Man I have some sort of selection lately of books with grief & loss. I don’t know how it keeps happening. This one though opens right up with the gut punch. The death of a spouse. Just heartbreaking but thank goodness for the best friend Mak who truly looked out for Ivy from the start. Taking her through the healing process. Not to mention Mak is hilarious!

The evolving relationship between Ivy & Conrad I loved but felt like it maybe needed more depth. I was actually surprised of the kiss & him being so sure he was willing to jump in the pool to her. It just felt like pieces were missing to their combined story like it was a little rushed. Sure loads in their separate stories but lacking in their story together.

That said I loved the characters backgrounds, I liked that they found each other while both healing through loss of their spouses unexpectedly. The part of Stan was weird and felt almost a little unnecessary like it just didn’t quite fit naturally in the over arching story of the characters. It just felt like it had to be added for drama when really Hudson chasing after the dog in the storm was plenty of drama. Terrifying actually as a mom.

Overall I would love to see more depth in the stories, I enjoyed it though & would try another from this author!

Big shoutout to NetGalley & Penguin Group for the ARC!

This was a beautiful book. It was full of grief and sadness without being too heavy, in my opinion. I loved the setting of Hollywood without all of the sex and drugs because I feel like that’s what you usually get when that setting is written out, so it was a refreshing take.

The main characters were really well rounded but I wish their love story had been more of a slow burn. It felt out of the blue and suddenly they were in love, when I wanted more angst and longing. I did appreciate how clean it was though, which was a biggest added bonus.

The author did a wonderful job showing grief and pain and how it might be navigated. I especially loved Hudson’s portrayal. Some of the scenes with him made me laugh and smile, while others illicited tears and sorrow. Really well done!

Thank you again to the publisher & NetGalley for an ARC copy to review. I loved being in this setting and how it felt academic, but still fictional and fun. Also, the cover is incredible. Overall, a truly great read!

Ivy Bauer and Conrad Reed are both dealing with grief. Ivy (31) is finishing her PhD and has created an organic substance that allows the ground to retain more water. But after the death of her husband she needs a break and a friend suggests her for a job creating a garden at a Malibu estate. Conrad (44) is a writer and tv executive. His beautiful actress wife was on the cusp of becoming a major star. He needs to sell his next series to TV as the last one was not successful. He also has a four year old stepson, Hudson.

The storyline takes place over more than a summer so the title is a bit misleading. And the storyline is more serious then the cute cover would indicate. Ivy does attend a grief group that helps her but otherwise these people are dealing with their grief on their own or by plunging into their work. Hudson is of course having some issues over the loss of his mother and he finds a friend in Ivy. I did enjoy the Hudson scenes and best friend Mak brings some needed humor.

This is a good debut novel. The author adds in some side storylines of another possible love interest for Ivy or a sleazy photographer but it felt like filler. I liked Ivy but wasn’t emotionally swept up into their romance. It is delicate to have romance after loss but I didn’t feel them grappling with their new feelings. Everything just barreled towards a HEA.

⭐️: 2
🌶️: 2

✨ grief
✨ widowers
✨ single guardian
✨ trigger warning: infertility

When I started reading this book, I was hopeful about it’s potential. I expected a deep and profound story about two widowers who were freshly overcoming their grief and would come to find support and new love within one another. This book was surface level and fell completely flat, in my opinion.

Unfortunately, the main area this book was severely lacking in, was character development. The main characters Ivy and Conrad were one dimensional, their only traits were that they were widowers and were successful in their careers. The two didn’t have an ounce of chemistry. As for the deceased, I had entirely no idea if Ivy even loved Will because honestly, he sounded pretty terrible. And Dawn, I think we may have learned more about Dawn than any other character. Also, the side characters might as well not have existed. Mak could have been an incredible companion to Ivy, and Charlotte and Randy could have been much more prominent as mentors and role models to Ivy.

I gave this book two chili peppers for spice because, and only because, it was open door. The sex scene was so vanilla and unnecessary(he slipped in, I came, he grunted). I would have enjoyed this climax (no pun intended) in their relationship much better as a beautiful, closed door moment.

I have no intention for this review to be harsh, and this is just my honest opinion. I would not recommend this book.

🌶️🌶️ = open door, minimal detail

📚Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Books for the ARC of Malibu Summer.

This book follows Ivy and Conrad as they navigate through losing their spouses. Both characters grieve in different ways and eventually find each other, which I find to be more realistic than most romance novels I have read recently. The writing style and voice is also different from my typical romance book. It reads in third person, and I’m not sure the story benefits from it. It is also a much sadder book than the cover portrays.

In all, I would recommend, but not rave over it. It was a nice and easy read!

Malibu Summer is a beautifully crafted romance novel that centers around the theme of love and healing after a tragic loss. The author has done an excellent job of weaving a heartwarming tale of hope and second chances that captivates the reader from start to finish. The story is easy to follow and flows seamlessly, making it a quick and enjoyable read. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and their struggles and triumphs throughout the book make for a touching and uplifting story. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Malibu Summer and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good romance novel. I am eagerly looking forward to more books from this talented author.


Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for an e-arc in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group for this eARC!

In Malibu Summer, we follow Ivy and Conrad as they cope with devastating loss following the deaths of their own spouses. The story follows them as they start out and the different approaches they are each making to deal with their loss.
I feel like the development of Ivy and Conrad's relationship was sort of rushed. But I was definitely cheering for them to support each other and begin their healing together. I wish there was more to their story though, I felt like I missing something, like my questions weren't answered.
I felt the book was good overall. Conrad and Ivy were enjoyable as they processed their loss and learned to let love back into their hearts.

This was good but wasn’t great for me. I loved the premise of this book and was super excited to read it but it just fell short. The flow and the pacing felt off for me and I just thought there was no chemistry between the two main characters.

This is a little heavier of a book than I thought it would be. I did enjoy the story but I think you could’ve taken out the romance and just had it be about Ivy dealing with her grief and it would have been way better. The “slow burn” was a little too much in this book and left me feeling bored at times. That being said I still enjoyed the book but I think it’s definitely not one for everyone.

This was cute! This sort of gave me the vibes from the Holiday in helping the older man out...but in a totally different way.
This is a perfect summer read!

Ivy, reeling from the death of her husband, takes a summer job as a gardener to a former Hollywood favorite, who also has lost his spouse. Conrad is raising his step-son, and as Ivy becomes close to the step-son, she also grabs Conrad's attention.

I have to say after recently losing my husband, I don't think I was in the headspace for this story. The relationship felt forced, and their issues were too many. I don't mind a couple of different points of views in novels, but there were randomly two to three others thrown in, and it was getting confusing. I am giving it 3 stars. The overall premise was not too bad, and the writing style was easy to fall into.

Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

Following the untimely deaths of their spouses, two people attempt to heal together.

I have a thing for stories about loss and healing. I love shedding tears for these characters as they work through their pain, and I celebrate their progress as they figure out a way to both remember their loved ones while continuing to live.

This story began with Ivy losing her husband. My heart ached for her, and I was glad when she gave herself some time to heal. The gardening position brought her back to her roots and love of nature. As she planted and nurtured the garden, its live seeped into her. I may not have a green thumb, but I found myself very interesting in all the plant and garden talk. It sounded lush and beautiful, and I swear, I could smell the flowers and grasses.

There were also parts where she shared her love of plants, and my favorites were when she was sharing with Hudson. Hudson was Conrad's stepson. He was precious, even if he read a bit older at times (maybe that's how kids are grown in Malibu). He was also dealing with the loss of his mother, and the connection he formed with Ivy was a standout part of the book.

But Ivy also connected with Conrad. Now, this book may be called Malibu Summer, but it actually spans a year. During that time both Conrad and Ivy try to get back to their lives, and they seem to enjoy doing it while in each other's orbits. I will admit, the romance did not seem the main focus of the story and felt a bit rushed. It seemed the focus was more on Conrad and Ivy and their healing process, but I still always wanted them together in a romantic way.

There were two subplots which I felt served a purpose for moving the story forward, but I didn't necessarily care for. They had a bit a suspense element that seemed out of place, at least to me. But, charming characters, a lovely setting, and a wonderful ending helped smooth over those parts for me.

Overall, I enjoyed spending the year with Conrad and Ivy as they worked through their grief and found a way to open their hearts to love again.

When I first saw this cover, I was instantly drawn in by the bright colors. When I read the description, I was excited. I love STEM novels with strong, smart FMC leads. And a story about people moving through their grief, love it.

With all of that being said, I'm so sad I didn't love this book. I kept reading hoping it would get better, but it felt disjointed.

CONS:
(1) There were chapters from Ivy's POV and Conrad's (which I love dual POV), but then there random ones of Mak or Fernanda. It threw me off a little bit.
(2) The "slow burn" between the FMC and the MMC didn't feel like any burn at all. I felt confused when they were suddenly "together-ish" after not really having spent any time together even though she worked on his property for a year. I think there was so much potential here for an opposites attract, but it fell flat to me.
(3) Then this may be super nitpicky of me but I was bothered by the age of the stepson and his abilities. I have a couple kiddos, and unless this kid was destined to be the next Einstein, he was VERY, VERY advanced for a four year old.
(4) There was a lot going on... we have the grief aspect of BOTH MCs, Ivy and her research, Conrad with his show, Conrad's heart issues, the paparazzi guy. I love dilemmas as much as the next person, but it felt like there were too many to keep track of and I wasn't sure which storyline was the main issue if that makes sense.

PROS:
(1) Though I didn't love the book, the writing of the book was really well done.
(2) Even though the age of his stepson was not realistic to me, I loved the addition of his character (maybe because he was the most dynamic of all the characters). If he was 8-10 years old it would have been perfect.
(3) Beautiful cover art
(4) Love the idea for a STEM novel

Overall, I'm giving this book a 2.5. The writing wasn't terrible, and the idea of the book was great, but I wouldn't recommend this book to a friend. I had to force myself to finish it. If I wasn't reading it to review it, I probably would have DNF piled it. I think with some tweaks this book has potential to be great.

Big thank you to Penguin Books and Netgalley for the eARC to read and review.

A quick but meaty read. Rooted in grief, there is a realness of the pull to move on while clinging onto the lost life. One of the few times I will think a book needed MORE pages. More interaction between the two main characters, more tension, more tease, more build up...

Malibu Summer is the story of Ivy and Conrad, both dealing with enormous grief from the loss of their respective spouses. The novel follows them in the beginning stages, and the paths they are each taking to handle their grief.

I loved the relationship between Ivy and Hudson, Conrad’s stepson. It was an honest portrayal of what a child might go through in losing a parent, and it tied me greatly to the character, investing in his progression through the grief.

Though I was rooting for Ivy and Conrad to be a support system for each other and start to heal together, I did feel that the timeline of their intimate relationship was a little rushed. It felt some parts were missing in between.

All and all, I enjoyed the book and would definitely read something else from the author.

Malibu Summer By Libby Gill is a great summer romance with real characters. Ivy is a young scientist who has recently lost her husband and she needs a respite, so her friend Mak invites her to come to Malibu to get away from it all.
When Ivy gets to Malibu, Mak introduces her to a rich male fiend, Conrad who has also recently lost his wife and is in the business of making TV shows. Conrad hires Ivy to be his gardener and with that position comes her own cottage to live in.
The story is predictable, but Hudson, who is Conrad’s young stepson adds interest to the book. Also, legal issues regarding a scientific breakthrough by Ivy keep this a page turner. I enjoyed this Malibu Summer romance novel as it was an easy read with interesting twists and turns. A big thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a fast and easy read, but with that being said, it has such a weird voice. This reads like young YA. The dialogue feels stunted and is just made up of these short little phrases and questions that don't read like how adults speak. Another thing that makes it read like YA is how the main character, Ivy, describes herself (people don't stand in front of the mirror and describe what they're wearing and what color their hair is...you know that whole drill).

The characters didn’t have much relationship development and chemistry, which I understand, given what they’re going through. This book is definitely focused on them grieving and dealing with those emotions and situations. As long as you know that going into this book, it’s not a problem at all. But it was just a tad disappointing to me based on what I was expecting from the genre.

This had such a great premise. The description sounded so up my alley and like it would be such a fun time, but it just fell a bit too flat. But there’s so much potential here.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Malibu Summer" by Libby Gill offers a refreshing take on love, loss, and second chances. Ivy Bauer, a talented soil scientist grappling with the sudden loss of her husband, finds solace in a summer job as a gardener in Malibu. There, she crosses paths with Conrad Reed, a wealthy but overwhelmed Hollywood figure navigating his own grief and family dynamics. Despite their initial clashes, Ivy and Conrad soon discover a deep connection that transcends their differences. As they navigate the complexities of love and healing, "Malibu Summer" delivers a heartwarming story filled with humor, growth, and the power of human connection. Libby Gill's storytelling shines in this delightful tale of redemption and romance.

I really enjoyed Malibu Summer, especially the lush, gorgeous cover. I found the premise of two grief stricken people, both suffering the loss of their spouses in violent accidents. compelling. It was a fast read, and a mostly satisfying one.

Unfortunately, there were some issues that made me pause. I found the format of the abrupt chapter endings a bit jarring. Some wrapped up fully, but others just cut off bluntly, and I found myself searching for resolution or wondering if I received an incomplete ARC. I'd say this was the biggest problem I had--the flow and pacing felt a little off because of it.

As for the characters, I liked them all for the most part, though Conrad and Ivy reacted disproportionately angry to each other at times (though I could chalk that up to their grief talking and introducing the trope of "miscommunication."). But I'm not sure about adding Mak's and Fernanda's POV for a couple random chapters. And though I adored the idea of Hudson (his reason for not wanting Ivy to join their family is heartbreaking), he reads like a much older character when he's only a preschooler.

Thanks so much to Penguin Random House for the invite to read and review this book through NetGalley.

It's a true shame when a book with fantastic characters has such disappointing writing. Because these characters are stand-outs.

Ivy, our left-brain soil scientist developing a product to help with water retention, is a powerful FMC. Though this woman in STEM is grieving the loss of her husband, she finds her place as a gardener for a TV producer in Malibu, getting to experiment with her products in a very hands-on way. Conrad, our right-brain TV producer, is also grieving the death of his wife, but he settles for selling out so he can continue to provide the best quality of life for his step-son Hudson. And Hudson truly ties everything together, the first step in the bond between Ivy and Conrad as they develop into a partnership. I found myself rooting for all of these characters and very invested in their journey.

But...most of the chapters were incomplete. They cut off randomly, taking away much of the action. It felt like a TV show cutting for commercial, but then never going back to that plotline. I could excuse a couple chapters of this, but I genuinely started wondering if half of my eARC was missing. A couple of chapters randomly followed side characters (like Mak or Fernanada) and featured their POVs. If this was a slice of life with more intentional looks at different perspectives, it would be fine. But in this story, it was super distracting. I liked each dramatic moment in the third act individually (the storm, the business, the fears of falling in love), but it was too much all together, especially with the cut-off chapters.

There were also random outbursts that didn't fit the narrative at all, like when Ivy didn't know that her supposed best friend's mom died when she was a kid. It felt like lazy character writing. We are also supposed to believe that Will and Ivy were this perfectly moral couple, but Ivy references a Woody Allen quote that Will supposedly loved. It just felt out of place.

Last note: this book takes place over a whole year. Not just a summer. I wish the title fit this book.

I'm giving this three stars because it is hard to write really strong characters and realistic depictions of grief, but the writing left a lot to be desired.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!