I liked the premise for this story so much, including a successful neurodivergent female main character. I never really fell for her male counterpart and their awkward communications and seeming lack of passion made this a lot of work for me. The setting, the Italian Riviera, was charming and delightful. The elderpersons romance was also fun. The random Italian phrases with no definitions or explanations really took me out of the story. I gave up on the meanings after three chapters, but I found it frustrating.

I think this will be a very popular summer novel! Definitely check it out if you want to be swept away to the Italian Riviera this summer!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

The Summer You Were Mine by Jill Francis is a beautifully written, heartfelt story that captures the essence of summer, love, and self-discovery. The book follows an emotional and evocative journey, drawing you into the lives of the well-developed characters. The author’s writing is engaging and vivid, making it easy to imagine the scenes and feel the emotions alongside the characters.

The chemistry between the protagonists is undeniable, and their development throughout the story is both touching and relatable. The plot is well-paced, offering just the right amount of tension, romance, and personal growth. I loved how the book highlighted themes of family, friendship, and finding oneself amidst the chaos of life.

While the story was overall delightful, there were a few moments where the pacing felt slightly slow, and some plot points felt a bit predictable. However, these small drawbacks didn’t take away from the overall enjoyment of the book.

In the end, The Summer You Were Mine is a wonderful summer read, full of warmth, emotion, and tender moments that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

This was a situation where I enjoyed the premise more than the book itself. I loved so many bullet points in the plot description: a redemption arc, a strong female lead, Italy etc. Unfortunately, the female lead remained unlikable, and also weirdly for an academic - seemingly very irrational in responses to issues nearly all the way through the book that I really found it hard to root for her in either the romantic or professional sense. I agree that we all contain multitudes and her autism diagnosis notwithstanding, it was very hard to be on her side and care about what happened at the end.

The first half of the book was very slow to get into and the 2nd half introduced even more hurdles and even more of the male lead character bending over backward to make things work and it all just got a little exhausting.

I did love the setting and how richly it was described and I enjoyed much of the writing itself. I would read another book by this author and give it another shot.

I love a good summer romance. I also love stories that are so clearly written from a special place in an author's heart. The research done on this book and the descriptions of the city, the culture, the people was so vibrant. The author clearly had a deep connection with Italy and the people there. It was a different kind of book that I've read before. It was sweet with that twinge of nostalgia. I did struggle towards the end just because of the third act break up. It's always hard for me to keep in with it, but it was all worth it in the end.

The Summer You Were Mine is a cute romance set in Italy, featuring childhood friends Ellie and Cris who reunite after a fallout. While the Italian setting is stunning, the romance didn’t fully connect for me. The "incident" that caused their split felt unrealistic, and the frequent use of untranslated Italian phrases made reading a bit frustrating. Ellie was relatable, but the plot and romance lacked depth, leaving me a bit lukewarm overall. A nice read, but not my favorite.

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for sending this book for review consideration

The ideal summer beach read - dreamy Italy, a slow build romance, and characters you can’t help but root for. Definitely recommending this all summer long!

The Summer You Were Mine was a cute romance, but unfortunately it wasn't my favorite. It combines elements of a sports romance (the male lead was an Olympian), a corporate female lead, neurodivergence rep, and a beautiful Italian vacation. The two leads and childhood best friends turned almost-lovers, Ellie and Cris, head to a village in the Italian riviera for a wedding and reunite for the first time since an encounter that tore apart their relationship/friendship.

Both of them are reeling from severe career and reputation setbacks, so this wedding serves as kind of a break from reality and a little protective bubble. The one thing that the author did best was convince me I need to visit Italy because her descriptions were stunning and beautiful.

For me, the romance aspect didn't hit. I think the trope of childhood friends who have a falling out and then reunite can be done right in many cases (such as Love and Other Words or Every Summer After) but this one didn't quite deliver. It has the same theme of them spending summers together as kids and slowly, maybe becoming something else. In my opinion, the "incident" that drove Ellie and Cris apart was pretty weak and unrealistic. It felt like major overreaction, but I might be being harsh when I say that.

Another thing that really disrupted my reading process was the amount of Italian phrases. Some books (The Spanish Love Deception, for example) incorporate in foreign phrases sparingly and usually provide a translation or enough context clues so that its meaning can be fully interpreted (Granted, I do speak Spanish but my point still stands). But In this book, the sheer amount of Italian was overwhelming and in many cases there were simply no hints as to what it meant, and I kept having to use google translate to make sure I wasn't missing something important. I think the Italian needed to be toned down because let's face it - not everyone has a grasp on Italian. Normally I actually love the incorporation of foreign languages in books, but this was too much for me.

Overall, Ellie and Cris's story was cute and the story had a nice resolution. I also think Ellie was a very, very relatable character.
Even still, the romance and plot was all just a bit lukewarm for me and I never got fully invested.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's and NetGalley for this ARC!

A trip to celebrate a wedding of two senior citizens is the backdrop for a romance. To rekindle a friendship to so much more. A heartwarming story of love, family and all the drama that a family gathering can create. The setting is one that makes us all wish we could travel to the seaside of Italy. The book was a good one. I enjoyed the story.

Cris and Ellie, childhood and family friends, reconnect after years apart while vacationing in Italy. Ellie, suffering a professional faux pas with a hot mic on a talk show that she hosts, and Cris being outed for using a banned substance at the end of his professional swim career are both at a crossroads in their lives. Throw in a new autism diagnosis for Ellie, the summer in Italy is a great escape in order for her to find out who she truly wants to be as a person.

The reconnected friendship turned romance was engaging, as was the Italian setting. The autism diagnosis seemed a bit disconnected from the story line. It was touched on here and there, but I think it could have been a little more developed. Bravo to Jill Francis for including this character trait in her leading lady, which is something I have not seen before in contemporary literature. A nice, clean beach read for all to enjoy.

Great slow burn, second chance romance! Perfect beach read to make you want to go to Italy. Very sweet.

The Summer You Were Mine is a beautiful story that follows 3 generations of a family and their love and relationships. The primary story line is around Ellie and Cris, a multimedia personality and renowned swimmer —who are both experiencing a fall from grace in their own rights. They’re lifelong family friends who once had an almost-relationship that ended badly. When visiting their familial hometown in Italy for the wedding of Ellie’s grandmother and Cris’s grandfather, they grow reacquainted with all of the bumps and scrapes that come with it. I loved their story, along with the sweet connection between their octogenarian grandparents, and Ellie’s parents who are splitting up.

There’s a fair bit of Italian salutations in the text. It’s not obtrusive and adds to the story line. I listened to the book on the NetGalley app with the “read aloud” option. I tend to listen while I’m getting into bed and it took me a while to pick up on names and who they were. Could just be me, but better to pay attention.

All in all, I do recommend this title. It’s a solid read and it’s fun. Thank you to Jill Francis, St. Martin’s, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read it!

**ARC Review: *The Summer You Were Mine* by Jill Francis**

If you love second-chance romances, messy emotions, and the ultimate Italian summer vibes, *The Summer You Were Mine* is about to be your next obsession.

Ellie and Cris had that “almost something” fourteen summers ago—before life pulled them in completely different directions. Now, thanks to a very unexpected family wedding, they’re stuck back in their hometown on the Italian Riviera. Ellie’s career is in shambles after a viral TV disaster, and Cris, a world-class swimmer, is facing retirement with some serious baggage. To save face, they agree to fake a PR-friendly friendship—but, of course, the sparks never really faded.

This book is peak *enemies-to-lovers* meets *forced proximity*, with all the drama, longing, and sun-soaked tension you could want. Ellie is a sharp, neurodivergent queen navigating a world that doesn’t always get her, and Cris is the broody, secretly-soft athlete who never quite let her go. The banter? Top-tier. The romance? Slow-burn perfection. The Italian setting? So vivid you’ll practically feel the ocean breeze.

Jill Francis absolutely *nails* the balance of swoony and emotional, making this the ultimate beach read with real depth. If you’re into Emily Henry, Elena Armas, or anything that makes your heart ache in the best way—grab this one. *The Summer You Were Mine* is out July 1, 2025, and trust me, you won’t want to miss it.

**Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity 💕**

I was excited for this read while I was on a beach vacation especially because the FMC was late diagnosed autistic like myself. Unfortunately, I did not authentically feel this throughout the book.

There’s a slow build on the characters which I like and there’s a lot of Italy details, but somehow it felt a little incomplete. I think I expected more just knowing that the main characters grew up in this part of Italy.

Still recommend reading when it comes out as a good summer read.

Cris and Ellies one kiss lingers long after they part ways. They reunite on the Italian coast for their grandparents wedding after both their lives both up.

However the conversation were hard to follow at times and the flow wasn't always there. The ending also felt abrupt.

*Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book!*

This romance was a little hard for me to initially get into, but I did soften to the on-again-off-again relationship between Ellie and Cris. Was definitely glad to see them get together for a long term relationship afterwards, although it didn't seem like they were ready to be living together IMO.

If you love the Italian language and culture, beautiful scenery and imagery, pop culture references, and some sweet romances in various age brackets, you're sure to enjoy this book. Not to mention a blueberry pie! 🤤

The Summer You Were Mine by Jill Francis is the perfect summer read, set against the backdrop of an idyllic Italian beach town. I’m a sucker for second-chance romances, and this book delivers not one but two, making it even more satisfying. Sometimes, you just need a story that guarantees a happily ever after, and this one doesn’t disappoint.

I especially appreciated the representation of an autistic female main character. Books like this help spread awareness and foster acceptance, which is always important. While a few conflicts could have been resolved with a simple conversation, that’s where the drama comes in—and let’s be honest, we wouldn’t have a story without it. Overall, this was a warm, heartfelt read that left me smiling.

Ugh I could stay in this small town romance along the Italian Riviera forever. 🩵🌊 I received this as an ARC copy from NetGalley and i enjoyed it and definitely recommend! Both of the main characters navigate life apart and make mistakes along the way. They each have their faults and they are highlighted in this novel as they overcome them.
While I enjoyed this novel the ending felt a bit abrupt and I was a little confused at time when it came to the Italian. I felt it took awhile to explain to non-native speakers. Overall a great summer read!

Read if you enjoy:
🩵Summer Romance
🌿Italian Riviera
🩵Emotional, Character-driven stories
🌿Unbreakable bonds
🩵Second chance love

This book had a beautiful way of illustrating the invisible strings that bind people who are meant to be together, even when life pulls them apart. Even though I felt the story started slow, it follows two main characters as they navigate separate paths filled with mistakes, challenges, and growth. What I loved most was how the book didn’t shy away from their flaws—it embraced them.

Both characters made choices that weren’t perfect, but in the end, they accepted each other wholeheartedly, faults and all. It was a reminder that love isn’t about finding perfection—it’s about finding someone who sees your imperfections and stays anyway.

The dual perspective gave a rich look at their individual journeys, and I loved seeing how their lives slowly wove back together. The ending was incredibly satisfying, with just the right balance of hope and nostalgia.

If you’re a fan of emotional, character-driven stories about second chances and the bonds that never truly break, this is definitely a book worth reading!

Got this as an ARC from NetGalley. Honest review incoming:

This was ok. I enjoyed it but it didn’t wow me. The book was based in Italy largely, but I think there was something about how she wrote some things in Italian and some in English that made it read weird. Are they speaking english at times and Italian at times or is it written that way for my sake? Sometimes she translated directly from Italian, sometimes she lets you interpret it.

I thought the main characters had nice arcs - but the big plot points where people got upset were not exactly believable or reasonable to me. I think that’s hard to get right in this genre and this didn’t really hit the spot for me. Some of the dreams and fears were also overplayed in the writing compared to what they actually were about.

But it’s a charming and warm little romance. Not spicy - those scenes were very disappointing, but the Italian sun and descriptions of food were excellent. Enjoyable and not distracting like truly badly written novels, but nothing to write home about. Perfectly average.

The story follows the journey of Emma, a young woman who returns to her hometown for the summer to care for her ailing mother. As Emma navigates the challenges of her past and present, she unexpectedly reconnects with her childhood friend, Jake. Their rekindled friendship blossoms into a tender and heartfelt romance, but it is also fraught with complications and emotional turbulence. Jill Francis’s writing style is both lyrical and evocative, capturing the essence of a small-town summer and the deep emotions that come with it. The characters are well-developed, with Emma's growth and introspection being a central focus. Her struggles with family dynamics, personal aspirations, and the complexities of love are portrayed with authenticity and sensitivity. One of the strengths of the book is its exploration of the impact of past experiences on present relationships. Emma and Jake’s journey is not just about romantic love, but also about healing, forgiveness, and finding oneself. The chemistry between them is palpable, and their interactions are filled with genuine emotion and heartfelt moments. The supporting characters, including Emma’s mother and the townspeople, add depth to the story and create a rich tapestry of interconnected lives. The setting itself, with its charming and nostalgic atmosphere, plays a significant role in shaping the narrative and the characters’ experiences.