32 Days in May is less light-hearted than I would have liked for a summer romcom, but I really appreciate the message and experiences the author was conveying in her story (which is reflective of personal experiences).

The vibes are very A Walk to Remember meets One Italian Summer- Nadia is diagnosed with lupus and after coming to terms with her illness decides to move back to her home in Evergreen to live out the rest of her days by slow paced living. Nadia soon meets Marco, who makes her feel alive. However, her lupus remains a secret as they make a pact to date just the month of May before going their separate ways. The two strike a deep friendship but secrets cannot remain hidden forever, especially when Nadia has lupus.

Overall, I loved the portrayal of family and realistic love in this one. What fell flat was that it was a more serious read and I felt the events in the story a bit clumsy- BUT I loved the wit and banter. I think this would make a great movie too.

Content: open door, language, mental health issues

The way that I loved this book!! to see chronic illness represented in a romance in such a compassionate and loving way was perfect. The romance between two very real and flawed people who truly cared for each other and took the time to know each other was wonderful.

3.5 stars. Overall, this was an okay read for me. It took me a little time to get into the story but I did feel more interested about 30% in.

I had trouble connecting with the characters and as much as I could empathize with the struggles Nadia was going through and that her story is important to tell, I also didn't really care too much about her as a character. I do also wish we got more of Marco's backstory ; the bits and pieces had me intrigued and wanting more. While the timeline is obviously fairly quick, the storytelling made it just seem rushed and sometimes felt a little choppy.

I did enjoy Nadia's personality and the banter between her and Marco. I also really liked the two main side characters, Allie and Soph. They were fun and I loved their friendship with Nadia.

I was hesitant to start this book, thinking it would be overwhelmingly sad—but while it did bring tears, they were the kind that stay with you for all the right reasons. This story was heartfelt, funny, and deeply emotional in the best way.

The relationship between Nadia and Marco was beautifully developed. Watching them slowly let down their walls and open up to each other felt raw and real. When Nadia finally revealed her illness to Marco, it absolutely broke my heart—but it also deepened their bond in such a powerful and moving way.

This book is a beautiful exploration of vulnerability, love, and emotional healing. It made me laugh, cry, and root for the characters every step of the way. Highly recommended for anyone who loves an emotional romance with real depth.

This truly broke my heart, and I could do it all over again just to read this book. I loved everything about it, the setting, the set up and their journey with my whole heart!

Marco Antoniou and Nadia Fabiola both have secrets. When the natural chemistry between them sparks on the boardwalk, they begin a relationship that begins fake and turns into something much more real.

I really love both of these characters and how desperately flawed they were. I love that they met because they were set up by Nadia‘s doctor who was in fact Marco’s brother. There is a casual way characters talk to each other in these books almost that’s almost Amy Sherman Palladino Gilmore girls style, where they are funnier than real people are, but you don’t mind because it’s so enjoyable to read. The Jersey shore really shines as a setting and a character of its own. Nadia was so complex, she is dealing with chronic pain and a new diagnosis. And yet it never felt like the pain was the only thing keeping her back, she had more to grow and learn about because of her diagnosis but also not JUST because of her diagnosis. I never stopped rooting for her. and this novel has one of the best third act breakups/ relationship tests I’ve ever read. They both really needed to apologize to each other and it was rewarding to read because it wasn’t cheap or easy for them to do it. I love the scenes in Italy. There was a perfect amount of escapism for both the reader and the characters honestly, this is what I’m looking for in a summer book. Something heartfelt funny with a little escapism and thrown in for fun.

Thank you to Harper Voyager, Avon, and NetGalley for an advanced copy!

A tender, heartfelt read that pulled on my heartstrings.
A chronic illness has Nadia trying to figure out if she can find love.
I loved how the book was written. The start of each chapter as a new date in the month was interesting.
The story seemed to flowed effortlessly and I could not read this book fast enough!
This book should definitely be on your summer reading list!

Thank you so much to Avon for the gifted book!

I wanted to love this one so much as so many of the reviews were amazing and my close friends also enjoyed, but something just didn't work for me.

I struggled to connect with the characters for some reason which I'm sad to say! The writing itself was good though and I'd read more from her in the future!

Overall, a hit for many but a miss for me!

I had a feeling I would love this and want a physical copy, so I bought it and read it before the month was over. And I am so glad I did because I LOVED it! I had read the premise before and knew I was interested, but I hadn’t realized that there was the celebrity trope, which delighted me even more! Marco was so sexy to me and there were multiple times he had me swooning/sweating.

The connection between these two characters was insane! You could feel their chemistry from the moment they met and it just kept getting better. I loved that they could flirt and banter, but also have thoughtful conversations. Even with the secrets they were keeping, there was depth to their interactions. It was clear that both characters feelings were deepening, but neither was sure of how the other felt, thinking they just wanted to keep their relationship within the parameters they set.

And while there were lighthearted moments, there was also a heaviness to the story. Partially due to the nature of their relationship, but also Nadia’s autoimmune disorder. Knowing that this is something the author also lives with gave it an authenticity I don’t think we always get with books. The emotions that Nadia had with relation to her disorder were wide-ranging and it took a lot of courage for not only her, but Betty to share.

If you’re looking for an emotional, angsty romance, look no further. It gave me
How to Fake it in Hollywood meets Promise Me Sunshine vibes.

Quotes I loved:
“Come here.”
“It’s so unfair. You’ve just existed all these years, and I only get to have you now.”
“I don’t care if people know you’re mine. I know you’re mine.”
“I figured we’ll just have to make sure May never ends.”

This was a beautiful read! It feels like a lighthearted summer read but it definitely had some deeper themes that center around dealing with chronic illness. Loved the sweet love story at the center!

When Nadia is diagnosed with Lupus, she retreats to Evergreen, New Jersey, her childhood vacation spot, to wallow in her new reality. He doctor sets her up with his nephew, Marco, a former tv-star who hasn’t found a new role in years. The pair feel an instant connection and agree to date for May and only May. Nadia loves her whirlwind romance but the reality of living with Lupus makes things difficult.

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that has addressed Lupus. It’s one of those diseases I’m vaguely aware of and know Selena Gomez has it. From the author’s note, she may have Lupus herself, so I’m going to assume that aspect of the book is very accurate. I liked the romance and I have to say that somewhat still famous former celebrity romances are my favorite type of celebrity romance. I loved the setting of the Jersey Shore and it really made me want to go to the beach. Tonally this book was dealing with heavy things, but it never felt overly sad.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager, HarperAudio for my copies! All thoughts are my own.

If there’s a summer book that has a lot of hype, I have to read it. It’s a rule! I heard so much about this book so I did go in with very high expectations. I loved the setting, the passion, and the balance between sweet romance moments and the realities of real life with chronic illness.

I liked this book a lot. I wish I’d read it with my eyes because the audio production wasn’t my favorite. I found some of the acting choices made by the narrator to be distracting.

However, I would still recommend this book and ultimately enjoyed it!

Synopsis:

“Nadia Fabiola wants to lose herself in Evergreen—the Jersey Shore town where she grew up vacationing with her family—and never look back at her glamorous, gainfully employed former self. After a shocking lupus diagnosis turned her life upside down, she’s desperate for a sense of control over her body, her life, and her mental health. Nadia plans on keeping her life small and boring, while continuing to ignore her sister’s relentless questioning.

Nadia’s sister isn’t the only person worried about her. When her rheumatologist not-so-subtly sets her up with his infamous former-actor cousin, Marco Antoniou, Nadia is skeptical. But Marco is gorgeous—despite carrying his own baggage from a very public burnout. After a messy (but fun) first date, they decide that a May-long fling could be just what the doctor ordered: no commitment, no strings, just one month of escape.

Their undeniable chemistry starts to feel a lot like something more and while Marco pulls Nadia deeper into his life, she is dead set on keeping her diagnosis from him. But there are only so many days in May, and only so much pretending she can do. As the stress of their whirlwind romance takes its toll on Nadia’s health, she’s forced to decide if a chance at love is worth the risk of trusting someone new.

Travel from the Jersey Shore to Rome and back in this delightfully funny, beautifully honest exploration of love, intimacy, and vulnerability while living with a chronic illness. “—NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Setting—More Jersey Shore books! I haven’t spent any time there and now I would really like to.

The Banter—Excellent banter before the MCs, especially with the stakes of only dating for a short amount of time.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

The Narrator’s Jersey Accent—It felt a little forced and distracted me!

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 2/5 Overall Rating: 3.75/5

Content Warnings:

chronic Illness, suicidal thoughts, medical content, mental illness, alcoholism

I love everything about this book! Nadia has been recently diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease that turns her life upside down. After losing her job and relationship, she escapes to Evergreen, the Jersey Shore town where her family has a vacation home. She strives to keep her life and circle small so she can have control.

That all changes when her doctor sets her up with his cousin, Marco, a former television star with some baggage. Nadia and Marco hit it off immediately and have a whirlwind first date. Afterwards, Marco suggests they date for the rest of May. It will be a fun, no strings attached fling. Nadia agrees to the arrangement, but decides to withhold her illness from Marco. What better way to escape?

I LOVE these two! They're messy and sad and vulnerable, and incredibly well suited for each other. The banter and chemistry were top notch, and watching them fall in love was a JOY. Their trip to Rome was a particular highlight and really set up the ultimate third act breakup and HEA.

I really appreciate Betty's representation of chronic illness in this story. Nadia's struggles felt very grounded and real to me. While we do get an HEA at the end of this story, Nadia's still learning and adapting to her new reality. It's not easy, but she does have a dedicated support system in her family, friends, and life partner.

This is a beautiful and emotional story that I will recommend endlessly to everyone. This is my second book of Betty's, and I can't wait to see what she does next!

32 Days in May by Betty Corrello is a cozy, fun romcom and a stunning depiction of living with chronic illness. Readers will fall in love with Nadia, Marco, and Evergreen!

This is the first book I read by Betty Corrello, and I will absolutely be giving her other work a shot after this.

I did feel the romance was a bit choppy and rushed. I LOVED the premise of "hey, let's just date and fool around for a month, no strings attached," because that's quite simply setting yourself up to fail, and how entertaining for us, the audience lol. I just wish it had been developed a *bit* more, because I get it that anyone could lust for a Greek actor, but..... I just wanted more showing than telling as far as the actual romancing hehe.

However, the illustration of Nadia's experience with lupus was incredibly tender, layered, and raw. I really appreciated the representation of this chronic illness, which not many people (in my own circle) are familiar with, and the experience is not monolithic, so it was insightful to read about.

This started off as I guess your typical contemporary romance.

Nadia moved to her family’s vacation home after being diagnosed with Lupus and is set up, by her dr no less, on a date with Marco Antoniou, former tv star. The two decide to date for the month of May. Marco doesn’t know Nadia has lupus and Nadia..loves the idea that there is someone who doesn't know. But as May ends, are they ready to let go?

This was a weird one that even though i felt like the relationship really worked on paper...the spicy scenes didn't? I mean they were there. But they were just..there.

Weird right?

But other than that this was a great love story. I loved their banter, the angst, the autoimmune disease rep. The struggles they both go through. Sigh. it was lovely.

Thank you to Net Galley for the Arc. All opinions are my own.

The premise of this book sounded really interesting. I was intrigued by the main character having an autoimmune disorder and how that would be dealt with in the story. However this book was just me for me.

First off, the characters. I didn't feel a connection to these characters at all. They weren't very likeable and it wasn't easy to relate to them.

The story wasn't very interesting and seemed to repeat itself constantly throughout. I found myself bored and having to go back and reread sections due to loss of interest.

The autoimmune disorder aspect wasn't what I was expecting either. I thought I was going to learn more about lupus but not much was mentioned that I didn't already know.

All in all this book fell short of my expectations. It was an easy enough read but not a story I was heavily invested in. It probably isn't a book I would recommend either.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3

When Nadia Fabiola is diagnosed with lupus, she returns to the Jersey Shore and ends up stumbling into a no-strings, time-bound fling with a K-list actor and former television star. As the fling develops into something more, Nadia feels the weight of keeping her diagnosis a secret. Betty Corrello creates an honest, funny love story that explores the complications of living and loving with a chronic illness.

THE VERDICT: 3.75 stars

WHAT I LOVED:
- The setting! Being a Jersey girl who has also lived in the Philadelphia suburbs, I felt immediately connected to Betty Corrello's setting. She made the boardwalk come to life, and the settings of both Evergreen and Rome took on lives of their own.
- The depiction of raw and broken characters looking to both figure out how to love themselves and each other.
- Chronic illness is so often misunderstood (I am guilty of this, I admit!), and the format of going day-by-day through the month of May was a realistic way of understanding the ups and downs.
- I enjoyed the storyline with Nadia's sister and the journey the two of them had to go through to understand how to love each other well.
- The sarcasm and Nadia's sense of humor were great!

WHAT WAS A MISS:
- The pacing of this one felt off at times. I felt like things moved pretty slowly at the beginning, and then all of a sudden sped up. The jump from Evergreen to Rome also felt a little harsh and unnatural.
- While I loved the characters individually, I did not always believe their chemistry.
- This is 10000% a personal problem, but I did not like how some chapters were only a couple of pages long, while others were significantly longer. This probably wouldn't bother most people, but it definitely stood out to me, especially while reading on my Kindle and having the "minutes left in chapter" looming.

Thank you to NetGalley, Betty Corrello, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the complimentary ARC of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book. A heartfelt, beautiful story. This one was a tearjerker and so many feelings!

It's the summer of books based in Cape May, NJ! I loved that, but sadly this book was just ok for me. I enjoyed the setting and some of the characters, but the whole "forgetting" the illness thing for me was a little to far fetched. I did enjoy the romance part!