32 Days in May was such a raw, beautiful romance. This one is perfect if you a looking for a summer romance with a little more depth. I was hooked from the very first chapter.

Nadia Fabiola was recently diagnosed with lupus and her entire life was completely changed. She chose to seek refuge in the only place she remembered bringing her joy, her childhood family beach town, Evergreen, NJ. Her rheumatologist unexpectedly sets her up with his cousin, who turns out to be former TV star, Marco Antonio. After an eventful first date full of chemistry, they decide to make a deal. A no strings attached, no commitment, casual month of dating. ONLY for the month of May. Natia agrees but is determined to hide her diagnosis from Marco. But this turns out to be much harder than she expected.

This story is everything you’d want in a romance. Humor and banter, chemistry and attraction but this story also has the elements of illness and mental health struggles that makes it vulnerable and real. I really loved Nadia and Marco’s story! I listened to the audiobook and it was outstanding! The narrator really brought the characters to life and the New Jersey dialect was spot on! I highly recommend adding this one to your summer reading list!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for the opportunity to listen to an ALC of 32 Days in May in exchange for my honest review.

A solid read!

32 Days in May has such high praise from other members but because is the first book by Betty Corrello, I kept my expectations at an average to not be disappointed.

Nonetheless, this book was not what I expected. I’ll start with the negatives before going to the positives. Firstly, I listened to this via audiobook and I found it hard to get into the book — particularly because of the main character’s point of view. Secondly, at first, I had an issue with the romance. It was insta love/lust and I didn’t think it was done well until halfway through the book, then I was very into it.

Now onto the positives— I adored the main character. She was messy in a way that felt natural, her dynamic with her sister was interesting, and her struggles with lupus read realistically. Secondly, I will say that the negatives were not as impacting as my opinions changed in part because the narrator’s performance was incredible. The narrator carried this story and I adored the performance.

ARC/ALC REVIEW

32 Days in May by AUTHOR

Thank you Avon for the free eARC of this book and amazing Harper Audio for the free audiobook! Tag Author (HASTAGS)

SYNOPSIS: After a lupus diagnosis upends her life, Nadia retreats to Evergreen, determined to keep things quiet and under control. But her plans are disrupted when her doctor sets her up with Marco, a charming ex-actor also recovering from burnout. What begins as a casual May fling deepens into something real, forcing Nadia to confront her fears, her illness, and whether love is worth the risk of vulnerability.

REVIEW: As a South Jersey girl who grew up with all things Philadelphia and the Shore, this book was like coming home. It felt so very familiar to me, which made me fall into its pages.

Nadia is so raw and vulnerable throughout most of the book, even when she tries hard not to be, and I found myself completely rooting for her. Once Marco enters the scene, I started rooting for the both of them. These two make an unlikely pair, and the journey they take together is lovely, while also being difficult, angsty, and emotional.

Joy Nash is an AMAZING job with the narration! She absolutely nailed it with the Philly, Jersey, and New York accents. Honestly, this was one of the very best accent performances I’ve heard in a while. 10/10

This book has it all, and it’s a perfect read for the summer!

Publisher: Avon, Harper Collins
Pub date: 5/13/25

listen you want to travel into a story that makes you feel like you're really in a small town in Jersey Shore, battling life changing moments, laughing, swooning, healing, and falling in love?

read 32 Days in May. Nadia and Marco were absolutely perfect.

what a gem, Betty Corrello, you did an amazing job with this story.
Joy Nash did a phenomenal job narrating this story.

I'd recommend anything read/listen to this just you can experience the gift Marco gives Nadia at the end. (I'm not crying, you're crying...okay I was definitely crying)

Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for this ARC!

Honestly, this book wasn't it for me. I did like the beginning and end, so it wasn't terrible, but the middle felt like we kind of just forgot that Nadia was sick. I loved all the side characters like Ally, Soph, Liv, etc but I just could not get on team Nadia and Marco. I will say though, Joy Nash did an amazing job! Her Jersey and Italian accents had me giggling. My favorite voice she did was Liv. I think the book was just a little bit more intense than the beach read I was expecting.

Heartfelt, funny, and refreshingly real

I really enjoyed this audiobook! It’s the kind of romance that hits a little deeper. Nadia is a character I rooted for from the start: she’s navigating a tough lupus diagnosis, trying to stay in control of her life, and not really looking for love. Then along comes Marco, a former TV star with his own messy past, and their chemistry is instant.

What starts as a no-strings fling slowly turns into something more, and watching them both open up (and mess up) felt so genuine. Their relationship had heat and heart, but what really stood out was how honestly the book dealt with chronic illness, mental health, and the fear of being vulnerable with someone new.

The story is a nice balance of humor, sweetness, and emotional depth. If you like romance with a little more substance (think Elissa Sussman or Tia Williams), this one’s worth picking up.

It’s not just a love story, it’s about learning to show up for yourself and someone else, even when life feels like a mess.

This was a book that I really wanted to love and I’m so sad I didn’t. I absolutely loved the chronic illness/mental health rep and everything about the characters were realistic and raw which I look for.

However, while I can’t pinpoint what exactly I didn’t like about this book; I just couldn’t get into the story. The writing style seemed super clunky and needing more editing and the narration was just meh.

Maybe if I did print version it would be better but idk

The audio for this book was perfect to pair with the digital book for an immersive reading experience. After a shocking diagnosis of lupus, Nadia has to learn how to navigate life with her new diagnosis. Not only is she having to grapple with this diagnosis and the changes it will require, she's also having to avoid her sister's concerns and questioning. Ultimately her plan of a low key life is blown up to hell when. she's set up with Marco. I think Marco is able to show Nadia that life is truly worth living. Their chemistry is electric and undeniable. This book was warm and nostalgic in the best way. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the gifted eARC and ALC. All opinions are my own.

Instagram post will go live before or on release day.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Audio, Avon and Harper Voyager and Betty Corrello for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVED Summertime Punchline and was so excited to return to Evergreen. Betty did NOT disappoint.

This love story was so emotionally nuanced- while simultaneously Nadia and Marco outwardly kept things surface level. Nadia's experience with the painful agony of such a condition- the desire to not be seen as or defined by the disease. Marco's past: his fame, his fall from fame, his addiction and beyond. This story brought struggling with identity and deserving love to life.

Betty's dialogue just crushes me with how authentic it all feels. While reading her books I feel like I'm getting cursed out by a loved one in the best possible way.

Joy Nash absolutely brought this book to the next level. Her narration, with the rich accents and passion, just absolutely did Betty's banter and prose justice.

This book was fantastic! I loved everything about it, this story!
Pub Date: 5/13/2025

Nadia, who discovers she has lupus, moves to her family’s beach house to start putting her life back together. Enter Marco, who is a fallen-from-grace TV star, trying to rebuild his life in the same beach town. They end up on a date and have a good time. So they make a pact to only date for May, then go their separate ways. What could go wrong? 🫣

Nadia and Marco were such great characters. Nadia is freakin hilarious! The things that came out of her mouth had me lol’ing. Marco is a great book boyfriend! He’s perfection! 😍 I actually learned a little about lupus too. It’s an educational romcom! 😜 Joy Nash was amazing as a narrator! The way she brought the story to life was incredible! 🤌🏻

Thank you, Betty Corrello, HarperAudio Adult, and NetGalley, for the ARC of the audiobook!

Oof. This one got me. Made me laugh. Made me cry. Made me feel seen in a way that most books about chronic illness have not.

I’ve been lucky enough to receive both the e-book and audiobook versions of this novel, and can readily recommend both. Most of the time, I don’t find they significantly differ from one another. It’s just a matter of preference. However, I found the audiobook version of this novel to enhance my understanding of the characters, whereas the e-book allowed me time to sit with the writing and really absorb just how good some of the sentences and sentiments were. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Nadia and Marco are beautifully written. Complex, messy people who find each other at their mutual worst and bring out each other’s best. This is my favorite kind of contemporary romance: one with broad emotional range, well-devised characters, and grounded storytelling.

This could have so easily veered into “wish fulfillment” territory—an idyllic fantasy about a sick girl getting swept off her feet by a famous actor. Or, even worse, it could have been a story about a man-boy being “forever changed” by a manic-pixie-sick-girl (a trope I HATE). Instead, this book finds the middle ground. These are (mostly) realistic characters learning and growing together through (mostly) realistic circumstances.

And, oh! I’ve read a fair few books about protagonists with chronic illness, but this one resonated on a deeper level. There is a grief that comes with losing the life you had, almost like a death of self that you have to grapple with, and Nadia’s journey portrays this so well.

“Sickness has a way of making you aware of every dimension of yourself; I swear, I can feel the difference between tissue and bone. I’ve never felt more 3D than when I hurt.”

And, because this IS romance: the romance is swoon-worthy. Marco may start out messy, but he’s also the best. So relentlessly and ridiculously into Nadia, even when she can’t see what’s likable about herself.

I cannot recommend this one enough.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Avon/Harper Voyager, and Harper Audio Adult for the advance reader copies of this book, provided in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. And thanks for introducing me to a new author! I’ll definitely be on the lookout for her future work.

⭐⭐⭐ = 3.5 / 5 Stars!

This book is about Nadia who is sick with Lupus. Her life has been upturned by the auto-immune disease and she is working to figure out her new normal in Evergreen, New Jersey. Through her doctor, she meets his cousin, Marco. Marco is a former heartthrob and actor from a famous TV show. They decide to date for the month of May and then go their separate ways. But do they?

Initially, I had a hard time connecting to this story. I loved Nadia from the beginning with her snark and Italian roots that really shown through. The audio narrator was great too! However, I didn’t see the connection between Marco at first and I really didn’t like him in the beginning. I think after reading the premise, I was expecting more from his character as the famous one. He almost felt too normal for that trope. He grew on me as the story progressed though. I had a hard time seeing Nadia suffer with Lupus. The author did a great job of capturing how hard life can be and I think it felt so real that it pained me to read (and listen) at times. This was my first book by Betty Corrello and I will absolutely read more!

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins, and HarperCollins Audio for the eARC and audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

A sweet romance set at the Jersey Shore and in Rome. It felt both contemporary and timeless; I enjoyed Nadia and Marco’s story more than I thought I would! The main characters both have depth and their dynamic was fun to read. I wanted just a little more from the ending, but I’m looking forward to reading more from Betty Corrello!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for an Audio ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I loved this audio! The narration is fantastic. I was highly entertained while listening to the words of this story. The pacing was perfect. Well done! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I did not like the narrator. Unfortunately it's a DNF for me because of it. Her accent felt SO heavy. I know that is where the book takes place, but it was so strong I felt unable to continue. I will read the physical book though!

Rated 3 stars because it's in the middle, and I was just unable to continue with her voice. Super sad about it though because I was looking forward to it!

This was one of my most anticipated books this year & it did not disappoint!

Nadia is dealing with her recent lupus diagnosis & wants to disappear in life down the shore (the Jersey shore for those outside the NJ/Philly area lol.) Her doctor asks her to meet with his cousin, Marco, who just so happens to be a D-list gorgeous celebrity. They make a pact to date for the rest of May, no strings attached, after which they’ll go their separate ways. Nadia decides not to tell him that she is sick because she enjoys who she is, and who Marco allows herself to be, without him knowing. But as they grow closer, she has to decide whether to let him in or continue in her small cocoon.

This book was so funny, I literally laughed out loud a ton. Nadia & Marco’s chemistry was sizzling & their banter was perfection. But it was also incredibly real and emotional about both characters’ mental health & Nadia’s physical health. Many tears were shed along with that laughter.

The narrator was fantastic. As someone from NJ, she sounded exactly how I expected, and you could feel the emotion and chemistry. I definitely recommend the audiobook!

Thank you to HarperAudio and NetGalley for providing the ARC for my honest review!

I absolutely loved this book.

The characters were so different from anything ive read before. I really loved the storyline. Not quite fake dating but dating with an end date?

Two messy people trying to keep each other afloat, distracted from the happenings in their lives. Finding comfort and solace in each other. There's grieving in finding out your life is changing in a big way because of an illness/diagnosis and I really enjoyed being in Nadias headspace. Getting to see how much ones life can change because of a condition that incurable. How hard the day to day can be.

I loved the emotional connection Nadia and Marco shared. I loved her friendships. I even loved the messy portrayal of her relationship with her sister. It felt like such a real and raw relationship between two sisters who truly care so much about each other.

My only gripe with my reading experience with this book(audiobook) was the choice the narrator made to say the full numbers in the dates. "May one, May two" instead of first/second.

4.5 stars for me

This was my first Betty Corrello book and I’m officially hooked. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was perfect, the banter, the humor, the honesty it all just hit. I love stories where the characters are a little messy, a little lost, but still find a way to show up for each other. Nadia and Marco are that kind of pair.

She’s learning how to navigate life with lupus, holding her world together with quiet strength and sarcasm, while Marco, a charmingly burnt-out former actor, meets her with a softness that absolutely melted me. Their connection is vulnerable and tender and full of the kind of moments that make you laugh, tear up, and text your best friend to tell them everything.

A quote that stood out to me:

“Things I never knew before Lupus:
“We should be terrified of our bodies. You realize how little control you have over yourself; how all you can really do is react. If I’m afraid, I can look away. If I have a headache, I can take medicine. If someone breaks my heart, I can hold a grudge until I die. But I will never be able to stop the pain before it starts.”

As someone whose mom has a chronic illness (multiple sclerosis), this hit hard. I’ve seen the invisible battles she faces daily how exhausting and isolating it can be to live in a body that doesn’t always cooperate. This book didn’t shy away from that truth. It made space for it, honored it, and still somehow managed to be funny, warm, and hopeful.

If you love heartfelt stories that mix chaos with care, and the Jersey shore this book is everything. And Marco? Marco is worth the hype.

“I’ll brush your hair. I’ll help you out of bed”

AHH

“You will not leave me standing alone in a place where I first realized I love you.”

AHHHH

This audio does the book such justice. It gives the lightheartedness and fun banter to a book with heavy undertones. My ex-Philly girl heart soars to have a summer read that is so close to home!

The perfect summer read, but cannot recommend the audio enough. Immerse yourself in an unapologetic a little abrasive couple. I would expect nothing less from these two main characters though.
It’s a bit insta-love but the author does an amazing job at ‘stopping time’ for the reader. I felt a lot more love & emotion for this couple than I normally would in such a quick connection.

Ps. If you read Summertime Punchline, it’s fun to see how the author has grown in 32 Days in May!!

What a cute audiobook! I truly enjoyed listening to this, it definitely helped get me through my work day.

Brief overview:

Nadia, recently diagnosed with lupus, meets Marco, former actor and relative of her doctor. Nadia and Marco, after being inspired by a movie, decide to date each other for just the month of May. During this month, Nadia and Marco both discover they have feelings for each other, though neither is being truly open.

My thoughts:

Sure, we have some basic tropes of fake/temporary dating and miscommunication, but it had so much more going on. Nadia's struggle with her chronic illness adds another layer of depth that makes it a bit easier to understand why she is reluctant to open up.

The banter in this story is actually hilarious. I'm still cracking up at "I'm not paying $200 for something that goes in my ass when we have four good hands." Not elaborating on this quote, you'll have to read it to find out the context! The narrator also completely nailed it through this story. It is set on the jersey shore and the accent leaves no question about that! In fact, the descriptions and the accent were so well done, I actually did feel like I was transported right to the scene. I absolutely love a book that makes me feel like I am somewhere else!

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Audio for the chance to listen to this early :)