I really loved The Last Days of Summer. Aptly named, it carries all the feeling of the warm, nostalgic and bittersweet last days of summer. Summers last days here felt like a metaphor - the experience of being on the cusp of a fundamentally life changing event.

I loved Cassie, her fierce and selfless love for her friends. Marc was a bit of an enigma at times, but Manning did a wonderful job of creating characters that were fundamentally flawed but endearing, and I was truly invested in their relationship.

Watching the four friends come to terms with Russell’s devastating news added a layer of emotional intensity and introspection to the story, making it a truly compelling read. The perfect blend of bittersweet, contemplative, bittersweet, nostalgic and witty, I’d highly recommend this to anyone looking for an engaging, satisfying and thought provoking read.

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

I absolutely adored To London with Love by the author and The Last Days of Summer is now my second favourite of Sarra Manning’s novels.
Lucy and Russell are about to celebrate Lucy’s 40th birthday when they share some life changing news with their best friends Cassie and Marc. Cassie adores Lucy, Russell and their children but despises Marc and is faced with the task of organising the celebration with him, it’s a classic will they/ won’t they romance but Sarra Manning’s beautiful writing sets it apart from other cliched rom coms. I loved the character of Cassie, she felt so real and relatable and I was rooting for her throughout. It’s an emotional storyline and the relationships between the friends are really well portrayed.
A wonderful, enjoyable read.
Recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

I really enjoyed this. It touched on a lot of themes like love, impending death, found family and friendship.

Really liked Cassie, she was very relatable and such a great friend to Russell and Lucy. What I loved is how she knew and understood that she deserved better than she was getting and that as uncomfortable as it may have been she spoke her truth. Marc made me both rage and love him at various points as I was reading. He was messy, imperfect, and an idiot at various points but clearly had so much emotion and fear running underneath the seemingly closed off and biting personality. I do wish we had got a little more on his pov and why he did some of things he did.

The chemistry and tension between Cassie and Marc was so so good. So much sizzling energy, pent up feelings, insecurities, anger and hurt under all the sniping. The enemies to lovers trope felt very real here and how these two characters pushed past the fear and hurt to potentially find their common ground and embrace something real and hopefully lasting gave me joy.

The friendships in this book are really what made it. You could feel the love Cassie and Marc both had for Russell and Lucy and the deep impact their news had. The long weekend and making the best memories filled with friends, food, laughter, and a splash of drama was perfect and how it ended was exactly right. 4 ⭐️

The Last Days of Summer markets itself as an enemies to lovers story so the will they/won’t they/how will they bickering dynamic of the plot comes as no surprise to the reader. It is set against the backdrop of a 40th birthday party in a fancy house for their mutual friend Lucy - which becomes all the more important as Lucy and her husband Russell have just received some devastating news. Whilst the pairing of Cassie and Marc isn’t my favourite pairing in this genre, Manning does write about friendships and their emotional dynamics very well - the joy and hassle of arranging this type of gathering was perfectly observed. Overall, this is a pleasant, fairly satisfying, well-observed easy read.

Two words come to mind when reading Sarra Manning’s writing: relatable and evocative. Relatable because of the characters she creates, people who are multi-faceted and flawed and also capable of recognising and owning those flaws as they grow and change (although there’s always those who stay resolutely awful and they’re represented here too). Cassie is a consummate people-pleaser but also a spectacular grudge-holder, and both of those traits come to the fore when forced to organise a weekend away with her longtime nemesis Marc. Said weekend takes place at the end of August, the literal last days of summer traditionally, but the title has a much deeper meaning and that’s where the evocative part kicks in. The friendships, the impending sense of loss, the way we can balance multiple conflicting emotions simultaneously… all of that is conveyed beautifully against the backdrop of first London and then a big house on the South coast. The ending feels abrupt, but makes perfect bittersweet sense in context, and it leaves the reader with that same mix of emotions. Predominant though, is the feeling that this is a very satisfying and compelling read.

Lassie and Marc don't like eachother. They frustrated the hell out of eachother. Fine. We dint get on with everyone. Buuut there lies a problem. Their best friends are shared. And so they are frosty when apart and (nicely)frosty when they are together..but only.for their mutual friends you understand.

Then tragedy strikes their friendship group. And for the final time they must come together but this time because of what is to come next, they really need to make this work.
Can the last weekend be the first weekend for Cassie and Marc.
This boom held so much heart. It was witty and sexy and fun. All wrapped up in love,support and sadly a bitch of heart ache. For the characters and the reader.
I love how these characters love eachother. All of them. And the support felt true. Felt like it was woven through the page. That what's important is only ever those we love and therefore we'd do anything for them.

Oh and of course when you pretend to be partners to keeo your best friends in a high state of mind then that might make things a little more of a tailspin romance. What could go wrong...?

The Last Days of Summer is about a group of friends that gather to celebrate Lucy's 40th birthday at a manor house with a full itinerary from her best friend Cassie. Lucy, her husband Russell, Cassie and Russell's best friend Marc are privy to a devastating secret and this holiday is even more important because of this, however Cassie and Marc have HISTORY and are now sworn enemies so trying to pull off a special event without any drama is near impossible.

Cue lots of heart-warming and laugh out loud moments plus sizzling chemistry and very well written moments of realisation that bring such poignancy to events.

The heavy themes in the book seem at odds with the spicy romance also at play, however for the most part it works as the characters reveal their regrets and how life now just looks so much different ahead.

Fun, exciting, life affirming and sentimental this book is a great holiday read

This book was beautiful. It was about love, friendship and found family. It is the perfect enemies to lovers combined with fake relationship.

I laughed, swooned and cried during the book - absolutely loving that it ended right there.

I love Sarra Manning's books, and this is now my second favourite (just behind 'To London, With Love'). Few romcoms reflect dating beyond that in your 20s, let alone with this level of tenderness and hopefulness. I really related to Cassie and how her life experiences have come to shape her - for better and for worse. Marc is a fully fleshed out love interest, as plausible as he is deliciously frustrating. The tragedy within the book is wonderfully rendered, poignant and so moving whilst being realistic - the lights and shades that arise when something life-changing happens.

A irresistible read that I couldn't put down, a funny and bittersweet reminder of how we need to embrace joy as we have no idea how fleeting it could be.

A really enjoyable will they/won't they read but with a decent depth to it. The story revolves around 4 friends - a couple and their respective best friends who don't get along due to historical events. But when forced together under strenuous circumstances, things can change. I do find the title slightly misleading,.yes it's set at the end of the summer but that is not key to the story. Thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for my arc.

I loved, loved this. It was pitch perfect in so many ways: the tropes, the witty dialogues, the joy and love between close friends even during sad and challenging times. While I would love to hear more about Cassie and Marc moving forward, the ending is exactly as it should. When it comes to British romance writing, Sarra Manning is one of the very best.

Ah this was such an emotional read, I absolutely adored it! So well written and believable characters it pulled strongly at the heartstrings - a definite 5 star read for me.

*The Last Days of Summer* by Sarra Manning is a delightful enemies-to-lovers romance filled with heart, humor, and emotional depth. Cassie and Marc share a tense, antagonistic history, shaped by a secretive past and their mutual connection to best friends Russell and Lucy. When they are forced to spend time together for a surprise 40th birthday party for Lucy, the two reluctantly call a truce. As Russell’s terminal cancer diagnosis draws them closer, Cassie sees how much it means to their friends to see her and Marc getting along. What begins as a harmless white lie quickly snowballs into something more, leading to unexpected revelations.

The book beautifully balances sharp wit with poignant moments, creating a fiery yet tender dynamic between Cassie and Marc. The tension between them is palpable, and their slow-burn romance is electric, especially with the spicy scenes, such as the unforgettable pantry moment.

However, one element I did question was Marc’s early portrayal as very dominant and controlling, which initially makes it difficult to like him. While this behavior fuels Cassie’s hatred of him and provides necessary tension, it left me struggling to warm up to him at first. Thankfully, as the story progresses, Marc’s character grows, and his vulnerabilities come through, allowing his redemption arc to shine.

Beyond the romance, *The Last Days of Summer* is a story about friendship, growth, and the challenges of forgiveness. It doesn’t shy away from the tough realities, like Russell’s diagnosis, but balances these moments with humor and warmth. Cassie and Marc’s journey is one of discovering each other after years of circling around one another, proving that love can flourish in the most unexpected places.

Sarra Manning does a fantastic job of portraying British life, from seaside holidays to the quirks of everyday living, which added an extra layer of enjoyment to the book. Her rich, authentic depiction of British culture made the story feel even more immersive and relatable.

I’ve long been a fan of Sarra Manning as an author, and *The Last Days of Summer* only deepens my appreciation for her talent. Her ability to blend humor, depth, and real emotion in a romance is unmatched, and I would highly recommend her books to anyone who enjoys well-crafted, heartfelt love stories. I’ll definitely be seeking out her future titles!

I love Sarra's books and this was just as fab as I hoped it would be. I loved the romance at the centre of the story. I lived the wider group of friends and what their story had to say about life, love abd friendship. I loved that it was a dreamy summer story but also left you with lots to think about in how bittersweet and heartfelt it was. A real gem of a read but then again I expected nothing less from Sarra.

As a PS the cameo from a certain couple was just perfect.

The Last Days of Summer was fantastic. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect as Sarra Manning was a new author to me, but I found the entire story hooked me right from the beginning, and I found it both believable and moreish.

Cassie and Marc have a turbulent and disagreeable history after a secretive beginning, however, they share their very best friends, a couple called Russell and Lucy, and so are regularly forced to socialise and make nice. When Russell is diagnosed with terminal cancer, they are thrown together even more to deliver a surprise 40th birthday party for Lucy, and a truce is called. Cassie realises how happy it makes Russell and Lucy to see them together getting on and looking like a couple; things get out of hand and a white lie surprises everyone but is a catalyst for something amazing.

This is a true enemies-to-lovers story, the antagonism is real, and it doesn't fizzle out the moment there is a hint of attraction between them. In fact, the spicy scenes (hello Marc on his knees in the pantry!) just fuel their resistance, and throughout the book, both Cassie and Marc continue to spar with each other. Having said that, this is also a story about friendship, growth, forgiveness, acceptance, and finding your person, even if it's in the most unexpected place. it is also an age-gap romance with a very rich, millionaire, male lead character, who is a total coffee snob! I'm not sure we're told how big the age gap is, but I think Marc is around seven years older - similar to the age gap between Lucy and Russell.

This book is sweet, it's funny, it's touching, it's kind, it's harsh, and let's be honest there are some really really tough moments because of Russell's diagnosis. There is no beating around the bush here, this is a story that doesn't shy away from the harsh realities, but also shows how important it is to spend quality time with the people you love and make lasting memories. Above all though, this is a pitch-perfect, beautiful romance about a couple who struggle to find each other despite having been in each other's orbit for more than 15 years.

This is a delightfully British book, with so many references to things like seaside holidays, fish and chips and peculiarities of living in London. This felt real and nuanced and like a life that I could step into tomorrow. I loved feeling absorbed in my own culture, when so much of the genre is set in the USA.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC. This is my honest opinion.

I love Sarra Manning and her writing style but I really struggled with this book because I really hated Marc!!! I found him slimy and creepy and just couldn’t see why anyone would want him beyond his looks!
The rest of the story was lovely, if incredibly sad. But unfortunately Marc ruined it for me

This was an unexpected 5 star read fir me. I'm not a big romance reader but marian keyes recommended it and I'm so glad I decided to read it. It's more than a romance, it's about damaged adults taking a leap of faith and making a family from friends. Emotional, spicy, witty, funny....it's got everything an enemies to lovers needs. I'm now going to read he back catalogue!

Love Sarra Manning so was super excited to get stuck in - and boy did I?! I devoured this in less than a day. A perfectly flawed but not too flawed romantic hero in Marc and relatable heroine in Cassie. This was well written, a great exploration of how friendships change/not change when faced with tragedy and some fabulously saucy scenes. I cried, i laughed, I loved this book!

I can always get behind a female character taking a stance and being rude to a man, but not when it comes across as childish like it does with Cassie and Marc, just taking slightly too long to explain exactly how he’s upset her. That said, this ticks lots of other boxes of enemies to lovers and fake dating romance, alongside a heartbreaking secret. Fun, but sad.

A solid return to form. This was a good mix of humour, romance, spice and sadness. Initially, I struggled with Marc as I really hated his attitude in the flashback but he grew on me. I feel that we could have have had a bit more time with Marc and Cassie together, but despite these two things this was a good read.