This is a really cute summer read I did read it out of the summer, but it was still worth the read. Very interesting

Cruel Summer is a solid read for fans of character-driven stories. If you enjoy slow-burn emotional arcs with relatable pop culture nods, it’s worth picking up. For me, the slower pace and lack of urgency in the plot kept it from being a standout, but it’s still a good choice for a thoughtful, reflective read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I naturally chose this book because the title and cover sold me, but the story inside is so much more. I think the author did a great job navigating difficult topics, while still giving us a sweet romance.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book! I was so excited to see a title with one of my favorite T Swift songs and the story was equally as cute! I’ve never read a story with an open marriage concept and it quickly hooked me! Samantha’s journey to self discovery and finding love again (with herself and maybe someone else too?!) was so enjoyable.

I loved this book! I kept picking it up to see how things ended and what I was hoping for in the beginning had changed by the end. The authorities a great job rolling out all the revelations slowly and building up to the ending. I was happy to see her less of a slave to her image at the end. Well written, even with the edits needed.

*small spoiler warning!!*


Cruel Summer was a well written, beautiful and fun journey. This book had it all!! I can relate to Samantha’s struggles on such a deep level (hello grief and shame my old friends). My jaw hit the FLOOR when her husband asked for an open marriage!!!
The author did such a good job at making the struggles connect with their reader. Such a relatable read and I loved every minute!

This was a very interesting and fresh story that I truly enjoyed. The dialogue between the main characters is especially a strength of the book that stands out.

I enjoyed reading Cruel Summer. It was a poignant story of a woman dealing with an unusual situation with her husband but ended up finding a better life for herself.

This review contains some spoilers!

The first things that intrigued me about the book were the cover and the title (love me a good TSwift reference!). Overall I thought the book was well done and an enjoyable read. I did feel it was a bit redundant at times (Sam reminding herself that Logan had slept with other women multiple times, how Logan was Will’s friend and not hers - baby girl you went on vacation with this man and his daughter how many times over the last several years?). Sam’s development throughout the course of the book felt authentic in the sense that she felt trapped in her timeline of settling and marking all her milestones at such a young age which then made her second guess some of her thoughts and feelings as a now forty year old woman. I liked how the book evolved as a journey not only of physical road trips but adventures of self discovery as well. I was eating up the cliche “but I’ve been here all this time” trope. The spicy scenes were spiced enough for me and yes I too would love to stare into Logan’s beautiful blue eyes. Some grammatical errors here and there (I live in Chicago and we do not have Lake Erie anywhere nearby unless there’s something I don’t know about?) that I am sure will get fixed in post and prior to publication. I would recommend!

When I started reading I remember gasping when Wil asked Samantha for an open marriage! The audacity . Ended up loving how her and Logan travelled the country and falling in love. Self discovery is a tricky business but this was written really well! I could see this being a motion picture!

Sam’s husband Will asks for an open marriage after 20 years. Sam is upset about this, but agrees to keep her husband happy. They decide to spend the summer apart, with Sam hoping that after this time apart things will be fixed and back to normal. During this time Sam goes on a road trip with Logan, Will’s best friend. She starts to feel a connection with him and starts questioning everything she knows.

Sam has a lot of self growth throughout the book. She discovers who she is outside of motherhood and her marriage. I really loved watching her become her own person and figure out what she wants. I also loved the romance in this book. Their chemistry was insane. I highly recommend this book!

I read over 150 books a year, so honestly many of them don't stay with me long. This book will be an exception, it was hard to put it down at night! I related to the main character so much, and her story - while maybe not entirely - will be relatable to most women of middle age. The writing style was good, and characters were engaging.

Cruel Summer was a beautiful journey. The thing I love most about reading is when you find a book that transports you to new places, that teaches you things you’d have never thought about beforehand, and the stories that bring you to tears and heal you all the same. This book had all of that. Samantha’s struggles with grief, adulthood, shame, and complacency are extremely relatable and heartfelt. Maisey took her own experiences and created a new life from them. While I loved the romance in this story, I loved Samantha more. 5 stars all around.

Sure, the ending might have been predictable, but the journey to the happily ever after (HEA) was anything but simple. Our characters truly had to earn it, which is something I always appreciate in my romance reads.

We’re all deeply flawed at our core, and this story beautifully highlighted how some people can bring out the best in us, while others might not. The character development was top-notch, showing growth and resilience in the face of challenges.

This book told a compelling story, weaving together personal struggles and triumphs. It's a reminder that a predictable ending doesn't lessen the impact of the journey that gets us there.

Unfortunately I did not finish this book. I’m not sure why but I couldn’t get as into it as I thought I could. I’m sure I will try to pick it up again at some point but something about Samantha, Will and Logan irked me. Thank you, NetGalley for this opportunity. All opinions are my own.

Thank you for the ARC for this wonderful book! I really enjoyed the journey that the main character went on to find herself in the midst of her husband asking for an open marriage. Her self growth throughout the book was so fun to watch. I love that at the end she did realize she could choose herself but also choose having love at the same time.

Diving into a Maisey Yates book is like putting on your favorite cashmere sweater when you’re cold, it’s just so comforting and makes you feel good. This book is like her others in that you know you’ll get your HEA but not without heartache and growth. I loved Sam and Logan, they had crazy chemistry but also a friendship that was so sweet to watch happen.
Solid 4 star read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to read this eARC!

Sam's husband of 20+ years shocks her when he asks for an open marriage. Knowing she can't comfortably share space with him while he's seeing other women, they settle on a summer break, promising to reunite in the fall.

Sam initially believes he will get his desire for other women out of his system and she'll spend the summer ignoring it, so they can move forward together. Instead, his best friend Logan asks her to embark on a series of road trips where she wrestles with self discovery and her feelings about her husband and about Logan.

While this is not typically the kind of story I read, I definitely enjoyed it. Yates did a great job of weaving a more complicated relationship dynamic than I've read in most romance novels. This book is certainly not for everyone, specifically those who are uncomfortable with open relationships.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for Cruel Summer. I enjoyed the transformation Sam has throughout the story. While the men in the story are central characters, this story is more of an exploration of her own growth and discovering who she is outside of motherhood. While this story is a small jump outside of my own personal reading preferences, I was drawn in regardless. Also, can we talk about that playlist at the end?!? Golden. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC! Add this as a must read for 2025!

I was thrilled when I recieved this book as a ARC from the publisher. The storyline of a woman who has been a Mother and a wife since she was 18 and is now 40 and spends the summer to find herself adter her husband drops a bombshell on her seemed right up my alley.

I was not disappointed at all when I read the book and stick by my 5 star rating. The dialogue aline is thought provoking and memorable. The friends to lovers plot was done magnificently. Perfect blend of romance and chick-lit.

This book has some of my favorite tropes
❤️ Forced Proximity
❤️ Friends to Lovers
❤️ Vacation Romance
❤️ Second Chance Romance (kind of)

Samantha is 40, married with 3 children and her youngest has just left making them empty testers. Imstead of planning their future travels, her husband asks for an open marriage. He says he wants to have freedom to see other people. Samantha is devastated. She doesnt want to to lose her marriage so agrees to spend the summer separated and not in communication so her husband can have his exploits without her being exposed to further heartache.

Just when all hope seems lost her husbands best friend , Logan , a widower of 10 years asks her to be his travel companion on a summer long adventure driving across country to deliver vintage cars he restores. She has gotten a weird vibe off of Logan for the last few years they went of family vacation together but she agrees to go.

Logan has lived the life that Samantha's husband envied and wanted to obtain.

Will Samantha figure out her next steps with her marriage? Well she finds New ❤️ love? I highly recommend reading 📚 to find out!