The world they built was great, but I just didn’t click with the characters or their relationship. They kept dwelling on what was or what might be, and honestly, it got a bit tiring.

2.5⭐️/5

To me this book felt like I jumped into a conversation half way through and never really caught up.

The characters weren’t relatable and I just couldn’t connect with them or the story. Their romance was so focused on their past mistakes and all the guilt and shame that went with it. I liked the representation of autism.

I liked the setting. It was set in Italy. It was full of sunshine, seaside, and wine country.

The setting of this book is beautiful, the story of two families that have known each other through the generations in Italy. The description of this book was intriguing, but overall it was lacking something. It didn’t get me hooked until around 60% into it, thats when I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen with Ellie and Cris. I was disappointed that there were so many Italian phrases, as I had to keep doing the translation on my Kindle to understand. If I had read this as a physical book, I would have probably given up.

I really wanted to love this book. Thank you St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin for this eARC in return for my honest review. I know Jill Francis’ writing has potential to be great, so I will keep a lookout of her next book

thank you netgalley for the earc!! this was a solid beach read but i am not the biggest fan of the miscommunication trope so it fell flat for me.

I would like to thank St. Matin's Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. I used to think that I loved all romances with an Italian setting. Turns out I was wrong. I don't hate this book, or even dislike it-I just didn't care about the main characters. Ellie is a psychologist who has a sports talk show. Until she makes a major on air mistake.Cris is an international swimmer, who took an illegal ( performance enhancing)substance and retired( or retired then took the substance-it was murky). Their families were close friends and even now , they ae going to Italy for a wedding between his grandfather and her grandmother.Ellie and Cris had a moment some years back, but are not together now.The whole book is based on this. It is not spelled out until late in the story as to just what happened, but it is the miscommunication /second chance storyline.I like these storylines generally, but this one is awash in a lot of other plot lines. I feel like it was someone checking off plots-second chance-yes, romantic setting yes, autism diagnosis yes( and this was poorly handled), gay relatives yes, parents long term marriage in crisis, yes. It all seemed perfunctory . I just didn't care about the characters or the story.

This was a 3.5 star read for me. It was ok, but not great. I think the premise is cute, but it wasn’t executed in the right ways. First of all, it was pretty long for a romance. It could have been wrapped up much faster and had the same, if not more, or an impact. We start with a large chunk of the book in New York and then end with a big chunk in Mew York, but the main story is happening in Italy. I think the times in New York could have been cut in half. I also think the dialogue is a little juvenile and awkward. There were some cute moments, mostly being in Italy, but it feels stale the longer we are with these characters.

I can't recommend it enough! I really enjoyed this book, I couldn't put it down, I finished it in a couple of days!

The Summer You Were Mine gave me all the bittersweet, nostalgic feels in the best way. From the very first chapter, I could feel that mix of summer heat, old memories, and the kind of heartbreak that never really leaves you. It’s a second-chance romance, but it’s also about growing up, letting go, and figuring out who you are outside of someone else’s expectations.

I loved the tension between the past and present. It felt so real. The characters felt like people I’d actually know, and their emotions hit hard without ever feeling overdone. There’s love, loss, and a whole lot of what-ifs that had me totally invested.

If you’re into emotional reads with strong characters, small-town vibes, and a love story that feels earned, The Summer You Were Mine is absolutely worth diving into. It’s one of those books that quietly sticks with you.

The Summer You Were Mine had a great concept and all the ingredients for a fun summer read, but for me, it fell a bit flat. I really liked the characters and enjoyed the current-day storyline—watching Ellie and Chris go from cold and distant to flirty and sexy was entertaining and well done. Plus, the setting in the Italian Riviera was a wonderful touch; as someone with Italian heritage, I appreciated the glimpses of language, culture, and delicious food throughout the book.

That said, the past relationship between Ellie and Chris, which is supposed to be so deep and passionate, felt underdeveloped. The whole falling out was based on a single kiss under a ping pong table, which didn’t quite convince me of the heartbreak that kept them apart for years. Similarly, Ellie’s autism is mentioned frequently, but I never got a real sense of how it impacts her daily life or why she sought a diagnosis—it felt glossed over. Chris’s grief over his father’s death was also touched on briefly, but not explored enough to add emotional weight.

Honestly, if the story had focused more on the present and less on the underdeveloped backstory, I think I would have enjoyed it even more. It had all the bones of a great summer read but didn’t fully come together for me.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Jill Francis for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this story! I rated this book 3 stars, making it an okay read for me, but nothing that stands out in my mind. Here are more details for what I liked and what fell a bit flat for me:

What I liked:
- The writing style was so fun and I loved the lush descriptions of people, situations, and settings.
- The setting was gorgeous and I loved being transported to Italy! As someone who spent a year there, it was very reminiscent and felt authentic. My knowledge of Italian was also very helpful for understanding the italian words and phrases included, but the inclusion wasn’t heavy enough that someone without that pre-existing knowledge of Italian would be confused (i.e., they’d still understand and hopefully find it a fun inclusion!)
- The autism representation in the FMC
- Main characters with flaws. Both Cris and Ellie were written with flaws that made them feel like real people. They weren’t written to perfection which I appreciate.
- I loved the funny side characters with their added wit such as Graziella and Ben!

What fell flat for me:
- I wish there would have been more background and depth provided on Ellie’s autism diagnosis and how it affects her daily. We almost got there but I just wish we got a little more.
- I found the history between Cris and Ellie to be hard to understand. Maybe I just missed it while reading but I feel like it got touched on without ever receiving a clear reason for why they fell apart which led to me feeling confused and wanting for more detail for the rest of the book. This made the relationship between Cris and Ellie felt a bit insta-lovey and I just wish I had a better understanding because it would’ve made the progression of their relationship feel more real. I also am not a huge fan of miscommunication being one of the main factors to move the story forward, and felt like that was all Ellie and Cris had as a main conflict.
- I felt there was limited character growth for both Ellie and Cris by the end. They felt very much similar to how they felt at the beginning of the book and I just didn’t see growth in their characters.
- I didn’t quite understand Ellie’s job for the first chunk of the book, but did understand it by the end, I just remember being confused initially.
- The book just didn’t capture my attention at many points, leading to me getting bored and putting it down.

Overall, this book was an okay read, I’m giving it 3 stars because it was enjoyable enough that I finished it and wanted to continue, but I did find that parts of the story felt slow and fell flat for me. This book could be a 5 stars for another reader though, it just wasn’t a favorite for me.

My review on GoodReads and Fable was posted on 6/8/2025.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read *The Summer You Were Mine*!

To be honest, I had to DNF this book at 62%. It wasn't that I wasn't enjoying it; I just didn't feel invested. The chapters felt quite lengthy, making the story seem endless. I appreciated the Autism representation through the main character, but it often felt awkwardly introduced rather than seamlessly integrated. While I adored the setting, the use of another language was a bit confusing at times

swoony and fun romance. really well set up and with vgreat character building. 5 stars. tysm for the arc. would recommend.

A sweet summer in Italy romance! It has more substance than most summer reads and brings in all the beauty and fun of the Italian coast.

The Summer You Were Mine is an excellent book and a fun read. You can't beat the setting - Chiavari, a small village on the the Italian coast - a bright. sunny village by the sea. Perfect for a summer read - especially if you can't go to the beach yourself. Add an excellent, well-plotted story and you're all set. Ellie Beltrami was running a successful sports talk show when a slip up involving unfortunate comments while the mic was on trashes her reputation. Ellie flees to Italy to recover herself and attend her grandmother's wedding. The groom is the grandfather of Cristiano Conte, newly retired super swimmer who had been accused of using illegal drugs ( not true). Ellie and Cristiano grew up together in Italy as their families were friends before they were born. They almost got together one steamy summer when they were teens. It ended badly and they haven't seen each other for years. They may not have this summer, except for the wedding of their grandparents and their disastrous careers. Forced into a truce for the summer Ellie and Cris come up with a plan to save their careers by having Cris appear on Ellie's show. They have to get over their teenage hurt and misunderstanding first which they do, with a lot of humor and advice from the respective grandparents. Toss in some family hijinks - the families deserve their own novels - and the result is a big messy family with great food and great traditions. I was sad when the book ended, even though the ending was perfect. I hope Francis continues with the setting, if not the characters. Anyone who enjoys a well-developed, funny, nostalgic, and poignant story will love this book. Take it on your vacation, or read it and have a mental one. Many thanks for the chance to read the ARC!

The Summer You Were Mine is a beautiful second chance romance. It’s a perfect summer romance set in Italy that will take your breath away. The writing was great and the storyline was fun. I really enjoyed this romance!

Lets travel to the coast of Italy and rekindle romance. This book is about second chances and may have you looking for the cheapest flight to Italy! Good summer read.
Thank you NG for the ARC.

I loved The Summer You Were Mine by Jill Francis. It’s a beautifully written, emotionally rich story that perfectly captures the ache of first love and the nostalgia of summers past. The characters felt authentic, the setting was vivid, and the writing was both heartfelt and compelling.

Jill Francis has a clear talent for storytelling, and I’m genuinely excited to read whatever she writes next. This book is a gem..

I did not finish, and will not post on any socials to not unfairly stop people from purchasing. The characters created no connection for me, I didn’t feel bad for the main character. The seal the deal that caused me to not get past 25% was the constant Italian- I get you’re setting the vibe, but you have to translate it, you can’t just leave things in just another language.

This book is a second chance romance that takes place in Italy. It is the perfect summer romance book! The main characters summered together in Italy and after not speaking for over a decade, they are brought back together for a wedding. The romance was sweet and I thought the author did a good job with the autism representation, which I don't often see in romance books. I need to go to Italy now!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

-Second Chance Romance
-Italian Riviera
-Family Friends
-Sports Talk Show Host
-Sexy Olympic Swimmer

This book had me with the setting of the Italian Riviera!

No spoilers here!

Ellie and Cristiano grew up spending summers together with their families in a wonderful seaside town on the Italian Riviera. Just when Ellie and Cris started to fall in love - life took them spiraling into two different directions. Ellie becomes a successful sports talk show host and Cris is an olympic swimmer.

Fast forward a decade and these two are being thrown back together in Italy for a family wedding and they are both dealing with scandals and are also conveniently unattached…(yes please!)

I loved so much about this novel. There were so many beautiful family dynamics, but I also loved the individual dynamics unraveling with the main characters - all while paired with Italian wine, food and the sweet scent of jasmine! 

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this digital ARC! I absolutely loved it and I highly recommend it as a great novel to grab this summer. Pre-order it in your carts now! Publication date: July 1st