After losing her husband five years ago, Maggie is ready to start again with her four years ago old daughter and find happiness again. Can the love she is looking for be nearer than she thinks? Josh has been pinning for Maggie since he met her, but she married his brother Ethan. Can he help find the answers she needs and show her his heart? The audiobook with Kim Churchill is awesome. Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC. this is my honest review.

Angst-riddled and full of surprises. In some ways this contemporary romance plays out as I thought it would…until it doesn’t. Love the way Hunter kept me balancing on an emotional tightrope all the way through. I’m still dizzy from the nosebleed heights and the occasional free fall! Brilliantly executed. Compelling read. BUT, make sure to have some (or a lot) of comfort chocolate on hand.

Loved the way the story unfolds. It’s almost lazy at times occasionally punctuated by a sense of urgency that set my pulse rate soaring. The friendship-to-more developing relationship is both precarious and hopeful. So. Many. Complications!!! Not the least of which is Josh being Maggie’s deceased husband’s brother. Yikes! Honestly, it’s my faith in Denise Hunter’s storytelling that convinced me to pick up this book despite that unusual situation!

Of course she deals with that particular issue brilliantly and weaves a captivating story full of raw emotion and soaring hope…as well as that longed for happily ever after. (Phew!)

I enjoyed listening to Kim Churchill’s narration of ‘The Summer of You and Me’. She has become a familiar voice in my audio reads and I love the way she builds upon the author’s words in order to deliver a satisfying and memorable listening experience.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

Maggie Reynold’s has spent the last five years grieving for her deceased husband Ethan. She believes she is ready to move on. Maggie is a teacher; she plans to spend the summer in Seabrook, NC along with her four-year-old daughter Zoey. While she and Zoey are visiting a carnival, she sees someone that looks like her deceased husband. She contacted Josh, her best friend and brother-in-law. Josh has loved Maggie from the day he first met her. But his older brother won Maggie’s hand. Josh’s feelings for Maggie have destroyed all his relationships including his marriage. He rushed to her side to attempt to figure out who she saw.
Maggie has feelings for Josh, but she feels guilty because he is her former brother-in-law. She feels like she is betraying Ethan. She doesn’t want to get hurt.
It is so obvious that Maggie and Josh love each other. I enjoyed watching their feeling grow and how they overcome obstacles standing in their way. Maggie and Josh work well together. They uncover several secrets as they search for the identity of the person she saw at the carnival.
The characters in this book are mostly interesting and likeable. Zoey is sweet. Josh’s parents were loving and supportive. However, Maggie’s mother is horrible. Author Denise Hunter demonstrates the importance of good family dynamics, the need for closure, the need to heal. This tale demonstrates Christian values.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

The Summer of You and Me by Denise Hunter was my first book by this author and I enjoyed it.  There were summer vibes which I needed right now, a very PG romance and family drama. This novel is appropriate for a wide variety of ages because it is not overly done on the romance. I did like the family dynamic and the characters felt warm and cozy to me. I was not a big fan of the plot, but was able to look passed it to get to the end of the novel to see where it would go. It was obvious where the book was headed which makes this for a nice light read with emotional and deep undertones.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for my gifted audiobook copy. I finished this one is a very short amount of time and overall enjoyed my time with the novel.

The Summer of You and Me is the second book I have read written by Denise Hunter and I am so excited to read more. This was such a heart touching story, pulling me through all kinds of emotions. This was quite the journey.

The character development was intense. Seeing Maggie go through her grief of losing her husband and then seeing someone who could pass for his twin. It was a process going through it all with Maggie. Josh had so many issues to overcome throughout this story it was intense. My heart broke for him.

The storyline was so good. It was better than a movie. It kept me engage the whole time. It was fun going on this journey as Maggie works on finding love again, overcoming hurdles and helping Josh along the way.

Denise did a good job intertwining faith throughout the book.

*I received a complimentary copy from the author and voluntarily chose to review it. All opinions are my own.

The Summer of You and Me by Denise Hunter
Maggie Reynolds is opening her heart again when the past slaps her in the face. She sees a man that looks like her late husband and she is thrown a wild card!
Maggie is visiting Seabrook for the summer to find closure. It was where they fell in love as kids and where Evan’s family lives. She’s never realized that Josh, her brother-in-law, has held her in his heart for many years, This unrequited love seems to have sabotaged all of his relationships.
Josh wants to lay it all out and take a chance with Maggie,
They face impossible questions as they try to unravel the mystery of this man that could be Evan’s twin. As they chase answers they are faced with more questions. Maggie isn’t sure of anything, including whether she wants answers.
What a phenomenal story! It was unexpected and so well written!
I love Denise Hunter’s ability to just walk the reader into the story. This was a beautiful experience with wonderful characters!
The prose was so well executed and the audiobook narration was wonderful! A great storyteller with a warm and telling voice! I really enjoyed it!
I would like to Thank NetGalley for the opportunity to review an ARC for both the e-book and the audiobook for this novel. Both are excellent! 5/5⭐

I really enjoyed this book. Another hit from Denise Hunter. It was heartwarming and made me chuckle at times. It did a really good job dealing with some hard issues. Thank you bet galley and the publishers for allowing me to listen to the audio arc of this

Title: The Summer of You and Me
Series: n/a
Author(s): Denise Hunter
Genre:
Publication Date: April 22nd, 2025
Publishing Co.: Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio
Length: pages/ 56 chapters
Rating: 4 .5 ⭐️ / 🌶️

Trigger Warnings:

* Death of Spouse

Tropes:

* Family Drama
* Small-Town/Home Town

Denise Hunter has written another heart-wrenching story that literally grabs you from page one! If you're looking for a dark romance read with spiciness, Ms.Hunter's novels are not for you. If you're looking for a love story with well-developed characters that you can relate to, please do yourself a favor and check out her work.

The Summer of You and Me had me on a roller coaster of emotions between FMC Maggie and MMC. Josh, you could feel the connection between these two from the very beginning, and although you learn early on that Josh is the brother of Maggie's husband, Ethan, who has passed, you can't help but long for them to have the happily ever after that they deserved. There are a few twists that will have you flipping the pages to find out how it all plays out.

Ms. Hunter has been a "must-read" author for me for several years; her storytelling is top-notch, and this latest novel in her portfolio doesn't miss. Please add The Summer of You and Me to your beach read TBR; you won't be sorry.


I'd like to thank Netgalley, Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan Fiction Audio for an advanced copy of The Summer of You and Me in exchange for an honest review.

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*

Looking for a powerful, emotive story? Look no further than The Summer of You and Me and make sure you clear your day. Maggie and Josh create such a dynamic chemistry that I found myself fully engrossed in their story. My mind was tripped up with all the possible options and explanations. I wasn’t quite sure how I wanted it to resolve and yet, when it did, it was utterly perfect, and no other outcome would have sufficed. Maggie and Josh have a beautiful friendship with long, deep roots and I love how Josh has always been there for her. Their interactions and the tender relationship with her daughter were truly heartwarming and endearing. Not to mention, all the family undercurrents created layers of complexity and realism. I genuinely loved this story and found the audio version to be even more captivating as the personalities and emotions really came through in the interactions.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

Thank you @tnzfiction and @netgalley for my early listening copy of Denise Hunter’s new novel, THE SUMMER OF YOU AND ME, out now.

The novel starts off quickly with Maggie and her daughter at a boardwalk carnival in a sleepy North Carolina seaside town, where she then thinks she sees a younger version of her dead husband. This opens the door for her to call her brother-in-law, Josh, who has always been there for her (and harbors a decades old crush for her).

This perplexing doppelganger moment drives the momentum of the novel from here on out.

As Josh and Maggie search for who he really is, there are moments of heartache and toxic family members, as well as growth and comfort.

I actually really liked the characters and felt connected to their history, I just didn’t get into the whole “husband sighting” as much…I did love the ending of the novel though, as it all ties back together nicely.

I was excited to get early access to The Summer of You and Me, the latest release from Denise Hunter. This is the third book I’ve read by her, and once again—it’s a 5-star read. The Summer of You and Me is beautifully written. Summer, small-town charm, and a plot that keeps you guessing. What more could you want? I highly recommend it!

The audiobook is narrated by Kim Churchill, who did an excellent job bringing the story and its characters to life. Her tone and emotion were spot-on. I especially appreciated how she gave distinct voices to Josh and Maggie—it made their dialogue easy to follow.

Publication Date- April 22, 2025
#TheSummerofYouandMe #NetGalley

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson/Zondervan Fiction Audio for the advanced audio book.

This book just wasn't for me. The beginning was too slow and I found myself uninterested in any of the main characters. Needing to wait until about halfway through for the story to kick into a new gear feels like asking too much from readers who have a lot of options.

OH I was drawn into this book from the beginning. I got a little disturbed in the middle - but as what usually happens with this fabulous author, I fell in love and cried with the characters! It was a wonderful book and will recommend it to everyone! Loved the narrator and will listen to this book again!

Thank you to NetGalley for this story! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

The Summer of You and Me is a tender unrequited love story that deserves an HEA. Josh is a saint and Maggie is about to realize what a blessed woman she is as they uncover an almost 2 decade mystery. This author's stories are always original but never waiver from the basic moral values we all hold dear. The narrator for the audio book did a great job of conveying the heartfelt emotions. This novel would make a great Hallmark Mystery movie.

This one gets five shiny, Summer stars from me. 😎

Up until I read this upcoming release, I had only picked up one Denise Hunter book. To be honest, I was a bit underwhelmed.

Not long ago I saw this one available in audio on NetGalley. Here I am just four days later -- already done. I would turn it on to walk the dog and then kept listening in the car, during other chores, etc. It was hard to put down.

Here are five elements that made this a real winner for me:

😎The summery setting with the MC Maggie staying at a beach house and enjoying outside time with her four-year-old Zoey and extended family.
😎The mysterious stranger. How could someone who looked just like her husband be walking around in the town they once lived in as a married couple.
😎A military widow representation and a look at the aftermath of losing that loved one during deployment overseas.
😎The extended family of Maggie's beloved husband Ethan rallies around her and has such a healthy and life-affirming attitude.
😎That Epilogue was simply delightful. What a heartwarming ending to Maggie's sometimes stressful Summer.

Bonus reason: That cover! 🎡

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for both an audio and digital ARC of this release scheduled for April 22, 2025. All opinions are my own.

Another epic story from Denise Hunter. The characters and their story were so real that they felt like old friends. This is what I have come to enjoy about Denise and her storytelling. If you prefer what could be real versus mushy gushy with no real story behind it, this story is for you.

I received an advanced audiobook copy from Thomas Nelson and Netgalley. Opinions are my own.

Denise Hunter has once again written a story sweet as honey with characters who I adore. It is books like this that give hope when life throws curveballs. A happy escape from worries or troubles. The narrator did a great job and her voice went well with the story. I like how things were wrapped up in everyone's storyline. Serious topics were touched upon, yet the author was able to keep it light.
Thanks to the author for an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I give it 4.5 stars rounded to 5 for a cozy read and will recommend to anyone looking for a good story!

Maggie and Josh pulled on my heartstrings so much! Josh has always been in love with Maggie but she married his brother Ethan so he learns to keep his feelings to himself until almost 5 years after Ethan's death. When Maggie sees a man who looks just like Ethan, it sends them on a mission to find out who it is and boy does it take them on a wild goose chase! I really enjoyed this whole love story and could understand the angst that they felt when dealing with their families. Denise Hunter is a master at writing home-town romances that will leave you smiling. Highly recommended!

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read/listen to and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 22 April 2025

I really loved this audiobook! Wow, the story was so captivating! The various plot-twists added so much depth and enjoyment to the story! Denise wrote a touching story about a single-mom/widow navigating grief and new-love! Ugh, I loved every minute! And the side characters had so much personality. While there were many heartbreaking moments, the overall resolution was so worth it!
Thank you Thomas Nelson for my early copy of this audiobook!

The summer of You and Me Honest ARC Review:

Maggie Reynolds feels she is ready to start over after the loss of her husband in an explosion, while he served in the military. Her husband Ethan was her childhood sweetheart and she couldn’t imagine life with anyone else. Fortunately, Maggie’s brother in law , Josh , has been by her side since the birth of her daughter.

Unbeknownst to Maggie, Josh has been in love with her since they met. Emotions are out on hold as Maggie believes she sees her Kate husband one day at a carnival. Feeling heartbroken, Maggie and Josh follow a journey to discover whether the mysterious man at the carnival was actually Maggie’s late husband.

With sub characters that are colorful and involved in Maggie’s life, the story is consistently interesting. Add a few plot twists and turns, and this story keeps you on your toes!

Filled with heartfelt connections, self reflection and hope, this novel has been an enjoyable and inspiring read! This is definitely one to add to your TBR!

Thank you for sharing this ARC with me.