Alice is heartbroken when her grandfather dies and then her partner dumps her but her grandfather had left her his old bicycle shop on the pier.... could she be brave enough to give up everything and move with her young son to the beach. Her best friend Sasha thinks it's a great idea and wants to come with them and so they are soon packing everything up and heading for the beach to turn the shop into an ice cream bar....... and when Alice meets the gorgeous doctor Jack things are certainly looking up! Then Alice finds a locket and a mysterious letter from her grandfather and everything she knows is turned upside down!

A great summer beach read, lovely characters, a beautiful setting and a bit of mystery and romance thrown in.... what more could you want!

Jenny Hale is becoming the queen of sweet romance stories. I love every single book of hers I read and this one was no exception. This is the perfect beach and summertime read. The story line hooked me from the beginning!

A perfectly delightful Summer read. As well as the obligatory romance there is a surprise or two, and although somewhat predictable at times there are enough twists and turns to make it an enjoyable holiday novel.

Note: I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this novel from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed in the review are my own and are in no way influenced by the author nor the publisher. A major thank you to both Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this opportunity.

I’ll admit it. I absolutely fell in love with Willow Tree Hall… and of course all the characters that live there. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like the book at first but to my surprise it was actually really enjoyable to read. I love my fluffy romance novels and this certainly ticks those boxes.
I really enjoyed the beginning of Tom and Eleanor’s relationship and that it wasn’t just “instalove”. Later on of course they became really cute and honestly just good for each other. Of course however, there were moments when you just wanted to smack the characters upside the head and go “are you serious?!?”, but that’s only natural. Unfortunately humans make mistakes and the characters in this book are certainly human.

Congratulations to the author on this book! I really enjoyed it and will definitely be reading Annie and Sam’s story (even though this is technically a sequel to that)

Update: I jjust finished reading the first book in the series (A House to Mend a Broken Heart) AND OH MY GOOD LORD I LOVED IT! There is reportedly a new one coming this year and I am so so excited.

As always with a Jenny Hale book, I was wrapped up in a gorgeous setting, with a gorgeous leading man and a relatable female character. Romance, drama and laughs abound in this glorious, sunshine-y book! A must read from one of my faves!

One Summer is the perfect summer read, it's full of lovable characters, the perfect scenery, I just loved everything about it.

A light and easy beach read set on the Outer Banks of the Carolinas. Who doesn’t love a good chick lit during the summer time, one that describes the backdrop of the book to give you the feeling you are sweltering on a hot summer day in the South.
Follow these three ladies into new jobs, new homes and new family. A feel good romance novel!

Alice and her young son Henry have had a bad few months: her long term boyfriend was cheating on her, leaving both she and Henry more than a bit heartbroken. And, for the first time in months, she’s decided she needs to return to her Grandfather’s bicycle shop on the outer banks, most probably to prepare the shop for sale as she’s got a life in Richmond, and she’s never been quite confident enough to start her own business. But, her best friend Sasha is also in a low point, her divorce was particularly acrimonious and she’s not found work since. A crazy idea for an ice-cream shop, where Henry could spend days in the waves, free to run about and enjoy the space as much has she had as a child. Soon, she and Sasha are packing up and moving in….slowly working on the building and their living space, making changes and choices to get the shop settled.

Across the street is a young woman, Mellie, an amateur photographer who works as a nurse at the hospital, and soon the three women are fast friends – the connection feeling almost destined. When Alice meets Jack – a pediatric neurosurgeon working at the same hospital and searching out land to build his father his ‘retirement’ home in the area he loves, their connection is also instant, and it seems that everyone Alice encounters knew, or knew of, her Grandfather. Secrets, a found locket with a photo of a young girl whose name is not known to Alice, her own worries about making a new life, and her tendency to find the ‘worst case’ scenarios of every situation have her constantly overthinking, worrying and second guessing even waking in the morning.

Slowly but surely the magic of the ocean, the place where her Grandfather always told her to bring her troubles, help her to focus, if momentarily on her questions. With the threat of the pier closing, and it’s resulting closure meaning a dearth of tourist traffic to her end of the island, she’s got to brainstorm – and while preparing her shop for opening and finding a focus on ‘local’ ingredients and people, she’s pushing off what she believes is the inevitable end of a relationship with Jack – as his life and work are truly in Chicago. But, life and circumstances often have their own timetable, with secrets to reveal that could make or break her – if she doesn’t find the connection between her heart, her wishes and the glimmer of hope that is so determined to be grasped with both hands.

Secrets, choices, family and revelations all come to life in this story as Alice finds a way to ‘live in the day’ and stop declaring herself the ‘pragmatic one’ without ideas or talents. She and her memories of time spent with her Grandfather are the lynchpin on which the story circles: her ideas, her wishes and dreams are solely hers, something she never believed until Sasha, and later Mellie and Jack, expressed their delight in what she had accomplished, and in who she is. Lots of growth, plenty of laughter, and a series of characters that you’d hope to find in your new neighborhood, the story is the perfect “beach read’… and with the setting, you are already there!!

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=”https://wp.me/p3OmRo-9RJ /”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

One Summer by Jenny Hale. A new to me author that I look forward to reading more books by. This book is what I consider a beach read because of where it takes place. Great characters, storyline and dialogue. A heart warming story.

I enjoyed One Summer. Easy to read and difficult to put down I was drawn in from the first few pages.
A chick lit book, perfect for sitting reading while relaxing on holiday.
Another great book by Jenny Hale.

Alice Emerson and best friend Sasha Miller have made a pact. They’ve decided to swap city living for the beautiful white beaches of the Outer Banks and pour everything they have into launching an ice cream shop in the little house by the sea where Alice spent blissful childhood holidays with her grandfather. As Alice and Sasha add colour to the walls of the beach house and tempt the locals with their delicious recipes, their fresh new life begins to take shape.

Jenny Hale is one of my new ‘go to’ Summer authors. On my Summer reading list she’s up there with books by Anita Shreve, Diane Chamberlain, Elin Hilderbrand and many many more! (I’m putting together a Summer reading list, stand by!) I loved this book, and it was the first I’d ever read of Jenny Hale’s but it felt like I’d known her style forever. The characters are warm and easily likeable and the setting that the book is written around is beautiful and even if you’re curled up on the sofa on a rainy day in England reading this – you’ll feel a tiny bit like you’re there!

It’s a quick read, great for by the pool or over a weekend, heart-warming and up-lifting.

A wonderful surprise for me! I have been reading every new release from Jenny Hale for years now and lately I was starting to be a bit disappointed because all Jenny Hale stories were a lot alike and I had the feeling that I was reading the same story over and over. But this time, "One Summer" was really different from all her other stories and I really really enjoyed it! Very well written and the story is full of mysteries to be solved. I just loved it so much! 4 stars out of 5 for me! I recommend it!

This was a great story. It had everything you need to stay invoved. Family-friends-kids-new interests and old.
Alice and Jack were a long time getting together but wow what a story. Hopefully we will read about some of the other characters too.

I wanted to love this book. It has beaches, ice cream, and best friends... what’s not to love?! Well, the execution, sorry to say. I don’t think my best friend would want to drop everything and move hours away to live with me in the apartment above an old bike hut on the beach. With my young child living there too. Just kind of out of the realm of my reality. Could have changed a couple of details and made it more believable!

Worse though was the relationship with Jack. How did Alice fall so hard for him after JUST MEETING HIM? And if she fell so hard, why did she ask herself if she was falling too quickly for a man she barely knew? How do you fall hard for a man you barely know? Too contrived for me.

So, the characters were fun, the dialogue was well written, the setting was A+, the plot premise was pretty good, but the details/execution fell short.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2426268685

Loved, loved, loved it ! I am now a huge fan of Jenny Hale and must read all of her other books ! Such a beautiful story. I thought it was just going to be your typical romance but it was so much more than that. It had heart and a few surprises. I love how it all came together. And I want to live in this town ! This books is a must read to add to your TBR file !

Though I did not expect it to be a great book after reading the book blurb and some of the early reviews, this one turned out to be a pretty good read. I have read many of Jenny Hale’s other books, so figured this one would be as great as the others—and it was. Alice Emerson and her BFF Sasha Miller have moved to the Outer Banks to open an ice cream shop in the small building Alice inherited from her loving grandfather, who had run a bike shop there for years. Both have poured just about everything they have into this endeavor. However, once there, Alice begins having second thoughts. She really does not want to fail and has her young son Henry and their futures to consider. Sasha has her own problems: a failed relationship, a miscarriage, questions about where her own life needs to be headed. There is one other complication that arises almost as soon as the two women arrive in the Outer Banks and begin designing and setting up their ice cream shop. Alice encounters a young doctor, Jack Murphy, who is in the Outer Banks to help his elderly father find a home in which to spend his remaining days, a place that will not require as much upkeep as the place he is currently renting. Years before, Jack left the Outer Banks to pursue his medical career and has done quite well. He is head of a major department in a huge hospital in Chicago, Nevertheless, Jack has returned to the Outer Banks temporarily, to help his father and to help a school buddy, who is trying to keep the community’s small hospital going by staffing it with well-known experts in the medical field, hoping to enhance its reputation nationally, Neither Alice nor Jack is looking for a relationship, though fate has decided otherwise for them. As the summer begins and the two women put together their ideas for the ice cream shop and begin necessary modifications to the bike shop, as Alice and Jack find themselves in a budding relationship. There is also a lot also going on around and including them. In addition, Alice finds a strange locket among her grandfather’s things, which raises all sorts of questions.

This romance was a pretty good one, as I said. I was immediately taken in by Alice, Sasha and especially Alice’s young son Henry and his dog Einstein. The ending was not difficult to predict from the get-go, but I found myself wondering just how Jack and Alice would get there, as well as what role the other characters, especially Henry and Sasha, would play. Henry was a fantastic addition to the cast of characters. Who could not love a little boy, who at times seemed to operate far beyond his years and who had the age-old boy’s love and devotion to his dog. That was Henry. The inclusion of the mysterious locket Alice found among her grandfather’s things only added to my enjoyment. Even the unraveling of this secret was not easy to figure out early on, though watching it unravel was one more interesting and captivating aspect of the story. This is a great read for anyone who enjoys a good romance or for anyone looking for a great summer or beach read. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

I thought this book was nice, light, holiday reading. I could feel the sun on my skin and the sand between my toes.

It seems to me that there would be nothing more idyllic than having an ice cream shop in a sunny place and having the attentions of the local hunky doctor coming your way. Unfortunately for Alice, there were some emotional issues around turning her late grandfathers bicycle hire shop into something else and then there was Jack - was he going to stick around or was he some sort of short-term fling?

I liked this book but as much as I liked the premise of this story, it kind of felt a little flat and I had to suspend belief a couple of times. The emotional layers I was hoping for just weren't really there, but it was a nice way to while away a couple of hours nevertheless.

3.5 stars from me, rounded up to 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is a great light summer read which I read quickly in one sitting. While it did start slow it picked up and I liked most of the characters and the storyline, though it did slow up again towards the end of the book. But it was nice enough and I enjoyed it.

You all know by now that I’m a huge Jenny Hale fan, so it will come as no surprise that I am all in for this book.


Yet again we are taken on a tranquil beautiful journey of family, friendship and love that our Jenny is best known for. 
Taken to the beaches and absolute delightful Outer Backs of North Carolina we are given a read that takes us on a journey of new beginnings with Alice and her son Henry (who I will admit to being a breath of fresh air to the read) and her best friend Sasha. Helping along a great premise we're given secrets, twists and in-depth gorgeous family memories. Together this provides us with a laid-back and easy summer read. 


Now as always I'll give you the truth and my truth today with One Summer is that it did (to me) have pacing issues. It's slow to build up and then pretty quick near the end. I think some may find it long and tedious at times because of this.


 I also really disliked Jack and his manipulative vibe which resulted in him ALWAYS getting his own way. This had me wanting to jump in the pages screaming 'Alice, leg it!, leg it now, proper fast!'. Red Flags everywhere with that one let me tell you. To be fair this didn't take much away for me, but because I'm deducting points I know you will want to know why if I say I really enjoyed it, which I did. 


Jenny Hale does feel good romance books that are happy go lucky and have magical happy endings. These reads are perfect for those who just want a beautiful escape. Those who just want to relax and forget about their troubles and just be in the sweetness and goodness of it all. Sometimes that is exactly what we need. One Summer has an easy-read, laid-back style, which is perfect for these types of books and what's so great about that is that Jenny makes no apologies for any of that which I am so grateful for.


One Summer is the perfect accompaniment to your summer this year. Whether it be on holiday, at home, in the sun, wind, rain or snow. It is easy escapism for the romantic in us all.


⭐️⭐️⭐️

3/5

I love to read these types of books in the summer! Summer romances, especially ones that occur in a beach setting, with someone trying to recapture/ recover some part of their lives are one of my favorite types. There is just something about them that makes me ready for summer.
I voluntarily reviewed an reader copy of this book provided by NetGalley.