This book fell short for me. The description sounded like it would be so good and the cover?! Adorable! But I found the story dragged and was rather slow.
The narrator was okay however there was a few chapters where there was a long pause before the narrator started the chapter.

I found it hard to remain engaged, May have been the narrator’s voice as I had to listen and 2.5 speed to not fall asleep.

This was the first audiobook I got to listen to on the NetGalley app! It was about an English girl whose dream was to take over a bookstore, so when the opportunity arises to travel across the sea to Nantucket she quits her current job and hops on a plane and is off to the tranquil Nantucket, Mass! When she arrives, she discovers a lovely beautiful location near the ocean by the beach and falls in love. She was told before she left that she would be filing in for 3 months and be here only for the summer to help out managing the bookstore. After a few days of being there, she finds out it’s connected to a resort property, and they have no plans of keeping it going, in fact they want to tear it down and build onto the resort. She comes across a very attractive man in the mean time, cannot keep her hands away and falls in love, which she finds out is a billionaire and also the owner of the resort. At first he doesn’t want to hear it, he wants to tear it down. But with her and the convincing of her new friends she’s made while being there such a short time they convince him to keep it, not tear it down, and he lets her if she wants too, stay and run the bookstore and be the new manager running it! Also, asking her to be with him. I liked this book I would recommend it to someone who wants a light fun beach read!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the early copy on audio!

"Booked for the Summer" is a grumpy-meets-sunshine romance where a self-made billionaire has a score to settle in his hometown, and a book-loving sweetheart hopes to spend three months managing a bookstore that he is intent on tearing down.

What starts as pure lust between Jade and Liam takes on a different tone when they discover (after their one-night stand) that he just bought the bookstore she plans to manage for the summer, and he intends to tear it down. While the pull between them is intense, neither feels they can trust the other as they're working at odds against each other where the bookstore is concerned.

And yet when they take the time to understand where the other is coming from, interesting possibilities abound. But can they build a future together with all the uncertainties that lie between them?

There were some really sweet and tender moments in this book, along with a few places that had me laughing out loud. But I do wish that the romance was more about attraction than lust. There was a lot more spice than I need in order to enjoy a romance story.

Thank you to Kathryn Freeman, Harper Audio, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

When a romance has me laugh-snorting one minute and melting into a big ol’ “awww” the next, you know it’s a winner. Jade and Liam are a sizzling, swoon-worthy pair, and their chemistry had me hooked from the start. The character arcs stay light and breezy—just enough growth to keep things moving, but never so heavy that it takes away from the fun. Toss in a charming Nantucket bookstore, a billionaire boss, a sharp and savvy heroine, and a chorus of nosy small-town gossips, and you’ve got a romcom cocktail that goes down extra smooth.
And I can’t forget the icing on the cake: Mary Jane Wells absolutely nailed this narration. Her timing, inflection, and ability to breathe life into every character made the whole experience sparkle. Honestly? One of those audiobooks that’s just plain fun to listen to from start to finish.

Booked for the Summer was such a sweet and charming read—I honestly wish I had picked it up at the very start of the summer season. It’s exactly the kind of story that sets the mood for long sunny days and warm nights. I’ve always loved tales where a character is temporarily transplanted into a new setting, and this one delivered beautifully. Watching her navigate life in Nantucket, knowing her time there is limited before she must return home to the UK, gave the romance an extra layer of tension and longing. As with most romances, we expect a happily ever after, but what kept me hooked was seeing how that looming deadline would be resolved. The setup, with her heart caught between what feels like a fleeting summer escape and the possibility of something lasting, kept me eagerly scanning for clues and hints about how it might end.

What I especially enjoyed were the unexpected layers woven into the story. He starts off as the stereotypical “big bad” resort developer, the kind of character the town instantly distrusts, but the way his arc unfolded made him much more human and relatable. I loved how she helped the community see him in a new light, even while he remained convinced that she was a big problem for him. Their dynamic was fun, a little antagonistic, and ultimately so heartwarming. The story as a whole felt fresh, engaging, and filled with energy—it honestly read like a big cozy hug to wrap up the spring and ease into summer.

Narration from Mary Jane Wells elevates this light summer read from Kathryn Freeman. Freeman has assembled an interesting cast of supporting characters, ably brought to life by Wells's performance. However, the main characters had some frustrating behavior, and as a bookseller, I had a hard time with the premise (Jade has no experience even selling books, and yet is hired as a manager?!) Still, this is a light and spicy romance that will go down smooth from a beach chair or towel.

Cute little chick lit book. Characters were fun and the story was nice. The insta love was a bit much but I enjoyed the both nonetheless. Narrator was great.

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a cute summer romance. With force proximity and boss/employee, also he’s a millionaire and she just wants to work her job, she shows him how to love Vibes it is fairly spicy and the banter is fantastic

A very cute read! Decently paced, good character growth, and a HEA. The beginning was a touch slow but overall I really enjoyed listening to it! I loved Jade’s character and I don’t usually gravitate towards the FMC.

This book made me smile right from the get go. The dream of working at a coastal, small town bookstore is only enhanced with the sexy stranger on Jade’s first night in town only to later find out he would be her Boss. And a grumpy one at that. This sweet but spicy story gives your all the summer feels with the HEA we all crave in a romance.

Narrated by Mary Jane Wells, she switches between voices, accents, and characters beautiful which only enhances the story.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me an audio copy in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

Jade applies for a job as a bookstore manager for the summer at the Little Bay Book Shack on Nantucket Island, but when she arrives and meets a random guy that she ends up liking and hooking up with, she doesn't expect that he ends up being her boss. Liam is a billionaire who owns a huge part of the town and is slowly turning it into a tourist hotspot full of resorts for the rich. So he plans on shutting down the local bookstore. Jade ends up doing her best to try and save the bookstore, against her boss’s wishes, and the two of them butt heads over it. As time goes on, they begin to realize they can't fight the attraction between them that they first felt, and Jade realizes this might be her only chance to convince him to not close down the bookstore.


There was a lot here that I wanted to like – and I do mean a lot. I liked the whole billionaire romance. I liked the small town, the fight against turning a small town into a tourist attraction full of resorts for the rich. You also have the summer romance that turns into something more. Sleeping with the boss… I feel like there was a lot of tropes here that the author wanted to include and everything kind of just got muddled instead of making sense. As much as Jade gets upset that she gets accused of convincing him to not shut down the bookstore because she sleeps with him… I mean, are they wrong? I personally didn't like the characters. I thought Liam was a little too abrasive at times, and I thought Jade was a little too demanding and pushy and acted kind of like a brat when she didn't get what she wanted. I do like the whole working at the book shop and how she brings the town together using events to promote books. Honestly, I feel like that could have been its own story versus including it with everything else. I thought some of the spicy scenes – especially the first one – felt very awkward, and it kind of set the tone for the rest of the book with how awkward things felt. I will say that this book dragged. There were times that I thought the book was done because everything felt resolved and then something else would happen and it just kind of felt like one of those infomercials where they present you everything and then they go “but wait, there's more!...” I don't know who I would recommend this to. I guess people who like women's lit with a dash of romance and small town feels? But it wasn't for me.

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

I received a free audiobook version of Booked for Summer, by Kathryn Freeman, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I’m a sucker for romance books. When I started listening, I wasn’t sure if I’d like the narrator or not. By chapter 2, I absolutely loved the narrator. Jade was sassy and full of energy. Meanwhile, Liam was a grumpy billionaire resort owner. The book has spice, undeniable chemistry, and just a great book to listen to. The books is about had me laughing throughout. This is my first book/audiobook from this author but I can say, I will definitely be checking out her other books.

First off, the book starts pretty spicy with a good plot which made the story enjoyable. I liked the strong lead characters as they were funny, a bit silly and relatable somewhat (not being a billionaire relatable 🤣) for the most part which kept me listening for the whole book. The author made me be able to picture the setting for the story with all of the details of the island of Nantucket, the wharf, the bookstore along with details of the other characters in the book so I could also picture them.

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to an early release of this.

This book was an absolute delight! I really loved the chemistry between Jade and Liam. Jade was just incredibly charming and had me rooting for her from the first chapter. I was drawled into her story and was desperate for her to peel back all of Liam's layers.

I listened to the audiobook and I was delighted with the narration of this book to be immersed in Jade's accent, which really added to her charm and added a fantastic layer to the experience.

A great read, especially as I am am picking reads to close out my summer reading list!

a laugh out loud enemies to lovers that truly hits it out of the park.

When our MC comes to the bookstore by the sea, she is ready to find her calling until she finds out her one night stand from her first night in town winds up being her boss!

The two will soon find out that it is better to just follow your heart over logic when it comes to love!

I LOVED the characters. I LOVED how flawed the MMC was and the fact that we got to be inside his head. It truly does wonders!

Mixing a character who owns a bookstore and romance, sign me up every time!

Booked for the Summer is about Jade who works at a bookstore in Nantucket for the summer. Liam is a billionaire…and also her new boss. Liam is not like Jade. The only thing he reads are contracts. Liam wants the bookstore to be added to the resort, so Jade must do all she can to stop that from happening. Does she save the bookstore? Does she change the mind of Liam?

I really enjoyed this book. Anytime a main character works with books in any way, it usually makes me enjoy the book more. I thought the imagery was very well done.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and HarperAudio Adult in exchange for an honest review. This has not impacted my review at all. Thank you Netgalley and HarperAudio Adult!

First off—the cover of Booked for the Summer is absolutely adorable! I dove in without reading the synopsis and honestly had no idea it was a romance. The setting—a cozy Nantucket bookstore—was such a fun backdrop, and I really enjoyed following the MFC, who was spending the summer working there after coming over from England.

The secondary characters added a lot of charm, and Jade especially stood out—funny, chaotic, and a total hot mess in the best possible way. On the flip side, the MMC fell a little flat for me. I get that his rough childhood shaped him, but he didn’t really seem to grow until the very end, and when it did happen, it felt a bit like too quick of a 180. The insta-lust right at the beginning also came across as a little unbelievable.

That said, for readers who love books-about-books and a light summer romance, this is still a cute, easy read. The bookstore setting, the quirky side characters, and the overall Nantucket vibe made it a fun escape. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the ARC.

I absolutely loved this book. The banter between Jade and Liam was sharp and fun, and their chemistry pulled me in right away. He was grumpy and guarded, she was determined and open-hearted, and the way they pushed each other out of their comfort zones made their story so compelling. The spice was perfectly balanced, emotional and heated without ever taking away from the depth of their relationship.

The Nantucket backdrop was gorgeous and gave the whole story a dreamy summer feel. I could picture the bookshop, the ocean, and the small-town charm with every page. It added so much atmosphere to their journey.

Jade’s career path stood out to me too. Watching her take a chance on something new and fight for what she believed in gave the story even more heart. She was not only discovering love but also proving her strength and courage to herself.

Liam’s vulnerability made him unforgettable. Seeing him let down his walls and open himself up to Jade gave this romance real weight. Together they showed that love is about more than attraction. It is about trust, honesty, and letting yourself be seen.

This story had everything. Banter, spice, heart, vulnerability, and a setting that felt like an escape. A beautiful and powerful romance about overcoming guards and letting love in.

I received an audio Arc of this book. I thought that I would really enjoy this book but I just couldnt get into it. I dont know if it was the narrator that I didnt care for or what. Ill have to look into renting it and reading it to see if I enjoy it more.