Mary's Reviews > Same Time Next Summer

Book Rating: 4/5
Audiobook Rating: 5/5
Song to listen to while reading: Sunny and 75 by Joe Nichols

Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan is a super sweet book, and it is the perfect thing to pick up for summer! I love that summer is even in the title, and there is plenty of sun, beach, and water packed into the story. This is a fully closed-door romance which I liked since I love Hallmark movies, and I really enjoyed the way this story blended the themes of friends becoming lovers and first love, resulting in a truly delightful ending. Music and family are also a large part of the story, and I thought the way Monaghan tied everything together was very unique and engaging. The majority of the book is told from Sam’s POV in both past and present, and we also get Wyatt's POV although it is almost entirely set in the past. I read an interview with the author at the end of the book, and not only did I appreciate her reason for doing this, but I absolutely loved it that way as well.

The audiobook also makes you feel like you are getting to know the characters extra well, and our narrators Dan Bittner & Brittany Pressley did a wonderful job. Bittner was very fitting for Wyatt as was Pressley for Sam, and they couldn't have complimented each other or their characters more. You definitely can't go wrong with the audio, and I would recommend it for an even tighter connection to the characters. Same Time Next Summer left a smile on my face and I loved the emotions that reading it brought me. First love is hard as we probably all know, and I thought Monaghan did a fantastic job of showing the reader that rather than simply telling. These are fully faceted, very real feeling characters and she brought them to life extremely well. The setting is also glorious, and I could practically taste the salt air myself. Highly recommend to romance readers and anyone else who loves a Hallmark movie.

I received an advanced listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.