There were some situations that led to frustrating decision making in my opinion but overall I enjoyed the main story of their love and journey as well as the present day story surrounding Olivia’s family.

"Summer After Summer" by Lauren Bailey, narrated by Megan Tusing, offers a dual timeline narrative that delves into the complex romance between Olivia and Fred. While I found the flashback scenes engaging and compelling, I struggled to connect with the characters in the present-day storyline. Some moments were captivating, but others left me wanting more depth and development. However, Tusing's narration enhanced the experience, adding depth to the characters and bringing the story to life. Despite not fully clicking with the overall plot, I can see how this "then and now" tale would appeal to many listeners seeking a nostalgic romance. Overall, "Summer After Summer" is a decent listen that may resonate more with fans of fulfilled romantic stories.

Summertime, second chance romance, family drama. Makes for a fun beachy read.

The pacing of the story was a little touch & go and the FMC came off as immature at times but overall, a fun summer read.

Thank you NetGalley for an audio arc of this book.