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Black Summer Island Series #1
The Break She Needed
Evie Summers is a workaholic who struggles with shedding her ‘grind’ mentality until the consequences of her lifestyle become undeniable.
Forced to take a much needed vacation, Evie ventures off to Black Summer Island, a tropical paradise where fantasies come alive.
Not only does Evie find rest and relaxation, but she also finds love in the most unexpected way. Is this just a four day vacation? Or is this the beginning of a life she never knew she needed?
This short and steamy novella is packed with female adoration, endearing friendships, charm, and spice.
Join Evie and her friends as they discover love in Black Summer Island.
Forced to take a much needed vacation, Evie ventures off to Black Summer Island, a tropical paradise where fantasies come alive.
Not only does Evie find rest and relaxation, but she also finds love in the most unexpected way. Is this just a four day vacation? Or is this the beginning of a life she never knew she needed?
This short and steamy novella is packed with female adoration, endearing friendships, charm, and spice.
Join Evie and her friends as they discover love in Black Summer Island.
Unknown Binding
First published December 19, 2023
96 people are currently reading
435 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Lacey
16 books243 followersI'm a romance author originally from Savannah, Georgia, now living in Atlanta with my husband and children. With a B.A. in English from Armstrong Atlanta State University and an M.A. from Southern New Hampshire University, I transitioned from writing poetry to crafting love stories that mirror my Southern heritage as a woman, wife, and mother. My stories delve into themes of love and commitment, often against a backdrop of personal and societal challenges.
Aside from writing, I am deeply committed to my family. I enjoy coaching my kids’ soccer teams, traveling, and watching movies at home on a Friday night. I credit my close-knit family and supportive readers for inspiring me to continue writing stories that resonate on a personal level. As an indie author, my narratives offer a sincere exploration of human emotions, underscoring the importance of love, resilience, and the beauty found in overcoming adversity.
Book series list:
Love in Beverly Mills
Black Summer Island
Feel free to message me or get to know me better through social media. I do respond! :)
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Aside from writing, I am deeply committed to my family. I enjoy coaching my kids’ soccer teams, traveling, and watching movies at home on a Friday night. I credit my close-knit family and supportive readers for inspiring me to continue writing stories that resonate on a personal level. As an indie author, my narratives offer a sincere exploration of human emotions, underscoring the importance of love, resilience, and the beauty found in overcoming adversity.
Book series list:
Love in Beverly Mills
Black Summer Island
Feel free to message me or get to know me better through social media. I do respond! :)
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Subscribe to my newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
April 14, 2024
I’m sorry to say that this book just didn’t do it for me. ***Let the rant begin***
First of all, I loathed the MFP! She was such a pushover. She never made a single decision for herself during the entire book! Her reasoning was so bizarre and haughty. She yelled at the MMP because he “couldn’t understand her pain”. Girl be for real, you don’t even know him! I did not find a single redeeming quality for her, leaving me to wonder how the MMP fell in love with her in the first place. Which brings me to my next point - the insta-love felt forced and unrealistic. I’m all about love at first sight but this was not that.
My biggest pet peeve with the entire book was the writing. Omg I wanted to pluck my eyes out and it was only 174 pages. Honestly this book would make a great book club drinking game. Just look out for the word “yet” which the author overuses with such frequency that your entire book club will be drunk by the end of first chapter. There were many mistakes throughout the book and awkward sentences.
Overall, just a miss for me.
First of all, I loathed the MFP! She was such a pushover. She never made a single decision for herself during the entire book! Her reasoning was so bizarre and haughty. She yelled at the MMP because he “couldn’t understand her pain”. Girl be for real, you don’t even know him! I did not find a single redeeming quality for her, leaving me to wonder how the MMP fell in love with her in the first place. Which brings me to my next point - the insta-love felt forced and unrealistic. I’m all about love at first sight but this was not that.
My biggest pet peeve with the entire book was the writing. Omg I wanted to pluck my eyes out and it was only 174 pages. Honestly this book would make a great book club drinking game. Just look out for the word “yet” which the author overuses with such frequency that your entire book club will be drunk by the end of first chapter. There were many mistakes throughout the book and awkward sentences.
Overall, just a miss for me.
March 7, 2024
Cute
The story was compact, yet, it packed a good read punch. Evie was gullible to the point that I wanted to punch her nemesis's in the places that hurts. You know, in the wallet. And hut guy was rich, excuse me Kobe was wealthy. I enjoyed their story immensely.
The story was compact, yet, it packed a good read punch. Evie was gullible to the point that I wanted to punch her nemesis's in the places that hurts. You know, in the wallet. And hut guy was rich, excuse me Kobe was wealthy. I enjoyed their story immensely.
March 12, 2025
2,5⭐️A palate cleanser novela, but it wasn’t wow at all. It was entertaining, but I wouldn’t say good. I know it’s a novela, but it was wayyy too fast-paced and their ‘love story’ just felt like love bombing completely unrealistic x100. The writing style and frequent typos made it feel straight out of Wattpad😬.
December 22, 2023
Overworked Evie visits Black Summers Island with her friends where she gets much more than relaxation and fun in the beach with her friends. Evie’s friends were dedicated to making sure that she enjoyed herself on her vacation. Evie meets local islander Kobe and the rest is history. Their chemistry was something special from their very first encounter. Their four dates, four days was the cutest. I think that Kobe and Eve was exactly what each other needed. I’m happy that Evie chose to live a life that she no longer needed a break from. This was a quick read for me and I enjoyed every second of it!
June 3, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
Sweet , spicy, and short a lot of plot packed into 200 pages in a good way will def read the next one in the series
Sweet , spicy, and short a lot of plot packed into 200 pages in a good way will def read the next one in the series
March 23, 2024
🤞🏾❤️
This was a cute instalove done well. Evie’s story resonates with me so much and I love that she was able to get the true love she deserved. In a sense, she and Kobe rescued each other. Their first encounter was cute lol this was a ntma and I will be checking out more.
This was a cute instalove done well. Evie’s story resonates with me so much and I love that she was able to get the true love she deserved. In a sense, she and Kobe rescued each other. Their first encounter was cute lol this was a ntma and I will be checking out more.
April 16, 2024
2 1/2 Good Bones Stars!
This book had so much potential. Even as a novella, but the execution was poor in my opinion. There were a lot of editing issues. And Evie was way too soft, and too much of a doormat prior to Kobe. Kobe was way too ott with the giving of gift. I mean this story takes place in 4 days... Extremely insta love!
I honestly did get vested in the story, and I'm interested in the next two stories. But I will probably leave this series right here.
This book had so much potential. Even as a novella, but the execution was poor in my opinion. There were a lot of editing issues. And Evie was way too soft, and too much of a doormat prior to Kobe. Kobe was way too ott with the giving of gift. I mean this story takes place in 4 days... Extremely insta love!
I honestly did get vested in the story, and I'm interested in the next two stories. But I will probably leave this series right here.
August 9, 2024
it felt like a Vacation Fairy Tale
This is my first read from Lauren Lacey and I am officially a fan! This was absolutely Instalove and I believed every single word. I wanted better for Evie but more importantly I wanted her to realize she deserved better and needed to be better to herself. King Kobe came through and did what real men do and I ate it up. What a MIGHTY GOOD MAN!!!! I loved them so much and I’m so excited to know that Marlowe and Viv’s books are already out. I can’t wait to finish the series.
This is my first read from Lauren Lacey and I am officially a fan! This was absolutely Instalove and I believed every single word. I wanted better for Evie but more importantly I wanted her to realize she deserved better and needed to be better to herself. King Kobe came through and did what real men do and I ate it up. What a MIGHTY GOOD MAN!!!! I loved them so much and I’m so excited to know that Marlowe and Viv’s books are already out. I can’t wait to finish the series.
February 8, 2024
Yaaassssss!
I love a black love story where the man falls fast and hard. Kobe was all in and Evie couldn't believe it. I love how the whole island basically rallied around them. This was such a beautiful love story and I cannot wait for book 2.
I love a black love story where the man falls fast and hard. Kobe was all in and Evie couldn't believe it. I love how the whole island basically rallied around them. This was such a beautiful love story and I cannot wait for book 2.
March 23, 2025
Watching the latest episode of Atlanta Housewives gave me a reality check.
I had a whole review written about how this novella was so unrealistic. No way could Evie Summers meet a wealthy man at a bar, go on one date, be swept off her feet, fall in love while being lavished with the lifestyle of a queen, all in a matter of 4 days. Nope! Not possible. Way too soon.
Then I watched this season of Atlanta Housewives. A friend of the show Shamea Morton, has finally been given a peach. And for the first time we get a glimpse into Shamea’s life. When she told the story of how she met her husband, baybeeee I changed my whole theory on the realness of this plot😂.
Here’s a little of what I had written before watching the show…
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳, 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘷𝘪𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩.
𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘵’𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤.
After seeing Shamea’s story I don’t know what’s realistic versus what’s not realistic anymore😂.
I had a whole review written about how this novella was so unrealistic. No way could Evie Summers meet a wealthy man at a bar, go on one date, be swept off her feet, fall in love while being lavished with the lifestyle of a queen, all in a matter of 4 days. Nope! Not possible. Way too soon.
Then I watched this season of Atlanta Housewives. A friend of the show Shamea Morton, has finally been given a peach. And for the first time we get a glimpse into Shamea’s life. When she told the story of how she met her husband, baybeeee I changed my whole theory on the realness of this plot😂.
Here’s a little of what I had written before watching the show…
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳, 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘷𝘪𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩.
𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘵’𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤.
After seeing Shamea’s story I don’t know what’s realistic versus what’s not realistic anymore😂.
April 28, 2024
black summer island goals
When Evie is in need of a break from the stress of her career and love life her best friends step in and take her on vacation. A meeting with the handsome Kobe changes the shape of her vacation and life as she know it’s. I absolutely love Kobe and his brothers. I can’t wait to read more.
When Evie is in need of a break from the stress of her career and love life her best friends step in and take her on vacation. A meeting with the handsome Kobe changes the shape of her vacation and life as she know it’s. I absolutely love Kobe and his brothers. I can’t wait to read more.
August 13, 2024
Oh man. I wanted to love this story. The cover is absolutely stunning and drew me in. And honestly, the premise and idea of story had potential, but The Break She Needed fell flat in almost every other way.
Evie needs a break from life and work, so her 2 BFFs take her to Black Summer Island to unplug and have girl time, away from the drama of work and home. Her friend is rich and owns a mansion and she happens to meet an interesting man who owns a little coffee cart that catches her interest early on.
This is a novella and it was way insta-love sort of thing. I can get down with that, but the way Evie was a doormat even while on vacation and just rolling over for people made me angry. Then there's the MMC, Kobe. Rich, successful and WAY over the top in falling for Evie instantly and with the gift giving and really anything when it came to his time with her. I mean, he only had a few days, but it was TO THE EXTREME. It just got old fast. But the side characters and the potential of their stories kind of pulled me back in. BUT (yes, another but) with all that, the editing was really not good. So many times that talked about Evie's best friend Evie. I had to go back and see if her friend's name was Evie. Nope. Her name was Vivian. And that is just one example. All of that pulled me right back out of the story.
Overall, the cover is gorgeous. The story had potential. Side characters stories also have potential. Didn't really care for main characters arc. Probably won't read the rest of series because of the latter reason and the editing that was just not good. 2.5+ stars (rounding it up because I just love that cover)
Evie needs a break from life and work, so her 2 BFFs take her to Black Summer Island to unplug and have girl time, away from the drama of work and home. Her friend is rich and owns a mansion and she happens to meet an interesting man who owns a little coffee cart that catches her interest early on.
This is a novella and it was way insta-love sort of thing. I can get down with that, but the way Evie was a doormat even while on vacation and just rolling over for people made me angry. Then there's the MMC, Kobe. Rich, successful and WAY over the top in falling for Evie instantly and with the gift giving and really anything when it came to his time with her. I mean, he only had a few days, but it was TO THE EXTREME. It just got old fast. But the side characters and the potential of their stories kind of pulled me back in. BUT (yes, another but) with all that, the editing was really not good. So many times that talked about Evie's best friend Evie. I had to go back and see if her friend's name was Evie. Nope. Her name was Vivian. And that is just one example. All of that pulled me right back out of the story.
Overall, the cover is gorgeous. The story had potential. Side characters stories also have potential. Didn't really care for main characters arc. Probably won't read the rest of series because of the latter reason and the editing that was just not good. 2.5+ stars (rounding it up because I just love that cover)
January 1, 2024
Middle of the road book for me. Some positives: written by an indie author, love the girl group, and appreciate the healthy relationship between Kobe and Evie. I enjoyed the quick pace of the book and how it set up for the next two novellas with Evie’s friends falling in love. I also liked the setting of Black Summer Island and the Black pride that the characters have. This book shows representation from an authentic source and I have to appreciate that.
A few things I didn’t love: because it was a novella, things moved incredibly quickly. That means that not as much detail can be added, and some things get casually smoothed over rather than described in detail. I felt that some scenes moved too quickly, particularly the intimate ones.
Overall, not too bad! Some ups, some downs, some personal preferences as to writing style. Interested in what comes next from Lauren!
A few things I didn’t love: because it was a novella, things moved incredibly quickly. That means that not as much detail can be added, and some things get casually smoothed over rather than described in detail. I felt that some scenes moved too quickly, particularly the intimate ones.
Overall, not too bad! Some ups, some downs, some personal preferences as to writing style. Interested in what comes next from Lauren!
February 17, 2024
The Break she needed
⭐️Insta Love⭐️
⭐️FMC workaholic ⭐️
⭐️Billionaire MMC⭐️
⭐️Vacation Romance⭐️
Mr Kobe Kingston fell fast and hard for our got Evie Summers. When Evie’s two best friends say hey we are going on a 4 day vacation because your working yourself to death literally she finds herself on an island at coffee shop and what happens in the next four days is life changing!
Evie is shown her worth and Kobe is the one who shows her that! This novella is face paced and I ate every bit of it up. Even though it’s novella you get to know a lot about the characters, their past, present and little into the future. I’m ready to dive into the next book which is Marlow who is one of Evie BFF and Kai who is one of Kobe’s brothers. Go get into Black summer Island series 💕
⭐️Insta Love⭐️
⭐️FMC workaholic ⭐️
⭐️Billionaire MMC⭐️
⭐️Vacation Romance⭐️
Mr Kobe Kingston fell fast and hard for our got Evie Summers. When Evie’s two best friends say hey we are going on a 4 day vacation because your working yourself to death literally she finds herself on an island at coffee shop and what happens in the next four days is life changing!
Evie is shown her worth and Kobe is the one who shows her that! This novella is face paced and I ate every bit of it up. Even though it’s novella you get to know a lot about the characters, their past, present and little into the future. I’m ready to dive into the next book which is Marlow who is one of Evie BFF and Kai who is one of Kobe’s brothers. Go get into Black summer Island series 💕
March 31, 2024
3.75⭐️ definitely a cute and quick read. For me, I couldn’t give it a 4 stars because I found things to be a little unrealistic, the insta-love was a little too strange, and I did notice a bunch of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors which I don’t mind but I think it does take you out of the story a bit while you’re reading. Overall I did enjoy this story and I think the overall plot and theme was fun and relatable. I think I will continue on reading the rest of the series. I think this book is a maybe in whether or not I would recommend it.
January 24, 2024
I enjoyed this book.
The romance between Kobe and Evie was healthy. I especially appreciate Kobe’s patience and willingness to communicate through every one of Evie’s insecurities.
The pacing was slightly off for me at some points especially the spicy scenes but I enjoyed it overall!
Favourite Character: Marlowe! I cant wait for her story with Kai!
The romance between Kobe and Evie was healthy. I especially appreciate Kobe’s patience and willingness to communicate through every one of Evie’s insecurities.
The pacing was slightly off for me at some points especially the spicy scenes but I enjoyed it overall!
Favourite Character: Marlowe! I cant wait for her story with Kai!
January 5, 2024
Lauren did it again. Can’t wait to dive into the next 2 in the series. Lauren has a way of making you feel each characters emotions, triumphs and leaves you cheering
December 31, 2023
I devoured this book. Received this book as an E-ARC and the author did her thing. This was my first book by the author and I will definitely be reading more from her. I related so much to Evie. She was a workaholic and spent all her time consumed with work. Her friends forced her on a vacation to a tropical island to get away from work.
She let her job know that she was taking a vacay and they were constantly emailing her about stuff that could wait until she got back. They were so inconsiderate. Also Evie was helping her coworkers do “their job”, and hopping on meetings and stuff when she was suppose to be living her best life. She was irritating me and I was yelling at the book telling her to put that computer up. When Evie went into the coffee shop thinking she was going to get shots of alcohol; that was funny. You can tell she dont go out much!
Evie is such a beautiful person and I loved her character. Her and Kobes chemistry was everything! He was who she needed. The title of the book speaks for itself. The break she needed was LITERALLY what she needed. Her ex was trash! He did her dirty. Im so glad she got her lick back. Evie’s friends were awesome. Having friends that see you overworking yourself and taking you on vacation says alot. Wheres the application to apply for these type of friends? This book just shows you that life’s too short; enjoy life and dont allow people to walk all over you. As soon as you cant “contribute” they’ll kick you to the curb. Super cute, quick, spicy quick novella. You wont be disappointed!
She let her job know that she was taking a vacay and they were constantly emailing her about stuff that could wait until she got back. They were so inconsiderate. Also Evie was helping her coworkers do “their job”, and hopping on meetings and stuff when she was suppose to be living her best life. She was irritating me and I was yelling at the book telling her to put that computer up. When Evie went into the coffee shop thinking she was going to get shots of alcohol; that was funny. You can tell she dont go out much!
Evie is such a beautiful person and I loved her character. Her and Kobes chemistry was everything! He was who she needed. The title of the book speaks for itself. The break she needed was LITERALLY what she needed. Her ex was trash! He did her dirty. Im so glad she got her lick back. Evie’s friends were awesome. Having friends that see you overworking yourself and taking you on vacation says alot. Wheres the application to apply for these type of friends? This book just shows you that life’s too short; enjoy life and dont allow people to walk all over you. As soon as you cant “contribute” they’ll kick you to the curb. Super cute, quick, spicy quick novella. You wont be disappointed!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2024
Based I'm this book I know Lauren Lacey is going to be a comfort author for me. The way Kobe reassured Evie when she was in her head and how Evie supported him in a special moment, it truly warmed my heart. And the spice level was perfect and inspiring. 😉🤣 Definitely looking forward to reading more of her books! ❤️
December 31, 2023
Last book review of the year
The breaks she needed by @thelaurenlacey
4/5 stars
i am usually not fan of the instant love trope because sometimes it can be annoying and unrealistic. For this book, that was not the case.
Evie and Kobe had chemistry from their first meeting. it was actually super funny how they met lol
Evie knew that kobe was FINNEEE while she was playing...Even those old *thirsty * women at the coffee bar seen it 🤣 .
Evie is like so many women in the world... underpaid and overworked. almost losing her life. Not giving herself grace. I am glad she had real friends to let her know that her life means way more than work deadlines and working for terrible bosses *eye roll*
Kobe is a man who knows what he wants and stands on it. he is extremely emotionally intelligent. He didn't shy away when Evie was trying to push away.
I don't know how Lauren did it but I felt so connected to these two characters and the book was under 200 pages.
The friendships and the banter in this book *chef kiss*
and the Kingston BROTHERS... i need an audiobook like yesterday. i want to hear the accents 😭
overall, this was a great read to end my year!! Lauren as always has outdone herself. I hope everyone had a great year.
love raylin
The breaks she needed by @thelaurenlacey
4/5 stars
i am usually not fan of the instant love trope because sometimes it can be annoying and unrealistic. For this book, that was not the case.
Evie and Kobe had chemistry from their first meeting. it was actually super funny how they met lol
Evie knew that kobe was FINNEEE while she was playing...Even those old *thirsty * women at the coffee bar seen it 🤣 .
Evie is like so many women in the world... underpaid and overworked. almost losing her life. Not giving herself grace. I am glad she had real friends to let her know that her life means way more than work deadlines and working for terrible bosses *eye roll*
Kobe is a man who knows what he wants and stands on it. he is extremely emotionally intelligent. He didn't shy away when Evie was trying to push away.
I don't know how Lauren did it but I felt so connected to these two characters and the book was under 200 pages.
The friendships and the banter in this book *chef kiss*
and the Kingston BROTHERS... i need an audiobook like yesterday. i want to hear the accents 😭
overall, this was a great read to end my year!! Lauren as always has outdone herself. I hope everyone had a great year.
love raylin
May 4, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
This was SO romantic and such an emotional read. I wasn’t expecting to cry so much reading this book 😭 I think Lauren did well with compacting such a powerful storyline into so few pages. I think this might be my favorite of the Black Summer Island series! I loved the chemistry and communication between Kobe and Evie. Their relationship felt very mature and authentic which makes you fall in love with them as individuals and a couple even more. Plus, I’m always a sucker for when the MMC falls first ,and our bruddah Kobe fell HARD! Something about those male younger siblings they just love fervently and I was here for every minute of it. Lol. This books level of spice was an unexpected pleasant surprise. The slow burn spice was definitely spicing and will live in my brain for awhile (🌶️🥵🫣😂), but didn’t feel overdone.
My only complaint with this book is that there were so many typos 😩 I sometimes had a hard time following what was being said and had to reread certain parts to make sure I understood correctly.
Overall I’m really enjoying this novella series. It makes me feel so empowered as a black woman reading these stories enriched with black culture and black wealth. Now onto Marlowe and Kai next! 😉😄
This was SO romantic and such an emotional read. I wasn’t expecting to cry so much reading this book 😭 I think Lauren did well with compacting such a powerful storyline into so few pages. I think this might be my favorite of the Black Summer Island series! I loved the chemistry and communication between Kobe and Evie. Their relationship felt very mature and authentic which makes you fall in love with them as individuals and a couple even more. Plus, I’m always a sucker for when the MMC falls first ,and our bruddah Kobe fell HARD! Something about those male younger siblings they just love fervently and I was here for every minute of it. Lol. This books level of spice was an unexpected pleasant surprise. The slow burn spice was definitely spicing and will live in my brain for awhile (🌶️🥵🫣😂), but didn’t feel overdone.
My only complaint with this book is that there were so many typos 😩 I sometimes had a hard time following what was being said and had to reread certain parts to make sure I understood correctly.
Overall I’m really enjoying this novella series. It makes me feel so empowered as a black woman reading these stories enriched with black culture and black wealth. Now onto Marlowe and Kai next! 😉😄
April 27, 2024
2.75⭐️ This book started out good. I really identified with Evie feeling overworked, overwhelmed, and stressed due to her career. Even identified with the health issues as a result of stressful work conditions. But that is about where the appreciation ends. I realize it is a novella so you gotta keep it short and sweet. But this felt extremely rushed. There needed to be more dialogue. The spice was ill-timed alot of times. It seemed like every time the MMC and MFC were going to have a deep and thoughtful conversation and/moment, it turned into something sexual. Spice is great, when it is timed right. I also couldn’t get a good visual on any of the characters. There was just not enough description put into these characters that we were supposed to be getting to know, over the course of a three book series.
I liked the moments and conversations between Evie and her friends. It was fun and light. But there just wasn’t enough dialogue. It seem like a dialogue was gonna place and then you either got what felt like a speech from the character, or a bunch of inner and outer reflection.
It’s frustrating bc this book had so much potential but ultimately left me disappointed.
I liked the moments and conversations between Evie and her friends. It was fun and light. But there just wasn’t enough dialogue. It seem like a dialogue was gonna place and then you either got what felt like a speech from the character, or a bunch of inner and outer reflection.
It’s frustrating bc this book had so much potential but ultimately left me disappointed.
April 22, 2024
A beautiful island fantasy injected with rich culture! This novella was a perfect mix of fun and fluffy romance with characters that are full of depth and realistic struggles. Lauren Lacey has written a whole movie in less than 200 pages. I loved the cute banter between the main characters. At the same time, you could feel that they were on their own journeys of self-discovery especially the male main character. I applauded the author for how she showed this brilliant black man's relationship with his own mental health. Meanwhile, it was great seeing a female main character that wasn't perfect and had a great amount of growth, again, in such a short number of pages. I am so excited to continue this series! While I think the side characters are definitely created to balance out the main characters, it is also evident that they have their own stories to tell, and I can't wait to read them!
April 24, 2024
If you're looking for a cozy romance with no stakes and lots of spice this book is for you. Evie and Kobe were meant to be together and you will find out how it all comes about in this novella that feels like a mini beach vacation.
I enjoyed this read but I wish it was longer and went into a bit more detail. I would have loved to see them do excursions on the island to see how their personalities mesh together. I would have also loved it if Kobe didn't reveal his wealth until much later. And maybe if her job was actually decent so the stakes were up if she left her job to be with Kobe. Or maybe Kobe leaves the island to be with her. And they just visit the island now so she could work her job.
I liked the characters I just wanted more. The island seemed really cool. And I wanted to hear more about it.
Overall I enjoyed the read! 3.5 stars
I enjoyed this read but I wish it was longer and went into a bit more detail. I would have loved to see them do excursions on the island to see how their personalities mesh together. I would have also loved it if Kobe didn't reveal his wealth until much later. And maybe if her job was actually decent so the stakes were up if she left her job to be with Kobe. Or maybe Kobe leaves the island to be with her. And they just visit the island now so she could work her job.
I liked the characters I just wanted more. The island seemed really cool. And I wanted to hear more about it.
Overall I enjoyed the read! 3.5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2023
This was a quick love story; one that makes me wanna pack up and visit an island soon - VERY SOON!!! Kobe Kingston. Like can we please clone this man?? Kobe stood on business and I was here for it!! I love how Kobe was very forward and upfront about his wants. Those are the type of men we need. I’ll admit that Evie was upsetting me at the beginning of the book. The jealousy and the judgment threw me for a loop. But Moreso because of how she let her boss and colleagues treat her………..just to find out her boss was her ex-boyfriend and coworkers was his real gf. I was happy when Leo got what he deserved - not necessarily how - but the fact that he indeed get what was due to him.
This book was a quick, cute read. It was a definite “leave your inhibitions at home and have carefree fun”!!!
This book was a quick, cute read. It was a definite “leave your inhibitions at home and have carefree fun”!!!
January 3, 2024
****ARC Review **********
I love how this book made me feel
You will be smiling and rooting for Evie from the get go!
I believe the biggest lesson from this story is things are not always what it seems and life is too short to live with regrets or restricting yourself from living your best life!.
Ps Kobe is definitely being added to my book boyfriend’s list of the year ! What a man
Kobe suffered a great loss when the love of his life passed away. Before meeting Evie he thought he would be single forever and not find love again but when Evie turned up at his coffee bar, everything changes
This is a Prefect holiday read.
This whole story plays out in 4 days
My first 5 star read of the year
I love how this book made me feel
You will be smiling and rooting for Evie from the get go!
I believe the biggest lesson from this story is things are not always what it seems and life is too short to live with regrets or restricting yourself from living your best life!.
Ps Kobe is definitely being added to my book boyfriend’s list of the year ! What a man
Kobe suffered a great loss when the love of his life passed away. Before meeting Evie he thought he would be single forever and not find love again but when Evie turned up at his coffee bar, everything changes
This is a Prefect holiday read.
This whole story plays out in 4 days
My first 5 star read of the year
April 22, 2024
The instalove was a little too much for me, and I found myself more interested in Marlowe and Kai and Vivian and Kade's storylines.
This is a short book, so there isn't a ton of time to develop the connection, but I felt like some things we got a ton of detail (what they ate for every course of their meal on the third date) while skimming over some really important other things (like how quickly Evie's mom gets on team Kobe). Also, because we don't get more context, Kobe's actions feel a little like love bombing. I think Leo (Evie's ex boyfriend and boss) was meant to show the differences between Leo and Kobe, and they are definitely distinct, but I felt like they both just provided Evie with a way to not make her own decisions and default to those around her...
This is a short book, so there isn't a ton of time to develop the connection, but I felt like some things we got a ton of detail (what they ate for every course of their meal on the third date) while skimming over some really important other things (like how quickly Evie's mom gets on team Kobe). Also, because we don't get more context, Kobe's actions feel a little like love bombing. I think Leo (Evie's ex boyfriend and boss) was meant to show the differences between Leo and Kobe, and they are definitely distinct, but I felt like they both just provided Evie with a way to not make her own decisions and default to those around her...
January 4, 2024
Evie Summers is a workaholic who struggles with shedding her 'grind' mentality until the consequences of her lifestyle become undeniable. Forced to take a much-needed vacation, Evie ventures off to Black Summer Island, a tropical paradise where fantasies come alive. Not only does Evie find rest and relaxation, but she also finds love unexpectedly.
Book me a flight to Black Summer Island! The setting is beautiful, the people are hospitable, the locals are close knit & look out for each other like family. Evie & her girls are in good hands. Especially Evie with Kobe! Their connection is undeniable from their first awkward encounter. I understand that this is a novella but darn it, I want more! Kobe is perfect, I picture him looking like Taye Diggs when he first stepped on the scene in “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” or Morris Chestnut in “Best Man”. Powerful & fine! 🤣 Evie’s ex is trash & could’ve used a bit more embarrassment & a beat down. I want more backstory on Kade & Vivian. I wish that this was longer & spread out over time because things move so quickly that at times the pacing feels unbelievable. The vacation Evie didn’t know that she needed ends up being just the break she needed & more! A quick read, I enjoyed every bit of it. Highly recommend!
Book me a flight to Black Summer Island! The setting is beautiful, the people are hospitable, the locals are close knit & look out for each other like family. Evie & her girls are in good hands. Especially Evie with Kobe! Their connection is undeniable from their first awkward encounter. I understand that this is a novella but darn it, I want more! Kobe is perfect, I picture him looking like Taye Diggs when he first stepped on the scene in “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” or Morris Chestnut in “Best Man”. Powerful & fine! 🤣 Evie’s ex is trash & could’ve used a bit more embarrassment & a beat down. I want more backstory on Kade & Vivian. I wish that this was longer & spread out over time because things move so quickly that at times the pacing feels unbelievable. The vacation Evie didn’t know that she needed ends up being just the break she needed & more! A quick read, I enjoyed every bit of it. Highly recommend!
December 29, 2023
I received a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really loved this novella! Completely different than LIBM. It was fast paced, but in a really great way. I actually wish it were longer because the characters are so much fun. Evie is a hardworking black woman who allows others to mistreat her for the sake of keeping her career and being seen as unproblematic.
But everything changes when she goes the Black Summer Island and meets KOBE KINGSTON! He helps her enjoy life. He's sexy, supportive, and treats her like a queen! What a great story.
I'm really interested in Marlowe and Kai and the mysterious Vivian St. Claire and Kade!
I really loved this novella! Completely different than LIBM. It was fast paced, but in a really great way. I actually wish it were longer because the characters are so much fun. Evie is a hardworking black woman who allows others to mistreat her for the sake of keeping her career and being seen as unproblematic.
But everything changes when she goes the Black Summer Island and meets KOBE KINGSTON! He helps her enjoy life. He's sexy, supportive, and treats her like a queen! What a great story.
I'm really interested in Marlowe and Kai and the mysterious Vivian St. Claire and Kade!
January 22, 2024
No woman, especially not Evie Summers, could resist 4 days + 4 dates with Kobe Kingston on Black Sunmers Island!
A true page turner with the right amount of spice, sass, and of course a great storyline. This book was everything I didn’t realize I needed, a personal reminder to not settle for the bare minimum in life.
I absolutely love the support, love, and loyalty of best friends Vivian and Marlowe. And I look forward to reading more about these women.
Seriously, If Lauren Lacey writes it I’m going to read it. She has the perfect formula for pulling at your heart strings, writing complex yet relatable characters, embracing diversity, and packaging it all up with some life lessons.
A true page turner with the right amount of spice, sass, and of course a great storyline. This book was everything I didn’t realize I needed, a personal reminder to not settle for the bare minimum in life.
I absolutely love the support, love, and loyalty of best friends Vivian and Marlowe. And I look forward to reading more about these women.
Seriously, If Lauren Lacey writes it I’m going to read it. She has the perfect formula for pulling at your heart strings, writing complex yet relatable characters, embracing diversity, and packaging it all up with some life lessons.
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