This book was such a lovely experience. Interesting, thought provoking, emotional, and really makes you reflect on things. I appreciate a good fake dating trope and this was a fun way to do it. The narrator was excellent and made the book!

WOW… I don’t even know what to say. I teared up 4 separate times people. This was such a beautifully written story. The banter is top knotch, IM OBSESSED with Nadia, and sweet baby boy Marco I want to hug.

Thank you Avon, Harper Audio, and NetGalley for the eArc and Alc!

The details:
Nadia has moved to her family’s vacation home in the Jersey Shore after being diagnosed with Lupus and ends up on a date with Marco Antoniou, former tv star, and they decide to date for the month of May. But Marco doesn’t know Nadia has lupus and Nadia would like to keep it that way. But with a chronic illness can Nadia really keep it hidden from Marco? And what will happen when May ends?

Thoughts:
I truly adored this one so much! While reading I felt the constant tension of wanting to devour this book or take my time and enjoy every second without rushing through it. The picture of living with lupus is different than living with Type one diabetes (my autoimmune disorder) but at times the way Nadia felt was so relatable it brought tears to my eyes. Betty truly painted a raw and real picture of what living with a chronic illness is like and I was able to learn more about SLE through Nadia’s story.

Audiobook review:
I really enjoyed the audiobook. Usually an audiobook can’t make me cry but boy oh boy… Joy Nash’s performance had multiple tears falling down my face. I thought it was well done and even Marco’s voice was hot to me. Nash did a great job making each of the characters’ voices their own.

I know that some people have a hard time with accents that they are familiar or even not familiar with, so if that is you preview the audio before you purchase. (Me personally I have a hard time with country accents in general as I am familiar with both Oklahoma/Texas accents as well at Tennessee accents).

Spice: 2-3 open door scenes

Content warning: this story does tackle topics of depression, anxiety, suicide and living with a chronic illness if those topics are triggering for you to read.

4.5 ⭐️

CW: chronic illness, brief suicidal ideation

Nadia was recently diagnosed with lupus and is doing everything she can to remain living life as if she isn’t suffering from a chronic illness, even though the diagnosis turned her life upside down. Nadia escapes to Evergreen, the small Jersey shore town where her family used to vacation, desperate to gain control over her situation and keep her life small but manageable. When Nadia’s rheumatologist sets her up with his former television-star cousin, Marco, she is hesitant but decides to go on a first date. After a fun first date, they decide to have a fling for the month of May, while Marco is in Evergreen. As chemistry heats up and both question whether this could be something more, Nadia does everything she can to keep her diagnosis from Marco. But as the month passes quickly and Nadia begins to stress about what’s next, the situation takes a toll on her health. Nadia has to decide whether she wants to take a chance on loving Marco and be honest with him or whether she wants to continue keeping her diagnosis to herself.

“What’d you tell me back when we met?…I had until the end of the month, not a day more?.. I figured we’ll just have to make sure May never ends.”
“Today is officially the 32nd day of May.”

I adored this book! The banter, the tension, the fling where both can’t resist wanting more, the chronic illness representation, the fact that the FMC has a body that is more representative of the general population… read if you love any of that, or if you just love real, lovable yet sometimes frustrating characters who make you feel things. It’s spicy at times but it’s also so real and the characters are so relatable (somehow! despite one being a famous former actor??). The calendar gift at the end sent me over the edge into being even more obsessed with this book!!! The narrators of this book just enhanced the tension between the two MCs, as well as the relatability and captured their personalities well through their dialogue.
Bonus points: book includes a trip to Rome, and I’m going there later this year so I found this to be a fun surprise!

32 DAYS IN MAY was hilarious and the Jersey-realness was so, so good. I really enjoyed Marco and Nadia as a couple and haven't read many romantic combos like them, so this book felt like a breath of fresh air.

4.5 stars to this beautiful rom com! Set mostly in the fictional New Jersey beach town, Evergreen, as well as a brief trip to NYC and Rome, this is a story full of witty banter with a bit of spice. You’ll laugh and cry and actually miss these characters when you’ve finished the book.

The author has written a realistic representation of chronic illness in the character of Nadia. And who wouldn’t want a Marco in their life??? You will be rooting for these characters throughout this swoon worthy story.

Joy Nash does an amazing job with the narration! She really brings this beautiful story to life.

I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #HarperAudio for an advance listening copy of #32DaysInMay. A book in which the fmc has a chronic illness and is trying to balance that with falling in love. 4 stars.

Got to about 10% and DNF. I wanted to hopefully see the light in this sorry but I was too nervous that the trigger warnings may get to me!

Shoutout to the author though for raising awareness to the realness of how all this feels.

A healing story between an actor taking some time and a writer dealing with the aftermath of a health diagnosis. These two were perfect for each other, Marco opens up about his struggles with addiction and his healing journey, while Nadia just wants to live a romance without the health struggles she is going through. A great read, heartbreaking and hopeful. Beautiful romance.

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!