Jenna has just graduated from high school, and all her friends are going to different schools. Her mother is dead, and Jenna and her father have communication problems, so when she finds out that he is planning to sell properties, move to a new city with a new wife, she feels truly deserted.
She plans one last party with her friends at the family lake house, even though her father had said no. While they are there, friends clear the air, find new love interests and Jenna makes peace with her father. Some drinking at the parties. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc, with no pressure for a positive review.

Just wrapped up Best Summer Ever and it really is the definition of a cute, chaotic YA summer romance. ☀️🏖️ You’ve got three friends spending one last nostalgic month together at a Muskoka cottage before they head off in different directions — so many Ontario cottage core vibes. The story captures that high-stakes energy of a summer where everything feels dramatic and life-changing with your best friends.I loved the dual POV and the mix of enemies-to-lovers and friends-to-lovers, plus all the family drama and female friendship. But for me, it felt a bit too dramatic and immature at times — very quintessential YA, but the pacing dragged and some chapters ended on overly dramatic notes that didn’t always land.
Still, if you’re looking for a sweet, lakeside YA romance that’s all about growing up, falling in love, and savoring that last summer of freedom, this one might hit the spot. Big thanks for the early digital copy! 🌸

A cute YA summer romance but it felt a little too dramatic and immature for my tastes. Following three friends the summer they graduate and are about to go in different directions for university as they fall in love, grow up and spend a last nostalgic month at Muskoka cottage. Lots of Ontario cottage core vibes but didn't do too much for me unfortunately. Many thanks for a chance to read an early digital copy.

This was a fun, dramatic read that perfectly captured the chaotic energy of a high-stakes summer with your best friends. The plot moved quickly — almost too quickly at times — but I appreciated the twists and emotional reveals that built as the story went on. While some of the dialogue felt a bit stiff and the pacing could’ve used more balance, I still found myself engaged the whole way through.

It had a strong Wattpad-era vibe (in a nostalgic way), with big feelings, secrets, and found family energy. I especially liked the glimpses into deeper emotional territory later in the book — it gave the story more weight than I initially expected. Would recommend to readers looking for a slightly messy, drama-fueled summer escape. Overall, I'd give 3.5 Stars!

Best Summer Ever is a great summer YA read about the confusing and complicated transition from youth to adulthood after completing high school, when you're expected to 'have everything figured out.' Full of romance, fun, heartache, and tender moments, this book is perfect for readers who love relatable characters and dual POVs.

Jenna and Olivia are cousins who are high school graduates and are ready for the next chapter in their lives. Each is experiencing their own set of obstacles; Jenna feels like everyone is moving on and making adult moves while she is staying in place, and Olivia just found out her boyfriend of 5 years cheated on her. This is the last summer they can enjoy the 'carefree' life before adulting begins, and Jenna decides to throw one last hurrah at her family's lakeside cottage.

Jenna finds shocking comfort in her childhood rival, Hari, and Olivia lets her guard down with her ex's best friend, Dylan. It's surprising, charming, and angsty. I love the romance between each new couple/pair because it helps each cousin learn more about themselves. Jenna begins to realize that being in control of everything is simply impossible and to appreciate the journey rather than stress about the destination. Olivia's personal growth is astounding. So much of her life was wrapped up in her cheating ex, Alessio, and she finally gains that confidence in her judgement.

First time reading Jessica Cunsolo was a success. I enjoyed the likable, relatable, and engaging writing style. I admit that Dylan and Olivia were my favorites, but I appreciated the heart of Jenna's story so much because she went through so much in her young life. I look forward to reading more stories by Jessica Cunsolo!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity!

Jessica Cunsolo has done it again! My 22-year-old self was not reading this my 16-year-old self was. We follow two cousins who are soon to be going off to college. Both of them are going through major life changes and are trying to navigate their relationships through the shift. This book took me through all the frustration and nostalgia and grief I had in my teen years as everything changed around me. The only issues I had throughout the whole thing was that the slow pacing almost lulled the story to a stop which made this a much longer read for me than I am used to with Jessica's books. I also found trouble with just how many characters there were. It almost became confusing to follow based on how many names and people we focus on through the story. All that aside, this story was a really refreshing YA teen fiction that focused on friendship and coming of age instead of solely focusing on the boys in the story as romantic interests. What a refreshing summer teen book that is reminiscent of the YA books of my childhood.

- 2 couple story line
- bestfriend’s ex girlfriend
- enemies to lovers
- grief
- family/friendship
- self discovery

I really liked the story line to this all but it kinda felt a little flat/slow at times. The story line kinda felt like “it’s not summer without you” and “happy place” had a baby. Jenna. Really felt selfish and bratty. Nothing surprised me in the book. Overall if you are looking for a light, summer read, that’s more predictable maybe look into this.

The book started out really good and had my attention but after a few chapters, it slowed down and I wanted to DNF a couple times. I’m glad that I kept going though because it got better. Overall the plot was good but the characters weren’t that lovable. Was this book memorable? No, but I did like it.

Best Summer Ever by Jessica Cunsolo is a fantastic YA contemporary romance.
Set in a charming lakeside house, this dual POV beach read is the perfect combination of enemies-to-lovers, family drama, and female friendship.
I fell in love with our main characters and their relationship.
I love Jessica Cunsolo and her phenomenal writing.

This is such a fun YA story! It definitely flows like a Wattpad story - and that's not a bad thing at all.
I think the pacing, the ending of chapters on dramtic statements, and the dual POV story all make this feel like a quintisssential Young Adult story.
There is romance, yes, and it is all very cute. (you have a dislike to lovers and friends to lovers)
But mostly I think this book is about family and being honest with oneself, letting go of control, and about asking for what you want.

I like the dual POV - the points of view were not who I thought they would be, and I appreciated the different take on a coming of age story.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad Books for the eARC!

Big thanks to Wattpad Books & Jessica Cunsolo for this ARC of Best Summer Ever 💌

When it comes to summer romance books, I gravitate toward feel-good, drama-filled YA romcoms that hit like your favorite coming-of-age TV shows. 😏 If you loved The Summer I Turned Pretty or To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, this one reads like the perfect blend of both. It's the ultimate beach read to start your summer. 🎥🍿

🛶 What I loved:
Everything. I want my YA romance novels to have drama, emotional tension, and relatable characters, and this book totally delivered. It explores:
🩷 Cheating & trust
🩷 Outgrowing old friendships
🩷 Family dysfunction
🩷 Finding your voice
🩷 Healthy communication (!!!)

🛶 Expect:
💥 Relationship drama
🎓 College-bound coming-of-age
🗪 Dual POV
👯 Strong female friendships
☀️ Small-town summer setting
🔥 Steam: kissing only

🛶 How was the romance?
Two arcs: one centers on childhood love & self-discovery, the other on emotional intimacy & breaking down walls. Both were sweet, heartfelt, and hit all the right notes for a YA love story. 🥰

🛶 Do I recommend it?
Absolutely. If you’re after a low-spice summer romance that still brings the tension, banter, and emotional pull, Best Summer Ever is a must. 🥹😍

🛶 Perfect for fans of:
📚 Jenny Han
📚 Kasie West
📚 Sarah Dessen

🛶 Mood: ✨ Nostalgic | 🏖️ Coastal summer | 👯‍♀️ Girlhood

🛶 Read if you like:
👙 Small-town beach reads
💗 YA friendship
😎 Coming-of-age summer stories
🎬 Books that feel like Love & Gelato or The Summer I Turned Pretty

When I started this one, I was not sure at all how I’d feel about it. The ages of the characters threw me off in the beginning but after researching the age of consent and age of consumption for Canada, I felt better. It turned out to be a really good book and is definitely a 5 star read for me. I can’t wait to get a completed physical copy once it is published.

Jenna = annoyingly selfish and bratty bitch
I didn't like her in the first book (Best Vacation Ever) and she wasn't even there. But just with what was said about her, I really disliked her and now she's one of the main characters in this one, so that was not a great start. Also, this is another story about teenagers making stupid decisions. The writing was very basic (as with all the Jessica Cunsoko books I've read), but with a book published by Wattpad, what can you expect? The story often felt redundant and like it was going nowhere. I did like Olivia and her storyline much better, but it was hard for me to read all the underage drinking... I mean do these kids ever do anything else? All in all, not my favorite book by this author.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I don't know how to feel tbh 😭 I liked the story but I don't like how the romance is literally just the last two chapters of the book 🥲 and even Olivia is still not officially with Dylan, but ig some people can relate to her but me cuz if someone cheats on me and takes advantage of me this badly? This person is out of my life and I'd not even think about them again. Idk I hoped that we'd get a little more romance before the book finished but I did like the plots of Olivia and Jenna, and I liked the love potential between JennaxHari and OliviaxDylan that's why I'm sad we didn't have more of them 🥲

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC! I love the opportunity to check out books for my library before they are released.

Meet Jenna, whose life is going in a drastically different direction than she anticipated: Her best friend is going to a different college than they'd discussed, her dad is moving to Vancouver AND selling both of their homes, and she's just had a confusing run in with her middle school nemesis Hari, who has had quite the glow up since she saw him four years ago.

Meet Olivia, Jenna's cousin, whose life is imploding before her eyes as she discovers her boyfriend of five years cheated on her while on a guy's trip to Cuba. They were supposed to be moving in together, but instead, they are taking a break as she figures out what she wants.

Despite her father's insistence that she's not allowed to, Jenna plans one last hurrah with her friends at the cottage, where all her memories of her mother are strongest. Told in alternating perspectives, Best Summer Ever is the story of two girls who both are faced with difficult situations and have to figure out not only what to do, but also who they are in the face of the twists and turns of their lives.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. The main characters were well done, and I felt deeply for both. I thought Cunsolo did a fantastic job with their inner turmoil and their story lines. Their romantic interests were also pretty solid. The other side characters, though? You could have thrown away half (all) of them. It felt a little like a checklist the author had in her head to meet certain criteria or something instead of natural, meaningful diversity. There was one friend, Robbie, who literally talked once even though he was on the whole trip; all I knew about him was that he DJed, had dreads (I think), and was gay. Truly, he had one to three lines of dialogue the whole book, and it was all at the beginning. It was really weird. The other side characters were not much better. I could not have cared less about any of them. Cunsolo did a great job with the setting and description in scenes, though. I've never been to Canada, and I know practically nothing about it (I had to Google what a Muskoka chair is), but I felt like I could see a lot of the scenes despite my lack of familiarity. I thought she really brought the places and main characters to life. I even found myself crying in the car as I finished up the last 10% thanks to Jenna and her dad. I'd definitely recommend this book to my students looking for a summer romance that is light, but also has some good emotional depth.

I have a new must read author! This is my first Jessica Cunsolo book and it will not be my last!
This is the perfect novel to read this summer! I had the privilege of getting to devour this novel while on a weekend in Muskoka (which is the setting of this book). The story is told as a dual narration by the two FMC which adds different perspectives to the same events. There is great character development and plot twists and turns that keep the story interesting.

Best Summer Ever is considered YA but I think that it would appeal to a wider audience as there is much more depth to the story then I would normally expect from a typical YA read.

Thank you Net Galley, Jessica Cunsolo, Wattpad and Webtoon Book Group for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions shared are my own.
Best Summer Ever is expected to be released June 10, 2025 and needs to be put at the top of your summer TBR!!

Best Summer Ever was a good summer read. It was a 3-star read for me, and here's what I loved and what I didn't love:

LOVED:
- Canadian setting!!
- Summer, cottage vibes
- Challenging family and friendship dynamics

Didn't Love:
- Nothing surprised me in this book
- Lack of genuine romance

Overall, I'd recommend this as a light, summer read if you're looking for something a bit more predictable.

Thank you to Wattpad Webtoon Book Group and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

best summer ever by @jesscunsolo, out june 10, 2025!! 🐢☀️🌲🌊🦢👙🥾📱🪷🛶

so excited i got early access to this book!! i’ve been a fan of jessica’s writing for 10 years now (omg i’m dizzy at that) so this arc approval was extra amazing hehe 🤭 i won’t have my physical copy until release obvi so i thought why not show my collection of jessica cunsolo books or as i call it the jccu (jessica cunsolo cinematic universe.. duh)

best summer ever is a standalone spin off interconnected with the book best vacation ever & featuring some of the same characters & taking place a few weeks after the events of bve 😌 one thing i love about the jccu is the variety of its incredible aspects & their strategic placement in their narratives to be best suited to each theme, like the single pov of the with me series, the dual pov of two best friends in bve, and the dual pov of two cousins with their own friend groups in bse. her books are also just so bingeable (i get through them in a couple sittings bc i can never put them down and then i have withdrawals from the fun </3) and MADE to buddy read i swear, if i could have real time updates of everyone reading them i'd never need tv again

her writing has this ability to capture and embody the fresh excitement and spontaneous fun of young adulthood while also representing the struggles and anxieties of it. idk if this is because i first read swm before i was even a teenager myself but to me her books echo the kind of young adulthood you'd dream about as a kid, and reading it is like actually getting to live it. i feel like a piece of myself comes home in every book of hers i read getting to feel that excitement, certainty, & belonging. her characters & their voices have so much personality and authenticity, and the dynamics have me consistently giggling at the screen, laughing at dialogue, feeling understood, and egging on a confrontation all throughout. she's incredible at writing large casts of distinct complex characters and multifaceted ride or die friendgroups, & i'm always so invested in everything that happens with each of them & how they all impact the story (another reason the interconnectedness is SO fun. it truly is a cinematic universe atp)

another thing i've begun to notice & appreciate more as an adult is the intentionality behind the execution of the underlying themes or even just seemingly inconsequential character actions. people don't realize how inherently political and influential young adult, especially contemporary/romance, as a genre is and you will never find her books romanticizing mistreatment in any friendship, romance, or family dynamic, or giving off the impression that drunk driving isn't a big deal, or dismissing boundaries like it's not important to be allowed the growth and grace to recognize who you are. these are the implicit messages young adults pick up and internalize, and i see them more overtly now and feel so safe & proud knowing that the kids reading these books will know not to take shit from anyone, the importance of communication, to never lower their standards, or to never be anything less than who they are & that it’s okay not to know who that is quite yet. jessica highlights both the differences and similarities in these characters & their struggles through their juxtaposition in the dual povs, representing how we’re never alone in our feelings & how we all react to & handle things differently and that’s okay

these books will always bring me so much joy & peace & my shelf grows as does my admiration <33

This was such a fun summer read and reminded me so much of "happy place". i enjoyed both perspectives and the individual and unique challges that came with both sides. This was such a good story outlining the importance of friendships and the challenges that come along with the transition form high school to college life.

I have a love/hate relationship with this book. I think the storyline between the main character and her Dad is very real and happens. Also her fears of being alone and everyone leaving her. What I couldn't stand is how much these kids drink. I understand they are teens that just graduated... But it starts out with them having a party. They have other parties. They sit around and drink. And the chapters flipped between the cousin characters, which made it feel somewhat repetitive and slow.

Thank you NetGalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group for the ARC.

#BestSummerEver #NetGalley