REVIEW: This Summer by Katlyn Duncan

This Summer (This Summer #1) by Katlyn Duncan is the first part in This Summer series. Hadley Beauman and her best friend Lily are determined to have the best summer ever. Hadley is in for a shock when her old neighbor and once best friend Will moves back in town to renovate and sell his house before moving to Texas. Will broke Hadley’s heart when he left without a word two years ago and now that he is back, old feelings start resurfacing in both of them.

Will still carries the weight of guilt – for leaving, for coming back… Now he’s just passing through to tie up loose ends but it’s clear the old chemistry still crackles between him and Hadley. Trouble is, it’s built on two years of lies…

This Summer on the first glance looks like an ordinary romance between two best friends whose reunion is marred by obstacles but it is much more than that. There are various relationships dynamics taken up by the author like family, best friends etc.

Will is a guilt ridden hero who manages to mend relationships that were spoiled by his leaving in the end. He was a good person overall and everybody liked him. Hadley is a great heroine because she was very real. She had her flaws but they never overpowered her good qualities. The major secondary characters include Carter, Hadley’s ex-boyfriend and Lily. Hadley’s best friend. Lily may not be liked by many readers because of what she did and I felt Carter was a spare character according to me who was just their to create a major conflict between Lily and Hadley. The romance is sensual at times and tends towards emotional intimacy more.

The story was very slow paced at times and that was frustrating at times. Some of the events/dynamics between characters were not explained and therefore the story appeared incomplete towards the end.

Overall, This Summer by Katlyn Duncan is a romance for everybody who loves second chance/best friends romance tropes.

Book Info:

Published July 9th 2014 by Carina UK | (This Summer #1)

Before college, before responsibilities, Hadley Beauman and best friend Lily are determined to have a summer to remember. There will be all the usual dramas – ex-boyfriends who don’t seem to know what ‘ex’ means, pesky younger brothers with unrequited crushes, but what Hadley didn’t anticipate was the out-of-the-blue return of the seriously hot boy-next-door, Will Carson. The boy who broke her heart when he skipped town two years ago.

Will may have shot up a foot and filled out (oh yes), but inside he carries the weight of guilt – for leaving, for coming back… Now he’s just passing through to tie up loose ends but it’s clear the old chemistry still crackles between him and Hadley. Trouble is, it’s built on two years of lies…

This summer might just be the best time of their lives, but is Hadley ready for everything to change – again?