A heartwarming story of female friendship and what can happen when you take chances in life and step out of your comfort zone.

4.5 stars

The premise of this book sounded quite interesting. I knew that this author was known for writing romance stories, which are not my favorite reads, so I was hesitant ... but I am SO glad I decided to give this one a try. I absolutely adored it! I LOVED the interactions between Kelsey and Georgina, and the romance angle was minimal. I would classify this as women's fiction.

The book may encourage readers to look over their own lives and decisions and see where they could take a chance and say, "Yes!"

At the core, this is a book of two stories of regret, forgiveness, love, learning to focus on what's most important in life, and an unlikely friendship by two women who, at first appearance, couldn't be more different.

You should say, "Yes!" to this book if you enjoy stories with dual POVs, one where opposites attract, a small town setting, and second chances. Characters are well-rounded, flawed, and relatable. You can't help but root for them.

I'm glad I said "Yes!" to this summer read, as it's one of my favorite books of 2024!

I discovered myself wanting to approach the summer filled with a lot of “yesses.” I loved to think about the difference it made in both Kelsey and Georgina’s lives when Kelsey convinces Georgina to head off on a wild adventure. The characters were well developed and the relationships that developed were touching. This is a light summer read that is great for curling up at the pool or by the ocean. You will be treated to a story of love, forgiveness, second chances, and hope. Amazing at the new beginnings that can happen when you say “yes”!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

I loved it! The relationship between Kelsey and Georgina was laugh out loud funny and endearing. I loved all the things they learned. It was the perfect summer read, breezy but also had some depth to it.

So good! I love so many Courtney Walsh novels and this one is right up there. I really related with the characters and it helped me to think of ways to maximize summer! Somehow it’s already July so I don’t have much time left!

Do you ever have a book that you draw out finishing because you know you’ll be sad to leave the characters behind? The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh was one of those for me. I savored every word of this book for as long as I could - I really didn’t want it to end. Courtney Walsh writes genuine, relatable characters so well. I feel what they feel, their emotions and fears, because I can relate and because they are written so wonderfully. I teared up multiple times reading this book. Not because it is a horribly sad book or anything. But because I could empathize with the characters. And that only happens with well-developed characters and expertly crafted storylines.

Kelsey and Georgina’s reluctant friendship was amusing, and I enjoyed the banter between the two. I also loved that the Dual POV was the two female main characters, rather than the usual male & female Dual POV. A fun way to propel the story forward and also fill in the backstory of each character by being able to read their thoughts. And the romance was so sweet 💕

The Summer of Yes is the perfect beach read: a blend of women’s fiction and romance, in just the right dosage. To top it off, I always love finishing a book feeling like I’ve learned something or gained a nugget of wisdom. And I certainly felt that way when I finished The Summer of Yes. I can’t wait to read whatever Courtney Walsh has coming up next!

Intimacy: Sweet kisses only

Thank you to Courtney Walsh, Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley for this advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

The Summer of Yes is Courtney Walsh’s latest Christian Women’s Fiction novel with a side of clean romance. It is a story about friendship, self-discovery, and forgiveness that will stick with readers for a long time.

Kelsey Worthington is a junior editor who aspires to be a writer. She is struck by a car when she’s picking up Starbucks for her boss. She wakes up in a hospital room next to the legendary businesswoman Georgina Tate. Kelsey and Georgina are very different; Kelsey lacks confidence, and Georgina has it in abundance. Unfortunately, Georgina’s kidneys are failing, and she is regretting some of her life choices. While they are confined to their hospital beds, the ladies confront their new realities and decide to “say yes to everything I’ve always said no to.” Kelsey and Georgina set off together on a grand adventure, with Kelsey experiencing common things for the first time. Both ladies discover a lot about themselves and find romance along the way.

Most readers will initially identify more strongly with either Kelsey or Georgina. However, as the story moves along, readers will discover that the ladies aren’t as different as they first seemed. The Summer of Yes will make readers laugh and cry multiple times, as they tag along with the ladies. It’s a very moving tale that is both clean and uplifting. Highly recommended for fans of Debbie Macomber.

I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

YES, YES, YES!!!

This is my favorite book by Courtney Walsh yet! Her books are always my favorite. I love that I know what I’m getting into with her books and they are just going to feel good. The Summer of Yes was that but then so much more!

Kelsey Worthington, who is living in New York, has a busy life all about her work in editing. Work is her life and security. Then one day she gets hit by a car. While in the hospital she meets, Georgina Tate, super successful business woman, and Kelsey is just drawn to Georgina who is coming face-to-face with her life choices as she is in the last stages of kidney failure. Kelsey inspired by her circumstances, convinces Georgina to have a Summer of Yes. The two women set off on an adventure to see where saying “yes” takes them.

I really just connected with Kelsey Worthington. I don’t know if I have ever felt so seen in a book. As I mentioned earlier, I knew I was going to get a well written, witty, feel good, cozy romance with no miscommunication third scene breakup. I was expecting a light story, and this was not that. In a good way. This story was about life choices and loving the life you live. There was so much wisdom. I had so many highlights of quotes I want to go back to read and read again. This is one of those stories that you just want to meditate on or read again, because it was just so good.

Thank you Thomas Nelson and Net Galley for an eARC of this book.

Thank you netgalley for this eARC!

5/5 ⭐️’s I absolutely loved every single page of this book. The storyline and development of each character kept me intrigued throughout the book and I just couldn’t get enough. I loved Kelsey and her newfound & forced friendship with Georgina and how that all played out. I also felt invested and very emotional with the struggles Georgina consistently faced with her son and husband. Every family has their drama and struggles but I loved how theirs ended up.

Personally, I’m a big fan of self development books and although this was a fictional story, there were so many beautiful reminders of life and the different seasons we experience as we get older. I loved G’s speech at the end of the book,
"The other thing I've learned, and I want you all to listen closely," she continues, "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. It means filling your life with the people you love doing the things that make you feel the most alive."

Highly recommend! Love love loved!!

A very sweet and heartwarming book but often slow. I had a hard time getting through the first half. Could see it being very enjoyable for some people but just not for me

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

The Summer of Yes is so much more than your typical beach read. Filled with nuggets of wisdom, each time you reread this book, you’ll garner something new.

You’ll be saying YES to this book, not just because of the relatable characters, quick witted banter, genuine forgiveness and reconciliation but because of the introspection of one’s own life it facilitates.

The Summer of Yes will make you want to say YES to everything that you have been saying no to, and rightfully so!

Thank you NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Summer of Yes had me ready to back my beach bag and my best friend and go on a trip, saying yes to everything adventurous and fun. I loved Kelsey and Georgina and their unlikely friendship and how quickly they embedded themselves in the others life. Though this is a story that’s been told often, it never hurts to be reminded that we never know when our life is going to end so we might as well enjoy it to the fullest possible. Also, loved the two love stories and how sweet and pure they were without the smut. Great novel Courtney Walsh!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reading copy of this book. The opinion shared is my own.

Courtney Walsh always writes a fun book! Kelsey wakes up in the hospital after being hit by a car. While she's there she meets Georgina who is dying of kidney disease. Georgina has many regrets about what she gave up to reach the top in her profession. This gives Kelsey pause on her own life and decides to take her vacation she has saved up and have a summer of saying yes. In the process, Kelsey befriends Georgina and takes her on a road trip to where her son lives in hope she'll make things right. Kelsey gets to know her son, Hayden and they have an instant connection. The story goes on with how they spend their time living life.

This is the most perfectest summer read ever! (Alllllll the superlatives!) And now I want a road trip and to go have adventures... which is highly unfortunate since I'm currently on a boat in BFE. 😂

I've seen friends rave about Courtney's books, but this is the first one of hers I've read. And I absolutely loved it! If this book reflects her normal vibe, then clearly I have some catching up to do.

I laughed out loud and maniacally cackled so much I had to read it in private to keep from disturbing anyone around me. That sassy banter from Georgina was chef's kiss!

It also had me tearing up several times, reflecting on my own life, family, accomplishments, and goals. And there are some heavier topics like abandonment and regret. But also grace and forgiveness and finding our way back to what matters most in life.

I highly recommend this book for your next beach read, or up in your NYC apartment... just make sure it's somewhere you can laugh out loud. 😉


🙊 No cursing
🌶 Kisses only
⚠️ Kidney disease, no tragic deaths

“I’m now realizing that life is short. And you get one shot. All the clichés, it turns out, are true.”
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Courtney Walsh has become an auto buy author for me because her books bring such joy to my life! The Summer of Yes did just that! Even the bright cheery cover makes me happy! This is a romance, but it has so much more to offer. The book makes you think and ponder and has so many quotable lines!
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I did an immersive read with both the audio, brilliantly narrated by Tanya Eby and Cathi Colas and the physical book, which arrived a wee bit early so I read it instead of the ARC I had been provided. I was so thankful that this happened because I have so many tabs placed in this book! These two narrators absolutely brought this book to life and I can’t imagine reading without them!
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After a near death experience Kelsey rethinks many things in her life and challenges herself to a summer of saying yes to things she would normally say no to. Her hospital stay caused her to meet a very successful and famous older woman who Kelsey convinces to join her in this quest. It didn’t happen that easily, but that’s for the reader to discover.
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I liked the growth that came to both of these women throughout the story! The romance was sweet the way only Courtney can write them! I could relate to a number of aspects of this book. I really enjoyed this very well written book and I recommend it to anyone who wants a great read and a book they will want to hug at the end!
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Thanks to @netgalley and @ThomasNelsonFiction for the free Advanced Copy of the book and to @HarperCollinsChristian for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This was a sweet read by a great author. The two intersecting stories made the story interesting and compelling.

Thank you to NetGalley & Thomas Nelson for the eARC!

If you’re look for a heart warming, feel good summer read with a little bit of romance then this book is definitely for you! I absolutely loved following Kelsey & Georgina on their summer of yes & even more than that I loved watching their friendship develop. It was a little slow to start but once I really got to know the characters I was hooked. Georgina’s grumpy personality in opposition to Kelsey’s carefree attitude made for some funny moments & sweet life lessons.! The romance was just the cherry on top for me and I loved how everything came full circle in the end. It was such a joyful, funny, & inspirational read!

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

The Summer of Yes is a delight. The perfect summer read. From the first page I fell in love with Kelsey’s wittiness and Georgina— the perfect counterpart with her dry sarcasm. Their story is engaging and heartwarming with themes of redemption, forgiveness, love and new beginnings. It is perfectly entertaining and made me want to say Yes!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson publishers for the opportunity to read for my honest review.

Wow! Just wow!

While I was quite intrigued by the blurb, I was a bit skeptical coz this was nothing like the usual romances that I read but boy did it blow my mind!

The power of saying yes is at the heart of this story. Kelsey's life transforms over one summer of embracing yes, bringing her new friendships, confidence, and love. Her character was very relatable at the start and seeing her embrace life and say yes to all these experiences really warmed my heart.

While I loved the idea of changing your life to find yourself, it was Georgina who truly captured my heart. Her sassy, elderly presence reminded me of my grandma (thank you Courtney!)

I loved her writing style and she has created such wonderful characters. I could really relate to Kelsey saying no out of fear and how much of life is missed because of that fear. Her journey has truly inspired me to have my very own Summer (or as someone from Mumbai, ‘Monsoon’) of yes!

I would 1000% recommend everyone to give this book a shot coz you’re going to love it.

This sweet story of forgiveness and friendship was the perfect summer read. It was just what my heart needed at a perfect time. Told in two povs, it’s a grumpy/sunshine friendship. Loved it!