Reviews with content warning for Grief - It's Not Summer Without You

I have to say, I was expecting the second book in this series to be a slight letdown, but it was actually just as fun and lovely as the first! Our main cast of characters is back, with the heartfelt exception of Susannah, and they're as entertaining as always. No one can call this book a masterpiece but for what it's worth its incredibly entertaining and felt every bit as exhilarating and watching it in a tv series format, perhaps because of the audiobook format (which, by the way, I love that they keep adding actors from the series as narrators!)

Spoiler

So. The love triangle. I. Have. Thoughts. Since the first book I'd hoped she would end up with Conrad, it's felt right from the beginning like that was what the author obviously wanted for her, and his character seems to have loved her since forever, even if he doesn't show it. He's very fragile and seems like he has deep layers of emotions cursing through him. However he has become more and more annoying over time, constantly pretending his feelings aren't there, treating Belly like she means nothing, telling her as much, and then coming back with one sentence about liking her all along as if that makes up for it. Jeremiah has been so sweet with her this whole entire time, has stood by as the love of his life constantly, embarrassingly simps for his brother and remained by her side nonetheless. He has never judged her for it and never let her down, and has always been open and honest about his feeling. I've never read a book or series where I'm so uncertain as to who she'll end up with, or who she should end up with, but I think the right choice is Jeremiah. For all the reasons I've already said he deserves this, and she deserves to be loved by him, something Conrad seems devoted to not giving her. He has become such an annoying character to me, and the fact Belly seems to still, after all this, be lost in love with him is extremely annoying. For the next book I truly hope she and Jeremiah can end up happily together, they both deserve to be happy, I think Belly should take a step back and realise she has the perfect man right in front of her. Conrad has time and time again fumbled the bag and he doesn't deserve Belly, however emotional the broken boy trope might be he doesn't deserve her. However I have a strong feeling they will end up together as that seems to be implied throughout the whole series, so if that's the case I surely hope the author gives him so serious character development to make him earn it, and please don't heart Jeremiah, he doesn't deserve any pain.

Such a complex love triangle, very well done! Heart-wrenching to not know how it'll end tho! :) Team Jeremiah all the way.

Content Warnings

rebecca_arielle's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Content Warnings

saramcaps's review

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emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Much darker and more emotional than the first book, but it encapsulates grief and how it can affect young relationships realistically. I think this is the most well-written out of the series.

Hard to read for the Conrad girlies, but there are some bright spots like Christmas in Cousins❤️

Content Warnings