A review by jennastopreading
Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan

emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Well, it’s official. I would enthusiastically read Annabel Monaghan’s grocery list, and it would likely be one of the best things I’ve read in a long while. Thank you to the publisher for my free review copy.

SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER perfectly captures first love, first heartbreak, and finding yourself as an adult. The characters, flawed yet lovable, feel so real that I got the urge to look up their photos online. Their story was a perfect example of “God bless the broken road” and man, what a journey that road was. My heart swelled, broke, and felt like it stopped over and over again.

The beach house and the town were characters themselves, with quirks and descriptions that had me longing to pack up and head to the nearest small beach city. Monoghan doesn’t waste time with unnecessary details, but gives just enough so you can feel like you’ve opened up the book and walked right into the story. The wind, waves, salty air, and sunsets were satisfying and idyllic, making this book the perfect summer read.

Another thing Monoghan does well is creating conflict that feels believable, painful, yet solvable. While Wyatt and Sam’s characters have a complicated past, the reader doesn’t sit there and think, “Is it best for these two to want to be together?” Throughout the story, I never lost confidence in who these two were as individuals and what they could be if they came together.

I recommend this book to anyone looking to read about first love without it feeling cheesy. Or anyone who wants to be transported to a small town getaway where everyone feels like family. All in all, you can’t go wrong picking up SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER.