A great small town second chance romance. I enjoyed the dual POV between Nessa and Desmond. For a short story, there was a lot going on with health issues of a friend and family expectations. I enjoyed this one.

Normally, I love this author's books. But this one was just OK for me. Honestly, I read it a while ago and I had to refresh my memory before writing about it. It was a little forgettable. The characters were OK. But it felt like a story I had read before. There wasn't much new here.

Before Summer Ends is the story of Nissa Lang, a teacher who decides to work extra jobs over summer to finance her dream trip to Italy. She even rents out her home, but then finds herself surprisingly in need of a place to stay. Her brother arranges that she can stay with his best friend Desmond Stilling. The problem? Nissa has had an unrequited crush on Desmond since high school.

I wanted to read this novel because I always enjoy Susan Mallery's books.

This is a relaxing read, a sweet love story about two people who so clearly belong together. At first I wasn't sure about Desmond; I was put off a bit by his wealth and privilege. However, as the book went on, I came to like and admire him for his decency and kindness, and I found myself really hoping that Nissa and Desmond would work things out.

Before Summer Ends is a heartwarming story, with Nissa's wide-ranging summer jobs (doggy day care worker, florist helper, bakery worker, sign spinner), two very different families (Nissa's and Desmond's), and Nissa and Desmond working together to help her friend Marisol's family when Marisol undergoes life-saving surgery.

This would be a wonderful Hallmark movie! It's a real feel-good story. I recommend Before Summer Ends for fans of heartwarming romance. It is a light, relatively short read, perfect for a weekend or a couple of reading evenings.