Title: The Summer of Me and You
Author: Denise Hunter
Format: 🎧
Audiobook Narrator: Kim Churchill
Publisher: Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio/Thomas Nelson Fiction
Genres: Women’s Fiction, and Romance with a bit of mystery
Audiobook Release Date: April 22, 2025
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Pages 304

Maggie Reynolds has been grieving the death of her husband Ethan who died five years ago from an explosion while serving in the military. In fact, the 5 year anniversary is coming up on the 7th. The family is planning to spread his ashes over the ocean
While her in-laws vacation in Europe Maggie and her four-year-old daughter Zoey enjoy the fun activities at Seabrook Island, South Carolina- a place Maggie and Ethan both loved.
Maggie and Zoey are enjoying their stay and Zoey is having fun on the amusement park Carnival rides. While Maggie is taking a video Zoey on a ride a man accident walks into view. Later when Maggie looks at the video she is shocked as he looks so much like Ethan. He disappears into the park crowd before she can approach him. Maggie immediately wonders if Ethan may still be alive.

Josh- Ethan’s brother has been a strong support for Maggie (Actually Josh has always been in love with Maggie but never showed her anything more than friendship.) Maggie shows Josh the picture and he agrees the man does look like Ethan.
Soon she and Josh are on a search to find the doppelganger’s true identity.

We find out more about the look alike in the second part.

This part was very interesting but also very slow – I found myself shouting at Maggie – a lot!
However, I did understand Maggie’s insecurities

My first Denise Hunter was "Before We Were Us" which I just loved and have been looking forward to another Denise Hunter story.
Narrator Kim Churchill is amazing – her voice is so pleasant I could not put this down.
Delighted that the same thing happened with this story.

Some of the reviews for this story weren’t glowing - I already was sure it wasn’t going to be as good as “Before We Were Us”~ However this ended up with me being ‘Surprised’ as to how much I loved it!

I am a big thriller fan and stay away from ‘New Adult Romance stories as I have found the romance part is over run by explicit sex
(called steamy) as well as explicit language.

LOVED that this was a Sweet Romance plus the mystery was good.
Already looking forward to the next Denise Hunter story!

I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio/Thomas Nelson Fiction for this audiobook.
Audiobook Publishing Release Date was April 22, 2025.

This was a super sweet romance! I liked the mysterious element about whether Maggie’s deceased husband was actually still alive and then who was Will’s real father (I definitely did not guess the twist with that one!). I liked Maggie and Josh’s friendship and the easy relationship that came out of that, and I especially enjoyed the yearning Josh had for Maggie after having loved her for most of his life. I did not love the third act breakup, especially because it seemed like something that could’ve been resolved with an honest conversation. But this was a cute and clean summer romance and one I would certainly recommend.🎡

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for sending me an advanced audio copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions above are my own.

I was gifted this ARC/ALC from NetGalley. Although I wasn’t able to listen and review it before it was released, I HIGHLY recommend this audiobook!
I could not listen to this book fast enough! From the first page I was hooked! Such a good romance story with a bit of mystery and 2 hella twists! The narrator was very easy to listen to. I need more Denise Hunter in my life!

new beginnings. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Seabrook, the novel offers readers a blend of mystery, romance, and emotional growth. While the central relationship may challenge traditional norms, the story's exploration of love, loss, and healing resonates deeply. For those seeking a poignant summer read that delves into the complexities of the human heart, The Summer of You and Me is a worthy addition to your reading list.

Denise Hunter has done it again!

The Summer of You & Me is packed with so much and with a twist I never saw coming.

Maggie Reynolds fell in love with her husband Ethan when they were in high school and Evan's brother, Josh, fell in love with Maggie at the age of 13. Maggie and Ethan married and Josh tried to hide his feelings and be happy for his brother and Maggie. Ethan joins the military and him and Maggie are happy that they will be starting a family.

When a mission goes awry, Ethan is killed and Maggie is beyond devastated. Five years have passed and Maggie is finally ready to try love again and Josh thinks it's his time to make a move on the love he has carried for decades. At an amusement park, Maggie see's her late husband or is it? This sends Maggie and Josh on a rollercoaster of a ride. Who is the mystery man? And can Maggie love again?

This was such an amazing read and would be a great movie to watch too!

Oh my goodness from chapter 1, Denise Hunter what have you done to me?!
I adored this book. The twists and romantic aspects, AMAZING!
The characters, absolutely so relatable!
The suspense, WHAAAAAAT?! The shock and how it was written, CHILLS! So, so good.

What a refreshing, easily flowing journey.
I so appreciate the clean, faith-filled story.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc copy of this beautiful book.

Denise Hunter's latest book was a book that was hard to put down. There were elements of mystery, romance, and drama, not to mention plot twists that kept the reader engaged. The drama was well written with some interesting side characters.
It's hard to say too much without spoilers, so I'll settle with it's a book you will want to read. I have put it on the order list for the library and will be recommending it to readers of Christian fiction.

The Summer of You and Me by Denise Hunter is a heartwarming contemporary romance that explores themes of second chances, forgiveness, and the enduring power of love. The story follows Kayla and Colton, two former high school sweethearts who find themselves reunited after years of separation.

When a family emergency brings Kayla back to her hometown, she is forced to confront her past and the choices she made that led her away from Colton. Colton, who never truly got over Kayla, is now a successful local business owner. As they reconnect, the old sparks reignite, and they are both faced with the possibility of a second chance at love. However, their path is complicated by past hurts, present-day responsibilities, and the challenges of small-town life.

Hopeful and uplifting: Hunter's writing style is known for its ability to create a sense of warmth and optimism, leaving readers feeling uplifted.

The Summer of You and Me is a sweet and engaging read that will appeal to fans of contemporary romance. Denise Hunter's strength lies in her ability to create relatable characters and heartfelt stories that explore the complexities of love and relationships. This novel is a perfect choice for readers who enjoy feel-good stories with a touch of nostalgia and a focus on the power of second chances.

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.