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!

The summer of yes is the perfect book for this summer. Its a quick read and light hearted. Perfect book to read on a vaction.
The story revolves around Kelsey who has a car accident and it makes her realize if she is missing out on her life because of her 24/7 work and not giving importance to het family and friends and other fun things in life.
When she meets a celebrity in hospital next to her bed, it makes her realise she has to prioritise her social life over her work.
This book is mainly to readers of 30+ years having a mid life crisis which shows how anybody can deal with their life with the help of that one person who comes like a sudden wave.
“I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own”. Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction.

The Summer of Yes was spectacular! Not your typical romance story. Sure there was a sweet love story or two in there, but that wasn't the point of the book, IMO. This was a story of friendship & being true to yourself and doing things in life that make you happy (more often than not). Reading Kelsey & Georgines story made me want a friendship just like that one. Thank you Courtney Walsh for a wonderful story!

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction and author Courtney Walsh for this arc!

This is the book I have been waiting for all year … and lovelies, it did not disappoint! Move it on up to the top of your summer TBR right now … go ahead, I’ll wait!

It’s a grumpy/sunshine friendship with an unlikely duo that will just win your heart over from the start! I absolutely LOVED Georgina … I had so many laugh out loud moments surrounding her old lady curmudgeon-ness (not a word) and young & energetic Kelsey was just what she needed!

I absolutely swooned over the romance in this one too … love is not just for the young and both relationships at each end of the age spectrum just made my heart melt!

This story is the perfect mash up between new starts & second chances, found family & restoring broken family bonds and learning to find happiness in the most unexpected places … just by saying YES!

I say it in every review of a CW book … and I will say it again in this one … if you are looking for an author who writes stories that make your heart smile … @courtneywalsh is your girl! The best plots, the best characters and the best HEA’s … ever!

A fun summer read and a great lesson for all of us. When we look past our fears and anxieties, the end result can be life-affirming. Though this is a light and fun beach read, the message gives it compelling depth. Add it to your vacation TBR!

This was the perfect summer read! The Summer of Yes is an easy, breezy women's fiction book with the sweetest touch of romance. I saw a lot of myself in Kelsey, so it was fun to see her move out of her comfort zone and try new things. It even inspired me to do the same!

At this point, I'm convinced that Courtney Walsh could write a grocery list and I would still want to read it. Don't miss this one!

Gerogina’s toughness and Dylan’s sweet, goofy personality were such a fun combination! I also really enjoyed JP’s banter with Kelsey and wish there was even more of him, especially as they wrapped things up at the end. Overall, a cute summer read!

I tried but I cannot get into this one. I'm sure it has its target audience but unfortunately, that is not me. The cover is adorable though!

People don’t leave quickly, but they do leave suddenly.

This was a fun but also serious book about life choices, regrets and saying yes to things that matter.

I enjoyed this story from the first page till the end. Kelsey had a fun bubbly personality which won over others easily, while still having a serious side with self-confidence issues. Georgina comes across as a stubborn grumpy old lady, but as the story unfolds, we see there is more to her story.

This book will take readers on a fun adventure, while making them look at their own lives and wondering what would have been different if they said yes to more.

“is that life . . . is good. And wonderful. And horrible, and beautiful, and messy, and everything all at once. And that is the beauty of it. It’s overwhelming, but it’s never boring. And it should be lived to the fullest.

Thank you to the publisher for my egalley of this title, all opinions are my own!

What an absolute delight this story was! While yes, there is a love story in it, they was so much more to it. I loved the setting, the growth we saw from the characters, the banter between elderly Georgina and young Kelsey, and more. Not only did we get to see a 30 something main character (which I love, because I feel that 20 something's are overdone these days), but we got to witness Georgina's heart and priorities change, too. The themes of hope, forgiveness, and starting over at any age were so beautifully fleshed out.

The love story in this book was swoon worthy without steam, and I loved it. The tension was well executed, the characters were very sweet with one another, and I loved the lack of miscommunication - aka the reason for the worst third act break ups in history! These adults communicated well, were respectful, and realistic - three things I rarely see bundled into one story.

I took off one star because I desperately wanted an epilogue, but other than that - adored this book and cannot wait to read more from Courtney Walsh!

I really liked the idea of this one, but it started out so slow. It wasn't until 30% that I cared about anything or felt like anything important happened.

First and foremost; thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read the ARC of this novel! Thank you!

Imagine almost dying. Imagine almost dying and having to share a room with a celebrity. Now imagine that celebrity a woman slowly dying and not your biggest fan.

Do you have the picture? Good.

Now imagine these two women, bound by accident and illness agreeing to say “yes” to a spontaneous roadtrip to rekindle a family’s shattered past and to fall in love along the way.

It was such a refreshing story to read over the summer that not only showed what following your heart can lead you to, but what it can also heal from.