Geez I had no idea what I was getting into but I am so glad I did! This was the perfect summer beach read!! I loved everything about it.

Emerson was the girl you wanted to be friends with and her story was so fun and interesting. It was a hard to put down book! I’m so happy I was selected to read it. Huge thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books, Inc for the eARC. Everything from the love interests, past and present, and her inner and outer conflicts.

I found myself rooting for Emerson and wanting to stand by her side the whole time. I wanted to be the best girlfriend by her side this summer. The tone of this book was all summer and had a great energy throughout. Everything about it had the summer girl vibe. If you’re into a fun, fast paced, queer romance, this book is A MUST read. I loved it.

One Last Summer is the perfect summer read. And what I mean by that is it's hot, cute, heartwarming, and relatable! The setting with beaches, surfing, summer vacations/ internships add to the summery vibe.

The story pulls you almost instantly. All of the characters are so well written and you feel as though you know them. The book has a compelling love triangle - it doesn't feel fake for even a second - but it ends pretty quickly, so if you hate love triangles, you'll still love this.

The romance is so cute! I loved that there wasn't a 'villian' character and that there was communication in the relationships - albeit, a bit late - but everyone talked to each other and misunderstandings weren't for long. As someone who hates the miscommunication & misunderstanding tropes, I appreciate this.

The MC, Emerson is hilariously relatable and her fear of not getting an internship is so real.

An adorable contemporary romance with well-crafted characters. The chemistry between the main characters is amazing. It felt authentic and was relatable. The dialogue between them felt real. i just love how they communicated as adults without the excess drama. Well done, Keppler! I recommend 4 stars.

Thank You Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley.

I'm not one for contemporary romance usually, but this one caught my eye.

Emmerson spends each summer with her aunt and uncle in Birds Neck, working in a local restaurant
Last year she had a no strings deal with surfer Peyton and this year she's hoping for the same deal.

I liked how the relationships in this book played out. Initially I thought it was going to be all he lesbian drama going on, but actually, things worked out well.

Keeping best friend Candice on page even though she was miles away was a good move, if only to give Em somewhere to stay on her internship Interview.

I really thought I was going to get a cute 'lets shack up and do up the restaurant' ending, so that turn at around 80% in was a bit of a u turn!

Overall, I'd probably give another romance by this author a go.

Kristin Keppler's "One Last Summer" is a refreshing and engaging read that effortlessly captures the essence of a summer romance. Set against the backdrop of a beach town, this novel tells the story of Emerson and Alice, whose relationship evolves from friendship into something more profound.

Emerson and Alice are well-crafted characters whose chemistry feels authentic. Keppler does an excellent job of building their relationship, drawing readers into their world. Her writing is both descriptive and accessible, making the book an easy and pleasurable read.
However, the ending feels somewhat abrupt. The conclusion doesn't quite match the strength of the rest of the novel, leaving a few loose ends. Peyton and Becky, two minor characters who seem to play significant roles throughout most of the story, are somewhat sidelined towards the end. It would have been nice to see their arcs more fully developed.
Despite this, "One Last Summer" is a well-written and enjoyable novel. Keppler has crafted a story that is both fun and emotionally resonant, making it a great pick for anyone looking for a light, yet meaningful, summer read.

A summer beach romance. Sign me up! I loved this cute story of Alice and Emmerson. It had just enough drama for me to love it and a great beach read. Super quick read. Surfing, accents and summer beach towns is all I needed to get hooked.


Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Stroke for an advance digital copy!

One Last Summer by Kristin Keppler is the perfect summer story!
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would from the description.
It was so cute, I couldn't help smiling throughout the whole thing.

Thank You NetGalley and BSB genre for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Emerson Fields in back in Bird's Neck, North Carolina for the summer after failing to get her dream internship. She picks up the same waitressing job she had before and her casual relationship with Peyton. All is going pretty good minus her stressing about being accepted for the fall internship at Bardot in Paris. She has to get another internship in order to graduate. Her best friend insists she should learn how to surf and she goes to her coworker Alice to learn. Instead she find so much more.

One Last Summer was such a fun, adorable summer read! I love a book set at a NC beach town!

We follow Emerson, who is at a crossroads in her life. She is spending the summer working at a restaurant in a NC beach town while waiting to hear from her dream internship for the fall, after she was passed up for the summer internship. At first she falls into the same situationship she had the summer before with Peyton, a local surfer. She starts to develop feelings for Alice, the bartender at the restaurant.

I loved the summer vibes of this book, and got very invested in all the characters. I also absolutely adore the amount of real, down-to-earth conversations had in this book. These conversations made the characters feel like real, adult women and honestly made this book for me.

Would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a light fun summer read. This book had me giddy and excited to read on.

One last summer was a nice easy read. Definitely a feel good summertime book.

I thought the characters were well developed and I enjoyed the story. The main protagonist and her journey were very relatable. A few typos and grammatical errors here and there but nothing that can’t be worked through.

I definitely recommend if you’re looking for a toes in the sand, beach type romance novel.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

emerson had a full on fling with payton last year after being on the rebound from her ex.... now shes back and hoping that maybe she can have a bit more of payton as the sex was amazing.... though they are exclusive they are not serious its just sex...

but theres something different this year for a start emerson is waiting to hear if she has got into the prestigious Bardot Design Studio architectural firm in Paris but as time goes by its not looking hopeful

so she takes up the offer of learning how to surf but with alice... and thats where things start to get interesting....because why does it matter that others are flirting with alice after all they are not a couple but it makes emerson feel all sorts of things and one of them is jealousy.....

interesting times ahead ... for emerson, alice and all that work around them...

a fun beach read that keeps you entertained....

This rom-com, follows Emerson escaping her life, with an unknown future, she escapes by distracting herself with an old fling, but what happens when she tries to learn to suffer from the beautiful Alice?

I really liked how the love triangle was written and concluded. I am not a fan of love triangles, but this one was just good. The contrast of the relationships, as well as everyone respecting everyone. I felt like it was just young women understand and going through their emotions and feelings, in a very human and realistic manner, which I really appreciated.

The setting was perfect for the summer, on the beach, suffering, the vibe is just it, for a nice easy summer read. I wish there was more description of the beaches, or settings, but that might be because I miss the hot summers.

The characters were relatable, and likeable. Emerson’s journey is relatable for any young adult, uncertainty and the fear of the unknown. As well as her own fears and dilemmas, it felt seen. As well as how Alice and Peyton were written gave them depth and made me feel for them as well.
The representation, which is just there, it’s not in your face, it’s written as if it was a normal romance which is really nice as sapphic romances are normal romances.

I felt like the pacing wasn’t perfect, it was very fast pace, which is perfect for a quick easy summer read. I just wish the pacing was slightly slower, so we could digest the characters, the plot and in general learn more about other characters. I wish we got more of the post summer relationship but I understand this is a summer romance. Maybe having multiple POVs, especially Peyton and Alice would off made me connected even more with them and I really would off enjoyed that, as both are so intriguing characters.

I liked the happy ending, the message is also really important for any young reader, who is still figuring out life.
I don’t know why, but this romance touched me a lot more than a usual romance. Maybe it’s how relatable Emerson is, with her struggles with love, and her future. I really enjoyed this read, I would recommend to any romance lover, or anyone looking for an easy by the beach read.

[ARC netgally - comes out on Jul 09 2024 - Bold Strokes Books]

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.


Emerson dreams of working as intern at Bardot Design Studio in Paris but the problem is she hasn’t gotten a letter saying she been accepted. While waiting for it she goes back to her aunt and uncle and works as waitress while rekindle of her fling with Peyton. Emerson gets closers to a coworker Alice who wants lessons in how to surf she decides to teach her as they grow closer will Emerson realize she can have her dreams and love at the same time. I love that Emerson was career driven Peyton who like to have good time is actually a great person to have around and Alice who was quiet but also have her voice heard overall a good sweet romance and friendship.

One Last Summer was a well written book set in coastal North Carolina that focuses on the decisions that early to mid twenty year olds must make about careers, relationships, and friendships.

The characters were nicely developed and the palpable emotions left me feeling the intense longing that Alice experienced over two summers for Emerson. 4 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the classic beachy summer romance and conflict of career and growth. Emerson is in North Carolina for the summer with her aunt and uncle, where she is met with her past fling Peyton and the bartender/new interest Alice. Who doesn't want the summer romance and break from the stresses of real life? Reading this was like falling into that fantasy, being younger and working the summer job with people you will only be around for a couple of months. It was a quick, easy read that was very relatable.

A good little beach read set in NC. The characters are relatable and Keppler explores the internal challenges we face when we have decisions to make. Enjoyed this and would recommend as a read over summer

At its core, "One Last Summer" is a story about choice and the paths we take in life. Emerson stands at a crossroads, her future with Bardot Design Studio uncertain and her heart pulled in different directions. Keppler’s writing eloquently captures Emerson’s internal struggle, making readers empathize with her dilemmas. The narrative beautifully balances the themes of career aspirations, personal growth, and the unpredictable nature of love, making it a captivating read from start to finish.

One Last Summer is a great beach read! The characters are fun, lovable and it's set at a beach town in North Carolina. Who wouldn't want to spend your summers at the beach? Emerson is a strong, determined, career-minded, college student, but she can't see the forest for the trees. She's the person you want in your corner. Peyton is a surfer girl here to have a good time. She loves the ladies, but she loves surfing more. Then we have Alice, sweet adorable Alice. She is the quiet one who observes from the side, but is loyal and hard working. She has goals and has been knocked down, yet she trudges on. Mix all of them together and you have the perfect mix of drama and a great roller coaster of a beach boardwalk ride. Great story, great characters. I want to slide into a bar stool, order a drink from Alice and watch the shenanigans.

The story is told from Emerson's point of view, in which she navigates spending the summer with her Aunt and Uncle in a small town away from her family. She is forced to juggle her job at the Sandpiper, her growing feelings for her coworker Alice, her complicated past with Peyton, and her decision about what to do with her future begins to way on her with each passing day.

I found Emerson to be an extremely relatable character, someone who wants to have a break from her regular life, have a little fun, yet is willing to work hard for what she wants and fight for the people that matter in her life. Her struggle was felt as she began to get closer to Alice but also didn’t want to give up her dream of going to Paris for her dream internship. Alice also grew on me too. You could tell she was definitely jealous of Peyton from the start, but was able to be patient and wait for her chance to be with the girl she was meant to be with. Cool, surfer, with an Australian accent, who knows how to cook and mix drinks, I mean, how could you not fall in love with her?!!!

Peyton was an interesting character, I would have loved to have learned more about her backstory and maybe even a future story about her and the girl from the Aquarium. The love triangle was well handled and I’m happy the outcome felt genuine and not forced or overdone with miscommunication. Emerson’s best friend Candice was super cute, hilarious, and supportive, and I just love that she calls her grandparents Me-Maw and Pop Pop. Becky was also an interesting character, didn’t really like her in the beginning, but once you know her story everything starts to make sense. Emerson’s parents and Aunt and Uncle seemed like fun and genuine people and especially accepting of Emerson and Alice.

I liked the ending but…. I wish there were a couple more chapters that went more into Emerson’s internship in Paris and Alice’s business in Australia and family dynamic. Maybe a couple of chapters from Alice’s point of view would have been helpful and would have added more depth to the story. The overall themes of personal growth, career-life balance, falling in love, friendship, and self-discovery/listening to your heart were well written which made this an absolute great summer read!

Emerson Field only needs to do a last internship before finishing her architecture degree. While waiting to hear where she may be accepted in the fall she is back living at her aunt’s beach house and working the same waitressing job she had last summer. Last year she was fresh off a break up and started a friends with benefits relationship with Peyton, a marine biologist, who works at the local aquarium. Peyton is still around but she finds herself also being drawn to Alice Scott, a bartender at her work.

I remember that feeling of the unknown when finishing university. Does Emerson want to start something new when her dream job would take her to Paris? I appreciate how the author creates a possible love triangle but makes it work with no heartbreak or cheating. I love Alice and wish I got a little more of her family relationship other than she doesn’t want to be part of the family business. She seems more mature and is looking for something more than a fling. I like the laid back atmosphere of beach and surf life.

At just under 250 pages this is a short novel, and some parts felt repetitive. I get that work is a place where Alice and Emerson can interact but there were a lot of scenes set there. And the check ins with the all wise best friend felt formulaic. I think that while I found the entire story very sweet, I didn’t love Emerson. She is a nice person but very self centered, and who isn’t when they are a new adult. So while I’m marking down a little because I didn’t connect to the MC, I’m still rounding up because of the epilogue and the genuine sweetness of the novel. (3.5 Stars)