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

okay what was that

belly was so self-centered this whole book. (why would she take the necklace ?!) conrad was a jerk. taylor was fine at some points but also was definitely not fine. and jere was actually great but i was frustrated at how he admitted that he only liked belly when she turned pretty, but i guess that’s the point of the series anyways.

the whole beginning of the story i was extremely confused because i wanted to know what happened with conrad, but hardly any context was given. i don’t understand why belly denied they were a thing when they were and why he suddenly got so cold, it just felt so weird to me. after they got together at the beach house in december, what happened ? like when did it turn cold and why did conrad start pulling away? i can definitely make assumptions that i’m pretty sure are correct, but i wish there was more context given on that because it was confusing and it seemed like one day they were together and then they weren’t. it was hard to keep up with conrad and belly and their awkward feelings. like i feel like belly got mad at the most random things and the thing that would actually help them is communication, but they avoided that completely. conrad was so on and off and it was so confusing, like why was he so rude about prom but still showed he had feelings for her at the house? like i said i understand, but it’s frustrating that wasn’t explained. also, the ending was so rushed and random. like conrad switched up so fast and was better (which i get was because of laurel saving the house), but he got upset at belly for being with someone else when he had already showed he didn’t want her. i understand why jere and belly got together and i’m happy bc i think they both deserve it, but then it skipped to a few years later and it felt so rushed and random ?! idk. i was proud of belly for kinda making herself be done with conrad and understanding his lack of intention, but i’m still team conrad.

i feel like everyone leaves belly in the dark and it makes me sad bc she deserves to know (and so does the reader or else it’s confusing)

this book felt like a filler to just get to the ending of their story. it just explained susannah’s death and gave lots teenage angst. so idk i hope the next one is better and gives more context.

not a reread unless i reread the trilogy ☑️

Content Warnings