I loved this book! It was an inspiring, delightful summer read that had me focusing on the good in humanity, and wanting to be better myself.
Kelsey Worthington finds herself lying in a hospital bed, with her last memory being her trip to the coffee shop. She meets an unlikely cohort during her hospital stay, and what follows is an adventure of self discovery, friendship, sacrifice, and ultimately living a life of no regrets. This was my first Courtney Walsh novel, but she is now an auto-buy. Sweet romance, beautiful friendships, hope in humanity, and a great cast of characters that I was rooting for simultaneously had me unable to put it down. I highly recommend!
Thank you to #NetGalley and #ThomasNelsonPublishing for the copy I received to honestly review.
#TheSummerOfYes #InspiringBooks #GreatSummerRead #JustSayYes
What if you said yes to everything you

We took our Winnebago back out on the road yesterday. I could not have chosen a better read for our trip. This inspiring new release is full of heart, humor, with a side of introspection. Early in the book, Kelsey's mom talks to her about "disruptors." An unforeseen occurrence in your life can disrupt for good. In this book we see how both characters become catalysts for change in each other's lives. Is there a disruptor in your life that you have been resisting?

Have you been saying "No" and playing it safe? Kelsey is 32 and working as an editor. She has been focusing on her career and missing out on life. She ends up in the hospital after getting hit by a car. Her roommate turns out to be THE Georgina Tate, a famous cosmetic magnate. The two of them will become the cleanest version of Thelma and Louise that you have ever seen with a blue convertible (minus the tragic ending.) They are saying "Yes" to a road trip and it is about more than the destination. Courtney Walsh gives us their story from both perspectives. The audio book is narrated by Tanya Eby and Cathi Colas is just right. Got a road trip planned this summer? Take this book along.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson, HarperCollins Publishing, and NetGalley for both an audio and digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

While the first part of this book took me a minute to get into, I think that pace was intentional to really show what the characters were like before "the summer of yes" changed them. I love that this rom-com was clean, no swearing and kissing only.
The romance was very sweet and the characters were entertaining and real. It's giving Devil Wears Prada vibes, but sweeter. Courtney is so great at writing stories filled with redemption and joy. This was such a fun read and would be the perfect beach/vacation read, so add it to your summer TBR list!

Content warnings: car accident, medical problems (no cancer though), estranged family members
Thanks to @netgalley and @courtneywalsh for the
ARC of The Summer of Yes, what a great book to kick off my summer with!

I enjoyed reading, but I feel like it could have been longer and could have explored more adventures between the main characters. I still enjoyed it! Definitely a lot of funny and sweet moments. A quick read with some great moments.

3.65!

The book follows two characters Kelsey and Georgina both meet in a hospital after a NDE. Kelsey has just been in a car accident and Georgina was there for her dialysis. Kelsey during this whole encounter realizes how she is wasting her life on things that do not matter to her and asks Georgina who's facing the same problems to go on a summer of yes, its basically a trip where they would say yes to everything that is morally right. Now, reading this was super interesting because the way its put is very interesting but I feel like somewhere along the ways I felt so lost but at other times it was really an enjoyable experience.

The pacing was slow at the star because the part that took Kelsey to convince a very stubborn Georgina was taking long but when it did progress I saw myself liking it. I feel like the only thing that were making this story stand was its characters. The writing was fun too, I had almost no complaints with the style but the plot and the romance imo failed to deliver.

I liked the point of views of both the characters and I felt like they were the strong parts of this book because those 3 stars are only for this. Courtney made the characters so rich and flawed that I liked reading about them and their struggles made them feel so realistic. I would say I understood where Kelsey was coming from but she had no right to meddle in Georgina's life the way she did and for Georgina I felt at times she could be too much but I really appreciated how she tried to be strong but was breaking apart from within and I just liked the flow that these two character had with each other, it made it enjoyable to read.

The plot was mild overall, it didn't really grip me. The romance I feel like could have been developed more and that it got very less time which made it less impactful, I really liked the idea for the way she presented it and the love interests themselves were really nice but we just did not have enough time and a integral part of the story was linked to it so I think if it got more time and was developed better this would definitely have been 4 stars or above.

Overall, an enjoyable read that I would recommend FOR people wanting character driven books.
___
The main character wakes up from an accident and yk what her first thought is??
"I don't have the time to be in an accident" 😃
This is gonna be a wild ride!! 🤩

4.5-I first “met” Courtney Wash when on a whim about 3 months ago I listened to The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley. I loved this book so much I bought both the e-copy and the physical copy. When I saw a new book by her on NetGalley I jumped at the chance to read it.
Kelsey Worthington is a junior editor at a publishing house and she puts work above everything else. After a near-death experience she has an epiphany and realizes something has to change. While recovering she meets Georgina, a cantankerous older woman whose life is filled with regrets from always putting work first. Kelsey nudges her way into Georgina’s life and drags her along on the adventure of saying yes.
This book is like a hug for your heart. It’s a fantastic feel good novel that is both laugh out loud funny and tear inducing. The characters are perfectly crafted and pop off the page and the setting of the Outer Banks was just beautiful. This is one book you’ll definitely want to say yes to!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for an advanced copy of this. The Summer of Yes hit the shelves on July 2nd.

I thought this was a fun easy summer read.

Kelsey always dreamed of being a writer but settled for being an editor in Manhattan. She’s an introverted workaholic that doesn’t have time for fun. She has a near death experience that prompts her to make some changes.

In the hospital she meets Georgina and she fears that she will turn out to be alone like her. Although Georgina is a wildly successful businesswoman she has no family or friends.

Kelsey is motivated to start living life and saying yes instead of no. She talks Georgina into a summer road trip to kick start her plan.

I thought this book was enjoyable and fun to read. While at times a bit optimistic and unrealistic it was still a good summer read. Seemly complex large problems have a way of working out simpler than in real life. The book does tackle some very complicated issues like kidney failure and estranged relatives. I thought the author sort of brushed past the issues and made that felt a bit far fetched. I enjoyed this book.


Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book.

This book was so cute 🥹 I really had a great time reading it. I loved Kelsey, loved Georgie and Hayden was top-tier golden retriever material 🫶🏼 Also, this book really shows you that life is about more than work and more work. There was just something to the whole idea of “The Summer of Yes” that spoke to me 🌷

I really recommend this one to anyone who’s in their 20’s or 30’s and just need a really touching story about life, love and making choices

I was so looking forward to this one and though it isn't a favorite, I still enjoyed the banter and themes of the story. It is not quite as lighthearted and fun as I was expecting but more touching, emotional and reflective. I listened to it on audio as well as in print and I preferred the print version.

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read it in exchange for my honest thoughts.

The Summer of Yes
🗓️07/02/2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Imagine if you said yes to everything you typically say no to because work got in the way, you didn’t have enough time or you were afraid. How different would your life be?
Kelsey finds herself waking up in a hospital bed after a car accident with Georgina Tate as her roommate, a savvy outspoken business woman facing a potentially terminal condition.
Kelsey, a copy editor and aspiring writer, befriends Georgina who is notoriously bitter and cold. Self reflection leads them to reveal their lifetime of regrets and they decide to embark on The Summer of Yes.

Say yes to this book!!!!
This is my second @courtneywalsh book and so far I have loved both!! How many times have you said no to something and then second guessed yourself. It makes you think about why you make the choices you do in your life. Despite some heavy topics along the way, this was a fun and enjoyable read.

Thank you @netgalley and @thomasnelson for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Do you every second guess your decisions to say no to something?

#thesummerofyes #courtneywalsh #netgalley #thomasnelson #newrelease #beachread #arcreview #bookstagram #kindlereads #booklover

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

𝑴𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔:
This was such a fun summer beach read!! As someone who herself has taken part in a 'Summer of Yes' - summer of 2014 - I know how great it can be to just step outside of you comfort zone and just say yes to everything! (with some exceptions of course lol)

I really enjoyed reading this book! The characters were all so fun to read, and the banter between Kelsey and Georgina was perfect! It really made me appreciate how their relationship grew and changed over the course of the book. I think the part that I loved the most, was how both women taught each other valuable life lessons, and they each grew personally throughout the story.

Overall, this was such a great and perfect summertime read. 'The Summer of Yes' is the perfect 2024 summer read.

𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒇 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆:
- Books with Character growth
- Romance stories which make you smile
- Road trips

𝑾𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝑷𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈: 2020 Rosé - Ravine Vineyards🍷

Thank you Harper Collins Publishing, Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for both digital and audio ARCs of this book, in return for an honest review.

I went into this expecting a light summer read, but wow this was a lot of fun. The book bounces back between a young book editor trying to make a name for herself in NYC, Kelsey, and an already established high society entrepreneur, Georgina Tate. They meet when Kelsey is hit by a car and has to share a hospital room with Ms. Tate. The dialogue between the two (along with the side characters) were often hilarious and oozing with personality. Like most romcoms, the ending is predictable but all the pieces laid down to get there were enjoyable and full of heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Kelsey, maybe this is a wake-up call.” Kelsey Worthington inexplicably escapes death when a car jumps the curb and barrels her over on the sidewalk. Despite her inherent need to return as quickly as possible to her hectic, work-ladened lifestyle, there’s a voice in the back of her head that begins questioning everything that’s she’s prioritized as an adult. Determined to find an answer to the question she’s repeatedly asking herself - is it worth it? - she sets out on a Summer of Yes, accompanied by an unwilling makeup industry mogul, an aging (and dying) Georgina Tate.

Courtney Walsh’s The Summer of Yes follows the same familiar tracks of a Hallmark movie. If you love the comforting predictability of a changed heart character arc and a happy ending, then you’ll enjoy Walsh’s novel.

This book was like taking a leisurely cruise in the country - driving about 30 miles per hour, mostly cows and fields on either side, a little boring at times - until it wasn’t. All of a sudden we hit an open highway, going 70 miles per hour, with gorgeous ocean views on both sides, and I couldn’t put it down. I would rate it 3.5 stars because it was hard to get into at first, and I could tell from the beginning that it was going to be necessary to plow through some of the slower pages to get to the good stuff. Ultimately, I’m glad I held on because the rest of the road was worth it. I laughed with Kelsey, cried with Georgina, and pleaded with them both to grab hold of common sense as they struggled to choose love over success. Say YES to The Summer of Yes, and find a smile in this darling Halmark-esque story.

I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did. It’s hilarious and witty and soooo easy to read. Young girl in NYC winds up in a hospital room after an accident with the selfish grumpy multimillionaire CEO. Only to realise that the choices she’s making will create her to end up like the CEO. So they take a summer of yes.
I love how this book featured friendship, romance, heartbreak and reconnection.

This is a story about two women (one 30ish, one 65+) who are at crossroads in their lives.

Kelsey is a junior editor who has put her dream on a back burner and become a “status quo” version of herself. Georgina is a wildly successful business woman (ahead of her time) who is facing a dire health diagnosis and has painful regrets of some of her past decisions.

Following a miraculous death-defying experience, Kelsey decides to waste no more time and reach for a more fulfilling life by embracing a summer of “Yes”. After a chance meeting with Georgina, she convinces the crotchety woman to join her in a Yes adventure. They begin small with local NYC sightseeing but soon advance to scarier/weightier topics including reconnecting with estranged family members and stepping out of their comfort zones.

I enjoyed this story for both its humor and its more serious look at reexamining one’s life and making tough decisions to move forward in a new direction. As a creature who is very resistant to change, this actually hit me on a personal level as well.

While I enjoyed watching the Kelsey/Georgina relationship develop, there were a few over-the-top moments from both women (Kelsey’s exuberance/Georgina’s stubbornness) that were annoying.

But overall, very nicely done.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for providing the free early arc of The Summer of Yes for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Kelsey, hardworking and upbeat, finds herself in a hospital room after a freak accident. Sharing a room with her is successful businesswoman Georgina Tate who is hardworking like Kelsey, but in no mood to get to know Kelsey. All odds point to Georgina never seeing Kelsey again, but suddenly, Georgina finds herself embarking on a road trip with Kelsey that will change their lives forever during their summer of yes.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Courtney Walsh and Thomas Nelson Fiction. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I greatly enjoyed this sweet and charming book, set in both the big city of New York and a small town in North Carolina. The characters are lovable and interesting, including the prickly Georgina Tate. I also love that there is a touch of romance, but it does not consume the story. The description promises a journey of taking a step back from the busyness of life and examining what really matters. And boy does it deliver!

This is a wonderful and captivating summer read that I highly recommend. Courtney Walsh delivers a heartfelt journey of two women, each struggling in life in different ways, who need a change of pace.

"but then it occurs to me that where one lives often determines how one lives."

Five glowing stars for Courtney Walsh's new book, The Summer of Yes. I recommend adding this feel good story to your beach bag this summer.
The Summer of Yes is a story of love, forgiveness and second chances. Told from the point of view of two women who develop an unlikely friendship and embark on a summer road trip, going outside of their comfort zones and saying yes to things they normally are too busy or too afraid to say yes too.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book. My reviews can be read on my GoodReads account here: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1335387-kelly

I know that Courtney Walsh will always deliver a heartfelt story with characters that you can’t help but fall in love with and root for.

The Summer of Yes filled all of those expectations for me. It had a seize the day attitude with a lot of life lessons about living the life that sets your passions on fire.

There is romance, but it is strictly closed door.

Courtney Walsh can do no wrong! She has written another great story that will be in my top summer faves this year. I loved the characters and their banter, and I actually enjoyed the romantic story as a side story, instead of part of the main story. The thought-provoking element was a nice surprise and made me love this book even more. Thank you so much to NetGalley for this advanced copy!