I really enjoyed this book about friendship, loss, and love. I love Cape Cod and it makes an excellent back drop to this beautiful coming of age novel. Coriander is spending the summer saving the whales and during her healing she finds love and healing from her pain.
I like going in to books blind so I won’t do much more except grab a tissue box and this novel and settle in.

For more information on this tour and more visit https://tbrandbeyondtours.com/

The Edge of Summer by Erica George is a sincere story of first love and first loss, but also of marine conservation. Following a summer marine biology intern, this one contains plenty of descriptions of efforts to save the whales and a realistic main character who comes to learn from her mistakes. I was especially impressed by the way the author raises awareness about entanglements and other threats to marine life, making this a perfect summer read with many impactful moments.

Following the death of her best friend, Cor sets out to complete the list of things they wanted to do together before college, including the marine biology internship of her dreams. Throughout the summer, Cor grapples with grief and guilt, but she also navigates her growing feelings for Mannix, a local lifeguard. However, when romance interferes with responsibility, she must find a way to balance her heart with her commitment to the whales, who tie her to her friend.

❀ INTERESTING MAIN CHARACTER

Cor is an interesting main character, and she grows a lot throughout the book. She isn’t the most likeable at times–the past interspersed with the present reveals the guilt she feels for the way she treated her best friend in their last moments, and she can occasionally be selfish. However, as the story progresses, she starts to learn from her mistakes. I especially enjoyed the way Cor’s passion for whales is written. The story behind her interest is really heartfelt, and I felt her dedication to saving the whales come through in every chapter.

❀ MEANINGFUL STORY

One of this book’s big wow factors for me is the way the whales are woven throughout the narrative. They not only tie Cor to her friend, bringing a lot of emotion to the story, but they also create a message of marine conservation. One of the whales Cor finds herself taken with has been entangled, and Cor is determined to do whatever she can to save her. There are many details about the marine biologists’ efforts to save the whales throughout the story, and I loved the way it raises awareness about entanglements and other threats to marine life. This spotlight on human responsibility for these countless tragedies made the story especially meaningful for me.

❀ A STRONG SUMMER READ

The Edge of Summer by Erica George is a heartfelt story about grief, but it is also one about love and saving the whales. I enjoyed the concept of a marine biology internship, and the main character transforms throughout the book. The whales and the theme of marine conservation add even more depth to the story, making this a strong summer read with greater social messages.

Teen romance readers will enjoy The Edge of Summer. I really don't read romance, so I found the whale rescue subplot more interesting than the relationship drama, but that's me. When it comes out in paperback, I'll sell it as a beach read, and a read alike for The Summer I Turned Pretty.

“And Ella turned to me and said, ‘Cor, I’m crying. Why am I crying?’

Because that’s what happens. Because whales always remind you of how small you are. How insignificant you really are. And that’s even when you’re fifty feet long and forty tons, possessing a physical power no human has ever had, you can still lead the gentlest of lives. It’s why whales are worth dedicating my life to.”

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC!

This book had me at saving the whales. I loved all the whale information and Coriander’s passion for the whales. If I had to be nit-picky, I would’ve made the title of the book a whale pun.

I nearly cried at the end for Fraction. I love that whale. I love how Cor’s love for Fraction paralleled her friendship with Ella. I wish we saw more of the before parts with Ella so we could get to know her better and sympathize with Cor more.

I just want to chat with whoever named the main characters. I mean, Coriander and Mannix, <I>really?</I> But I liked the meaning behind her name and it’s poetic to see an aspiring chef in love with a girl named Coriander. Their relationship was pretty cute but, as with many books, the drama at the end felt shoehorned in since it was in the final four chapters.

This story was good in balancing Cor’s romance with her grief, but It leaned more towards the romance. That could’ve been intentional to show her moving on so I’m going with that reasoning.

The cover is definitely what sold me when it came to this one, but also I like whales so there is a second reason haha. There was some great elements in this book, but also ones that were a bit meh for my liking. It’s kind of a mixed bag, still a good story though.

The book is told from one perspective and it comes from Coriander Cabot. Cor is dealing with grief/loss after the tragic death of her bestfriend. I have never lost a friend to something tragic, but I do understand grief. It is something that is not easily forgotten and sticks with you many years after. I do enjoy reading books about grief and even though I like the conversation around it this book in particular left me wanting more from it. It reminded me of other books I have read that I either disliked or enjoyed. There are some flashbacks that happen in the middle of a chapter and it can get confusing at times to piece together where things fit in the story. I would have much preferred more seamless transitions.

I would say that grief is the minor plot point and the romance and internship take over a lot more of the plot. I was okay with that so no complaints here. Although the romance is a bit lackluster and wishy-washy, it was still cute and liked seeing the bit of banter between them. The internship was my favorite and I liked learning more about whales as well as seeing Cor in her element. She killed it!

Overall, this was a cute summer read. Cor really struggles with coming to terms with the grief she holds close and realizing she can branch out and have a life without feeling guilty. She makes friends along the way and has an uncle who really cares for her. If you are looking for a new read this summer I’d recommend this one.

The Edge of Summer is a book that'll make you fall in love with beaches, whales, experiencing what first love feels like and talks about guilt and grief.

So many good things wrapped up in this single summer read!
The writing style is really good and the pacing is set just right, it'll make you want to keep flipping the pages because you wanted more of it.

The characters are pretty well developed, Mannix is definitely my favorite character here.
It takes a while for Cor's character to warm up to me because I didn't like some of the decisions she made in the past. But, she's learning and I can see her growing throughout the story.

Not just about first love and grief, this book also bring out the awareness we need to have with marine lives, especially whales.
Make sure to read the author's note at the back to know more about real marine life's problem

Overall, this is an enjoyable, entertaining and highly recommended! Although I really wish there's an epilogue at the end of the book, nonetheless it's a satisfying ending for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, Erica George, TBR and Beyond Tours as well as Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for sending this e-ARC to me. I'm leaving this honest review voluntarily!

This was an excellent YA novel that was heartbreaking at times, while also being full of hope and beautiful writing. I would definitely recommend this book to those who think it sounds interesting!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

I was pulled in by ‘fans of Sarah Dessen and Morgan Matson’ because I am a big fan of both and knew I would enjoy this one!

Cor is beginning a new summer marine biology internship in Cape Cod, something her and her friend Ella have dreamed about doing for as long as she can remember. Cor and Ella bonded over their love of whales and had been friends ever since. When Cor loses Ella in a tragic accident, she is left to complete their list of things to accomplish before they go to college.

Cor is very dedicated to the whales, even having a tattoo of a specific whales’ fluke. I learnt a lot about whales in this book! You can tell how much research the author has done for this book. Cor is very sarcastic and could be unlikable at times, but I found myself drawn to her. A major theme throughout this book is grief, and dealing with it. Before Ella died, their friendship had drifted slightly and Cor deals with the aftermath of guilt and not being a good friend in that last year. I really felt Cor’s emotions and loved the way she was written.

‘It means I’m timed of fighting myself over how I feel about you. I’m tired of pretending like I can keep away, or that I don’t think of you almost every waking moment.’

Mannix is a lifeguard and a chef, and I loved him! He was the perfect love interest who also had his own things to deal with, which of course became moments of conflict throughout the book! I really enjoyed what his character brought to the book, making it slightly more lighthearted. The romance had me hooked and whilst at times it felt a bit insta-love, it was a summer romance with the promise of more and I couldn’t help but become attached.

The Edge of Summer deals with many serious topics and is a heartwarming novel about first love and first grief. There is also LGBTQ+ representation through two gay parental characters and a non-binary friend. This was the perfect summer read and I cannot recommend it more!

Release Date: June 14, 2022
Page Count: 320 pages
Perfect for fans of: The Summer I Turned Pretty, The Summer of Broken Rules, Along for the Ride
Tropes: women in STEM, lifeguard/chef love interest, promises to best friends, finishing a bucket list
Representation: several queer characters, including two gay men and a nonbinary teen
Content Warnings: grief/loss, death (off-page but a very prominent theme throughout the book), a mentally abusive parental relationship

The Edge of Summer is a charming, addictive, and heartwarming love story that I devoured in just one day. This was the first book I picked up after getting out of school and I could not have picked a better one to start off my summer with! With a summery, quaint setting, witty banter, loveable characters, and so much more, Erica George’s sophomore novel is the perfect summer read.

An adorable romance is not all that this story holds though. Erica has intricately layered important discussions about marine life conservation, shining an illuminating light upon an issue that does not receive as much attention as it deserves. Every reader will be able to tell the amount of time and research spent on this topic and how much love she has poured into each and every word. The Edge of Summer would be worth picking up just for these essential discussions alone, but it holds so much more within its pages.

To begin with, let’s talk about the characters. Cor was such a lovely protagonist to read from the point of view of. Sarcastic and cynical, a largely unlikeable character, she was still a very refreshing one. I imagine some readers might dislike Cor for these qualities, but they were one of my favorite parts about her. Some of her worst traits are ones I myself have, making her a character I was easily able to connect to, and making the book an even more enjoyable read.

Although I loved Cor, I do have to say that Mannix, the love interest, completely stole my heart. Handsome, smart, and funny, he’s truly the perfect book boyfriend. From the moment he stepped onto the page I was smiling, and just a few chapters later I was actually swooning. Reading about Mannix, and eventually him and Cor together, was one of my favorite parts of the book.

Cor and Mannix’s relationship was a very sweet one. They honestly seemed perfect together and I was shipping them so much, something that I haven’t done for awhile. From mini-golfing to making Tiktoks at the beach together, they were so much fun to read about! I can only imagine how many more readers will fall in love with them this summer.

Of course, I cannot end this review without touching upon the themes of grief in this book. Prior to the beginning of the book, Cor’s best friend Ella died. This would already be a heavy enough topic to tackle, but on top of the grief Cor feels–she also feels guilt. Erica George artfully dives into this theme with heartbreaking lines, phenomenal character development, and important lessons that Cor learns along the way. This book would be enjoyable regardless of this added layer, but its addition makes the book even more worthwhile.

I truly cannot sing the praises of The Edge of Summer enough. I have been searching for a book like this for a while and I am so glad I found it. Pick it up this summer, I promise you won’t regret it.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

This summer romance was so enjoyable. I am a sucker for a good contemporary romance set by an ocean especially during the summer. When Cor looses someone very close and special to her she is left heartbroken and reeling from the tragedy, but strives to complete the list of things her and her best friend wanted to complete before college. As the story goes on she finds healing and new begins that she never expected to find. Although things get complicated when Mannix comes into the picture and takes her breath away. She is soon left wondering if she can have what has started between them and keep her promise to the whales and her best friend or if she is going to have to give up on to have the other. Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book. I absolutely loved it.

The perfect book for summer. The edge of summer is a cute and fun summer read. Coriander is navigating loss and first love, she spends her last summer fulfilling a promise to her best friend. I highly enjoyed this book, the characters were well written and the scenery was everything I could’ve asked for. Although at times I felt Coriander could be quite self-centered.

The book touches on grief and I felt portrayed this topic well. I adored this book and plan to reread it in the future. If you enjoy books by Sarah Dessen then you will enjoy this as well. Overall a solid YA read, that I recommend to everyone.

This was such a cute read!

This follows Coriander whose best friend died in a tragic drowning accident almost a year ago. Coriander decides to go back to where they used to spend time together in Cape Cod for an internship at Marine Research and Conservation Alliance on Cape Cod. While here, she meets new friends and meets Mannix, a cute guy who she doesn’t want to get involved with because this summer was a lot about herself and making it up to her best friend Ella. And she’s trying to decide whether to allow herself to have fun this summer or focus on what she and Ella dreamed of doing all their lives.

This is such a sweet and heartbreaking read. Coriander seems to have just gotten past her depression after losing her best friend, and you can see her trying to leave her shell and be more open to people and actually make more friends. It’s interesting to read her progress through the book because at first she obviously is very reserved and she really wants to focus on the fact that she’s there for Ella, not for anyone else or to do anything else. But as she gets to know some of the other people at the internship and Mannix she realizes maybe she could have some fun too even though she doesn’t feel like she deserves it. It’s heartbreaking to read, but at the same time heartwarming too because there’s this girl who thinks she doesn’t deserve to be loved when she thinks it’s her fault that Ella died. And it’s heartwarming to see her make these friends who care about her a lot and see her slowly open up and let them in.

The romance of course is sweet, and I personally think first love, because honestly I don’t feel like the first romance Coriander had was truly a romance, it was more of a fling. But what she has with Mattix is very sweet and he is just the perfect package! This boy can do anything! I mean he can work in construction, he can bus tables, and he can cook, what more could a girl ask for!?

This is just a very cute and sweet coming of age story with first love and learning to forgive yourself and to know you can have fun even if someone you loved dearly died. I highly recommend this one!

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and TBR Beyond tours for the free digital copy to read 🥰 All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Whales are so incredible and I know almost nothing about them, so I appreciated learning about them and seeing people work to educate the public about conservation efforts. The story also made me excited that summer is almost here and maybe I should take a trip to the East Coast, hmm.

Coriander is grieving the loss of her former best friend and in her memory decides to intern with a marine research facility. As she becomes attached to a specific whale and comes to terms with her loss, she also starts dating a cute local Mannix. Cor struggles to balance her commitments and untangle what she wants and move forward.

I struggled with Cor throughout this. She wasn't a good friend, choosing a boy and popularity over Ella. Then she kept treating Mannix poorly, not meeting him because she lost track of time, getting irrationally jealous over nothing, and choosing other things over him. Cor also didn't treat her uncle with respect, especially since he asked so little of her to begin with. I didn't feel like Cor really changed over the course of the story and wanted her to grow up a bit.

Now Mannix I really liked. He's so sweet and caring and trying to help his family make ends meet, even at the cost of what he wants. Mannix was born to be a chef and I hope he realizes that dream someday (and I wish I could try his dressing!) I thought he deserved better, but he and Cor did have some cute moments.

The whale and other marine life parts were fun and probably my favorite part. I can see why people dedicate themselves to protecting these creatures and I hope I get to see a whale in person one day!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Poppy for the copy

The Edge of Summer is about a girl navigating first loss and first love during her summer on Cape Cod.
The story of this book is so beautiful. It was amazing to join Coriander on her marine biology internship and it was really beautiful to see her love for the whales.
The book brings awareness about how important it is to help sea life and how we should spread the necessary information to protect and save the animals. It was truly beautiful to read.
Also, we get to follow Coriander's experience on love when she meets Mannix, a local lifeguard. Their moments together are amazing and got me through many different emotions.
The book shows friendship love too and how much Cor loves her best friend Ella. The Edge of Summer is a perfect summer read that has such an important meaning and that is filled with love.

The is THE PERFECT book for summer! If you love Morgan Matson's summer books then you need to stop reading this review and go out and get this book on your TBR! This is one of those books that you open in the summer lazy days that you think I'll just read a few pages and then you find you have done nothing with your life all day but read this book. (and you regret nothing!!) The book is set on Cape Cod in the summer and tells the story of a young lady learning about herself, life, love and what makes her happy.
I loved the story but I think my favorite thing about this book was the setting.. I have never been to the Cape, but with descriptions built by the author I felt that I was there and could smell the ocean air. I loved this and cannot wait to read it again!

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 3.5/5 stars.

I think this is a really cute summer read. Cor and Mannix are adorable. I love how it's on Cape Cod. The environmental focus on whales is amazing, and I actually learned stuff about whales during it too. I would classify it as a romance, since a lot of the story is about Cor and Mannix, but there is a lot about Cor herself and trying to figure herself out. The premise was really good, but I think a lot of the plot and subplots weren't fleshed out well.

I struggle with Cor doing a lot of what she's doing over her guilt with her best friend (ex best friend?) drowning the previous summer. Cor lowkey hallucinates Ella throughout her time on the Cape, and I think she sincerely needed therapy or should have talked to someone. It's never really discussed what happened after Ella drowned, and it's like there was no closure or really any sense of trying to process grief or regret or whatever. It's such a large part of the plot, but I think it was mishandled.

The same thing with Mannix's plot with his parents. There's a lot of lowkey emotional abuse from his father, but it just gets brushed off? The same way that his responsibility that has been put on him by his family gets brushed off. It didn't really serve a plot point either, and I don't think it added anything to his character.

It's a cute, fast paced read but I think some (or most of the plot) was lacking.

This was a fun, quick read! I really enjoyed it, and I really loved that there was such a strong emphasis on conservationism. I feel like I haven't read many books where the main character is actively working on helping bring awareness and safety to animals. I also really liked that the conflict was mostly internal, and Cor had to work on figuring out things with herself. I think that made her a more relatable character, because while the exact circumstances might not be a fit for everyone, having to handle them can be. That being said, I did struggle with her character at times. I felt she was incredibly selfish and even cruel at times, especially in her flashbacks, and unfortunately, I didn't see too much of that changing as the story progressed. She constantly only cared about herself, ignoring text messages or not telling people she would be late until after she was supposed to meet them, and it grated on me when she then also never took responsibility when she messed up. She even would acknowledge in her head that she messed up but she would pretend nothing happened. So sometimes I struggled with her. I really liked Mannix, and I think he deserved a lot better. <spoiler>This is an instance where I actually felt like the ending would have been better if they didn't end up together, especially with their fight at the end, where I did understand Cor's perspective but after she put Mannix second all summer and didn't even bother to text him that she couldn't be there right away, I felt like they just really weren't all that good together, and I think they would have been better just breaking up and leaving it bittersweet like that.</spoiler>

I had a few minor issues with the writing - there were some things that seemed to be missing (like one second Cor's eyes were closed but then a few sentences later, without an acknowledgment that she opened her eyes, she was looking at Mannix) and I hope these are things that get fixed in the published copy but I just wanted to point out that I did notice these things. I also didn't like the casual use of drinking and the offer of alcohol to a minor from an adult who is not a relative.

Overall, this was a quick easy read. There were some heavier moments at times (cw: death of a friend, off page but mentioned throughout) but I did enjoy this and recommend it to YA contemporary fans.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘖𝘧 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 follows Coriander Cabot, who spends her last summer before college, fulfilling her promise to her best friend, saving marine life as part of her internship on Cape Cod. But will the rumble of the sea or whistles of the whales be enough to drown the guilt surrounding the tragedy of her best friend's death? Or might it just be a new love?

- ~ -

Books set on the East Coast always have a special place in my heart so I could've never missed out on a perfect summer read with a detailed narrative.
But I would like to mention that despite the nostalgic summer vibes, the heartbreak of losing a loved one always lingers in the background which meant that it wasn't the most light-hearted read.

The story also features the most flirty and charming love interest. He was so smooth with his flirting at points that my jaw dropped. The flush of first love was thrilling and their intimate moments were cute to say the least.

And I think it's imperative I mention that the love interest is an aspiring chef because that entails emphasis on delicious goodness. I'd recommend sitting down with a brownie or something equally heavenly to read this.

- ~ -

While practically every aspect of the book was near perfect - the coastal setting, the selflessness of those conserving marine life, the flutters of love, heartfelt friendships - I somehow felt that our protagonist, Cor was a bit self-centred.

Not overly so, her heart was in the right place. But in trying to calm the storm that was the guilt of losing Ella, she overlooked the fact that her actions have consequences. She hurt those around her without realising and didn't even feel sorry or try to understand their point of view.

- ~ -

Overall: A perfect summer escape covering contrasting themes of grief and love. A bit of learning, finding yourself along the way and letting go the past to make room for the future.
Perfect for fans of 'The Summer Of Broken Rules' by K. L. Walther.

4.01 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦, 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 & 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

Such a sweet summer book about romance, grief, and saving marine life. For a YA read, it wasn’t light – it was packed with emotion. I loved the Cape Cod setting, and I really enjoyed reading about whales. It was a book of first love and second chances that will pull on your heart strings. It's the perfect summer read. I highly recommend.

A huge thank you to NetGally and Little Brown Book publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

What a brilliant book. I’m going to be recommending this book to everyone who’s looking for a summer read that still feels important. I loved it.