I thought the storyline was sweet and I liked the main characters and supporting characters alike. The book has potential. It needs a really good edit. The typos and grammatical errors made for a somewhat choppy reading experience.

If you're looking for a summer/beach read set in beautiful Italy following a slow-burn second-chance romance, then you might like this book!

Ellie and Cris are childhood friends that reconnect while going through their own personal struggles and growth. In the second half, I found myself wanting to root for them, individually and as a couple, as you learn about their past mistakes and imperfections. It's not overly deep while still taking you through an emotional journey.

I loved the beautiful descriptions of the Italian setting but also found myself struggling with the amount of Italian phrases/dialogue that often left out context or translation on what it meant. I think these phrases were meant to immerse you within the setting or be cute in a contemporary romance sense, however, I think clarification and/or less frequent use would be helpful.

Overall, I was really looking forward to a second-chance romance, but it felt like it never truly captured my full attention. Some scenes were difficult to follow, and I found myself rereading sections to grasp what was happening. I think this book has great potential and may be popular with some readers; it just wasn't for me.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy and the opportunity to review this book.

NetGalley Review: Published review on Goodreads - Posted on 04/20/2025

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ellie & Cris are a sweet duo. They have a rocky history and not a great track record when it comes to communication. Despite not having seen each other in years, they decide to team up for the benefit of them both, and spend the summer together.
I thought this was a cute sweet story for these two, and I enjoyed the representation of autism as well as making mistakes and owning them, on all parties. I also really loved the 3 generations of love stories that we got to see throughout.
However, I gave it 3 stars because I didn’t feel invested in the first half of the book. The flipping of narration wasn’t really clear which made it at times confusing for me. Maybe the amount of character names that weren’t vital to the story was also a bit much as well. The last half of the book I didn’t want to put down, it felt much more fast paced and exciting and I wanted to know what happened next. It just took awhile to reach that point.

2.5 stars - rounded up to 3!
This book sounded like my dream. A second chance romance on the Amalfi Coast? Immediately sold. It sounded idilic. I think this book had a lot of promise and potential but that it sort of fell flat in the execution. The writing felt all over the place and a little chaotic to me, and I struggled to like the main characters.
The miscommunication of it all had me going a little crazy as well. And I felt there were just too many familial relationships happening to make it normal. Not only the main couple, but the grandparents and the brothers? Idk about that one.
However, I thought she did a great job of writing an emotional, compelling narrative that drew me in and I liked enough to finish and not DNF.
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, & Jill Francis for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.

"The Summer You Were Mine" by Jill Francis is a romantic novel set on the stunning Italian coast, where Ellie Beltrami and Cristiano Conte, known as Cris, find themselves reunited after years apart. Their families have been close for generations, and Ellie and Cris were once friends, even sharing a brief romantic moment fourteen summers ago. Now, they are both facing challenges in their lives. Ellie's career as a sports talk show host has crumbled, and she is struggling to come to terms with her recent diagnosis of being neurodivergent. Cris, a retired elite swimmer, is dealing with accusations of using a banned substance.

As Ellie and Cris find themselves back in Chiavari for their grandparents' wedding, they make a deal: Ellie will interview Cris for her show to help clear his name, and Cris will appear on Ellie's show to help her career. This agreement brings them closer, and they begin to rekindle the romance they shared as teenagers. However, their past relationship was cut short by a misunderstanding, and they must confront those unresolved issues if they want to make their second chance work.

The novel explores the complexities of second-chance romance, with Ellie and Cris navigating their past and present feelings for each other. The Italian setting adds a romantic and nostalgic backdrop to their story, with descriptions of the beautiful beaches, delicious food, and vibrant culture. The book also delves into themes of self-discovery and acceptance, as Ellie grapples with her neurodiversity and Cris confronts the accusations against him.

Some readers have praised the book for its relatable characters, particularly Ellie's portrayal of a neurodivergent individual. The Italian setting is also a popular aspect, with many readers enjoying the descriptions of the food, fashion, and atmosphere. However, some readers found the romance to be a bit unbelievable and the plot to be slow and contrived. They also criticized the overuse of Italian phrases, which they felt made the book difficult to follow.

Despite these criticisms, "The Summer You Were Mine" is a charming and heartwarming read that offers a glimpse into the complexities of love, second chances, and self-discovery. The novel is a perfect choice for readers who enjoy romantic stories set in beautiful locations, with characters who are flawed but ultimately lovable.

The Sumer You Were Mine was definitely a cute summer romance book but it just didn’t hit the mark for me. My main problem was the amount of Italian phrases - which wouldn’t have been a problem if I knew what they meant. I just don’t want to be googling every few minutes while reading.

I did love how relatable Ellie was though and love how the author represented neurodivergents!

The Italian setting makes this the perfect summer beach read. A fun debut second chance romance. Check it out! You don’t want to miss out@

I personally think this story was to made specifically as a beach read. The endless mentioning of fashions and the atmospheric
scent of foods as well as nature, give the vibe of vacation mode. I would definitely recommend this to a friend who needs a poolside read the doesn’t require you to have to fully commit to the characters.

Review: The Summer You Were Mine by Jill Francis

This book gave me all the nostalgic, bittersweet summer romance vibes I didn’t know I was craving. I absolutely love second chance romances and this was no exception!
Jill Francis does such a great job capturing the push and pull of old feelings. She also makes me want to travel to Italian which I have never been!

This book was not for me but could totally be for someone else!! There was a lot of moving pieces and filler especially with the side characters. At the same time the story between the main characters was just unbelievable and painfully slow. I would definitely try another book by this author even though this story fell flat for me.

the romance was a little too unbelievable for me. I'm all for second chance romance but this one felt a little silly. Also I despise miscommunication and this was heavy with it.

Cute - but nothing groundbreaking. Give me a book set in Italy, always!

A beachy read - both literally and figuratively - as this love story takes place on the beaches in Italy between a man and a woman who grew up spending their summers together in Italy. Their childhood romance never really took off, as a result of a misunderstanding - so what will happen when their lives cross again, when their grandparents get married?

I'll be honest - I loved their grandparents falling in love. That was absolutely adorable and I am all for geriatric romances! Otherwise, this felt a bit contrived and forced. The drama in Cris and Ellie's careers felt forced but their family drama felt relatable. I also didn't love the drama between Gio and Peggy.

I often felt the author threw in Italian without giving the reader clear context on the translation.

Not my favorite - but cute nonetheless.

This setting!!! Italy in the summer. I feel like finding a more swoon-worthy setting would be impossible.

This was such a great beach read - it was quick and fun and still had a lot of emotional depth to it. I am always going to read a second chance romance, I just love the idea of seeing so much character growth, especially when there is a larger timeline.

Ellie and Cris rediscover their friendship and chemistry, all while healing right along side. I loved the support they received, which you could really feel. The neurodiversity representation was really well done, and I felt like every character was written so well.

Overall I really liked this and this book made me want to book a summer vacation in Italy as soon as possible!

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Griffin for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

There are times where you read a book and think about all the wonderful things that are happening in the book.
When Elle and Cris meet again. Well, that is what happened they met again. I found myself completely bored and I couldn't love the characters. Actually, I didn't like them at all.
The autism thing ruined it for me. As I know several successful people who have been diagnosed and don't make a fool of themselves while using it as an excuse for certain actions and behaviors.
I finished the book. Just totally did not like the book at all.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This felt like a friends, to enemies, to lovers storyline but with less open door/spice I enjoy reading. Don't get me wrong the spice is there but the plot is heavy. This is an emotional trip for both main characters and really you are reading their journals and attending therapy alongside. The writing is beautiful but I think there was so much going on yet it took awhile to get there. I wanted less problems and more passion between these two main characters and less heaviness but I know that's just my style.

This was a wonderful page turner. I enjoyed from start to finish. If I were you I would put this on a summer read since it has all the beach feels too.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the chance to read and rate this arc.

For me to really love a romance book, I have to believe the romance of the two characters. I didn't feel that sweeping story that I was hoping for. Both characters had their hold ups and I liked Ellie way more than Cris. Overall, I think this will be a nice summer read for people, but it won't stick with them.

A newly retired elite swimmer and a tv sports host who just happened to have been best friends growing up, had a falling out, and are now stuck together again for a wedding? All the while they’re both figuring out their own lives? Sign me up. This book was so cute. All of the romance in this book—especially of the side characters—was absolutely amazing and I will happily read anything else by this author in the future. At its core, this was a book about two people that need a life change, and they maybe figure it out together and hopefully figure out their own relationship along the way.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Phew, this book took me forever to read. Not sure if it was me, but despite elements that really work for me, this was a little bit of a slog.

Fabulous setting usually sucks me right in - an Italian beach, yes please. Intelligent, quirky podcaster as a main character? Yesssssss.

Plot? So predictable. Maybe would have hit better as a binge read.

Salt air, and the rust on your door… anyone?

As an “august head” and lover of beach/summer/childhood friend romances, this was right up my alley and I’m so grateful to have been given the chance to read and review this!

It’s a beautiful story of childhood awkwardness, the struggles of hard emotions as children and also as adults, the effects of sports and being “great” as well as the pressures of living up to your parents (and everyone else’s) expectations. There was also great mental health representation. I loved the side story we got of Ellie’s parents, and how you can lose a really great thing if you forget to cherish it and that you can’t just become lazy in a relationship just because you’ve been together forever. Love takes work and effort and it’s crazy and all consuming, but it’s a worthwhile fight.

I loved how flawed and real and relatable the characters were, making them personable and making you want to root for them.

It was a super easy, quick, and light read and has me itching for summer as I sit here with my many blankets and watch the snow fluttering down outside my window.

My ONLY negative point (and this is not related to this book alone but most books that have other languages) is that I wish there were active translations for the things said in Italian lol. My duolingo knowledge of Italian failed me and it was frustrating to have to pull out my phone and type in things to google translate so much while trying to read. But, again, this is not a problem just with this book and is really just because I didn’t listen to that damn owl and keep up with my learning.

Overall, if you’re looking for a sweet, closed door summer romance, this is the perfect book!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions are my own.