This was my first Denise Hunter book and I really enjoyed it. Young widow Maggie sees a person who she believes to be her husband who was killed in the line of duty 5 years prior. This sets in motion a summer of trying to determine who this person is. Ultimately this is a sweet romance about lost and found love, family, friendship and what really matters in life. I loved the characters and the clever way the author worked out the initial mystery to leave a very satisfying ending.

This book was well written and I enjoyed the audio version, feeling as if I was transported into the story. I am not a fan of the siblings widow/widower or divorced partner trope. No matter what way it is written, it is cringe. That being said, this book is the best I have read with this trope, taking care to address the time needed for a relationship like this and the concerns that arise both internally and by other characters in the book. It also had the best background relationship between the characters to make it feel as believable as possible to lower the cringe level. This isn't my favorite title by Denise due to this trope, but it was still a great read, full of emotion and a bit of mystery that had me hooked until the end. 3.5 - 4 stars

As promised, this was a sweet romance. I read the book but mostly listened to the audiobook on a train ride from Washington D.C. to NYC and it fit the bill perfectly. I am not usually one for romance novels but the characters were well developed and appealing and the plot was sufficiently interesting to keep me engaged the whole way through. There was a moment where I wondered if the novel was going to veer into the supernatural, which would have not worked as well from my perspective, but it didn't. At the beginning, I was afraid it was going to be sad because, well, it was about a young woman whose husband had died, leaving her with a child to raise. But, as often is the case with these kinds of books, it was uplifting.
The narrator was good, though I think her delivery of the child's lines bordered on annoying.
I would give this 4.25 stars. There were moments when the novel veered into the "trite" category, particularly in dialogue when I cringed at the predictability of a few lines and the actions of a few characters. However, it was a good read and I do want to check out the writers other work.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Audio for providing me with copies of the book and audiobook in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Now that was a stay-up-late-to-finish book! I believe this is my first Denise Hunter book even though I am familiar with the name, but it won't be the last! I loved the mystery arc of this book. It created increased depth and excitement. I loved the setting and overall atmosphere of the island summer vacation feel. There are no swears or alcohol and level 2 kisses only. Present tense, Dual POV with a few chapters in a third person's POV that created further depth and understanding on the readers part.

I really ended up loving this book. I loved the characters and the storyline. This book had me anxiously anticipating what was going to happen next, in the best way possible. There were a lot of twists and turns along the way that were brilliant. I absolutely loved the ending. I could relate to so many things in this book, as a young widow left a single parent with a narcissistic mother to boot. So a lot of the feelings Maggie expressed, I have also felt. I listened to the audiobook and while I’m not a huge fan of third person narration, I did end up getting used to it. The narrator did a great job. 🎡

I would like to thank Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio and NetGalley for giving me an ARC (which did not sway my opinions or review).

What a sweet and sorrowful second chance romance woven into a found family story.

Maggie lost her husband Ethan 5 years ago but has stayed close to his family, including his younger brother Josh.

Maggie always felt like she could be herself around Josh and he has harbored feelings for her, long before Ethan's passing. With a sighting at the beginning of summer of a man that could be Ethan's twin, it changes Maggie amd Josh's relationship forever.

A twisty, keep you guessing amd doubting everyone's integrity made for a great heartfelt story.

If you enjoy found family then I suggest you pick up this story!

I did a combination of e-book and
audiobook for this one and enjoyed both.
The narrator was excellent.

This family drama had just enough romance thrown in. I really liked the two main characters and the way their characters were written.

I did not care for the main character’s mother, but I know her character was written that way to deepen the plot and shape the way the main character related to events in her life.


I found the “twist “ and ending of book satisfying.

I know what you're thinking, how could you possibly love a story about a widow falling for her brother in law?! But this story is so much more than a "taboo" romance. Denise Hunter gracefully navigates grief, forgiveness and love after loss.

The story of Maggie & Josh take us on an emotional roller coaster as they uncover a "secret" that has the ability to push them apart or draw them closer.

If you're looking for an emotionally deep romance with a little bit of mystery, this needs to be an immediate add to your TBR!

I really enjoyed reading this sweet, emotional story. I loved how supportive Maggie’s in-laws were of her. Most of the time, they completely rallied around her. Maggie was finally ready to move on after her husband’s unexpected death, when she thinks she sees him in the distance. Josh has had feelings for Maggie since they were in high school and had kept it to himself the entire time because she was his brother’s girlfriend and then wife. They team up to try to find out who she had seen and it leads to drama at every turn. Josh was the perfect match for Maggie, as a friend and in love. This story was such a fun, easy read. It had me hooked from page one and there were a lot of fun surprises. It was my first Denise Hunter book and it will definitely not be my last!

5 out of 5 stars – A Heartwarming Summer Romance with Depth and Charm

The Summer of You and Me is everything I want in a contemporary romance—tender & beautifully written.

The characters feel incredibly real. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable, and I found myself rooting for them from the very first chapter. What sets this novel apart is how it balances sweet romance with deeper emotional threads—grief, second chances, and the healing power of love.

Hunter's descriptions of the coastal setting are so vivid, you can almost feel the ocean breeze and hear the waves. It's the perfect escape, especially for readers craving a story that feels both comforting and meaningful.

Highly recommend for anyone who loves heartfelt, clean romance!

Hands down I loved this book. Could not stop listening when I started. I had to know what happened next. You walk through heartbreak with the main character and feels every part of the heartbreak. But then it was happy and you felt every part of that emotion too. It was just the perfect read. And would he great for a summer read.

This book was a beautifully written story full of love, heartache, and suspense. It was definitely quite the roller coaster at times. I enjoyed how the mystery of who Will’s father was continued to build as time went on. I have not read anything quite like this.

I thought there was a good representation on how therapy can help with overcoming grief and emotional abuse. I also love that Ethan’s family was so including of Maggie even after Ethan’s passing.

It was extremely refreshing to read a book that talked about Christian values and beliefs. I love that they included praying and going to church into the storyline.

I gave this 4 stars because even though I was rooting for Josh the entire book, it took some time for me to look past the fact that he was Ethan’s brother.

Thank you so much to NetGalley as well as Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this ARC of The Summer of You and Me.

#TheSummerofYouandMe #NetGalley

Denise Hunter’s The Summer of You and Me is a touching and emotionally rich romance that captures the essence of young love, deep-rooted friendship, and the courage it takes to open one’s heart again. With her signature warmth and heartfelt storytelling, she delivers a beautiful summer story that lingers long after the last page.
Maggie, our main protagonist, is trying to let go of her traumatic past. She has lost her husband, Ethan Reynolds, who was deployed on a military mission in Pakistan. Maggie has not recovered from her past, and for five years she’s lived with his memory, while raising her daughter. Now she is considering being open to a new relationship.
Unbeknownst to her, Maggie’s brother-in-law, Josh Reynolds, has always been in love with her. But he’d kept his emotions in check, knowing Maggie hadn’t moved on from her past. Until one day, Maggie tells him she’s seen her husband’s twin in a crowd.
Maggie and Josh are on the hunt for looking for Ethan. Their connection feels natural and deeply layered, evolving through shared memories, unresolved feelings, and tender moments that sparkle with emotional truth.
The setting—a quaint beach town—adds a dreamy, sun-kissed atmosphere that perfectly frames the story. What stands out most is the emotional depth. The author gracefully tackles themes of loss, grief, parenthood, and personal growth while maintaining a light, hopeful tone. Maggie’s internal struggles and Josh’s quiet strength make their journey feel both realistic and inspiring.
The Summer of You and Me is more than just a summer romance—it's a heartfelt exploration of second chances and the risks we take for love. Fans of clean, emotionally resonant love stories will be swept away by Maggie and Josh’s unforgettable summer.
I received an audio Arc from NetGalley.

I thought I had this one figured out REAL early, but was pleasantly surprised I was wrong! I LOVED the mystery aspect of this book, it reminded me of When We Believed in Mermaids by Barbara O’Neal. Unfortunately, the romance was not convincing at first. It seemed very rushed and I did not like the overuse of the nickname “honey” because I was not interested in the relationship part of the book (shocking I know!). Thankfully it got better towards the end. This book is SO bingeable! It’s like she put crack in it, I couldn’t put it down!

Read if you like found family and second chance romance!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @thomasnelson, @zondervanbooks, @netgalley for the ALC! Out TODAY!!

Denise Hunter books are great when you need a light, clean read. This one has a mystery identity plot that keeps the reader wondering.and reading. I would have preferred more of that plot than the romance but that is just me.
An audiobook is always more enjoyable when there is both a female and male reader and so I think I would have enjoyed this if I would have read it completely in print. The male voice was not quite distinguishable enough for me.

I LOVED this book-so, so much!!
The story follows a military widow who lost her husband while he was deployed overseas. We get an intimate look at her life in the aftermath-what grief really looks like when the world keeps turning.
A Set against the dreamy backdrop of a beach house in the summer, she's joined by her 4-year-old daughter and extended family as they gather to honor her husband's memory and scatter his ashes in the ocean.
But then, on the pier, she spots a man who looks exactly like her late husband. That moment shakes her to the core and sends her spiraling with questions— about life, love, faith, and what "home" really means now.
This book is such an emotional rollercoaster-raw, tender, and full of heart. It beautifully balances the weight of loss with the glimmers of hope. If you've ever experienced grief or wrestled with finding peace after heartbreak, this one will hit you right in the soul.

After seeing who she this is her deceased husband at a local carnival, Maggie goes on a journey to discover things she never imagined could have been possible.

Yet she doesn’t venture on this journey alone, she has Josh, her late brother-in-law/life long friend, turned super uncle to her only daughter. Josh however, has his own secret, he has loved Maggie since the moment he met her.

Oh man the twist and turns and the pulled heartstrings! Absolutely loved the Summer of You and Me!

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ARC.

EXCERPT: <i>Maggie lifted the phone and stepped back to capture the entire ride. Camera in place, she waited for Zoey to glance over, but her daughter was busy working the car's steering wheel. When the ride circled back around, Zoey glanced up and flashed a smile.
But a passerby blocked the shot. Maggie's gaze homed in on the screen. On the man.
A tsunami slammed into her heart.
She gaped at his face even as he exited the frame. </i>It couldn't be. <i>She lowered the phone and searched the crowd. There he was, disappearing into the fray.
She charged that way, her attention pinned to the spot where she'd last seen him. There. Just a car's length away, striding in the other direction. She followed, her body surging with adrenaline, her eyes wide, afraid to blink. She laser focused on the white ball cap, bobbing in the sea of people.
She crashed into somebody, glanced down as a young boy caught his balance. "Sorry, honey." Breathless words scraped from her throat, barely audible.
She glanced around, frantically seeking. In that brief moment she'd lost sight of him. Where was he? Where was he? She scrambled toward the spot where she'd last seen him, the juncture where the walkway split in three directions.
She turned in circles. No sign of him. The white hat was nowhere to be seen. Her breath hitched. Her heart shriveled. She had to return to Zoey before the ride ended.
Still she searched, growing dizzy with the motion, the spinning rides, the blaring music. With the soul-crushing realization he was gone. The unbelievable realization of who she'd just seen.
Ethan.
Impossible. She gave her head a shake. Her mind was playing tricks on her again. It couldn't be Ethan. It absolutely couldn't be her childhood sweetheart, the only man she'd ever loved, the man she'd married and conceived a child with.
Because he was killed five years ago at his military post in Pakistan. </i>

ABOUT 'THE SUMMER OF YOU AND ME': Maggie Reynolds is finally ready for love again--until the past shows up in the form of someone who may or may not be the late husband she thought she'd lost.

Five years after her husband's death, Maggie is finally ready to let go of him and the dreams she had for their future. A summer at Seabrook, where she and Ethan first became childhood sweethearts, seems the perfect time and place to find closure. Plus, she gets to spend time with his family, the Reynoldses, whom she loves like her own.

Unbeknownst to Maggie, her brother-in-law, Josh Reynolds, has been in love with her since they first met all those years ago. But his brother ultimately won Maggie's heart, and Josh's unrequited love has ruined all of his relationships. If Maggie is ready to move on, then Josh is ready to lay it all on the line and come clean about his true feelings for her.

But his plans soon get put on hold when, shortly after Maggie returns to Seabrook, she runs into a man who could pass for Ethan's twin. But he disappears into the amusement-park crowd before she can confront him.

The event rattles Maggie, stirs up impossible questions, and sends Josh and her on a quest to discover the man's true identity. But their search ends up raising more questions than answers--and soon Maggie isn't sure she wants those answers at all.

MY THOUGHTS: I read a book with a similar plot to The Summer of You and Me some time ago and I have to say that I far prefer Denise Hunter's spin on the events.

There are a number of threads running through this book encompassing grief, single parenthood, artificial insemination and locating unknown family members via genealogy/DNA websites plus a healthy dose of second chance romance.

I did feel that there was far too much information on the plot contained in the blurb - it exposes more than 50% of the plot, leaving little to discover in the read. So I am going to recommend that you don't read the blurb immediately before beginning the book.

The story itself is a pleasant read/listen. I could envisage the situation between Josh and Maggie occurring and just how some family members might react. Maggie's daughter Zoey is a sweetheart and just at that age where they blurt out everything - NO FILTER! I could easily understand Maggie's feelings - after all, she has a lot to lose if it all went wrong.

The mystery keeps the book from becoming too saccharine and really had me scratching my head as Maggie and Josh managed to disprove theory after theory. The actual answer was one I hadn't even considered but was entirely plausible.

I liked but didn't love The Summer of You and Me and will probably read more from this author at some point. Kim Churchill did a great job of the narration.

⭐⭐⭐.6

#TheSummerofYouandMe #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Denise writes heartwarming, small-town romances, peopled with layered characters who have real-life issues. Her readers enjoy the vicarious thrill of falling in love and the promise of a happily-ever-after sigh as they savor the final pages of her books.

In 1996, Denise began her first novel, writing while her children napped. Her books contain a strong romantic element, and her husband says he provides all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!

Denise and her husband live in Indiana, where they raised three sons, and are currently enjoying an empty nest.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for providing an audio ARC of The Summer of You and Me written by Denise Hunter and narrated by Kim Churchill. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

4.5 ⭐️
This was my first time reading a book by Denise Hunter, and I was pleasantly surprised. The love story was unique and had me hooked from beginning to end. The trope used here can be tricky to pull off without feeling awkward or cringey, but Denise handled it beautifully.
I really loved the dynamic between Maggie and Josh and how their story unfolded—it felt authentic and heartfelt. The twist involving Will was an added bonus that kept things interesting.
Overall, it’s a clean, wholesome second-chance romance that I truly enjoyed and would recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Release date 4/22/2025

Thank you Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this audiobook due to be released April 22, 2025. All opinions are my own.

Having lost her military husband five years prior, Maggie Reynolds has finally mustered the courage to return to her hometown of Seabrook, the place that holds so many special memories of her time with Ethan as they dated, ultimately married, and looked forward to all the future held for their family. With those plans now shattered, going back to spend her summer in Seabrook would be both a struggle and a blessing. She welcomed time to spend with friends and Ethan's family, but knew her emotions would be fragile. No sooner had Maggie arrived in Seabrook that she caught a glimpse of someone who appeared to be a perfect younger version of her dead husband. After seeing her husband's look-alike and then losing him in a crowd, Maggie was shaken to her core. Her summer was going to be full of twists, surprises, adventures, and new discoveries that she would never have thought possible, and I loved being along for the ride throughout the story! This is one that has all the feels without the predictability of similar books! I look forward to reading others by this author.

The narrator/reader of the audiobook did an excellent job of pacing, clarity, and conveying emotion.