Book Review
A Novel Summer by Jamie Brenner

Tropes
Second chance romance
Small town
Friends
Summers are the beach
Bookstores/publishing/writing
Friend drama

Characters
Shelby - a newly published author
Hunter - in publishing, on her own, enjoys companionship on her terms
Colleen- bookstore owner , pregnant, in a committed relationship

Thoughts
I really enjoy books that explore female friendships. We can be the most supportive of each other and each others worst critics. Not all friendships can endure time, distance, and honesty. The evolution of friendship can be difficult but true friends are well worth weathering the storm.
This was my first by this author and overall a solid, light beach read and the perfect palate
Cleanser for the summer.

Thanks to @netgalley and @harlequintradepib for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Add Jamie Brenners new novel A Novel Summer to your TBR! It comes out July 15th, and it’s such a great summer book. Made me miss the beach from our vacation.

Three friends all went separate ways, but when desperate times call for help, they reunite. Colleen is struggling to keep her bookstore open, Shelby wrote her first book and is on a book tour, and Hunter is working through trying to find her course in life getting away from her families money. There’s past hurts that have to be sorted through, but the island is small and someone runs into their ex, and realizes maybe it wasn’t such a closed chapter. Theres a flood, a breakup, an accidental affair, the small town coming together- this book has it all! There’s so many sweet, funny, and adorable moments in this book! I am always a sucker for a beach love story, and I love a good book full of friendships. I loved the main characters love story and honesty with her feelings. It felt like I was on Cape Cod and apart of this story. I love all the detail used to explain the island, the bookstore, the book parties, and the atmosphere in each scene. Jamie Brenner takes you away to the beach and captures you with these characters and their life situations. Such a great book! Highly recommend. Thank you @netgalley @jamiebrennerwrites @harlequintradepublishing for this advance copy. #netgalley #jamiebrenner #anovelsummer

I love how Jamie Brenner can take a setting and make it feel like its own character. That, in combination with her ability to craft strong, nuanced female relationships, makes A Novel Summer another heartwarming and entertaining summer read. Jamie Brenner's books are always a highlight of my summer reading!

This is a story of three college friends as close as can be who move on with their lives, grow apart, find different paths and ideas of success. That’s not unique or uncommon. When one writes a book inspired on another’s life, on another’s community…now that’s something different entirely. How do we reconcile with the people we love, what are we willing to give up to make space for a relationship to heal?

Come with me to Provincetown, a small town on Cape Cod. Here a local bookstore held the hopes and dreams of three friends each summer throughout college. Shelby, Hunter, and Colleen’s shared love of books had been their binding force, and now their undoing. When they graduate Shelby is determined she won’t return until she’s met her goals of becoming a writer. Three years later she’s got a best selling book and is stuck trying to write her second when Colleen asks her to come back and help run the bookstore. Reluctantly Shelby agrees, but knows she’s not going to be welcomed with open arms, especially by Hunter.

I’m an unapologetic Jamie Brenner fan. I have (and have gifted) her books in print, ebook, and audio. We are immersed in Provincetown, the bookstore, the cultural, and surrounding community. It’s a hallmark of her writing that I look forward to! The literary theme throughout is so lovely. I felt that Hunter’s relationship with Shelby (and resentment towards her) was affected by Hunter’s own struggles, making it slightly messy.

I highly recommend for those that love immersive summer romance with a strong sense of place. Readers that love books about women’s friendships will especially love this. Perfect for your beach bag and poolside reading! For those of us who are landlocked, it is a much needed escape to a breezy, costal location!

I received an early copy from my friends at HTP Books and Park Row Books via Netgalley.

I loved this book so much. Each character grows in a significantly different way through the novel. Fast paced, great writing and a perfect summer book! I think it will be a huge hit when it's released. Another awesome Jamie Brenner book in the books! HA!

Jamie Brenner is one be of the queens of the summer read, and Novel Summer is no exception. Everything about this story is my catnip- Cape Cod, an independent bookstore, and a peek into the writer’s life. While the cover tempts you into believing that this may be another beachy romance, this is more about the love story between three childhood friends and the place that binds them. It was truly magical! Thank you to Park Row and Net Galley for my gifted ARC.

This was fun and light. Just what I needed during this time. The characters were smart and kind humans. The perfect beach read!

A breezy summer read set in atmospheric Cape Cod. Shelby left Provincetown for New York to become a writer. Three years later, she returns as a bestselling novelist and realizes she hurt a lot of people in the process of becoming a success.

This is a fun read if you are looking for something easy and lighthearted - there is romance, friendship, and a celebration of books. There are also arguably too many characters, or rather, too many points of view as we get the perspectives of minor characters throughout the story. For me, this spreading out of perspectives meant I didn’t really get to know Shelby all that well and her relationships with others including Colleen and Justin felt underdeveloped (I was most interested in Hunter and Ezra!). I was surprised to find out that Shelby was 25 years old - it did not always feel like her actions and accomplishments matched her age. In any case, there is still plenty to enjoy!

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Shelby is thrilled that her debut novel has finally hit the shelves. Until her best friend lets her know how hurtful it was that she used her life to create a character that is. While she tries to mend the friendship, her other bestie asks her to come back to Provincetown for the summer to run the bookstore while she is on bed rest. This summer might be just what she needs to help write her second novel and mend her friendship with Hunter.

This book felt like some of Brenners earlier works, which is not a bad thing at all, but I loved Gilt and Blush so much I was expecting something more along those lines, even though I knew it wasn’t going to be. That said, I still really enjoyed this book and the little look into publishing/running an indie bookstore it gave us. I did question a few of Shelby’s decisions, but I loved the independent small town bookstore competing with the big corporate giant vibes. While her recent novels have been a bit different, Brenner still knows how to write the perfect beach read!

"A Novel Summer" by Jamie Brenner promises a beach read escape to the picturesque shores of Provincetown but falls short in execution. While the premise holds potential, the narrative struggles with coherence, jumping between numerous characters and lacking smooth transitions. This makes it difficult to follow and interrupts the flow of the story.

Additionally, as someone who grew up near Provicetown on Cape Cod, I find the lack of queer representation in a setting known for its LGBTQ+ inclusivity is disappointing. Provincetown's vibrant queer community feels conspicuously absent, overshadowed by a focus on straight characters. The failure to authentically capture the essence of P-Town detracts from the novel's credibility and sense of place.

Despite these shortcomings, the novel offers moments of charm as protagonist Shelby Archer navigates personal and professional challenges while managing a beloved bookstore. However, the overall experience is marred by disjointed storytelling and a missed opportunity to embrace the diversity and richness of the setting. For readers seeking a light summer read, "A Novel Summer" may provide moments of enjoyment, but those familiar with Provincetown's inclusive spirit may find themselves longing for a more authentic representation.

she was so much fun i thoroughly enjoyed this book. more than a romance, a novel summer contained a vast and profound amount of beauty through the writing and sheer storytelling ability. what a beautiful novel.

Well written and set in the perfect location for a summer novel, Jamie Brenner is cementing her spot as a “summer must read” author.

A bookish friendship drama (with a little bit of romance) set in Cape Cod. I just love Jamie Brenner’s books.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

A beach read about a bookshop at the beach? Could that setup be more perfect? Three friends have lost touch since college but they're together again for a summer in Cape Cod. Will they get through the things that distanced them and restore their relationships? The friendships are the heart of A Novel Summer but I enjoyed the side story romance as well. I'm a sucker for a bookish book so I really liked this read.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This was a fun summer read with a book theme that made the title even likable. I liked most of the characters and how quickly the book started. I would love to see follow-ups to the other girls in the friendship.

Thank you Jamie Brenner for making it feel like summer in mid-March!
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A Novel Summer introduces us to Shelby, Hunter and Colleen- Shelby the author, Hunter the publicist and Colleen the bookseller. Shelby leaves Cape Cod, the source of inspiration for her first novel to pursue her writing dreams in NYC.
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When Colleen calls her to come back to Cape Cod to help with her bookstore for the summer, Shelby is hesitant. Her debut novel seems to have been "too inspired" by her friends back home and they feel betrayed by her friendship.
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I was particularly drawn to Jamie's descriptions of running the bookstore, applying for events- eyeing the "big box" competition- Jamie just "gets it". I enjoyed these three characters separately in their stories and together as a unit.
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Jamie has all we want out of a novel that feels like pure sunshine- a beautiful setting, great friends, second chances and a beach bookshop!

I enjoyed this story about friends (Hunter, Shelby and Colleen) and their summer in Provincetown. Shelby’s debut novel was a smashing success, but at what price? She’s now back in Provincetown, working on her second book and trying to mend friendships at the same time. She’s determined to not make the same mistakes, but a summer full of drama and a lingering love interest have her struggling. Will she end up with another best seller? Will she stay in Ptown? What will happen to her friendships, her love life and her beloved Lands End book shop? This is a good one to take on vacation and find out!
One note, I read this on my kindle and there were many typos. Not sure if it was a digital issue or also exists in the print version, but should be corrected before publication.

A Novel Summer is the perfect beach book for readers who love to read about all things bookish! The main characters are a novelist (Shelby), a bookseller (Colleen), and an editor (Hunter), and the supporting cast includes more writers, editors, agents, bookstore staff, and publishing-house employees. The Provincetown setting is beautifully described and the events of the book perfectly encapsulate a typical Cape Cod summer. It was a quick and engaging read. What I didn’t love: the rapid shifts between perspectives and characters. This happened multiple times per chapter and there was no separation in the text to signal the change. Because almost every character works with books, I often found myself a little puzzled until I realized that I was now reading about a different character. But I did love many other aspects of the story. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book did not work for me. The characters were unlikable and hard to relate to. The story is based on 3 friends embarking on life after college and their friendship. However, the friendship felt forced and more like the girls were acquaintances rather than true deep friends. They came off as selfish and a bit narcissistic. There were a lot of social/political thoughts brought up in the book (climate change, housing inequities, etc.) that felt forced and overdone. Lastly, the character development was lacking as well. A lot of material things were used as a way to describe the characters rather than giving the reader a true sense of who the characters were.
Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row Paperback for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

An absolute fit in the beach read category. A book about a bookstore on the beach with three friends - a bestselling author, a soon to be mother of twins who needs help managing her family bookstore and Hunter, the friend who isn't quite sure what she wants from life.
I enjoyed following these women throughout the summer as they find their contentment with their lives.
Jamie Brenner has done this chick lit/women's fiction story right.

My thanks to #NetGalley for letting me early read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.