Wendy Day’s And Then It Was September offers a charming dual-timeline narrative that blends 1980s road trip vibes with a modern-day search for identity and legacy. Audrey’s rebellious spirit in 1987 and Jasmine’s maternal longing in 2017 are compelling on paper, and the premise—centered around a lost necklace and diner-wall photographs—is undeniably creative.
What works well for me:
1. The concept of leaving a legacy through diner photos is quirky and memorable.
2. The intergenerational connection between Audrey and Jasmine adds emotional depth.
3. The 80s setting is vivid, with just enough nostalgia to feel immersive.
Where it falls short for me:
1. The pacing sometimes drags, especially in Jasmine’s storyline, which feels more predictable.
2. Dialogue can be hit-or-miss, occasionally lacking the snappy banter the author is known for.
3. The threads tying the two timelines together aren’t always as tight or satisfying as they could be.

Overall, it’s a pleasant read with a heartfelt message, but it didn’t quite deliver the emotional punch I was hoping for. Worth checking out if you enjoy family sagas and stories about finding your place in the world but maybe not a must read.

And Then It Was September was a deeply emotional and thought-provoking read that really stayed with me. Wendy Day thoughtfully explores themes of loss, grief, and the power of friendship with great sensitivity. The characters felt authentic and their journeys were both heartbreaking and hopeful. It was a beautifully written novel that left a lasting impression long after I finished.

Beautiful story and so well written. You adopt all the characters as you join these 2 young women on their years apart journeys. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC and the opportunity to read it.

I don’t know why it took my forever to read this wonderful book, but am glad I did. I loved Jasmine and Audrey’s characters both fierce in their own ways. This was a dual timeline which can sometimes be tricky to follow but I had no problem in this book. Once I began reading I couldn’t put it down, i needed to know what happened to this fiery red headed Audrey and Jasmine who was in search of herself as well as the necklace.

I want to thank @NetGalley and @OpenSkyPublishing for having allowed me to read this rad Arc.

I thought the story was interesting enough but felt it was missing the emotion; the mystery of the necklace was a perfect back story however it lacked feelings.

Why aren't more people talking about this book??

A story about two women (teen Audrey and Jasmine in her 30s) from two very different times (1987 and 2017). With vivid descriptions of places and characters, one woman's quest to find a necklace and return it to her granny has her chasing down the past, and maybe discovering herself in the process.

The pacing was a little off (a slow start - but I loved the playlists being included - and a somewhat rushed ending) but the writing style, characters, and plot make up for it.

The dual POV and dual timeline worked well in this book. I loved the southern setting, the mystery, and great character exploration. I will definitely read more from Wendy Day.

Thank you to Wendy Day, NetGalley and Open Sky Publishing for my advanced copy.

With thanks to the Author, Net Galley and Open sky publishing or the opportunity to read and review this eARC.

This book sounded interesting from its synopsis, the dual timeline and POV, a mystery to unravel and a connection to make.

We are placed in the hands of two characters, one (Audrey) a young girl with dreams of being famous off on a work road trip with her father, and Jasmine, a woman who seems to have it all? Married life, a huge house…but there are some things missing.

Normally in a dual POV I find that I am more connected to one character over the other, in this, I found neither of them really settled in with me. Whilst I can connect with Jasmine’s heartache of her life not living out how she had planned it, I wasn’t pulled into her plot line. Audrey’s plot line, as a typical teenager, came off almost a little monotonous at times (her thoughts) as she went on her road trip with her dad. I felt like I was reading quickly, just to get to the end / part where their lines intersected.

Once Jasmine notes a photo of a girl from years ago wearing a lost family heirloom, the story picks up a little and you do find yourself reading nonstop to figure out the connection and how these two women from decades apart, are connected.

Overall, an enjoyable read, just not my usual genre.

* tragedy
* identity
* family legacy
* dual narrative
* mental health
* black MC
* 80's nostalgia
* literary fiction

And Then It Was September is a dual timeline literary fiction novel about two perspectives: Audrey in 1987 and Jasmine in 2017. It was great to see the two timelines intertwine and overlap between both the characters struggling under the weight of their families expectations. The idea of the necklace connecting these two characters was also quite creative and I enjoyed following its journey. Audrey's encounters on her journey to leave her photographs at different places were all so wholesome and served a purpose to further the story, which was brilliantly planned and executed. Alsooo, Wendy Day is great at penning descriptions, I had such a clear visualisation of the necklace!

I was a lot more invested in Audrey's story than I was in Jasmine's, and I felt like Jasmine's motivations weren't well-thought. Jasmine's family, particularly her husband also lacked depth, and the relation between her and her husband fell flat. Considering that Jasmine was 34, and Audrey 16 -- she was the one with more life experience yet her decisions and people-pleasing tendencies, seemed immature at best. Nevertheless, I was hooked to the edge of my seat for the ending and to see how things tied together!

Also can we all take a moment to admire that book cover because YES ❤️

TW: child death, depression, miscarriage, mental health, teen pregnancy

I loved the story and the intertwining of the characters. Both Audrey and Jasmine were very relatable. The details really draw you in. It was well written and a great read but ended a little abruptly.

Thanks to NetGalley and Open Sky Publishing for the advanced copy!

This was a good story. I didn't love Audrey at first, but I fell in love with her throughout the story. I loved the idea that we touch people without even knowing/realizing.
I also LOVED the way that Jasmine tracked down Audrey's story. The pacing felt a little off for this story - the beginning stretched out, and the ending a bit rushed. But overall, I really enjoyed reading this and really wanted to know the ending of Audrey's story.

I did think the infertility storyline was unnecessary, as it didn't add anything to the overall story. I guess it gave Jasmine more depth or maybe a reason for a deeper desire for family?

Trigger warnings: infertility, child death, sibling death

Book review: 3/5 ⭐️
Genre: fiction
Themes: tragedy, identity, family legacy, fame

This is a rather sweet and nostalgic story of two women linked through a lost necklace and all the history it holds. It was chaptered through song and features the quaintness of small town American and the hopes of dreams. Part mystery, part coming of age and full of heart as a girl finds a personable way to fame.

Jasmine is in her mid thirties and all she wants is a baby, which is something that she just can’t seem to do. With family pressure and a general rhetoric that she is essentially failing at life, she sees something unexpected at a diner that drives her to search for a missing family heirloom and perhaps take her mind off of her fertility issues. Along the way she may just find another use for her voice and purpose in her life.

In the eighties, we have the young teen Audrey whose family is derailed after tragedy strikes with the death of her sister. Having rebelled against the confines of her new reality she ends up on a road trip with her father as punishment. She takes the chance to poster her photo on celebrity walls across the country’s diners because what Audrey wants most is to become a famous singer.

In many ways it documented how women of varying ages deal with the traumas in their lives. All the ways they internalizes hurts and fears, even if surrounded by a loving family. And within that lay a hope of who they were aspiring to be, a way to change their stars and be more.

Docked half a star because the author referred to Japanese Kintsugi as Chinese. It’s the small details that take me out of a story and in one that has an element of race and stereotyping it was a pretty blatant mistake that make me question how Jasmine was portrayed. I already had some issues with how her black matriarchs were represented. I didn’t think the motivation needed to be explicitly linked to slavery and repopulating. It would have been enough for them to want Jasmine to reach her potential, but to criticize both her infertility and her lack of profession on top of adding the guilt factor of family not being able to do so in the past seemed excessive. They also seemed a little dogmatically old fashioned, while also claiming to foster a legacy of independent working women. A bit of a juxtaposition.

I did sympathize with Jasmine’s character and her trials, and I could easily see her being the black sheep in this big successful family. But I found her avoidance of conflict, especially in her marriage one that made nothing seem real in her life. I don’t think I quite bought her background. It was a little too one note with her baby obsession and the mystery seemed very easily solved. Even her journey to publishing was managed before she wrote anything, which seemed too convenient. It was not the event that would have precipitated a feeling of confidence given that most of the mystery was solved by her a researcher at her husband’s firm and her journal was published by a friend who could see that she needed a win. I just wanted her to stand up for herself for once and really find out who she is outside the identity of wife.

Audrey was equally single minded with that self centred aura of a teen. I thought her turnaround from sullen teen to appreciative and caring daughter to be a bit too fast. Though I did love all the little ways she showed kindness that ought to be remembered. All in all it attempted to narrate two very emotional issues - repeat miscarriages and potential infertility and death of a young family member. It was a bit sugarcoated and somewhat unmemorable to me, but these are still important stories that I believe many reader with connect with.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wendy Day for a chance to read and review this book.

The cover is absolute stunning and draws you in. Very reminiscent of Hollow Heathens cover. I love A dual timeline book but the teenagers POV was a struggle to put up with as an adult. Lots of the characters also grated on my nerves with their outdated belief system and why were they all so perfect and unproblematic, it didn't feel realistic. There was alsonlotsnof repetition and the lacing felt very off. Loved the 80s vibes though, that was a nice new timeoine for books that I dint often find.

This was a really good book. A story about two women, 30 years apart, both searching for purpose in life…both connected. Even though it had already been published, I was able to get it and I’m glad I did. Very inspirational!!

I loved the idea of this book - a dual timeline story about a girl traveling with her dad in the 80s and a Black woman following in her footsteps almost three decades later to find a missing necklace. But honestly, I'm still on the fence about this book. I loved the dual timelines, but Audrey's story was way more interesting to me than Jasmine's. And then the ending was so abrupt, giving no closure. Sadly, I didn’t enjoy this book; nonetheless, I appreciate the opportunity to have read it.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I have very mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, this is well-written and enjoyable women's fiction. I'm a reader who generally prefers literary fiction and so for me, this is saying a lot. On the other hand, I have qualms about a white woman writing a story in which half of the narrative (albeit a fictional one) is about a black woman's experience. (The other main character here is a young white woman whose mother once attended a civil rights march. Okay.) To provide some context for my perspective, I am a white female university professor who teaches a graduate seminar titled "Controversial Issues in Developmental Psychology." One of the issues we discuss is that of cross-racial adoption. Some of my students promote the view that "all you need is love." Others worry about issues of identity, culture and appropriation, even erasure. This particular story is not about a controversial issue. But I feel that the question of authorship in this instance is still a tricky one. I enjoyed reading this book, once I made the decision to give the author a fair chance to win me over. It held my interest throughout. There are many other good things to say about Ms. Day's writing, which others here have described. I probably wouldn't have offered to read this galley proof if I had known that I would have these qualms. A final comment: the title seems to me to have nothing to do with the story. Also, the cover is beautiful, but it's a bit misleading. Why portray the young white woman as dark-skinned? With blue eyes?

I love a book with a dual timeline/narrative and it worked so well in this book. I loved every second of reading it and will definitely be looking for more from this author

I feel ambivalent about this book. While Wendy Day has a clear way of writing that helps the reader understand whats going on without the need for too much background information, some of her writing felt forced and incomplete. I didn't love or hate the book. It was just ok for me.

3.5 stars rounded up

This book had potential. The storyline was intriguing, but the execution just didn't hit the mark. The chapters went back and forth between characters - Audrey from the 80's and Jasmine from 2017 - which made for a quick, fun read. But the characters' personalities were bland and took a lot of patience from the reader. Audrey's insistence on rebelling from her parents (which we later learned she had a reason) was bad enough, but then Jasmine's infatuation with pregnancy was god awful. Her obsession had the reader thinking that she only had half a brain. She's clearly a character with obsessions... and the need to do (or have) something where she feels rewarded. Her relationship with her husband was so superficial, it read fake.

But when it came down to the rating, I gave it 3.5 because there were some nice lessons to be learned in this book and it had a feel-good feeling. Audrey's chance encounters throughout the book were very sweet and all amounted to something in the end. And, again, I liked the concept of the book and thought the author did a good job keeping the story flowing while bouncing between characters.

Oh, and I love the book cover, but I really don't think the title has any significance whatsoever.

A dual timeline, dual pov book that will hold your interest. Although, I enjoyed the book it was at times a little flat. The characters were likeable, although not altogether real. I felt the book was interesting and honestly is the perfect beach read or weekend read in front of a fire. It's cozy, nice, easy and simple enough to read.

I truly enjoyed the dual ti.e lines involving the female characters-- Jasmine, Audrey. I was able to relate to Audrey, as I myself was a teen in the 80's. This was a story that I did not want to end. I experienced highs & lows, as well as laughs & tears.

Thank you to.Netgalley, Wendy Day, and the publushers for blessing me with the ARC copy.