Sadly had to dnf at 12%
Tried a couple times but really just couldn't get into the plot or characters

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a cute beach read and a great start to my spring/summer season of romance. I love a cute bookshop too!

2.5 stars

I really wanted to like Booked for Summer the way I've loved other Kathryn Freeman books, but it fell short for me. Jades takes a leave of absence from her job as a publishing assistant and moves to Nantucket Island to manage a book store for 3 months. She wants a change, to shake up her life, not repeat the same old mistakes. Enter Liam, the drop dead gorgeous yacht owner. After a couple of nights together, Jade learns that book store has been purchased and the new owner, now her boss, is none other than Liam. The cherry on the top of her crappy situation is that he plans to tear down the book store and leave her jobless so he can expand his resort next door. Jade begins a campaign to show him the store should stay open.

I found it hard to relate to Jade and Liam so I felt mostly indifferent about them. I struggled with Liam's decision not to be honest with Jade about who he was once he realized who she was. They'd both been hurt by exes and were reluctant to open up to one another. In fact, I think Liam is one of the best examples of a character being closed off, angry and spiteful that I've ever read. The reader slowly learns about his past and why he's become this way, but until he began to open his heart to Jade, theirs felt like a physical relationship and little more. Jade seemed hell bent on making poor choices. She'd decide to ignore Liam, and then get physical with him in the next scene. None of this helped me appreciate any actual feelings between them. I generally like a little push and pull between main characters but there was simply too much here. The grand gesture was cute and the last 20 percent of the book was more enjoyable than the first 80 percent. One thing I really appreciated about Liam was his thoughtful gifts. Even though he was rich, he didn't spend extravagantly to impress Jade. He gave her small gifts that showed her that he knew who she was as a person. I liked Liam's relationship with his Grandma. I loved Leroy and Jeremy. They brought balance to Liam's thunderstorm presence. Overall, a fast summer read perfect for someone who likes drama and lots of will-they-won't-they moments.

Thank you to Netgalley, One More Chapter and Kathryn Freeman for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Kathryn Freeman delivers an absolute delight with Booked for Summer, a charming and heartwarming romance perfect for book lovers and hopeless romantics alike. From the very first chapter, I was drawn into the story’s cozy, feel-good atmosphere and the undeniable chemistry between the main characters.

Freeman’s writing is engaging, witty, and effortlessly enjoyable. The protagonist is instantly likable—relatable, fun, and full of personality. The love interest is equally compelling, making their dynamic all the more entertaining to follow. The romance develops at a perfect pace, with just the right mix of tension, banter, and swoon-worthy moments.

What I loved most about Booked for Summer was how it balanced lighthearted fun with genuine emotional depth. It’s not just about romance; it’s about personal growth, taking chances, and embracing life’s unexpected turns. The bookish elements woven throughout the story make it even more special for book lovers, adding an extra layer of charm.

If you’re looking for a warm, feel-good romance that leaves you smiling, Booked for Summer is the perfect pick. It’s fun, flirty, and full of heart—ideal for a cozy weekend read!

I received a free copy of, Booked for Summer, by Kathryn Freeman, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Jade Taylor loves book, she decides to work at The Little Bay Book Shack for the summer on Nantucket Island, but her boss, Liam is not a book lover. I thought this was a light summer read.

Booked for Summer is the perfect feel-good romance, filled with charm, wit, and undeniable chemistry.

Jade was the heroine I didn’t know I needed - fun, relatable, and wonderfully down to earth while Liam was the brooding, irresistible hero I knew I’d love from the start.

Set in the stunning backdrop of Nantucket, the novel instantly transports readers to a world of luxury, sun-drenched beaches, and a delightfully cosy bookshop.

Jade’s job running the book shop felt like an absolute dream, adding to the book’s charm and making me wish I could step right into her world.

The tension between Jade and Liam was electric, keeping me hooked as I eagerly turned the pages to see how their story would unfold.

Their dynamic was perfectly balanced, full of witty banter, longing glances, and moments that made my heart race.

The romance developed in such a satisfying way, and the ending tied everything together beautifully.

This was a really heartwarming read - I’ll definitely be picking up her next one!

With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in echange for an honest review.

This book is a lovely, light rom-com with a classic grumpy + sunshine trope that draws you in from the beginning.

There are some lovely quirks in the commentary as the FMC is British and brings her full self to the workplace - but the storyline of saving the bookshop felt a little flat, our FMC is on a temporary contract, just a three month stint that leaves you wondering how she feels confident enough to challenge the MMC, new owner of the bookstore.

The relationship was very physical, with a side of miscommunication - it's the kind of couple you're left wondering if they're in it for the long haul...?

Overall its a good beach read that you could pick up/leave on the poolside.

Liam and Jade's story - I loved this one. I've read quite a few books by Kathryn Freeman in the past and this one did not disappoint. Jade's awkward ways and crazy Britishness really shone through in this story.

Liam's backstory was sad and the chip on his shoulder really pulled the plot in different ways. He definitely falls first and can't seem to stay away from her.

I would have liked to see more emotional intelligence from him earlier as it seemed quite the sudden reverse on his 'not wanting to get rejected' philosophy.

The side characters in the hotel were great, I loved Jeremy and Leroy's wedding especially with the flamingo theme... Had he been planning that all along from when we first meet him.

An epilogue would have been lovely too, but I'm happy with the ending and it was a great beach read.

Wow!! I was lucky enough to get the chance to read this book from NetGalley and it enjoyed every minuet.
Jade is book obsessed and has the chance to become a manager of a bookstore. Jade is also trying to figure out who she is and what she wants from life.
Liam has had a hard time with trusting people as those who were supposed to love him and be there for him walked away when he was you and all he had left was his grandma.
Both characters grow together and understand each other’s struggles and learn to open up even when it’s hard to.
Yes there was an instant connection but sometimes it’s easier to open up to a stranger than someone you know. And it gets steamy between them quick.
I can’t wait to get the physical copy when this gets released!

It is a cozy but smutty sweet romance for book lovers. Millionaire romance. There are so many good troupes. There were several smutty scenes but not overly graphic or long so medium spice level, which was great for me as I'm not usually a fan of multiple smutty book scenes. This was a cute, quick read romance with a wonderful friendship theme.

THIS BOOK FELL FLAT! THIS WAS NOTHING LIKE I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE! I HAD TO DNF SORRY
. Thank you for allowing me the chance to try this book.

I really wanted to like this book. The cover is super cute, the storyline sounded so promising - I mean, who wouldn't want to move overseas and run a bookshop?? It's literally every booklover’s dream! Unfortunately, this book just wasn't for me.

The writer is talented. I love the setting of Nantucket Island, and her descriptions of this place were just so vivid and captivating. I liked Jade as a character as well - her enthusiasm and love for books made her relatable. Where this fell apart for me was the lack of chemistry and meaningful emotion between the two main characters.

It felt like the spice was based on complete lust and there wasn't any warmth in the interactions between the two. Maybe I am just an old-fashioned romance lover. I don't mind a bit of spice but need a bit of sweet to go with it.

A great summary that piques my interest doesn’t come often. As soon as I read the premise I was hooked Unfortunately it fell a bit flat for me and had me staring at the wall thinking what did I just read. For the most part it had to be the miscommunication between these MCs. It seemed that they brought out the worst in each other and made it difficult to connect with them let alone think that they were right for each other. One of my book icks is insta lust and this read exemplified that. Supposedly the MMC is celibate yet as soon as he sees the FMC she is “different” than the other women he has been with. But yet there is so much miscommunication and I felt that some of the reactions that took place were a bit over the top. It just made it seem very unrealistic and not something I would want in a romance read. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Jade is employed to manage a bookshop on Nantucket for 3 months, only to find out the owner is selling it . Can she persuade the attractive, brooding new owner, Liam to keep it open? Wonderful "chick lit", ideal holiday reading.

I want to say thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of being able to read this book.

This is was a great story, I really loved the way it went. I also completely adored the characters. As well as the descriptions of everything nothing was too over the top and when it was hot it was hot. Apart from really enjoying this read, I did have a few issues which really pulled away from the book. There were a bunch of continuation errors that made me flip back and forth to make sure I was right that I had in fact already read it, and globes. When you get it it's near the beginning and throughout the rest and it stands out so bad it really pulls away from the story and it's just so awkward. I have recently read way worse awkward and this was nooo way as bad as that but it was still awkward. I could and totally ignored all that, because I fell in love with this story and characters so freaking much, it's so much more than the description. However it's the ending that gutted me and not in the best way. I read a page, turned it and it was the acknowledgements. I was so convinced that I had missed the ending that I kept looking, but I didn't it ended completely abruptly. At least that's what I felt, and it hurt so much. I could have used a couple more pages to completely round that ending out, I really needed it to be just a little more or even an epilogue.

But apart from all of that I really truly loved this book. Thank you so very much again from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to be able to read this book!

This book was so cute. I really enjoyed it and flew right through it. I loved the lovers to enemies back to lovers aspect. Jade comes to Nantucket to find purpose in her life and manage a bookstore for 3 months. Her first day there she meets almost billionaire Liam, and sparks fly instantly. They end up hooking up, but she has no clue he actually just bought the quaint little bookstore and plans to tear it down to build condos. They become enemies when Jade realizes that Liam knew who she was and kept this information from her. She makes it her mission to prove the bookstore can be successful and show how important it is to the community. Along the way, she finds her worth and they slowly warm back up to each other. Such a fun, little summer read. I definitely recommend. Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy.

4/5 stars! I enjoy this book and could not out it down. I finished reading it in one day. It was a nice quick summer read. Booked For Summer is releasing April 30, 2025. Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, Kathryn Freeman and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

This book is written splendidly, probably better than other similar books, the idea is quite interesting and super summer-y but I can't say I have enjoyed it. The story circles around Jade and her summer job in a bookstore on Nantucket Island, how she meets Liam, a very handsome billionaire owner of the resort near the bookstore, their relationship and the fallout after he buys the shop and plans to close it. The problem here is that Jade (a temp worker that has just arrived on the island and will leave at the end of her contract to go back to her admin job) is completely set on showing to Liam (the rightful owner of the shop) that he cannot close this shop (that he purchased legally and is his) as if she has any say in it!!!

Basically, she discovers one day after she arrives that the original owner that hired her decided to sell before her three-month contract expires but still got offered to spend her three months in a very luxurious resort completely for free to make up for the inconvenience. But no, " I was hired to manage a bookshop and I very well plan to do it!!!!". I understand doing all this if she got anything back moneywise or if she had a full-time contract, but no!!! This let me remind you, is very much a temporary three-month summer job!!! I worked in lots of retail shops where the bosses' decisions weren't in line with the real demand, but other than telling them you cannot do anything else! In this specific case, the bookshop is not even lucrative, so it's a no-brainer for a businessman to close it.
If she really wants to get mad at someone, she should be mad at the original owner that decided to hire her, make her move from London to America to basically fire her one day in her contract.

So after this rant about what I consider an irredeemable plot hole, I can't say that I recommend this book to anyone that has any experience in workplace dynamics or isn't ready to spend 400 pages irked to no end about an obnoxious character. The romantic entanglement between Jade and Liam is not enough to make up for it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an eARC in exchange for this honest review.

3⭐️

This was a quick read set in a small town.

I enjoyed it to some extent. There was some funny dialogue, and it was a beautiful setting.

However, the way the relationship between Liam and Jade developed felt a bit flat and unrealistic. It focused so much on their physical attraction, with some “depth” shoehorned in, and the constant miscommunication was frustrating. I actually liked Jeremy and Leroy more, and wanted to hear more about their story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an eARC in exchange for this honest review.

This was a cute story , predictable and not that great,. but cute for some reason. it does need some work and maybe some chapters can be taken out as they seem like fillers rather than adding to the plot.