by Emily Henry

What a fun, refreshing Summer read that goes down like a crisp glass of lemonade on a clear cloudless day! This book already has so much good press, but it deserves it. It was sweet and fun and gave off sunshine vibes.

The book takes place in a (fictional) coastal town in Georgia and two writers, Alice and Hayden, find themselves in competition to write an autobiography about a famed heiress, married to a famous rock star, who hasn’t been seen in years. The heiress, Margaret, is now an old woman who never leaves her house and she wants to hire either Alice or Hayden to write her tragic story. Our writers have a bit of an icy start, but then begin to spend time together and their relationship warms right up.

We get to hear Margaret’s story in flashbacks which intertwine with the present story. Margaret shares what life was like as a tabloid sensation in the 50’s and what she went through. Hearing her story and what she and her family went through is heartbreaking and makes you really think about what was allowed to happen to women (and men) in Hollywood back in those days. (Though I imagine it’s still pretty bad to this day). It’s a sad reality what happens to people when they’re thrust in the public eye, influenced by power and wealth, and around the powerful people in Hollywood.

The book has beautiful, fun, beachy scenes that makes you crave the ocean winds and the sandy shores. I read this book in early May when it was still absolutely glacial in my town. So this made me crave summer even more.

The ending of the book is sweet and romantic and made me cry a little. I think this is a great book for someone looking for a pick-me-up book or a easy vacation read. So, let’s get to pros and cons!

Pros: Great descriptions, loveable characters, and interesting storyline.

Con: Hayden falls pretty quickly and heavily for Alice and it seems a little unrealistic that he’s at “marry me” levels of love and commitment after knowing Alice for a few days.

Overall Rating: 7/10 adorable stars.

Photocredit: woman in snow. istock.com by Getty images