The Summer of Lost Things

by Jenn Bennett

Sexy new adult romance meets swashbuckling adventure when ex childhood friends Paige and Seb reconnect to finally track down the treasure that has been a legend in their small Michigan beach town for decades. Perfect for fans of The Goonies and Netflix’s Outer Banks who are craving more romance!

Star pupil Paige Malone just finished her first year at Harvard. Dropout Seb Jansen spent that time pumping gas for wealthy yacht owners at a Lake Michigan marina. They haven’t seen each other since high school. A shame, considering that they were once inseparable childhood friends who combed their coastal hometown’s sun-kissed beaches along with a couple of other middle-school pals—hunting the Golden Venus, a legendary local treasure that’s distantly connected to Paige’s family.

A treasure rumored to be worth millions of dollars. If it even exists.

These days, however, the former BFFs have traded adventure for reality. Paige is home for the summer and is spiraling after losing her college financial aid. While across town, Seb fell in with a bad crowd and now regrets his life choices, big time. Both feel colossally stuck. And alone.

But when Paige stumbles upon a hidden secret in her grandmother’s beach cottage, she must get their old treasure-hunting gang back together to finally unravel the mystery that has eluded her family for generations. Who the thrill of the hunt might help Paige and Seb find a path back to their lost friendship…or something more.

The Summer of Lost Things brings the summer heat with its combination of a high stakes treasure hunt and a swoony love story.

Tropes

Childhood friends to lovers Second-chance romance Treasure hunt Family secrets Partners in crime Summer love Small beach town setting Overachiever x bad boy Loveable rogue

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Summer, New Adult, Adult, Summer Reads, Contemporary Romance

379 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 7, 2026

About the author

Jenn Bennett is the author of over a dozen books for children and teens, including: ALEX, APPROXIMATELY; STARRY EYES; and GRUMBONES. She also writes romance and fantasy for adults. Her books have earned multiple starred reviews, been Goodreads Choice Award nominees, and have been included on annual Best Book lists for both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly. She lives in a haunted house near Birmingham with one husband and two dogs. Visit her at www.jennbennett.net.

Follow her on:

Twitter
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Reviews

[cat (catching up slowly) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book completely blindsided me in the BEST way possible. I went into it expecting a fun little summer treasure hunt romance and instead got emotionally attached to an entire friend group, obsessed with the yearning, and invested in every single clue and twist like my life depended on it. This was genuinely one of those books where every time I thought I had things figured out, something else happened and suddenly I was sitting there staring at the page like WAITTTT??!!

The treasure hunt aspect was SO well done. It had that nostalgic adventurous feeling that made me want to crawl into the pages and follow clues alongside them, but what really made the story hit was the emotional core underneath all of it. The friendships felt messy in a believable way, the tension between characters actually mattered, and the romance??? Oh my YESSSSS. Ex childhood friends to lovers will always own me a little, but add in years of hidden pining and devotion and suddenly I become unwell. 🤧

Because Sebastian??? Yeah. I’m obsessed with him actually.

“Is that what you want, Seb?” I asked, tossing a look behind. “To be worshipped.”
Pale blue eyes blinked back at me. “By you? It’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

EXCUSE ME??????????? YUMMMMM

The yearning in this book was so sweet and perfect because it never felt rushed. You could feel the history between them in every conversation and every quiet moment, and I loved that Paige slowly started realizing there might be something deeper there while Sebastian had basically been emotionally gone for her the entire time. It was the kind of romance that sneaks up on you because it’s built on years of knowing each other. Every little interaction had so much weight behind it. 🤌🏼🤌🏼 & Although the romance isn't the main plot it was still so so sweet and well done. 😌

And honestly, one of my favorite things was how grounded the relationships felt overall. There was tension and hurt and miscommunication at times, especially within the friend group, but it never crossed into that exhausting unnecessary drama that a lot of early twenties characters tend to have in books. People actually communicated. They apologized. They opened up. Paige and Jazmine especially felt so real to me because their friendship wasn’t instantly perfect again, but there was honesty there that made it work. 🫶🏼🫶🏼

Also…LULU. I knew something was off from the START. *insert me narrowing me eyes* That’s all I’m saying because I refuse to spoil anything, but girl I had my eye on you immediately.

And can we PLEASE talk about Sebastian’s character arc for a second because it made me sooo emotional. The fact that he grew up being treated like he’d never amount to anything, and then Paige slowly reminding him that he was worthy of love and forgiveness and more than the mistakes he made??? The way he cared for her throughout the story felt so natural too. Protective without being overbearing. Gentle in all the moments that mattered.

"The way he looked at me, like he was willing to throw everything away for another kiss."

I’m honestly shocked this was single POV because somehow I still felt Sebastian’s emotions so strongly the entire time. Usually I struggle with that unless a book is dual POV, but this author absolutely nailed it. I never once felt disconnected from the romance or the emotional tension.

And Benny and Jazmine??? Oh I NEED their book immediately. The buildup there was TOO good to waste. I would read that story so fast.

This was adventurous, emotional, romantic, nostalgic, and genuinely difficult to put down. One of those books that makes you miss the characters the second you finish the last page.

things to know about the book ↓

🪎 second chance
🪎 ex childhood friends
🪎 he’s been obsessed for years
🪎 forced proximity
🪎 treasure hunt
🪎 small town
🪎 single POV (hers)

spice rating: 🌶️🌶️
swearing: yes

Thank you NetGalley, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

⸻⸻⸻
・❥・⁀➷ pre-read

ahhh I’m always down for a good treasure hunt heheh AND with ex childhood friends?? 🤭
perfect for fans of outer banks??? hmmm i’m so excited

[Mai ༊*·˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ★— This book feels like a summery afternoon after you’ve spent your morning at a lake and then come home still smelling like sunscreen and, God, I really loved it!

Paige is coming back to her late grandmother’s cottage after her first year at Harvard, having to deal with paperwork to keep her financial aid and just wanting a quiet summer, when she falls back in with her high school friend group. They all accidentally end up participating in a treasure hunt, and this really did hit all the nostalgia buttons for me!

If you’ve ever read a YA book with a friend group that solves cases together, this felt like the most loving New Adult throwback to that.

Paige and Seb, two former best friends turned awkward acquaintances within the group, slowly reconnect, as the story lets these two bridge the differences and unspoken grievances that came after their friendship ended.

I was glad when Seb turned out to be more of a sunny, flirty golden retriever type than the bad boy persona the story initially hints at, and I actually loved them together once they finally started communicating, as the friends to lovers transition felt really well done. I also can’t even lie... I definitely melted at a few lines Seb threw at Paige.

The other friendship dynamics in this were also very cute, and I really liked how the story let Paige slip back in with the others as they slowly uncovered the mystery behind the treasure hunt, while also giving readers a few twists and revelations that really rev up toward the closing chapters.

This book features enough summery beach scenes, trips, and parties to really make it the perfect summer read to bask in YA nostalgia.

🎧 Audiobook Notes
🎙️ Narration Style: Solo
⭐ Listener Rating: 5/5
This story’s narrator was just great and really managed to breathe life into the cast of characters! She was just as good at voicing Paige as she was Seb and the others, and she truly made the hours fly by as I followed along completely immersed in the story.

_________________

Thank you to HarperAudio for the ALC.

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Binged in a single sitting.

OMG That was such a fun book! The romance!!! the angst! the treasure hunt!

The narration is SO good!

The romance was swoon-worthy and giggling and kicking my feet and the treasure hunt is so much fun!

This was the perfect adventure + romance summer listen.

Audio Narration: 5/5
Narrator: Allie Shae
Style: Single Narration & Single POV
Length: 12 hrs 3 mins
Thoughts: 10/10 would recommend. Allie Shae did a phenomenal job. This was such an enjoyable and easy listen I binged it in a single day. Absolutely no issues with the performance or production.


4.75⭐️| IG | TikTok |

Thank you publisher for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

[˗ˏˋ amy liv ᯓ★ (lesbian sombr) · Rating 3 out of 5]

⊱ now playing: "perfect places,” lorde

↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺

"maybe that was just the nature of treasure. it was the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that you could never quite get to, even if you believed with your entire heart that it existed."

☀️ this will be an absolutely fun summer read for sure! i am an absolute sucker for coastal towns, and this setting is honestly my favorite part of this book - the town is so fleshed out. the writing style was gorgeous, descriptive, and flowing, with fast-paced storytelling and conflict at every turn. it slowed down when it needed to, though, and left room for tender moments to develop the relationships between characters. it keeps you hooked with a pivot just when things feel predictable, but even then, there are a few plot points that seemed as though they were the "easy way out" as a writing choice.

the romance was great, but minimal. the strongest point are one-on-one dialogue and quotes, gems such as:
*"i never said i didn't want anyone to know."
*"but i'll tell you this much. one day i'm going to marry this girl." !!!
*"told you a million times, paige. i've got enough faith for the both of us."

(i love childhood friends to lovers so much)

an issue i had with this book was that although it is marketed as new adult, the characters feel less like college students than sixteen year olds. the lingo is also very contemporary at times, but other times, the dialogue feels inconsistent with how the character speaks.

the logistics also are a bit too convenient at times. one friend is strangely good at hacking and bypassing security to obtain so it easily solves the issue at hand. paige's cottage is ransacked for clues about a hidden treasure, and they smashed a couple of paintings looking for any written note, but managed to leave the one that had a code behind it untouched? a little uncharacteristic and too convenient. their flashlights die when touched with water in the cave, but then paige goes diving with the headlamp and it is not mentioned beforehand that it is waterproof or able to withstand this. paige's harvard letter, signed by her father in pen, stays perfectly intact after she dove straight into a pool with it in her pocket, even though it should have bled through.

quite a few aspects felt unoriginal and ripped from outer banks, which is another reason why i can’t rate higher. even the poor vs rich conflict between the townspeople and other characters, paul being the main antagonist who resembles rafe cameron. seb felt heavily inspired by jj maybank. the bonfire fight scene. i liked the scenery a lot in both instances, but it felt like the show was being regurgitated to me at times.

that being said, it was an enjoyable story and i had a lot of fun reading this. i just wish there were more original storytelling elements used to shape the story.

💌 thank you so much to netgalley for providing me with a free arc in exchange for my honest review!

[Brogan Tate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely ADORED THIS!! I will hear no bad words about it 🤣 I enjoyed every chapter and had so much fun reading it. A treasure-hunting childhood friendship group set in a beachfront town was perfection! One of my favourite books of the year, and the perfect summer/beach read.

The treasure hunt gave such a fun focus with adventure, drama and mystery. The pacing was brilliant; I was never bored, and nothing dragged. All the characters were great. I loved Seb and Paige; their angst and chemistry, with no third-act breakup, had me kicking my feet. 🤭

I honestly have nothing bad to say; it was right up my street, and I loved it.

This was my first Jenn Bennett book, and truthfully, I picked it up after admiring the cover art. Now I’ve fallen in love with her writing, I’ll definitely be reading more.

[maddie's reading]

this is literally the prettiest cover ever I'm obsessed with it

[SJARR ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friends to lovers (roommates, even!), second chance romance and treasure hunting.

I love the treasure hunt plot going on.
It’s always so much fun to read about, and I think it creatures so much energy and adventure.
I will say I feel like it was sort of… forgotten about? Around the midway point of this, when we started to focus more on the romantic development.
Personally, I thought it was okay though, because I was willing to sacrifice that for the nice romance scenes.
It does it back on track more toward the end though.

This story is focused primarily on the main characters Paige and Seb, but their childhood friend group is also part of it, which I liked a lot.
I loved seeing them reconnect with each other and re-develop their friendships. That’s just such a sweet and lovable plot.

Also, Paige and seb were too cute.
There really were some nice moments between them.
I adore the second-chance romance trope in general, so I ate that up.
There is even a point in this where they *try* to be roommates. So we get friends-to-lovers, second chance roommates?! HELLO?
I love.

The amount of times it was mentioned that Paige went to Harvard, was a lot.
I’m not a fan of over-repetition, so I started to get ever so slightly irritated. Especially when it seems to be bused as a comparison to her friends, to show that she is the one that grew up to be smart and successful.
Not that Paige gave of the vibe that she felt that way about herself, but it seems to be part of the reason it is mentioned so many times.
It wasn’t a huge deal, but I mentally noted it a few times.

Random note:
- Sharing a toothbrush and a razor and calling it intimate gave me chills. Shivers down my spine. Unapproved!

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and author Jenn Bennett, for providing me with the eARC of “The Summer of Lost Things”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: May 26, 2026

[Bailey Chadwick]

DNF at 10%

While I can't speak on the entire book obviously, I just found the beginning very jarring. What genre are we in? Is this a mystery? A contemporary romance? A "Goonies" retelling? It was so scattered that I had no idea what kind of vibe I was supposed to get into. I jokingly said to my husband that it sounded like an "Adult Goonies" book. But then when they found the treasure map on the back of a painting while messing around in the house? A little too on the nose for my liking.

In the same chapter we are talking about childhood trauma, how much she hates Seb, the death of her grandmother, Seb is so hot though, omg Seb is so funny, and also treasure! Too chaotic and all over the place for me. The witty banter was very cringey to me and I decided this book was going to have to be a skip.

I specifically had the ARC for the audio and I do think the narrator did a good job with what she had. I would try other books she narrated in the future.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐️
1/5 🌶️

I absolutely adored this book and it felt incredibly nostalgic in the best possible way. Reading it honestly reminded me of being a kid again — like Wendy being swept away by Peter Pan before adulthood can fully take hold. There’s this magical sense of adventure woven through the story that made me want to jump into the treasure hunt right alongside Paige, Seb, and their friends.

The Lake Michigan beach town setting was perfect. It felt so vivid and lived-in that I swear I could picture every marina, beach cottage, and hidden corner. The local lore surrounding the Golden Venus gave the story such a fun sense of mystery and wonder, while the family secrets and high stakes kept everything moving. And then there’s Paige and Seb. The childhood friends-to-lovers romance was SO swoony. Their connection felt deeply rooted, like these feelings had always existed underneath the surface just waiting for the right moment to finally emerge. Watching them find each other again while reconnecting with the adventurous parts of themselves they’d lost along the way completely worked for me.

I also loved how the “bad crowd” elements almost gave the story a pirate vibe, making Seb and the townies feel a little like modern-day lost boys and rogues. The whole thing balanced romance, nostalgia, adventure, tension, and sexy moments perfectly.

Honestly, I have zero criticisms. This is one of those rare books where the second I finished, I immediately wanted to start it all over again. That’s always the sign of a truly special read for me.

As for the audiobook, Allie Shae did such a great job. I wasn’t familiar with her narration before this, but she handled the single narrator format really well and made it easy to distinguish between characters. She captured both the emotional depth and the adventurous energy of the story beautifully.

Thanks to Jenn, Harper Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC

[kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley and HarperAudio Adult for providing me with an ALC of this book!

✿ ''it's always been you.''
✿ he fell first
✿ ex childhood friends to lovers
✿ banter and yearning

When I first saw that this books blurb mentioned The Goonies I knew I HADDD to get my hands on it - that movie was literally my entire childhood (honestly I used to recite the lines as a kid lmao) this is also a book that you can judge by the cover and be pleasantly surprised about just how much it lives up to your expectations!

In a very 'we're getting the band back together' era right now (aka im obsessed with second chances and reunions) and this book ticked that box SO fast as we follow Paige as she returns to her hometown on her uni break and reunites with her childhood friend group as they go on a literal treasure hunt together.

I'm honestly a bit obsessed with Paige and Seb - you can really see as Seb pines for Paige both up close and from afar!! i also love that you get to see Paige reassuring Seb about his worth - after growing up and being literally traumatised and treated like he would never amount to anything, Paige's patience and insistence that he is so much more than he believes himself to be was so sweet

Even though this book is single POV, it really felt like we got to see extensive emotions from Seb too which I can really appreciate!

The narrator did an amazing job at conveying all of the emotions displayed throughout this book which made it feel so much more immersive and believable. She also did AMAZINGLY at voicing multiple characters - there wasn't any time in which I was confused about who was meant to be speaking etc. Overall, I would love to check out more of their work in the future!

[Ewa (Fedra) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

[Elle G. Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Summer of Lost Things is absolutely PERFECT for summer! I loved the treasure hunting in this one and it honestly brought me back to summer when I was younger. I guess you could say it definitely made me feel nostalgic! The romance between Paige and Seb was really cute too and I found myself wanting to read more about them as they go from friends to lovers. Overall, this was a cute read! I’ll be telling my son’s girlfriend who loves romances to read this one over the summer.

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[megan ◡̈]

as excited as i have been for this book it unfortunately is just not for me 😭.

its not a bad book by any means, it just feels a lot more YA than new adult and i’m just personally not vibing with it right now!! i may try again at a later date as i really did want to love this one.

[Danielle Strona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley, and Harper Voyage for the ALC/ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Paige and Seb both have a history together, as they grew up together. While Paige was at Harvard, Seb spent his time pumping gas for wealthy yacht owners. Seb and Paige were best friends in high school and went to the beach to find The Golden Venus, which is a local legend said to have buried treasure. Many treasure hunters have tried to find it, but none have been successful. Seb and Paige haven’t seen each other since the end of high school, but everything changes the night that Paige returns home from school to her grandma’s house, which has been broken into and ruined. After seeing that, she decides to go to the beach, where she sees Seb, and they end up entangled back in each other’s lives, with him as a roommate! Will they be able to just stay friends, or are there feelings that are still lingering between the two?

If you love the childhood best friend trope, you’ll definitely love this book! Paige and Seb were such loveable characters, and the chemistry between them was impossible to ignore. I found myself rooting for them the entire time. Their relationship also gave strong second-chance romance vibes, which is one of my favorite tropes. I also loved the treasure hunting aspect of the story. It made the book feel unique and exciting, and I couldn’t stop rooting for them to find the treasure. There were so many setbacks and twists along the way that it constantly kept me on my toes. The mix of romance, tension, and adventure made the story so fun to read.

I also listened to this as an audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator. She did a great job bringing the characters to life and making the emotions and tension feel even more real.

Overall, I highly recommend this fun summer/friends-to-lovers romance!

[Di · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.25/5)
This was such a fun summer read! It gave me major Outer Banks meets Netflix's Dive Club vibes with its treasure hunt, family secrets, and lovable group of friends. Since I'm a fan of both shows, this story was right up my alley.
The characters and overall plot did feel very YA, and there were times when the dynamics felt familiar, almost like I'd experienced this story before. Even so, I still had a great time with it because I love this type of adventure-filled summer mystery.
As an Indiana girl who grew up spending summers on Lake Michigan, I especially loved that the setting played such a big role in the story. It added an extra layer of nostalgia for me.
If you're looking for a light, easy, coming-of-age mystery with childhood friends-to-lovers, second-chance romance, and treasure-hunting adventures, definitely move this one to the top of your summer TBR! ☀️🏴‍☠️📖

Thank you Netgalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

[Linna • linnareads · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was the cover that pulled me in for this book. Then I read the blurb and thought it sounded fun. I didn’t really enjoy this though. Despite it being labeled new adult, it’s felt very young adult in most of the book. I felt meh about the fmc and didn’t like the mmc at all. The whole plot about solving a series of riddles and puzzles to find a treasure is fun in theory but didn’t feel well executed here.

😊 childhood friends to strangers to lovers
🐾 includes a dog
🛶 small town

single POV
3/5 stars ⭐️
1/5 spice level 🌶️

[Tessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK so I actually didn’t hate this and found it quite fun, I know, I know!!! Some of the *adult* aspects of this where a bit 🤨🤨 to me because they were 19, and some of the terms/names were cringe. For example, Pretty Paul is ridiculous and then ALSO EVERYONE IS OKAY WITH PAUL’S FATHER MOVING FENTANYL?!? Odd ass side plot. Outside of that, I thought this was quite enjoyable.

What I need to say is the ABSURD, EGREGIOUS AMOUNT OF ELLIPSES WAS C R I M I N A L. MULTIPLE TIMES ON THE SAME PAGE, IN THE SAME CONVERSATION. MA’AM, IF YOU DON’T TAKE YOUR FINGER OFF THE PERIOD BUTTON…

[J Bridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

If the Goonies was a love story...

Really, that should be all you need to read this, but if you're STILL looking to be convinced... The summer of lost things is equal parts love story and adventure with found family AND a dog.

Still need more? Paige and Seb reunite for a treasure hunt after their friendship imploded a couple years ago. Paige is on the verge of losing her financial aid, and Seb has been working menial jobs since graduating a boot camp type school for 'troubled kids'. They need to find the famed Golden Venus, a statue stolen by Paige's inland pirate ancestor. They gather their old team of friends after finding a clue, and they go on a Goonies esque treasure hunt.

I really enjoyed this. If you're a summer lake person, you're going to want to read/listen to this one while you're at the shore.

I received an advanced copy of this audiobook for review. All opinions are my own. Thanks to Harper Audio and Avon for the ALC!

[Sarah | Kerosene.Lit · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been craving another treasure-hunting romance ever since reading Heart Marks the Spot by Libby Hubscher, and this one definitely delivered on the The Goonies vibes. When Paige discovers a clue tied to the legendary Golden Venus treasure, a mystery connected to her family and said to be worth millions, she reunites her old treasure-hunting gang to solve it.

I liked the coastal setting and the villainous undertone running through the small town, but unfortunately, the adventure itself was really lacking for me. And when it comes to a treasure hunt, I want lots of action and excitement, you know? There was one cave scene that had me hopeful for some thrilling high stakes, but outside of that, the story was kind of a slog to get through.

Part of that comes down to not feeling invested in either the characters or the romance. I know this is marketed as New Adult, but it still felt very young to me (the friend group referring to themselves as the WAGs didn't help). The romance with childhood friend Seb was cute enough, and I was happy that I didn't see one of the reveals coming, but honestly, remove the spice and I think this would be more fitting for YA.

(spice level: open-door)

I voluntarily read and reviewed a gifted copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.5 stars) Thank you, @avonbooks for the gifted print copy!

Paige Malone is returning to her Michigan beach town for the first time after finishing her freshman year at Harvard. Years before, she had a ride or die friend group - a group that spent their childhoods as treasure hunters based on a local town legend loosely connected to Paige’s family. Sen Jansen was the closest of those friends, and they haven’t seen each other in years. Seb is now pumping gas for the local marina. Their lives have diverged in significant ways, but when Paige finds a clue to the treasure among her late grandmother’s belongings, she, Seb, and the rest of their treasure-hunting crew are pulled back into their quest - but the stakes are so much higher now as they try to unravel the clues and map their futures.

What a fantastic surprise of a summer book - a fantastic treasure hunt, renewed friendships, danger around every turn, an adorable dog, and a swoon-worthy friends-to-lovers romance. This is deeply Goonies and Outer Banks-coded, with a ton of messy found family, adventures, and this amazing, idyllic Lake Michigan setting. I love it when a book focused on two main characters is so much more than that, and this one has so many amazing characters that you can’t help but enjoy - and a few you’ll love to hate. If you love a good adventure romance, you absolutely need to pick this one up!

🎧 Audio Performance: (12h 3m) Allie Shae delivers this solo narration performance. I would have enjoyed a bit more differentiation between the characters’ voices, but overall this was a nice performance.

Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
🎧 Audio performance: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
🔥 Spice: 🌶️🌶️

[littlegirlbigbook · Rating 3 out of 5]

3✨ if you’re not an obx fan, this is gonna fall so flat.

okay I’m not gonna lie, this book didn’t really make me feel anything. the characters were barely giving, the plot was barely giving, the writing was not giving. I think it could’ve been so good but the execution just wasn’t there. the only reason i’m going it three whole stars is because I’m an obx lover till death and it did give me some obx vibes that I was absolutely here for.

paige was really independent, kinda by default because of her circumstances, and very driven which I honestly really respected. she’s dedicated and I think she has a pretty good idea of who she is as a person, despite her young age. when it comes to her friendships and relationships I think she actually acts a little younger than her age, and a little flat overall. but I can’t begrudge the author trying to get into a late-teens-early-young-adult mindset.

seb was a sweetie. he’s really been through it, too much for someone his age, and I really respect how he let it shape and change him. he really grew into himself. his love and devotion to paige was really sweet. loved his actions at the end, quite admirable. but overall a little flat.

totally knew lulu was up to no good and way too curious about the treasure. I enjoyed the treasure hunt but would’ve enjoyed it more if it was executed a bit better. the side characters were also flat and meh. jaz kinda seems like a shitty friend, ngl. benny was cool and sweet. paul and his dad and all of that shit could’ve been better and felt unnecessary because it wasn’t. and the drama with paige’s dad? sooo unnecessary and poorly done. I get the author used her dad to get her back to haven beach for the summer but it just felt a lil messy and like it wasn’t plotted, just improvised along the way.

all in all, it was kinda fun but very cheesy and with mediocre writing. the characters didn’t make me feel anything, just cringe. but as a die hard fan of obx, I enjoyed it enough to read it. I think if it weren’t for my love of the show I would’ve dnf’d this. but also maybe it’s me. maybe I’m at an age where the YA into NA books with younger characters just don’t do it for me anymore unless the book is throne of glass level good and addicting. who knows.

”I coughed up water and turned my head to see Seb’s blue eyes blinking down at me as he held me against him. Like I was a precious thing. The most important thing in the world.”

“We’re all broken people.”

“Not friction, not uncertainty, not loneliness. Just this. Just us. I’d give anything for it, too.”

“The way he looked at me, like he was willing to throw everything away for another kiss.”

• childhood friends to lovers
• pirate treasure hunt
• small town
• found family
• lies & betrayal
• family secrets

[anovelaccount (Kayla) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Not to be dramatic, but this may be the most gorgeous book cover I’ve ever seen! I’m totally obsessed with it and ecstatic to have it on my bookshelf!

This book is described as being perfect for fans of The Goonies and Outer Banks, and I would say that’s a very accurate description. I love both, so this book was right up my alley!

So, my favorite trope is second chance romance followed by (childhood) friends to lovers. Both just give me the angst and yearning I need without starting at zero. This one has a little of both! I loved watching Seb and Paige rekindling their romance. The longing was palpable and I was so here for it. Their lack of communication felt par for the course with their ages, but once they finally start communicating, I loved it. Seb was just SO sweet and ends up being more cinnamon roll than bad boy. 🥰

This book is classified as New Adult, right in between YA and adult, and it is definitely evident at times that we are dealing with college kids versus adults. This was mostly fine for me. I understood Paige’s pull to want to “get the gang back together” and keep their relationships in tact (which was very similar to Burnout Summer, a book I recently read & reviewed), but she is definitely very focused on it to almost a fault.

The treasure hunting storyline was fun! I thought the clues kept me on my toes and interested enough to keep listening to figure out how the book was going to end.

This story gives ALL the summery vibes and would be a perfect beach read!

🎧Allie Shae does a great job narrating Paige, but she lost me with some of her male voices and took me right out of the story 🙃 It’s the tricky thing about having one narrator do multiple voices of the opposite gender; I want to forget it’s only one person, which didn’t happen here. I still enjoyed the audiobook, but for me it’s not a must listen and I’d probably recommend eyeball reading.

[Ava · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was easy to get into because I love a treasure hunt novel, and because that was the primary plot line there was no third act breakup yay small win. But beyond that bruhhh there were SO many syntax issues here. Verb tenses were all over the place in the first quarter and there were so many run-on sentences and dependent clauses. Obviously if you know the rules you get the break them, but it was basically every sentence. Like, come on. Have some decorum! This is a NOVEL!

Also, so many minor plot holes — idk if you could even really call them plot holes but like. Why would you specify that a character only wears black “down to his classic vans” and then the next page he’s getting out of the boat wearing “expensive white sneakers” 20 minutes later?? Why?? And also it was never really cleared up HOW her dad stole all her money from HER MOMS side of the family like really?? The grandma who has custody over the protagonist kept nothing?? And how would Harvard actually believe some random who said that she came from money to the point that she needs to get a signature from her estranged father to prove she doesn’t. Does the author know how much information and work goes into applying for FAFSA? I think not.

What really stuck this book down from three to two point five for me is the ending. What do you MEAN she’s gonna commute to HARVARD for her second year so she can live with her chopped bf on a houseboat?? No wonder there was basically no reference to anything at Harvard other than the fact that she was home for the summer. Girl didn’t do anything or meet anyone!! She should be at the club!! She should be at the poetry slam!! She should not be living with her 20 year old bf on a houseboat. DONT piss me off. Other than that and some odd behavior, though, the couple did have good chemistry. …and I would read a sequel I have no arms against a treasure hunt

[Tito · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 but rounding up since I had a fun time with this book!

This book had amazing vibes throughout:

- hunting for a long lost treasure 🪎
- clues and riddles to solve 🕵🏻‍♀️
- summer in a lake town in Michigan 🌞
- getting the gang back together 🤝🏽
- childhood friends to lovers 🥰
- found family 💜

I went into this book thinking it was an adult contemporary romance but it was definitely more YA, so if you’re looking for tons of spice, you won’t find it here! What you will find is a banter and yearning though, and I found myself invested in the treasure hunt a lot more than the romance aspect of the story.

I thought the pacing was great in the book. However, I felt like the author could have made main characters act their age more consistently. They dealt with some very adult issues that gave the story a more serious tone at times, but the characters acted like nothing was happening. It didn't feel like their emotions matched up to the situation at hand.

Thank you, Avon and Harper Voyage for my eARC! Just in time to kick off my summer reads!

Spice: .5 / 5 🌶️

[Temi (temisreads)🧸 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
This was a fun friends to lovers summer romance mixed with treasure hunting! The Summer of Lost Things follows Paige and Seb and their childhood friend group as they are on the hunt for a famous treasure in their town. Prior to the start of the novel, the friend group was a bit disconnected so it was nice to see them reconnect and find their way back to each other over the course of the book! The treasure hunt plot added a lot of fun and adventure filled moments to the story but at times it did feel like it was put on the backburner. I didn't totally mind that because I really enjoyed Paige and Seb's dynamic. The "he's always been in love with her trope" always hits and these two had great tension that turned into a really sweet romance! Allie Shae does a great job narrating the audiobook as well! This book felt like watching an Outer Banks episode and I would recommend for a sweet summer romance!

Thank you to HarperAudio Adult for the ALC in exchange for my review!

[Bailey · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75⭐️ this book made me so angry lol. I was excited going into this one because the plot seemed fun and I do think it was fun, but the characters were extremely immature. I know they were only a year out after graduating high school, but they didn’t act like it. It really took me out of the book because I couldn’t connect with them and then it distracted me from the plot. There were also quite a few extreme situations and circumstances happening that made it quite unbelievable. I do not reccomend the audiobook either.

[Catie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read one of Jenn Bennett's books before and loved it. I bought this cause it takes place in Michigan and that's where we vacation. So a new vacation read. It was super cute. Yes it felt more young adult cause they are basically 19 after their freshman year of college. And I was okay with this. I did figure out two things involving the story/treasure hunting aspect but I enjoyed what I read. It was cute.

[Marrissa Horton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a fun story, with the perfect setting and vibes, especially for a summer read. It’s young adult, and the characters felt relatable for their age, and had me hooked from the beginning. I loved their history and what they brought out in each other. If you like the TV show Outer Banks, you need this book in your life. It had the perfect pace, and just enough action.
I have always loved treasure hunting adventures, and with a second chance romance mixed in, this was my jam.

🎙️The audiobook is narrated by Allie Shae - she did a fantastic job with her solo performance. I love her voice, and how she differentiated between the characters, and brought their personalities and emotions to life.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 ⇣
Small beach town setting - Lake Michigan
Childhood best friends
Second chance
Overachiever x bad boy
Treasure hunt
Family secrets
Partners in crime
Summer love
Single 1st POV

Thank you to Harper Audio, Avon Books, and NetGalley for the advanced copies!

[The Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Anna (annasbookstacks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ★