This book started out a little rough for me. The writing style of the first several chapters seemed really disjointed - the dialogue felt mixed in awkwardly at times. Once the romance started to develop and the story and pacing started to flow for me a little bit. The Lupus representation was an interesting piece that I had not read about. Unless you do some googling the character doesn't explain much - for an invisible illness it might have helped the reader if there was more solid information about it woven into the story. The month of May was very eventful for these two characters and there was a lot to read about and go on a journey with them! It was a cute book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3.5/5) | "Love blooms despite life's curveballs"
Corrello delivers a romance that doesn't shy away from chronic illness realities. Nadia's lupus diagnosis shapes every decision about vulnerability and connection, making this feel refreshingly authentic. Her month-long arrangement with former actor Marco burns with genuine chemistry.
What impressed me was how naturally the author weaves health struggles into the love story. Nadia's fear of being "too much" resonated, while the Jersey Shore setting adds nostalgic warmth. I laughed at their banter even during serious moments.
The pacing occasionally rushes, but the emotional core remains solid. This isn't your typical beach read—it's a thoughtful exploration of finding love when life throws curveballs.
Vibes We Are Tracking:
🏖️ Jersey summer nostalgia
💊 Authentic illness representation
📺 Fallen celebrity redemption
⏰ Time-limited romance

okay, this fell a little flat for me. with comparisons to one of my favorite movies (love and other drugs) i thought i would love it buttt it felt slowwww and the characters were not so well developed. it might sound odd, but i wish we had seen *more* of nadia's illness. it lingers on the page but i did not feel like we were ever fully let into that part of her character, which is a huge factor in how she made her choices. overall, this was a good but ultimately forgettable read which makes me sad.

Such a beautiful cover for a beautiful story!
I loved this book’s take on the “only for the summer” romance plot. Nadia and Marco are two messy people who decide to date for the entire month of May while they are both going through big life changes.
I adored the vulnerability between these chapters and their banter?! I .
Thank you NetGalley and Avon for this eARC

32 Days in May was one of those books that quietly snuck up on me and then completely took over my heart. It’s raw, emotional, and incredibly honest. You can feel every word like it’s been lived—because it has.

The story is all about grief, healing, and trying to find your way when everything feels shattered. It doesn't rush the process. It just lets it unfold, day by day, moment by moment. And somehow, in all the sadness, there’s still so much beauty and hope.

It’s not a light read, but it’s an important one. It made me pause, reflect, and honestly just feel. If you're looking for something real and moving, this one’s worth every page.

5 enthusiastic stars!!! I finished this book in 24 hours. I just couldn’t put it down.

Our main character, Nadia, is wonderfully quick-witted and snarky. She hides behind her sharp comebacks and has difficulty letting anyone past her prickly exterior. But then enters Marco who enjoys sparring with her and finds her attitude charming. I wanted to both shake some sense into Nadia and give her a big hug.

The dialogue and banter is A+. Absolutely my sense of humor.

The author managed to make this book about chronic illness without making chronic illness the main characrer. It was a focal point for sure but this was still a romance first and foremost.

As a Cape Cod girl myself I have never had much interest in visiting the Jersey shore but, after reading this, I think maybe the Shore has more merits than I have it credit for.

Adding Betty Corrello’s debut to my TBR immediately.

This is a beautifully reflective book. I love how the author conveyed the emotion behind the story and pace was great. I really enjoyed the book and it felt like the story flew by.

NO ONE is doing it like Betty Corrello! The writing is so memorable, so hilarious at times and heartbreaking at others, and you feel so wholly inside Nadia's head at every moment. And Marco!! From their very first not-date, I was all in on them.

This is not your typical romance and that is a good thing. It’s well written, smart, funny, emotional gives us some seemingly real insight to chronic illness, When Nadia receives a life changing diagnosis all she wants to do is take a moment to regroup and find some way to gain back some control of her life and maybe a little space from everyone who though very well intentioned is driving her crazy. When she gets set up with Marco (by yet another well meaning, but overbearing person in her life), who is also trying to reorient himself they come up with a one month plan. Their journey of growth over the month made for a truly engaging read leading to an even better wrap-up. Nadia and Marco are wonderful characters and though this had a great ending, I would love a follow-up a few years in the future.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for this eARC and physical copy of this book.

5 out of 5 stars

Wow. I LOVED this book. It was a quick, emotional read that followed Nadia and Marco's relationship for sure. It also followed Nadia's relationship with her family and herself. When diagnosed with a chronic illness (lupus), Nadia lost who she was and had to find who she is now. Marco was also going through his own journey of self discovery and it was so heartwarming to be able to watch both of them find themselves and each other along the way. It was the epitome of a sad girl summer read and I loved it.

Closed Door Modifications: 21,27,30 (there are other fade to black scenes that are not listed here)
TW: chronic illness, mental health struggles (suicidal ideation), addiction (in recovery)

Even though I wasn't familiar with this author, I seem to be drawn to books that take place over a specified amount of time. The story started out in a rather disjointed fashion, but I decided that served to reflect the lives of the main characters at that point in time. Both Nadia and Marco are finding comfort in a beach community on the New Jersey shore as they deal with major changes in their individual lives. Nadia has lost her successful job in advertising after a life-changing diagnosis of lupus. Marco wants to head in a new direction after a successful acting career. Brought together by Marco's uncle who is also Nadia's doctor, the two decide to embark on a relationship limited to the month of May as inspired by Nadia's favorite movie Sweet November. It's been a long time since I watched that movie, but I feel compelled to re-visit it after reading this book. Thanks to NetGalley, Avon/Harper Voyager and the author for a copy to read and review.

While the reflective pace might not appeal to readers seeking a fast-paced plot, those who appreciate character-driven narratives and literary depth will find much to admire. 32 Days in May is a novel that lingers long after the final page, its emotional resonance and beautifully crafted prose leaving a lasting impression. It's a testament to Betty Corrello's skill as a storyteller, and a truly rewarding read for anyone looking for a thoughtful and moving literary experience.

32 Days in May had a little more depth than my usual fun summer beachy romance. It was a solid romance along with Nadia's struggle with her chronic illness & how it effected all of her relationships, including the one with herself as she mourned her life pre-diagnosis.

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

This was a beautifully written, emotional, wonderful book. I enjoyed it a lot!

I LOVED this! The characters felt real, as did the romance. I thought this was a well written romance of two adults who have gone through some things and are just in need of something new.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and would recommend to all my friends.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC!

i can’t totally explain it but this book just zapped me. it felt so electric to read. nadia had a clear voice, acerbic wit, dead-serious fears. her chemistry with marco was palpable. even knowing that nadia keeping her health concerns a secret from marco would eventually become an obstacle, her character and emotions made the decision feel perfectly reasonable. i so clearly understood her. also corrello had a talent for a turn of phrase or figurative language that just PERFECTLY described a feeling. i clearly really connected with the writing, which made it hard to put the book down and had me totally absorbed. i was feeling nadia’s feelings in my own body as i read. i stayed up late one night unwilling to step out of the story to go to bed.

also the time limit aspect of the story was done super well (and with more specificity of emotion than in other stories with a specific timeline for the relationship). nadia and marco both chafed under the time limit as their emotions grew AND found relief in the end date from their overwhelming emotions.

Just stunning. I absolutely loved this love story. It had everything i love in books of this genre. I would love to read more from this author!

3.5 stars

I was intrigued by this one right away when I heard it was similar to the movie Sweet November. It's an emotional read at times, but there are very sweet and hilarious moments too. I thought the chronic illness representation was really well done and appreciated that the author didn't shy away from the tough moments. The story was balanced well with a snarky banter filled (instalove) romance, but I do wish that Nadia would have revealed her diagnosis much sooner. That secret lasted almost the entire book and it seemed far fetched that Marco wouldn't notice anything given how much time they spent together. This made the ending feel incredibly rushed and incomplete. I wanted more of a reckoning (with groveling) between them. I'm glad this one had a happier ending than Sweet November though ;)

I both read and listened to the audiobook of 32 Days in May. Joy Nash did a great job overall with the narration, but the Jersey accent felt forced at times. It was distracting and unfortunately took away from the story. I do wonder if I might have enjoyed this one a bit more if I had just read the ebook.

Audiobook Review
Overall 4 stars
Performance 4 stars
Story 3.5 stars

CW: chronic illness, suicidal ideation, alcohol addiction, depression

*I voluntarily read and listened to a review copy of this book*

I really enjoyed this book. Before the reveal of the film name the author used to loosely base her premise, I had pegged this to be a combination of Almost Famous meets Sweet November and I was pleased to be partially correct. I enjoyed how the author wrote about the disease and how it is perceived through other people's eyes. A lot of it has to do with personality of the characters and I did feel that the author embodied that very well too. I was on the fence throughout the novel about Marco, but I put myself in his shoes for a bit and wondered what it would be like to receive the news he did, the way he did it. What would I have done? Probably flee and find the words at a later time. Anything I would have said in that moment would have been wrong or felt ingenious. I also put myself in Nadia's shoes. While I don't have lupus, I commend her for taking her situation into her own hands and commandeering her life, even if for just a little while. I cannot be upset with what she did and how she handled it. I just wish she would have taken better care of herself while living her fantasy, but if she had, then the conflict might not be there and I remind myself that this is a story, with a beginning, middle and end and the characters are shelved when I finish reading their story. It was really easy for me to feel that these characters could be real. I would love to see this book on the big, or little, screen in the future.

A beautiful and heartfelt story. I was happy to see such good representation for people with Lupus and how it affects them. The love story was very cute.