Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy. I loved this book so much. The idea of saying yes to what is presented, see what you may be missing out on, and knowing you can always make a difference. I did not want this book to end.

The Summer of Yes should be on everyone's TBR. The emotions that I felt throughout reading this book were on another level. Just like Kelsey, I am a 32 year old who is going through big changes in regard to career and relationships (getting married at the end of the year!!). Kelsey has said no to too much in her past and given up too much of her true self. A traumatic accident and the meeting of a sassy older woman, has her second guessing everything and saying yes more often. The journey for both Kelsey and Georgina is beautiful in their own ways. I had difficulty putting this book down! Easiest 5 stars I have ever given a book. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you will find little bits of yourself in these characters. Honestly, I found the characters to be so inspiring. We should really say yes to more and live life with less regrets and nos. Thank you so much Courtney and Thomas Nelson Fiction for allowing me to dive into this book early. Bravo, Courtney!

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was well written and I felt invested in the story. The characters were so likable even the prickly Georgina.
The story started out with a bang (literally 😂) and held my interest till the end.
This book had humor, romance and lots of heart. Made me think how I would do things differently if I knew my time was very limited.

*I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley to honestly read and review*
4.5 stars
The Summer of Yes was the perfect start to the summer. I loved getting to know Kelsey and Georginia. Kelsey was just coasting through life trying to remain in her safe little world. Kelsey was scared of change and was in the process of climbing the ladder of success until her world was shattered. Stepping out of a coffee shop should have been a "safe" activity. However, on the streets of NYC what is safe? That's how she finds herself in a hospital room, after being struck by a car, and roommates with one of the most successful women in business! Georginia had it all in terms of financial success. She was at the top of her game and there were college courses people could take to study her success. But all the success in the world can't stop you from getting sick. Georginia is coming to the end of life as she knows it. Her kidneys are failing and dialysis is now a part of her daily life. She has faced the facts and is preparing to die. Until Kelsey wakes up and realizes there may be more to life that work. That's how Georginia finds herself going on a road trip with a virtual stranger.
Kelsey says No to everything including friends and family. Her near death experience prompts her to start saying Yes to all the things. Her main Yes is trying to fix Georginia's life (because why would she want to concentrate on hers). While "Georgie" may have been a success in business she was a failure in love and family. Can a road trip fix all that is broken?
I really did enjoy my time in this book and the escape it brought. My issue with this book was the "insta-love" and the instant forgiveness of all the pain and heartache from the past. I enjoyed the grace and forgiveness but it just seemed a little to easy. This is a great book to take to the beach or sit by the pool and devour. It will leave you with a smile on your face!

The Summer of Yes is a sweet, clean romance that has a bit of a The Devil Wears Prada vibe. Kelsey Worthington finds herself in the hospital after being run over by a car on a sidewalk. This accident introduces her to one of the most accomplished female CEOs in NYC who is dying of kidney failure. Kelsey sees herself in this woman and decides to make a change before she is old and dying alone. What follows is an endearing story about finding out what is truly important in life and that lost relationships can be restored and forgiveness can be found if the stubborn are willing. I enjoyed this book and read it in pretty much two sittings.

The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh

Two unlikely women come together for a summer that will change their lives in Courtney Walsh's The Summer of Yes.

This feel-good, thought provoking novel is her best yet and leans more into women’s fiction while still including a light and sweet romance.

This story is filled with friendship, family, laugh-out-loud moments, and characters who are relatable, lovable and whom have delightful senses of humor.

I loved the friendship and dynamic between Kelsey and Georgina with their banter, sarcasm, and tender moments.

I highly recommend this summer read of friendship, forgiveness, love and second chances.

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction and Courtney Walsh for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC). All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Courtney Walsh used to be one of my favorites. To this day, her SweetHaven Cycle books, and Hometown Girl remain on my list of favorite stories I've ever had the chance to read. However, I've found the new direction she's taking her stories lately to not really be my cup of tea, and I hadn't enjoyed the last couple I'd picked up. The premise of The Summer of Yes sounded promising though, so I decided to give it a go and hope for the best. Unfortunately, this one ended up being more like her last couple of books than her older ones, and I'm starting to realize that her new style perhaps just isn't for me.

Courtney does have a way of writing her stories that drags the reader right in, and I always enjoy how her fun personality shines through in her storytelling through witty remarks, pop culture references, and back and forth banter between the characters. Even though there was more that I disliked about this book than liked, I think it speak to the talent of the author's writing that I was still wanting to read to the end regardless.

The "finding ourselves through a road trip" plotline has been done many times before, and it's starting to feel a little redundant at this point. Unfortunately, nothing stood out about this one as original, and it ended up feeling like quite a few chick lit stories that have come before it. Sometimes when a plot doesn't feel that original, the characters make up for it, but that wasn't the case here either. Both main characters were honestly juvenile, unlikeable and one dimensional. I never grew to care for either one of them, and didn't think their growth felt natural or authentic unfortunately.

As this obviously is a "romance" novel, the romance should have been the main selling point, but both felt flat for me. The romance of our older protagonist Georgina didn't seem believable, and I had a hard time believing the way all the loose ties were wrapped up without any expected consequences. The romance of the younger protagonist Kelsey was insta love without a doubt, and as such, even though I enjoyed her love interest, it didn't feel believable or realistic for both to end up feeling the way they claimed they did.

Perhaps, however, what I disliked the most was the fact that this is marketed as Christian fiction, but it really wasn't. While I understand that Christian authors are often choosing to write clean, rather than faith based in this day and age, it just felt like with how heavy some of the storyline was, it was a missed opportunity to not have the characters come to terms with His never ending grace along the way.

Overall, this was a cute, summer beach read but it lacked depth, and isn't one I would find myself wanting to reread in the future. I've loved a lot of Courtney's earlier works, but this one ended up being a pass for me personally. Regardless, if you enjoy cleanish chick lit with girl boss main characters, then this might just be the title you've been waiting to curl up with this summer.

Final Rating: 3/5.

Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to advance read and review this title!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.

I enjoyed this book and thought the overall plot was interesting. Kelsey and Georgina are both workaholics in their twenties. I liked that the book offered both of their perspectives. I think a lot of people will relate to the themes of trying to get ahead in their career, but realizing what is really most important in life. I really liked the themes, but there were a few things I didn’t love:

I didn’t love how Kelsey dug into Georgina’s past to try and reunite her with her estranged family— it felt icky and deceptive.

I also had a hard time with the love interests towards the end of the book. I don’t love insta-love, and overall it felt rushed, and I didn’t feel any connections between the women and their partners.

Kelsey gets a wake-up call in the form of a freak accident, which has her questioning many of her life choices up to now - most especially choosing work over everything else including her relationships. After finding herself sharing a hospital room with the famed Georgina Tate, she wonders if perhaps this is an opportunity in disguise. Throwing caution to the wind, and taking her first vacation since she started working at the publishing company, she cajoles Georgina into taking a road trip with her. Slyly, Kelsey's goal is to reunite Ms. Tate with her estranged son. Will her plan blow up in her face? Will her attempt to meddle in someone else's life actually help Kelsie figure out hers?

This is a fun romance about saying yes to the more important and fulfilling parts of life. A great summer read.

I have already been telling all my bookish friends how they need to read this book! It is utter perfection!

A near-death experience causes workaholic Kelsey to reevaluate her priorities and start saying YES to everything she would normally say no to. She brings Georgina Tate -successful businesswoman and curmudgeon - along for her summer of yes. A dash of romance, banter, and this is your perfect summer read!

This book was fabulous. I loved it, fast paced and so much fun and so unexpectedly heartfelt! I was tearing up several moments and laughing the next— definitely recommend giving this book a read when it comes out!

Kelsey and Hayden’s story was oh so swoony and sweet and I loved the backdrop of New York City plus a roadtrip to a little coastal town (that I will dream of moving to thank you very much!). All that plus a redemption story that frankly made me cry and a second chance romance for Georgina as well— it was everything I didn’t even expect. Big love for Courtney Walsh’s story here!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Courtney Walsh has done it again with this sweet read that’s perfect for summer! I love her books because they always make me happy. And while there’s romance and heat, there’s no spice.
I loved Kelsey in this book. I feel like she’s very relatable. How many of us wish we weren’t so uptight? (Me, haha!)
And Georgina was the perfect match for Kelsey. I loved how her grumpiness and downright rudeness never got to Kelsey. She stayed kind and funny through it all.
The story did not go how I thought it would—which is good! There were several unpredictable moments that surprised and delighted me. The Summer of Yes is a fun read, but it will make you think about life, yourself and your dreams in a new way.
This is a great book for road trips, beach reading or sitting by the pool. You’ll fall in love with these characters and the great story!
I received a copy of this book through Net Galley. All opinions are my own.
Get it, read it!!

3.5 Stars.

☀️ The vibes:
- dual pov
- Second chance at life
- Romance sprinkled in

☀️ My thoughts:
I went into this one expecting women’s fiction with maybe a side of romance and I feel like that’s what I got from this summery read.

After 32 year old Kelsey has a near death experience - she realizes that she hasn’t really done anything yet because she has always said no to everything. She’s never been out of the country or taken a road trip or played hookie and never skinny dipped etc.

She meets Georgina- a cranky older woman whose personality reminded me of Georgette from Oliver and Company 🐩😂🙈. As Georgina is accepting that she doesn’t have much more time to live, she finds herself with her own regrets. She reluctantly agrees to accompany Kelsey on her summer of yes adventures.

The premise of this book is very sweet, but the plot moved slow for me at first. While the first half felt slow for me, the second half was lovely and I really loved where the story went. There were moments that I really loved sprinkled throughout the book. I really feel like this could be an incredible movie with a story that would translate really well on screen.

I loved Hayden’s character (how could you not?). The romance element did come in like a tsunami- sudden and strong. While this isn’t my favorite romance pace- I found Hayden to be so sweet that I wasn’t too bothered!

The main issue I had was with Georgina. I just really found her so unlikable, and I tried so hard to understand her POV but really struggled. The depth of her horribleness to those around her was tough to swallow.

It wasn’t just Georgina that I struggled to connect with. I had a hard time connecting with the other characters also, and I had a hard time following the writing style in this one. The shifting POVs with the language of “I said” “she scoffed” or full conversations of quotes back and forth had me confused more than I’d like to admit on who was talking.

Overall- this was a summery read of second chances; there’s love, forgiveness, new beginnings, and lots of laughs. If it sounds like something you’d enjoy- try it out for sure.

Release date: July 2, 2024.

Thank you so much to Courtney Walsh, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*note- posted on Bookbub, Instagram stories on 5/30/24 and saved permanently to Story Review highlight reel, goodreads, Storygraph, and Barnes and Noble. Links provided. Will be posted on Amazon after release date when Amazon allows me to.

The summer of yes was a beautiful story about finding yourself again.

Kelsey has been head down, focused on her job for so long now that she didn’t even realize all the things she was saying “no” too.

It wasn’t until after I freak accident and an unexpected hospital roommate that she realized: “is all of this really worth it?”

So she makes it her mission to turn this into the “summer of yes.” Along with her hospital roommate, Georgina, who needs some help in the same area.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It took me by surprise. I figured it would simply be about a girl who is going to say "yes" to things all summer. But there was so much more to Kelsey's story than I expected and it spoke to me. I loved the message of believing in yourself, but also what the things are that in the end matter most in life.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thanks to #NetGalley and #ThomasNelsonFiction for my ARC
#TheSummerofYes

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

FANTABULOUS!!! Courtney Walsh has firmly secured her place as one of my all-time favorite authors with her exceptional storytelling!! The Summer of Yes truly resonated with me, taking me on an emotional rollercoaster from laughter to tears and everything in between. This sweet, uplifting, and heartwarming story is the perfect feel-good summer getaway! Brimming with fun banter, humor, and tender moments, this story features authentic, relatable characters on a journey of self-discovery. While it leans more towards women's fiction, it still includes a light, sweet romance. It's a clean and wholesome read about love, family, forgiveness, finding joy everyday, living life to the fullest, and saying yes, which can lead to second chances. I absolutely adored this book so much!! 💛🩷💛🩷💛

Synopsis:
A near death experience catapults workaholic junior editor Kelsey Worthington into changing her life-one yes at a time. Kelsey always dreamed of being a writer, but she's settled into a routine of helping others tell their stories as a junior editor. Her relationships are safe, her job is secure, and her existence is stable-and she's great with that. Then an accident happens! While recovering overnight in the hospital, she meets Georgina Tate. Georgina sacrificed everything to become who she is today, but now, with only a handful of months to live, she must face her regrets. Kelsey is inspired by Georgina's story and begins to question her own list of "things I'll do someday." She starts to ask a simple question: What if said yes to all the things I normally say no to? And so, The Yes Plan is born!

In conclusion, I was completely captivated from start to finish! I wholeheartedly recommend and it deserves all the stars!!! 🌟 🌟🌟⭐️🌟

I adored this book. It was engaging from beginning to end. At times it was sad and at times it was funny and it was mostly endearing. The characters were likable - even when they weren’t. Growing as a person is hard and it’s always a blessing when we find others on the same life journey who can help us along the way. I loved this about the book. I would highly recommend and am looking forward to more by Courtney Walsh.

Kelsey Worthington doesn't realize how much of a workaholic she has become letting life pass her by without truly living in the moment until she was hit by car while getting coffee. She was taken to the hospital and ends up sharing a room with Georgia Tate, a successful mogul, who has also let life pass her by from the sacrifices she has made in order to have become a success. Kelsey gets a taste of what her life might look like if she continues this way so she creates a Summer of Yes and enlists Georgia to join. The two go on a journey of saying yes to things they haven't said yes to before and learn some meaningful lessons along the way.

I really enjoyed the light hearted tone of Summer of Yes and the dual narration of both Kelsey and Georgia. This book made me feel like how I did as a kid when summers felt like anything is possible. Such a fun read of remembering to try to live life to the fullest and it's never too late to change. Thanks Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Georgina and Kelsey meet when they share a hospital room for a few days. Georgina is a wealthy, well known business owner who sacrificed her family for fame. Kelsey realizes she is on the road to following in her footsteps, as she dreams of climbing the corporate ladder, so she decides to convince Georgina to have a summer where they say yes to things they normally wouldn't do. What follows is a soul warming journey of friendship and laughter and an amazing message about getting out of your comfort zone and saying yes! Another great Courtney Walsh read that you'll definitely want to add to your summer reading list!

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for sending me a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc! The Summer of Yes was an all-around good time to be had. I enjoyed it thoroughly - the perfect summer, beach read!