“… A beachy, second-chance romance set on the stunning Italian coast” describes perfectly The Summer You Were Mine” by Jill Francis. With its publication timed for summer vacation leisure reading, it’s beautiful summery book cover, and it’s “swoony” plot and setting, the romance reader will scoop this up and promptly savor!

The Summer You Were Mine by Jill Francis
3.5 stars
Pub date: July 1, 2025

Thank you St Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

-second chance romance
-childhood friends-to-lovers
-Italian coast setting

Ellie and Cristiano grew up together, as family friends, and missed their opportunity to become something more than friends as teenagers. As adults, their families are celebrating the marriage of her grandmother and his grandfather, and they all gather in Italy for the momentous occasion. Shortly before the trip, Ellie's prior career as a sports talk show host publicly (and dramatically) imploded, leaving her questioning what to do next. Cristiano's public image is also brought under question, when he was accused of drug use during his professional swimming career. Can the two of them put their differences aside and help save each other's reputations, and careers, in the process? 

I thought this was written beautifully, the landscape and scenery were set with great description, and Ellie's neurodivergence was handled with the utmost respect and thoughtfulness. The story did drag on a little, and there were several slower patches. That being said, it was a sweet second chance romance.

The Summer You Were Mine is a sweet and spicy second chance romance set in Italy over a single summer. Ellie and Cristiano are an exciting, adorable match and bring out the best in each other. I loved the descriptions of Italy detailed in the beautiful writing. Perfect beach read for your summer vacation.

I saved this book for the summer and it transported me to Italy just as I had hoped. I am a sucker for childhood friends to lovers/second chances and this one promised lots of this as the main characters are long time family friends. The descriptions of Italy were lovely, though I wish I was more familiar with Italian, as there was quite a bit of Italian phrasing woven into this (luckily I could use my Kindle to translate things - though it was a bit disruptive). I was really hoping with this older couple to find two people who are sexy - and by sexy I mean competent and emotionally mature. Unfortunately the main conflict hinged on a miscommunication, which is my least liked plot device.
5 stars for the setting.
3 stars for the characters and plot.
Thanks so much for the ARC!

I always enjoy an Italian setting, so I was happy to travel via this book. The romance was an extremely slow burn and there was a lot of stressing and debating, which got old. Overall, it was enjoyable but not a favorite. Read when you want to experience a large extended family on vacation.

This was a cute summer romance set in Italy, which made the book so much more appealing to me. From the cover to its content, this is a perfect novel that allows you to dream of your vacation. Likeable characters make this easily read novel a pleasure to get lost into. I definetely recommend it for those looking for a light book to bring on vacation.

Such a cute summer romance. With a beautiful Italian setting this is the perfect book to bring with you on vacation, to the beach, or to the pool! With a second chance romance trope it was right up my alley!

☀️ One last book before summer ends? This is the one. 🌊✨

Imagine you’re on vacation in Italy 🇮🇹, soaking up the sun ☀️—but your brain won’t stop reminding you of every bad decision you’ve ever made. That’s exactly the feeling this book captures.

Ellie’s life is falling apart—her career, her relationships, her sense of self. Cris, a retired swimmer 🏊, is living with chronic pain and searching for what comes next. They’re messy, flawed, tender, and so human that you can’t help but root for them. 💔💛

What really stayed with me is how the story explores identity and belonging—how we shift depending on who we’re with, how shame and longing can haunt us, and how love can still feel like magic. ✨

Life is too much. Love is too much. Summer is too much. And this book makes you feel all of it. 🌅

📚 Perfect for: readers craving something emotional, beautifully messy, and unforgettable before the season fades away.
⭐ 4/5

✨ Thank you @stmartinspress & @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review 💌

What stood out most for me were the characters. They weren’t just written; they were alive. Their humor, mistakes, and tenderness made them unforgettable. I loved the way the relationships built slowly and organically, pulling me deeper into their world. Truly, this is a character-driven gem that I’ll be recommending often.

I went into this one knowing nothing, and I loved the way it all unfolded. The Italian Riviera setting, the big blended family chaos, the second-chance romance—it all just worked. Ellie and Cris had such great chemistry, and their personal journeys (especially Ellie’s discovery of being neurodivergent and Cris facing down a career crisis) gave the story real depth. I was totally swept up in the past-meets-present tension and the emotional payoff was so satisfying. A warm, layered, heartfelt read that took me by surprise in the best way.

While I didn’t enjoy the beginning of this book because it felt slow and boring, it picked up and I enjoyed the last half better. The history between these two characters was interesting but repeated a lot. As the story went on it was fun to see how the families were intertwined all the way back to the grandparents. The location descriptions were fantastic and made me want to be there. The food always sounded amazing. The ending made me smile and feel it was just as it should be.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

A dreamy Italian backdrop for this story of Ellie and Cris - both struggling with their work but reconnecting in where they spent their childhood summers. It didn't move very quickly at first, but I'm glad I finished because it was worth it!

I really wish I had enjoyed this one more than I actually did. The female main character just rubbed me the wrong way the whole time. I did love the setting for the novel though.

Thank you so much for the advanced copy of The Summer You Were Mine. Let me start off by saying that I loved the Italian setting. I have been to Italy a couple of times and reading about it in your book makes me want to go back. Overall, this story was just okay for me. I enjoyed that both the main characters were going through their own problems that they were trying to figure out before committing to each other, but I got bored throughout a lot of the book and found myself wanting to skip around instead of reading each word. Also, I loved the addition of Italian phrases, but wish they were translated because at times you couldn't infer the meaning based on the sentences they were surrounded by. I was rooting for both characters, but honestly had a hard time with them being linked together romantically.

Any book that has an Italian setting is an immediate must read for me, and The Summer You Were Mine, did it so well- I felt like I was there.

Ellie and Cristiano fell in love when they were younger, but due to a falling out, haven’t spoken in nearly a decade. When a wedding brings them back together, during a terrible time in their lives, the feelings reignite and the romance does as well.

I love a second chance romance, and this book is perfect for summer, a great beach read!

I loved the setting, and the story arc, though honestly both characters were a little unlikeable and their connection fell flat.

This book is great for anyone who wants a breezy summer read, loves second chance romance, or enjoys books that remind them it’s never too late to follow their dreams.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, Jill Francis, and the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

If you have ever fondly remembered that summer flirtation from your teenage years, The Summer You Were Mine tells the story of a couple that has been brought back to their childhood vacation spot to witness a wedding. Their brief attempt at romance had ended badly and now they are seeing each other after a great deal of time has passed. Will they be brave enough to risk love a second time?

The Summer You Were Mine is a second chance romance between Ellie and Cris, who have known each other their entire lives. Their families both grew up spending summers on the coast of Italy. The two used to do everything together, but haven't spoken in years. Both are going to see each other when they attend the wedding of their grandparents - his grandfather to her grandmother.

Ellie is a pop-psychologist, who has a podcast which features athletes who are having issues, both on and off the field. Ellie makes a horrible mistake at the end of a live broadcast, making fun of the athletes who come on her show while still on the air. Cris is a water polo player who has been accused of taking a banned substance. When they see each other in Italy, they devise a plan to have Cris appear on her podcast, so he can tell his truth, and she can get back on the air.

This was a difficult read, mainly because it did not hold my attention, and during the Italy scenes there were so many conversations in Italian that didn't seem to be explained as to what the characters were talking about.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy of this Title. The Summer You Were Mine is available now.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun summer book. It's always fun to armchair travel and this book was a great example of books that let you do that!

The story of former childhood friends reuniting at their grandparents Italian wedding after years of avoiding each other. Ellie is dealing with her career falling apart after comments she made on her life show and Cris trying to figure out his next career move after maybe retiring from swimming. I enjoyed their messy lives and the drama that it brings.

Ellie Beltrami and Cristiano Conte have known each other their entire lives. Both families hail from Chiavari, a small city on the Italian Riviera. Their grandparents are friends. Their parents are friends. They were friends. And for one brief moment fourteen summers ago, they were almost more than that.

After years apart, Ellie and Cris are headed back to Chiavari as generations of Beltramis and Contes gather for the unlikely second marriage between her grandmother and his grandfather. But while everyone’s celebrating, Ellie is reeling from the very public implosion of her career as the host of a sports talk show, plus overthinking her past and perceived flaws in light of the recent discovery that she is neurodivergent. Cris, a newly retired elite swimmer, also arrives adrift after being accused of using a banned substance.

Reunited in a place where summer dreams come true, Cris and Ellie make a deal: an exclusive interview with Cris to fix her career, and an appearance on Ellie’s show to clear his name. Soon they’re picking up where their teen romance left off―but if this second chance can last, they’ll need to finally confront what drove them apart all those summers ago.

Loved it, Cannot wait to read more from the author. Will recommend to others.