The Summer of You and Me by Denise Hunter gripped me from the start and wouldn't let go. A wonderful friends to lovers story.

Josh has been in love with Maggie for years, but she only saw him as a good friend. In fact she had married his brother. However, his brother, her husband Ethan, has now been dead for 5 years.

However, Maggie suddenly sees someone at the carnival who has an uncanny resemblance to her husband. But that can't be, can it?

This is the start of an investigation Maggie and Josh undertake, trying to figure out who it was that she saw, and no, it's not just her imagination as she caught the guy in the picture she was taking of her daughter .

There were so many twists and seeming dead ends as they undertook this mission. And as they did, they grew even closer together. But will Maggie ever see Josh as more than a good friend? Will she be able to open herself up to love despite the devastation in her past, and when certain truths are brought to light?

An awesome, emotional book dealing with loss and grief. It has become my favorite of this author. I zinged through the last half of the book as I needed them to solve this mystery.

Highly recommended.

I received an e-copy of this book through NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

This was such a good book! I enjoyed the story and the writing style! Would recommend for a summer read as your next

I am soooo sad. I have never DNF'd a Denise Hunter book but this was my first. I read everything Denise puts out and I usually LOVE her books. This one I just did not like. I wasn't connected to any of the characters. I didn't feel the love between the two. I thought the character development was flat and I didn't feel what I normally feel in her books. I wanted to love this book so bad as I loved the synopsis of it. Unfortunately I only made it about 30% of the way through before I DNF'd it. I will definitely pick up her next release and hope for more character development and background on the love interests!

I’ve always enjoyed reading Denise Hunter’s books and I own almost all of them in ebook format. So when I seen The Summer of You and Me on NetGalley I had to request reading it and I’m so happy that my request was fulfilled. This is such a great story. It’s a romance but it’s an unconventional romance with some really surprising twists and turns to the storyline. It was definitely not a dull read and it kept me glued to my kindle as much as was possible. The characters were all really wonderful people and I felt as if I really got to know them and I could feel all the emotions of love and heartache that they were going through. This is certainly a book I would recommend to others because it was just so good. I’d like to thank Thomas Nelson Fiction for accepting my request and NetGalley for the arc. This was a great read, I really enjoyed how the story came together and the ending was absolutely perfect. I’m rating this book with a much deserved 5 star rating and I look forward to reading more by Denise Hunter very soon.

As a fan of Denise Hunter, I found this book to be a wonderful edition to her collection of work. While it read as a stand alone, I would like to see some of the characters mentioned in this book explored in another book.

Overall a good story from Denise hunter. I can count on her for clean romances that will have some faith elements and deeper aspects without being heavy. This book started strong but I struggled with the pacing and the ultimate conclusion of the story- I wish it had felt like a bit more of a reveal instead of revealing some many things along the way- I just wanted a more satisfying ending especially with what the ending was. I also felt like sometimes the story was going too fast, especially at the end and other times it went too slow. I thought some of the strongest scenes were ones with Maggie’s mom. Overall, I enjoyed it and it’s a solid book with some modern elements from DH. Not a new fav though.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read and review this book in exchange for my opinion!I

When Maggie is at a carnival with her daughter and brother in law, she sees a young man in the distance who looks exactly like her deceased husband. The curiosity of who this person is drives Maggie and her brother in law Josh on a search that will reveal many surprises. Maggie is also dealing with her narcissistic mother, causing her to suffer from insecurity. The story is a pleasant one, and the book is a good summer read for lovers of women’s fiction. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

new beginnings. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Seabrook, the novel offers readers a blend of mystery, romance, and emotional growth. While the central relationship may challenge traditional norms, the story's exploration of love, loss, and healing resonates deeply. For those seeking a poignant summer read that delves into the complexities of the human heart, The Summer of You and Me is a worthy addition to your reading list.

This was such a funny story. I was hooked from the very beginning. Josh was way too good to be true, Maggie was a sweetheart and I loved little Josie. There was mystery, humor, and pure romance. It was amazing! I loved how it was both - humorous but also deep. It was a story that I laughed, I cried, and I felt all the feels with both main characters. I can't wait to read more from Denise Hunter.

I received a copy of this book from netgalley but all opinions were mine. I wasn't required to write a review.

This is a well written book. I haven’t read Denise Hunter before but that will change now! The characters are great and I loved the weaving storyline - there are a lot of twists and plenty to keep it interesting. A great summer read!

It’s coming up to the fifth anniversary of Ethan’s death and his widow, Maggie, is finally past the grief. At least, until she sees Ethan’s dead ringer at the carnival …

Ethan’s younger brother, Josh, has been in love with Maggie since they met as teens, although he’s never told her (oh, I love a good unrequited romance, especially when he fell first). They’ve remained good friends, so Josh is the first person Maggie tells about Ethan’s doppelganger, and the two work together to find him.

Because what if the Army was wrong, and Ethan didn’t die?

It’s a great setup, and there were a few unexpected twists in the story, which were excellent. We read romance for the predictable ending, but I always love it when the story is able to surprise me – and The Summer of You and Me certainly achieved that element of surprise.

I also loved Maggie’s journey as a character. Her father left when she was a child (and having met her mother, this is exactly zero surprise). Her husband died (through no fault of his own). But both losses have left her scarred and afraid to love again. What she doesn’t realise (and which is evident to the reader from early on) is that Josh has always loved her, and his endless super-short-term relationships were his attempts to get over her. (Why do men think like that? Women would buy a dog, or a cat.)

The Summer of You and Me is an excellent and well-written story that engaged me from the start. Recommended for contemporary romance fans.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

The Summer of You and Me by Denise Hunter is a sweet summery romance. It is not a light romance but it is full of genuine emotions. Readers of romance will enjoy this second chance romance. I think it is even more interesting because of the conflicting emotions caused by the appearance of someone who looks like her deceased husband. This book has a little bit of everything– grief, hope, mystery, love, and redemption. It is well written and I recommend it wholeheartedly. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

This was a page turning afternoon read with a lovely beachy vibe. The story took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, from highs to lows, and sometimes (like a real rollercoaster) it felt a little stomach churning, however it all came right in the end. I loved that the story kept me guessing and was able to throw in a real curveball at the end.

This story has lots of romance, a definite mystery and a cute kid too. If you enjoy the conflict of a long love vs short love and the hangup over 'what will the family think?' then this is a great book to read. It is a stand alone book which makes it perfect for a relaxed read when you just want to escape to some sun and the beach (even when you can't physically). 5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a good turn pager read!

I enjoyed the characters and the story line of loss, grief, forgiveness, redemption, and the need to sometimes set boundaries with people and that is okay! It also had me wondering just who the mystery look a like man was, and it certainly was not what I expected. So that made it a great turn pager!

So if you are looking for a good read, with a little bit of mystery, dealing with grief, with a bit of a Christian theme and light on romance, then you will want to get this book. It is a book, I would be okay with letting my older teen read.

Great book! Surprisingly suspenseful yet romantic. Would definitely recommend to friends. Didn’t see ending coming which is my fave!

The Summer of You and Me, by Denise Hunter, is the story of young widow Maggie Reynolds and the summer she finds closure and is ready to move forward. House sitting for her in-laws, Maggie and her daughter Zoey, are back in Seabrook where her story and her life with Ethan began. But after his wartime death, Maggie has spent little time there even though Erin, her best friend and sister-In-law, and her family still live there, as does her brother-In-law Josh.

Although a couple of years younger than Maggie, Josh has been carrying a torch for her since the day they first met. But it was his older brother, Ethan, that caught Maggie’s eye. Now that she is ready to begin again, Josh plans to lay his cards on the table until Maggie sees a young man in the crowd at the summer carnival that is Ethan’s doppelgänger. This leads to a hunt for the young man and answers as to who he is and why the uncanny resemblance.

This novel now takes a circuitous route to finding answers as well as a future for Maggie and Josh. I really enjoyed this book and I do recommend it.

Unexpected

I went into this book expecting a sweet romance and I got that, but I also got a deeply intricate family saga. I'm amazed at how everything came together. It was interesting to see a story spotlight a couple in their thirties. This was a sweet romance, I'd rate PG for kissing, mentions of death, cheating, references to sperm donors, and a narcissistic parent.

Denise Hunter is a must read for me and The Summer of You and Me did not disappoint. The beach setting, a mystery element and second chance at love were all components that makes this the perfect beach read.
Maggie is a widow who returns to her husband's hometown to spend the summer five years after his death. It is unknown to her that her brother-in-law Josh has been in love with her also since high school and now he would like his chance to love her. His plan comes to a halt when Maggie sees a man who looks and acts like her deceased husband.
I did not see the ending taking the turn it did. There were many scenarios that made is that someone was going to be hurt, but Hunter ties all the ends together perfectly.
I received a complimentary copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson, but all opinions are my own.

I have to admit that the reveal on this book took me by surprise - I definitely didn't see that coming, which is always a good thing with a book!
This was my first book by the author and I felt it was a light, quick read - not a lot of extra, not a lot of fluff, just straightforward and pleasant and easy to follow- light romance with a touch of mystery.

Maggie Reynolds husband passed away five years ago, it’s time for her to accept he’s gone and move forward. Maggie and her four year old daughter Zoey plan to spend the summer at Seabrook, where she and Ethan first met and fell in love.

Josh Reynolds is Maggie's brother-in-law and he and his sister Erin are her best friends and have supported her through losing Ethan. Josh has loved Maggie for years, but his brother won her heart, and should Josh finally tell her how he feels and if he does will he push Maggie away and upset his family. While in Seabrook and at a carnival she glimpses a man in a crowd who could pass for Ethan's twin, Maggie has two choices contact her grief counsellor as soon as possible or tell Josh and together they try to find the mystery man?

The narrative focuses on topics such as being high school sweethearts and losing your soulmate, is it wrong to fall in love with your deceased brothers wife and people’s attitudes towards this scenario, letting go and moving forward, single parenting and the theory of everyone having a twin or could it be something much more complicated and is Maggie and Josh prepared for the repercussions?

I received a copy of The Summer of You and Me by Denise Hunter from NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction and in exchange for an unbiased review. I really liked Maggie’s character, it wouldn’t be easy to be a widow at such a young age, raise her daughter alone and juggle work and her mother.

Ms Hunter is known for writing faith based and heart-warming stories set in small towns, about love, longing, forgiveness and new beginnings and five stars from me and I highly recommend.