A Fun and Flirty Four-star read. I enjoyed this story, it didn’t always love it, and I don’t know why as it had all of the makings of a great story, it swept me up and made me feel the motion of the ocean. The passion of the long stares and the emotional relationship between Bijou and her farther, there were so many parts to this story and all together they were great, but just missed one small piece. I will definitely be watching out for more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an advanced copy of this novel

I really enjoyed Smart Girl Summer! In my mind I thought it would be like other billionaire romances but it was quite different! It wasn’t steamy or heavy but a very light read.

Abby and Bijou were great characters! Abby was relatable in her thought process and had good morals. I did wish we learnt more about Richard, I feel like we didn’t get much depth or emotion from him. Their relationship came too easy.

I would recommend this for those looking for a light, easy read. Maybe a holiday or weekend novel

A fun feel good read which left me wanting to go on holiday!

The character of Abby was described as independent and strong and her development/ realisations through the book I loved especially regarding her career. I loved reading of her interactions with Bijou and moments with Coco although I felt they were more interesting compared to with Richard.

4/5

Smart Girl Summer was such an enjoyable and quick read.

The book took a different turn than the usual of its kind but I was presently surprised by it.

The characters were all well developed and had a clear story arc, although I was not the biggest fan of the male love interest, as he felt a little flat for my opinion.

I was pleased with the writing as well. It was quite charming and witty, just like I prefer it.

Abby is a grad student who has hit a speed bump on the road to getting her PhD and realizes she needs to take a step away for the summer. She really needs to think about what she wants for her future and if she's truly happy continuing towards becoming a physics professor after her academic adviser steals her research work. Her tutoring agency has the perfect opportunity come up for a long-term tutoring position for a wealthy client. It's a six week excursion through the Mediterranean on a yacht; how could she say no?

Enter her billionaire boss, single dad, Richard. The media makes him out to be a playboy, but after getting to know him, Abby realizes he's just a sweet, somewhat nerdy guy who wants a better relationship with his daughter, Bijou. How could you not start to catch feelings for an amazing guy while exploring some of the most beautiful parts of the world? When it's time to go back to the real world, Abby needs to decide if she can deal with gossip and paparazzi, while Richard needs to stand up for the woman he cares about and not make the same mistakes he's made in the past.

This book is a perfect summer read! It's a cute, no spice, close proximity romance. I really enjoyed Abby and Richard together and how they pulled out the best in each other.

Thank you to NetGalley, Montlake, and Kristin Rockaway for the ARC.

3.5 stars

Smart Girl Summer by Kristin Rockaway is an enjoyable read.

I enjoyed the storyline, it held my attention from start to end, I loved hearing about all the wonderful sites they visited and the food Abby enjoyed. I think what I loved most about this book was it reminded me of my dream to one day visit Europe, to walk amongst the people, enjoy an expresso or two and just live in the moment. Sigh ... one day.

In closing, after reading Smart Girl Summer in one sitting, I wished we had gotten a few chapters from Richard's POV. I feel I would have formed a better understanding what made him the person he was and see/feel his growing attraction then love for Abby.

Smart Girl Summer is a entertaining and enjoyable read.

*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the advance copy.*

The chemistry in this one was intense! It was a quirky and enchanting romance that I found enjoyable to flip through. While I found the middle dragged a bit, I loved the set up and the end to this one.

I enjoyed the nannying aspect of this trope, and the heroine’s relationship with the hero’s daughter was so sweet and I liked the way she tried to mend the father daughter relationship as well.

The slow burn relationship between the heroine and the hero was so well done and their first kiss was so romantic (not going to spoil it, I just thought it was so well written!)

Anyway, I can’t wait to purchase this in audiobook format too if there is one. Will definitely be a reread.

I have mixed feelings about this book. It was a very quick, easy read but I felt at times that it was surface level, especially with the character interactions & dialogue (a bit dry).

It could 100% do with another edit (this was an early copy so I’m not commenting on the finished version tbf), and I feel like it needs more direction; it seems to hover between genres but not in a purposeful way, more like it’s disjointed and unfocused.

I enjoyed reading it but I don’t think it will be a memorable read and not one I’d rush to recommend to others. Maybe a good holiday read as there’s enough happening to keep you interested but also easy on the brain.

I don’t often feel like books should be longer but I think with a deep edit and an extra 50 pages to flesh some elements and dialogue out it could be a really strong read.

This was a quick, easy and fun read. The writing style was engaging and really easy to get into, the characters were well developed and the story was romantic and fun. I really enjoyed it,

I literally don't get anything after I read this book. No happiness, no sadness, no angstiness, no funny vibes, no good vibes, no hot moments, no cute moments, no romantic moments.

This book is plain af. You won't find any romance, funny, cute, sad, family, smutty, angsty moments here. From the blurbs, I think it's going to be super steamy but what I found is plain and nothing at all. It's (supposed to be) a love story of Abby Atkinson and Richard (I forgot his last name). The thing is I don't know when they even develop this 'love' towards each other. They barely see each other before they confessed their feelings.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A fun summer read, you can dream of days spent on a mega yacht days in a jacuzzi and evenings eating lemon gelato

I enjoyed Smart Girl Summer and the relationship between Abby and Richard.
Abby is a PhD student who decides to take the summer off to decide her next step in her educational career. She is approached about taking a job as a tutor for a billionaire's daughter as they travel (on a yacht!) overseas. The relationship between Abby and the daughter as well as Abby and the dad progress as they grow closer throughout their six weeks together.
Things I liked:
Abby is smart. And she doesn't try to downplay it or dumb herself down (Especially for men)
Abby faces her fears
Richard is a kind father who wants the best for his daughter

Things I didn't love:
There were a bit of reused phrases "the hairs on the back of her neck stood up" that I thought could have been changed up... at least once or twice.
The problem that Abby and Richard have seems very unrealistic and honestly she seems to overreact quite a bit.
The sparks between them were.... ok. Nothing too spicy.

This is a closed door romance. An easy read, sweet story with a HEA.
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Smart Girl Summer is about setting priorities wrapped up in an enjoyable story. Abby takes a job tutoring the young daughter of a very rich man as they cruise around the Mediterranean and explore various sites. The relationships she develops help decide what might be better paths when the summer is over. Author Kristen Rockaway does a good job defining her characters’ foibles, insecurities and desires. The situations are clever and dialogue sounds real. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Highly recommend.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Montlake and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


A quick, fun summer read. Perfect for a book club or on vacation.

Smart Girl Summer is a romance about a PhD student, Abby Atkinson, who takes on a last-minute tutoring job for the summer to help the daughter of one of the wealthiest and most influential men in the world learn math. What started as an exciting adventure around the Mediterranean turns into a complicated mess that leaves Abby contemplating what's next for her when she returns home to New York.
While I liked the overall storyline of this book, I feel that the romance aspect fell slightly flat. There was so much detail and thought put into the locations where the characters were traveling, and even the character development, but to me, the romance was slightly lacking. I would have loved to see more depth in the romantic relationship that took place, more detail into Richard's emotions, how his divorce affected him, etc. and how that is shaping his new relationship.
I loved Bijou's character as well, I think she was an excellent supporting character and brought a lot of life to the storyline in many ways. I also found it to be an interesting perspective on the middle schoolers of today.
Overall, I think this was a cute, easy read. I could see it being the perfect book for a good summer read, or for any romance lover.

This novel was sweet and endearing - perfect summer read. If I’d read this on holiday as a teenager i think it would’ve been a favourite read.

This was a super easy read. However, I just couldn't get into the story. The story felt rushed and I just didn't like the characters.

could not get into this book at all, i like this author so maybe i will try again at a later time. the format of this book was also problematic and hard to read, i would prefer a normal kindle option for the future.

Smart Girl Summer is a really cute romance with a likable lead and it makes for a fun, easy read. I really enjoyed Abby's journey in this book, she came across as funny, smart, quirky, and just really relatable. You know, except for the whole working for and getting close to a billionaire thing. The story was fun, the writing was good, Abby and Richard had chemistry, and I read this in just over a day. I think the book could've benefitted from letting us get to know Richard a bit more, and it did have an overly perfect ending for my taste but those are pretty minor things. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and it's made me look forward to summer.

I found it fairly easy to get into this book, which is always a good thing for me, and I think it was a perfect length as well. I really liked the idea of being on a yacht and travelling for the summer, and I think their adventures helped add to the characters. I liked how Abby realises throughout the book what she really wants and what will make her happy, and eventually decides to change her life. I also enjoyed seeing the relationship between Bijou and Richard become closer and more loving. Although I did notice Richard was described as a ‘good guy’ multiple times, and as much as I love guys like that, I didn’t think it needed to be said so many times.