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Summertime
𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆, 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈’𝒔 𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒚…
At least that’s what I’d hoped for when I decided to visit Hollywood’s most sought-after director, AKA my usually absentee father, for the summer. But my vision of an idyllic break before starting grownup life after college comes to a halt when my dad puts me to work on his set.
As an aspiring screenwriter, I’m eager for any experience, but my time is spent as the errand girl, fulfilling every whim of Hollywood’s IT actor, the flirtatious, too-sexy-for-his-own-good Liam Taylor. As the shiny new girl, Liam thinks he has to have me, but his bad-boy persona turns me off, and I don’t want to be another notch on his bedpost.
Then there’s Hudson Callihan, the hot up-and-coming director working with my dad. He’s everything I think I want in a guy. What starts out as a friendship becomes a secret relationship, and I fall hard.
Things become complicated with Hudson when I’m thrown into a fake relationship with Liam to soften his scandalous reputation. And living on set with both guys and the crew is becoming more and more difficult.
I came to LA expecting to have a good time, but what I didn’t expect was to be faced with making the biggest decision of my life.
At least that’s what I’d hoped for when I decided to visit Hollywood’s most sought-after director, AKA my usually absentee father, for the summer. But my vision of an idyllic break before starting grownup life after college comes to a halt when my dad puts me to work on his set.
As an aspiring screenwriter, I’m eager for any experience, but my time is spent as the errand girl, fulfilling every whim of Hollywood’s IT actor, the flirtatious, too-sexy-for-his-own-good Liam Taylor. As the shiny new girl, Liam thinks he has to have me, but his bad-boy persona turns me off, and I don’t want to be another notch on his bedpost.
Then there’s Hudson Callihan, the hot up-and-coming director working with my dad. He’s everything I think I want in a guy. What starts out as a friendship becomes a secret relationship, and I fall hard.
Things become complicated with Hudson when I’m thrown into a fake relationship with Liam to soften his scandalous reputation. And living on set with both guys and the crew is becoming more and more difficult.
I came to LA expecting to have a good time, but what I didn’t expect was to be faced with making the biggest decision of my life.
378 pages, Paperback
Published June 23, 2022
548 people are currently reading
5076 people want to read
About the author
Willow Aster
47 books4,609 followersWillow Aster is a USA Today Bestselling Author of emotional, angsty love stories with a side of quirk. She is co-writer of The End of Men series with Tarryn Fisher and co-writer of the G.D. Taylors series with Laura Pavlov.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews
July 22, 2024
3.25 stars
I was excited to read this after ‘Autumn Nights’ which is a book I love so much! I loved this for a while, but honestly, it made me so angry. I didn’t hate how it ended, but the love triangle troupe only works for me sometimes, and this one didn’t.
I was excited to read this after ‘Autumn Nights’ which is a book I love so much! I loved this for a while, but honestly, it made me so angry. I didn’t hate how it ended, but the love triangle troupe only works for me sometimes, and this one didn’t.
Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 3.25 stars
Narrators: Neill Thorne & Brooke Daniels
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Romance
Length: 7h 38m
July 20, 2024
Fake dating, Love Triangles and the harsh realities of Hollywood. This book felt like a Reality Show, but with all the ‘behind the scenes’ moments included. It had the right amount of glamour, but the struggles were very real.
I was initially worried it may be too ‘Hallmark-esque’. I can’t stand it when everything constantly plays out perfectly. However, this story was more complex than that.
PSA - This review won’t contain any BIG spoilers, so it’s safe to read 😅 I’ll try not to ramble.
So the FMC goes to Hollywood to pursue a career in Film and gets a job with her dad, a big director. He was absent for the majority of her life, so it was honestly the least he can do. Her job was basically being everyone's ‘b1tch’ on set, so the benefits are limited.
Throughout the book, her dad was constantly trying to parent her (after 22 years), which was annoying, but I think that was the point. He seems to be oblivious most of the time, but the self-absorbed personality worked for him.
Summer was quite unexpected. From reading the synopsis, I thought she might appear bratty (a bit of a nepo baby). However, she wasn’t and came across as very relatable. I was often frustrated when she was and appreciated that she didn’t try to fit in with the ‘it’ crowd. She had a very clear direction.
Hudson was the guy to ease her into this ‘poser’ crowd and showed her the ropes of working in Film. The ‘dos & don’ts’. I imagined him being the ‘Film guy’ at University, who talks about abstract movies in excruciating detail to seem interesting. Not really pretentious, but I think he wants to appear smarter than you. For the most part, he was extremely sympathetic to her mental health, which he got a lot of points for.
Liam initially gave off too much ‘BDE’. His ego was pretty large and some of the things he said gave me ‘creeper’ vibes. From memory, this was only in one chapter. My opinion did change though. His character development was very natural and I didn’t notice it was happening until he had taken on a brand new role.
Now there was a plot twist or two and they honestly shocked me !! I thought I wanted the plot to go one way, but I liked the alternative presented even more. It all suddenly came together.
The moral of the story - In Hollywood, no one is who they appear to be (They are not all fake b1tch3s, but there are a lot of fake b1tch3s).
Originally I rated this at 3 stars as I didn’t think I would reread it and didn’t love the love triangle aspect. Since then I have reread it so many times 😅 I think I just didn’t see how unique the plot was until I read other celebrity romances and a lot of them were quite repetitive. Anyway you should definitely read it.
I was initially worried it may be too ‘Hallmark-esque’. I can’t stand it when everything constantly plays out perfectly. However, this story was more complex than that.
PSA - This review won’t contain any BIG spoilers, so it’s safe to read 😅 I’ll try not to ramble.
So the FMC goes to Hollywood to pursue a career in Film and gets a job with her dad, a big director. He was absent for the majority of her life, so it was honestly the least he can do. Her job was basically being everyone's ‘b1tch’ on set, so the benefits are limited.
Throughout the book, her dad was constantly trying to parent her (after 22 years), which was annoying, but I think that was the point. He seems to be oblivious most of the time, but the self-absorbed personality worked for him.
Summer was quite unexpected. From reading the synopsis, I thought she might appear bratty (a bit of a nepo baby). However, she wasn’t and came across as very relatable. I was often frustrated when she was and appreciated that she didn’t try to fit in with the ‘it’ crowd. She had a very clear direction.
Hudson was the guy to ease her into this ‘poser’ crowd and showed her the ropes of working in Film. The ‘dos & don’ts’. I imagined him being the ‘Film guy’ at University, who talks about abstract movies in excruciating detail to seem interesting. Not really pretentious, but I think he wants to appear smarter than you. For the most part, he was extremely sympathetic to her mental health, which he got a lot of points for.
Liam initially gave off too much ‘BDE’. His ego was pretty large and some of the things he said gave me ‘creeper’ vibes. From memory, this was only in one chapter. My opinion did change though. His character development was very natural and I didn’t notice it was happening until he had taken on a brand new role.
Now there was a plot twist or two and they honestly shocked me !! I thought I wanted the plot to go one way, but I liked the alternative presented even more. It all suddenly came together.
The moral of the story - In Hollywood, no one is who they appear to be (They are not all fake b1tch3s, but there are a lot of fake b1tch3s).
Originally I rated this at 3 stars as I didn’t think I would reread it and didn’t love the love triangle aspect. Since then I have reread it so many times 😅 I think I just didn’t see how unique the plot was until I read other celebrity romances and a lot of them were quite repetitive. Anyway you should definitely read it.
June 23, 2022
4 Stars!
(ARC provided by Valentine PR)
Summer Winters is an aspiring writer from Charlotte who recently graduated from the University of North Carolina. She’s excited for the future but is looking forward to her summer break. It’s been a long time since she visited her somewhat absentee dad, and she’s not sure what to expect. He followed his dreams to Hollywood, and is now a famous director working with A-List stars. She’s hoping to get to know him better in the next couple of months, and spend some quality time together, but she gets way more than she bargained for when her dad wants her to work on his set all summer. Suddenly living in paradise isn’t as glamorous as she expected. She’s juggling various errands while also assisting the lead actor in the movie. He’s drop dead gorgeous, and a shameless flirt. Then there’s the hot assistant director that has also caught her attention and intrigues her. Life becomes a little complicated when she’s thrown into a fake relationship and a secret relationship. She’s playing a part and her feelings are all over the place. Will all her dreams come true, or will everything fall apart around her?
Summertime by Willow Aster is a forced proximity, fake relationship, love triangle, Hollywood, friends to lovers, beach romance full of sizzling chemistry, delicious tension, friendship, and unexpected connections. I really loved Summer and her journey. I was wanting to skip to the end so bad to see which guy she ends up with. I totally couldn’t predict what would happen, and was torn between both men. It’s a love triangle at its finest! Completely captivated me and kept me wanting more! <333
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3yh8Cd8
(ARC provided by Valentine PR)
Summer Winters is an aspiring writer from Charlotte who recently graduated from the University of North Carolina. She’s excited for the future but is looking forward to her summer break. It’s been a long time since she visited her somewhat absentee dad, and she’s not sure what to expect. He followed his dreams to Hollywood, and is now a famous director working with A-List stars. She’s hoping to get to know him better in the next couple of months, and spend some quality time together, but she gets way more than she bargained for when her dad wants her to work on his set all summer. Suddenly living in paradise isn’t as glamorous as she expected. She’s juggling various errands while also assisting the lead actor in the movie. He’s drop dead gorgeous, and a shameless flirt. Then there’s the hot assistant director that has also caught her attention and intrigues her. Life becomes a little complicated when she’s thrown into a fake relationship and a secret relationship. She’s playing a part and her feelings are all over the place. Will all her dreams come true, or will everything fall apart around her?
Summertime by Willow Aster is a forced proximity, fake relationship, love triangle, Hollywood, friends to lovers, beach romance full of sizzling chemistry, delicious tension, friendship, and unexpected connections. I really loved Summer and her journey. I was wanting to skip to the end so bad to see which guy she ends up with. I totally couldn’t predict what would happen, and was torn between both men. It’s a love triangle at its finest! Completely captivated me and kept me wanting more! <333
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3yh8Cd8
June 12, 2022
I don’t want to spoil it but this book has the most perfect book boyfriend EVER!! *le sigh*
Oh my heart!
Oh my heart!
February 22, 2023
UGH! You guys! Why does this story have to be over?! I fell in love with our MC’s, and bonus, I found a New Book Boyfriend! I won’t say who, as that will spoil the fun, but safe to say that Summer is one lucky lady *swoon*. This is an easy, fast-paced, fun read! Perfect for summertime 😉
5⭐
2🌶
5⭐
2🌶
dnff
October 6, 2024I was so exited for Summer and ——-’s story and then I realized it’s a freaking love triangle😭🤧
Immediate dnf🫡
Immediate dnf🫡
July 29, 2022
4 ⭐'s
Summer is fresh out of college and ready to start her career. Her father, who is a famous director wants her to come out to California so off she goes thinking she will get some good experience since she's interested in being a screen writer.
To her dismay, her father has her set up as a glorified gopher. However, she gets some help from his assistant, Hudson, and is hoping that leads to more.
There's also Liam, who is the lead actor in the movie and also quite the player but he is smitten with Summer.
Circumstances really take a turn when her father and Liam ask her to be his pretend girlfriend to help with his reputation.
Phewww...I thought I had this story figured out but I was wrong. There are many crazy events that happened, so much so, that when I finished the book, I had to immediately reread it.
True Love Story will always be my favorite but this one is up there.
Summer is fresh out of college and ready to start her career. Her father, who is a famous director wants her to come out to California so off she goes thinking she will get some good experience since she's interested in being a screen writer.
To her dismay, her father has her set up as a glorified gopher. However, she gets some help from his assistant, Hudson, and is hoping that leads to more.
There's also Liam, who is the lead actor in the movie and also quite the player but he is smitten with Summer.
Circumstances really take a turn when her father and Liam ask her to be his pretend girlfriend to help with his reputation.
Phewww...I thought I had this story figured out but I was wrong. There are many crazy events that happened, so much so, that when I finished the book, I had to immediately reread it.
True Love Story will always be my favorite but this one is up there.
August 1, 2022
I just really don't like this author's writing style. The way she writes makes the plot seem to be both rushed and slow at the same time and I don't understand how that happens. I don't like the fake relationship aspect when she is clearly going to end up with another guy (also Liam is the worst so ew at him). Pass.
June 13, 2022
This was masterfully done! Summer thinks she’s finally getting some time to know her dad, but he has other plans for her time…that certainly weren’t shared with her. Then there’s Hudson, who seems all-in but maybe he isn’t, Liam who seems like a player but needs her help, and a truly horrid woman who thinks she’s entitled to being awful simply because she’s famous. Then the lies start. Who’s the gentleman and who’s the cad? Is her dad ever going to care about more than what he can get out of someone? Who should Summer believe?
This story took a few sharp turns that I wasn’t quite expecting and I really had to fight to keep from flipping ahead to find out who wins out in the end. Instead, I forced myself to enjoy the ride and every new doubt that was put in my head alongside Summer’s. Because one guy plays nice while the other flat out IS. One guy delivers the lines Summer may want to hear while the other proves that his words are anything but trite lines. And when it comes down to advantage, one is willing to do anything to get ahead. But which one is it? Believe me, you’ll want to find out. And you’ll hope that it’s the person you like because the alternative just has heartache and regret written all over him. Some of it is glitter and smoke and some of it is the real deal. And I was personally thrilled with the outcome and the winner because the fake and the lies were just too much to expect someone to take!
This story took a few sharp turns that I wasn’t quite expecting and I really had to fight to keep from flipping ahead to find out who wins out in the end. Instead, I forced myself to enjoy the ride and every new doubt that was put in my head alongside Summer’s. Because one guy plays nice while the other flat out IS. One guy delivers the lines Summer may want to hear while the other proves that his words are anything but trite lines. And when it comes down to advantage, one is willing to do anything to get ahead. But which one is it? Believe me, you’ll want to find out. And you’ll hope that it’s the person you like because the alternative just has heartache and regret written all over him. Some of it is glitter and smoke and some of it is the real deal. And I was personally thrilled with the outcome and the winner because the fake and the lies were just too much to expect someone to take!
June 21, 2022
A story that has a befitting title - Summer Time.
Full of sunshine and breezy love, it's a soft meet cute kinda story that will appeal to all the readers that want to escape between the pages for a dreamy love story. Willow is soft spoken, very gentle person and so are her stories. This one is nuanced and sentimental but has the quintessential heartbreak angst woven into it with absolute perfection.
“Oh, I love rom-coms, but my favorite are the bittersweet, cry in your sleeve at the sadness while being amazed at how deep the dialogue is"
Liam Taylor,the moviestar, was created to make the girls swooooooon. His flirtatious smile can knock the socks of any female within his vicinity. It's no surprise I fell for him hard, much like our girl Autumn Winters, who comes to work for her producer Dad Cole winters.she meets Liam and he starts to spin his magic on her.
I can see she's effected but wants to play it cool.
"One of the best surprises out of this fake relationship I’ve got going here is the friendship I’ve cultivated with Liam. I didn’t see that coming when we first met, but I’ve gotten attached to him more and more as I’ve gotten to know him."
There's also Hudson Callihan, another handsome hunk vying for her attention.
So now the dilemma begins. It was hilarious and adorable to see the three of them being sneaky, fighting hard to keep passions under control, all the while dealing with drama on screen and off screen on sets.
"It’s a moral whiplash, trying to figure out where your integrity lies.”
Lots of sexy times, oodles of breathless kisses, tons of adorable looks later, the three find themselves at an impasse and the story becomes very interesting.
I had so much fun reading it and you will too
The end is the BEST part, never saw that coming!!
4 stars cause I'm Shooketh!!
Follow me on:
Email🌻 Bookbub 🌻 Twitter🌻 Instagram🌻 Blog🌻 Facebook🌻 Amazon 🌻
Full of sunshine and breezy love, it's a soft meet cute kinda story that will appeal to all the readers that want to escape between the pages for a dreamy love story. Willow is soft spoken, very gentle person and so are her stories. This one is nuanced and sentimental but has the quintessential heartbreak angst woven into it with absolute perfection.
“Oh, I love rom-coms, but my favorite are the bittersweet, cry in your sleeve at the sadness while being amazed at how deep the dialogue is"
Liam Taylor,the moviestar, was created to make the girls swooooooon. His flirtatious smile can knock the socks of any female within his vicinity. It's no surprise I fell for him hard, much like our girl Autumn Winters, who comes to work for her producer Dad Cole winters.she meets Liam and he starts to spin his magic on her.
I can see she's effected but wants to play it cool.
"One of the best surprises out of this fake relationship I’ve got going here is the friendship I’ve cultivated with Liam. I didn’t see that coming when we first met, but I’ve gotten attached to him more and more as I’ve gotten to know him."
There's also Hudson Callihan, another handsome hunk vying for her attention.
So now the dilemma begins. It was hilarious and adorable to see the three of them being sneaky, fighting hard to keep passions under control, all the while dealing with drama on screen and off screen on sets.
"It’s a moral whiplash, trying to figure out where your integrity lies.”
Lots of sexy times, oodles of breathless kisses, tons of adorable looks later, the three find themselves at an impasse and the story becomes very interesting.
I had so much fun reading it and you will too
The end is the BEST part, never saw that coming!!
4 stars cause I'm Shooketh!!
Follow me on:
Email🌻 Bookbub 🌻 Twitter🌻 Instagram🌻 Blog🌻 Facebook🌻 Amazon 🌻
June 29, 2022
Overall Grade: 3.5 ⭐️
Willow Aster’s Summertime is a sleepy romance that offers up a bit new adult, love triangle, and workplace romance all in one. The story follows Summer, the daughter of a popular Hollywood director. She has just graduated college and has decided to spend the summer with her father in Hollywood in the hopes of rekindling their somewhat estranged relationship. At the airport, she meets Hudson, her father’s assistant director, and she is instantly attracted to him. She is also disappointed that her father isn’t there to greet her. In fact, as her summer begins, her father is mostly focused on making his movie to exclusion of his daughter with the exception that he expects her to work on his film. This continues her disillusionment. Two days into filming, she is photographed with the star of the movie, Liam, and his PR person suggests a fake relationship between them. When her father encourages it, she decides to help Liam, but it complicates her burgeoning feelings for Hudson. Very quickly, Summer finds herself at the center of a wicked love triangle.
Here’s the thing. I really enjoy Willow Aster’s romances. There is always some twist or point of view that isn’t obvious. But I struggled with Summertime. I didn’t connect with her characters. Summer struggles to find a voice, and she needs one with her father, Hudson, and even Liam. Yes, there is a happy ending to this story, but there was a pall over it for me. Nothing is really as it seems in the story which makes the reader divest themselves from the characters. Additionally, I’m not a fan of stories that have so many plot points that they overwhelm character development, and quite frankly, A LOT happens to Summer in this story. Sometimes, it feels like too much. At the same time, the day-to-day grind crafted into the book causes it to slog on along.
Summer eventually finds her voice, her man, and her happy ending. Unfortunately, getting there takes a bit of time and energy for Willow Aster’s readers. There is just something missing for me with Summertime.
Willow Aster’s Summertime is a sleepy romance that offers up a bit new adult, love triangle, and workplace romance all in one. The story follows Summer, the daughter of a popular Hollywood director. She has just graduated college and has decided to spend the summer with her father in Hollywood in the hopes of rekindling their somewhat estranged relationship. At the airport, she meets Hudson, her father’s assistant director, and she is instantly attracted to him. She is also disappointed that her father isn’t there to greet her. In fact, as her summer begins, her father is mostly focused on making his movie to exclusion of his daughter with the exception that he expects her to work on his film. This continues her disillusionment. Two days into filming, she is photographed with the star of the movie, Liam, and his PR person suggests a fake relationship between them. When her father encourages it, she decides to help Liam, but it complicates her burgeoning feelings for Hudson. Very quickly, Summer finds herself at the center of a wicked love triangle.
Here’s the thing. I really enjoy Willow Aster’s romances. There is always some twist or point of view that isn’t obvious. But I struggled with Summertime. I didn’t connect with her characters. Summer struggles to find a voice, and she needs one with her father, Hudson, and even Liam. Yes, there is a happy ending to this story, but there was a pall over it for me. Nothing is really as it seems in the story which makes the reader divest themselves from the characters. Additionally, I’m not a fan of stories that have so many plot points that they overwhelm character development, and quite frankly, A LOT happens to Summer in this story. Sometimes, it feels like too much. At the same time, the day-to-day grind crafted into the book causes it to slog on along.
Summer eventually finds her voice, her man, and her happy ending. Unfortunately, getting there takes a bit of time and energy for Willow Aster’s readers. There is just something missing for me with Summertime.
June 13, 2022
Summertime is everything I have come to love in Willow Aster stories, sexy, emotional and angst, it is an addictive and intense romance that took my breath away.
Summer gets to spend the summer with her dad who is a famous director in Hollywood, but what she did not expect is to feel attracted to Hudson, her father's assistant and aspiring director and less to be in a fake relationship with Liam, the charismatic and sexy actor. that melts the hearts and panties of all the girls around him.
I loved this book, I was hooked from the first pages and I couldn't put it down for a single second, the author is an amazing storyteller and does a great job capturing the feelings and emotions of the characters, the characters are so interesting and real, I loved some of them so much and I wanted to get into the book and hit others.
It is an amazing story, charged with passion, and drama, and some moments so sweet that they made me swoon so hard. The ending is perfect, it made me smile from ear to ear and my heart overflowing with love.
Highly recommended to fans of
love triangle
Fake relationship
Forced proximity
Hollywood romance
Summer gets to spend the summer with her dad who is a famous director in Hollywood, but what she did not expect is to feel attracted to Hudson, her father's assistant and aspiring director and less to be in a fake relationship with Liam, the charismatic and sexy actor. that melts the hearts and panties of all the girls around him.
I loved this book, I was hooked from the first pages and I couldn't put it down for a single second, the author is an amazing storyteller and does a great job capturing the feelings and emotions of the characters, the characters are so interesting and real, I loved some of them so much and I wanted to get into the book and hit others.
It is an amazing story, charged with passion, and drama, and some moments so sweet that they made me swoon so hard. The ending is perfect, it made me smile from ear to ear and my heart overflowing with love.
Highly recommended to fans of
love triangle
Fake relationship
Forced proximity
Hollywood romance
June 23, 2022
It’s SUMMERTIME! Summertime by Willow Aster is the perfect beach read. This flirty and fun Hollywood romance was unputdownable. Summer visits her famous director dad and ends up working on his movie set. She meets two men who want to score a leading role in Summer’s life. Who is going to land the part her as her boyfriend? A smoking hot assistant director or a Hollywood heartthrob? That’s all I will say since I don’t want to give anything away! One-click worthy.
June 25, 2022
Summer had an unfortunate but catchy name....Summer Winters.
These "fake" boyfriend/girlfriends are getting pretty regular fodder these days. This one in particular was interesting.
These "fake" boyfriend/girlfriends are getting pretty regular fodder these days. This one in particular was interesting.
June 13, 2022
Summertime by W. Aster is an absolutely heartwarming, wonderful light and flirty summer read.
Summer just graduated from college and is a bout to spend her summer with her father, a famous movie director. She has it all mapped out in her brain, but the reality is totally different from her beautiful dream.
And then there are the two men who are about to play a major role in her life.
A wonderful read that gave me all the fuzzy feelings. I fell in insta-love with the story and the characters. And this twist I never saw coming. The author managed to keep me in suspense from start till the last page - sigh just beautiful. I literally couldn't put the book down. One of my fav reads in 22.
Summer just graduated from college and is a bout to spend her summer with her father, a famous movie director. She has it all mapped out in her brain, but the reality is totally different from her beautiful dream.
And then there are the two men who are about to play a major role in her life.
A wonderful read that gave me all the fuzzy feelings. I fell in insta-love with the story and the characters. And this twist I never saw coming. The author managed to keep me in suspense from start till the last page - sigh just beautiful. I literally couldn't put the book down. One of my fav reads in 22.
July 2, 2022
I loved this book! It was quick and easy read that took you to sunny California. You feel for Summer as she has been let down by her dad almost her whole life. He hasn’t really been there for her only to buy her things.
She met two hot guys on the set of her new job. It was hard to like one of them because I was rooting for one, then the true colors came out! The ending was perfect. Can’t wait for the next book!
She met two hot guys on the set of her new job. It was hard to like one of them because I was rooting for one, then the true colors came out! The ending was perfect. Can’t wait for the next book!
February 13, 2023
I love a good “love triangle” thank you for this arc I enjoyed this book :)
August 12, 2022
This started off really promising and then flopped at the end. So.
June 22, 2022
I don't think I have ever read any book with so fitting title. Summertime by Willow Aster is a perfect summer read. With adorable characters, cute but serious feels and a breezy dreamy vibe.
Summer Winters arrived at LA to spend some time with her celebrity director and almost absentee father. But her father put her to work in sets of the movie he is shooting. It's a crazy idea for her and all the crew and stars are living in the same house. Including hottest star in town Liam whom she has to fake date and her father's assistant director Hudson who she really likes. As the challenges keep on coming, she realises that it will be a summer of her life time.
So the concept of this story was brilliant. The glitz and glamour of the industry is removed to show the fakeness, the constant push to go ahead by any means and the huge pressure that can break anyone. It was supposed to be a vacation for Summer. But it turned out be a lesson in love, heartbreak, career and overall life. She is a very sweet character but she also has a sassy and witty side. She has trust issues but she is open minded. She is a creative person and she feels deeply but she also stands strong against manipulation and lies. Liam comes across as this prototype Hollywood playboy initially but as the story goes, you will see a charming and sweet and kind and protective guy. He has a lot of depth and sincere feels behind his casual flirty attitude. Hudson starts as a nice guy who helped Summer to navigate through a lot but everything is not what it looks like. The drama and twists kept on coming. My heart was clearly divided into two parts at first but you have to read the story to know why my heart tipped to one side by the middle of the book. It was a whirlwind romance with so many intense and surprising things happening in Summer's life. And I feel she became a more mature and better version of herself. You would be glued to the pages as the story is fast paced and entertaining.
I reviewed an early copy voluntarily
Summer Winters arrived at LA to spend some time with her celebrity director and almost absentee father. But her father put her to work in sets of the movie he is shooting. It's a crazy idea for her and all the crew and stars are living in the same house. Including hottest star in town Liam whom she has to fake date and her father's assistant director Hudson who she really likes. As the challenges keep on coming, she realises that it will be a summer of her life time.
So the concept of this story was brilliant. The glitz and glamour of the industry is removed to show the fakeness, the constant push to go ahead by any means and the huge pressure that can break anyone. It was supposed to be a vacation for Summer. But it turned out be a lesson in love, heartbreak, career and overall life. She is a very sweet character but she also has a sassy and witty side. She has trust issues but she is open minded. She is a creative person and she feels deeply but she also stands strong against manipulation and lies. Liam comes across as this prototype Hollywood playboy initially but as the story goes, you will see a charming and sweet and kind and protective guy. He has a lot of depth and sincere feels behind his casual flirty attitude. Hudson starts as a nice guy who helped Summer to navigate through a lot but everything is not what it looks like. The drama and twists kept on coming. My heart was clearly divided into two parts at first but you have to read the story to know why my heart tipped to one side by the middle of the book. It was a whirlwind romance with so many intense and surprising things happening in Summer's life. And I feel she became a more mature and better version of herself. You would be glued to the pages as the story is fast paced and entertaining.
I reviewed an early copy voluntarily
July 11, 2022
4 stars
review by Jen Skewes
I really enjoyed this book. It seems like it has been a while since I gave read a Willow Aster book, so of course I was excited to read Summertime. This was one of those books that once you start reading you cannot stop. A Hollywood star, fake relationship, love triangle. Why wouldn't I want to read this one?
Summer has just graduated college and is looking forward to spending her summer with her father, who is a big Hollywood Director. Wanting to be a writer herself this is great opportunity for her. But what awaits her there is not what she expected.
A gorgeous man who is her fathers right hand man, a Hollywood heart throb, a Hollywood starlet who she must now cater to and of course her father to deal with. She didn't exactly sign up for the job she was given, but then things get even more complicated when she is put in a position to be the fake girlfriend of Liam, the Hollywood heart throb. How is she supposed to be in a fake relationship with Liam when she is in a secret one with Hudson? Oh what a dilemma!!
I do not want to go into too much detail because I do not want to give any details away regarding this love triangle. I will say that there was one man that I was not sure I trusted from the start, while the other I felt was truly genuine when it came to his feelings for Charlotte. In the end it was he perfect ending!!
This was a fun, quick read with just the right amount of drama and angst. The hero that I loved was the perfect book boy friend. He truly had my heart. A perfect summer read!!
review by Jen Skewes
I really enjoyed this book. It seems like it has been a while since I gave read a Willow Aster book, so of course I was excited to read Summertime. This was one of those books that once you start reading you cannot stop. A Hollywood star, fake relationship, love triangle. Why wouldn't I want to read this one?
Summer has just graduated college and is looking forward to spending her summer with her father, who is a big Hollywood Director. Wanting to be a writer herself this is great opportunity for her. But what awaits her there is not what she expected.
A gorgeous man who is her fathers right hand man, a Hollywood heart throb, a Hollywood starlet who she must now cater to and of course her father to deal with. She didn't exactly sign up for the job she was given, but then things get even more complicated when she is put in a position to be the fake girlfriend of Liam, the Hollywood heart throb. How is she supposed to be in a fake relationship with Liam when she is in a secret one with Hudson? Oh what a dilemma!!
I do not want to go into too much detail because I do not want to give any details away regarding this love triangle. I will say that there was one man that I was not sure I trusted from the start, while the other I felt was truly genuine when it came to his feelings for Charlotte. In the end it was he perfect ending!!
This was a fun, quick read with just the right amount of drama and angst. The hero that I loved was the perfect book boy friend. He truly had my heart. A perfect summer read!!
June 21, 2022
Fake dating
✨Forced proximity
✨Love Triangle
✨Summer/Beach Romance
✨Summer goes to visit her dad (a director) in Hollywood just to connect, and spend the summer. She finds herself working as an assistant on one of his movies. Where the hot guys are a plenty!
✨Summers dad talks her into fake dating the star of the movie they’re working on, because Liam needs the positive publicity. Summer however has eyes for Hudson, her fathers assistant.
✨This book is a perfect summer romance, with all of the twists, drama, and of course the swoon worthy moments a summer romance needs. I personally loved the array of characters, and it had just the perfect ending.
✨Forced proximity
✨Love Triangle
✨Summer/Beach Romance
✨Summer goes to visit her dad (a director) in Hollywood just to connect, and spend the summer. She finds herself working as an assistant on one of his movies. Where the hot guys are a plenty!
✨Summers dad talks her into fake dating the star of the movie they’re working on, because Liam needs the positive publicity. Summer however has eyes for Hudson, her fathers assistant.
✨This book is a perfect summer romance, with all of the twists, drama, and of course the swoon worthy moments a summer romance needs. I personally loved the array of characters, and it had just the perfect ending.
June 23, 2022
I received an ARC of this book from the author in return for an honest review, all thoughts are my own.
In this book we meet Summer who is heading to LA to spend the summer with her dad. Things when she got there go very differently to how she thought the visit would go, this made for a great story. I loved Summer, I especially loved her when she spoke her mind, gosh she could put her father in his place, like no one else could. I love a female who chases her dreams and goes after what she wants and Summer definitely did this.
💗 Forced Proximity
💗 Love Triangle
💗 Fake Relationship
💗 Beach Romance
💗 Payboy
I really really enjoyed this book, it was such a fun quick easy read that could easily be devoured in one sitting.
It was a great storyline with some really interesting characters some of which I loved and of course a couple I could of punched (you will work out who they are when you read it) This book had a lot of steam and lots of drama but I thought overall it ended as such a sweet story. I loved the ending a lot actually, I am so happy how everything turned out for this lovely pair, they really were made for each other. They were the best of friends with some serious sexual chemistry, does it get any better than that.
Great setting, love a beach house, this book really is the perfect beach read.
Thanks for the pleasure ❤️
In this book we meet Summer who is heading to LA to spend the summer with her dad. Things when she got there go very differently to how she thought the visit would go, this made for a great story. I loved Summer, I especially loved her when she spoke her mind, gosh she could put her father in his place, like no one else could. I love a female who chases her dreams and goes after what she wants and Summer definitely did this.
💗 Forced Proximity
💗 Love Triangle
💗 Fake Relationship
💗 Beach Romance
💗 Payboy
I really really enjoyed this book, it was such a fun quick easy read that could easily be devoured in one sitting.
It was a great storyline with some really interesting characters some of which I loved and of course a couple I could of punched (you will work out who they are when you read it) This book had a lot of steam and lots of drama but I thought overall it ended as such a sweet story. I loved the ending a lot actually, I am so happy how everything turned out for this lovely pair, they really were made for each other. They were the best of friends with some serious sexual chemistry, does it get any better than that.
Great setting, love a beach house, this book really is the perfect beach read.
Thanks for the pleasure ❤️
July 2, 2022
Summer Winters and her younger sister, Autumn, were raised by their mother in North Carolina while their father, A-list Hollywood director Cole Winters, pursued his career in California. They've never spent much time with their dad, but Summer is excited to spend the summer after college graduation with him before beginning her search for a full-time job. She's expecting a few months of rest, relaxation, and reconnecting with her dad, but when she arrives at his home in Malibu, Summer is surprised to learn that he has different plans for her as an assistant on the set of his latest film. An aspiring screenwriter, Summer is happy to get some experience in the industry, though coffee runs and catering to whiny actresses weren't exactly what she had in mind. On the bright side, there's Hudson Callihan, the movie's assistant director, to whom Summer is attracted from the moment they meet. Just as her relationship with Hudson starts to heat up, the paparazzi capture photos of the movie's lead actor, Liam Taylor, flirting with Summer on the set, and his agent pushes for them to "date" in order to rehabilitate Liam's playboy reputation. Even though she's not really interested in Liam, her father pressures Summer into agreeing to the plan. Spending time with Liam makes her realize that her first impression of him may not have been entirely correct; there's actually a sweet, caring guy beneath the outer flirt, and they quickly become close. Summer is still drawn to Hudson, however, and she'll have to choose between him and Liam before the summer is over.
I absolutely adored this fun, quick read, whose compelling, unpredictable plot kept me engrossed until the very last page. Summer had great chemistry with both Hudson and Liam, and I genuinely wasn't sure which one of them she'd choose until late in the book. I also liked several of the book's secondary characters, particularly actress Hannah and Summer's sister Autumn. I'm looking forward to reading Autumn's story next!
I highly recommend "Summertime" for all fans of contemporary/new adult romance and look forward to whatever Willow Aster writes next.
*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.
I absolutely adored this fun, quick read, whose compelling, unpredictable plot kept me engrossed until the very last page. Summer had great chemistry with both Hudson and Liam, and I genuinely wasn't sure which one of them she'd choose until late in the book. I also liked several of the book's secondary characters, particularly actress Hannah and Summer's sister Autumn. I'm looking forward to reading Autumn's story next!
I highly recommend "Summertime" for all fans of contemporary/new adult romance and look forward to whatever Willow Aster writes next.
*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.
June 24, 2022
Summertime is an absolute gem just in time for summer season. Summer Winters heads out to the west coast to reconnect with her dad, at least that’s what she believes. He’s filming a movie and she’s basically thrust into the position of gopher on set. She’s also sharing her dad’s house with the cast and some of the crew, complete Big Brother Blockbuster edition!🤔😂Everyone is welcoming with the exception of Winslet who is a complete and utter drag. Summer does catch the eyes of two men as she comes onto the scene, Liam and Hudson. Liam’s the leading man in the movie, and Hudson is her dad’s right hand. As the season and filming continues Summer is thrust into an even more awkward and contentious relationship with her dad when he pushes her to fake a relationship with Liam when she wants to be with Hudson. Through life and death situations, family drama, drama on the set, and the paparazzi Summer realizes who really has her best interest and who really has her heart.
This was one of those reads you just didn’t want to put down because it was so good. This book had soul and grit, fire, determination, heat and love. It is definitely in my category to read again and I think you’d enjoy it too. Willow and her plane crashing obsession! 🤷🏽♀️🤣🤣
This was one of those reads you just didn’t want to put down because it was so good. This book had soul and grit, fire, determination, heat and love. It is definitely in my category to read again and I think you’d enjoy it too. Willow and her plane crashing obsession! 🤷🏽♀️🤣🤣
June 23, 2022
Just loving this cover ! It’s added a certain vibe of what to expect of what’s between the pages ❣️📕
So Summer heads out to Hollywood to spend time with her famous producer dad but what she thinks is going to be a reconciliation/journey of discovery actually turns into a working holiday for her and it’s filled with twists and turns that left me holding my heart at times ……
First there’s her dad that doesn’t collect her from the airport but the very delectable Hudson 🔥I can already feel the sparks …..
Then there’s Liam , the man she has to play assistant to , he’s actually quite a sweetheart but he’s got quite the reputation for being a playboy so she then she’s having to play his girlfriend to try and salvage his reputation and that’s when the real fun starts !!!!
I’ll be honest I was team SumHud( Summer+ Hudson) from the moment she got into his car and I rooted for them the whole way ❣️
I loved every moment with these characters and their antics 😉 hold your hats for an epic ending 📕❣️
So Summer heads out to Hollywood to spend time with her famous producer dad but what she thinks is going to be a reconciliation/journey of discovery actually turns into a working holiday for her and it’s filled with twists and turns that left me holding my heart at times ……
First there’s her dad that doesn’t collect her from the airport but the very delectable Hudson 🔥I can already feel the sparks …..
Then there’s Liam , the man she has to play assistant to , he’s actually quite a sweetheart but he’s got quite the reputation for being a playboy so she then she’s having to play his girlfriend to try and salvage his reputation and that’s when the real fun starts !!!!
I’ll be honest I was team SumHud( Summer+ Hudson) from the moment she got into his car and I rooted for them the whole way ❣️
I loved every moment with these characters and their antics 😉 hold your hats for an epic ending 📕❣️
June 14, 2022
I was so excited to get an ARC of this book, It just looked like the perfect summer read! The cover is so beautiful, it definitely pulled me in, and once I read the blurb I couldn't wait to get started!
I really liked Summer as a main character, and loved her growth throughout the novel. I feel like she really learned a lot about herself and the decisions she was making. There was so much drama once she arrived to visit her father, their own strained relationship, the fake dating she entered into with Liam, and the triangle that developed between her, Hudson and Winslet. I was definitely left guessing how the story was going to unfold, thinking I knew the characters and then being completely surprised!
I also loved the friendship that developed between Liam and Summer. At first I wasn't sure I was going to like Liam, but by the end he was one of my faves! After the Plane scene (totally on the edge of my seat) I feel like their relationship started to develop into something real and the reader gets to see who he really is.
I love a book that pulls you in and becomes a total escape, and I always love fake-dating and friends to lovers, this book has all three! I would definitely recommend Summertime, and I can't wait to read Autumns story in the next book!
I really liked Summer as a main character, and loved her growth throughout the novel. I feel like she really learned a lot about herself and the decisions she was making. There was so much drama once she arrived to visit her father, their own strained relationship, the fake dating she entered into with Liam, and the triangle that developed between her, Hudson and Winslet. I was definitely left guessing how the story was going to unfold, thinking I knew the characters and then being completely surprised!
I also loved the friendship that developed between Liam and Summer. At first I wasn't sure I was going to like Liam, but by the end he was one of my faves! After the Plane scene (totally on the edge of my seat) I feel like their relationship started to develop into something real and the reader gets to see who he really is.
I love a book that pulls you in and becomes a total escape, and I always love fake-dating and friends to lovers, this book has all three! I would definitely recommend Summertime, and I can't wait to read Autumns story in the next book!
June 12, 2022
Like the title, this fits a summer or beach type of read. Summer Winters is done with college and spending time out west with her celebrity director father because she's an aspiring screen writer. What she finds herself tangled in is being amidst the set of his current high profile production, complete with actors and staff who all live in the same expansive house with her father. It's way more dramatic than Summer bargained for. She also has some igniting chemistry with her father's right hand man and assistant director, Hudson Callihan, the first guy she sets eyes on in California. However, there's no disputing the star power and charm of Liam Taylor, who Summer knows is a notorious playboy. Lured into a fake dating scheme to help Liam's reputation, Summer has to juggle her public love life with Liam along with her private one with Hudson and as things heat up, relationship lines begin to blur, muddling up what is fact versus fiction for her. There's some unexpected surprises that change up the game, making it difficult to choose which guy is the better fit for Summer until it's obvious who would not be a replica of her father and I wasn't disappointed by the outcome because I had been rooting for him all along.
I was intrigued by the dynamic between Summer and her father, Cole. He is the poster face for emotionally unavailable father because he is so wrapped up in his work, being oblivious and not self aware of his shortcomings. However, there are scarce moments where he does appear to know what's best for Summer although she has difficulty accepting it because everything regarding Cole seems loaded with motives from her past experience. While there are several scenes between Summer and her father to portray him well, I still wanted more especially towards the end and hopefully this might be further explored in the future in Summer's sister's book.
As far as angsty love triangles go, this one kept me engaged and I particularly enjoyed the scenes where Summer would speak her mind to express how she truly felt. She is definitely the kind of heroine I enjoy advocating for in reaching her own HEA.
I was intrigued by the dynamic between Summer and her father, Cole. He is the poster face for emotionally unavailable father because he is so wrapped up in his work, being oblivious and not self aware of his shortcomings. However, there are scarce moments where he does appear to know what's best for Summer although she has difficulty accepting it because everything regarding Cole seems loaded with motives from her past experience. While there are several scenes between Summer and her father to portray him well, I still wanted more especially towards the end and hopefully this might be further explored in the future in Summer's sister's book.
As far as angsty love triangles go, this one kept me engaged and I particularly enjoyed the scenes where Summer would speak her mind to express how she truly felt. She is definitely the kind of heroine I enjoy advocating for in reaching her own HEA.
June 25, 2022
Summer Winters (not a typo – it’s real), Hudson Callihan and Liam Taylor create an entertaining triangle. I’ve never been much of a fan of the love triangle trope but this one caught me with its Hollywood backdrop and rom-com fun (although there's plenty of angsty drama at hand, too) that keep readers enthralled and guessing. As is the case with many of the better triangles, the lines get blurred when A falls for B while in pursuit of C.
Readers will find themselves unsure who will land the final casting call with the boss’s daughter. And the girl isn’t sure herself. It’s complicated – but isn’t that the case with most love stories? Although cleverly written, I felt that the insta-love x 2 might have been a little over-the-top. But for the most part, the near-perfect hero kept me in the game and cheering for him to be "the one."
One thing is for certain – this one is a great “summertime” read!
January 28, 2023
Wow, this was such a ride! I thought this book was headed in one direction, then boom! Just kidding. By the end my eyes were watering because I loved it all so much!
Summer moves out to California for the summer to get to know her dad better. They’ve had a rocky relationship her whole life and now that she’s graduated with her BA she’s decided to check out the LA life. However it wasn’t like she was expecting. Her dad put her to work on his movie set, volunteered her to fake date a celebrity, and didn’t treat her that great. Meanwhile she’s fake dating celebrity Liam, but crushing on co-director Hudson. Her and Hudson are a couple behind closed doors, but out in public and to everyone else Liam and Summer are together.
A lot happens throughout the story and we get to see how both Liam and Hudson show up for Summer. Ultimately she gets her HAE, but it isn’t without some big shockers. Totally worth the amazing read!
Summer moves out to California for the summer to get to know her dad better. They’ve had a rocky relationship her whole life and now that she’s graduated with her BA she’s decided to check out the LA life. However it wasn’t like she was expecting. Her dad put her to work on his movie set, volunteered her to fake date a celebrity, and didn’t treat her that great. Meanwhile she’s fake dating celebrity Liam, but crushing on co-director Hudson. Her and Hudson are a couple behind closed doors, but out in public and to everyone else Liam and Summer are together.
A lot happens throughout the story and we get to see how both Liam and Hudson show up for Summer. Ultimately she gets her HAE, but it isn’t without some big shockers. Totally worth the amazing read!
June 23, 2022
8/10 this book was honestly so good. Summer spends the summer with her dad in hopes to grow a bond with him but finds herself in a fake relationship, an unwanted job and a love triangle. Summers bond with her dad was something i related to and at one point nearly made me cry because i felt so connected with them. The plot twist was something i was definitely not expecting and i honestly thought that she would’ve ended up with the other guy (without spoiling). I don’t want to spoil it too much so i won’t go into a lot of details but the one thing i loved about this book was the growth of every character. I love how Summer stopped saying yes to everything her dad asked of her to “gain” his approval and started standing up for herself. I loved how Liam was so positive and unapologetically himself. He never rushed Summer into anything (apart from the fake relationship) but didn’t expect anything emotionally back. All i can say is, READ IT!!! it so so so good and i actually really enjoyed this book
(thank you to PR Valentine for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! 💓)
(thank you to PR Valentine for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! 💓)
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