I was a little bit disappointed with this book. I thought that I gonna enjoy it better. But it was not for me.

The Summer Ever After is a cute summer romance book. If you are looking for something cute, fun, summery and a perfect escape, this is it.

This summer romance book was entertaining, cute, fun, summery and a perfect escape. I didn't loved it, but I enjoyed it.

These characters were insufferable what the heck. I've read worse books, but this one is definitely pretty high up there.

There's a lot of things I don't understand about this book. 1) I understand if a parent becomes injured or takes ill, many children will take them in and become a caregiver. However, Alice's mom seems to be so genuinely mean to her daughter that I'm not sure how she toughs it out. Also, 2) WHY DOES SHE THINK HER MOM'S CONDITION IS HER FAULT? I get "why" but not the actual WHY. IT'S SO DUMB.

The relationships in this book are not solid enough for me to care about. Why should I care about these two getting back together when they couldn't sort their shit out over the past 10-15 years anyways? THEY DIDN'T EVEN TRY!

Not my fave, as you can tell.

I'd have to agree with the other reviewers - I did like this book, but I wasn't in love with it! Part of the reason that I'm reviewing it after the publish date was that I just took awhile to get through it; books in this vein are usually ones I can finish within two to three days as long as I'm not super busy, but I just couldn't get into it. I think part of it was that I just couldn't truly root for either of the characters. When I love a book, I find myself rooting for them to be better/get together/succeed in some way and that just wasn't happening here.

**Book Review: _Summer Ever After_ by Jane Crittenden**

_Jane Crittenden's_ _Summer Ever After_ is a delightful and heartwarming escape into the joys and surprises of summertime romance. With its charming characters, picturesque settings, and relatable life dilemmas, this novel captures the essence of an unforgettable summer. Crittenden’s storytelling is both light-hearted and emotionally engaging, drawing readers into a tale of love, self-discovery, and the beauty of new beginnings.

The novel's mix of humor, warmth, and poignant moments makes it a perfect read for those looking to be swept away by a feel-good story. _Summer Ever After_ is an enchanting reminder that sometimes, the best adventures are the ones that take us by surprise.

Such a great read! Highly recommend this one.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Story line was cute and an easy summer read but I wasn’t a huge fan of how the characters were portrayed and the lack of communication during the WHOLE book. It was as if we were being dragged through just to extend the plot. I just wish it had a more believable plot with a bit more of an actual story to it.

"Summer Ever After" by Jane Crittenden is marketed as a contemporary romance novel set in the vibrant city of Barcelona. The story follows Alice, who, after a decade, returns to the city where she once found love and heartbreak. Working alongside her former flame, Andy, she navigates old feelings and new possibilities in the culinary world of Spain.

Whilst the culinary journey through Barcelona can be appreciated, there are issues with character development and the overall narrative structure. It appears that the book's editing process might not have addressed these concerns adequately. The back and forth between past and present day could have been more fluent, instead it made for a choppy read as they implied story lines didn't align.

Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

I had such high hopes about this book but I unfortunately found this book slow and upsetting.

Its about a girl names Alice who takes care of her mom but her mom has an accident and leaves her with limitd mobility.
Alice is riddled with guilt and this leaves a strain on their relationship.
I could not get past the guilt but it gives you hope on forgiveness and second chances.

I received a ARC from netgalley on this second chance romance. This is my first book from Jane Crittenden. There is a 10 year span when Alice has a work opportunity to better her career and when she shows up to work in Barcelona she is confronted with a flood of memories and Andy. Andy is now married and is her new boss....

4 ☆

Themes/Tropes: HEA, Dual POV, Time Jump, Second Chances

Alice is working at a language school and taking care of her mother after an accident has left her mother with limited mobility. Alice believes she is to blame and carries that guilt with her as she thinks about the events of 10 years ago. 10 years ago she was in Barcelona with Andy with so much promise of the future. A misunderstanding left them with unresolved feelings and a sense of what could have been.

I enjoyed this book but I thought the pacing was a little slow. It is a cute story about two people getting a second chance at their forever together. The characters felt real and it read like a slice of life of these two characters as they figured out their future. This is a good contemporary fiction novel that leaves you believing in second chances and that there is always time to build the future you want.

Summer Ever After promised a captivating Barcelona backdrop and a compelling exploration of passion and love. While the characters were undoubtedly intriguing, with complex backstories that added depth, the romance fell flat. Their connection lacked chemistry, feeling more like a slow-burn that never ignited. The flirting was subtle to the point of invisibility, making the emotional journey frustratingly slow.
The ending, while surprising, felt rushed and unsatisfying. It was as if the author was eager to wrap up the story without fully developing the potential of the plot twist.
Overall, while the setting and character development showed promise, the lackluster romance and abrupt ending prevented this book from reaching its full potential.

feel good summer beach read vibes!!!! i loved the characters and overall plot. would love to read more work from this author in the future! great work Jane!!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was the perfect summer book!

Alice took a vacation with her sister to Barcelona before her cookery apprenticeship and she met Andy and fell head over heels for him. But she had to come back to London because of a family tragedy and she suddenly stopped contacting Andy because of a miscommunication. After 10 years,she lives with her mom taking care of her because she is sick and works at a school. She does everything in her life thinking about her mom and her welfare. Now she got a job offer at Barcelona from Andy and his wife's school. Would she go there? Would it ignite her long lost love? Would she leave her mom for a few months?

This book is what I needed at that moment. Perfect romance, angst drama, family burden altogether it was a great story. I loved the story building and character developing. Alice takes care of her mom because she thinks she caused the accident and her mom is too childish to do anything by herself. I hated her mom first because she doesn't let her children live her life and live off of her, behaving like a spoiled kid. When Alice left, day by day she developed and here helped her younger daughter. I loved Alice and Andy's romance, how they feel for each other. This book was perfect.

Summer Ever After by Jane Crittenden was a really enjoyable story.
A touching read with engaging characters.
I thought the writing was very well done.

Thank You NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this arc. Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. I hard a hard time reading it and couldn't connect with the characters.

Quick gist: A long time ago, more like a few summers back, Alice was visiting Barcelona with her sister Charlie, and she fell in love with a guy named Andy Hall. However, Andy breaks her heart and a few years later, she is chosen for an apprenticeship program at a cooking school back in Barcelona. While Alice is back in Barcelona, she runs into Andy, the guy that broke her heart. Little did she know that Andy's wife owns the cooking school. Could Alice get a second chance at love, or will she end up getting her heart broken yet again?

My review: This book kind of took me a while to finish reading it, but I absolutely loved it towards the end. If you ever got a broken heart before and you want a story to relate to, I highly recommend reading this book. I'm so incredibly grateful that I got the opportunity to read this as an arc before it came out.

Overall I really loved reading this book!
It is a cute and cozy summer tale that is perfect for this time of year.
The main plot is the main character going back to Barcelona, where she lived for a while a decade ago. Throughout the book you learn more about the characters' past and their current situation. The fact that the book was set in Spain, makes you travel along as the characters discover new places, dishes and habits of the locals.

I did think the characters had some flatness to them. While I don't mind a certain predictability to a book like this, it made the story a little too repetitive. You know from the beginning which characters will get a character arc and how realistic that will be. Especially when it comes to minorities, such as less-abled people and queer people, this can also be a reason for people to not read the book at all.


I was also a little bothered by the fact that the story of the past and the story of the present didn't develop or appear similarly often/quick.

Overall, I would give a 3.5/5 rating if I could, would be a 4-star if the characters had a little more depth to them.