I received this book from NetGalle as an ARC.

This book had me hooked. Like couldn't put it down, needed to know what was going to happen hooked.

Maggie and Ethan were high school sweethearts who ended up getting married & pregnant. However, Ethan was military and ended up passing before their daughter Zoey was born. Josh, Ethan's younger brother, has always been there for Maggie. When Ethan went away for college and to the military, Josh watched over Maggie and when Ethan died, Josh stepped in to support and help Maggie and her daughter. They were close friends. Erin, Ethan and Josh's sister, was also Maggie's best friend.

With the 5 year anniversary of Ethan's death coming up, Maggie decides to spend the summer where the grew up. Staying in her in-laws beach house as they go explore Europe. She and Zoey are excited for the break, the beach, and spending time with family, but when they go to a carnival Maggie sees Ethan, or who she thinks is Ethan, her dead husband. This is when things change. She calls Josh, who comes and helps look for this man.

The whole time the search is happening, Josh is having to face the facts that he's in love with Maggie and has been since the first time he set his eyes on her.

I'm not going to share any further because I don't want to spoil the story, but this story has a few unexpected turns.

It's definitely a romance/beach read, but isn't graphic. There's nothing other than kissing, which is refreshing, as a lot of books I've read recently are downright dirty (which can be fun sometimes, but sometimes you just need a break.)

I really enjoyed this book. There were times or grief, happiness, healing, trust, vulnerability. Definitely a great easy read.

I always enjoy Denise Hunter books!. This book was no exception. The Summer of You and Me is a sweet story! Perfect for a beach vacation read or listen, as I did. The narrator is excellent! The plot was unexpectedly intriguing and kept me guessing throughout! Romance, mystery, family drama, surprise ending! Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys heartfelt, clean romance!

I would like to thank Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio and NetGalley for giving me an ARC.

This was a beautiful book about love and loss, and I absolutely loved it!

The characters are lovable and easy to root for, the storyline is just twisty enough to keep you hooked, and the narration of the audiobook was so easy to listen to.

Thank you to the author and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio / Thomas Nelson Fiction for my advance audio copy!

The Summer of You and Me by Denise Hunter is a fun summer read with an exciting plot twist that I did not see coming yet added much to the plot line. I am a big fan of all Denise Hunter books and this one did not disappoint. I enjoyed the setting of this book and could easily picture it as I was reading. The characters were believable to easy to fall in love with. The reader of this narrator was great and added so much to the overall experience of the book. Another Hunter 5 star book for me!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Well, I didn't see that coming.
bonus points for the "mermaid Maggie" at the end. I'll pretend that was for me, Denise! ;D

5 summery sugary sweet ⭐️’s

at first i was off put by the relationship dynamic but it grew on me and was written very realistically! i appreciated that the protagonists had complicated family dynamics and grief to work through, and that the fmc had a 4 year old daughter! there was just so much i could relate to, where i understand this could be a 3 or 4 star for some, but for me personally i really adored and connected with the fmc that this will become a summer comfort read (just like Novel Proposal by DH was) i adore her writing, she’s really nailed down summery Christian romance that is not cheesy but still gives you butterflies 🦋

loved the audiobook narrorator for this one!
thank you Netgalley for this ARC!

This was such a beautiful story of love. I was drawn into the characters and the heartache Maggie and Josh felt navigating the emotional rollercoaster of loss. The story made me smile and cry as I journeyed with Maggie and Josh. Narrator Kim Churchill did a lovely job with the story telling.

Thank you to NetGalley for an audio download of this title.

The Summer of You and Me is a clean romance that takes place in the Carolinas. I really was hoping I would like this one but it wasn't what I expected. The writing was good but some parts of the story were just not my favorite. I will definitely read Denise Hunter again, but this story was not for me.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All thoughts are my own.

This book marks two exciting firsts: my first ARC of the month (though the book is already out now) and my first-ever read by Denise Hunter. Safe to say, I was delightfully surprised—Hunter brings a fresh twist to the small-town romance trope, and I was hooked from page one.

The story follows Maggie, a single mom to an adorable 4-year-old named Zoey. After nearly five years of grieving her late husband Ethan, Maggie is finally ready to dip her toes into the whole “moving on” thing. Enter Josh—her brother-in-law (yes, you read that right) and long-time secret admirer who’s been in love with her since high school. He’s also her emotional support human and personal grief sherpa. Just as things start to settle, Maggie spots a man in a crowd who looks exactly like her dead husband—which is either a wild coincidence or the setup for some serious emotional whiplash.

From there, cue the mystery, the emotional spiral, the buried family baggage, and of course—the slow burn. Josh and Maggie set out to uncover the identity of this mysterious Ethan-lookalike, but what they find instead is… even more questions. Also, a surprising amount of emotional damage (both theirs and mine).

What I really appreciated was how the book doesn’t shy away from mental health themes. Maggie’s grief, abandonment issues, and strained family dynamics are handled with genuine care. I loved that the author didn’t feel the need to villainize Ethan (the late husband) to justify Josh and Maggie’s budding romance. And Josh? A green flag in human form. Patient, respectful, emotionally intelligent—where do I sign up?

Bonus points for the subplot with Will and Addison—their little romance was peak cuteness. I would absolutely read a spin-off with them.

Now for the not-so-sparkly parts: Josh calling Maggie "honey" early in the book gave me secondhand awkwardness. Like sir, we are still in the “grieving widow and platonic BFF” phase—read the room. Also, the narration in the audiobook ARC didn’t quite work for me. It lacked that spark, but that could just be a format thing.

All in all, I rate it a 3.5/5. The Summer of You and Me is a heartwarming, clean, slow-burn romance with a dash of mystery and a lot of heart. Perfect for when you want a love story without the spice but with all the feels.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced listening copy! Although the book is already published now.

Another great read by Denise Hunter! This story of Maggie and Josh was well written and had several twists and turns that I definitely wasn’t expecting. I normally read mystery novels but I really enjoyed this one! I would recommend this book. I loved the characters.

Another stunning read from Denise Hunter!!! And what a great time for it to arrive, just before the beginning of Summer... when all the world begins to emerge again into new beginnings!!!

Maggie Reynolds is a young widow with a little girl. Her husband never made it home from the troops... and never had a chance to bond with his beautiful baby girl...
So, as Maggie is settling into the calmer realm of a Summer in Seabrooke, (while her in-laws are away for the Summer, but her brother and sister-in-law remain nearby), she sees a frightening thing... What appears to be a twin to her dead husband... at the carnival. BUT, before she can even get her bearings, the guy is gone!! =0

The next day she proceeds to tell her brother in law, Josh, and he just kind of blows it off...thinking wishful thinking. BUT, she tells him that she saw this guy while she was taking pix of her daughter...so he suggests that she look through her pix. Maybe she got a shot of him?? Sure enough, there he is!! But it can't be! Can it????

And so they set out to find this guy! And the creative ways they come up with to search for him, are in fact, very entertaining!! And we have a lot of fun along the way, as well as a mixed bag of emotional feelings, too...

And, just as always before, Maggie and Josh get along splendidly!
But don't forget, there are some evil forces around too... specifically, Maggie's Mom... who doesn't understand the meaning of 'but out'.... and instead immerses herself everywhere, but most importantly, where she does NOT belong.

So, as the two of them spend more and more time together to try to get to the bottom of this mystery, well, things shift... And, nothing seems to be certain any more!

As with all of her books, you will find yourself getting attached to the surroundings, the people, and the place itself. She has the knack to build up the story and surrounding town and townspeople into a sort of village... that will always look out for you! Take you in! Nourish your very soul!!
🛑🛑 And I'm stopping... right... there! 🛑🛑

If this sounds like something you might love, please take a look for it now!
It was released on 4/22/25, so look 👀 for it on shelves now!!

#TheSummerOfYouAndMe by the one and only #DeniseHunter and narrated skillfully by #KimChurchill.

4 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me, rounded up to 5!!

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and & #ThomasNelsonFiction and #ZondervanFictionAudio for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.

You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

I loved this book. Denise Hunter is quickly becoming a new favorite author of mine. the complexities of life that were navigated in this book were difficult to say the least. I had an inkling how the end would turn out, but def not from the beginning. I thought the audio version was great and i loved the voice of the narrator. I think it added to my overall experience. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to my bookish friends.

thank you netgalley for the advanced copy of the book. the review above is entirely my own honest feelings and in no way swayed.

This was the first book I read by Ms. Hunter, and I really enjoyed it. Josh has been in love with Maggie for years but respected the fact that she fell in love with his brother. Years after his brother passed away, he has finally decided to tell her how he feels and let the chips fall where they may. Unfortunately, just as he is about to tell her, she shows him a picture of a person who looks just like his deceased brother. Maggie has always looked at Josh as her brother but has always felt comfortable with him. She tells him about the man she saw because she doesn't want to hurt the rest of the family if she is wrong.

While searching for the look-alike, they grow closer, and she starts having feelings for him. She is surprised because she never looked at him that way before and she feels like she is betraying her husband. Josh is also the only man her daughter has ever known as a father figure. The bond her daughter and Josh share is fantastic and the relationship that develops between Josh and Maggie is just as wonderful.

When the secret is revealed, it has the chance of being great or catastrophic for the family. All of the scenarios they come up with are reasonable and I was so happy with the truth. There were some moments where I felt the characters were being redundant, but I tried to not let that override my enjoyment.

The narrator did a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life and bringing emotion to the words. I would definitely read more books by this author. I received an ARC and this is my honest, voluntary review.

This was my first Denise Hunter book and it was precious!! I loved multiple POV’s because it brought the storyline back together. The romance and subtle mystery was really sweet to read and the ending was unbelievable.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this ARC.

This is my first book by this author, unfortunately. I really like the way she weaves a tale. This is a romance with a twist. The surprises kept coming. 5 stars

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was very middle of the road for me. Very lifetime/hallmarkish. I will say it took me a minute to see the final plot twist, so points for that.

It also claims to be Christian, but anything about God is only briefly mentioned and not at all a main theme of the book. I would say the characters seem more like “Sunday Christians”. I don’t mind a book where God isn’t mentioned, but don’t market it as Christian if that’s only going to be a passing theme.

I would say this for anyone looking for a clean, quick read that includes a bit of romance, a bit of mystery, and a few cliches.

4 out of 5 stars
Heartfelt and Breezy Summer Romance

The Summer of You and Me is a charming and emotional read that perfectly captures the essence of a summer filled with second chances, self-discovery, and unexpected love. Robin Constantine writes with a light yet poignant touch, crafting characters that feel real and relatable.

Rooney and Bear’s relationship unfolds with a sweet intensity that pulls you in, and the Jersey Shore setting adds an extra layer of atmosphere that makes the story feel immersive and nostalgic. While the plot hits familiar beats typical of summer romances, Constantine’s focus on family, friendship, and personal growth gives it depth.

Some moments could have been explored more deeply, especially around the emotional stakes, but overall, it’s a feel-good story that leaves you smiling. Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Jenny Han.

The Summer of You and Me is a sweet, emotionally layered romance that blends heartfelt storytelling with moments of real vulnerability. Denise Hunter captures the essence of young love and personal growth beautifully, weaving a story that's both charming and bittersweet. The characters feel authentic, and their emotional journeys—especially as they confront grief, forgiveness, and second chances—are handled with care and realism.

What really elevated this experience for me was the audiobook narration. The narrator was exceptional—her voice was expressive, her pacing was perfect, and she conveyed the emotional highs and lows with natural ease. She gave each character a distinct presence without overdoing it, which helped bring the entire story to life. It’s one of those audiobooks where the narration truly enhances the experience and pulls you deeper into the story.

While some of the romantic elements followed familiar patterns, they were still enjoyable and comforting in a way that fans of contemporary romance will appreciate. The chemistry between the lead characters felt genuine, and their emotional struggles added depth that kept me invested from start to finish.

For fans of One True Loves by TJR...

Maggie and Josh are in-laws but with a twist, his brother is dead.

The Summer of You and Me is a perfect beach read. I listened to it in audiobook form and the story was great. It was a cute read and quick read! It reminded me a lot of One True Loves but with less cohesiveness. I loved the beach setting but the character Josh lacked some depth for me.

I would have rated it more stars if the story was more cohesive. It felt like the first half of the book was about one storyline and the second was an entirely different one with the same characters.

I have been given an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review

The Summer of You and Me
By Denise Hunter
Narrated by Kim Churchill

Published April 22,2025

This was my first book by Denise Hunter and if all her books are like this she has a dedicated reader for life! I really liked being able to walk thought life with Maggie Reynolds. Through her grief and being a single parent an the all the struggles that go with it. Maggie a widow returned to Seabrook North Carolina for the summer with her sweet four year old Zoey. Then everything changes when she sees her deceased husbands doppelgänger while at the local carnival and thats when all the what ifs start running through her mind. I longed for Maggie and Josh to find their happily ever after, after everything that they both went thought loosing Ethan. This book pulled at my heart so much. There were parts that had me tearing up because I can’t even begin to imagine the hurt that Maggie was feeling during the whole time trying to figure out who the carnival boy was and if it was Ethan who was killed in action.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ALC audiobook. All opinions are my own.