I read everything Kathryn Freeman writes, I discovered her via Netgalley and I'm her fan, her books are light and funny. Sadly, this one isn't going to be one of my favourite books of her. It's not a bad one, it's simply that it felt too childish for me and I couldn't connect neither with the characters nor the story.
The premise of the book seemed great, an enemies to lovers (my favourite trope!) with a lot of sexual tension but that sexual tension evaporates at the very begining and then we see a lot of secondary characters that seem flat and trivial.
I can't say I regret reading it, the writing style is easy and you read without effort but I expect more of one of Kathryn Freeman books.

A charming beach read.
I loved the setting of Nantucket the best because it has such a special place in historical and beach books.
I thought Jade did a valiant effort to safe the bookstore and sparred with Liam.
I didn’t like Liam Initially but as his layers were peeled back and I understood the reasons behind his attitude and actions he won me over. A vulnerable boy who had been rejected too many times just needed a strong woman to break his walls down.
I loved Liam’s Grandma and Jeremy. They almost stole the limelight from Jade and Liam.
Don’t let this one slip by without reading it.

Imagine being able to run away to an island and run a bookstore for a few months, that would be the life. Beautiful beaches, lots of books, and plenty of time to try out something new. That is what Jade has planned. She goes to run a bookstore on Nantucket for three months, only to find out that it has been sold by the owner the day after she arrives. Sold to the very sexy resort owner who she unknowingly hooked up with the night before. Whatever is a girl to do?

This book was a great read, it was so enjoyable watching Jade come up with ideas on how to save the bookshop and get it to turn more of a profit. As always, the (not so evil) money obsessed MMC learns to let people into his heart and his life. It was just really enjoyable to read, plus, the grand gesture that he makes at the end is a little adorable - who says guys don’t ever pay attention? (Yes I know he is fictional, but still)

Three months working in a delightful island bookshop
Feels like a dream Jade'll never top!
She's following her dreams, leaving cares behind,
Whilst unsure of just what she might find.

A chance encounter with Liam, a hot stranger,
Has Jade's heart beating, is she in danger?
The attraction is instant but is there a chance
Of this developing into a romance?

So lovely to watch their relationship grow
As each other they slowly get to know.
Both have been hurt by others in the past
Will they dare take a chance that this romance will last?

Jeremy is another brilliant character who
Never gives up on friendships, too.
He provides so many laughs as the story unfolds
With his quips and assertions - so bold!

This is a fabulous, heartwarming and fun read,
With great characters and setting, just what I need!
I really enjoyed it from beginning to end
And hope it is a book in which you'll also time spend.

For my copy of this fantastic read I say a huge thank you
As I share with you this, my honest review.

When Jade arrives on Nantucket Island, she’s delighted to find that the Little Bay Book Shack is everything she wanted it to be – and she’s looking forward to a three month break from her usual job, running it for its owner. Little does she know that the bookshop’s days might be numbered – a prime site, ripe for development by the nearby luxury resort – and that her time there would be spent fighting for its survival. And the other surprise? Liam, the particularly hot man she hooks up with on arrival, is the billionaire who actually owns that resort, has never read a book, and is determined to close the bookshop down – unless its temporary custodian can make some money and convince him otherwise.

The setting is beautifully drawn, and the characters are wonderful. Everyone sees Jade as a blonde dummy with well-developed assets, and a tendency to never stop talking – but there’s so much more to her than that, and she certainly won me over. And Liam’s terribly moody, seemingly entirely driven by the success of his business – and rather unlikeable, until we get to know what really makes him tick, and about the particularly complex past that’s made him that way. They both have strong family relationships – which I very much enjoyed – but there’s also a particularly well-drawn supporting cast, especially Liam’s assistant Jeremy (what a fantastic character!) and the whole island community who come together with a range of motives to support Jade’s efforts.

I will admit, although I’d always expected some of the sizzle the author always does so well, that the whole book might just have been rather more spicy than I was expecting – they were at it hammer and tongs rather too quickly after saying “hello”, and I would have rather preferred a slower build-up. But it certainly overturned the usual trope a bit – lovers to enemies for a change, but with a continuing attraction between them that you could certainly feel and that they were unable to resist. There’s a strong grumpy/sunshine theme too – but the book became far more engaging for me as its story developed, when it explored the reasons for them both being the way they were, and that initial lust turned into something rather deeper.

And, while there are plenty of laughs too, the story certainly does have unexpected depth – all those family issues, the importance of friendship, the fact that money doesn’t bring happiness and that love will always find a way. The fight to save the bookshop was particularly engaging – and, once they’d got those steamy early days out of the way, the romance was one I really believed in. A summery read with a real difference and everything I enjoy about the author’s writing – and most definitely a book I’d recommend to others.

Thank you to Kathryn Freeman and One More Chapter for the ARC!

"Booked for Summer" is a sweet and funny rom-com that has reading as one of the main plot points - what is not to love?! Though I don't usually gravitate towards this genre, the synopsis totally got my attention and I'm glad I gave it a chance! If you are a fan of Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez, give this one a shot!

"Booked for Summer" is out now!!

This was a cute book. It wasn't anything super special, but it did make me chuckle a few times. If your want a quick, predictable read, go for it.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This one was so disappointing for two reasons: the writing and the mmc

The writing just didn’t click with me. I’m not sure exactly what it was but the writing wasn’t for me. I also didn’t like how the author used words with “nigg” (sniggle, niggle, snigger…..) it felt very wrong to me. And maybe it’s because the author isn’t American but the world is so connected these days, surely someone would have pointed out better words to use??

As for the mmc, sure he was a grumpy billionaire, but his grumpy stemmed from the fact he was bullied as a child which made all his actions and thoughts feel childish. It was such a pain reading his pov. Like you’re 30ish years old and still think daily about your childhood bully? Go to therapy omfg

The spice was alright, but the romance was kinda lacklustre. I skimmed like the last 40% because I just didn’t care anymore. I probably should have dnf-ed

Thank you netgalley and publisher for a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Book in your summer plans with Booked for Summer ☀️📖

This fun, spicy, small-town billionaire romance hit all the right notes — grumpy x sunshine, bookstore setting, and just the right amount of emotional depth to balance the spice.

Our FMC, Jade, arrives in town with big plans: she’s determined to manage a bookstore and prove she’s more than the assumptions people have made about her. But of course, things don’t go exactly according to plan — cue the chaos, the setbacks, and the unexpected connections.

Enter Liam. Broody, wealthy, emotionally guarded — and absolutely obsessed with his grandma (we love a family man). While he comes with more baggage than an international airport, it’s exactly the kind of emotional mess we love in a book boyfriend. Their chemistry? Instant. Their banter? Chef’s kiss.

I’ll admit — everyone started off a little annoying and cringe at first, but the character development made the payoff so worth it. Watching these two break down walls and build each other up was a delight.

This was such an enjoyable read and a perfect pick for anyone craving something heartfelt, spicy, and summery.

Thank you to Kathryn Freeman and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the eARC — and apologies for the late review, life rudely interrupted my regularly scheduled reading habits!

I really enjoyed the FMC, and the MMC grew on me throughout the book as he became more vulnerable. The grandma was a sweet added character who really added to the heart of Liam.

I really struggled with this one, I like when books get into the plot quickly but this was so quick it seemed very unnatural.

That really put me off, there were a few times where I nearly stopped reading but after a few thriller reads it was quite a good cleanse!

I didn't hate it, it just wasn't my favourite

Jade Taylor arrives on Nantucket Island to fulfil a lifelong dream of running a bookstore and the aptly named Little Bay Book Shack seems the ideal opportunity as not only does she get to spend three whole months with books, she also meets the deliciously handsome, Liam Haven who sweeps her off her feet as soon as she arrives in the resort. However, there is more to Liam than Jade realises and when she finds out exactly who he is, well, let’s say things don’t go to plan for either of them.

The affluent resort of Nantucket Island comes to life, from the millionaire clientele who holiday at Haven resort, to the beach side bars serving colourful cocktails there is never a moment when the story doesn’t pull you into this world which the author has recreated with such joyous detail. Jade is a force to be reckoned with and it’s been a real delight to see her relationship with Liam develop. Watching the spark of passion ignite between them, especially at the start of the book, gives the story a real sexual sizzle, however, there is so more to their personalities than what happens between the sheets.

Such a lovely read, Booked for Summer made me laugh out loud especially as Jade attempts to remind Liam that having money is no guarantee of happiness and the poignant reminder that love and friendship are what are truly important. A delightful, light-hearted story which makes for perfect summer reading.

I really struggled to get through this book.

I'm all for body positivity and having fun, but the way the two characters were introduced to each other in the beginning of this book, and how their story instantly developed was off-putting to me. It felt forced and rushed and a little objectifying, which I know was the exact opposite intention.

The rest of the story didn't really improve for me, and I found it a little clunky and awkward.

Gorgeous blonde English woman Jade Taylor is looking for a bit of direction in life. She works as a publishing assistant (read general dogsbody) and she know she wants to work with books but she's not sure exactly what! She decides to take a three month contract running a bookstore on Nantucket Island to see if this helps give her some clarity. This time away will also help her reinvent herself. No more disastrous relationships with men. She is determined that she will only fall for someone who sees her true worth, something she is not sure even her family does.

When Jade arrives in the harbour where she needs to catch a boat to get to the island she mistakenly assumes which boat she needs to get on. The first boat she gets on is manned by a gorgeous man and there is an instant sizzle of attraction between them! What can a bit of fun hurt?

What no one has told her is Liam is in the process of buying the bookstore and the adjacent private wharf, which is next to the upmarket resort he owns, and he has plans to shut the store down as soon as the deal is finalised. Jade's working arrangement looks like it is going to end before it even gets started.

As much as Jade is attracted to Liam, she is also not afraid to stand up to him and fight for opportunity for the cosy seaside bookstore to stay open. It doesn't take Jade long to round up the locals to join the fight. Some are keen to see the bookstore stay because they like books, but others just want to see Liam Haven get some comeuppance.

Liam grew up on the island but never really fit in because he wasn't a member of the established rich families on the island. As a result of the hurt and rejection from those years, Liam has built big barriers around himself. The only person who he allows into his inner world is his grandmother who raised him, and now Jade. He is, however, really confused by the feelings that Jade provokes in him so he often says and does the wrong thing. There is always a push-pull between them.

I really enjoyed some of the secondary characters in this book, especially Jeremy and his fiance Leroy. Jeremy is trying really hard to help Liam become less rigid when it comes to his interactions with everyone around him. Liam keeps on rejecting Jeremy's well intentioned assistance, but Jeremy is determined that they will one day be more than just boss and team members. Watching that play out was a lot of fun, and I was impressed with Jeremy's persistence.

This is your classic grumpy/sunshine romance which is based on a serious case on instant attraction. There is good chemistry between Liam and Jade on the page, but there were times when the push-pull became a bit much for me.

I loved reading about the island of Nantucket which sounds like a gorgeous place to visit. In the author's note she mentioned that she thought about setting this story in the Maldives. We are going to Sri Lanka and the Maldives later in the year, and now I am wondering if there are other books set there that I could start reading before we go.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and the Bookish Books Reading Challenge hosted at Bloggin' Bout Books. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

Rating 3.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC copy.

Booked for Summer was a very sweet read. At first quite slow, but then it picked up! The story was well developed and characters likeable.

Thank you to Harper Collin’s UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the ARC of Booked for Summer School n exchange for an honest review.

Jade Taylor has taken a leap of faith and decided to leave home on a journey across the big pond in exchange for an opportunity to manage the Little Bay Book Shack on Nantucket Island for one summer in hopes of building back the confidence in herself after some tough relationship losses as well as professional lackluster. Night one on the island lands Jade in bed with an exceptionally good looking millionaire who happens to be the owner of the luxury resort on the island that just bought Jade’s summer bookstore. In doing the math, said millionaire (Liam) is now by proxy Jade’s boss as well as her casual hookup for the summer, which absolutely cannot happen if Jade wants to save the bookstore from Liam’s plans to destroy it in exchange for building expensive condos for tourists. Liam has also had an exceedingly shitty upbringing and less than ideal dating history, which has left him emotionally closed off and rather stunted. Now that we’ve got basic facts and storyline down, let me dive into what resonated with me and what didn’t.

Now I understand that the author set up Liam’s character to be the romantic idiot with the emotional range of a teaspoon, but in Liam’s sense, it got to the point where his character was just annoying. Jade could have handed him the world and opened herself emotionally 100% and Liam would have given absolutely nothing back. Zero. He very much was all about the physical connection and it was referenced over and over. We get it! He thinks with his dick and no further! It just made his character so shallow, even knowing his backstory, it was hard to root for their relationship. There were also so many aspects of the book that were so cyclical that you just wanted it to stop already. Jade lets her guard down. Jade and Liam hook up. Liam is a complete asshat. Jade pulls away. Liam makes sex eyes at her. Jade caves for the wrong reasons. Liam messes up again. Over and over and over again. Eventually I just didn’t want them to end up together.

Bright spots of the books: Jeremy and Leroy’s characters were absolutely my kind of people and the most enjoyable characters in the book. It was nice to see Jeremy coach Liam through basic relationship skills and hit it out of the park. Everyone needs a Jeremy in their life!

All in all, this one just fell a bit flat for me because Liam’s character was hard to get behind and the plot line was repetitive and obnoxious to a certain extent. Nothing felt natural and the connection between Liam and Jade always felt surface level, and I wish that was not the case. Not exactly my cup of tea, but it may certainly be someone else’s!

Thank you to One More Chapter and NetGalley for the arc.

Booked for the Summer is a fun summer read, with a good helping of spice. If grumpy/sunshine is your preferred trope, you’re going to enjoy this one.

I liked the small town setting, there was a good sense of place. Some elements did feel quite laboured but ultimately a good read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the advanced copy of Booked for Summer by Kathryn Freeman. All opinions are my own.

As a reader, I am such a sucker for a story where books and reading are part of the plotline—and Booked for Summer delivered that and so much more!

This was a charming, feel-good romance set in a dreamy Nantucket bookstore. Jade Taylor is living every booklover’s fantasy when she gets the chance to run the Little Bay Book Shack for the summer. But of course, there’s a catch: the gorgeous, business-minded resort owner Liam Haven has plans for the property, and they definitely don’t include keeping the cozy bookshop as-is.

I absolutely loved the chemistry between Jade and Liam. Their banter was witty, their tension was believable, and their relationship unfolded in a way that felt both fun and emotionally grounded. The small-town charm, the seaside setting, and the emphasis on the importance of books made this the perfect summer escape.

Kathryn Freeman has a great touch with lighthearted romance that still has depth. Booked for Summer had me grinning, swooning, and wishing I could move to Nantucket and save a bookstore of my own.

Highly recommended for anyone who loves enemies-to-lovers, summer vibes, and a good dose of bookish magic.

Jade has taken up a position for three months in Nantucket, miles from her home but a chance to figure out what she truly wants to do with her life. Its a perfect job until she learns she has a new boss and a bookshop to save. Maybe she can save the shop and win over her boss.

Ooh what a fabulous steamy romance. Perfect summer/beach read. It is quite steamy though but i enjoyed it. The plot was fun and interesting. I loved the character developments between Jade and Liam. The ending was sheer perfection for the story. I am a sucker for a story like this so it did not disappoint. I must say however that as much as i loved Jade, she's fun feisty and sassy. I did love Jeremy more. He was so brilliant and helped make this story. A great sizzling summer read.

Hot, Steamy, and the perfect summer read for romance readers.

A plot with a bookstore on the line - sign me up! This was a fun, pretty low angst, romance. In a perfect world, I would have been reading this on the beach while enjoying a lobster roll... but it was just as great a read in rainy Columbus, Ohio.

Add this to your summer reading. You won't be sorry.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an arc. All opinions expressed are my own.