Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
* Second chance romance
* Open marriage & divorce
* Teen pregnancy & early marriage
* Self discovery
* Husband’s best friend

Thank you to NetGalley, Maisey Yates, and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book started with such a jolt with the first line of dialogue! I was just as gutted as Samantha multiple times while reading this. I couldn’t believe how selfish her husband Will had been for so long, and this book does a good job of showing how their relationship wasn’t as good as she thought it was.

In the end, things actually worked out best for her. She got a new chance to find herself, and a real love with someone she didn’t expect. What she finds with Logan is beautiful, because it is of her own choice and not forced. I really enjoyed reading how they fall in love, despite her pain and sadness.

The ending was empowering for her, while also the happy ending she deserved. The final conversation she has with Will felt so raw and honest, and I felt a sort of justice for her. The last chapter was a perfect way for all things to fit into its place, with a semblance of peace and understanding for the whole family. I was so happy to see Logan and Sam find their way back to each other!

Sam and Will have been together for 22 years and now he's upended all of it with a declaration that he wants to see others. So what to do? Logan, Will's pal, offers her a job helping him ferry classic cars around the county. It turns out there's more to Logan than Sam ever knew. There's also more to Sam than she understood about herself. While there's a touch of a romance here, Yates focuses as much on Sam's journey of self discovery. What will she do at the end of the summer? No spoilers from me. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. For the many fans of Yates.

Not your typical Maisey Yates novel, but I loved every minute of watching her spread her wings and deliver an angsty heartbreaker! I was instantly hooked when this devoted wife and mother was told by her husband that he wanted an open marriage ... after the kids were already raised and the fun was supposed to begin! The story is centered around Samantha and her journey of acceptance and an eye opening summer. There is sadness, heartbreak and angst ... but there is also beauty in figuring out self-worth, journeying for the tough answers of what happiness really means and a peace and happiness in the end. There is technically cheating, but during an agreed upon separation. I easily connected with Sam and enjoyed watching her learn things about herself and come into a life she could see flourishing as one chapter ends and another begins. Really enjoyed!

I wasn’t expecting this book in the very best way. Very moving about a woman’s life and what happens when her husband blows up their life together. Some interesting twists and turns and a wonderful love story at the end.

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This review will contain spoilers. I wanted to DNF this book, but pushed through. I know every story has an audience and I may not be that audience. That is ok. My biggest problem was knowing that she was still married while everything was happening.

I am a divorced woman. My former spouse justified online affairs because it wasn't "physical." However, using another person no matter how it is done crosses a line to me. I understand that the couple was separated for the summer, but that does not mean that the divorce is happening. I do have a fear that I could start dating someone and learn that they aren't divorced yet, making me the other woman. I did not put myself into a dating situation until my divorce was finalized. I may be a bit more traditional in that thinking, but that is still important to me. If they got divorced and she fell for the best friend, cool. However, she was fully planning to go back to her husband at the end of the summer and then quickly chose to go down another route, without giving him a heads up, or opportunity to fight for the relationship. What about couples counseling before the separation? It looks like they set up reasonable boundaries for the separation, but it still felt a bit hypocritical to me.

I have this title in my plan to post about just before publication. If you prefer that I don't share, please let me know. Remember, I do believe every story has an audience.

Well, I found this to be a very interesting book. A little tooooo wordy for my taste but the premise was told in a very detailed manner. The relationship between Sam and Logan was one of a rarity. Sam finding out that her husband, Will, of twenty years wanted to try an "open marriage". Her being shocked. She goes on a journey with Logan, Will's best friend, only to find out that Logan wanted her since high school, but she was forced into a marriage because of being pregnant. I do not want to give away too much, which i already did. Readers will find this novel enjoyable. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow! Just wow! What a fabulous read this novel is on so many levels, and it starts with a shocker, because the very first sentence is, "I think we should see other people." That's what Will, the man Samantha (Sam) Parker has been married to for 22 years, says to her over dinner one night. How can a married reader not think, "What if my husband said that to me?" Hooked! I was absolutely hooked from that first sentence.

Will got Sam pregnant while they were still in high school, they loved each other, they got married, they raised two children, they made a good life for themselves and their children, but now that the children are out of the house, Samantha was looking forward to having the time to spend with just her husband, having fun, maybe traveling--and those dreams came to a screeching halt with that very first sentence.

Was Will having a mid-life crisis? Sam believed they had the perfect marriage, a nice home, a nice life, nice friends--possibly so nice that perhaps Will was bored with their life or with her. Don't women tend to blame themselves first when a relationship goes off-kilter? Will's off-hand remark shook Sam to her core, and as someone who's been married to the same man for 49 years, it shook me too. As reader's don't we always ask ourselves what we would do in a similar situation? I think that's why this novel was so relatable, so introspective, so intimate, and so utterly addictive. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would.

Will and Sam decide to spend the summer apart, to figure things out, and so that Will can fool around with other women without Sam being privy to it. Sam has no plans to explore other relationships--that's what Will wants to do, and so this story becomes Samantha's story. If she's not the most well-developed character ever written, she's the next thing to it. And what I absolutely loved about this novel is getting to know her inner thoughts and feelings as the summer progresses--her looking at her life through newly opened eyes, her deep self-examination of her life before and after this separation, her trying to figure out who she really is, who she wants to be, what she wants her future to be, and her constantly changing view of herself and her feelings was absolutely riveting. I suggest keeping your tissues handy.

Will's best friend, Logan, a widower, who is still grieving the loss of his wife, Becca, earns his living restoring valuable, classic automobiles, and when he's done, he drives those cars to their owners, and gets paid handsomely for his work. Knowing in advance what Will was planning to say to Sam, and guessing how she'd react, Logan asks her if she wants to get away from town and gossip for a while, and accompany him one of these deliveries, and one delivery turns into more deliveries. It's their conversations, their differences, and their travels together that move this story along, as well as leading to both of them examining their own lives, their thoughts, their beliefs about themselves, and about each other.

Logan was a a bit more difficult to get to know, but he lost his wife to cancer and was raising their daughter, Chloe, alone. Samantha and Becca had been friends, and after her passing, Sam befriended Chloe and helped her deal with her grief, acting like a big sister and pseudo-mom. Grief at the loss of loved ones, grief at the possible break-up of a marriage, are rough subjects, but Ms. Yates handled that aspect of this novel with remarkable grace and understanding.

In short, this is an absolute gem of a novel, with characters you get to know deeply, filled with both heartache, joy, and understanding, and best of all it makes the reader take a good long look at their own life, their wants, their beliefs, and their relationships, and, as far as this reader is concerned, it may just be the best novel Ms. Yates has written to date. I absolutely loved it.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions stated are my own.

Samantha Parker is out to dinner with her husband of twenty-two years when he drops a bomb shell; he wants and open marriage. Will and Samantha have been together since they were sixteen and married their senior year in high school. They have three sons and a good life; but Will wants to find out what else is out there.
Logan is Will's best friend and a widower with a daughter. He restores cars and will be spending the summer delivering the cars to their new owners. Samantha decides to let Will have the summer to explore with other women and Logan ask her to help him deliver the cars. The more time Sam has on her own she realizes that she has always lived her life to take care of her husband and children. They boys are out of the house now and Will is not there to tell her what she can do, and she is learning to be true to herself.
Wonderful book on finding your way and growing up at last.

𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐲 𝐘𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★★★★

I just adored this book full of a summertime romance, second chances and new beginnings!

I honestly wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book much when the main character Sam’s husband asked for an open marriage. I cringed a bit but continued on, and I’m so glad I did! I felt this story was truly inspiring for Sam, the 40 year mom to 3 college students, going out into the world and learning to find herself again. I just loved that it was of course with her husband’s hot best friend Logan! That does sound a lot more scandalous than the story truly is, but believe me you will appreciate the beauty that unfolds with these two.

The summer of road trips, driving classic cars to Logan’s clients and learning to discover one’s true self along the way was beautiful and very relatable which I think that was my favorite part of the story!

I listened to the audiobook and read the ebook in tandem and I loved the way Nancy Peterson brought this story to life with her narration.

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
Road Trips
40+ MC
Self Discovery
Second Chances
Slow Burn
Summer Vibes

Sam and Logan kept me on the edge of my seat! Sam lives a life of duty and is always serving those around her (to her detriment whether she realizes it or not). Logan has suffered tremendous loss and does not let life pass him by. When Sam is separated for the summer from her husband, Logan offers her roadtrips across the country as an escape from her reality. They deliverer cars Logan restored to paying customers. The transformation that we are privileged to feel and witness for both Sam and Logan individually in addition to them together is a unmatched. We never know how life is going to play out and the best we can do is move with it. Your heart will break for both characters as we go through the story. Grief will change you and you will not be able to go back to the person you were before the loss. Sit with yourself and learn more about yourself. You let go of things and people who no longer serve your highest and best self. As painful and difficult as that is, it is necessary for a successful survival.

This book opens with a gut punch—when the husband unexpectedly asks to see other people, the wife is left reeling. She had believed they were happy, or at least content, coasting through life side by side. The sudden unraveling of her marriage is deeply emotional, and the early chapters are heavy with grief, confusion, and betrayal.

But what unfolds is a quietly powerful journey of rediscovery. Will she go back to her husband or choose a new path... you're going to have to read to find out. The story gracefully navigates her shift from heartbreak to clarity, and ultimately, growth.

One of my favorite aspects of the book is the vintage cars and road trips. These elements add a charm and mirror the emotional terrain—bumps in the road, unexpected detours, and moments of beauty along the way.

Though the beginning is undeniably sad, it’s a reflective, sometimes bittersweet reminder that change, while painful, can also be a gift. It’s a story about learning to stop, look around, and choose the road ahead with intention.

I was immediately stunned. This is what happens when I read a synopsis before I add to TBR and not again before I read the book. But boy, was a hooked from that first sentence!

We view this rather traumatic experience from Sam’s perspective and we’re thrown into the depths of her introspection. The prose drifts into stream of consciousness, rambling thoughts as Sam navigates this new life stage and realizes that somewhere along the way she lost herself (or did she ever really know herself to begin with). It’s challenging as you’re forced to think about your choices and the life path you’re on as Sam contemplates hers.

Have you been living your life in a way that reflects your wants or what’s expected of you? Has it been shaped by someone else’s values? Driven by fear or motivated by passion?

And what happens when you find the person that supports you in that journey, that grabs hold of your hand to keep you steady when it feels like the floor beneath you is crumbling, then grabs a hammer and nails to help you put it all back together? And what if he wasn’t who you thought he would be?

I think Sam’s internal monologue was so realistic it became frustrating. It was repetitive as she cycles back to the same moments in time, the same arguments… but that’s what happens in real life, doesn’t it? We ruminate, we revisit, we baste the turkey of a belief with the same rationale over and over until it’s cooked and looks different from where we started… And as that evolution cooks, I guarantee you’ll get frustrated with Sam. Heck, I wanted to just take her shoulders and give her a good shake to open her eyes and accept the conclusions I saw from the opening paragraph.

But this is her journey. Every insecurity was surfaced, every issue or detail that Sam ignored or avoided in the past 20 years was examined— she left no stone unturned. And in the end, she prioritizes herself. Faces those fears, insecurities and accepts that she can’t continue to hide. And that’s all we could ask for.

It’s raw, it’s real. If you’re in need of a good frustrating scream, this might help you get it out.

Thank you NetGalley for this emotional ARC for my honest review. When I first started this book and discovered what it was about, I was very sad and I wasn’t sure I wanted to read it. You see Sam’s husband took her out to a nice dinner only to inform her that he wanted to take a break from their marriage and date other people. Imagine hoe Sam felt……Hurt…….Sad……Confused. She was beside herself and blaming herself as she sure didn’t want anything to do with him wanting this. Now, Sam and Will were high school sweethearts and discovered before graduation that she was pregnant, so they got married. But she certainly never dreamed this would happen. After all, she loved her family and her life. So, against her better judgement , she reluctantly agreed to his wishes of a few months of separation with no contact. Little did she know that she would explore her own feelings and find out just maybe Will was right. Sam’s journey is very emotional for her during this Cruel Summer. So, if you are looking for an intense emotional story either lots of self reflection and finding one’s true self , you will definitely want to read this book.

CRUEL SUMMER – Maisey Yates
Canary Street Press
ISBN: 978-1-335-47145-1
June 24, 2025
Contemporary Romance

Jacksonville, Oregon – Present Day

Samantha Parker thought she had the perfect marriage. After all, she and Will had been together twenty-two years and raised three boys. With an empty nest ahead of them, they had a future planned of doing things together. But one night, Will informs Sam that he wants an open marriage. She is stunned and angry. How could he want to have sex with other women? She wants to stay with him, but they agree to separate for the summer and come back together in the fall to decide what to do about their marriage.

Sam is at loose ends because part of the agreement was that neither she nor Will could stay in the house. One day, she is contacted by Will’s best friend, Logan Martin, with an offer. He is a classic car restorer and has to drive a few cars across the country. Did she want to go with him as his assistant? Sam agrees. The Parker and Martin families have been close through the years, and she was there to help when Logan’s wife died of cancer. Now she is about to spend several days in a car with him. Through long days of driving, Sam begins to question her reasons for staying in her marriage, and she’s becoming attracted to Logan.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure if CRUEL SUMMER would end happily ever after or not. After all, it seems like Sam and Logan are heading for heartbreak. Will has been the only man that Sam ever loved, and they had a shotgun wedding when she was seventeen. She is now forty, and her whole adulthood has been up until now with Will and their three boys. The fact that he now wants to have sex with other women stuns her. Where did this come from? Her two best girlfriends urge Sam to live a little and give herself a chance to reassess her life. Logan has always been in the background, part of their friendship circle, but always Will’s best friend. On the drives across the country, they learn more and more about each other. This tale is about their journey of discovery, which includes finding out how much they connect.

The shared past and shared chemistry of Sam and Logan on their journey drives CRUEL SUMMER, no pun intended. After spending years making her family happy while putting her needs aside, she can spread her wings. Logan helps Sam to do this, and they grow closer. The only thing he wants is for Sam to be happy. Will this mean they ignore their attraction? She is still married to his best friend, and she made it clear early on that she wanted to save her marriage. Will Sam change her mind by the end of the summer? Along the way, we enjoy their stops and Sam’s enjoyment of the trips.

A thoughtful and intriguing read from beginning to end, don’t miss CRUEL SUMMER.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

This was such an interesting read. I love the messaging about how it's never to late to discover yourself and live your life to the fullest.

I was definitely rooting for the characters but the main reason this wasn't five stars for me is that I didn't feel fully connected to them. I feel like a lot of their decisions and internal struggles didn't make sense. I also really didn't like our FMC's "friends" - though I can't tell if the reader is meant to. Thank you to The Hive, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. I still definitely enjoyed the read overall!

Read this if you like:
- forbidden / taboo relationship
- husband's best friend
- forced proximity
- road trips
- single dad

I just finished Cruel Summer by Maisey Yates, and it hit me right in the feels. It’s emotional, messy, and full of second chances that had me rooting for the characters the whole way through. If you're into small-town drama with a big heart, this one’s for you.

Sam Parker has it all. She has been married since high school, has three children, and a wonderful husband, so she thought. When her husband lets her know that he wants to see other people, she wonderful world is shattered. They have the summer to think about it, try it out, and see how it goes. Sam thinks it a mid-life crisis on Will's part, and agrees to his terms. When Sam is offered a job delivering restored classic, which includes a cross-country trip, she decides to go for it. Logan shows Sam parts of America she has never seen, and challenges her in ways she has never been challenged. San has to make a decision when she arrives back home, but will she be able to make a decision? Another great book by Maisey Yates. I am loving her books. Thanks to Ms. Yates, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I enjoyed reading Samantha's journey, but I felt there were a lot of unnecessary details during the road trip that had me feeling a little bored. I would have like the story to move along faster.

Unfortunately, I did DNF about 15% in. The writing and characters just didn’t really capture me enough to continue. Very bummed because I was excited for the tropes but never felt the connection to keep going! Thank you so much for the e-arc!

This is such an emotional book. When life throws you a cure there is no telling how you handle it. It starts sad but, quickly turns into an adventure. Sometimes you don't really know what you want until you take a close look at your life. Such a wonderful story.