Hallie is left reeling after the loss of her beloved Aunt Clara. She returns to her favorite place in the world, her aunt’s cottage at Firefly Beach, to grieve with her family. Luckily, Hallie has her childhood best friend, Ben, with her to help adjust to a world without Clara and work on the bucket list she must complete before she can receive her inheritance. But the summer turns out different than she could ever have imagined.

I had a hard time connecting with Hallie, the main character in this book. I found her to be dramatic and repetitive over a recent “trauma” she experienced. This continued until the trauma was actually reveled. After that disclosure, I had a much easier time rooting for Hallie. I did love Uncle Hank and would love to read another book about his and Aunt Clara’s love story and history.

The storyline was a tad predictable but overall Summer at Firefly Beach is a quick and sweet summer read.

A lovely, heartwarming tale of a family knitting back together after their grief. 

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this story, it starts off with a family grieving for the loss of a special person in all their lives, Aunt Clara. Aunt Clara had a way of touching everyone’s lives and after she is gone it doesn’t change. 

This story is a lovely tale of a grieving family learning how to move on, to grow with each other, help those family members in need and bring each character hope while they come to turns with the loss of an amazing family member. 

Hale’s ability to write a romance novel with a creative story line continues with this lovely novel.  An enjoyable summer read!

What an absolutely adorable book!! I’m a sucker for this romance trope and it delivered! This story is so much more than the perfect summer romance. It is packed with healing, forgiveness, family, friendship, and taking risks. It’s about finding what truly makes you happy, not what is “perfect”. It’s about being vulnerable and opening up to different possibilities and alternatives to the life you imagined. This book was light and I loved all of it!! Could I please get myself a best friend like Ben?! Great work Jenny Hale!

*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

When Hallie Flynn’s great aunt Clara dies, she leaves her a bucket list to complete. Hallie wrote this list herself as a child. Hallie and her whole family are heart-broken when Clara dies. They all return to Firefly beach, where they go every year and also take care of her great uncle Hank. 
 
The group includes Sydney, her sister, and Sydney’s son Robby, her mama and her best friend Ben. They have been friends since childhood and he is part of the family. Back in her favourite place, Hallie starts completing her list. It’s not easy and there are a lot of ups and downs on the way. 
Ben is always there for her and understands her so well. They seemed like the perfect couple from the beginning, but he has a girlfriend and she had someone too. The sparks between them were flying, even though they didn’t always see it. And then there is also Gavin Wilson, a very talented photographer living in town. 
 
Hallie is also hiding a secret, which adds a lot to the drama and the storyline. 
 
I absolutely loved the location in this book. Jenny Hale captured it beautifully and with so much detail. I also think that the family atmosphere she created is wonderful. I felt like being one of them. 
 
This is a beautiful and fantastic story, perfect for summer. There were moments when I wanted to shake Hallie, because I just didn’t understand her actions and thoughts. I still liked her as a character though. Ben was my fave, I think I fell in love with him a little bit. He was adorable with Robbie and he is just so caring and sweet. All the characters played an important part in this story and I think they were all very well lined out. 
 
This story covers grief, loss, but also friendship, family and love. Just lovely!!!

I didn't love this book. It didn't hold my attention, nor did I find the characters engaging. Overall I would not recommend it.

It was the perfect kickoff to my Summer reading, with characters I found myself rooting for the whole way through. A great escapist story, with a satisfying ending...would recommend for your beach bag, your getaway...any place you have a moment and want to kick back and relax.

I am a massive fan of Jenny Hale's novels - just look at the absolutely STUNNING cover of this book? How could you not be a massive fan? With Jenny Hale's novels, you know exactly what you're going to get; a story full of heart and promise from beginning to end, and 'Summer at Firefly Beach' ticked those boxes.

Personally, I did find the storyline a little bit samey in terms of the bucket list and completing it for someone who had passed away. I appreciated the warmth behind the premise, and I thought the way that the author told Clara's and Hallie's stories was incredibly tender to read, I just didn't feel that excitement which surrounded something new.

That said, 'Summer at Firefly Beach' is loaded with romance and tender notions between several characters. At times I felt like I just wanted to give Hallie a huge hug as her grief for her Aunt Clara was so, so emotional. Beautiful emotional if that makes sense and doesn't make me sound like a complete weirdo!

So, did I enjoy it despite several reservations? Yes. Yes I definitely did, and it was the feel-good, uplifting factor which turned it around for me. 'Summer at Firefly Beach' is a spirited, warm novel which really hugged me from the inside out and made me feel as though I was able to escape into the lives of the characters in the book. For me, I may have found that the book had a similar premise to other books I have read, however none of those books had had a Jenny Hale spin put on them in the only way that she knows how. A beautiful, enchanting read.

Hallie and her family return to Firefly Beach after the devastating loss of their beloved aunt, Clara. Hallie finds it's a little easier to deal with when she's spending the summer in her aunt's beach house with her family, and childhood best friend Ben. Aunt Clara had one more trick up her sleeve when Hallie learns there is a stipulation for her to collect her portion of the inheritance. Hallie finds she must complete the bucket list she wrote when she was a twelve-year-old girl.
With Ben giving her encouragement to complete the list, Hallie decides to quit her job and honor aunt Clara's last wish. She soon finds out it's not as easy as Ben thinks it will be especially when new to the area Gavin comes to  Firefly Beach. Hallie is uncertain about her future, and if she should join what Gavin has introduced her to, or where her heart and family remain.
This book really hit home for me, and I did experience all kinds of ups and down while reading about Hallie and her family. My daughter lost her paternal grandfather a few weeks before Christmas last year, and while we miss him dearly, memories and time have helped the family and my daughter. I felt for Hallie as she grieved over her adored aunt, and how hard it is to move on when facing such a loss of someone we love dearly. As Hallie goes about completing her bucket list, she starts to realize what aunt Clara was trying to show her. The problem is, will Hallie make peace with her past in order to make all her dreams come true?
I would like to thank Bookoutre and Net Galley for allowing me early access to this book in exchange for my honest opinion,  and a big thanks to Noelle Holton for having me on this #BooksOnTour.

Jenny Hale is an author whose books never fail to deliver and Summer at Firefly Beach is no exception. The perfect summer read, it is a heartwarming tale of love, family and friendship.

After suffering the devastating loss of her beloved Aunt Clara, Hallie returns to Firefly Beach, the place of her childhood memories, to try to come to terms with her grief and to carry out Clara’s final wish of completing the bucket list she wrote when she was twelve years old.

But following the bucket list isn’t easy, with many obstacles to overcome before Hallie can even begin to think about moving forward with her life, including having to face something she has buried deep down inside that she would rather not admit to.

This was the perfect summer beach read, a romance that both moved and delighted, taking me on an emotional journey of rediscovery and family secrets.

Beautifully written as always, Summer at Firefly Beach is a gripping page turner of a novel that I enjoyed immensely.

Summer at Firefly Beach by Jenny Hale is a spectacular love story on the beach. Ben and Hallie were the best of friends before they got involved. I loved the art and photography that was used in the book. Read it you will love the story.

Perfect chick lit!  I loved the premise and the characters were well developed!  I recommend this for anyone looking for a light and fun read!

This book was a perfect summer read. It made me want to go relax at the beach. This was my first Jenny Hale book and I want to go read more. It was such a light read. Sometimes you need that. Thank you so much, NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me early access to read and review the book. It was such a pleasure!!

One of my go to authors for light romance novels is Jenny Hale.  All of the books I’ve read of hers leave me with a smile on my face.  Her newest book, Summer at Firefly Beach, also left me with a smile.

This book centers around Hallie who, along with her mother, sister, and nephew, are grieving the loss of her Aunt Clara.  They’ve agreed to spend two weeks with her Aunt’s widower, Uncle Hank, at his beach house to help him get things in order.  Also in tow is Hallie’s best friend Ben; her rock.  While there, Hallie is hoping to complete the tasks that Aunt Clara left her in her dying letter.  Once the tasks are completed, she will receive a second letter with her ‘inheritance’.

Oh how I love this book, and I cannot say enough good things about it.  I loved the main character, Hallie.  She is so confused, so lost…not only is she dealing with the death of her aunt, but also from a recent broken engagement.  This book centers around her finding strength, renewing her love for photography (one of her Aunt’s wishes), and discovering love.  I found myself rooting for her and wishing for the happy ending that she deserved.

While this is a romance, there are many other relationships that form and evolve.  I loved the scenes with Uncle Hank.  He is grieving the death of his true love and has lost his zest for life.  The conversations and moments between Hank and his family brought me to tears.

This is the perfect book for summer!  Not only is it a fast read, it will leave you with a humongous smile on your heart!

Summer at Firefly Beach by Jenny Hale is the perfect feel good book to fling in your beach bag. Or if you can’t get to the beach, then I can’t think of a better book to transplant you to a coastal setting.

Thanks to Bookouture for letting me participate in this blog tour, and for giving me the book for review consideration. As always, no matter what the source of the book, you get my honest, unbiased opinion.

One of my favourite things about this book was the fabulous sense of setting. You can smell the tang of seaweed in the air, feel the breeze and all but hear the sand crunch under your feet. I adore the beach, and this book filled up my senses with all the things I love about the sea. 

The characters are ones that you take in to your heart and will them to achieve their goals. They are mourning the death of Aunt Clara, but even from beyond the grave, this loveable woman is still finding ways to lovingly steer them in the right direction. Hallie who has been left reeling since the breakup of her engagement is finding life hard, and dealing with the grief of losing her aunt is other setback for her.

However Clara left behind a list of instructions to follow. Watching Hallie tiptoe her way through the list, grasping new opportunities, and chasing a more creative career makes for a very emotional and inspiring read. And if you love friends to lovers themes, well then the romance will draw you in too. I really appreciated the sparks, and the deep emotional connection between them.

Basically I enjoyed everything, and I do highly recommend it next time you want a heart-warming read.

I thought that this was a sweet friends-to-lovers romance. The beginning seemed a little bit jumbled as it felt like the author tried to cram a lot of introduction into a short space, but once Hallie made it to Firefly Beach, everything slowed down and the plot became more relaxed – not unlike spending a vacation at the shore. I liked how Hallie’s past (and the secret she held inside) shaped her decisions, but I also liked how her Aunt Clara seemed to know Hallie better than she knew herself (at least in some ways). The bucket list that Aunt Clara left for Hallie proved this (which was a clever twist). The message I got was that people who know us best can still be there for us, even after they are gone. This would be a great beach read for the summer. Thank you to Bookouture (via NetGalley) for a complimentary pre-release digital ARC of this book.

This was a well-written, heartwarming story. I could visualize the long, lovely summer days the family used to spend at Firefly Beach, especially at Hallie's favorite place: her Aunt Clara's beachside house. The family has gathered here again, but now they are mourning Aunt Clara's passing. Hallie's best friend, Ben, is here too, and Hallie loves having someone she can talk to about everything that is going on. Aunt Clara left Hallie the bucket list Hallie wrote as a child, with instructions to fulfill it. The characters in this book were wonderful and I enjoyed reading it. I highly recommend this book to others and I look forward to reading more books by this author.

I love those type of stories: friends to lovers.
I enjoyed this book so much.. Storyline and writing is wonderful. Characters are great.
Loved Hallie and Ben.
This is one awesome summer read.

A heart-gripping tale of love, loss and self-discovery. Hallie Flynn is an admirable character, having to deal with losing a loved one, dealing with a tragedy on her own, a recent break-up, all while trying to fulfill her Aunt's dying wish: to complete the bucket list she wrote when she was 12 years old. Filled with a diverse cast of characters, Summer at Firefly Beach is a beautifully woven tale that will entice you til the end.

I've literally just finished this beautiful story Summer at Firefly Beach and I've got tears in my eyes from reading the last few chapters, so amazingly heartfelt and emotional.  It's not often that I come across a story that completely moves me to tears, but my gosh has the wonderful talented author Jenny Hale gone and done just that. 

Jenny Hale is one of my favourite authors, I have read and loved all of her books to date, and every time she brings a new book out, I always know that I'm in for a treat.

In addition to loving the whole storyline which as always was brilliantly written with absolutely  delightful characters, all of whom I adored getting to know, I was also distracted from time to time by the delicious sounding foods and drinks that were featured throughout the story, such as butter pecan latte, pumpkin pie breakfast bread, peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream and sausage, egg, cheese casserole. Just the sound of them had my tummy rumbling lol. 

As I said above, the characters were delightful, all of whom just came alive right before my eyes, I actually forgot that they weren't real at times. I did have soft spots for the character of Ben and his adorable dog Beau, I just wanted to keep them for myself. 

So final words, if you haven't discovered Jenny's books yet, then trust me when I say that you are truly missing out. Her books are just heartfelt and magical.