Reviews: Say Yes Summer + Beach Read

Say Yes Summer by Lindsey Roth Culli

pub 5/12/20 by Delacorte Press
Young Adult - Contemporary
Got ARC from Kristin!

⭐⭐⭐ 3 stars | How could I resist a book with ice cream on the cover? This is a cute summer read about straight-A student Rachel Brooks who has spent her entire high school life saying no to everything unrelated to academics. But after graduating at the top of her class, she starts to think that maybe she should have some fun. So when she stumbles on an old self-help book of her grandmother's called "A SEASON OF YES!" it seems like a sign that she should say yes to everything this summer. As you can imagine, you can't actually say yes to every single thing! There has to be a balance and this is something Rachel learns the hard way (and also the part I found most baffling because clearly something of these yeses were a terrible idea). But I did love seeing the positives that came out of her little experiment! She reconnects with old friends, which was definitely the best part. She came out of her shell and experienced life. She got to have her fair share of romance (oh the drama!). It's definitely a pretty cookie cutter YA book but it's light and enjoyable all the same.

Do I recommend? If you want something sweet and fast to read, I would borrow this from the library.

Beach Read by Emily Henry

pub 5/19/20 by Berkley
Fiction - Contemporary Romance
Received e-ARC from pub for review

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 stars | If you love the opposites attract romance trope, look no further than Beach Read. Augustus Everett is an acclaimed literary author, prone to writing dark tales. January Andrews is a bestselling romance writer who is all about the happily ever after, in lit and in real life. When they find themselves in neighboring beach houses, both dealing with writer's block, they decide to challenge one another. Augustus will write something happy, she'll write something "serious" and they'll take each other on outings for inspiration (cue the rom-com worthy "dates" and macabre interviews with surviving members of a cult because why not). This is one of those cases where you should not judge a book by its cover. Yes, it's swoonworthy with rom-com undertones and moments that will give you all the feels but it also delves deeper than that. (And I'm not just talking about the cult stuff which admittedly felt random and off at times and was my least favorite part.) It delved into why Augustus and January each write what they do and how their individual backstories play a huge role in who they are today. But as different as they are, they have this undeniable connection and chemistry. They push each other out of their comfort zones and support one another. I truly enjoyed watching that unfold!

Do I recommend? Yes, this is the summer romance book you need to add to your TBR!