all of Brenda Novak's book are awesome. and this one was no exception!!!!!!! so so good!!! had me hooked from the beginning

This was a very emotional and addictive novel, loved every chapters of it. I couldn't put it down.

A must to add to your TBR.

Highly addictive and emotional! With a riveting storyline, Novak takes her readers on a heartfelt story of reconnection and righting wrongs. The main character Lucy returns to the place where her life changed forever because 15 years later she still hasn't been able to let go of the feeling like something doesn't add up. She sets out on a journey to discover the truth once and for all about what happened on that one summer night, but twists and turns make for even more turmoil as she shakes up the town in a way no one will ever be able to forget. There's sadness, emotion, reconnection and love shining bright as numerous people step up to get to the truth and let justice prevail. The core of the story was very quick to catch my attention and hold it throughout. I enjoyed the twists and I especially enjoyed seeing love conquer all. Highly recommend!

Fifteen years ago Lucy McBride (now known as Lucy Sinclair) had a life altering event in her life that changed her course of life. Her father was accused and convicted of three murders in their small town of North Hampton Beach. This community decided to accuse and convict Lucy as well, even though she had nothing to do with it. As young girl she fled her home with very little money and no family to help as her father went to prison.

Fast forward to the present, Lucy is not the same timid girl who left all those years ago. She is back in town to right what she considers a wrong. She does not believe her father, Mick McBride, was responsible for one of the deaths. She is determined to prove to the world and this judgmental town that a killer has been free all of this time simply because they were willing to accept if Mick killed two people, why not a third.

Ford Wagner really did love Lucy all those years ago, but he did not stand up for her. She did not fit in the class that his family expected of him. So, though he did not believe she was responsible, he did not take up for her. He is back in town and things are not going so well for him. Now he sees an opportunity to right a wrong when he realizes Lucy is back as well.

I had no idea what this story was about until I started reading it. I love this author's books for my summer beach reads. When I dove into it, I was delighted with the plot and the characters. I love a good cold case mystery, even one that is supposedly solved. I also love the fact that Lucy had overcome so much, and now she was ready to fight. This woman had grit and determination. She had overcome the statistics of a girl who pulled herself up by her boot straps and made a living, when most would not have done so well. Ford was a great character as well. He truly cared about helping Lucy out. This is a perfect beach reach merely because of the setting.

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

If you’re looking for a fast paced wonderful written murder mystery then I highly recommend this book!
Lucy‘s father was convicted of three murders. Even though Lucy is totally heartbroken about this she absolutely does not believe that her father is responsible for the murder of Aurora.
So she has returned to North Hampton Beach. She is determined to prove her father’s innocence. Upon arriving in town, one of her first encounters is with her high school, sweetheart Ford. He ends up going out of his way to help Lucy in anyway he can. He even hires a private detective.
There is a lot of family dynamics in the story. Fords estranged wife really adds to the drama.

This is definitely a page Turner and it was very hard to put down !
I definitely give it a five star stamp of approval.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Lucy Sinclairs father is in prison for killing 3 people when she was 17. Fifteen years later she returns to North Hampton Beach because she doesn't believe he is guilty of all three murders. She was from the wrong side of the tracks, so when they suspected her father did it back then, they didn't investigate further. Her high school boyfriend, F0rd Wagner is back in town dealing with his own problems. He feels guilty about how things ended so he decides to help her prove her fathers innocence. The towns people are not very happy about this. This is a feel good story about not giving up on first loves.

The Summer That Changed Everything by Brenda Novak ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lucy goes back to her home town to find answers to a fifteen year old murder, her father is sitting in jail for. She's not welcomed by all.
What she wasn't expecting to find was her ex boyfriend Ford.
You think you have it all figured out but you'll be surprised I know I was. Brenda keeps your attention from start to finish

You will read a small town mystery with a twist a second chance romance

Thank you Netgallery and publishers for the advanced copy for my honest review.

First and foremost, thank you to the publisher and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I loved this story and it was definitely worth the read!

Lucy’s father was convicted of three murders 15 years ago. While DNA evidence linked him to two victims, the third murder, involving a girl Lucy's age, seemed circumstantial. Now, Lucy returns home to uncover the truth, discovering far more than she expected, including reconnecting with her ex-boyfriend, Ford. The town resents her return, but Lucy is determined to prove her dad's innocence in the teen murder. This spicy romantic mystery will keep you guessing. I found myself deeply invested in solving the case and enjoyed seeing Lucy and Ford rekindle their relationship.

This was my first read by Brenda Novak, and I loved her writing and the way she kept me thinking I knew who was guilty, but still had doubt. I will be picking up one of her books again.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this advanced copy of The Summer That Changed Everything, and Brenda Novak for a terrific story.

Secrets, murder, and a second chance romance in a beach town. Lucy's father has been in prison for killing her classmate Aurora and Lucy, now that she' s an adult is determined to prove he didn't do it. It's been fifteen year since Ford ditched her in the wake of the trial and he's back in town too,, separated from his wife and thinking about his future. They team up to get answers, This is told with multiple POVs and moves around a bit in time. You, like me, might guess the real villain early on but it's the journey, especially between Lucy and Ford that makes this a good read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, No spoilers.

This book had an interesting plot twist eary on and a totally unexpected one later. It has an unusual storyline for Brenda Novak but all in all, it was a good read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 3.75

If you’re a reader who likes:
-a beach town setting
-not one murder mystery, but two
-second chance romance
… then this is the book for you.

I was fairly entertained by this story and driven to find out what happened that summer all of those years ago. I lowered my rating for some cheese factors, but still enjoyed this read. I was surprised when one of the mysteries (real killer) was revealed so early, but found I enjoyed getting that killers inner dialogue, while still reading until the end to discover the killer of the other murder mystery. I felt like the reader was left out of some of the big reveals and it was almost “closed door” to some of the moments the book was building to.

📖 Lucy comes back to clear her father’s name of the conviction and sentence of the murder of 3 people 15 summers ago. Her ex-boyfriend (who left her when her father was arrested) arrives back in their beach hometown at the same time to escape from his ex-wife.

always enjoy Novak’s books. They are always intriguing and she blends genres flawlessly, there’s a little bit of something for everyone in her books. The Summer That Changed Everything is a small town murder mystery with a side of second chance romance.

After 15 years, Lucy, the FMC, returns home to try to prove her father didn’t commit the murder(s) he was wrongly convicted of. The townspeople were awful to her after the conviction back then causing her to leave town, but she is back and isn’t letting anyone run her off until she knows the truth. When she gets to town her old boyfriend, Ford, happens to be back in town as well. As they begin to reconnect, she’s able to convince him why she believes her father is innocent. The duo becomes a team to try and figure out the mystery of who really committed these murders.

This story is told in multiple POVs not very often does the murderer out themselves early in the book, but in true Novak form, she's not afraid to shake the “norm” up. I wasn’t sure where else the story could go after learning this info, but to my surprise we were just getting started on what became a wild ride full of twists and turns all the way to the end. I don’t want to say too much and give anything away, but this book is full of shady, unlikable, unreliable characters who hold lots of secrets and missing pieces to the puzzle which sets the scene for a great who-done-it mystery.

The audio book made for a great immersive experience. The narrator, Courtney Patterson, did a great job with giving each character their own voice. Her tone and pacing were spot on and helped create a mysterious, suspenseful atmospheric setting and plot.

Add this fast paced summer mystery to your summer TBR!

Thank you @htpbooks @readmirabooks @htp_hive @htpbooks_audio and @authorbrendanovak for the #gifted ARC and ALC. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Brenda Novak for this advanced reader’s copy of The Summer That Changed Everything

I enjoyed this book and I found it to be interesting but it didn’t exactly wow or shock me in any way. It was still a good book and the story was intriguing, but some parts were predictable so overall I’d just have to say it was good! Also I did enjoy the multiple POVs throughout, that was something that I feel really added to the story. This is obviously a personal preference and I would still recommend others to give it a read!

This book took me on a ride! I really felt for Lucy and what she went through when her father was convicted of murder while she was still in high school. Then coming back to her hometown to find out what really happened. I don’t want to give anything away, but man, it really was an emotional book that I think the cover does not reflect. I did enjoy the help she finally receives from Ford in the present, her high school bf that ended things when she needed him most.

Just read this book!

This was a fun read…there’s a big mystery AND a building romance! I loved Lucy and her fierce determination to find out if her father was, in fact, the murderer in a small coastal town when she was a teenager. This would be a great beach read!

Did Lucy's father really kill 3 people 15 years ago or is there more to the story. Lucy sets out to answer just this but people in her small town want the past to stay in the past.

THE SUMMER THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING – Brenda Novak
Mira
ISBN: 978-0-778-38768-8
June 3, 2025
Contemporary Romance

North Hampton Beach, Virginia – Present Day

Fifteen years ago, Lucy Sinclair’s life changed when her father was accused and convicted of murdering three people, including one of Lucy’s classmates. She hasn’t seen her father since, but one day she pays him a visit at the prison, where he insists that he didn’t kill Aurora, Lucy’s classmate. Lucy decides to return to Virginia and rent a beach bungalow in hopes of asking questions about Aurora’s murder. Back then, it was pretty much an open-and-shut investigation. Of course, Lucy’s return and questions will stir up old wounds. In fact, she has several people come right up to her and tell her to go away. But Lucy is determined. Then, she learns that her ex-boyfriend, Ford Wagner, is also spending the summer at the beach house next door…

Ford recently separated from his pregnant wife, Christina, who wants him back, not for love but for the money that will keep her in grand style. He plans to spend the summer deciding if getting back with her is the right thing to do. He learns that Lucy will be staying next door, which stirs up memories and regret because he dumped her when her father was arrested. Ford soon spots Lucy and contacts her. She is cool toward him, but he listens to her when she tells him what she has learned so far about the night Aurora was killed. Like Lucy, he quickly realizes there are holes in the investigation and hires an investigator. Will they crack the case and ease Lucy’s mind about her father? What about the two other people killed? Did Lucy’s alcoholic father really commit the crimes?

THE SUMMER THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING is a bit of a whodunit mystery about a past crime and the reconstruction of what happened that night. Once Lucy’s father was arrested, she became a persona non grata because she was the killer’s daughter. Since she was only seventeen, one could understand her confusion over whether her only parent was guilty or not. But having Ford abandon her was the final straw. After talking to her father, Lucy wants to get to the bottom of the murder of Aurora. Her father was drunk that night and remembers very little. She is resistant to Ford’s help at first, but after somebody breaks into the cabin, she realizes that someone wants to force her to leave town. She soon appreciates his help, even as old romantic feelings are rekindled. But Ford is still married to Christina.

As Ford and Lucy ask around town, they meet with reluctance and hostility. His old friend, Chet, believes that Lucy’s father killed Aurora for Lucy because Aurora was trying to break up Ford’s relationship with Lucy. After the break-in at the bungalow, Ford has Lucy move in with him at his beach house. This leads to them changing their relationship from one of friendship to one of lovers. But Christina is persistent in wanting him to return to DC, and soon, Ford’s mother finds out about Lucy. She isn’t happy. Will all these people come between Ford and Lucy? What will he decide about Christina? Will the murder(s) be solved, and is Lucy’s father innocent of at least one crime?

THE SUMMER THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING is an intriguing and entertaining tale that you won’t want to put down. Don’t miss this captivating read.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

I picked up this book because of the cover, and let me tell you, I was totally surprised by what I found inside. I’ve never read anything by this author before, and I was in a bit of a reading slump, so I was hoping for something to get me back on track. But boy, was I in for a treat!

The story was absolutely captivating, and the characters were so well-developed that I couldn’t put it down. I found myself rooting for Lucy, and I really connected with her journey. It was a tough read, but it was also incredibly moving.

And let’s not forget about the small-town setting. It was so charming and inviting, and it added a whole new layer of depth to the story. This book was a real page-turner, and I loved every minute of it.

The writing style was simply amazing. It was so engaging and descriptive that I felt like I was right there with the characters. And Ford… oh my gosh, he had my heart from the very beginning. I was rooting for him to break free from his past and embrace his true self.

And you know what? He did! He wasn’t afraid to face his family and friends, and he stood up for what he believed in. It was a heartwarming story, and I’m so glad I read it.

If you’re looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat, I highly recommend this one. Trust me, you won’t regret it!
About Book:
Lucy had changed her name and moved on from her life. After 15 years ago a summer changed everything in her small town. Lucy mother had left her at young age. It was her father and her living in a mobile home park. Her father Mick had a drinking problem. Which led him into some trouble. Which three people lost their lives. Lucy wasn’t sure about one of the people who lost their lives that night. Lucy comes back into the town that made her run away. Even her boyfriend turn on back then. But when she comes back she doesn’t realize how much is going to change. And all the people who want to help and the people have secrets that need those secrets kept buried.
I highly recommend this thank you the author and the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read such a page turner of a book. This book comes out June 3, 2025 and don’t skip on this book. My reviews will be up on bookbub, amazon, Goodreads, Instagram, TikTok @Amanda_coffee_books

This book is fine. That’s about the best way to describe it. The beginning is slow and repetitive. The ending is predictable, especially considering how one-dimensional some of the characters are. We are practically beat over the head with these human caricatures, so it’s super obvious who is going to be involved. There are a couple of little detail reveals that are surprising. Also, I am someone who knows and loves big words, but there were a couple words in here that it feels like the author opened up a thesaurus to find herself a new word, then used it on repeat to make sure we knew how smart she was. But repetitive does seem to be the theme of the book. The last 2/3 of the book aren’t a bad read. The premise of this book gave it sooooo much potential that it didn’t live up to, but it’s not a bad little thriller for the summer. You’ll have a good time reading by the pool. But will you ever pick it up again for a reread? I doubt it. Even still, I feel it’s all but guaranteed to be turned into a limited TV series. And it could be a good one. The elements are there, and, like I said, it’s a good by the pool book, but they just didn’t all come together as well as they could have. I received an ARC in return for an honest review.