Booked for Summer was a great read and I really enjoyed it. The characters chemistry was great to read and see flourish on the page, the sweet romance vibes were present throughout the novel and I really enjoyed the characters as well as the writing style.

This book was a sweet romance that had a plot I enjoyed and characters that had me hooked on their connection, which was perfectly written and I loved how they interacted with each other.

I really like this author and I liked this story and premise - running a bookshop on a tropical island. I also liked the male lead, Liam, and the brilliant bestie Jeremy. But, I didn't warm to main character Jade and overall there was too much sex and not enough of the actual story. I mean it was chapter ten before anything much other than sex actually happens. Jade says that to enjoy sex she needs an emotional connection. And, that is kind of how I feel about sex in book - I need it to be part of the story, part of the connection and not just there for the sake of it. Likewise the continous mentions of Jade's amazing boobs were irritating as was the fact that she was never in the wrong (even when discussing Liam's grandma's health with others). So a mixed bag because I loved the story but wanted more of it.....

A brooding millionare MMC that only open us for her-and a cute and quirky FMC that just won't stop wordvomiting. He doesn't mind, of course. They meet and feel instantly attracted to each other, way before they find out they should be opposing on paper. He just bought and wants to demolish the little bookstore she just arrived to run for 3 months, after all.

I gotta be honest, I DNF'd this book at 22%. I just couldn't get on with the writing style, the "quirky" things the FMC said were just getting too annoying, I felt no connection to the characters, and even the spice didn't make up for it. Even though most of this first 22% were spicy. It sounded like such a cute summery romance read, but sadly it didn't live to to my expectations.

Booked for Summer by Kathryn Freeman is an enjoyable beach read if you don't want to be invested in the characters or plot too much. It's very shallow, Jade the FMC and Liam, the MMC jump into bed immediately after meeting, not knowing they were going to be working together. Oops! He's trying to close the bookstore she's working in for the summer and she's trying to keep it open and ironically, prove to him that he doesn't have to be so shallow. Chaos ensues. Very predictable. Does the cold millionaire have a heart? This one is so full of tropes, it just misses the mark.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This was way too shallow for my taste. Whether it was the insta lust and weird/juvenile steamy scene verbiage, or the fact that we had absolutely no character development - this was just not for me.

50/50 on this book to be honest. I didn’t really click with the FMC even though on paper I should. I just found her a little surface level and the MMC wasn’t much better. I liked the banter and spice I just didn’t truly care about the romance which felt like a drag.

I was super excited to read this book from the summary but it did not hit for me. It was an okay read but full of insta lust and spice with little romance. If you are wanting a spicy summer read this is the book for you. I was hoping for more character growth and I wanted to dig into the bookstore more.

Read if you like:
☀️ Insta Lust
☀️ Spice
☀️ Summer Read
☀️ Nantucket
☀️ Billionaire MMC

Thank you to the publishers and NetGally for this Advanced Release copy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

3.5 /5 stars. Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this!
This book started off relatively slow for me and the yo-yo of the relationship between the lead can be a bit much, but it was still fun by the end. This follows Jade, a British woman spending a sabbatical at a bookstore in Nantucket and Liam, a wealthy business man who purchases the bookstore in order to tear it down. Only problem; they meet on the island before realizing they'll be working together and have a mildly steamy encounter.
I loved how sex-positive this book was. Yes, Jade/Liam sleep together quickly and she comes to regret it, especially with her history of bad relationships, but for the most part the book embraces the fact that adults sometimes just have a great time. I also love the banter between these two, and how their personal attraction contradicts their need for professionalism. It led to great conflicts. Jeremy was an adorable character and I loved the 'friendship' he grew with each of our leads.
I also really enjoyed Liam's backstory, and why he has such a love hate relationship with the people of Nantucket. That was really interesting and something you could really understand, especially the dichotomy between the regulars and the tourists. I also enjoyed the views of the bookstore and the events Jade put together to drive up business: any bookish person would adore.
I do wish Jade/Liam figured out their feelings a bit quicker, and the back and forth between hook ups and friendship were a bit much, but all in all pretty enjoyable

Frustratingly shallow. I really wanted to love this, as Freeman's Nobody Puts Romcoms in the Corner is a formative romance for me since it showed how addictive and fun the genre can be, and both the premise and setting here are incredibly promising. However, this story really didn't do a lot to engage me and the relationship between Jade and Liam felt so surface level; they sleep together pretty quickly and their attraction stays primarily physical for most of the book. There are several bigger issues that are touched on, but not given the depth or exploration required for their inclusion to feel completely satisfying. Although there is a wide group of locals included in the secondary cast of characters, only Jeremy makes an impression and it's not a big one. Hopefully this is just a rare dud by Freeman, as I enjoyed her work so much in the past.

unfortunately i really did not connect with the characters in this arc. i actually really enjoyed the plot and the location in the book, but the characters fell flat for me. i believe this book could benefit from some more character development involving the FMC, as it seems the majority of her character is written in the male gaze. she doesn’t have many deep thoughts other than what’s happening in the here and now, and her body is constantly talked about. as a female reader, i didn’t enjoy reading the somewhat derogatory descriptions of the FMC’s appearance. i do, however, love a good east coast setting.

The setting was absolutely perfect—Nantucket’s charm added an extra layer of magic to the story. It has this magical quality that enhances any story, whether it’s a romance or a thriller, and this book is no exception. A bookstore on Nantucket? Say no more—it's everything I could have hoped for! Now I just need to book a trip there myself.

Jade and Liam have such great chemistry, but what I loved most was how their relationship wasn’t just an instant, easy love story. Both are shaped by their pasts, and we really get to see them work through their emotions. The depth in their struggles made their romance feel all the more real in the end. And Liam’s grandma was absolutely precious. She added such a heartwarming touch to the story.

So, so fun! I really enjoyed this book! I will definitely recommending this for a good read right before summer!

Booked for Summer by Kathryn Freeman is a charming, feel-good romance that delivers the perfect escape. Freeman’s writing is light, witty, and full of warmth, making it easy to get lost in the story. I loved how the author created such likable, down-to-earth characters with genuine chemistry, especially the protagonist, whose personal growth felt natural and real. The setting, a cozy B&B by the beach, adds an idyllic touch, making the perfect backdrop for the blossoming romance. The pacing is spot-on, and while the plot is predictable at times, it’s still heartwarming and enjoyable. It’s a delightful summer read with just the right mix of romance, humor, and emotional depth.

Booked for Summer is the perfect summer beach read. Set in Nantucket, the story is of an angry meet cute which turns into an enemies to lovers story you can’t help but fall in love and root for a happy ever after. Loved the story. The banter is fun. The cast of supporting characters make this story that much enjoyable.

Jade was going to be living out her dream of running a book shop over the summer, or so she thought.

Liam, the new book shop owner, was a billionaire hottie who owned one of the most prestigious resorts on the island which was right next door to Little Bay Book Shack. His intentions were to tear down the book shop in order to expand the Haven Resort. Jade’s dreams of running a book shop were shattered almost immediately after arriving to the island but she wasn’t going down without a fight.

What started as a one-night-stand led to undeniable chemistry — only problem? Jade hadn’t realize Liam was her soon-to-be new boss. Jade had convinced Liam to give her two weeks to prove that the book shop was an asset to the island and its community, not just the tourists. In that time, grumpy Liam found himself enamored with Jade. Especially when she showed such concern for his grandmother after her gut-wrenching diagnosis. Seeing Liam’s vulnerability and soft-side truly melted my heart!

I enjoyed this book more than I expected from reading the description, as the whole rich guy/normal girl trope isn’t really for me. The main characters were decently developed; I only missed moments of emotional substance to draw them to one another in less superficial ways. That said, the story didn’t reel me in and I had to be intentional about returning to it in order to review it. I do think there is a lot of potential here, and it may be improved upon before it goes to press.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Publisher: the MMC is American but the author’s language is distinctly English, with the exception of the ass/arse overuse. Please have an American edit his parts for greater authenticity.

This book was delightful. I was immediately engaged in Jade's life, after her making the klutzy mistake of hopping on that sexy man's yacht. Her story of trying to jumpstart her life, after feeling like second best, and the "dumb blonde" in any situation is very relatable. She hopes to get some self confidence by running the little bookstore.
As Jade gets to know the Nantucket locals, and develop her managerial position at the bookstore, she has a few interactions with that gorgeous man, who happens to own the resort beside her.
The sexy scenes are hot, and their relationship grows, has setbacks, grows some more, as we expect from a good romcom.
Liam is a very sexy leading man, with troubles of his own. As the story progresses, we get to know the two of them better, and meet up with many delightful side characters.
This author is always a solid, enjoyable read for me, and I hope to see more.

I wanted to like this book. The premise for this book was very cute but it was a bit problematic for me. The insta lust, Liam giving up his celibacy so fast after meeting Jade, the way the characters had so many overreactions and and unnecessary miscommunications throughout the story, and focusing so much on the physical part of their relationship and not emotional. It just wasn't for me unfortunately.

I really wanted to love Booked for the Summer but unfortunately just never really clicked with it. Mostly because I HATED Liam so much lol