I'm relatively new to Denise Hunter but I definitely will be looking for more of her books after this one. I am one of those people who tends to stay away from mystery books because I either find the ending out too soon or the story isn't logical with its ending. Not a problem with this book! Hunter grips you with the story from the beginning and keeps you guessing until the end. A great story and telling. Definitely get your hands on this one!

The romance felt forced and then it felt awkward. The mystery part was okay. I really enjoyed the author’s book Before We Were Us, but unfortunately The Summer of You and Me fell flat for me.

Maggie’s husband Ethan died 5 years ago in combat. Maggie has returned to the town where she met him for the first time since his death, for some closure & to visit with his family. While at the carnival with their daughter, she spots a man that looks just like her late husband. Could it be him? She teams up with his brother Josh to find out who this mystery man is & along the way they develop feelings for one another.

This book was a bit slow, especially at the beginning, but it ended up being a decent read. It had a little romance & a little bit of a mystery element to it. It was refreshing to read a clean romance book (I need one of those every now & then lol). Overall it was ok & I would recommend to someone looking for a cute summer read. As far as the “mystery” element, it was completely different from what I was expecting & I did find some of the plot twists a little weird.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Another wonderful book by Denise Hunter!

As normal for this author, this book is set in North Carolina, but this time is in Seabrook, a town on the ocean. Maggie, a young widow and her daughter Zoey, come to town to spend the summer in her former in-laws' house. Everywhere she looks there are reminders of her late husband Ethan, but she never expects to see his doppelganger at a local fairgrounds.

Josh, Ethan's brother has been secretly in love with Maggie since he was a teenager, but always respected the boundaries and his brother's relationship. But when Maggie shares what she saw, the two of them work together to solve the mystery, and feelings begin to grow. Since I don't write spoilers I can't tell you where the search winds up, and if Maggie and Josh ever give in to their feelings, that's up to you to read and enjoy!

The family dynamics with Ethan's family are great, but Maggie's Mom not so much. Maggie handles everything with grace, however. This was a clean book, a fast read and easy to become invested in the story.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

This book was such a wonderful surprise. There was so much depth to the family, the things that are happening, and it's amazing when it was discovered who the person was that looked so much like Maggie's dead husband and Josh's brother. There are struggles, hope, love, secrets, that just kept me reading. Denise Hunter has another book that is wonderful, and a little different than I expected, Different is a way that ignited a spark in my soul.
I received an ARC from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley.

This book somehow had me feeling ALL the things. It was sweet, nostalgic, hopeful and romantic. The idea of seeing your deceased ex spouse is... Well, really sad. I loved the MMC in this, who is also her (former??) brother-in-law. Such a sweet love story with actual boundaries and healthy conversations being had.

My first by Denise H. Loved!

4.5/5.0

Denise Hunter is one of my favorites, and I always look forward to picking up her new titles. I had no idea what to expect when I went ahead and gave this one a try, but wow what a touching and poignant story, and it may just be my favorite book she's ever written.

The Summer of You and Me tells the story of a young man named Josh who's been in love with his brother's wife since they were teenagers. After his brother's death, he grows even closer to Maggie, but doesn't know how he'll ever be able to cross that line. When a chance encounter at a carnival with someone who shares an uncanny resemblance to Maggie's deceased husband occurs, it sends both Maggie and Josh on a quest with questions they may not actually want the answers to. Along the way, feelings begin to emerge between them that leave both dreaming of happily ever after, but can they ever move past everything between them to find their way there?

A story that left me thinking about it many days after I finished it, this wonderful romance is truly Denise Hunter at her best. The reader gets to follow along on every moment building between Josh and Maggie, while also getting to try and help them solve the mystery of who exactly is this doppelganger along the way.

The writing is heartfelt and wonderful, the romance was angsty and swoon worthy, and the mystery honestly had me second guessing everything at every turn and I still wasn't prepared for how everything was going to reveal at the end.

Without a doubt, this is one of my favorite reads of the year, and I can't possibly recommend it enough.

I applaud the author on delivering another fantastic clean romance that's truly unlike anything she's ever written before. I'd say the faith element is a little light, but it is still there and I enjoyed that fact.

Final Rating: 5/5.

I can't possibly recommend this one enough, especially if you enjoy sweet romances with a side of mystery.

Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to 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.

Just let me say, I was so excited when NetGalley approved my request to read Denise Hunters new upcoming book. This book is such an emotional story about Maggie and Josh. They have been in each others lives for many years as friends. Well that is what Maggie believes. Josh is the brother of her late husband and has been there for her. It’s been five years and Maggie and her daughter, Zoey, are returning to Seabrook this Summer to spread her late husbands ashes with his family. This book will definitely pull at your heart strings with all the emotions in in this story. Hunter did a great job telling this story. I highly recommend you add to your list.

It was a slower start for me on this one, but once I got more into the mystery and drama of it I enjoyed it! I loved the grief of a spouse displayed in this story, it felt raw and messy which the reality. I also adored Maggie’s relationship with her daughter, it was so sweet! However, I didn’t buy into the romance between Maggie and John and it just felt trauma bonded to me. John was obsessed from the start and Maggie felt removed for most of it. I didn’t enjoy the comparison of John to her late husband.. idk didn’t hit for me. I didn’t NOT enjoy this book, but I wasn’t in love. The ending wrapped up well for me and the plot twist bumped up the stars.

Maggie and Ethan met and fell in love as teenagers. Ethan's brother Josh has had a crush on Maggie since they were teenagers but he has never told anyone, least of all Maggie. Maggie and Ethan marry and Ethan joins the service as a paramedic. Ethan is killed in the line of duty. Maggie is pregnant with their first child, Zoey. It's been 5 years since Ethan was killed. Maggie goes back home to stay in Josh's parents home at the beach for the summer. Josh and Maggie spend a lot of time together doing things with Zoey. When they take Zoey to the fair, Maggies see a young man that look a lot like her deceased husband. That sighting sets a search in motion. Will they be able to solve the mystery? Did Ethan cheat on Maggie and have a son? Did Ethan and Josh's dad cheat on their mother and have a son? So many twists and turns in this sweet love story. You won't want to miss it! I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed are my own. #netgalley #summerofyouandme #thomasnelsonfiction

This book wasn't quite sure what it wanted to be and wasn't my favorite Hunter title. I can't quite put my finger on why.

You can always count on a heartwarming and cozy story from Denise Hunter and The Summer of You and Me is a perfect example! This might be Hunter’s best story yet.

This story has it all: Love, Grief, Romance, Insecurity, Second Chances, Family, Single Parenting, Unrequited Love, the Beach and a mystery to top it off!

The characters are well developed with compelling back stories that grab your interest and keep you reading. It’s classified as Christian romance, but it’s not overdone or in your face. I expect to see this as a future Hallmark movie!

Buy this book to enjoy this summer! It is a sweet story that will have you feeling good.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"The Summer of You and Me" is an emotional novel of dealing with loss, but also finding yourself and a new love. Denise Hunter writes such emotional books and this one is no exception to that. Maggie's husband died 5 years earlier and she has been relying on his brother Josh for so much since his death. As she goes to the beach town where Josh lives for the summer, these two explore the possibility of more. Enter a young man that looks just like Maggie's deceased husband and a layer of mystery is brought into the book.

I liked this second opportunity romance book. Though most of the book is set in summer at the beach, the book does go later into the fall so I feel this could be read anytime of the year. I felt like most of the characters had relatable emotions (except for Maggie's mom who you aren't supposed to like). I liked Maggie's daughter Zoey a lot as well - she added a cuteness factor and provided some much needed lightness to darker moments and emotions from the adults in the book.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

No smut, easy story, wraps up nicely at the end...I’m always up for a Denise Hunter book!

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for my advance reader copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

I am very grateful for clean romance stories but the plot for this one didn't sit quite right with me. I was looking forward to a sweet love based on years of friendship with some mystery thrown in, but the background for Maggie and Josh's romance made me feel unsettled. Denise Hunter's writing is easy and engaging but the characters themselves and their murky motivations kept me from wanting to continue the story.

Special thanks to the Publisher, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was my second novel by Denise Hunter and she’s amazing! In both of her books the characters are relatable and flawed, allowing the reader to connect with the story on a personal level. Pub date 4/22
This was a such beautiful story. It’s packed full of love, grief, family, friendship, forgiveness and even mystery. All of the characters (except Maggie’s mom 😅) are wonderful and so well-written, I couldn’t help connecting with them. The plot is very unique which makes the book even better.
Maggie and Josh’s friendship was so sweet, especially his enduring love for her. I really hoped they would get their “happily ever after”.
The author will take you on an emotional pursuit for answers. Along the way, you will think they have found their answers and another piece of information will change the course of their path. The twists and turns made it impossible to put this book down. I sobbed several times and even gasped out loud more than once.
Highly recommend 💕
Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity to read this complimentary advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This book releases in April. I loved this story! The main character’s husband passed away in the military five years ago and she comes back home to her hometown during the summer. While she is at a carnival taking a picture a man walks in front of her camera and she realizes he looks just like her husband. She and her brother in law work together to solve the mystery. Such a good, sweet Christian romance. Highly recommend!

The mysterious man that looks like Maggie's dead husband is the twist that keeps this book moving.

I loved how Josh would drop everything to be there for Maggie and I loved how they worked together to find the mystery man and figure out why he looked like her late husband.

This book kept me guessing until the end. I liked the evolution of fthe mystery with a side of romance. This was kind of a quiet romance. Josh is just the ultimate guy that does everything he can for the woman he loves.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

The Summer of You and Me is a sweet, clean summer romance with a touch of mystery. A perfect read for the pool or beach!

I was into it at first and at about 20% im like ok can we get this going? It felt so repetitive and so much of inner thoughts. I couldn’t do it anymore but I am curious about the strange man they saw, so darn