I loved the Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh. Kelsey and Georgina is the friendship you never thought you needed. Their banter, laughter, obnoxious tendency's all make for a great read. I can't tell you how many times I laughed out loud. Thank you NetGalley for introducing me to new-to-me author. Will definitely be checking out more of Courtney Walsh.

The Summer of Yes is the first book I have read by Courtney Walsh, and I’m not sure why I have not read more by her, but now I must. I follow her on Instagram, so when I saw this book, I thought it would be the perfect summer read, and it was. Not only is the cover cute, but the story is beautiful. It was a super easy read. Hallmark meets Yes Day meets Devil Wears Parada (if we are going for all movie references).

The character development is good. I loved that Kelsey wants to meddle in other people’s lives but seems unsure of how to change her circumstances. The idea of saying yes to each opportunity that presents itself, is the perfect thing for Kelsey. Georgina is an interesting character. I totally envisioned her as Meryl Strepp in Devil Wears Parada.

The storyline was great. Not very realistic, because who is going to listen to some girl they just met. But I am a romantic at heart. The Hallmark storylines pull me in. I can appreciate a good story that is completely unrealistic when it has good characters and a good moral to the story. We all need that sometimes. I loved the idea of saying yes to things that we wouldn’t normally do.

The budding relationship between Kelsey and Hayden is very sweet. I appreciate the closed door, non spicey romance that Courtney Walsh writes. I thought the relationship was a fun dynamic to the rebuilding of Georgina’s relationships with her husband and son.

The faith element was there though a little on the light side. But the overall message of the book was good.

*I received a complimentary copy from the author and voluntarily chose to review it. All opinions are my own.

The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh. Pub Date: July 2, 2024. Rating: 5 stars. I really enjoy Courtney Walsh's novels for their heartwarming characters and this novel was no exception. An older woman who is terminally ill gets put in the same room as another younger woman who was in a freak accident while both are in the hospital. The older woman is coming to terms with the life she has lived, being a top businesswoman and successful business owner. She has regrets even though she won't ad.mit it and Kelsey, the younger woman, talks her into a "road trip" of "yes." What Georgia, the older woman, doesn't know is Kelsey is planning on driving them to see her son who she has not seen or spoken to in years. I loved the dynamic between Georgia and Kelsey and how Kelsey knew how to push Georgia's buttons just enough to make her angry but not enough to completely shut her down. This was wholesome, real and had all of the good feels with some life lessons along the way. I highly recommend this novel and it is one to be savored. Thanks to #netgalley and #thomasnelsonfiction for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

3.75 had a lot of great messages about truly living your life and saying yes to the things that scare you. I’ll always read whatever Courtney Walsh writes but I didn’t love this one.

Kelsey wakes up in a hospital after being hit by a car on a New York sidewalk. Even more surpassing than that is that she ends up being roommates with Georgina Tate, female business mogul. The two develop a weird kind of friendship, much to Georgina’s dismay. Kelsey convinces her to join her on a Summer of Yes. What unfolds changes both of their lives forever.

This book is precious. Kelsey is lovable, even when she is relentless. Georgina is difficult, but you know there is more to her. I love their unlikely connection as they explore themselves and take a hard look at the fast paced lives they have both been living. It’s a good wake up call to slow down and love the people around you!

CW does it again!!!!! What an absolute delight this story was! I loved the setting, the growth we saw from the characters, the banter between elderly Georgina and young Kelsey, and more. I adored the transformation that we saw in Georgina and as with other of Walsh's books, the themes of hope, forgiveness, and starting over were so beautifully written.

YES! YES! YES! Just say yes to this book! I was not expecting this book to be as big as it is. Is it fun and cute? You bet! Did I expect many many tears? Nope. Did I expect to reevaluate my life? Nope. Yet here we are. This is the book that I didn't know I needed.

Courtney Walsh’s The Summer of Yes is a delightful and inspiring novel that skillfully blends humor, heart, and personal growth. The story kicks off with Kelsey Worthington, who finds her life taking a dramatic turn when she’s struck by a car and ends up in a hospital room beside the formidable Georgina Tate, a titan of New York City business.

The contrast between Kelsey and Georgina is stark and engaging. Kelsey, a self-doubting writer, has always played it safe and lived within the boundaries of her comfort zone. In sharp contrast, Georgina is a confident businesswoman whose career has been defined by bold decisions and unyielding assertiveness. However, as Georgina faces the reality of her failing kidneys, she starts to reflect on the risks she never took and the life she’s led.

The heart of the novel lies in the unexpected friendship that blossoms between these two very different women. As Georgina helps Kelsey embrace a more adventurous approach to life, Kelsey finds herself embarking on new experiences she never imagined, from sampling street food to matchmaking with Georgina’s dashing son, and even finding the courage to write her own romance.

The Summer of Yes excels in its portrayal of transformation and self-discovery. Walsh’s writing is both tender and witty, capturing the essence of personal growth through her vividly drawn characters. The dynamic between Kelsey and Georgina is both heartwarming and inspiring, highlighting the power of taking chances and stepping outside one’s comfort zone.

This novel is a testament to the idea that it’s never too late to make changes and embrace the opportunities that come your way. Walsh’s charming narrative and engaging plot make The Summer of Yes a refreshing and uplifting read. Whether you’re looking for a feel-good story or a bit of inspiration to say “yes” to new possibilities in your own life, this book is sure to deliver.

This one was average. I liked it but I wasn't motivated to read it. It was overall just fine to me. I liked the message of saying yes, I liked the romantic storyline and I loved the older FMC's personality. All of these couldn't combine into an overall winner for me for some reason but I can see the merit in this one for other readers. Maybe it wasn't the right time or fit for me but I would still recommend it. I think audio was a great format to consume this book!

Thank you for allowing me to read and review this story. My review can be found on storygraph, goodreads, barnes and noble and my instagram @manymerrybooks!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this title. Isn't it interesting the amount of books and movies that focus on how someone needs a brush with death to realize how much more to life there is beyond work? This was another example of that idea and was enjoyable.

I LOVED The Summer of Yes! This was the sweetest story about saying yes to the things you always say no to, finding that they were also the things that had held you back from truly enjoying life, and realizing what is most important in the process - spending your life with the people you love and doing the things that set your soul on fire.
My heart hurt for all the time lost with friends and family but so happy with how everything turned out! I laughed, I cried, I wanted to stand up shouting ‘in your face!’, and genuinely did not want this one to end!! I enjoyed all t

In the Summer of Yes, we meet Kelsey, a workaholic who has all but forgotten how to live her life outside of her office as an assistant editor. She wakes up in a hospital bed, having just been hit by a car. In the hospital, she meets Georgina Tate, cosmetic guru who is chronically ill with kidney failure. They become somewhat of an unlikely companionship and embark on a "summer of yes" after Kelsey realizes that she hasn't been living her life to the fullest and Georgina hasn't been either.

I found this to be a charming and quick read. Was it cheesy at times? Of course. However, that didn't take away from the overall themes and messages in the story, that we cannot be limited by ourselves and that hope is the most important part of all. While definitely silly and mostly unbelievable, I found myself smiling through the story. This is perfect if you're looking for an extremely lighthearted book that is just life affirming.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

Love love loved this book!! Unexpected friendship and sunshine. The perfect read for your vacation.

Will be picking up more from this author!

This is my first book from Courtney Walsh, and it definitely won’t be my last.
I loved the whimsical characters and reflection of the two main characters lives and how they reflected if they are happy in their own lives from the decisions that they made.
I feel not only is this a brilliant fictional work, but also a book that allows its readers to reflect if we are truely happy with the decisions we’ve made in our lives. If we’ve said yes enough or enough no’s to the things that don’t matter.
After reading this beautiful book I have adapted the “season of yes” into my own life and I’ve found positive changes and I’m enjoying the things that matter to me more. All thanks to Courtney Walsh! I’ve 100% recommend this book to my coworkers and friends!

If you mix one part Thelma and Louise and one part Golden Girls and add in a little romance, you get this book. When Kelsey winds up in the hospital after being hit by a car, her roommate is none other that Georgina Tate, NYC businesswoman icon. After much convincing, Kelsey and Georgina start a whirlwind summer of saying yes to all the things they've said no to. What could possibly go wrong? But, what could possibly go right? Super cute romcom with a HPE!

A read-in-one-sitting book, which I enjoyed while sitting by the pool on vacation. I appreciated Kelsey, the main protagonist, whose life has become all shades of neutral colors when she's allowed her work to control her life. And not even work that truly fulfills her. Okay so the opening car accident where she's miraculously hardly harmed pushes believability, but it sets up her encounter with an older successful woman in the hospital that changes both their lives.

I enjoyed the pace and the gentle message of the power of love, forgiveness, and primarily hope. My only critique is that I wished the author would have given more space to the first-person narrative of Georgina, the older woman, as it's heavily weighted to Kelsey, the younger.

I adored this book!

I loved the characters and their dynamics, even if they were messy and/or complicated. I liked the story line of a summer of yes and a super unexpected friendship. Ending in the most beautiful of ways

We follow two characters that you soon love and want the best for. These characters join up to have an unforgettable summer of no longer immediately saying no.
This was a great summer read that is cute and predictable. Nothing life changing but a great message of friendship, family and having no regrets.

What if you said yes to everything instead of the usual no? The Summer of Yes is about two women Kelsey and Georgina who meet in the hospital both experiencing situations that leave a mark on them. The characters are lovable and the storyline is clever, but not quite as engaging as some of Walsh’s other books. With that being said, it is still a cute light hearted read that will leave you feeling good at the end.
Thank you NetGalley, and Thomas Nelson Fiction for my ARC.

The Summer of Yes is a positive, feel-good story about two head-strong women who learn to say Yes. Kelsey wakes up in the hospital after surviving a near-death experience. While recovering, she meets Georgina when the older woman is brought in to share Kelsey's hospital room until another is available for her. Kelsey recognizes Georgina immediately - a local, highly successful business woman whom Kelsey has always looked up to. Kelsey learns a little more personal information about Georgina and decides that she is going to help Georgina connect with her estranged family. This is going to be her summer of yes - she survived being hit by a car, so she is going to say YES to things that she normally wouldn't - starting with a road trip to take Georgina down south to visit her son and husband. As they travel and say YES together, they learn a bit more about each other and about themselves along the way.

I was a little disappointed at first with this story. I felt like the beginning was too slow and didn't hold my interest very well. I also wasn't sure how I felt about FMC Kelsey - who wouldn't take NO for an answer, was sneaky and did things behind Georgina's back even though she asked her not to, told people about their conversations even though she signed a NDA. I didn't really connect with her throughout the book.

I think I liked Georgina's character the best. I thought that her reconnection with her husband was so sweet and I enjoyed that part of the storyline. I thought the ending was very nice, but it didn't redeem the slow and off-putting beginning for me.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advenced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.