Another perfect summer read from Courtney Walsh. I loved the story line and characters. The combination of lighthearted moments and humor alongside more serious issues was perfect.

Boy! What I wouldn't give to have the freedom to just say yes to anything for a whole summer! At least yes to the things that I have been saying no to. Are you saying no to the wrong things? This book really makes you think about it!! Super read!

I have loved everything I’ve read by Courtney Walsh and this one didn’t disappoint. This one is a sweet, clean, refreshing book about relationships that you allow to change you for the better. If you’re looking for a beautiful story about friendship, getting out of your comfort zone and saying YES, or just a palate cleanser, this is perfect.

4.25 stars!!!
This was my very first Courtney Walsh, although I have heard wonderful things about her romances! This book was SO endearing. It was a very sweet story with humor and romance intertwined. I loved the message it sent and there were so many quote-worthy lines. I highlighted quite a bit! The characters were loveable, even the frustrating ones. ;) The Netgalley copy did not work on my Kindle. It kept crashing so I ended up buying it! I will definitely continue reading Courtney Walsh in the future. I can't wait to read her past romances!

Courtney Walsh is the queen of uplifting reads. This book feels like it’s in a similar vein as her previous work The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley. This was fun, uplifting and the perfect mood brightener

ARC Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Kelsey was just going about her day when she was struck by a car in the Starbucks’ parking lot. The near death experience left her forever changed. Upon leaving the hospital she vowed to stop being afraid of living and open herself up to new experiences. Will she be able to stick to her resolution, or will she revert to her old self at the first sign of trouble?

The Summer of Yes solidifies Courtney Walsh as one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. I can always count on her to write a heartfelt story with an uplifting message.

This book deals with the themes of fate, forgiveness/ grace, and bravery. It also showcases the importance of female relationships.

Kelsey and Georgina were an unlikely duo but vital to each other’s journey. Kelsey kept me laughing as she refused to allow Georgina to give up on life. Her meddling ways took the mature business woman from rigid routines to being open to adventure. In the same way I loved watching Georgina mentor Kelsey. Using her years of experience, she imparted invaluable wisdom that helped her find happiness.

Special thanks to Netgalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and Courtney Walsh for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

thank you to netgalley and to thomas nelson fiction for providing me with an e-copy of this book! i had been looking forward to reading it for months, and i'm glad i finally got the chance to. though it was a fun book (reminded a lot of the show hacks--in particular the relationship between the two main characters, and how a friendship blossomed out of hesitance), i gotta say i'm a little disappointed. kelsey as a main character and narrator just didn't do it for me. she was too quirky and millennial for my liking. i wish we would've had more chapters from georgina's pov, as i seemed to enjoy those more, but they felt scarce in comparison to kelsey's. but overall, it was a cute book with a sweet message. and a great introduction to courtney walsh, whose books i'd never read before!

The Summer of Yes
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Author: Courtney Walsh

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Kelsey Worthington always dreamed of being a writer, but she's settled into a routine of helping other people tell their stories in her job as a junior editor. She doesn't go outside of her comfort zone. Her relationships are safe. Her job is secure. Her existence is stable. And she's great with that.

And then, the accident. While she's in the hospital overnight, she meets an older woman named Georgina Tate--a glass-ceiling-shattering, wildly successful businesswoman. Georgina sacrificed everything to become the woman she is today, but now, with a pair of failing kidneys and only a handful of months left to live, Georgina is forced to come face-to-face with her regrets. Kelsey is forced to reckon with her own list of "things I'll do someday," and she starts to ask a simple but life-changing What if I said yes to all the things I normally say no to? And The Yes Plan is born.

It takes some convincing, but Georgina finally agrees to go along with Kelsey on her Summer of Yes adventures. The two of them set off to see what might be out there waiting for them if they simply open themselves up to it. Together, they say yes to whatever comes their way--a whole day being tourists in their own New York City, dinner with strangers, a convertible that is far from practical but so much fun. But when Kelsey springs a surprise visit to Georgina's son Hayden and Georgina's ex-husband (who is not so much of an ex), the older woman is less than thrilled. But this is where the true journey begins.

My Thoughts: This was a story of two women, met by coincidence in the hospital, where Kelsey faced her own mortality and made her take a look at her life. Kelsey has realized that she has always played it safe and wondered where she would be if she just said ‘yes.’ Georgina has built an empire, however, it has costed her everything, her family, her happiness, and now her health is in dire straights. Kelsey relentlessly asks Georgina to take a road trip with her and start her summer of yes. Georgina reluctantly agrees but when a surprise visit to Georgina’s son, Hayden’s hometown gets factored in, Georgina almost gets cold feet. This is where their journey begins and it is definitely a journey. This follows the tropes of roadtrip, evaluating life decisions, regrets, and an unlikely relationship between two women.

The story is narrated by Georgina and Kelsey, in their POVs. Kelsey is spunky, eclectic, quirky, and caring. Georgina is eccentric, regimented, success-driven, yet once you get through the tough exterior, you meet the sweet woman who isn’t cranky and grouchy, but endearing. The characters were flawed and imperfect, which made them feel authentic and real, easier to relate to. The characters were created with depth, passion, witty, endearing, and intriguing. The supporting characters really elevated the story, especially Hayden. The author’s writing style was complex, dynamic, heartwarming, compassionate, closed door, and engaging. The story was a slow burn. We slowly build up the characters with their backstories, how we got to this point, the plot is built in layers, and the ending was the sweetest HEA I have read in a while. The plot more focused on the women’s relationship and romance was a secondary subplot, which is fine with me, I still enjoyed it.

This was an amazing story of two women, the relationship they build with each other, and finding their own romance story. It was touching, heartwarming, heart wrenching at times, a little slow at parts, but in the end, to have the most wonderful HEA that I have read in a while, really bought it together for me. The message of the story is what gripped me, am I working just to live, or am I living to have fun? I would highly recommend either the audio or the physical book, I tend to prefer audio versions. Go pick up today!

After walking out of a Starbucks, Kelsey is hit by a car. She wakes up in the hospital with a roommate, Georgina Tate, who is the wealthy & notorious head of a cosmetics company, who is dying but keeping it a secret. With much reluctance, Georgina admits to Kelsey that she has some regrets in her life. Kelsey, having had a revelation due to her near-death experience, decides to take some time off from her career as an assistant editor to start experiencing some things she has avoided in her life. Among other things, she eventually convinces Georgina to join her in her Summer of (saying) Yes, and they embark on a road trip to visit Georgina’s estranged son, Hayden.

This book was light & enjoyable, albeit a bit predictable. Kelsey’s desire to be a writer is evident from the beginning, yet she seems to not fully realize it until nearly the end, which felt slightly unnatural. Overall, I recommend this book to anyone looking for a casual rom-com read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction and Courtney Walsh. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I liked the sentiment of how this ended, and some of the quotes at the end, but I had to drag myself to get there. I wasn’t intrigued by the premise, didn’t love the characters, adored the husband/ wife relationship but most of the book just wasn’t what I wanted it to be. Both characters showed growth throughout but Kelsey’s relationship was predictable. I have some estranged relationships in my life and although I love the idea that everyone’s happy at the end, I wanted the author to tease out some of the harder complicated emotions, however I recognize the book would have lost some of its light hearted feel had that been the case.

I received an advance review copy for free from the publisher via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Kelsey was such a fun character and it was a delight to read her story! Georgina was the sort of character I don’t normally read about, but she was definitely intriguing. Loved watching their story play out together and the life lessons they learned along the way.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Courtney Walsh NEVER disappoints and The Summer of Yes is no exception. This book had everything. It has found family, romance, banter, substance, and a main character that totally gives Miranda Priestly vibes (Devil Wears Prada). I absolutely loved this book and it may bump up to first place in Courtney Walsh's books for me. I can even see myself rereading it and will be forcing my daughter to read it ASAP.

THE SUMMER OF YES - Courtney Walsh

Growing - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - A near-death experience catapults workaholic junior editor Kelsey Worthington into changing her life--one yes at a time. Two stories of love, forgiveness, regret, romance, and finding a way to live a fearless life intertwine as these two women make an indelible impression on each other. And it all starts with a simple "yes."

Writing - 4 stars - I'll admit that I was caught up in the story right away. Kelsey is an appealing character--one that many of us can relate to since she has spent her life working towards one goal--her career. After an accident and an accidental meeting with a successful business owner, Kelsey comes to realize that her life isn't turning out as well as she'd hoped, so she decides to make some changes, and wants to bring Georgina along too.

Characters - 4 stars - Kelsey is a very relatable character, and I found her enjoyable and appealing without being too naive. I admired that she was brave enough to approach Georgina at the beginning, then I enjoyed that she was strong enough to stick up for herself as their relationship grew. It was fun to see Kelsey grow and change as she grew more confident. Georgina is another good character--the "villian" foil against Kelsey's well-meaning niceness. Georgina is a successful executive, but underneath she's a softie (although she'd never admit it). It was fun to watch them cause sparks against each other, but you could also feel an undercurrent of respect and caring.

Title - 4 stars - This is pretty obvious, although you need to read the first few chapters (or maybe the preview) in order to understand exactly who is making the changes and what she intends to do.

Cover - 4 stars - Although I'm not a fan of the currently trendy cartoon covers, this one does represent the road trip that is an important part of the story. The colors are bright and cheerful and definitely draw the eye.

Overall - 4 stars - This story intrigued me, and it did not disappoint. Were all the loose ends tied up neatly at the end? Yes, but it felt right to me and left me feeling happy and satisfied. The journey to get to the HEA was fun, with plenty of witty banter and lots of friendship and love. I enjoyed this new-to-me author immensely and will definitely look for more from her.

Lily's character is relatable and well-developed. Her struggle with self-doubt and her journey towards embracing life resonated with me on many levels. I found myself rooting for her as she navigated through her challenges and slowly opened herself up to new experiences and relationships.

Walsh's writing style is engaging and easy to follow. She has a knack for creating vivid settings and memorable characters. The small-town atmosphere adds a cozy, intimate feel to the story, making it a perfect summer read. The supporting characters, each with their own quirks and personalities, contribute significantly to the richness of the narrative.

The plot moves at a steady pace, and while it’s somewhat predictable, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment. The themes of self-discovery, courage, and the importance of saying "yes" to life are beautifully woven into the story. Walsh does an excellent job of balancing lighthearted moments with deeper, more reflective passages.

Overall, "The Summer of Yes" is a delightful read that I would recommend to anyone looking for an inspiring and heartwarming story. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Fiction through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you so much!

The Summer of Yes was fun and encouraging. It definitely made me rethink some of my no's. I enjoyed the romance between Kelsey and Hayden and the friendship between Kelsey and Georgina. This was my first book by Courtney Walsh but it won't be my last! Also, the narrators, Tanya Eby and Cathi Colas did a wonderful job!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 2 July 2024

I ended up dnfing this book, but I won’t be leaving a bad review anywhere. It just ended up being too slow for me to get into. I love this authors other work, this one just didn’t do it for me. Thanks for the arc!

The Summer of Yes follows junior editor Kelsey Worthington, who, after a near-death experience, decides to transform her routine life by embracing spontaneity. Inspired and accompanied by Georgina Tate, a successful yet regretful businesswoman with kidney failure, Kelsey embarks on a Summer of Yes, diving into spontaneous adventures that challenge her comfort zone.

4.5⭐️

The Summer of Yes is a fun and life-affirming road trip buddy adventure between Kelsey, a young woman struggling to get started in her life and career, and Georgina Tate, an older, ailing, successful businesswoman who’s isolated herself. Their banter is delightful, and as they spend more time together, they both learn and grow in unexpected ways. This is a great beach read, as well as highly relatable for anyone who is struggling to find their footing.

Tanya Eby and Cathi Colas did an excellent job narrating the audiobook, and I appreciated their distinctive voices.

Thank you Courtney Walsh, Thomas Nelson, HarperCollins, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was such an inspirational read! Courtney Walsh does a fantastic job balancing self discovery with a bit of romance thrown in! This sweet story makes me want to live my own Summer of Yes!!

I received an ARC through Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

☀️The Summer of Yes☀️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A near death experience changes Kelsey’s life. She is a workaholic who dreams of being a writer and is currently a junior editor. While in the hospital she meets Georgina Tate, who is a famous and successful businesswomen. Georgina has always put work first…even before family. These two become connected and Georgina gets Kelsey to say yes to more in life so she does not miss opportunities….including love! This was definitely so cute! I absolutely loved how Kelsey and Georgina’s friendship begins and transpires into so much more. Two love stories, friendships, regret and romance…this was such a heartwarming book!! I love Courtney Walsh books!! They make my heart happy! I will say you should read the physical as I didn’t care for audiobook narrators, it felt robotic.

Thank you @netgalley @thomasnelson and @harperaudio for the eARC and ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review.