The Summer I Saved You by Elizabeth O’Roark
The Summer #2
Contemporary Romance
September 14, 2023- Self-Published
ARC

Review by Angela

The Summer I Saved You is the second book in The Summer series and features Caleb, a friend of Luke’s from The Summer We Fell, and his next-door neighbor, Lucie, a woman going through a divorce with two small children.

This is billed as “An Angsty, Single Parent Romance”, and it is… but, not to the degree of the first book in the series. This is more in line with her other romances, which feature some angst, without drowning readers in too much. Lucie is a single mom, recently separated from her cheating, no-good, manipulative, gaslighting husband who has returned to the lake house where she spent so much time as a child. Left to her by an aunt in her will, it’s the only place she can think of to move her kids to that is hers and hers alone. It’s also the place she met Caleb as a young, lonely girl.

Caleb is a workaholic, who has repurchased his parents’ lake house in hopes of renovating. He has his own marital issues, which you will learn about later in the book. Mostly, he’s just a guy who works way too much, is trying to keep his company afloat, and comes across as cold and unlikable at first meeting. Especially when Lucie goes to work for his company. She is hired to find ways to create employee programs and refresh the company image. Caleb doesn’t intend for her to last longer than a few weeks, he sees no need for new programs or making employees happy. Lucie needs this job, so she’ll do whatever it takes to keep it.

Before I say anything else, let me just say that boss/employee romances are not my jam. I do not enjoy the power imbalance, and throughout every scene, that imbalance is always in the back of my mind. I do think this author handled this situation well, as Caleb and Lucie had a prior relationship of sorts and Caleb is conscious of perception and does make moves to change her direct supervisor to someone other than him.

Going in, I kind of expected more of the alternating time jumps between chapters like the first book, but that’s not the case. There is mention of them meeting in their younger years, but the whole book is told in the present tense, with every other chapter changing between his and her POVs.

I didn’t enjoy is book as much as this author’s previous releases. I wasn’t in love with this couple together, and couldn’t understand Lucie’s infatuation with Caleb… especially since he was a complete ass to her right from the beginning. Yes, he softens up a bit and spends time with her and her kids, but right up to the third act breakup spends much of his time trying to get her into bed instead of spending quality time together. I understand that he had his own issues with marriage and a nagging guilt over his behavior in his previous relationship, but his coldness and jealousy irritated me. Also, she lets him off the hook WAY, WAY too easily a the end. Make that dude grovel.

There is a HFN, with a hint at a HEA. I was content with the ending. I will say that this author’s books are compulsively readable. Even when I was irritated and annoyed with the MMC, I just kept turning pages. I just enjoy her voice and the way she tells a story. Although, I’m not too sure about the next book in the series after learning who will be the main couple. But, am I going to read it anyway? Most definitely.

Content warnings- Loss of a child, drug addiction