I felt like the pacing was off in this book. After the initial chapter, I wish there had been more demarcation that it was then five years later. Even within chapters, it would weirdly fast forwards, sometimes even within a paragraph. I think this was a cute idea, but the execution was off for me.

**Contains Spoilers**

*Spoilers hidden in GR review*
.
.
.
.
.
2.5 Stars

One Liner: This is what happens when you fall for the cover and the words summer & Christmas!

Ivy Green’s autobiographical script is ready to be filmed. After five years of struggling to make a mark as a screenwriter, Ivy finally gets her chance. Imagine her shock when the producer announces that the movie will be filmed in her hometown.
The last thing Ivy wants is to come across Nick, her childhood bestie and long-term lover, the man who broke up with her just before Christmas five years ago. With no other choice, Ivy goes back home, determined to prove that she moved on. After all, she’s in a relationship with Drew, the producer of the film.
However, just about everything goes wrong as the heroine playing Ivy gets too close to Nick, and Ivy is still very much confused about her feelings for him. Ivy needs to get her life back on track and decide what she wants if she hopes for a happy ever after.

What I Like:
• Oh, this is easy. The cover is cute, and I’ve always liked to read about Christmas when it’s super hot outside. Summer in Christmas felt like it was my kind of book (except it wasn’t).
• The best part of the book was Ivy rewriting her love story into a script where she kills off Nick’s character in an accident. Way to go!
• The book reads fast (or maybe I'm very good at speed reading), thus saving me a day I marked for this one.
• The side characters are endearing despite the limited character development. Griffin, Ivy’s parents and sister, and Nick’s mom had great potential but shined within the limitations.
• The Christmas theme was good to read. That’s what kept me going.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
*cracks knuckles*
• The narration was choppy and seemed a bit disjointed. I’m not sure if it’s some sort of contemporary writing, but some of the sentences were too weird to read. The Nick, Rick, and dick thingy was cringe-level.
• The POV seemed too scattered. It is a limited third-person one minute, omnipresent the next, and judgmental third person in another. Quite confusing at times.
• Some attempts at humor felt OTT. The drama was a bit too much and continued to go in circles. Why couldn’t they just talk like adults? Ivy and Nick have known each other forever and are now in their 30s. You’d expect more maturity from them.
• Ivy and Nick spend a lot of time in their past instead of deciding what they want for the future. We see that they are meant to be together. But if they can’t decide it, why bother!
• Despite the flaws, Ivy was a good person and deserved better. Nick was an idiot, and Drew was worse. I was half-hoping she’d find someone who would really love her.
• Griffin’s arc was going well until there’s a sudden realization <spoiler> that he likes guys. Make it believable, at least! Representation, for the sake of it, doesn’t work. </spoiler>
• I was still hopeful about the ending, but two scenes ruined it for me. I cannot make myself rate the book higher.
<spoiler> First, Nick thinks he dreams about his dead father and wakes up realizing that he needs to get Ivy back in his life. Then, Ivy has a dream with a Young Ivy showing her their past and the future. Boom! Ivy now knows she needs to sort it with Nick because he’s the love of her life.
Then we get to know that Nick actually met a guy (from the film crew) who looked like his dad. What even! Why do two grown-up people need dreams and ghosts to help them decide about their lives? Just about everyone in the town and the shooting crew knows Ivy and Nick are a couple, but they need some guidance from the other world. Sigh! </spoiler>
• The ending is a high drama that would look good on the screen but fell OTT in the book.
I enjoy romcoms, but this just got too much after a while. After reading the author’s note and bio, I kind of understood why the book felt so patchy.

Bear with me as I get into the gyaan-sharing mode.
*clears voice*
The authors are screenplay writers, and this is their first novel. Their expertise clearly shows in the scenes related to the film and film industry. However, screenplay writing is different from novel writing.
A film is an audiovisual medium. The audience doesn’t have to imagine or guess the characters, their emotions, and their expressions. It’s all there for us to see. A book requires the reader to imagine and visualize the content. They have the freedom to choose the actors but also have the disadvantage of not knowing whether or not their visualization is aligned with the authors'.
What feels aligned in a film doesn’t necessarily feel the same in a book. After all, we cannot ‘see’ certain things but can only imagine them. This mismatch made the book feel choppy and patchy. The weird sentences and dialogues would sound natural and funny on the screen. The same doesn’t have to happen in the book format (it didn’t for some of us). And thus, we have a great premise with a mixed-up execution. This should have been a movie.
*speech ends*

To sum up, The Summer of Christmas is a very light read if you aren’t particular about certain things. The Christmas elements are fun, so all is not lost.

Thank you, NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I love Lifetime and Hallmark Christmas movies and this felt like one of those movies in book form. I adored the relationship between Ivy and Nick and second chance romance stories are my bread and butter. My one complaint is that the writing was a tad bit confusing, however it did not stop me from enjoying the book!

the summer Christmas is a quick when's this book has an engaging it seems to lock the drama when getting on you can feel the connection between Nick and ivy however as Time Goes On it didn't meet the narration and the timing and frozen saved written all over the place and the story did not flow In fairness is a very fun story to read however it just seemed to miss them off for me the premises great but there are some things about it didn't fit and it could have been expanded want to improve it their story.

I received this novel as an ARC from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review.

Full disclosure, I'm a fan of Juliet & Keith Giglio's Lifetime holiday movies, and this read like one of their scripts, so of course I loved it! If you're unfamiliar with their movies they write the best combination of humor and fluff. There's always a lot of heart in their writing and it's easy to see that translated into this, their first novel.

I quickly found myself invested in Ivy & Nick's romance, it was easy to root for them from the very start even knowing that age old holiday romance "if they're in love before the last scene, expect drama" adage. Their story was full of twists and turns, with some truly memorable side characters along the way. I really enjoyed the family interactions and the moments with the cast & crew of the movie.

There's a lot of movie talk and jargon in the book which was a minor turn off for me at times, if only because it sometimes felt over-explained, but that may be because my fiance is a screenwriter and I know a lot of what it takes to get a movie made from him. If I had one "negative" for this book it would have been that I would have liked a little less telling in those areas, but if you're a reader who likes to learn something new even in your romance novels, this might be a positive.

Overall this is a fluffy, quick, funny romance read that will check those Lifetime/ Hallmark holiday boxes for you in the middle of summer!

This is a great book. The two main characters are Ivy and Nick. They have known each other’s all their lives. They broke up when they finished college and we’re starting new lives on opposite sites of the United States. Ivy tried for five years to be a screen writer and she finally made it big. Nick is wine maker and finally had a wine make it big. The movie that Ivy wrote is set to be filmed in her hometown where Nick still lives. They see other after five years and are still in love. It takes awhile but they are in love and decides to marry.

First of all I want to thank Netgalley & Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me the ARC. I loved the premise of the story but there were some things about it that just didn't do it for me. The writing on this book was engaging and all but what put me off little was drama between Amari, Nick, and Ivy. The ending seem a little rush to me. Also you need to know a little of movies or film culture, most of the movies reference I didn't know that well. What I did love was to read a little on process of movie making. I also loved it had happy ending even though it felt rush at the end. If your looking for a short fun read this is your book.

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this book, so didn't end up finishing it. It's not something I normally do, but there are just too many other books out there to read.

The concept was great and I was eager to read it, but I found the writing confusing in the way it moved between first and third-person narrative.

I'm all for pop culture references, it's something I love in books as it feels like a connection, but there were just so many that it felt unnecessary.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for my honest feedback

DNF - I wanted to love this book but it was a bit too slow for me. I do love the concept of Christmas and the quirky references.

Look, this was not a good book for me. It was a struggle to read because the narration felt rushed and cut off. There were also so many film references I couldn’t keep up (some of them are really good, so keep an eye out!).
This was almost very nearly a DNF.
Thank you to NetGalley and all those involved in the process of supplying me with this book.

The idea is super cute, but the execution was really hard for me to digest. The story reads almost like “stream of conscious” writing. It gave me a headache every time I tried to push through. Our heroine lacks depth, probably due to the pacing. I couldn’t settle in and allow myself to relate. And I am from LA, very familiar with the setting and vibe. I understand the inner workings here, and still felt overwhelmed by the lack of editing and choppiness. I sadly couldn’t finish it. DNF @ 40%.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my review!

The Summer of Christmas is the debut novel from Juliet & Keith that has the bones of a good second chance romance story, but just didn't quite come together in a way to make it great. The plot of the story is very cute and creative and I became very invested in the story and wanted a resolution, but there were some things that could be changed that would really bring this book to a new level.

The timeline in the beginning of the book jumped around too much too quickly-it was hard to follow. The story also jumped from character to character too much. The book is 3rd person, so the chapters aren't in the main characters points of view, but we got a little too much detail/plot from the side characters. It pulled away too much from Nick & Ivy's story. The story also got a little too wordy and maybe that was due to getting too much from the side characters, but I felt like things got really drawn out and there was too many unnecessary dramas introduced into the plot, instead of focusing on the drama that was already present.

That being said, I really think these authors have potential. The plot had a good starting point and for a debut novel I think this is a good starting point. I will read more from these authors again and see how they grow as authors.

This was an easy read. It was entertaining, and I just loved the idea of Christmas in July. The characters were well developed, and I especially liked Ivy and Nick , two of the main characters, and how they grew as people.

I must admit I was not a fan of the writing in this book. The authors jump from scene to scene with no warning and there doesn’t seem to be a real sense of timing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the eARC in exchange for this honest review!

DNF’d at 14%. The writing felt more like a rough draft or layout for what the book should actually be. There is very little world building, almost no character development, and hardly any relationship development. The author is just telling you what happens, but isn’t helping to make you feel it at the same time. Also, it feels as though the author assumes the reader has been to Los Angeles and visited all of the places named, has seen every movie whose title is dropped, and has a working knowledge of how the film industry works, and the average reader most likely has none of these things. I think the premise of this book is cute, and it has some potential to become something worth reading, but it really needs quite a bit more work. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book..

There's a cute plot to this one, with a holiday theme, but it doesn't have to be read during the Christmas season only since it takes place during the summertime. Ivy Green and Nick Shepherd were longtime sweethearts who planned a future together. Except Ivy wanted to explore her ambitions as a screenwriter in California whereas Nick preferred to stay put in New York. Their breakup set the stage for what would eventually become Ivy's first hit for a script to be filmed in none other than her original hometown where the story took place. While the story was cute and there was an underlying tone of humor, the characters were more one dimensional in not having enough chemistry to tether them together even under the circumstances. Nick came off grumpy and disgruntled when he should've been elated to see Ivy again. Granted, she kills his character off in her script so maybe he does have a reason to hold a grudge. As for Ivy, she tried to keep a positive face and while I liked her the most, I felt like she got the short end of the stick in the story where everyone blamed her for this or that. I realize that was part of her experience with show business, and she had to decide if she would sink or swim versus follow her heart. Although there is somewhat of a grand gesture towards the end, I wanted more from Nick in sharing his feelings. While it is entertaining, it's not overly angsty or emotional, but more like an easy beach read.

This is one great read about true love.
Ivy is a screenwriter lives in LA, she tries to write her first script, but it seems difficult. After her long time boyfriend Nick breaks up with her, she will write it and successed. The film is coming but what that will bring.
Nick is successful winery owner. Everything that he plans he did, but it doesn't matter without the love of his life.
The Ivy's movie brings joy and excitement in a small town Geneva. Everyone is busy helping the crew to make a Christmas in July. Would the Christmas magic bring them back together?
I like the idea about Christmas in July and the atmosphere in it, all the sparkles and excitement. I like the energy been radiated by the filming. Also like the love Ivy and Nick shared.

I was not expecting the emotional toll of this book. I felt my heart break, but thankfully it was put together at the end. It was a book of second chances for all. I wish there were no covid references, but aside from that I am excited to see what’s next from this writing duo.

DNF at 7%. The writing was middle school level and so many sentences said the same thing. Ivy was very basic and one sentence moved the entire story forward five years. It has potential- I love the cover, title, and the plot, but the writing was what stopped me. It sounds like a screen play before a writing comes in a fills the gaps. I do not recommend reading this. There were also way to many old and not popular movie reference that I had knowledge off, so I couldn’t connect with Ivy.

Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of The Summer of Christmas by Juliet Giglio and Keith Giglio. I was happy to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

When I saw the title of the book, the cover, and read the synopsis of The Summer of Christmas I was intrigued. After reading the novel, I wasn't disappointed. In the romantic comedy genre, I'd also classify it as a beach read.

The beginning of the book was a little rough as it felt a bit rushed and choppy because it jumped forward several years. There are also a few times that the wording in the book was odd, but I think that may be because I received an Advanced Readers Copy. Hopefully, these little oddities and transitions are ironed out before the official publication.

Growing up in the modeling and acting business, I loved the premise of The Summer of Christmas. It felt like home to me, if that makes sense. Although I was familiar with much of the terminology and what goes on behind the scenes of a movie set, the authors did a great job of explaining much of the terms that people outside of the business may not be familiar with.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Even though I don't read romantic comedies on a regular basis, I found it to be a super fun read. Although there were some predictable parts, it didn't detract from the storyline. I gave The Summer of Christmas by Juliet Giglio and Keith Giglio three out of five stars.

The Summer of Christmas is a romcom with a cute concept but misses the mark for execution. Our main character, Ivy, left her small town to pursue her dreams of being a script writer in Hollywood and lost her first love in the process. She writes a movie about their love and it’s being filmed in her hometown. Ex-boyfriend is still there and shenanigans ensue.

I must admit I was not a fan of the writing in this book. The authors jump from scene to scene with no warning and there doesn’t seem to be a real sense of timing. Everything seems very now, now, now with no thought for the pacing of the novel. Likewise I feel like the conversation between characters didn’t always flow and felt disjointed. Lastly I feel like there are too many pop culture/movie references. I realize this is a big part of Ivy and her history, but it just felt like too much for me.

I will say that I do love how they portrayed all the Christmas-y elements. I felt the magic of the Christmas season shine through while reading about the food and decor and all the surrounding elements. Christmas, I find, can bring out the best in things and I feel like the highlight of this book was reading how the season was portrayed. (Even if it wasn’t actually Christmas 😉)

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the eARC in exchange for this honest review!