It was really neat to read a coming of age/summer romance book that had many queer characters and where the main character didn’t have just one other queer person that they were magically and unrealistically perfectly suited for. I appreciated the misunderstandings both Emerson and Alice brought to the relationship because they felt rooted in their experiences and perspectives. The way the book was paced out was unexpected for me. I didn’t realize the book was almost done until I checked my digital percentage number. I loved the building connection and tension between Emerson and Alice but their relationship went from absolutely perfect to “we need to talk about and contend with some major things” very unexpectedly. The intensity and quick onset of those challenges didn’t actually leave time for their relationship to deepen to a level where they could deal with this major changes in the unconditional love and commitment way that they did. Overall I’m glad I read it and that there are more coming of age summer love stories in the LGBTQIA+ genre now!

One last Summer by Kristen Keppler was my first book by this author and it had all the good summer vibes of a small town by the beach. I felt the characters were well written and believable and the romance was well-paced and chemistry between the two MC’s was definitely present.

When I started reading this book I was a little unsure how the dynamic between Emerson, Peyton, and Alice was going to work as I am admittedly not a fan of love triangles, polyamory etc. Without giving spoilers I’m happy to report that I liked the way it worked out and that there wasn’t any cheating or anything super cringey between the three.

My only complaint is this book is only from Emerson’s POV and I really prefer if it’s told from both. However that is a MINOR complaint. Overall I was very impressed with this author and will be looking up her work in the future.

It was a fast read. I didn’t connect with the main characters and the story didn’t make me have all the feels. The book wasn’t for me.
Thank you so much to the publisher and author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest and fair review.

This was a really fun read. I liked the way the relationships were developed, and that the side characters had nuance. It was a thoughtful approach to the big life decisions made in our early 20s and had fun beachy vibes.

Really good book. The characters were engaging, the pacing was great, and this story was very relatable and heart warming. I don't mind love triangles, when they are written well and I was very happy with the outcome of this one. This was an easy read, and the characters were fun to read about and get to know. The secondary characters were well written too. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family and I look forward to what's next from this author.

This was a cute weekend read. It had all the good summer vibes of a small town by the beach.

The characters were well written and believable, I enjoyed getting to know Emerson and Alice, and would've loved a POV from Alice too. It was still good to have some Aussie representation in the novel and it came across pretty good, not toooo stereotypical.

I actually found Payton to be a great side character as well, and I'm glad how all that played out wasn't cringeworthy.

Overall, a nice read that gives you warm feels. Would recommend.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

What a good book!!! Such a good story and great writing style. This was my first by this author and will not be my last! Such a great beach read!!

I've been enjoying so many great beach reads this summer and this one is no exception. The characters were very engaging, the pacing was great, and the story was relatable and heart-felt. I'm not usually one for love triangles, but this one was handled well and I was happy with the outcome. This was an easy breezy read that's perfect for an afternoon read by the lake or the beach.

This is a great beach read and I read it literally at the beach. I loved this story, but also how especially Emerson grows throughout the book.
Her whole life, Emerson had her mind set on one particular thing, not able to see the other things in her life. Throughout the book, she learns that she shouldn't focus on just one thing.
The character of Alice is lovable, but also a bit heart breaking, it makes it all the better as you're reading it, as you can just feel her sadness at some points, even though the book is written from Emerson's point of view.
There was a bit of drama that was not really necessary for me, but I didn't mind it either. Eventually, there's a happy ending where Emerson and Alice got what they wanted and each other.
I do hope that there's a possibility of another book, but this time telling the story of Payton.

Adulting is hard. Especially when life is throwing you curveball after curveball. Spend the summer with Emerson at a quaint beach town and go along for the ride. A perfect summer read!

I received an advance copy from Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Emerson is back in Bird Neck, North Carolina, the small beach town where she spent a lot of her summers growing up and working odd jobs. It’s the last summer she’ll be waitressing at the Sandpiper. Come September Emerson will start her final internship to complete her architectural degree. Since she’s been twelve she’s been dreaming of interning at the prestigious Bardot firm in Paris. Although she hasn’t heard back from them about a fall position, Emerson keeps the dream alive. Another thing she hopes to get out of the summer is spending more time with Peyton, the extremely hot girl she spent last summer with smoking up the sheets. That fling turns out not to be hard to pick back up, but why does her attention gets dragged towards the Australian surfergirl behind the bar, Alice. And why does everyone seem to think Alice has a thing for her. While waiting on an acceptance or rejection email for her dream internship, Emerson’s life seems to run away from her in all directions but the expected one.

I literally dove into this story headfirst and only emerged after the final chapter. The story is told from Emerson’s POV and it’s intriguing to be submerged in her way of struggling through major life changes. I was immediately smitten with her. Emerson is smart and fun to be around, but also insecure in the most human of ways.

Emerson’s friendship with Candice is one to envy. They know each other like the back of their hand and support each other through thick and thin. I loved that Emerson has Candice to keep her grounded and steer her, sometimes not so subtly, in the right direction. Emerson’s relationship with her aunt and uncle and her parents is so loving and heartwarming. They love her exactly for who she is and give her all the space to figure out her own path, while cheering her on along the way.

The notion that Alice has been in love with Emerson for ages and was left standing on the sidelines while Emerson hooked up with Peyton last summer, is heartbreaking and endearing at the same time. Alice proves to be a wonderful human being and shows Emerson that in every way possible. I found myself wanting to thump Emerson over the head with a phonebook to get her to catch on sooner.

One Last Summer is a light and very entertaining read, perfect to read while lounging on your beach chair and hearing the crashing waves in the distance. Maybe you’ll even be inspired and try to catch a few waves yourself!

I really enjoyed this book, the characters were engaging and the setting was nice. Emerson and Alice, and even the secondary characters, were well fleshed out and relatable. The story did not feel rushed either. And the steamy scenes...wow!

3.75⭐️
“One Last Summer” by Kristin Keppler is a perfect book for vacations or a weekend at the beach. Sit down, enjoy a drink, and read the entertaining story about Emerson, who wants to enjoy one last carefree summer before the serious side of life begins. But as is so often the case, things turn out differently than planned.

Aspiring architect Emerson (24) is eagerly awaiting a hopefully positive response from her dream employer, the Bardot Design Studio in Paris, for a three-month internship in the fall. The long wait makes her nervous. To take her mind off things, she spends the summer with her aunt and uncle in North Carolina and works as a waitress at the Sandpiper Beach Bar, where she meets up with old friends. She also reunites with Peyton, her last summer fling. But when Alice, her co-worker, teaches her to surf, it is surprisingly not only the waves that throw her off balance but also the funny, warm, and charming Alice.

Emerson is faced with important decisions. On the one hand, the job - what if she doesn't get her dream job in Paris? She doesn’t have a backup plan. She has only had this one goal since she was twelve years old. Then there are the unexpected and strong feelings and attraction to Alice. Could this woman be the real deal? Or will she leave Emerson if she does go to Europe? Suddenly, everything is up in the air and confuses the hell out of young Emerson. She is torn between fear, joy, insecurity, and happiness. How will she decide?

Enjoying read, the flow of the story is good and easy, with the necessary hiccups to keep the story going but without overdoing it. The POV is from Emerson. Alice is a wonderful young woman who I would have liked to get a little more backstory.

Thanks to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for receiving an ARC for an honest review.

Alice really needs to learn how to communicate better. I wouldn't be putting up with that crap, no matter how much she apologises later.

Otherwise, a cute Sapphic summer romance.

this was a super cute sapphic romance for the summer, complete with sweet romance, silly moments, some angst & spice, and a whole bunch of surfing!

definitely relatable for that time in your 20s when you're trying to figure out what the next steps in your life are and how to fit those special people into it.

perfect beach romance read 🌊🏄‍♀️

It took me a while to get fully emerged into the story. I didn't connect right off the bat. It was a cute read. Not too long. I just thought it was OK. Nothing totally wrong with it. Just didn't connect emotionally.

Emerson is hoping to intern at the renowned Bardot Design Studio in Paris, but she hasn't received an acceptance letter yet. She returns to her aunt and uncle to wait for it, working as a waitress and reigniting her romance with Peyton. Emerson becomes more intimate with Alice, a coworker who she decides to teach how to surf. As they get to know one another, Emerson begins to understand that she can pursue her aspirations and find love simultaneously. I adore Emerson's focus on his career. Peyton, who enjoys having fun, is genuinely a pleasure to be around, and Alice, who kept to herself but made her voice known, made for a lovely romantic and friendship combination.

A lovely sapphic read for summer!

Well-written, engaging, and authentic characters. Pleasantly surprised that there was no love triangle drama and the relationships portrayed were respectful and healthy, even when parting ways.
I enjoyed the building of Emerson and Alice's friendship to something more, as Emerson slowly realizes her feelings. And there is a nice dose of spice without being overwhelming.
The pacing at the end fell flat for me, though that was in part due to my personal dislike of lack of communication being the inciting factor for a conflict. That said, while the flaws in both Emerson and Alice's communication about their futures frustrated me, it was a realistic portrayal of trying to balance careers and romance at a turning point in life.

This book was great! The characters were complex and interesting! The plot was well written and compelling, and the story was interesting.

This was really cute and I loved this summer, beach town romance! Personally, it took me a minute to get fully invested but once I got about 30% in, I couldn’t wait to see how the rest of the story unfolded.

I enjoyed getting to know our girl Emerson and the relationships she has found herself in. With Peyton, we get a no strings, casual fling but here comes Alice who Emerson finds herself wanting to get to know more and has this connection with. The overall dynamic is pretty realistic and I enjoyed how these characters were portrayed.

Overall, definitely check out this book if you are looking for a fun, low stakes rom-com, summery beachy read. I’m incredibly thankful for NetGalley and Bold Stroke Books inc. for gifting me this arc!!<3

I enjoyed this summer beach read a lot. I
Emerson was a sweet girl who I think would be great to be friends with. I also loved her best friend, Candice. I enjoyed the relationship developing between Alice and and Emerson but I hated that she gave up her dream for a girl she’d been with a month!