I liked this! There was a lot of chemistry with the main characters and I enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an early copy of this in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to Avon for the advanced reader copy. All thoughts are my own!

I liked this one a lot! I actually don't know if I've ever read a romance with a comedian as the lead, especially a female comedian, so I felt like that was a fun aspect of this book. Delfina herself was a funny character and she had me laughing out loud a lot. I especially loved the dynamic with Eddie and I really enjoyed the glimpses into their past.

The subplot of Del learning to love her hometown again and reckoning with her upbringing/her relationship with her dad was also really interesting. The town of Evergreen itself was so vivid, I think Betty did a great job of making the town feel so lifelike. It reminded me a lot of my own beach town summer memories.

Overall, a great debut from Betty and definitely has me intrigued to pick up any other future releases from her.

I really enjoyed this book and had a lot of fun listening to the audiobook version as well! If you enjoy a funny second chance romance then i highly recommend giving Summertime Punchline a try!

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. ✍🏻

This book was a surprisingly enjoyable read, with a storyline that pulled me in more than I expected. The characters felt genuine, and the pacing kept things moving without dragging. It wasn’t just entertaining—it had a few moments that really made me stop and think.

A very fun summer setting that unfortunately feels a little choppy because of the flashbacks. Very fun characters!

This debut is flirty, heartfelt and unexpectedly emotional. The humor is sharp without trying too hard and the chemistry is fiery. Bonus points for exploring grief and growth without dragging down the fun. A perfect summer read with actual substance.

The story follows Delfina Silva-Miller, a stand-up comic who returns to her Jersey Shore hometown after a personal and professional implosion. Her voice is sardonically funny, and her emotional arc—especially around family, ambition, and rekindled love—adds depth beneath the laughs.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the arc!

This was a very fun read. I loved the romantic/dating plot, but it was really refreshing to see the leading lady as a comedian and not another bookstore owner, flower shop owner, etc. Del was fresh and funny. And Eddie was pretty cool too. This would make a great summer read for anyone. Thanks #netgalley for the copy of this book.

Summary
Del loses her job, boyfriend, and apartment all in one day and is forced to return to her hometown of Evergreen, where she said she would never return to after getting out. And naturally, once she returns, the first person she runs into is her old high school crush Eddie. Could Del be even luckier?

General Thoughts
This is a great read for summer! (Obviously, it has the word ‘summertime’ in the title.) The story is laugh out loud funny while also working through deeper subjects like complicated relationships, revisiting the past, and healing from trauma.

Positives
My favorite part of the entire story was Del. While being hilarious as a stand-up comedian, she was also super relatable. As someone who is going through major changes at her age in real life, it was nice feeling like I could relate to a fictional character. I also enjoyed all of the characters – the side characters were loveable and played major roles in the development of the story.

Frustrations
While the book was medium paced, the romance seemed to go from 0 to 100 very quickly. After 10 years, I expected them to have to get to know each other over again. As someone who is 10 years out of high school, I know I would need to get to know my high school peers as if it were the first time meeting them.

Rating and Why
I rated Summertime Punchline 3.75 stars (rounded up to 4). The story was very well-written and easy to read. I found myself rooting for the main characters from the start of the story and loved seeing the progression of Del’s and Eddie’s relationship over time through the dual timeline.

Recommend?
Would I recommend this?
If you’re looking for an easy to ready, bingeable, and fast-paced romance, I highly recommend it. Since it’s the start of summer, this is a great read for this time of year.
Read if You Like…
- Single Dad
- Enemies to Lovers
- Coming of Age
- Dual Timeline
- Second Chance
- Small Town

While a promising premise, I found this book to be less than enjoyable. The main character, Del, is supposedly a famous comedian but she's really just a bully of the love interest, Eddie, in their flashbacks, and she's not funny in the present. Every time Del speaks, she's talking about how fat she is and how no one could want her because she's "bigger" while literally being told that she was hot in high school and that Eddie has been pining after her for 10+ years - genuinely he says he's been praying for her - even though during their time apart, he got married and had a child with another woman. But whatever. The writing style was weird, because it felt like everytime a new issue was brought up, the author had just remembered that was part of the story and it didn't flow. For example, 60% in, we learn that Del wanted to be a musician before she wanted to be a comedian and then she just writes a song that everyone loves. It was weird, I don't know how to explain it.

Not to gloss over the fact that supposedly they both have been in love with each other since high school, even though in high school all they did was make out once. Also, the grandma of Del is weird and she talks weirdly about politics in the book. I didn't like that. Not my faovrite read, but not the worst. I couldn't really picture them together, but it was quick and not overly offensive to my taste.

This book was everything. The cover was gorgeous (yes I know don’t judge a book by its cover). The characters were hilarious, and I literally felt like I was in this book with all the descriptions of everything. so well written.

I value the opportunity I was given to read this in advance, but I still haven't read this. With so many books ahead of me, I cannot return to this title.

I was immediately drawn to this book because it had such a gorgeous cover. After reading the synopsis, I was happy to give it a go. The way the story went from past to present really laid the groundwork for the whole story.

I’m always a sucker for a nice enemies to lovers story. The character’s banter was top notch. I laughed out loud so many times the characters were hilarious, kind of makes sense since our main character is a comedian. Seeing this was also second chance made me love it even more.

This author will definitely be one I read when they publish new books. I wasn’t expecting that little twist (when you read it you’ll know immediately), I literally gasped.

as a girl who grew up in jersey, i approve right down to the hilarious and vivid descriptions and smells and also the “i promise you ill love you forever” because who doesn’t love. a “it’s always been you, i just got lost on the way”

I loved Summertime Punchline by Betty Corrello. I love a returning to home town story and this one has so much flare from the Jersey Shore. The best part of this book is Delfina. I love that we are along for the journey of a female comic building herself and her set. Eddie is a fun surprise. A man Del wants to avoid and hide from at all costs, with a tender backstory. Highly recommend for a fun, quick summer contemporary read with depth and feeling.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ | A Fun, Heartfelt Second-Chance Romance with a Few Stumbles

“Summertime Punchline” is a witty, heartfelt read that blends comedy, romance, and nostalgia with the vibrant backdrop of the Jersey Shore. Betty Corrello delivers a strong premise: a comedian returning home to face the ghosts of her past—including her old flame, Eddie Rodriguez—while navigating the pressures of an upcoming comedy festival.

Delfina is a sharp, relatable protagonist, and her ability to turn life’s struggles into humor makes for some genuinely funny moments. The dialogue crackles with energy, and the chemistry between Del and Eddie is engaging, if a bit predictable. Corrello does a great job capturing the messy emotions of revisiting one’s hometown and confronting unresolved feelings.

However, while the book shines in its humor and setting, the pacing can feel uneven at times. Some emotional beats—especially regarding Del’s family and personal growth—don’t land as deeply as they could, and a few secondary characters feel underdeveloped. The romance is sweet, but the push-and-pull between Del and Eddie sometimes feels repetitive rather than tension-filled.

Overall, Summertime Punchline is an enjoyable read, perfect for fans of second-chance romance and snappy banter. While it doesn’t always hit the comedic and emotional high notes perfectly, it’s a fun summer read with plenty of charm.

Summertime Punchline by Betty Corrello is a witty and heartfelt coming-of-age novel that perfectly balances humor and vulnerability. The story follows Delfina “Del” Silva-Miller, a young woman trying to escape the weight of her past in the small town of Evergreen, New Jersey. With her career as a comedian finally gaining momentum, Del is shocked when she loses everything—a job, a boyfriend, and an apartment—forcing her to return to the very town she left behind ten years ago.

Back in Evergreen, Del is determined to focus on her comedy career, but her return brings her face-to-face with Eddie Rodriguez, the boy she left behind and the source of much of her past humiliation. However, Eddie is no longer the same person she remembers, and their interactions stir up old feelings while also revealing new sides to their relationship. As the comedy festival approaches, Del grapples with her complicated feelings for Eddie, her family, and the life she thought she wanted.

Corrello’s writing is rich with humor and relatable emotions, capturing Del’s journey of self-discovery and her struggle to redefine her identity. The backdrop of the Jersey Shore adds a vibrant, nostalgic element to the story, making the setting feel almost like a character in its own right. The novel explores themes of family, love, and the complex nature of pursuing one’s dreams with a refreshing and authentic voice.

With its engaging blend of comedy, romance, and personal growth, Summertime Punchline is a delightful and poignant read that will resonate with anyone who has ever had to face the past to embrace the future.

This was a good debut book. I really liked Del's character but I wanted to know more about Eddie. It would've helped with more perspective from both of them but I did like how their relationship developed and I really wish I read this in the Summer because it felt like such a good Summer read. The romance was so sweet but I'm also glad we were able to see Del work on herself more. Eddie was such a cute and sweet character too and I liked push and pull between him and Del.

This book gave me all the cute, binge-worthy summer romance vibes, and I need everyone to read it ASAP! Also, the cover is perfect!

What I loved is that the characters aren’t “perfect” in the usual way. Del is plus-size, like me, and she has weight on her. It was so refreshing to see a romance lead who isn’t skinny and blonde. Eddie isn’t perfect either, which made them feel more real. Del doesn’t have her life figured out, and I totally related to that (except I have a great dad, so there’s that).

As for the romance, it was just okay. I cared more about Del’s personal journey than her relationship with Eddie. It’s a second-chance romance, so I expected more depth or flashbacks, but it didn’t really work for me. They hadn’t spoken in ten years but acted like nothing changed? I don’t know anyone from ten years ago like that. It was hard for me to believe.

The writing was easy to read and fast-paced, and even though I wasn’t crazy about the romance, I still enjoyed it. The characters were great on their own, but their connection just didn’t feel romantic to me. Still, a fun read!

SUMMERTIME PUNCHLINE follows comedian Del, who returns to her Jersey shore hometown after losing her job, apartment, and boyfriend. The second chance love story is fantastic but so is Del’s growth and humor. I’m forever amazed by people who write comedian characters because every piece of dialogue has to be so smart and funny and @bettycorrello knocked it out of the park. (Thanks for my copy @avonbooks !)