Second chances and historical lesbian romance fiction are pretty much the centres of my wheelhouse.

In my mind, Jeanette Bears has delivered an excellent debut conjuring a plot worthy of the era. I couldn't help but be drawn to Kate and Emily. Their romance seemed quite genuine. Often the switching backwards and forwards of time can throw me, but in this case, both eras were of great interest to see what happened so I was committed throughout.

Four years ago, Emily Stanton spent the summer in New York City with her cousin, and a friendship with a photographer turned to romance. Now, Emily is back to prepare for her wedding, and she’ll have to face the woman she left behind four years ago and the feelings that never went away. Kate Alessi has made progress with her photography business, but she never stopped loving Emily. Will she let Emily walk down the aisle, or take a chance on an unconventional love?

I read this one off and on for about a month. I’d pick it up in between chapters of nonfiction books. It’s a slow burn, but once it heats up, the flames don’t stop. Yesterday, I tore through the last 30-40% in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it. I love a good historical romance novel, but only if it’s queer, haha! I was endeared to the characters, rooting for them all the way. The supporting characters were fun, particularly Art and Allie, and I loved the epilogue.

All in all, a solid, historical read if you’re into that. Pick it up wherever you get your books.

A second chance at romance was not what Emily expected as she returned to New York City in preparation of her wedding to her fiancé Tommy. They have dated several years and she knows that he iwill be a wonderful husband.
When Emily’s mother hires a wedding photographer, Emily has no idea it is Kate Alexis, the woman she spent the summer with four years ago. The woman who turned her heart and her world upside down. With a rash of emotion, they will learn how to steer through their memories and the chemistry that is building.
Jeanette Bears has written a heartfelt novel that tugs at the reader and makes for a very satisfying read.
Thank you NetGalley, the author and Bold Stroke Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review.

Nice concept but unfortunately the execution was not great. I appreciate that the author utilized the historical background of WWII among others and acknowledged the existence of queer people back then. Because of Bears’ effort as well as this one cute and sweet scene in chapter 14, I wanted to rate it higher. And yet the more I thought about the frustration I had with the writing, the less I could justify even a two-star rating. I considered DNF’ing it about 20% into the book and promptly stopped reading it for three months. Even though I eventually managed to plow through it, I did somewhat regret reading this book.

Let’s talk about why.

1. Questionable POVs: Basically headhopping, to the extent that I don’t always know what’s going on because I was confused over whose point of view I was in.
2. Flashbacks: Look, I don’t hate flashbacks in storytelling; I think it could be a powerful way of delivering interwoven storylines. However, the way it was done in Late City Summer ended up being a lot of concealing of information (which is a huge gripe of mine), and we didn’t know what was going on in the past timeline until very close to the end of the book. All the buildup through the entire story ended up being very anticlimactic once the 1942 event was concluded.
3. Italic thoughts: I think it was used too often that it wrecked the flow of the storytelling. My editing brain came up with a lot of alternative ways to write it in a less irritating way while I was reading. In addition, the emotions and thoughts of the characters changed so drastically within seconds all the time that I felt like I was being dragged all over the place. I feel the story I read and this left me very confused as to why the characters reacted the way they did.
4. Aversion of critical scenes: We didn’t get to see the pivotal scene. It was rehashed through other characters the next day and I cannot help but think that was just the easy way out.
5. Kate deserved better, because throughout the story, I kept feeling like Emily was taking advantage of her.

But hey, I love the idea of these women chasing their dreams in the 1940s. It was very disappointing as Late City Summer could’ve been an excellent book after several rounds of editing or told through a different media, say a film (the author is a filmmaker). I would say that if you don’t mind lots of flashbacks and headhopping, you might enjoy this.

[content warnings: sexism, graphic sex, cheating]

Very warmly written book. The characters are likable and I was immediately drawn into their lives.

The story takes place in NYC in the 1940’s and Emily is spending the summer with her cousin, Allie. Her cousin’s best friend, Kate, is always around and both infuriates Emily and enthralls her. The author splits the story between two timelines, the frenetic wartime busyness of 1942 and then the 1946 post war cool down. It could be the years were purposely chosen to mirror the characters’ actions.

In the first narrative, Kate sweeps Emily into a whirlwind tour of New York life and her own photography. Emily is an artist as well and is hungry for new experiences. New York and Kate light a fire under her and she begins to crave far more than she had ever imagined. Four years later, Emily returns to NYC, a settled woman who is about to marry the seemingly perfect man. But Kate is still around. The storylines march along until they intersect at the end. There is no confusion and both are well written with pretty language that adds to the romantic mood.

I liked this book and it was close to being remarkable. It had just the right amount of angst and doubt to make a reader keep going late into the night. The chemistry built slowly and then grew heated. The intimate scenes were genuinely steamy.

What fell short for me was character development. There were times when I wished that I could know Kate and Emily more deeply. Maybe more dialogue or lengthier scenes between them? Also, there were secondary characters, Kate’s sister and grandfather, who I felt were important and should have been brought to the forefront. It might have helped define Kate if we had seen her without Emily or Allie. Kate is a photographer, a Rosie the Riveter shop worker, lives independently, dresses in trousers, tall and attractive, a charmer. This is in 1942 so basically, an anomaly for a woman. The character of Kate Alessi is a gold mine that wasn’t explored enough. I certainly could have done with far less Tommy (Emily’s fiancé) and been happy to read much more about Kate.

I still strongly recommend this book, especially for people who have a soft spot for the teary heart-tuggers that leave you with big smiles at the end. Also, a good choice for the fans of wartime romances. I am sincerely looking forward to the author’s next book.

I loved this book so much and was surprised it was a debut because it has great pace, fantastic dialogue and great characters.
‘Late City Summer’ is set in 1942 and 1946 in New York and initially begins with a young graduate, Emily, spending a summer experiencing city life with family friends. Emily has had a quintessential privileged life of education and opportunities but understands that things are beginning to change. As friends begin to get married and settle down she has to figure out where she fits in between her own artistic aspirations and family expectations. Things obviously get more complicated when she meets photographer Kate, who lives her life unapologetically and sparks something in Emily that she never expected.
The beginning of this book is more about setting out the beauty and feeling of New York, which I didn’t mind at all, but I definitely felt the chemistry between the two women in the reunion passages of their story. I have read a lot of ‘second-chance’ love stories but this one did feel very genuine and original due to the 40’s time period.
The characters are frustrating in the best way that you can’t help but hope for a happy ending and I loved the nod towards the LGBT underground community at the time and the progression towards living more openly and proud.
Overall I really enjoyed these characters and cannot wait for more works by this author!

I typically do not enjoy reading books where the setting is before 1970. Mainly because I like to read about eras I know most about. However, the premise of this book sounded interesting and I am glad I read it.
It does take some time getting accustomed to the time changes that occur frequently. Stick with it - it is worth it. The story revolves around Emily and Kate.. Emily is visiting her friend who lives in New York City Kate is a friend of Emily's friend. Kate takes Emily under her wing and shows her all the hidden gems in the city. And shows her all about her work, which is photography. They begin to spend a lot of time together and find there is an attraction between them There are two problems. One it is in the 1940s, women together is frowned upon. Two, Emily is engaged to a man. When it is time for Emily to return home, they both agree it is for the better.
That is until Emily's soon to be mother-in-law books Kate to be the wedding photographer. Both women are in shock and try to be on their best behavior throughout.
This book does have a happy ending, which considering the time period was a happy surprise.
I would recommend.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I saw the premise, I knew I had to get my hands on this ARC. 1940’s second-chance sapphic romance is totally my vibe! Unfortunately though, while there’s a lot to like about Late City Summer, the execution fell flat for me.

Emily Stanton is an ambitious, talented artist who feels stifled by the expectations of her family and her boyfriend Tommy. In 1942, the summer after her first year of college, she goes to NYC for a few months to stay with Allie, her cousin and supportive friend. There, she meets Allie’s boyfriend Art and Allie’s best friend Kate Alessi, a hardworking aspiring photographer who delights in pushing Emily’s buttons. While Emily and Kate butt heads at first, they soon start to crave each other’s company outside of the group hangouts with Allie and Art.

I did really like the main romance, even though the chemistry started to fizzle out for me by the end of the book. I thought Emily was annoying at first, but she started to grow on me as I spent more time with her. I liked Kate from there beginning — her humor, her drive, her air of mystery, her passion, and her kindness — even though some things she did were a bit overbearing. Emily and Kate are super cute with all their banter and teasing, and eventually, their deep regard for each other. At first they’re dismissive of each other’s art forms, but through each other they learn to appreciate all types of art. For these reasons, and because they’re both so ambitious, I think they make a great couple.

There are so many cute date(?) scenes in this book! From a ride on the Wonder Wheel to Kate showing Emily her favorite NYC spots to an accidental night at a gay bar, these are the kinds of scenes I came for, and for the most part, they delivered. I seriously live for sapphic historical vibes! This book also has several lovely, highly developed side characters; namely, Allie, Art, and Kate's sister Mia. Tommy, Emily's boyfriend-turned-fiance, is also three-dimensional. We can see that Emily cares for him, though she recognizes that some of the things he says and does are subtly problematic.

Unfortunately, my reading experience had some downsides which lowered my enjoyment.

My biggest issue was the writing style, which didn’t work for me at all. The prose doesn’t flow smoothly and I constantly had to reread sentences that didn’t make sense. Aside from that, there’s so much random head-hopping. The book is mostly in Emily’s POV, but there are some switches to Kate’s — most of them so jarring that I had to backtrack to figure out when we switched POVs. I also don’t know why the switches in POV were necessary. Emily’s POV alone could have sufficed, since we hardly learn anything about Kate through her perspective.

I also wasn’t a fan of the dual timeline of this book: constantly switching between 1942 and 1946, sometimes within the same chapter. In this style, we read the end of the 1942 timeline around the same time as the end of the 1946 timeline, which I found unsatisfying. I think it would have flown better if we’d started with the 1942 timeline, finished it, and then began with the 1946 timeline. As it was, I kept getting confused about which timeline we were in.

Furthermore, there’s some weird info-concealing going on, most of which makes no sense. For example, someone conceals the fact that Emily’s wedding photographer is a woman by using they/them pronouns (when Kate uses she/her). Also, Kate never mentions her sister or grandfather to Emily until she and Emily happen to run into them. This doesn’t make much sense to me because she seems close to them, even though at some points she seems dismissive of her grandpa’s store.

Lastly, the ending felt rushed, and even the epilogue was disappointing.

Overall, this book was a mixed bag for me. There were a lot of things I liked and a lot of things I disliked, so overall, I thought it was just okay.

content warnings: alcohol (recreational), homophobia, infidelity, misogyny, graphic sex

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jeanette Bears debut novel was like a breath of fresh air. It alternates between 1942 and 1946 and shares the romance between Emily and Kate. Kate's hobby is photography but her fulltime job has her replacing the men as most of them have gone off to war. Emily is one of the few women that was educated at Uni and subsequently offered a job usually reserved for a man. Both women refused to let their gender be a barrier. Emily is going out with Tommy but when she meets Kate, her world changes. They form a deep friendship which turns into love and as they navigate their romance in the alternating years we get to see their trials and tribulations of a same sex relationship all while Emily is heading towards the aisle with Tommy. It's a beautiful romance and a fabulous read.

“Late City Summer” is a historical, second-chance romance set in 1942 and 1946. It has a dual timeline as each time period has dedicated chapters, rather than flashbacks. It’s also the debut from Jeanette Bears.

Emily Stanton has just graduated college in Boston and is headed to New York City to get married. Kate Alessi is the wedding photographer hired by Emily’s mother. What no one knows is that four years ago, Emily and Kate met and fell in love while Emily was in NYC on summer break.

At first this seemed like the perfect book for me, I love the cover and the setting. I love second chance romance, it’s my favorite trope, but this one just didn’t click with me. The chemistry between Emily and Kate didn’t wow me or make me believe in their relationship, past or present. I think because Bears did both timelines, it was hard to really feel the connection from either one as there isn’t a lot of time spent in one time. I did like both main characters and several side characters. There’s good character development with Kate and Emily and I enjoyed how it unfolded.

What I thought Bears did well was the slow burn with the two women coming to understand and accept their feelings for each other in the 40’s. The expectation is for Emily to get married and become a housewife even though she’s just gotten a degree. Kate is expected to give up her job once the war is over but neither are happy with these choices. Being gay was not widely accepted at the time and I always enjoy reading about people that defy the times for not only love, but their way of life.

I had some issues with this that I think are common with debuts. There seemed to be a lot of head-hopping and I wasn’t always sure whose point of view I was reading. A majority of the book is in Emily’s point of view but every so often, I would realize it’s been switched to Kate’s and then I’d have to go back and re-read the passage. The pacing was also problematic for me. The first 30% or so is pretty slow and reads more like a love letter to New York than a romance. It got better after that but it seemed to take a while to get there and get me invested.

While this didn’t completely work for me, it seems like it worked a lot better for others. I recommend reading other reviews to get a better feel.

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this book. The plot, the cover, the setting, and the reviews from other readers were all promising, but I just could not get into the story. I found myself reading 2 or so pages and then putting it down.

I guess for me there was just no chemistry between Kate and Emily. Right off the bat, they were at odds to the extent where I felt it was obnoxious and forced. I almost gave up reading several times but kept hoping it would get better. It did, but not to the extent that I would have liked.

One thing that threw off the reading for me was bouncing around from Emily's to Kate's perspective. I was reading something from Emily's POV when suddenly it switched to Kate's. Pretty distracting.

My first ever ARC from Netgalley! It’s true that your serotonin level will be through the roof when you get that email approval for an ARC. I was ecstatic when I read the blurb for this book as I very much love historical romance type of books! And that book cover is just so beautiful to look at. 😍

With that being said, I struggled a bit with this one. I reached 30% of the book on my 3rd day reading it. It just didn’t give me that excitement when you know you’re reading a great book and you just want to sit in your little corner and finish it. It was around 40% when it started picking up for me.

Things I struggled with with this book:

1. Confusing perspectives. I was sure I was reading one of the MC’s perspective only finding out after that it was the other MC. I did a lot of double takes to ensure I know whose perspective it was I was reading.
2. The first 20-30% of the book was mostly touring Emily on New York City. I guess I was too impatient for something to happen. 😂
3. When the MCs met again after being separated for 4 years, it was like there was like this big secret on why Emily should be mad with Kate. I was waiting for that big reveal since this book has flashbacks that showed how their friendship turned to romantic. Turned out to be a normal & uneventful reason. I was disappointed.
4. Lastly, I felt that the ending was rushed a bit. I wanted to know what exactly happened during Emily’s wedding with Tommy. How did Tommy take Emily’s decision? After walking the aisle, we were treated with the next scene of the other MC. We’ll eventually see what happened to them in the future, but no mention on what went down after Kate finally revealed her feelings. Mind you, she did this right before Emily was about to walk down the aisle! So I was expecting some major scenes to happen after that. There wasn’t any.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

PS. So excited to add that last line. My first ever! XD

Great story, awesome storyline. The main characters had amazing chemistry and fit well together. It was heart warming and emotional. I really enjoyed their journey. 4.5 stars


Thank you Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a great story! It was so well thought out, with likable characters, great buildup and tension, ending with the HEA. My only minor concern was the writing style. I struggled to find my footing on the words sometimes. The perspective seem to flip without notice and it was hard to keep the flow and thought processes straight. I ended up reading sentences over and over to try and grasp meaning.

Aww, I loved this book! I loved flashing back to NYC in the 1940s and I loved the storyline! Both characters are warm and fit together well. This slow burn had me aching for more the entire time! I loved their journey to finding themselves, as well as finding one another. In a time where it wasn't safe to be gay, these women find each other and have the courage to get what they want.

5 stars..

Late city summer is a historical romance set in the 1940s. I believe this is Jeanette bears debuted novel.. and it's fantastic.

The story focuses on time during 1942 and then four years on, in 1946. Throughout the book its flips back and forth between these two years, I don't normally like this when I come across a book that flips back and forth but in 'Late city Summer' it didn't seem to bother me, I was too engrossed.
It tells the story of Kate Alessi, who enjoys and makes a living out of photography, and Emily Stanton who has a love of New york city.
In 1946, four years after leaving, Emily returns to NYC, for her wedding. She now graduated from college, she had her life planned out for her by her mother and she is ready to walk down the aisle with the perfect man. But things become uncertain when she meets the one woman who defined her love of the city and so much more over the summer, four years before.
Kate found it difficult to forget Emily, the woman who came to NYC for a few months in 1942. But fate takes a turn and for Kate, it ends up being Emily's wedding photography. Both kate and Emily will need to navigate how to follow their own dreams.

The characters in the story all have their own bouts of charm and characteristics about them, they're all very much likable. I really enjoyed how their friendships grow over the years. And the slow burn between Emily and Kate is there from the very start when they first meet,
But what I did love, was how the author included a small snippet into the future of kate and Emily, its only small but I think it was needed in some way. By the end of the book, I had goosebumps and was cheering the pair on, and hoping they would have their happy ever after.

And I love the cover!!!

I was given an arc for an honset review.

I'm not usually a fan of historical stories, but something about this one appealed - probably the lesbian storyline in a time when it was much harder. I was curious, and thank goodness, because this book is lovely, heartwarming, and very emotional. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest reivew

Emily Stanton is a recent art history graduate. Her wedding to her long term boyfriend is fast approaching as is her return to New York City for this event. It has been four years since she had her summer of freedom in the City. Four years since she had last seen Kate Alessi.
This is a polished and extraordinary debut novel for Jeanette Bears. They primarily work in film and you can see a directors eye in the writing. The character development is exceptionally well done. Emily and Kate remind me fondly of real people in my life. The secondary characters are also more fully developed than the norm and adds to the depth and scope of the story.
Kate, a born and bred New Yorker takes Emily on personal tours to see her city. The reader will see the City described in beautiful detail, softening its hard edges and revealing some of its magic.
The time frame of 1942 to 1946 places the story during and one year after World War II. The effects of the world war weave into the story touching lives in many places.
The story simply captured my heart. It is a beautiful and sensitive story of gay awakening. Two women finding out what they mean to each other in an anti gay world.
The pacing of the story is superbly set by Bears. There is a credibility to the time taken before the first kiss and having to wait so long made it mean so much more.
I have known women like Emily and Kate. Some who had the courage to go against the norm and others, sadly, who did not. This story had me guessing until the end if Emily and Kate would find their happiness.
If you were only going only to read one romance novel this year make sure it is Late City Summer. This is the romance novel of the year.

I was given a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.

It’s 1946. Emily Stanton is preparing to walk down the isle with her fiancé in New York City. A city that captured all her imagination with its glorious sights, enriched and fed her unquenchable artistic mind, but also a city where she left someone behind.

It’s 1942. Kate Alessi met the love of her life. The woman is beautiful, bright eyed, banters with her life and never backs down without a fight. While she photographs, Emily sketches, but it’s 1942.

While reading the book, my mind kept reminding me that “it’s 1946, it’s 1946.” If the women learned something about themselves 4 years ago, would meeting again result in change? There was a word that stuck out - transgression, and what a word had there not been change. A book like this is making the right noises, change is evolution. The book cast a spotlight on what people in those days experienced and for a debut it was a good surprise. The ladies deserved to have their story told. As we all do.

I just reviewed Late City Summer by Jeanette Bears. Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC.

this is such a well written book. while I love historical romance, I did not think I will like it tbh. In fact I did not, I loved it. I felt their pain their joy and god I felt so sad for them through-out the book. this was emotional read ( at least to me). very well likable characters and very mature and understanding with each other. every one was written well. the author did an amazing job with this book.

I started and could not put it down. Highly recommended and won't be the last book I read for this author.