Same Time Next Summer

Sam's structured no-nonsense approach to life has led her to build a successful career in HR and craft the perfect orderly life with her fiance Jack. But during a getaway to her parent's summer house where she's set to tour wedding venues, she runs into the one complication she didn't see coming. Her first love Wyatt who broke her heart when she was seventeen.

And as the days unfold Sam begins to reminisce on a time long ago when she and Wyatt were inseparable and their future lay before them before the fateful moment that led to the end of their love story. The more Sam remembers the more she begins to question who she is and if she's making the right decisions with her life.

This second-chance romance fell flat for one main reason I didn't buy the romance between the FMC (Sam) and MMC (Wyatt). They were in their teens when they dated and fell in love and now 13 years later, they have the same intense feelings despite having lived their own lives and evolving into the adults they are now. This just wasn't believable for me.

I also felt the ending was a little rushed we didn't get much time to experience the depth and complexity of the events that transpired. It was like everything fell into place with little to no effort.

While I couldn't push past my dislikes I can say I enjoyed Annabel Monaghan's storytelling skills. Despite my feelings, I was invested in Sam's journey and personal development. What would she eventually choose?

Additionally, her writing style is a fresh approach to crafting an emotion-packed contemporary romance that includes depth and layers. With a lot of focus placed on character development and growth as well as crafting a love story complete with chemistry and a happy ending.

I also enjoyed her family. They not only displayed a solid support system for Sam they added depth and complexity to the story.

I am looking forward to reading other books by this author but this just didn't hit the mark for me.

Lovely One Day Read.

As part of a readathon, I chose a variety of books covering different themes, one of which was seasons. For my summer read, I landed on this gem. This was my first experience with this author, and if their other works are anything like this one, I’m hooked. This book was a perfect remedy for my reading slump.

The protagonist, Sam, is a beautifully crafted character. An awkward, self-conscious teenager, she quietly falls in love with Wyatt over several summers at the beach. I usually find flashback scenes tedious, but the ones in this book were exceptionally well done. As we follow Sam into adulthood, reeling from a heartbreaking young adult relationship, the author vividly captures the feeling of being utterly lost and conflicted between one's desires and societal expectations. The reunion of Sam and Wyatt after nearly a decade apart was nothing short of perfect.

Each character in this story is imperfect yet deeply relatable. Even Jack, a character who could easily be disliked, is written with such depth and nuance that I found myself understanding his flaws. The author's skill in creating flawed but believable characters is impressive, making me invested in each of them. Although romance isn’t typically my go-to genre, I thoroughly enjoyed the concept and pacing of this story.

However, where this book lost a star for me was the ending. While I appreciated the conclusion, the last few chapters felt rushed, which in turn made the ending feel somewhat abrupt. Despite this, the book was a fantastic introduction to the author and explored themes of second-chance romance, small-town life, and an emotional beach setting.

If you’re intrigued by these themes, I highly recommend giving this book a chance. It’s a heartfelt summer read that beautifully captures the complexities of love and self-discovery.

4/5 - Another cute summer story from Annabel! Again, I hate the theme of these women pining over men for months and years.

3.5 ⭐

I enjoyed this a lot but it reminded me of Every Summer After so much. I also couldn't get past the POVs – half the chapter was third person then it'd randomly switch to first.

[b:Every Summer After 58014893 Every Summer After Carley Fortune https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630101647l/58014893.SX50.jpg 90914930] meets Sweet Home Alabama. Very formulaic, and it missed some of the humor of her last one, but enjoyable.