This book was an absolute treat to read!

Following on from Seven Days in June, this story follows Eva's daughter Audre and her mission to check off her 'life experience' bucket list through her summer break.

As someone who doesn't normally gravitate to YA romance, this was such a pleasant surprise!! I was giggling & kicking my feet through every awkward interaction. Highly recommend for a light, heart-warming read!

Thank you NetGalley & Quercus for the e-arc!

Firstly, I’d like to say thank you to netgalley and the publishers for gifting me a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

after loving seven days in June, I was super excited when I first heard about this, especially as I am a fan of YA too! I absolutely loved getting to know Audre more as a character, especially now a few years had passed from seven days in June. I really enjoyed her as a FMC and connected to her easily. I think the insight into how her relationship with her mum (or mom I guess haha), Eva, had changed since we last saw it and the development that they had through this book was really well done and I think added a lot to the story. I also loved seeing Eva and Shane in this and seeing how their family had grown and what they were up to now!

but back to Audre’s story! I absolutely love the bucket list trope and think it always makes for a fun story and this was no exception. seeing audre and bash take on this list together was really enjoyable and bash was a great “funsultant”.

I think the overhanging mystery we had surrounding Bash’s character was an interesting dynamic, especially as i think he was extremely likeable as a character and blatantly seemed to be very caring from the beginning, despite rumours etc. so having this extra intrigue made his character a lot more 3 dimensional. overall I really felt for him as a character and enjoyed his presence in the book!

Audre and bash together were adorable and I was rooting for them the whole way through! I also enjoyed the other perspectives we got and the focus that brought to other relationships and also friendships.

the kind of “final conflict” I felt came a bit out of nowhere in terms of the character who set it into motion, I felt that we’d kind of passed that issue with the character and it felt a bit extreme for the current situation. however, i think it resolved nicely in the end.

I felt this was a more mature YA dealing with various issues and problems, but still super fun and light-hearted and I had a really good time reading it! Tia Williams’ writing and storytelling was amazing again!

Oh I loved this so much! Sometimes I pre-read YA romance for work and I find it to be a little lacking but this was absolutely delightful. Kicking feet and squealing through all of their awkward flirtation as their relationship develops. Highly recommend and will be purchasing immediately

oh this was so much fun.

the book follows audre, who hires the school’s hottest boy to be her “fun consultant” over the summer, and obviously they're just friends.
you already know how that goes.

i didn’t expect to love this as much as i did. me and YA don’t always vibe, especially when gen z slang is involved, but this was just adorable. i ate it up.

audre and bash are both so awkward and flustered around each other and i could feel their butterflies. they were so shy and soft and i loved them.
and their texts??? stop!!

bash: smiles are contagious, too. yours is, at least.
audre: wait what
bash: when u smile, i wanna smile, too.


if you don’t think that’s cute, you’re lying 😭

bash honestly stole the show for me. he’s literally described as “everyone’s crush,” and i believed it. he’s sweet and funny and chill and just the kind of person people want to be around. but he also has this really emotional backstory that made me love him even more. i loved how he stayed kind and soft even after everything he’s been through. and he was so down bad for audre.

“What was i supposed to say to you? That not being near you feels pointless, like wasted time? That every kiss I don't give you burns a fucking hole in me?”


as i said. down bad.

aside from the romance, this book actually went deeper than i expected. it talks about race, gender, sexuality, and mental health, but also family stuff—complicated, toxic family dynamics. audre’s relationship with her mom was especially rough. her mom, eva (yes from Seven Days in June), is remarried now, has a new baby, and suddenly audre feels like an afterthought. she’s also pressured by her mom to be perfect and reliable.

“What about what I want, thought Audre. or what do I need? I'm a whole person with a life, not an extension of you.”


i really liked this. probably because i relate so much to her.

also, this book is funny. like actually funny. i have never laughed so hard reading YA. there’s a scene where audre’s drunk and freestyle rapping and it should’ve made me want to crawl out of my skin, but i found it hilarious. and i cringe easily. somehow this book didn’t make me cringe once.

other little things i loved:

• them doing her “experience challenge” list together = so cute

• bash being shocked by how beautiful she is every five seconds

• “Each time we hang out, I feel like something important happened.” → sobbing.

• “You’re the prettiest girl here.” YES SHE IS.

what didn’t work for me:

i didn’t really care about reshma’s pov (audre’s best friend). it wasn’t bad, but it didn’t add much and i kept wanting to get back to audre & bash.

the ending was rushed. the main conflict got solved in like, a page? i needed more closure, especially with her mom. that was such a huge part of audre’s story and it kinda just disappeared. i also wanted to see more of these two sweethearts together.

overall though, this was adorable and had way more emotional depth than i expected. a solid 4 stars. if you like YA romances with actual feelings, cute and relatable characters, and a little real-life messiness mixed in, read this.

I loved Audre and I loved Bash, and I loved everything about their tender story. What a summer to remember!

This is one of those books where you feel so privileged to be allowed to read something this wonderful that you want everyone to go and read it. Right now. And Seven Days in June - Audre's mom's and stepdad's book - too!

Can't wait to go back to Brooklyn this summer - and this book made me feel like I was already there. All the stars!

First of all thank you so so much to NetGalley for allowing be to be an ARC reader for this book.

Unfortunately this one wasn’t my favourite, especially after loving seven days in june so so much. I personally just felt that being in Aubre’s POV that Eva and Shane’s characters were a little difficult to read and made me see some of my favourite characters differently. I know they had valid reasons to be the way they were and definitely redeemed themselves in the end, it still affected my reading experience.
It did feel like we were getting a lot of POV’s and way too much unnecessary drama.

On a more positive note, Audre and Bash’s friendship (+ more) was so cute to watch and follow along. I love characters with layered backstories so I enjoyed finally fully understanding their characters and how they respond to certain conflicts. I did personally relate to parts of Aubre’s character and loved seeing her go out of her comfort zone, and letting herself have some fun.

I wish this was a more positive review, I will always love this author and continue to read everything she publishes 🩷

First of all thank you so so much to NetGalley for allowing be to be an ARC reader for this book.
Unfortunately this one wasn’t my favourite, especially after loving seven days in june so so much. I personally just felt that being in Aubre’s POV that Eva and Shane’s characters were a little difficult to read and made me see some of my favourite characters differently. I know they had valid reasons to be the way they were and definitely redeemed themselves in the end, it still affected my reading experience.
It did feel like we were getting a lot of POV’s and way too much unnecessary drama.

On a more positive note, Audre and Bash’s friendship (+ more) was so cute to watch and follow along. I love characters with layered backstories so I enjoyed finally fully understanding their characters and how they respond to certain conflicts. I did personally relate to parts of Aubre’s character and loved seeing her go out of her comfort zone, and letting herself have some fun.

I wish this was a more positive review, I will always love this author and continue to read everything she publishes 🩷

I read and loved Seven Days in June so I have to admit, as soon as I saw a new Tia Williams book I hit “request” before even reading the blurb. Imagine my surprise when I realised (embarrassingly late) that this was Audre’s book. As in, Audre FROM Seven Days in June!!

Audre is the perfect daughter; straight A student, class president and she always makes good choices. Bash is the wild child, popular with the ladies, new kid in town. So Audre hires Bash as her “funsultant” for an epic summer life experience challenge in New York. The two will find that they are more similar than they first assumed and that with each other, they can be their true vulnerable selves.

This was perfect! I could not wipe the huge grin off my face for the entire read. Such a fun, heartwarming first love, friends to lovers, opposites attract story. I think if you’ve read Seven Days in June you will LOVE this. If you haven’t it’s not absolutely necessary but I will say there will be spoilers if you read them the wrong way around.. if you prefer YA just start here!

I think anyone who has ever been a teen can relate to this story, to the feeling of first love, of finding your kind of person. Someone who you can be your true self with, someone who makes you want to share your deepest secrets and someone who won’t love you less for them. I loved Audre and Bash and I know everyone else will love them too!

Thank you NetGalley!!

Definitely a cute book, that you can enjoy on the weekend. Reads like a 2000 romance. Hits the spot so if you're looking for some light reading (or a palate cleanser) I recommend it

Sobbing because what do I do with myself now that this is over? Well, read it again of course.

Experiencing Tia’s (yes, it’s an experience) work feels like I’m going to burst out of my skin, I feel so elated and lucky and satisfied. Pure joy.

So wonderful to be back in the same world as Eva & Shane. It felt really refreshing to see them from Audre’s perspective, especially in light of the strain Audre feels had developed in her relationship with Eva now that she’s been with Shane again for a few years and they have a new baby (Audre’s half sister Alice). I’m also glad we got more info about the Mercier women and our mother daughter duo were able to discuss their history.

Audre and Bash, oh man. Those two tender lil chicken nuggets - they were straight up magical together. Each with their own demons, they met at just the right time to undertake the ultimate summer of fun, discovery and romance. They may have resisted the attraction for awhile but in doing so they truly bonded, unpeeled each other’s layers and became intrinsically linked.

Audre was very much still the funny, fierce and studious gal we were first introduced to in SDIJ but she’s found that to grow into the person she wants to become she needs to experience new things and break out of her carefully constructed mould. Enter Bash. He’s new in town but has been woefully misunderstood by the Brooklyn crowd - he’s not a player but the most earnest and kind guy Audre has ever met, The reason he moved to NY? Brutal. And I felt so much anguish for him. Nevertheless all of the adventures these two went on led them to healing and realising that their ideas about the world & themselves could change. Reshma & Clio were also lovely additions to the story and added some brevity.

One thing I love about Tia’s romances is that she doesn’t shy away from making her characters confront their rough edges, in some moments they are genuinely unlikeable, frustrating (to the reader and themselves) and they make stupid decisions. Audre & Bash were no exception and to finally be together they also needed to be honest and vulnerable, something they both found hard. Hence why they feel so very real and human.

I felt and still feel immensely lucky to have read this early - Tia’s writing makes me feel like I can go out into the world and meet people where they’re at, because nobody is perfect but you can choose to be open and look for the light in other people. It’s life affirming.

Very much hoping Tia will write more YA romance too because I think this was a stunning addition to the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author (Tia I’ll read anything you write) for this beautiful ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley, Quercus books and Tia Williams for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had an absolute blast reading this!! It is a teen fiction friends to lovers romance. Audre meets Bash at the ideal time for their lives to collide, she needs to experience the world and he seems like the perfect guide. Of course it’s strictly professional …

I love the LGBTQ+ and minority ethnic representation, it didn’t feel forced, rather very authentic to the characters. Learning more about their backgrounds made them even more endearing.

I recommend this to readers aged 13+ looking for a charming teen romance. Spice level is mild which is part or the reason I think it’s suitable for younger teens.

The characters were even relatable as a 26 year old (which is rare for teen fiction, even though I still enjoy the genre). It reminded me of books like ‘what’s a girl gotta do’ by Holly Bourne and ‘Love is for Losers’ by Wibke Bruggemann.

I absolutely adored Seven Days In June when I read that a few years back, so when I saw Williams had written a YA about Eva’s daughter, Audre, I knew I just HAD to read this.

💜 What I liked about it 💜
✍️ Audre and Bash are one of my new favourite fictional couples. They’re such great characters in their own right, but together? They have such exquisite chemistry together and their super sweet friendship-turned-romance was everything. I need more of these two together!
✍️ Williams is such a talented writer - she’s very in tune with Gen Z slang and culture, and I’m sure this will feel like a highly relatable book to younger audiences
✍️ There’s a lot of depth to the story. Audre and Bash are both feeling immense pressure from their parents to be the best and we see how this affects them both mentally and physically. It’s a joy to see the two of them push back, test boundaries and resist in their own different ways.
✍️ Bash is also grappling with toxic masculinity and queerphobia and again, I appreciate how Williams shows him pushing back against it and learning to unashamedly be his true self
✍️ I loved the inclusion of a character who is a budding tattoo artist! I mean, I wasn’t super thrilled about Bash being and unlicensed and underaged tattoo artist (😅), but I loved seeing his passion for art and his dedication to his chosen career path - as a tattoo enthusiast, I want more tattoo artists in books!
✍️ It was also great to see a bit more of Eva and Shane in this book, and to see what they’ve been up to since Seven Days and where they’re at in their relationship now

✨️ What to expect ✨️
🎙 Multiple POVs
💙 Friends to lovers
🏳️‍🌈 Queer characters
🧠 Characters dealing with anxiety, panic attacks and depression
👌 Recovering perfectionists trying to find their place in the world
🤔 Themes of self-identity
🏫 YA romance
☀️ Summer setting

i think i've found my favourite ya romance!!! "audre & bash are just friends" had so much teenage angst and i absolutely ate it up.

aubre is 16 and she wants to gain more "real-life experience" for her college applications. she enlists the help of bash - the new kid who already has a huge "bad-boy" reputation. i adored both of the main characters and their friendship to romance was everything i want from ya and more, filled with tension and longing and angst. their connection felt super realistic and authentic. loved it!!

i wish this book existed when i was 15, i think it would work so so well for the target audience (i'm now 24 and did feel a little old for this book at points). this book handles lots of teenage problems so well, and includes complicated friendships, complicated relationships with parents, and dealing with expectations. mental health struggles are included and handled really well, with lots of care. i loved seeing aubre's journey and her growing up throughout this book. it includes lots of references and funny moments that don't feel forced or cringy. i think it felt so authentic to the teenage experience and highly highly recommend this story. easy 5 stars!!

this is the first book i've read from tia williams and didn't realise it was connected to seven years in june, which i am now so so excited to read.

thank you to little alien & netgalley for an ARC!! (will also be posting a review on tiktok @tamsbookshelf closer to release date)

3.5⭐️ rounded up because I think it was the YA-ness that made this book fall just a bit flat for me in comparison to Seven Days in June, and I’m not the target audience for YA. That being said, this was still a fun, easy read, and I really enjoyed being back with these characters.

Although this can be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading Seven Days in June first because that’s where we first met Audre and her mum, Eva. Audre was so precocious and charming in SDIJ, and it was great seeing her when she’s a little older, getting her POV and understanding how her life has changed since the end of that book. I also thought her BFF, Reshma, was a great addition and Bash was an absolute sweetheart! One of my favourite things about Tia Williams’ books is the complexity she gives her characters, none of whom have easy lives, even if they are (from the outside) living a life of privilege. And while Bash is a very different person from Shane, he’s a 17 year old kid who’s dealing with his own, very real issues.

Although I did love the way Audre and Bash’ personalities complemented each other, I do think the chemistry was slightly lacking and I would’ve liked more time seeing them together (and more of their text chats, which were so cute and funny).

The audiobook is really well done - it’s dual narrated and they use the female narrator’s voice to speak the female lines in Bash’s POV and vice versa (why don’t more audiobooks do this when they’re already employing 2 narrators?!)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC and ALC of this book.

THANK YOU QUERCUS BOOKS AND NETGALLEY FOR THIS ARC!!!!

(spoilers ahead)

okay first and foremost, i should start by saying: i NEVER read seven days in june. so i do NOT know shane and eva’s story. if their was more of eva’s background in her book, i was DEFINITELY left in the dark in this book. which is PARTIALLY why .. i did not like eva. she pissed me off, as a mother i get she’s struggling with a newborn and all but she and audres relationship always felt strained. even to the ending, like i WANTED audre to just scream, to just yell like to even just SLAP some common sense into her mum. audre, she’s my girl. i LOVE her to the ends of the earth. she was so relatable with older golden child syndrome, her always being the therapist friend, like to me, I GET IT. it was all so relatable. also just to mention, why did the kids keep referring to their parents buy their first name??? no hate, just wondering because it made them feel less family like and more friend/stranger like. instead of a close family relationship. also what was THE DEAL with their ENTIRE “mercy bad luck” like we had one girl like escape arrest, i can’t remember what was what or the exacts but wasn’t their like prostitution AND like cults?? like i wanted a DEEPER DIVE!! i needed MORE of that. shane, was good, like he was very little featured but in his scenes i did like him so i probably WILL read seven days in june because i want ANSWERS. now, to the ACTUAL BOOK, this part i THOROUGHLY enjoyed. like i sped through this book once i got into it. bash and audre were ADORABLE. through both their POVS with them telling themselves they don’t like each other while it’s OBVIOUS they do!! reshma and clio were also cute!! i loved their plot line with them both technically “using” one another but soon falling in love!! and clio and bash being HALF SIBLINGS?? i want to give both of them, but ESPECIALLY BASH a GIANT HUG. he deserves the world from all his past history and trauma honestly. two broken souls finding comfort in each other was audre and bash to a TEE. like i love them, i love their story, their journey. all their fun scenes as he was a funsulant. i loved the whole world of brooklyn they lived in, where their were SO MANY SERVICES??? some people hate it but i ahve no problem with more modern references. i feel like it made it more natural to the fact that they are TEENS surrounded by OTHER TEENS. i absolutely HATE elliot or whatever his name is. i hope he rots in a dumpster because the pain he put my girl through? NUH UH. i LOVE when bash punched him because so what? HE DESERVED IT. no lie. the ending for me was too.. rushed. like you think eva and audre were on good terms then she FORBIDS her from dating bash? GET OUT. i kinda hated eva in this book. but THANK GOD they ended together. i definitely need to read seven days in june even though i feel like i got MAJOR spoilers for their book basically in this book. i know my review is bleak, but i really did love this book!! audre is MY GURL, i ADORE bash, he’s just a cutie and the side characters too! it had depth, drama and just a REALLY GOOD TIME!!

Thank you NetgalIey for giving me this ARC. I absolutely loved this book. The characters of Audre and Bash felt really real to be and I resonated with the, very heavily. I had already read Seven Days in June and it was really nice to get back into this world with these characters. I loved the love story between Audre and Bash and their individual character arcs. I also really loved the snippets of advice that came up in between some of the chapters and it would really nice if they were in front of every chapter. But, the one thing that I thought didn't really fit was the title of the book. I love the title Seven Days in June, it really fits with the story and vibe of the book and I don't think I can say the same for this book but everything else I absolutely adored!

4,5⭐️

Honnêtement, je n’ai rien à redire sur cette histoire que j’ai vraiment beaucoup aimée. Je l’ai largement préféré à Seven Days in June (Sept Jours de Juin) !

Tia Williams a su aborder avec beaucoup de justesse une relation naissante entre deux adolescents. J’ai trouvé toute l’histoire très touchante et réaliste, notamment dans la relation entre Audre et Eva. J’ai été un peu déçue de voir que leur relation mère-fille avait évolué dans le mauvais sens mais j’ai aimé avoir le point de vue d’Audre que j’ai trouvé tout à fait justifié.

J’ai également été agréable surprise par l’histoire de Bash et la dynamique de sa famille. À force de lire des romans où les personnages ont pus un passé désastreux, je deviens un peu pointilleuse et je me lasse des mêmes histoires. Pourtant ici j’ai totalement adhéré au passé traumatique de Bash.

La relation est mignonne est m’a rappelé Better than the movies mais en plus engagé. Ce roman pourrait devenir la référence en terme de romance Young Adult selon moi !

Bref, c’est une romance que je recommanderai sans aucun doute à quiconque cherche une lecture YA douce mais qui aborde des sujets importants et intéressants !

Pourquoi lire ce roman ?
• pour la relation YA pleine de tendresse
• pour plonger dans la tête d’un ado à l’époque actuelle
• pour retrouver les femmes Mercy de Seven Days in June
• pour se plonger dans l’ambiance de New-York l’été

NB: c’est écrit à la 3e personne mais ça ne m’a pas dérangée du tout !

This book was… okay. 🤷🏽‍♀️📖 I don’t think it was bad at all, but it wasn’t really my thing. If I compare it to books I’ve given three stars ⭐⭐⭐, it just doesn’t quite match up, so this is a 2 ⭐ for me. The writing is good ✍🏽, the story is interesting 🧐, but I just couldn’t get into it. 😶

Now, Audre. 😵‍💫 I get that she’s dealing with a lot, but some of her behavior just didn’t sit right with me. 🚩 The sibling jealousy? 😒 I understand why she feels that way—her sister is getting a different kind of treatment than she did—but the girl is literally a baby 👶🏽🍼. It’s not her fault. The way Audre harbors these weird resentments isn’t fair. 😬 That being said, I totally get her frustration about not having her own space. 🚪➡️🚪 Her room got split in half, and that would annoy me too. 🤦🏽‍♀️

Her panic attack scene… 😕 I didn’t love how it was written. I wish there had been more of an explanation of how she felt when she was with Bash. 😵‍💫💨 Panic attacks aren’t always predictable, but the way it was thrown in felt a bit random. 🤷🏽‍♀️ To me, it read more like an emotional overload 😖 or overstimulation rather than a full-blown panic attack. And then Bash asked her what she was anxious about right after, which makes me think the book kind of blurred the lines between anxiety 😟 and panic attacks. 💭

And then there’s Audre and her mom. 😬 I don’t think Audre really respects her. The way she straight-up told her mom she was overreacting? Ma’am. 🚨 No, she wasn’t. 😤 Audre had a responsibility 📋 and should have prioritized it, but instead, she wanted her mom to be worried about her 🤦🏽‍♀️ while also arguing about one of the few rules her mom had. 🚫 She’s giving self-centered 👑 (which I’ll blame on her being an only child until 16 🍼➡️👧🏽), but still. When you’re part of a family, things don’t always go your way. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC! 💬🐇📚✨

I want to preface this review by saying that I absolutely adore the SDIJ world and I was so glad to delve back into it and the characters who live in my head rent free.

Audre is now 16 and trying to make great strides in her life in being a high-flyer in all aspects of her academic life. I appreciate Audre's determination to give the personal parts of her life some attention and she does it in the classically fun way of making a list and roping Bash to help her.

One thing about Tia William is that she is going to write beautiful scenes describing the feeling of falling in love for the other person and she really shined when displaying this in Audre and Bash.
Bash is a refreshing MMC to read, delightfully queer and refreshing in his interests, I enjoyed reading about him finding himself and what he wants to do for his future now that he's Cali life behind.

The people-pleasing and high pressure expectations that Audre faced were realistic in their depiction of being the first born daughter who just wants to make her mother proud and every high achieving student could potentially relate to this.

I'm glad Audre found her love the same way Eva found hers and may the Mercy girls continue to do what others can't!

Oh how I LOVE Tia's romances. She's the queen at writing yearning and that moment when you realise you're head over heels in love with someone. And gosh, did she deliver that beautiful romance with Audre and Bash. My favourite parts of the book were watching them build this romantic connection. It was heartfelt and sweet to the age group. Audre was such a hilarious character in Seven Days in June and by far, an icon from the story. She continued to be an icon but Tia let us in to a much deeper side of Audre.

We got to see Audre, the people pleaser or the golden child, and the impact that's had on her. As a previous people pleaser myself, gosh did I relate so hard to Audre. My heart ached for her knowing she was carrying all this pressure on her shoulders and she still has so much life to live. And what's where Bash, a funsultant came in and swept her off her feet - as she deserved! I'm so glad we saw her break free of that pressure placed on her and seek her own narrative. It actually hurt to read how Eva and Shane projected their past onto Audre. It's so difficult to navigate having read the first book becuase you understand why they were so protective but I often found myself wanting to scream for Audre.

I can't not talk about Bash, because he was such a great character. I loved how different he was to usual love interests. So soft, loving and fiercely loyal to those he cares about. Tia explored how Bash breaks free from 'typical' male stereotypes and is someone completely different - and in the world we live in today it feels so much more reminiscent of the teenagers we see and know.

Overall, this was a lovely read and I'm so glad we got Audre and Bash's story. It was wonderful to catch up with my favourite couple from Seven Days in June.