The Last Days of Summer

by Sarra Manning

Sometimes all it takes is one long summer weekend for the person you thought you hated to become something more...

'It's about friendship, it's about life, it's about how people change . . . I loved it very much' MARIAN KEYES

'Funny, filled with emotion and very, very sexy! Add it to your 2025 TBR pile immediately...' BETH O'LEARY

'I laughed out loud, cried until I was a husk and finished it feeling refreshed, renewed, and looking at life a little bit differently. It's a summer I never wanted to end' CRESSIDA MCLAUGHLIN

'Your favourite writer's favourite writer . . . fun, sexy, bittersweet and utterly romantic, I fell head over heels for Cassie and Marc' LINDSEY KELK

'Expertly crafted, extremely loveable and a perfect balance of wit, heart and smut' LAUREN BRAVO

After a disastrous first meeting, Cassie and Marc become arch nemeses. He might have great cheekbones and a sexy French accent but he's a terrible person who did a terrible thing. Too bad that Cassie's best friends Lucy and Russell think he's wonderful.

But years later, when an unexpected tragedy strikes their friendship group, Cassie and Marc team up to give Lucy and Russell the best weekend ever so they can make new memories with all of their favourite people. Which means convincing everyone that Cassie and Marc are head over heels in love.

After hating him for so long, it takes four bittersweet days for Cassie to wonder if she got Marc all wrong. Can they let go of their troubled past and together, face whatever the future is going to throw at them?

⭐Enemies to lovers
⭐Fake relationship
⭐Grumpy / sunshine
⭐Heartfelt and emotional
⭐True love
⭐Hot, French, male main character
⭐Spicy, including a walk-in pantry scene...

REAL READERS ARE SWOONING OVER SARRA MANNING...
'Beautifull written, romantic, sexy, and gives a good ol' tug on the heart strings' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Sarra Manning is a one-click author for me' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Funny, romantic and spicy in equal measures' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'An auto-buy author for me' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Yet another absolute triumph by this author' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'I willed my eyes to move faster so I could find out where the story was going! And I teared up more than once' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

AND EVEN YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHORS ARE FALLING HARD FOR SARRA MANNING...
'Romantic, funny, sweet and sexy' MARIAN KEYES
'The funny, clever, deeply romantic, sinfully sexy, devastatingly heartbreaking, perfectly uplifting' CRESSIDA McLAUGHLIN
'A very swoony, sexy, warm read' CESCA MAJOR
'Emotional and profound and so so hot' SOPHIE IRWIN
'What a wonderful storyteller Sarra Manning is' JANE CASEY
'Funny and sexy and rips along' FREYA NORTH&

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Enemies To Lovers, Fiction, Friendship, Ebooks, Contemporary Romance

400 pages, Paperback

Published July 31, 2025

About the author

Sarra Manning is a teen queen extraordinaire. She spent five years working on the now sadly defunct J17, first as a writer and then as Entertainment Editor. She then joined the launch team of teen fashion bible Ellegirl, which she later went on to edit and has consulted on a wide range of youth titles including Bliss, The Face and More.

Sarra is now editor of What To Wear magazine. She's also been a regular contributor to ELLE, The Guardian, ES Magazine, Seventeen, Details and Heat and wrote the Shop Bitch column for Time Out. Sarra lives in North London with her dog Miss Betsy

Reviews

[Aylin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Days of Summer perfectly captures the sad feeling that engulfs you when you know this will be the last time you will experience something. It is bitter-sweet and it is emotional.


Cassie and Marc are enemies. Enemies who share a history and a couple of best friends. Civil behaviour amongst their friends, snarky when they are alone. They avoid each other at all costs until tragedy strikes and they are forced to present a united front. Is a weekend enough to erase 16-year history of being enemies?



I liked the romance in this book but more than anything, I loved how the author wrote everything around Russell and Lucy. They were not the main couple but are the heart of the story. Russell’s diagnosis, his choice, and the different reactions of Cassie and Marc were portrayed so realistically. You are really able to empathize with the characters and it is an emotional read that balances a heavy topic with the beauty of life. I think by the end of it, you will look at life a little more differently and maybe take one or two more moments to appreciate the beauty and joy of living. See it as a chance instead of a chore and take fewer things for granted.



The only reason I deduct a star is because I would have liked to see a few more tender moments between Marc and Cassie. They went from hot to cold quite a few times and I couldn’t follow the development of their emotions, they just suddenly more than liked each other, it felt a little underdeveloped for me.

Thank you to Hodder&Stoughton and NetGalley for an earc in exchange for an honest review!



The Last Days of Summer is out March 27th 2025!

[jordan εїз · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars 🌟 ouchhhhh 🥲 beautifully written but also quite painful, especially those last words from russell 🥹 cassiemarc were a bit underwhelming (i personally loathe the tugging pigtails cause i love you trope…) but the friendship between cassie, lucy, marc, and russel was so lovely ⛱️🍾🪩 there were some sweet domestic moments between marc and cassie but the way they came together so close to the end irked me a bit. lucy and russell’s love for each other literally made me want to cry 😭 ugh this evoked lots of feeling but it was still good!

[Angela Appah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Marc was absolutely awful & very disrespectful for 90% of the book. Cassie should have had more respect for herself and made him grovel.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarra Manning has always been an auto-buy and favourite author for me, and ‘The Last Days of Summer’ is up there with one of my favourite books she’s ever written.

Is it heart-achingly sad? Yes! Does it have proper enemies to lovers? Yes! Is the spice, spicy? Yes! Is it written in the most beautiful way that made me upset that I had to put it down to live life occasionally? 1000% yes.

This book and these characters will be living with you far past the last page. It’ll make you realise you need to cherish what is in your life and fix the things you don’t like. It’ll make you grateful for the little things and make you want to ring your loved ones to tell them you love them.

Also, the nods to previous characters was *chefs kiss*.

This is romance with the extra oomph. If you’ve never read a Sarra Manning masterpiece than I implore you to start with this one. It is Manning at her best.

A huge thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Gitte TotallyBookedBlog · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘She was always going to feel at her most alone among a group of people who had found their person. Whatever life threw at them, they didn’t have to deal with it on their own…Still, it shouldn’t be so hard to find your most favourite person and be their favourite person in return. Not when she wanted it so desperately.’

Oh wow, Sarra Manning has done it again! THIS STORY is why we love this Author so much, why we will ALWAYS buy her books as soon as they release for our book shelves of love. She never fails to grab our hearts, make us laugh and make us cry. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Sarra Manning is truly MAGNIFICENT!

’Even though it hadn’t been real, to Cassie’s indiscriminate heart, it had felt real. She wanted to hate him but she also wanted to mean something to him.’

Be still our beating hearts! Sarra Manning has written an absolutely beautiful story about friendship, love and ultimately, the ups and downs of life. What a stunning romance, what a beautiful setting and what a gorgeous group of friends! We felt every bit of Cassie’s journey as we laughed with her, cried with her and swooned with her. We join her at a poignant moment in her life which sees her facing the ultimate test where the fragility of life is the main character.

’Despite the wind, the frenetic waves, there was a stillness to the two of them. Their love was palpable. A living breathing thing.’

One weekend changed everything for Cassie and it’s bittersweet. What a beautiful character she is! We loved Cassie for her devotion, her sense of humour, her selflessness, her vulnerability and her patience.

’They fell asleep like that, the half-moon peeking in at the window the only witness to the start of something that had taken sixteen long years to begin. Something precious.’

When we, as readers, say we love enemies to lovers…THIS IS IT! Cassie and Marc’s story played out as if we were watching a movie, whilst frantically turning the pages, compelled by the stunning storytelling by Sarra Manning. This is a book that’ll stay in our hearts. Always.

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars ⭐️

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.

Sad.

Happy.

Nervous.

Excited.

Happy again.

Sad again.

I love Russell, and I want to be his best friend. I want to be friends with Lucy and go to her naughty fortieth birthday party to drink champagne and sing karaoke. My fancy dress outfit would be Dorothy from the wizard of Oz and my karaoke song will be Piano Man by Billy Joel.

I want the next part of the story. I want to know what happens after the birthday party. I want Marc to say dirty things in French to me.

Beautiful story, with beautiful people. Hire me a house and fill it with my best friends and all the love in the world.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Something has happened to romance fiction since I started reading it as a young teenager in the late nineties. I hesitate to call it woke, but … I think it’s woke?

Maybe it’s the fact that there’s likely an irreconcilable difference between being a competent, financially stable, emotionally secure woman in the world, and getting into a rewarding heterosexual relationship. When I think of the great romances in literature, there’s a clear imbalance. The woman tends to be poor or powerless or both, and the man provides money and power, while also being hot and overall a good dude – even if he tends also to be arrogant and domineering and all those other alpha male characteristics latter-day romance jettisons. I am also slowly re-watching Natalie Wynn/Contrapoint’s video on Twilight and it’s really hitting. The idea of not wanting to take responsibility for your desires (as well as everything fucking else!) as a straight woman, and so the rich alpha male representing an alleviation of responsibility more than anything else – yes. It makes sense to me.

Which is why in this novel Marc is both too much of an asshole and NOT ENOUGH of an asshole. Yes, he pumps and dumps Cassie on their first meeting, and lives to regret it as a later reformed fuqueboi. However, Cassie has no hand in his reformation. I’m not saying I necessarily want to have my female heroines take charge of the emotional development of the male heroes, but … there’s something in that. Elizabeth Bennet calls Darcy to account and walks away. He does the rest on his own, but the callout remains hers to perform. There IS something inherently appealing about being the Only One the incredibly hot and sought-after man can truly confide in, can truly be himself around. Jilly Cooper and Fiona Walker, two of my OG romance writers, were past masters at this. Sarra Manning herself was able to do this, once upon a time! You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me remains, not just one of my favourite romance books, but one of my favourite books, full stop. Which almost makes her later works worse, in a way, because I know she can do way better than this.

There’s also a lot of insufficiently justified or interrogated choices made in this book. Case in point: the age gaps between Cassie and Marc, but also Lucy and Russell. As many have said before me, it’s not just age but experience gaps. Cassie being 37 to Marc’s 44 is a WAY different prospect to Cassie’s TWENTY-ONE to Marc’s TWENTY-EIGHT. And for why? Is it just to make the current ages work? Because quite simply no one needed to be as young as they were. Lucy and Russell’s teenage children barely feature, to the point where they could just have been YOUNGER CHILDREN when the book opens. Have Lucy be thirty when she has her kids!

Ditto Cassie’s convoluted parental history, with her mother being fifteen when she had Cassie and creating a huge abandonment wound and then having a second-chance romance etc etc etc. None of this contributed to the plot except to explain Cassie’s Trauma, but why put it in at all? I feel the time is ripe for Manning and other authors to just write about late bloomers who glowed up post-college (or not at all) rather than scrabbling for reasons why someone would be this tragic combination of late thirties, single, but normal.

I’m also tired of Manning’s MCs not going to college. That was sort-of fine when the books were set and written in the early to mid-aughts, but if you’re going to have characters NOW who aren’t college-educated, you really need to do the work of explaining how they’re good friends with OXBRIDGE GRADUATES. Cassie’s RIGHT when she talks about not fitting in with people who went to private schools and stuff. Even in Ireland, which has a much less rigid class system, people tend to stay within their intellectual levels. Because it’s simply not that fun to be friends with people who don’t share your cognitive abilities and interests! Sorry to be a snob on main but it’s true. And if you’re going to have this girl who seemed to LEAVE SCHOOL AT 16 in a BOOK that’s mainly going to be read by BOOKISH GIRLS … fucking own goal, basically. In no other sphere of life do you see bookish, nerdy intellectuals getting with hot men. Can we not have this ONE THING?!

Also the whole premise of the fake dating being the imminent tragic death of their friend from cancer … uh, I guess that could work, but the execution is half-hearted at best. Mainly because sixteen years is just too long for this to carry on and be believable. Again; why is Lucy twenty-four getting married and having babies? Make her thirty, make all of this have happened five years ago, and boom, suddenly there’s urgency and it makes sense. And Russell is barely a person, just a ‘beacon of light’. Convenient that no one needs to have any kind of complicated feelings about that I guess. I feel like there’s a very different book attempting to burst, Alien-style, from the guts of this one. One that’s much longer and better developed. I think of the scenes that took place in YDHTSYLME over one evening of clock time but pages and pages of book time, the exquisite detail and 360 view from the character’s head, and cannot but sigh for what we’ve lost.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 - nothing extraordinary, but it was a sweet, moving summer read nonetheless.

[Katie Bamman · Rating 2 out of 5]

No

[Maggie John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good beach read.

[Harps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarra Manning never fails to deliver, and this book is no exception! Cassie and Marc start off as sworn enemies after a disastrous first meeting. But years later, they’re unexpectedly thrown back into each other’s lives when they’re asked to help their mutual friends, Lucy and Russell. Tasked with planning an unforgettable weekend, Cassie and Marc must put their differences aside and pretend to be madly in love. However, as the weekend unfolds, Cassie starts to question her long-standing resentment toward Marc and wonders if there’s more to him than she ever allowed herself to see.

This novel has everything you’d expect from a Sarra Manning story—romance, friendship, heartache, and redemption. While the primary focus is on Cassie and Marc, the narrative beautifully interweaves their friendships with Lucy and Russell, adding layers of depth to the story. The heartache felt so raw and authentic that it moved me to tears more than once. Manning masterfully balances these emotional moments with lighthearted humor and delightful banter, especially in the playful dynamics between Cassie, Marc, and their friends during the weekend’s escapades.

Without giving too much away, I’ll admit I was nervous about how things would ultimately unfold between the four friends. But the ending was nothing short of perfect—a touching, satisfying conclusion that felt like the cherry on top of an already delicious cake.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this gem. If you’re a Sarra Manning fan or simply love heartfelt, character-driven stories, this one is not to be missed!

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Last Days Of Summer’ by Sarra Manning is an emotional and steamy enemies-to-lovers romance that will break and repair your heart multiple times across the pages. Cassie and Marc have been arch nemeses almost since they first met, but are forced to orbit each other due to their close friendships with spouses Lucy and Russell. When Lucy and Russell’s perfect family life is struck by an awful tragedy, Cassie and Marc are thrown together to plan them a gorgeous, nostalgic and perfect weekend trip. To create beautiful and everlasting memories, they have to put their differences aside… but is it possible to fake cordiality after sixteen years of hostility?

Sarra is one of my favourite, auto-buy authors (I felt personally seen by the part of this book’s dedication that was to “those who… still think that ‘Unsticky’ is my best novel”), and this novel absolutely met my sky-high expectations (and not just because of the Grace and Vaughn cameo). I admire how Sarra creates realistic and loveable characters, and allows them to open up throughout the chapters until they feel like your best friends. Cassie’s sunny personality was given depth by her grief and complex feelings about family, and Marc’s grumpy and controlled disposition masked so much heart. Each supporting character was vivid and full of personality, even if some of them (Heather) weren’t exactly likeable!

Of course, this book had some wonderful spicy scenes, with Cassie and Marc making good use of the walk-in pantry and the en-suite shower of the beachside Manor House setting. However, the book was as much about friendship and respect as it was about lust. I was dreading the book ending for two reasons - I didn’t want it to be over, and I also didn’t want to feel destroyed by an inevitable gut punch - but the conclusion was pitch-perfect, real and full of hope as well as grief.

This was a five star read for me, and I’d really recommend it to anyone who enjoys character-driven, open-door romance. Just remember you may need tissues, but I promise you’ll smile and swoon more than you sob!

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Lauren Dunkley · Rating 5 out of 5]

“They fell asleep like that, the half moon peeking in at the window the only witness to the start of something that had taken sixteen long years to begin. Something precious.”

UGH this book was just everything

It was grief and love all rolled into one, heartbreaking and charming all at the same time 🥺

ALSO MARC WITH A C PARDON MY FRENCH BUT OUI OUI

[Ruth Mackay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last day of the holiday and a beach day, so naturally I read the whole book in a day as it was too good to put down. I was a fan of Sarra as a teen, reading the diary of a crush series, I didn’t realise she had written adult fiction. I look forward to reading more.

[Amy K]

Jane Casey recco “a writer’s writer”

[Carly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the main characters annoying

[Clodagh ♡]

DNF @ 37%
Ew ew ew

[Kit Wolverson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

This needed a trigger warning but I love a Sarra Manning book as a fan from a teenager

Slightly predictable but some lovely moments and sayings - first book I’ve genuinely highlighted

[Isadora Eilers · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s not the best romance i’ve read, but I loved the way these characters are a bit older than usual. The book is sensitive and emotional, but not very dramatic. I like that. I do think the development of the relationship was a bit rushed and i’d love to see more of an “in between”.

[fats · Rating 4 out of 5]

sarra manning I love you and your writing and the skirt-verse and your heroines who aren't always likeable and don't always have their shit together but are still compelling and your sexy male leads who are usually kind of pricks but in a loveable way and I just enjoy your books SO MUCH. maybe this one hit harder because of the themes about finding love and fearing whether you're inherently unlovable and all that fun jazz, but i had a great time reading this, I find manning's (good (I don't love all of them)) books a more accessible and real version of mcfarlane's. the only thing here is I think we needed a lot more focus on both cassie and marc's families and backgrounds esp when it informed so much of the characters themselves. marc was hot like I said and I did love him but I didn't fully buy his excuses for being an arsehole lol.

[Suzanne Illingworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed several Sarra Manning books and this latest one didn’t disappoint.
Perfectly balanced with interesting characters some of which you will love but some you will love to hate.
It follows the path of Cassie and Marc,drawn to each other despite their differences and fall out of many years ago.Cassie is tasked with planning her best friend Lucy’s big birthday weekend by Lucy’s lovely husband Russell.
Without spoiling the plot news changes the world of old standing firm friends.The novel perfectly balances romance,love,spice(def spicy )and heartache.
Loved it,highly recommended

[Kristina Griffiths · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarra manning is one of my all time favourite authors!

This book had me sobbing , I could not put it down o enjoyed it immensely and as always I need more of the characters!

[Jenny - TotallybookedBlog · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘She was always going to feel at her most alone among a group of people who had found their person. Whatever life threw at them, they didn’t have to deal with it on their own…Still, it shouldn’t be so hard to find your most favourite person and be their favourite person in return. Not when she wanted it so desperately.’

Oh wow, Sarra Manning has done it again! THIS STORY is why we love this Author so much, why we will ALWAYS buy her books as soon as they release for our book shelves of love. She never fails to grab our hearts, make us laugh, and make us cry. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Sarra Manning is truly MAGNIFICENT!

’Even though it hadn’t been real, to Cassie’s indiscriminate heart, it had felt real. She wanted to hate him but she also wanted to mean something to him.’

Be still our beating hearts! Sarra Manning has written an absolutely beautiful story about friendship, love, and ultimately, the ups and downs of life. What a stunning romance, what a beautiful setting, and what a gorgeous group of friends! We felt every bit of Cassie’s journey as we laughed with her, cried with her, and swooned with her. We join her at a poignant moment in her life which sees her facing the ultimate test where the fragility of life is the main character.

’Despite the wind, the frenetic waves, there was a stillness to the two of them. Their love was palpable. A living breathing thing.’

One weekend changed everything for Cassie and it’s bittersweet. What a beautiful character she is! We loved Cassie for her devotion, her sense of humour, her selflessness, her vulnerability, and her patience.

’They fell asleep like that, the half-moon peeking in at the window the only witness to the start of something that had taken sixteen long years to begin. Something precious.’

When we, as readers, say we love enemies to lovers…THIS IS IT! Cassie and Marc’s story played out as if we were watching a movie, whilst frantically turning the pages, compelled by the stunning storytelling by Sarra Manning. This is a book that’ll stay in our hearts. Always.

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[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

All Cassie has ever really wanted is to find 'that person' and be their everything in return, but so far life keeps giving her lemons. Fortunately she has the love of her extended family, and good friends, with her happily married besties Lucy and Russell at the centre of her life - shame about the constant presence of the infuriating Marc, who Lucy and Russell think is wonderful, but who Cassie views as her arch nemesis for very good reasons.

When tragic news knocks them all sideways, Cassie decides to go ahead with the special weekend she has planned for Lucy and Russell. Unfortunately, she finds herself with an unwanted helpmate, who also wants to make sure this is a weekend their favourite couple will never forget - the detestable, but undeniably attractive Marc.

Forced into close proximity, Cassie begins to see another side to Marc. What she did not anticipate is that their relationship would be quite as close as this... for now they have to pretend for the whole weekend that they are in love. Passionate sparks begin to fly, but can she ever move past their uncomfortable history?

How I love a Sarra Manning book, and this might just be my favourite one yet. Alongside a steamy enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, sunny-meets-grumpy love story, which thrums with romantic suspense, Manning also crafts an emotional tale of family and friendship that hits the bittersweet, sob-worthy soft spot to utter perfection.

Cassie and Marc start the story on opposite sides of a fence that has been strengthened by years of simmering recriminations, after a sexual encounter at the wedding of their best friends Lucy and Russell that left Cassie with confused feelings about the best and worst experience of her life. But as circumstances force them together, she begins to wonder if there really is more to this man than meets the eye and erogenous zones. Suffice to say that the ice melts via a cycle of tempestuous clashes, unexpectedly tender moments that reveal their true feelings, and steamy interludes (decidedly open door, especially when it comes to the pantry!).

Weaving throughout the luscious romantic bits, Manning packs a poignant punch with a storyline about dealing with unbelievable heart-ache that will have you steadily depleting the tissue box to mop up your tears. However, she balances the sadness with lighter moments of drama and comedy between the members of an enchanting friendship group (and not so nice relations) as the weekend plays out, and somehow manages to lead you to an ending that is as hopeful as it is heart-wrenching.

Absolutely fabulous from start to finish, I really did not want to leave these characters behind. What a gem!

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Days of Summer was fantastic. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect as Sarra Manning was a new author to me, but I found the entire story hooked me right from the beginning, and I found it both believable and moreish.

Cassie and Marc have a turbulent and disagreeable history after a secretive beginning, however, they share their very best friends, a couple called Russell and Lucy, and so are regularly forced to socialise and make nice. When Russell is diagnosed with terminal cancer, they are thrown together even more to deliver a surprise 40th birthday party for Lucy, and a truce is called. Cassie realises how happy it makes Russell and Lucy to see them together getting on and looking like a couple; things get out of hand and a white lie surprises everyone but is a catalyst for something amazing.

This is a true enemies-to-lovers story, the antagonism is real, and it doesn't fizzle out the moment there is a hint of attraction between them. In fact, the spicy scenes (hello Marc on his knees in the pantry!) just fuel their resistance, and throughout the book, both Cassie and Marc continue to spar with each other. Having said that, this is also a story about friendship, growth, forgiveness, acceptance, and finding your person, even if it's in the most unexpected place. it is also an age-gap romance with a very rich, millionaire, male lead character, who is a total coffee snob! I'm not sure we're told how big the age gap is, but I think Marc is around seven years older - similar to the age gap between Lucy and Russell.

This book is sweet, it's funny, it's touching, it's kind, it's harsh, and let's be honest there are some really really tough moments because of Russell's diagnosis. There is no beating around the bush here, this is a story that doesn't shy away from the harsh realities, but also shows how important it is to spend quality time with the people you love and make lasting memories. Above all though, this is a pitch-perfect, beautiful romance about a couple who struggle to find each other despite having been in each other's orbit for more than 15 years.

This is a delightfully British book, with so many references to things like seaside holidays, fish and chips and peculiarities of living in London. This felt real and nuanced and like a life that I could step into tomorrow. I loved feeling absorbed in my own culture, when so much of the genre is set in the USA.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC. This is my honest opinion.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cassie and Marc have been the archest of nemeses ever since their disastrous first meeting sixteen years ago. She knows that beyond his sexy French good looks is a terrible person, even if her friends seem to like him. But now an unexpected tragedy forces Cassie and Marc to work together to give their mutual friends, Lucy and Russell, the best weekend ever. And to make things worse, they must pretend to be in love. As the weekend unfolds, Cassie begins to see Marc in a new light. Could her arch enemy actually be the man she’s been waiting for all this time?

Sarra Manning never fails to deliver. A delightful and funny romcom filled with depth that made me feel all the feelings, The Last Days of Summer was the perfect pick for our SquadPod Book Club this month. This is Manning at her best. The enemies to lovers storyline radiates hatred and chemistry, the spice is sizzling, the humour is sharp, and the emotions are heartbreaking. Heartfelt but hopeful, it had me glued to the pages and I devoured it in under a day.

Cassie and Marc are compelling characters who immediately drew me in. I loved how different they were and the added mystery of a secret history between them that was at the root of their mutual distaste. Their best friends, Lucy and Russell, were also brilliantly written, pulling on my heartstrings with their tragic storyline that I’m not ashamed to say brought tears to my eyes a few times. Their love radiated from the pages and I understood Cassie’s mixed feelings of jealousy at the love they shared and grief at what was happening to them. As the story, and the weekend away, progressed, I was glued to the pages by Cassie and Marc’s will they/won’t they romance. I really related to Cassie as Manning expertly portrayed the fear, insecurities, hurt and resentment she was feeling. I wanted her to find the love she longed for, and after seeing how red-hot her chemistry was with Marc, I wanted her to find it with him.

So, if you’re looking for a spicy but emotional romcom to read in the sun, this is for you.

[Beeda · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars for Sarra Manning!

I was so eager to read this book I ordered it from the UK because I couldn't wait for it's US debut. I'm so glad I did. Sarra Manning has been a favorite author for many years and she has delivered once again.

As I get older, I don't really want to read about 20 somethings all the time, those books are fine and can be entertaining, but I don't relate to a lot of that anymore. I really appreciated that we meet Cassie as she is approaching her 40's and dealing with aging into her own, learning to value herself and not giving as many fucks about what others think.

This book was funny, and sad, but hopeful too. It made me cry, and the happy ever after is not really there by the end, it's more of a happy for now as Marc and Cassie figure it out after 16 years of antagonistic tolerance of one another but I'm rooting for them to go the distance.

Then there's Russell, oh Russell, his story is so, so heartbreaking, but I really appreciate that Sarra left it the way she did, so that even though we know what Russells outcome will be, we have been given a boon and know that he and Lucy are going to make the most of every single second.

This book is a love letter to friendships too, the kind of friendships that go the distance, weather the storms, have their ups and downs and come out stronger than ever. The friendships that are more like family than the family's we're born into. The friendships that are the happy ever afters in our lives.

Brava Sarra.

P.S. It was also really fun to get a cameo appearance from some characters from one of Sarra's earlier books. And again, I appreciated their older versions!

[Elizabeth Currie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romance with real heart anyone? Well The Last Days of Summer is exactly that. Combine some trusted tropes - enemies to lovers, forced proximity, fake dating and a generous helping of spice - with a heart wrenching story that will bring a tear to your eye on more than one occasion, and it all adds up to a gorgeous and thoroughly enjoyable read.

Cassie and Marc have been at odds almost since they first met, but as both are close friends of married couple Lucy and Russell, they are forced to tolerate each other. When tragic news threatens to derail the surprise 40th birthday party weekend Cassie has been organising for Lucy, Cassie and Marc put their differences aside to try and make it a special weekend. Cassie starts to see a different side to Marc and sparks definitely fly, but can they really put years of antagonism behind them ….?

While the focus of the story is on Cassie and Marc, their friendship with Lucy and Russell brings an added dimension to the story, and adds a layer of heartache that feels almost unbearable at times. But Manning cleverly balances that with some delightful humour, whether it be the amusing banter between Cassie and Marc or some of the jolly japes as the entertaining group of friends spend the weekend together, not to mention the spice! And the ending is just perfection, full of hope as well as the inevitable sadness.

It is a book that will make you smile as you revel in the romance - but will also make you wipe away a tear or two, as well as hug your loved ones a little bit tighter. This was my first Sarra Manning book, but won’t be my last!

[Frances Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it

This is the first time I’ve read this author’s but I will be sure to look for more of her books because I thoroughly enjoyed it. I read the online sample and wasn’t sure if I would like it but it was only 99p so I took a gamble, turns out it was one of the best 99p I’ve spent.
It was an engrossing, emotional rollercoaster of a story about friendship, love, family and the many misunderstandings that can complicate life.
Cassie and Marc met for the first time 16 years earlier at Lucy and Russell’s wedding, his ego and her poor self esteem resulted in a fall-out that shaped their relationship from then on. Cassie was Lucy’s best friend and Marc was Russell’s so it was inevitable that they met often over the years, now Russell asked them to work together to plan a special surprise party. On the face of it, Lucy’s 40 birthday was the reason for the get together, but in reality, Russell wanted the weekend so that they could all enjoy their time together and make happy memories to get them through an uncertain future. The plan was that Lucy’s old friends and their partners, plus Marc and Cassie would have a glorious weekend in a Manor House by the sea, unfortunately Heather, Lucy’s obnoxious sister contrived an invite, which not only messed up the bedroom allocations but ruined the dynamic for a carefree, happy time together.
The story flowed easily, there were happy, joyous times as well as diva moments and sadness, but I loved every page.