📖 Booked for the Summer by Kathryn Freeman
This story follows Jade Taylor, who takes on the job of managing the Little Bay Book Shack on Nantucket Island for the summer. What she does not expect is that the very same bookshop she is trying to save is threatened by Liam Haven, the guy she once hooked up with. Determined, Jade sets out to protect the bookstore and navigate the complicated feelings that resurface.
✨ Thoughts:
This book reminded me so much of You’ve Got Mail in the beginning with that playful tension between the main characters, while the Nantucket setting added a breezy summer beach vibe that made it feel perfect for the season. It is funny, lighthearted, and such a perfect summer read. From the very first page, I knew I was going to love it. The writing was engaging, the audiobook narration was great, a little fast at first but easy to adjust to, and Jade was such a lovable protagonist I rooted for right away.
In conclusion, this book is an amazing read with a summer beach setting, perfect for a cozy read. You should definitely read this book if you liked You’ve Got Mail and enjoy cozy summer books. It is definitely a book worth the read.
Thank you, Kathryn Freeman and HarperAudio Adult, for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review!

A light summer read! I loved the idea of this book and the writing style. Some of it was a miss for me. But will try something else by this author to see how feel.

3.5 stars rounded down. Booked for Summer is an insta-lust story that develops into a romance. Jade Taylor has left England to manage the Little Bay Book Shack on Nantucket Island over the summer. She loves books and wants to work with them and share that love with others. When she meets Liam Haven she mistakes him and his boat as the ferry to Nantucket. He is instantly attracted to him and they end up having a night together. She has no idea that he is the owner of the resort and is trying to buy the bookstore. When the owner sells him the bookstore and the wharf, he becomes her boss. To convince him to keep the bookstore open and not tear it down for fancy villas, she works with some of the islanders to show him the importance of the bookshop to the island. In the process, they get to know one another a lot better and both begin to fall in love.

I'm not a fan of lust in my books, nor open door romance. I almost DNFed it, but it settled down after the first couple of chapters. I liked seeing Jade work with the island residents and get to know them. She is a great character, one who cared about the islanders, as well as her love of books and desire to keep the bookshop open. As we get to know Liam, we learn about his backstory and the reason he acted the way he did. I began to care about Liam and really wanted to see him have a change of heart. The last half of the book was delightful and I enjoyed it, but the beginning caused me to only give this one 3.5 stars. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Mary Jane Wells. She did a nice job with the voices and expression in the story.

Our leading lady Jade takes a sabbatical from her job in Europe to run a quaint bookshop in Nantucket. Only she gets there to realize the hot billionaire, Liam, plans to knock down the bookstore and replace them with luxury cottage rentals. Jade spends her few weeks there trying to show Liam the good the bookstore brings to the town, all while worming her way into his heart.

The book was cute but I feel like if I met Liam in real life, he would be a walking red flag. He just said and did so many things that I think Jade should have walked away. She gave him too many second chances.

Such a promising start with the “meet cute” but then the story seemed to drag on a bit too long. Typically I love a grumpy/sunshine storyline, but this one felt too formulaic and not anything that would pull at heartstrings or make me cheer for the outcome. The spicy bits were not my cup of tea but I did like some of the background characters, just didn’t get enough depth or charisma.

I got an ALC copy of this book, and reading the synopsis I was super excited to listen to it.
For some reason the promise of the synopsis with the bookstore, the billionaire hot guy that becomes the boss didn't pay off when it came together in writing. I liked bits and pieces of this book but they weren't enough to make me love it overall.
Unfortunately, the single-narrator situation made understanding who the POV was very hard. The chapters weren't clearly separated to "his" and "hers" POVs, which would've been perfectly fine reading to with the separation of paragraphs but listening to it with the narrator not changing their narration according to the FMC and MMC made it almost impossible to understand whose POV we were listening to until certain words were used and made it obvious to the listener. Maybe it was my bad for not paying attention to the entire book to understand if the paragraph started with the FMC's name or MMC's name to understand whose POV it was, but the narration didn't change the entire book unless the MMC was talking, even when we were in their mind, listening to what they are thinking about.

A really fun read. I thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic between our two main characters. Would have loved a little more detail towards the end. The end felt rushed to me, though I was happy with how it ended.

A side note: depending on the type of AMD someone has, there are treatment options. They don’t specify what type grandma pat has but that threw me off as someone who has family with AMD that gets treatment.

This one was a lot of fun! Great spice and I loved the audiobook narrators. This was my first time getting an audiobook arc! I wished we got a little more depth from the characters but overall, I enjoyed it!

This Bookstore’s Not Big Enough for the Both of Us (But I’ll Let You Kiss Me in It Anyway)

You know how sometimes a book feels like a summer fling? Hot, a little reckless, great in theory, and by September you're just glad you remembered sunscreen? That’s “Booked for the Summer”. It’s giving beachside chaos, emotional avoidance, and one man’s relentless inability to keep his thoughts off boobs for longer than three pages.

Our girl Jade Taylor takes a summer job running a bookshop on Nantucket and promptly walks into the world’s horniest corporate nightmare. Because of course the hot guy she just had a steamy run-in with turns out to be the resort billionaire trying to shut her down. And no, he doesn’t read books. He reads contracts. For fun. That's not just a red flag, that’s a full-on velvet rope around the therapy office.

The vibe is small-town summer fluff meets high-stakes hotel drama, but instead of focusing on cozy beach-town charm or slow-burn tension, this thing dives headfirst into lust-with-a-capital-Yikes. Jade spends most of the book trying to prove she's more than just her curves, while the narrative seems determined to describe her boobs like it’s being paid per cup size. Girl, I’m rooting for you, but maybe change the dress code while you’re at it.

Meanwhile, Liam Haven is a grump with a chip on his shoulder the size of his entire real estate empire. He’s prickly, moody, and has the personality of a closed spreadsheet, but somehow Jade still wants to climb him like a bookshelf ladder. They have chemistry, sure. But the emotional depth? That needed to be restocked.

The push and pull between them is less enemies-to-lovers and more "lust-to-miscommunication loop," with a side of weird boundary violations that probably violate several HR policies. The man needs therapy. The woman needs a better sense of professional self-preservation. And I needed both of them to stop being so horny in public.

Now, do I think this book is trying to say something heartfelt about proving your worth and letting your guard down? Yes. Do I think it gets lost under all the flirty quips and spontaneous heavy breathing? Also yes. But when the story does slow down and let these two have real conversations, there’s a glimpse of something softer underneath all the abs and snark. Enough to make me go, “Okay, fine. You got me. I care.”

And the setting? Immaculate. I wanted to live in that bookstore, throw iced coffee at Liam from the porch, and gossip with literally everyone in town. The Nantucket vibes are strong, the scenery is dreamy, and the bookshop makes for a perfect “save the thing to save yourself” metaphor, if you’re into that kind of thing.

Mary Jane Wells does a great job keeping the narration snappy and distinct. Even when Liam is acting like a sex-deprived spreadsheet, she somehow makes it listenable. The accents are solid, the pacing’s smooth, and honestly, she carried more emotional nuance than the script deserved sometimes.

If you're into hot mess summer flings with rich guys who deserve to be bonked with a hardcover, you’ll probably have fun here. Just know going in: this one’s a little heavier on heat than heart.

3.5 stars. Take it to the beach, roll your eyes in public, enjoy the view.

Thank you to HarperAudio Adult and NetGalley for the advanced listener copy of this spicy little seaside soap opera. Y’all really said “what if beach read but with maximum chest hair and emotional repression?” and I respect that.

I began listening to this audiobook with high hopes; drawn in by the cute cover art and intrigued by the description. I expected something more along the lines of a sweet summer romance; however, the lust and attraction between the two main characters came on immediately and left little room for a romantic vibe or build-up.

Jade Taylor is a FMC with something to prove; feeling as though her parents view her as just the "pretty one" and her sister as the accomplished "brainy one"—Jade is determined to show that she's just as capable.
Throughout the book Jade feels stereotyped for being "blonde, pretty, & busty" which I found came across as quite dramatized. There's a weird sort of rivalry between her and her sister but it's all really one-sided and paints Jade as immature. Overall I just couldn't bring myself to like Jade as a character and felt like she needed more of a grounded personality.

Liam Haven is the MMC of this story and he not only has something to prove, but also a difficult past and fear of rejection to get over.
I disliked Liam's character much more than even Jade; he is crass, has 0 respect for boundaries, and just doesn't come across as a good guy at all. He was always being inappropriate by making naughty comments or moves on Jade whenever he pleased; also constantly gawking at her body or touching her with no care as to who saw. Liam kept crossing any boundaries that Jade attempted to put between them as boss and employee too; It all just felt weird to me.
The romance between the main characters just wasn't there. Lots of spicy time but little to no actual connection and love.

There were some parts that were difficult to get through like an extremely awkward call between Jade, her mom, dad, and sister. Then there were other parts that were nearly impossible to listen to like when Jade and Liam go on about the private parts of male whales..
I feel like this book had an interesting premise but fell short with the lack of romance and the huge focus on sex. I would've really liked if there was more build-up romantically between the two main characters and also more focus on the island itself.

Narration opinion: the narrator did a good job with tone and emphasizing any necessary parts. However, the accent used for Jade sounded quite fake and forced. I wasn't a big fan of the "old lady" voice when narrating side characters nor the "male" voice used for Liam/male characters. I think this audiobook would've benefitted from a man narrating Liam and any male side characters instead.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and HarperAudio Adult for this advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a really sweet little story. I'd love to be a book store manager in Nantucket for 3 months, especially if it came with a grumpy billionaire.

One narrator, 2 pov, rags to riches, one night stand, enemies to lovers (ish) redemption arc.

Booked for the Summer was such a fun listen! The setting on Nantucket was pure summer escapism, with the salty ocean breeze and a cozy little bookshop that I wanted to step right into. Jade was instantly relatable as the passionate book lover trying to save her beloved store, and her banter with Liam, the billionaire who doesn’t even read for fun, was addictive! Their push and pull had just the right mix of tension, humor, and sparks, and I loved watching Jade chip away at Liam’s business only outlook. I listened to the audiobook, and Mary Jane Wells’s narration made it even better! She nailed the chemistry and gave each character their own personality, which kept me hooked the whole way through. It felt like the perfect beach read in audio form: light, flirty, heartfelt, and a little bit swoony. If you want a summery romance that blends charm, sass, and heat, add this one to your TBR!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! After the first few 2 chapters I wasn’t sure this was the book for me, but I really ended up enjoying the story and characters!

I was excited because the FMC is British and she’s traveling to Nantucket to work in a small indie bookstore. Then she falls in love with the billionaire that owns the bookstore! It just sounds so cute. But unfortunately it was very mediocre. And it was not at all what I expected based on the cover of the book. The one I have is different than what’s here on Fable and gives a very different vibe.

Booked for the Summer
A Novel
by Kathryn Freeman
Narrated by Mary Jane Wells

I received an ARC of this audiobook through Netgalley.

This was a very charming book full of delightful and grumpy characters. It takes place on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

A bookstore owners hires a UK resident to manage her bookstore for 3 months. Then due to her sons being in financial straits, she ends up selling the bookstore. The new manager is now in a pickle.

This book is cozy, funny, cute, disgruntling, and easy to insist on listening nearly straight through!

I call this a cozy summer romance. There were some erotic scenes, but this book focuses heavily on self-reflection, standing up for the rights of oneself & others, friendship, romance, apologies, and is a big love letter to book lovers everywhere.

I definitely recommend. Just be aware of some NSFW scenes & enjoy!!

This was so fun!! I wasn't expecting to be spicy like it is based off the cover (I know, I know, don't judge a book based off it's cover, but we all do lol). There were a couple of moments that felt a little repetitive, but otherwise I really enjoyed it!! I listened to the audiobook for this and I loved the narrator/s! This was just recently released and I think I will have to buy a physical copy! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my audio ARC!!

Listening to this summer romance set in Nantucket reminded me a bit of reading Erin Sterling’s Ex-Hex and sequels. It’s the chemistry and the banter from the get go. Booked for the Summer is a grumpy and sunshine romance that starts out as a one night stand. Its a little steamy, but if we are looking at spice in peppers, this novel is a bell pepper. But, the chemistry of our main characters balances it out.
I enjoyed most of the book. I loved Liam’s grandma. And I wanted more from the town and the backstory. More of why Liam cared about his resort, other than revenge and proving his own worth.

Thank you Netgalley for the ACL.

3.5 starts for me.

I thought it was a nice summer read. it was cute and cozy

First, I'm sorry about the three stars, I rarely give a book that low of a rating but I wanted to be honest.
I was excited about this when I read the blurb about the book, I thought it would be a nice cozy read with some good tropes - until I realized while reading that one of the major tropes is my least favorite - the miscommunication trope. There was such a focus on the physical relationship between Jude and Liam that those moments started to feel repetitive. Not to mention it started so early that it made the whole book just seem rushed.

Oh how badly I wanted to love this book when I initially started it. I had very high hopes for the cute rom-com style plot set in Nantucket during summer with our FMC longing to find herself through travel and books (aren't we all longing for this?!). I anticipated parts of it being cheesy because realistically, when aren't rom-com's at some point but I quickly found myself annoyed with the back and forth between the FMC and the MMC.

Our MMC clearly has deep rooted childhood trauma due to bullying and while valid, it got old really fast. I felt as though our characters would make progress and before we knew it were right back where they started. It was the classic five steps forward, two steps back kind of vibe. Don't get me wrong, at times it had great momentum and I would think we were building to our peak of Liam finally accepting that there was a clear connection between him and Jade, only to be disappointed again by his inability to let go and heal from the past. The brooding millionaire can be a fun play but he didn't really give off millionaire vibes in my opinion and the emotional instability overtook a lot of his potential for good character development.

Now, onto Jade. From the start, I thought she was cute and quirky and reminded me of Louisa Clark in the movie "Me Before You". However, some of the things she said throughout the book (especially during the intimate scenes) came off as a bit cringe to me. Throughout the book she referenced always being seen as the typical blonde with big boobs and only being valued for her looks but her decisions throughout the book made her appear as naive to me and took away from my ability to be able to take her seriously as a character.

Overall, it was a cute read but I don't think there were many facets of the book that set it apart from others to give me the desire to reread it or really recommend it to others.