ARC Review

Summer and Echo met the summer before their Senior year at summer camp and became inseparable best friends. Things change in their friendship the following summer before going off to college, that changes everything. Now 10 years later Summer is a runaway bride and ends up reunited with Echo.

This was such a well-written best friend to lovers, second chance story. There were multiple timelines and dual POVs, so you will need to pay attention. Even though having a past and present timeline can be tricky in some books, I appreciated this one. It was necessary to see how their friendship developed when they were 17 years old, and the close, intense bond they had then, to understand the crossroads and choices they needed to make in the present. There was a big secret that was underlined throughout the whole book and when it finally was revealed, my heart broke for teenage Summer and Echo.

I loved that even though they hadn’t seen each other in years, the connection never wavered. Echo said he wasn’t losing her again, and he meant just that. I appreciate that the author allowed Summer to heal on her own, before bringing them together again. This was a slow burn, but I loved the growth and healing these two went through, and happy they got their happy ending.

Thank you, NetGalley and Black Odyssey Media for this ARC.

When you know, you know! No matter if you’re 17 or 37 as seen with Summer or Echo. This was a real life friends to lovers…2nd chance romance that was gripping & full of “real life” situations that made you feel deeply for the FMC & MMC.

This story follows 2 teenagers who catch feelings fast but timing & circumstance make it difficult to explore. Their communication or lack there of irritated me at times but I had to keep reminding myself they were teens. I admired Summer for making the hard choices & loved Echo for being there for her as she needed. And when he applied pressure, he applied it!

The author did a beautiful job weaving their past into their current & even how it impacts their future. I couldn’t put this down because I was rooting for Summer & Echo.

First Impressions- I think this is going to break my scale—6 stars

Big thanks to the publisher for this ARC! I’ve been in love with Robbi Renee’s writing since Somebody’s Wife, so I was beyond excited to dive into her latest.

Right from the start—chaos, in the best way. And a beautiful man? Say less. But what really stands out is Summer. She’s in that uncertain, transitional phase of life that feels deeply real. No dramatics—just an honest emotional shift that I really appreciated.

What I’m loving so far:
-That Runaway Bride energy early on? Spot on.
-The way the book tackles choosing “safe” vs. “meant to be” hit hard—so real .
-The reveal of Echo’s identity and the nickname he gives Summer.
-The local setting adds a fun, personal layer to my reading experience.
-Female friendship! Summer has a solid girl group, and it makes the story feel rich and grounded.

It’s already giving grown, sexy, and emotionally layered. Robbi writes complex love so well, and I can already tell this one WILL DELIVER! Can’t wait to finish and share my final thoughts!

🌟🌟🌟🌟
A Lyrical Journey Through Love, Healing, and Second Chances

*Summer’s Echo* by Robbi Renee is a beautifully written story that captures the bittersweet rhythm of love lost and found. From the very first chapter, the book pulls you in with its poetic prose and emotionally resonant characters. Renee paints a vivid picture of summer not just as a season, but as a space for transformation, reflection, and unexpected connection.

The romance at the heart of the story feels genuine and earned, with just the right amount of tension and tenderness. There’s a quiet power in the way the characters confront their pasts, and Renee handles their emotional growth with subtlety and care. The story flows like a song—sometimes soft, sometimes aching, always full of feeling.

If there’s one reason I held back from a full five stars, it’s that I wished for just a bit more depth in a few of the supporting characters—but that’s a small note in an otherwise moving narrative.

Summer’s Echo is a lovely read for anyone who believes in the beauty of healing and the echoes of love that stay with us. Robbi Renee has a gentle yet impactful voice, and I’ll be eagerly following what she writes next.

Robbi Renee does it again with another touching story! Summer and Echo's love story from teens to adults was relatable and real. The way the story moved between time (teens to the present) made the story have more dept, explaining what needed to be said only at the time needed. I was so happy that they got their HEA in their own way and not in the way of those around them. We have another book boyfriend in Echo. He saw and knew the beauty and worth of Summer even when she was unsure of herself. Summer grew to live for her while still giving herself the freedom to love who she wanted, which is a common theme in Robbi's books.

This story had such a nostalgic Black love feel to it. That feeling of never getting over your first love. I enjoyed watching this love story unfold. Read this book if you love second chance romance, dual POV, and past and present timelines. I would highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley and Black Odyssey Media for this ARC.

This book! This book is incredibly romantic, well written, well thought out! It draws you in and keeps you on your toes! It’s hopeful and swoon worthy! You root for this couple the entire time. You go deep into their love story. I enjoyed the story from both points of view and different times in their lives! This book is a winner! I can’t say enough!

Summer x Echo

This second chance, friends-to-lovers, slow burn was everything I needed! Maybe because some elements felt familiar and were hitting close to home. But nonetheless, this novel was so sweet and deliciously good. The love, the passion and the emotions were oozing off the pages!

Summer and Echo met while working at a summer camp and their effortless, and sometimes flirtatious friendship carried over into their senior year of high school. But life and undesirable circumstances pulled them into different directions, different cities, and different experiences, causing them to press pause on their friendship. As life would have it, another unfortunate circumstance brought them back together. This allowed them to stop the pause and revisit and explore their connection.

This was told from two POVs and bounced between their past and their present. This was so beautifully written and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for that feel good read.

Thank you NetGalley, and Black Odyssey Media for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Robbi Renee is an amazing writer. This book was written beautifully. Summer and Echo were camp counselors one summer as teens and became inseparable. They experienced something life altering and never got a chance to express their feelings or address things that happened before they went their separate ways. This story bounces from back then when they were teens to present day as adults and has both Summers and Echos point of views of the events that happened in their lives. This is definitely a story that I can reread and recommend to others!

This book is absolutely wonderful! I usually don't care for books that go back and forth in time, but the way this book was written had me wanting to know what happened in both times. My emotions was all over the place and the ending was just perfect! 10/10 would recommend.

Wow. What a love story. I really enjoyed the way this book was written and I loved how it made me feel. I liked the banter between the characters and the different dynamics of Black families we got to see. A part of me wishes that we got to see more complexity in Summer. It’s clear that she has some insecurities. I feel like there could be more given to help us understand her mindset when it comes to her needs to feel like she has to settle and her need to feel like she’s not safe in the spaces that she’s in. From all other standpoints, she has a supportive family and friends, she works for herself so she doesn’t have the stress of a career or workload. I guess what I’m trying to figure out is what exactly encourages her way of thinking. For a lot of the book the resolve to Summer's issue seems so simple; Echo. I wish I understood more why she couldn't see it the way everybody else did. I like that some of the events in this book were addressed and took interesting routes. Alternative options to sudden occurrences like accidental pregnancies and how you can move on and live life after aren't talked about enough. This was such a good slow burn that kept me edged on in a good way. I'm not a huge Friends to Lovers girlie but this book turned me into a believer for a little bit.

We follow the lives of Summer and Echo, who met as teenagers but were drawn apart by life's circumstances. After 15 years, their lives and regrets bring them back together. Now, they must decide whether to fight for their love or finally let each other go.

This friends-to-lovers story alternates between the present and the past. The cover immediately caught my attention, but it was the exploration of how parental trauma and differing views on love, marriage, and tradition shape their children that truly resonated with me.

Thank you Black Odyssey Media & NetGalley for the eArc.

Thank you so much for the arc!

This is the first book I’ve read by Robbi Renee and it was absolutely beautiful. I’m such a sucker for friends to lovers and second chance romance and it was done incredibly well here. Summer and Echo’s romance was so pure. Their love felt so safe and comforting, it was like I could feel it through the pages. I can’t wait to read more by Renee.

I had the pleasure of reading an early copy of Summer’s Echo—and let me tell you, this book gave me all the feels! Robbi Renee delivers a beautifully layered second chance romance that’s heartfelt, emotional, and deeply resonant.

This friends-to-lovers story weaves through a dual timeline, pulling readers into the history, heartbreak, and healing between two unforgettable characters. The cover immediately drew me in, but it was the depth of the storytelling, the emotional growth, and the commentary on how family legacies impact love and identity that kept me turning the pages.

Summer and Echo just might be my new favorite couple, and their journey is one I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

I absolutely loved this book! A different read from what I'm used to from Robbi Renee but the love emanates the same! The love story of Echo aks Summer was simply beautiful! I read this book in 3 days with a baby because it was just soooo good! A must read!

A special thank you to Black Odyssey Media & NetGalley for the free e-ARC!

“I was never Summer to him, but instead his Sunshine, his Sun, and him? He was mine—Summer’s Echo.”

A 2nd chance romance is going to have me SAT every time, especially when the 1st chance is rooted in something special.
The teen to adult lovers trope in this romance felt like a movie. Reminiscent of classics like “Love and Basketball” where it takes you from the lovers past to present.
This was a slow burn from beginning to end. Robbi Renee’s descriptive writing style makes you feel like you are sitting in a theatre watching the love between the MMC/FMC unfold.
It is heavily layered with detail and depth from the dual perspectives of the main characters which adds a soft spot to how you feel as you read. It was a slow but sweet read that left me smiling by the end.

I would recommend this to my Black romance lovers who prefer little to no spice, friends to lovers and 2nd chance romance lovers.

Thank you so much to Black Odyssey Media for the free e-ARC of Summer’s Echo by Robbi Renee 😭💕Sometimes I really think second chance romance is going to stop hitting for me one day, but then a book like this comes along and reminds me it never will when it’s done right.

Summer and Echo were truly endgame. They were everything I needed and more 😩 In this book, we get to see them fall so hard and fast as bestfriend/co-camp counselors during the summer of 2005. Young, reckless, and completely in love 🫶🏽 *le sighhhhh* Then flash forward 15 years to the present day where they reconnect under very interesting circumstances 😅💕🙃 But once they’re back within each other’s orbit, it’s like no time has passed. Every emotion, every look, every unspoken word comes rushing back like it never left. And with that, their sweet memories resurface along with the pain of all the unresolved issues that drove them apart in the first place 😭

Robbi captured the full fledge emotional flame of a second chance romance perfectly. The angst, the longing, the yearning, the never getting over your first love even when you can’t admit to yourself 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨 it was all there. The dual timelines were done so well too, keeping me locked in as we slowly unraveled how things fell apart and what it would take to piece it back together. But fr, she did such a great job of building the tension between Summer and Echo, past to present. Their connection was soooo deep and real 🥲💕

At its core, Summer’s Echo is a beautifully written story about first love, lost time, and the courage it takes to choose the person who always gives you butterflies 🥰

The way this story started had me holding my breath. I could almost picture Summer's anxiety as she made her decision and drove away. I could picture the scene as I read the story perfectly. As nerve wrecking as it was, I'm glad she made that decision before it was too late.

Summer & Echo met at Summer Camp and became best friends. They were inseparable until something happened that ruined their friendship. They went without contact for years until their friend's engagement party.

The story follows them as they reunite and deal with what set them apart. The flashbacks did confuse me at some points in the story but it was necessary. This story is about second chances and how following your heart is so important. I went through a range of emotions reading this story. I was so happy to see them work things out and get their happily ever after.

Thank you to NetGalley and Black Odyssey Media for giving me the chance for an arc to review.

I absolutely loved the story of Summer and Echo. It had me all in my feelings. I loved reading the flashbacks of them building their friendship and falling in love. Echo didn't play about Summer at all. Even with them falling apart for so many years, he knew exactly how to find her. He was exactly who she needed when she was going through. The love between these two was special and was denied because of their parents. I enjoyed reading them address what led them to no longer speaking. It broke my heart reading what they went through. I do believe Summer made the right decision. I loved reading them come together, and finally get their happiness. It was well deserved. They truly had a special, once in a lifetime love.

This book follows 2 teenagers, Summer Knight and Echo Abara who share a deep connection during a summer, as camp counsellors. Their love and bond for each other grow stronger and deeper, until something happens that forces them to go their separate ways.

Fast forward to 15 years later. . .

A reunion brings them back together and now they're forced to confront the feelings that's been lingering between them, as well as the secret that has bound them.

This book was a sweet friends to lovers and second chance romance novel. It was written in 2 POVs (the male and female main character), going back and forth between the summer of 2004 when they met, and the present.
I love the chemistry between the MMC and FMC, especially when they were younger.

The book was a bit slow sometimes, and not gonna lie, I found myself bored, but overall I think it was a great read.

Rated 3.5 ⭐

Much thanks to NetGalley for sending me this ARC😊😊