Cruel Summer is exactly that or it sure starts off that way. for Samantha Parker. She thinks she has the perfect life with her husband Will and their three boys. The youngest getting ready to go to college. Will is a realtor and Sam is a writer. She has always dreamt of writing a book, but just never knew of what it would be about and who had the time. Just as she thought she might be getting that time alone with her husband he throws her for the surprise of her life.

He asks for a different kind of marriage. He tries to explain it to her but there is no explaining it and she wants no part of it. After leaving angry and no idea what to think or what to do. She calls a meeting with her two best friends.

Coming back to talk to Will Sam proposes to him they take the summer and not live in their home and go about their own business and not speak to each other. After the summer is over then they will come back together and talk.

Sam takes this time and not only takes this time for herself, but she takes it to get to know who she is and what she really wants in her life from this point on. That's when the door bell rang.

Logan Martin was Will's best friend from high school and he was Chloe's dad. He restored classic cars and then sold them around the United States. Sam always wanted to go on these cross country drives with him and then write a story about him.

Logan and Chloe had lost their wife and mom to cancer quite a few years ago, and Logan and Chloe started coming with Will and Sam and their family on family vacations. Plus, Sam stepped in and took great care of Chloe after school for Logan when he couldn't be there. So, when she answered the door she was surprised to see him standing there. When she told Logan that Will wasn't there and wouldn't be there for the summer Logan told her he was there for her. not that piece of crap.

So I will let you read what happens next... but I will tell you that this is a well written fantastic romance and happy ending lovely book! I truly enjoyed every minute of it. I loved the narrator Nancy Peterson she has such a smooth voice and it was so fitting for this beautiful book.

Well done Maisey Yates

Thank you NetGalley for the early read

Sam and Will have been together since high school. Sam got pregnant and she and Will ended up getting married at a young age.

Fast forward, they are now in their 40s and empty nesters. Sam thought that since they rarely fought that they were in a happy marriage until Will brought up the idea of having an open marriage. Sam, dumbfounded and in denial, did not understand why he could feel such a way. She did not agree with his proposal of an open marriage so she decided that they should separate until the end of summer and see how they feel after.

Tropes: Second chance, Roadtrip, small town, death, slow burn

Sam and Will have been married so long that Will proposing an open marriage felt like a betrayal as if I felt like what Sam would feel. Logan, Will's best friend, felt that Will was stupid for such a proposal.

Sam's new found freedom felt so relatable. The road trip with Logan and her figuring out who she is and who she wants to be even though technically she is still married seems to be a very confusing feeling. Sam is a people pleaser and this summer trip she was able to figure out what she really wanted. It felt like she was freeing herself from the shackles and melted all of her insecurities away.

The ending was so messy! Logan is messy. Now, I understand why the title of the book is "Cruel Summer."

The narrator had a really calming voice and it went perfectly with the book.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a really interesting book, though I don’t think it will be for everyone — it leans more toward women’s fiction than straight-up romance. It still has Maisey’s signature way of writing that I always love, with heartfelt moments and layered characters. I really enjoyed Sam’s “coming-of-age again” story. It’s always nice to read a book that affirms you can start over, no matter where you are in life. I was provided an audiobook ARC of Cruel Summer by Maisey Yates in exchange for an honest review, and I really appreciated the narrator bringing the emotions to life so beautifully.

This book packed in the feels for me. Its about starting over and finding yourself. Samantha thought her life was just where she wanted it and she was happy never rocked the boat never started fights she was happy. Until her husband says hes not and her whole world gets turned upside down. She has to figure out if she is able to start over keep trying and doing what makes him happy or does she start her own journey.

This story just worked for me and made me feel all the feels and its a question we ask ourselves. Are we happy or are we to busy making everyone around us happy?

Thank you NetGalley for this Audio-Arc in exchange for my honest thoughts.

3.5/5

An interesting take on a midlife crisis type story line. I think it was a bit too “easy” as far as the resolution that happened.

A wonderful story about taking what life throws at you, turning it around, and starting your life over when you least expect to. The tale is masterfully woven and then narration is excellent.

I really enjoyed this romance novel about a husband who asks his wife for an open marriage. It’s an interesting read about long time friends, relationships, love, and families. I enjoyed the road trip scenes and the friendship the female main character has with her long time friends.

Nancy Peterson did an excellent job narrating this novel. I’ve enjoyed her narrations of Viola Shipman’s and Nancy Thayer’s books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader audiobook.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Four-Star story about marriage , love, heartbreak, death, and friendship. The narration was wonderful and great listen. Perfect for readers who enjoy stories about emotional resilience, realistic romance, and the quiet strength that comes after a broken heart.
Thanks to NetGalley for the early audible arc!

Cruel Summer is an emotional and surprisingly fun journey about identity, second chances, and discovering who you really are when everything you thought you knew begins to break apart. Sam has been married for nearly 22 years when her husband drops the bombshell that he wants an open marriage. In a bold move, she decides to cut off contact for the summer and ends up on a spontaneous road trip with her husband’s best friend, Logan to help him with car deliveries. What follows is a slow-burn connection wrapped in grief, healing, and a lot of forced proximity.

One thing I really appreciated was that the main characters are older (both in their 40s) and bringing a maturity and life experience that felt refreshing. That said, as someone in my late 20s, I occasionally found it hard to fully relate. Still, Sam’s journey of self-discovery hit close to home. Watching her prioritize herself, really for the first time ever, was moving and empowering. As someone who’s also been the caretaker and never truly lived alone, some of her reflections felt deeply personal and were very easy to relate to and understand.

The road trip aspect was a major highlight for me! The unique twist of delivering vintage cars along the way added structure and reason to naturally progress the plot while simultaneously forcing Sam and Logan into close quarters.

Logan was a breath of fresh air in an over saturated genre of men who act like they’re 17 when they’re supposed to be grown men. The way grief was explored through his character was handled with grace and gave him a lot depth and layers to his character as well.

Also, shoutout to the author for clearly being a fellow Swiftie (the Florida lyric reference made me giggle).

I throughly enjoyed Yates’s writing as well. I felt that her plot was well thought out and executed successfully to create a very touching and compelling read about really learning to get to know yourself and start really living for YOU.

The audiobook was *chef’s kiss*!!!! The narrator captured Sam’s voice perfectly, making the emotional aspect’s really hit home.

Overall, Cruel Summer is a heartfelt, grown-up story of transformation with just the right amount of tension, tenderness, and Taylor Swift vibes. I’ll definitely be keeping Maisey Yates on my radar.

📖🎧 Cruel Summer - Maisey Yates
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Narrator: Nancy Peterson
Trigger Warning: Death, Grief, Open Relationships
Spice Level: 🌶️

I went in not knowing what to expect.
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And then—chapter one.
Open marriage.
Midlife crisis? Maybe. Or maybe just… life unraveling in ways no one saw coming.
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The writing? Gripping. Smooth. I didn’t want to stop listening. Nancy Peterson’s narration was immersive — one of those audiobooks that wraps itself around your day until suddenly you’ve listened straight through.
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What struck me most was how often women downplay our own needs — quietly, repeatedly — while prioritizing people pleasing. Always worrying about how others see us, rarely asking what we want.
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Grief is a language I still don’t speak fluently. I never know how to comfort someone grieving.
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Maisey Yates could’ve leaned into cliché — but didn’t. The story is written with restraint and emotional maturity. It feels like adulting in the best and worst ways.
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The MMC? He has boundaries. He has standards. And yes, that’s swoon-worthy.
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Also: shout-out to the Arizona cameos — always love seeing home show up on the page.
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For anyone navigating love, loss, identity, or the messy space in-between — especially at 39½ — this one’s for you.
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⭐️ Highly recommend for readers who love emotional nuance, mature characters, and deeply immersive audiobooks.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the Audio ARC!
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#CruelSummer #MaiseyYates #AudiobookLove #GriefAndLove #SpiceAndSubstance #MidlifeFiction #ArizonaReads #Bookstagram #NancyPetersonNarrates #WomenWhoFeelDeeply

I wanted to like this but really the FMC split with her husband and jumped right into bed with her husband's best friend. She took NO time to fully become her own woman.

3.5 stars! This was an enjoyable self-discovery book for a "middle aged" woman (still young in my opinion) who married her high school sweetheart due to pregnancy... so it was extremely relatable! Loved the Ex's best friend trope & was so pleased with a functional family ending! I love adults being adults!!

✨ Cruel Summer by Maisey Yates

I picked this one up based solely on the title (because, yes, I’m a Swiftie) and the stunning cover—but what I got was a beautifully written, emotional journey that totally surprised me in the best way.

This was my first Maisey Yates book, and now I’m wondering how I’ve gone this long without her in my reading life.

At its core, Cruel Summer is about a woman at a crossroads—navigating heartbreak, identity, and the question of what it means to live a life that’s truly yours. It’s a story of rediscovery, of finding strength in the mess, and of realizing that happiness doesn’t always look like what we planned.

The main character’s evolution felt so real and raw—like someone you know or could be. I laughed, I cried (a little), and I found myself cheering her on as she peeled back the layers of her life to uncover what she actually wants.

This isn’t your typical summer read—it’s deeper. Thoughtful. Empowering. It tackles themes of change, self-worth, second chances, and the beauty of starting over… even when it feels like the ground is shifting beneath you.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @MaiseyYates for the ARC. I absolutely recommend this one if you’re craving a story that hits you right in the feels but still leaves you hopeful.

#CruelSummer #MaiseyYates #BookReview #NetGalley #ARCReview #Bookstagram #WomensFiction #ReadWithMe #BookLoversUnite #SecondChances #EmotionalReads #SelfDiscovery #SummerReads #SwiftieReads #StrongFemaleLead #BooksOfInstagram #ReclaimYourStory

ARC REVIEW:

Not typically a book I would pick out for myself but I genuinely was shocked by how much I enjoyed it. True definition of you get what you ask for and I couldn’t be happier. Will definitely be checking out more books by this author

4/4.5⭐️. I loved this book! It was done so well. The characters were relatable. I haven’t read a book about well established married couples. The narrator was also fantastic.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
I liked this book for the most part. I got this as an audio book and the narration was really good. Overall it was easy to listen to!
The main character is working g on finding herself again after living for everyone else. While when I picked up this book I thought it would be this fluffy romcom based off the cover, it covered real life problems and heavy stuff like all your kids leaving to start their lives and falling out of love with your person.
Even with all the reality she gets her HEA., which I love.

What a great story about finding yourself after always living for others. Great summer read for those of us who wish we could have lived life a little differently.

The narrator was fantastic. Her voice was clear and you could hear the difference between characters. The story was so good and it was well written. I enjoyed reading about characters in their 40s who were flawed and seemed like real life. Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for an ALC. I will be reading more from this author in the future.

3.5 stars

Thank you @htp_hive @htpbooks @htpbooks_audio for the complimentary DRC & audiobook.

‘ “I think we should see other people…” That one sentence unravels Samantha Parker’s perfect life.’

Can you imagine hearing those words from your husband of over 20 years? That’s exactly what happens to Samantha in Cruel Summer. To try and save her marriage, she agrees to a summer with no contact, no rules. What follows is a journey of self-discovery, growth, and some hard truths.

I really enjoyed it. Samantha and her husband were teenage parents, from a super religious and gossipy town… so there was a lot of past baggage for her to unravel while thinking of decisions she made throughout her life. A lot of people, women especially, will be able to relate to at least one or two of the things that she went through. As a teen mom a lot of her experiences hit close to home for me.

That being said, I did struggle with some of the repetition as Samantha delved into her past, I felt a lot of events, or circumstances were brought up too often. One character also did something towards the end that was so out of character and felt so out of the blue that I was actually really angry, and not in a, ‘this book is so good it made me feel things’ kinda way. All in all, I recommend this if you enjoy contemporary fiction, romance, and stories of self discovery.

All the stars for Nancy Peterson’s narration.

This one had me emotional from the get go.

It gave me a lot of mixed emotions and thoughts throughout. I don’t know that it will be for everyone, but I really enjoyed it. I love a summer road trip romance always and the narrator did a great job on nailing the FMCs emotions.

This book was heavily character driven, and the FMCs character development/growth is a significant plot point. I felt like it was very well executed.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio for the ALC.