The best romance I have read for years!!! I adored this book!

Things I liked:
- Sawyer and Nick’s character development
- The relatability of Sawyer from the perspective of a reader in her mid-20s, I was rooting for her.
- It’s set in the late 90s/early 00s, with the nostalgia of AOL messaging.
- It’s more than just a romance, the book also explores employment in your 20s and touches briefly, but beautifully, on 9/11.
- The vivid descriptions of NYC, I took a trip down memory lane.
- The perfect summer read (the plot centres around summer Fridays in the city and reading this on my lunch breaks at work in the city as the sun has started to appear has made me so happy).
- I liked how Nick and Sawyer had to work for their romance. It kept me intrigued, I didn’t want to put the book down as I had to find out if it worked out.
- The ending

Things I didn’t like:
- Absolutely nothing.

This needs to be made into a movie!

Summer Fridays, by Suzanne Rindell, is gorgeous summer read. I found myself getting totally swept up in this one and simply couldn’t put it down.

Summer Fridays is more of a women’s fiction than a traditional contemporary romance as it deals with infidelity. To those who are put off by this in novels I would say to still give Summer Fridays a chance, it’s too beautiful a story to miss out on. It explores the messiness and complications of young relationships and figuring out who you are and who you want to be with.

It’s 1999 in New York where Sawyer is striving to make it in the publishing world, a job she’s always dreamed of. In October she’s due to marry Charles. The problem, however, is that Charles is spending increasingly long hours at work, and with his coworker Kendra. When Kendra’s boyfriend Nick invites Sawyer to meet to discuss their suspicions the meeting goes awry. Yet when Nick reaches out to apologise a friendship blossoms between them. As Sawyer and Nick begin to spend their summer Fridays together, they come to find that’s what they look forward to each week the most, but what happens when summer ends?

This is such a rich novel, in so many ways. It is a love letter to New York, wherein which Rindell totally transports us to the city during the sultry summer. It’s a celebration of the city and everything that makes it unique. Though I must note that the story is bookended by the aftermath of 9/11, though it’s dealt with deep sensitivity and respect.

The characters are so rich and so very real. I immediately liked Sawyer, and though Nick has a rocky start we learn that he is a deeply caring character. Their friendship is full of such much humour and joy, I too looked forward to their Fridays. I loved how Nick was there for Sawyer to talk to and how he helped to encourage her to press for the things she wanted and acted as her sounding board. Their relationship is complicated of course, but yet I totally rooted for them. It helps I suppose that we suspect their partners to be having an affair and that the moral complexities are dealt with well.

This really is a gorgeous story and the end of the century nostalgia added another richness to it. I really loved it.

Summer Fridays by Suzanne Rindell
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: 30 May 2024

In the summer of '99, Sawyer is hustling to carve out her place in the vibrant chaos of New York City. Juggling her role as an assistant in publishing with the anticipation of her impending wedding, she feels like she's on the cusp of the perfect life. Yet, there's a looming complication: her fiancé's growing closeness to a female colleague, Kendra.

When Nick, Kendra's boyfriend, suggests they meet to discuss their shared concerns, the encounter takes an unexpected turn. Sawyer finds Nick brash and cynical, while he perceives her as jittery and overwhelming. However, an apology from Nick sparks an unlikely friendship between them.

As the summer unfolds, Sawyer and Nick establish an impromptu tradition of exploring the city together on Fridays, finding solace and excitement in each other's company. But as the season draws to a close, they're left to wonder what lies ahead once the summer sun sets.

Suzanne Rindell masterfully captures the messiness and beauty of life, presenting Sawyer and Nick's journey as a tangled web of emotions. Their relationship is far from perfect, yet their magnetic connection keeps you invested in their story, eagerly awaiting each twist and turn.

Rindell's prose paints a vivid picture of summertime in the Big Apple, evoking a sense of longing and wistfulness that resonates long after the final page. With its blend of realism and romance, "Summer Fridays" offers a compelling read for anyone seeking an emotional rollercoaster with an unpredictable outcome.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Bonnier Books UK | Zaffre, and the author, Suzanne Riddell, for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Title: Summer Fridays by Suzanne Rindell

Release Date: May, 30th, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars

"Summer Fridays" is a nostalgic and charming tale set in the summer of 1999, reminiscent of "You've Got Mail" for a new generation.

Sawyer, a young editorial assistant in New York, finds herself facing a lonely summer as her fiancé grows distant. When she crosses paths with Nick, the boyfriend of her fiancé's colleague, an unexpected friendship blossoms. Together, they embark on a series of summer Friday adventures across New York City, discovering new places and uncovering hidden depths within themselves. As their bond deepens, Sawyer and Nick navigate the uncertainties of love, friendship, and the inevitable end of summer.

"Summer Fridays" is a captivating blend of "Something Borrowed" and "You've Got Mail" that keeps you hooked from start to finish. Suzanne Rindell crafts a story that's both messy and beautiful, much like real life. Sawyer and Nick's journey is anything but neat and tidy, and their complex situation makes it difficult to root for them at times. Yet, their chemistry and undeniable connection draw you in, leaving you eager to see how their story unfolds.

Rindell's writing captures the essence of summer in New York City as well as the occurrences during this time period that will forever tug at your heartstrings making this story even more realistic as well as, making it the perfect backdrop for this emotional rollercoaster of a novel. If you're looking for a story that's as unpredictable as it is heartfelt, "Summer Fridays" is the perfect choice.


Thank you to The Publisher Bonnier Books UK | Zaffre,The Author Suzanne Rindell & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

In the heart of 1999 New York City, Sawyer finds herself navigating the bustling world of publishing as a humble assistant, all while nurturing aspirations of her own in the realm of writing and editing. Engaged to Charles, a determined and ambitious lawyer, she stands on the cusp of a promising future. However, their relationship faces its first major test at a work event when Charles becomes entangled with a coworker, sparking suspicions of infidelity from the coworker's boyfriend, Nick.

Despite the initial tension, Sawyer and Nick find themselves drawn to each other, carving out precious Friday afternoons together against the backdrop of a city brimming with possibility, accompanied by the melodic soundtrack of the turn of the century.

What captivated me about this narrative was its embrace of messiness. Sawyer and Nick are entangled in relationships with others, even as doubts linger about the fidelity of those connections. While this may not resonate with all readers, I found the exploration of ethical dilemmas and the undeniable chemistry between Sawyer and Nick to be compelling. It's important to note that this isn't a traditional romance; rather, it falls within the realm of women's fiction. Unlike the strict boundaries of romance where infidelity is taboo, here we delve into the complex web of intertwined relationships and the tensions that arise.

What truly impressed me were the multifaceted layers of complexity woven throughout the story: Sawyer's triumphs in getting her poetry published juxtaposed with her boss's cynicism towards writers in the industry; her genuine fondness for Charles's father; the intricacies of Nick's Russian heritage, marked by his mother's defection from the USSR and subsequent struggles in academia; and the weight of commitment and expectations in the midst of wedding planning and her entire relationship with Charles. There's a richness to the narrative, peppered with moments of vivid humor that add depth and texture to the storytelling.

In sum, this novel earns a resounding five stars from me. Many thanks to @duttonbooks and NetGalley for the ARC, and for bringing this captivating tale to light.

We’ve all been there, right? Young, with hopes and dreams of making it big. Maybe even as well balancing this with a long-term relationship, that’s fraying at the seams while you both commit to your careers. Well, Summer Fridays by Suzanne Rindell follows Sawyer who is doing just that... okay, not just that, she’s worried her fiancé is having an affair too.

But she’s not alone, Nick, the other collateral damage from this apparent affair suspects so too. Summer Fridays couldn’t have come at a better time for these two, to get together and reflect on their assumptions and figure out their next steps. But as the temperature soars within New York, it seems too that things are getting a little hot in Sawyer and Nick’s friendship too.

Dubbed as You’ve Got Mail for a new generation, Summer Fridays by Suzanne Rindell takes us back to 1999 when dial up internet, emails and instant messaging was all the rage. And in true You’ve Got Mail style, after having read this book, I give you this: You’ve Got A 5 Star Book Incoming.

So here I am, having finished this book. I’ve read the acknowledgements, I’ve placed my kindle down, and I’m just staring into a blank space. My heart is calming down from being taken to ecstatic elation one moment to unbearable heartbreak the next and back again. I’m aware that I’ll being thinking of this story, Sawyer and Nick for time to come. And that’s how I know this is a 5-star read for me. No scratch that, a 6-star read. So, I made that pre-order purchase.

I relate to Sawyer, as a young adult struggling to assertively establish her place in the world, but her sarcastic, witty banter cemented my love for her. Nick, I grew to love too, after a rocky start, but I quoted so many of his words. Not only his wisdom, but his vulnerability and courage to lay himself bare too.

I live for lyrical, poetic writing and I am a sucker for quotes to take with me, and when I experience it it’s like the hit, I feel like taking the first bite of my favourite chocolate. Suzanne didn’t just give me a teasing first bite, not even a whole bar, she gave me the whole damn chocolate factory.

I think what propelled this story to a 6-star review, and one that I’ll keep close to my heart when I reread it again and again, is when we propel to the future to 2001, where New York is reeling from September 11th. I feel as though this sends home the message I received from the book, which is parallel perhaps to the character development we witness through Sawyer. To take that leap of faith, lead the life YOU want to live, not what you ought to do for others. But also, to know when you find home within a person, to be grateful that you have found that person and to hold and keep them close. Cause in that message, the fragility of life also lingers.

I thoroughly recommend this novel to others, and I am so grateful to have read Suzanne’s work. Suzanne has just gained another follower, a loyal admirer of her work. Thank you NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for sending this book for review consideration.

I was so charmed by this wonderful book. I was instantly immersed in the setting of New York at the end of the last century and thought it was so well done. Sawyer is a great character, extremely likable without ever being a Mary Sue, and her love story with Nick was perfectly paced and engrossing.

I can't remember the last time I was this engrossed in a work of women's fiction. The setting, New York in the late 90's, was so beautifully presented - what it might have been to live in the city that never sleeps before the advent of social media! It felt like a real love letter to the city, to such an extent that NYC became a character all on its own. It had a whimsical and retro feel that I adored and the strong sense of setting meant that I felt totally immersed in the story. I loved Sawyer, although I did find her frustratingly passive at times, and Nick was also a wonderful layered character. It is well written, well paced and there are some particularly beautiful passages about the city itself. To me it was quite reminiscent of an Emily Giffin novel and would be a great escapist summer read.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.