I loved this book so much! I ate up every word! This was so good it is the perfect summer read to lay by the pool to get lost in. Loved it!!
I just reviewed SUMMER IN YOUR EYES by Chris Penhall. #SUMMERINYOUREYES #NetGalley
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This book was good! It did start out a little bit on the slower side, but once it picked up I really enjoyed it.

Summer in your eyes...a heartwarming, feel-good story, perfect for reading on a Summer's day. Chris Penhall has a fabulous ability to make us fall in love with her characters and visualise them previously based on her descriptions...from Holly to Caleb, Jack to Claudette - every character comes to life in your mind. Their quirks and nuances leap out at you and you can't help but smile at the odd comment made by each of them. Despite this being a summer feel-good book, the story does still touch on some hard hitting topics including loss, debt and relationship breakdowns. This book is set primarily in London (there are some early touches to Marrakesh and Yorkshire early on)...I would love for this series to continue and for us to see Holly expand her travels once again...for us to learn about how her and Jack develop and to see Farthing Street flourish thanks to the Bullington revival. Overall, this was a lovely summer story for a lovely summers day.

Thank you NetGalley, Choc Lit and Joffe publishing and Chris Penhall for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was sweet, fun and kept me reading. I enjoyed this book and will look for other books by this author.

Summer in Your Eyes is a delightful, summery read that will give you the warm and fuzzies and put a smile on your face. A story of new starts and second chances, it is beautifully written and keeps you engaged and entertained in equal measure. The emphasis in this book is not purely romance which to me is what makes it stand out but for someone looking for just a love story it may not be for you.
The protagonist Holly Merriweather is a lapsed travel writer who, in need of a new start, heads to London and her dream job at a renowned travel book publisher. Excited for the adventures that await her, Holly is determined to put herself and her career first, firmly swearing off men. Fate however has other plans throwing her boss’s gorgeous son Jack in her path. Holly finds it increasingly difficult to resist his charms and as they work together to save the family business she realises this summer might just be the most exciting of her life.
One of my favourite aspects of this book is the journey we are taken on around London uncovering a number of hidden gems along the way. The writing brings the city and its vibrancy to life in an enchanting way that makes you want to immerse yourself in it. The supporting cast add depth and color to the storyline and and Are well-developed and relatable. This book is so much more than just a romance as Holly’s journey to finding love is not just about her relationship with Jack but also about finding herself and pursuing her dreams. The chemistry between the pair is palpable and you find yourself rooting for their happy ever after.
Overall this is and enchanting and utterly feel-good love story with an edge. The perfect book to curl up with on a lazy summers day and escape into a world of romance and adventure.

In total honesty I did not love this book. I think I was expecting a romcom which is what I normally read, but I don't think that this quite fit that category.

This was however a super quick and easy read which I have talked about many times before the I love. I also love reading about travel writers because I am extremely jealous of them and want their job. I'm a music lover so thematic references were very enjoyable.

3 Stars

Summer in Your Eyes is about starting over after a long-term breakup and choosing yourself again. I liked this book. It was a nice summer read with a lot of imagery & details. It had a bit of romance but nothing over the top and no spice— I would consider this more women’s fiction than romance. It also had a lot of bits from the various characters the main character comes across & had a kind of Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls feeling.

Thank you to Joffe Books & Net Galley for the ARC of Summer in Your Eyes in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this. I liked how it was written, with all the locations and details, I coould see where they were very clearly because of it. Holly finally landed her dream job and it wasn't what she expected but she made the best she could in that situation. Jack was also in a dificult position, he wanted to help in his father's legacy but it wasn't what he wanted to do in his life. Neither of them wanted to mix business and pleasure again but we can't control what we feel and they fell for each other anyway. I liked the Farthing Street people, very funny, very themselves and very good people. This book just filled me with joy

Holly Merriweather is ready for a new beginning. After landing her dream job with the company whose guides inspired her travel blogging career, all Holly must do is find the will to write again. Will romantic sparks at the new office derail her plans entirely?

Summer in Your Eyes is a cozy, comfort read with a little bit of mystery in the form of Farthing Street's quaint residents and business owners. Holly, while a bit flighty, is an optimistic main character who dreams big, at least where her friends and family are concerned.

I do wish that Holly could've spent more time with Jack, but, all in all, this book was a fun, light read set in London. The cast of characters were memorable and believable. Fans of "starting over" narratives will really enjoy this book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher.

The dialogue through me off completely. I was looking forward to this being a cute, fun rom-com but I did skim through some pages and then I DNF. I was waiting for the romance and it was not there for me.

It was just the wrong choice of book for me personally. It was my first women’s literature book so that may be the reason.

Thank you, NetGalley for the EARC! As always, my review is my opinion and thoughts.

disappointed:(

what i thought was going to be a romance (maybe that’s my own fault for going in with the wrong expectations?) was actually a travel novel centered around character dynamics and a small mystery.

it was a mid read overall

After breaking up with her childhood sweetheart, travel writer Holly Merriweather is determined to get her life back on track. When she scores a job at an iconic travel book publisher, she is thrilled to finally be on track to a successful career, and one free of men. However, she soon discovers that the job is not quite as it seems, and she must contend with the boss’s son, Jack who she finds herself attracted to.

This book does a great job of bringing the city of London alive, as seen through the eyes of Holly. What was disappointing was that the romance was not quite as dynamic, largely exploring Holly’s travels and new friends.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The book description describes this to be a romance story. It is not. It's general fiction. I just did not vibe with this book I struggled to finish it. While it didn't work for me. It might be the perfect book for you.
2.5 ⭐ rounded up to 3⭐

Book Releases July 20, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for the E-ARC

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

Holly is starting again after a horrible break up, she’s a travel blogger and when she was given an opportunity to work her dream job, she went for it. I was so excited for her and also her little crush on the owners son Jack, who is literally her new coworker/boss-ish. She won’t mix business with pleasure again, and Jack won’t either.

They are on a journey to recheck the old attractions that were illustrated in Jacks dads books and recreating a new edition. Which was so much fun, but the romance was such a slow burn I lost interest. But one thing is for sure it’s a fun journey, I had fun reading them all… just wish there was more of a romantic connection between them if anything.

I read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I found this was a general fiction, more than a romance. It was a little bit hard to know what was happening throughout the plot as the main character talked to herself a little bit too much. It was fine, but hard when it kept jumping from the past to the present.
Was interesting when the author made you think back to music from the past and the sort of lifestyle that came with it. Places and memories are important.

Summer in Your Eyes follows Holly as she starts her new life after a failed business venture and the end of a relationship. She gets a writing job that allows her to discover new and mysterious places. It’s there that she meets Jack, her new bosses’ son as well many other new and exciting people as she gets acquainted with her new surroundings. She also quickly takes an interest in an old music hall that has been deserted and locked up for years.

I had a very hard time getting into this book. The summary makes it seem like this book is a romance when it’s not. It spends very little time developing the romance to the point where I honestly didn’t care about them. I did enjoy the uncovering of the music venue, but the reveal was a bit cheesy.

I enjoyed the movie references in the book. It was a fun edition and helped set the scene when she would compare her surroundings to a film I’ve seen.

If you enjoy women’s lit, you might like this more. I would also recommend this for readers who liked Don’t You Forget About Me.

Thank you NetGalley for sending this book for review.

I expected a romance - but this wasn’t really the kind of romance I was hoping for. There were lots of good stuff, great travelogue elements and some well drawn characters - but I wanted more romance,

We start with Ed and Holly in Marrakech agreeing to live together in a new venture after years of being together, yet apart.
We then skip to a couple of years later and they’ve split up and Holly is about to start a new job working for a firm of travel guide publishers. Why did we need that lengthy prologue to introduce us to a relationship that is going to disintegrate before the book even gets started?

The romance is so low key as to be almost invisible and although I was interested in the characters and setting and the predictable mystery which Holly was determined to solve, I really wanted more on the romantic journey of Holly and Jack.

The signposts for the mystery were well signposted. I knew Caleb was the mysterious owner of the music venue, very early on.

I enjoyed this story but I wanted more romance. I’m getting a bit fed up with recent romances I’ve read where the declaration and the sex happen at the end of the book and off page. Also I found the font choice very distracting.

Enjoyable, escapist women’s fiction.

If you like travel writing or travel blogs, you would enjoy this fairly light and easy read. While there is an air of romance, that is not really the focus of the book. I liked the overall storyline, the location, location descriptions, the mystery, but the writing style threw me off. Holly talks to herself constantly and there is a lot of dialogue in the book in general (as well as her internal dialogue) and I found it quite distracting. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

This was an interesting read to say the least! It takes a bit to really get yourself invested in the story, and I'd say it takes some time to dive into the story.

Overall, it's pretty quirky and fun as Holly discovers things about herself and what she wants. She lands her dream job, and figures out how to navigate life post breakup. I noticed some reviewers weren't all too happy at the romance (or lack thereof). If you go into this expecting a women's fiction novel rather than a romance, you won't be quite as disappointed. As such, there's defined more focus on Holly's personal growth rather than any romance she might have.

Anyway, this was a pretty good read and I enjoyed it once I got used to the writing style. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC and for the opportunity to review this book. I am voluntarily leaving this review.

I love romcoms so I was looking forward to reading this book and the cover was super cute. But it was more of a travel novel…romance didn’t start until about it 65% through the book. The storyline just fell flat for me.