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Heart Beach #1
The Summer Girlfriend
A fake summer fling between a stand-in girlfriend and a handsome business heir becomes way too real in this glittering new romance by USA Today bestselling author Kristina Forest.
Noelle Lewis doesn't have time for long walks on the beach, brunch with the girls, or summer vacations. She's too busy saving up to go back to college. After recently getting laid off from her bookseller job, her main gig is now serving as a "stand-in" bridesmaid, which doesn't pay enough for the upcoming semester's tuition. But then the perfect, if not unconventional, opportunity arises…
Jeremiah Smith II, grandson of the founder of Smith's Sweets — a well-known baked goods company — once lived a life of frivolity. Since his grandfather's death, Jeremiah's tried to clean up his act, but it's hard to focus when his family requests that he join them at their summer house in Heart Beach, New Jersey, where his most painful memory lies. To avoid going there, Jeremiah claims he already has plans with his girlfriend, and of course, his family tells him to bring her. The problem? Jeremiah doesn't have a girlfriend.
After a chance meeting, Noelle and Jeremiah come to an agreement. He'll hire her to be his stand-in girlfriend for the weekend, and she'll use that money toward her tuition. She figures it will be quick, easy money, but as it turns out, Jeremiah's family is lovely, and Jeremiah is even lovelier. Soon, a weekend agreement turns into an entire summer, and Noelle and Jeremiah will have to keep their hearts in check, or else it's sink or swim for them both.
Noelle Lewis doesn't have time for long walks on the beach, brunch with the girls, or summer vacations. She's too busy saving up to go back to college. After recently getting laid off from her bookseller job, her main gig is now serving as a "stand-in" bridesmaid, which doesn't pay enough for the upcoming semester's tuition. But then the perfect, if not unconventional, opportunity arises…
Jeremiah Smith II, grandson of the founder of Smith's Sweets — a well-known baked goods company — once lived a life of frivolity. Since his grandfather's death, Jeremiah's tried to clean up his act, but it's hard to focus when his family requests that he join them at their summer house in Heart Beach, New Jersey, where his most painful memory lies. To avoid going there, Jeremiah claims he already has plans with his girlfriend, and of course, his family tells him to bring her. The problem? Jeremiah doesn't have a girlfriend.
After a chance meeting, Noelle and Jeremiah come to an agreement. He'll hire her to be his stand-in girlfriend for the weekend, and she'll use that money toward her tuition. She figures it will be quick, easy money, but as it turns out, Jeremiah's family is lovely, and Jeremiah is even lovelier. Soon, a weekend agreement turns into an entire summer, and Noelle and Jeremiah will have to keep their hearts in check, or else it's sink or swim for them both.
393 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 9, 2026
About the author
Kristina Forest
17 books3,443 followersKristina Forest is the USA Today bestselling author of romances for both teens and adults. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing at The New School and she can often be found rearranging her bookshelf.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,124 reviews
June 19, 2026
5/5
EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK!! The writing is giving a mix between Carley Fortune and Emily Henry because it’s so picturesque. I could literally feel the sand beneath my toes. Heart Beach felt like Oak Bluffs and the love story gave me all the feels!!!
EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK!! The writing is giving a mix between Carley Fortune and Emily Henry because it’s so picturesque. I could literally feel the sand beneath my toes. Heart Beach felt like Oak Bluffs and the love story gave me all the feels!!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I literally can't wait for it to be summer so I can reread this. This had everything I look for in a romance book.
The book is written in 3rd POV, which I really liked because it gave us a bigger scope of the story rather than the usual first pov in romance books. The prologue takes us back to the mid-1970s, where we meet Jeremiah’s grandparents just as they’re starting their bakery, Smith’s Sweets, which is honestly one of the sweetest origin stories you could imagine. After the passing of his grandfather, Jeremiah leaves the family business out of grief and distances himself from his mom and siblings. His headstrong mom, Celeste, continues to encourage him to attend summers at Haven Beach with the rest of his family. Jeremiah, still grieving, continues to make excuses to not attend, such as spending time with a fake girlfriend, a lie that pleases his mother, until she wants to meet her
Noelle is a for-hire bridesmaid who is struggling to save up enough money to return to college and finish her degree, then become a librarian, after losing her scholarship. When she's let go from her bookstore job, fate has in store that Jeremiah walks in on the last day to purchase a book for his sister. After discovering her side hustle, Jeremiah presents the idea of hiring her as his girlfriend to abide by his lie, and ugh what a start of a romance!!
It was sooo sweet, fun, and filled with such summer vibes. Jeremiah and Noelle had great chemistry, and I loved their personalities and their treatment of each other. They were so relatable and authentic. The development of their relationship was really well-paced, and I loved seeing them fall in love throughout the summer. I think that the side characters were a great addition and really strengthened the story. I found that this book had none of the usual tropes that usually irritate me, and I don't think I cringed even once.
Also, I knew this was set in New Jersey, but it feels so weird having my small town continuously mentioned in a book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
The book is written in 3rd POV, which I really liked because it gave us a bigger scope of the story rather than the usual first pov in romance books. The prologue takes us back to the mid-1970s, where we meet Jeremiah’s grandparents just as they’re starting their bakery, Smith’s Sweets, which is honestly one of the sweetest origin stories you could imagine. After the passing of his grandfather, Jeremiah leaves the family business out of grief and distances himself from his mom and siblings. His headstrong mom, Celeste, continues to encourage him to attend summers at Haven Beach with the rest of his family. Jeremiah, still grieving, continues to make excuses to not attend, such as spending time with a fake girlfriend, a lie that pleases his mother, until she wants to meet her
Noelle is a for-hire bridesmaid who is struggling to save up enough money to return to college and finish her degree, then become a librarian, after losing her scholarship. When she's let go from her bookstore job, fate has in store that Jeremiah walks in on the last day to purchase a book for his sister. After discovering her side hustle, Jeremiah presents the idea of hiring her as his girlfriend to abide by his lie, and ugh what a start of a romance!!
It was sooo sweet, fun, and filled with such summer vibes. Jeremiah and Noelle had great chemistry, and I loved their personalities and their treatment of each other. They were so relatable and authentic. The development of their relationship was really well-paced, and I loved seeing them fall in love throughout the summer. I think that the side characters were a great addition and really strengthened the story. I found that this book had none of the usual tropes that usually irritate me, and I don't think I cringed even once.
Also, I knew this was set in New Jersey, but it feels so weird having my small town continuously mentioned in a book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
June 5, 2026
it wouldn't be summer if i didn't try to love a romance.
i'm pleased to share it worked.
there's something about this time of year that makes me crave romance, a genre i am notoriously exceptionally picky about. fortunately this was lovely.
https://emmareadstoomuch.substack.com...
i'm a big fan of our protagonist, noelle, and her determination and dreams and major sweet tooth. i also liked her love interest quite a bit at the start, although i thought jeremiah lost some traits in order to become a big softy by the end.
i may have liked the first half of this better — the yearning! the fake dating! the banter! — and the third-act breakup and its resulting makeup were a bit fast for me, but this summoned the feeling of summers on the shore and that's a good enough thing in and of itself.
bottom line: a pleasure.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
i'm pleased to share it worked.
there's something about this time of year that makes me crave romance, a genre i am notoriously exceptionally picky about. fortunately this was lovely.
https://emmareadstoomuch.substack.com...
i'm a big fan of our protagonist, noelle, and her determination and dreams and major sweet tooth. i also liked her love interest quite a bit at the start, although i thought jeremiah lost some traits in order to become a big softy by the end.
i may have liked the first half of this better — the yearning! the fake dating! the banter! — and the third-act breakup and its resulting makeup were a bit fast for me, but this summoned the feeling of summers on the shore and that's a good enough thing in and of itself.
bottom line: a pleasure.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
June 14, 2026
2.5 ⭐️ this should have been a slam dunk hit for me with the tropes involved (and this gorgeous cover as a good omen), but the contents didn’t quite serve the vibrancy promised by the cover. don’t get me wrong — the book was all perfectly pleasant, but it read somewhat superficial, curated and clinical…so it was boring as hell as a result 😭. i really wanted to love this, so i’m sad to be even saying that and rating it this low.
the prologue had me HOOKED with the flashback to the 70s…but then everything that came after in the present-day world was just sort of tepid. it wasn’t a bad book necessarily, but it’s nothing i’d ever dare write home about. definition mid.
the writing style worked against me most. it was too simple, so everything came across perfunctory and told to me, rather than me experiencing what was going on between and around the characters, or feeling any sort of big feelings from this. at a minimum, i expected to at least be giddy about the romance, but it was just meh. maybe if there was a dash more lyricism, it would have helped some. everything felt so mechanical. even the attempts at humour fell flat. maybe it’s because i just came from another book that had effortless and genuinely laugh-out-loud humour in a romcom setting that the lack of it here stood out more, but the relevant lines and moments in this book paled in comparison.
the premise is nothing revolutionary: fake dating for mutually beneficial reasons. i typically like fake or arranged relationship tropes, so that’s why i was UP about this before cracking it open. throw in a rich man, and the recipe is supposed to get almost flop-proof. the chemistry between jeremiah and noelle was borderline non-existent though. no sparks, no electricity, no banked heat. barely any charm. everything was so stiff between them, to the point of feeling staged (even when the book was telling me that what they were feeling was real). it felt like i was reading about two too perfectly-programmed robots saying and doing all the right things at the right times, falling in like. also, the insert of the arrangement felt very planted. i would have liked to be eased into it more.
i also felt like there was a bit of a rush through particular moments, and had the writing forced me to sit with them a bit longer, i might have felt something. a kiss would happen and there was barely any embellishment to or seasoning in the writing. suddenly it was just over and i was like wait, that’s it? even the setting felt like a pop-up set and the interactions with the side characters felt unnatural. idk, but this writing really didn’t have any flair to it…
i can’t even spin a little something for each mc because honestly? both of them were bland characters. nice people for sure, and neither did anything offensive or infuriating, but they barely had discernible personalities nor did they feel like real people to me. they had a bit of an arc outside of the romance each, but i didn’t connect to any of the issues that they were both working through, and that’s because of the writing (not that the topics themselves aren’t ones i’ve read before and enjoyed elsewhere). i just didn’t feel emotionally activated by anything in here in any sort of way 🥲. the execution of their problems was very cookie cutter and surface-level.
one positive i can highlight is that the main characters were very mature and communicative. the mmc was also respectful, sweet and generous (i’ll always give a man his tens for dropping stacks 🤭).
alas, i’m quite disappointed. i desperately wanted to rate it even 3 stars when i got to the midpoint and digested the fact that i wasn’t engaged by this at all, but when i finished up, i had to look in the mirror and tell myself girl…you know what this was. it was my first book by this author, so i’m not encouraged to pick up the next one in the series or anything else by her, because a lot of my problems stem from the style in which the book was written (which is likely pervasive across her catalogue). it’s not even the fact that the book is written in third person either, because i have several examples that made me feel more than this one did (even if third is not my first choice when it comes to romance books). the writing style is just too cursory. if you’re someone who likes more straightforward and unadorned prose though, i don’t think you’ll have the same problems as me and could very well enjoy this as a light, innocuous summer read! it just didn’t hit for me *cries*.
the prologue had me HOOKED with the flashback to the 70s…but then everything that came after in the present-day world was just sort of tepid. it wasn’t a bad book necessarily, but it’s nothing i’d ever dare write home about. definition mid.
the writing style worked against me most. it was too simple, so everything came across perfunctory and told to me, rather than me experiencing what was going on between and around the characters, or feeling any sort of big feelings from this. at a minimum, i expected to at least be giddy about the romance, but it was just meh. maybe if there was a dash more lyricism, it would have helped some. everything felt so mechanical. even the attempts at humour fell flat. maybe it’s because i just came from another book that had effortless and genuinely laugh-out-loud humour in a romcom setting that the lack of it here stood out more, but the relevant lines and moments in this book paled in comparison.
the premise is nothing revolutionary: fake dating for mutually beneficial reasons. i typically like fake or arranged relationship tropes, so that’s why i was UP about this before cracking it open. throw in a rich man, and the recipe is supposed to get almost flop-proof. the chemistry between jeremiah and noelle was borderline non-existent though. no sparks, no electricity, no banked heat. barely any charm. everything was so stiff between them, to the point of feeling staged (even when the book was telling me that what they were feeling was real). it felt like i was reading about two too perfectly-programmed robots saying and doing all the right things at the right times, falling in like. also, the insert of the arrangement felt very planted. i would have liked to be eased into it more.
i also felt like there was a bit of a rush through particular moments, and had the writing forced me to sit with them a bit longer, i might have felt something. a kiss would happen and there was barely any embellishment to or seasoning in the writing. suddenly it was just over and i was like wait, that’s it? even the setting felt like a pop-up set and the interactions with the side characters felt unnatural. idk, but this writing really didn’t have any flair to it…
i can’t even spin a little something for each mc because honestly? both of them were bland characters. nice people for sure, and neither did anything offensive or infuriating, but they barely had discernible personalities nor did they feel like real people to me. they had a bit of an arc outside of the romance each, but i didn’t connect to any of the issues that they were both working through, and that’s because of the writing (not that the topics themselves aren’t ones i’ve read before and enjoyed elsewhere). i just didn’t feel emotionally activated by anything in here in any sort of way 🥲. the execution of their problems was very cookie cutter and surface-level.
one positive i can highlight is that the main characters were very mature and communicative. the mmc was also respectful, sweet and generous (i’ll always give a man his tens for dropping stacks 🤭).
alas, i’m quite disappointed. i desperately wanted to rate it even 3 stars when i got to the midpoint and digested the fact that i wasn’t engaged by this at all, but when i finished up, i had to look in the mirror and tell myself girl…you know what this was. it was my first book by this author, so i’m not encouraged to pick up the next one in the series or anything else by her, because a lot of my problems stem from the style in which the book was written (which is likely pervasive across her catalogue). it’s not even the fact that the book is written in third person either, because i have several examples that made me feel more than this one did (even if third is not my first choice when it comes to romance books). the writing style is just too cursory. if you’re someone who likes more straightforward and unadorned prose though, i don’t think you’ll have the same problems as me and could very well enjoy this as a light, innocuous summer read! it just didn’t hit for me *cries*.
September 14, 2026
thank you so much to netgalley for this arc!!
3.5⭐️
this was such a sweet book. our mmc in this is the epitome of ‘if he wanted to, he would’. i think these characters were so well suited to each other, and they displayed actual emotional intelligence which goes a long way with me. they treated each other with care and consideration and there weren’t any silly miscommunications. i already knew that i loved kristina forest’s writing (i have read and loved all her other books), so this one also worked really well for me.
i will say, i wasn’t hugely invested in this story. it was really sweet and i loved the characters as ive said, but it felt more like a lighthearted cute time, than a book that will really stay with me. that’s not necessarily a bad thing, depending on what you’re looking for!
overall, i would definitely recommend this.
3.5⭐️
this was such a sweet book. our mmc in this is the epitome of ‘if he wanted to, he would’. i think these characters were so well suited to each other, and they displayed actual emotional intelligence which goes a long way with me. they treated each other with care and consideration and there weren’t any silly miscommunications. i already knew that i loved kristina forest’s writing (i have read and loved all her other books), so this one also worked really well for me.
i will say, i wasn’t hugely invested in this story. it was really sweet and i loved the characters as ive said, but it felt more like a lighthearted cute time, than a book that will really stay with me. that’s not necessarily a bad thing, depending on what you’re looking for!
overall, i would definitely recommend this.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️ 4.5 ⭐️ This was such a delight! Nothing like reading a charming, light, feel-good summer romance especially when visiting a coastal town myself (I was in Montauk for a weekend!) and I loved everything about this romance. As someone who is not a fan of contemporary romances, The Summer Girlfriend is a story full of emotional intimacy, romantic tension and mature conversations. Fake-dating premises are my least favorite, but something about Noelle and Jeremiahs arrangement just worked so flawlessly, I couldn't put it down.
In short, Noelle is our 27 year old protagonist who works two jobs, trying to save up for college so she can finally get her degree and built a better future for herself. She's made some mistakes in the past and she's trying to correct the wrongs. When she gets let go from one of her jobs, she meets Jeremiah. He's a wealthy, well-established man who carries some unresolved guilt and other feelings but has been trying to prove/change his image. His family wants him to come home for the summer but he's been keeping his distance because that summer house is full of memories of his grandfather. He is frequently avoiding these gatherings because he says he has other plans with his girlfriend...but Jeremiah doesn't have a girlfriend..and now he is in a pickle and needs Noelles help. They strike up an agreement where he PAYS her to his girlfriend for one summer weekend but this arrangement becomes extended and what follows is hopeful, tender, romantic. You just have to read it to see what happens!
Am I becoming a hopeless romantic? Yes, I think I'm growing increasingly attracted to romances that gradually reveal vulnerabilities when characters allow themselves to start over. Jeremiah is grieving the death of his grandfather. He blames himself for the last argument that they had because he never had a chance to make amends or say that he was sorry. In turn, he struggles to be honest about this with his family as he believes that they would never accept or forgive him for what he did. When he meets Noelle, she shows him that it's ok to be himself, to be honest and vulnerable with himself and others and that it's ok to let go of your guilt and recover from past mistakes. Jeremiah helps Noelle to understand that her past mistakes do not define her. He too helps her let go of her past and teaches her to give her some grace and permission to start over. I just loved absolutely everything about their relationship dynamic whether it be fake or not. Their romance never erased their past loses, giving them both courage and bravery to become better versions of themselves.
I have absolutely NO criticism. I thought they each had strong individual arcs and that Jeremiah's family added balance to the romance plot. I appreciated how this had no crazy drama, no miscommunication. It's a mature romance with sweet leads, great summer setting and wonderful, funny and smart side characters. I have a feeling the next book might be Amara's and Danny's story!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author, Kristina Forest for the early eARC!
Publication date: June 9, 2026
In short, Noelle is our 27 year old protagonist who works two jobs, trying to save up for college so she can finally get her degree and built a better future for herself. She's made some mistakes in the past and she's trying to correct the wrongs. When she gets let go from one of her jobs, she meets Jeremiah. He's a wealthy, well-established man who carries some unresolved guilt and other feelings but has been trying to prove/change his image. His family wants him to come home for the summer but he's been keeping his distance because that summer house is full of memories of his grandfather. He is frequently avoiding these gatherings because he says he has other plans with his girlfriend...but Jeremiah doesn't have a girlfriend..and now he is in a pickle and needs Noelles help. They strike up an agreement where he PAYS her to his girlfriend for one summer weekend but this arrangement becomes extended and what follows is hopeful, tender, romantic. You just have to read it to see what happens!
Am I becoming a hopeless romantic? Yes, I think I'm growing increasingly attracted to romances that gradually reveal vulnerabilities when characters allow themselves to start over. Jeremiah is grieving the death of his grandfather. He blames himself for the last argument that they had because he never had a chance to make amends or say that he was sorry. In turn, he struggles to be honest about this with his family as he believes that they would never accept or forgive him for what he did. When he meets Noelle, she shows him that it's ok to be himself, to be honest and vulnerable with himself and others and that it's ok to let go of your guilt and recover from past mistakes. Jeremiah helps Noelle to understand that her past mistakes do not define her. He too helps her let go of her past and teaches her to give her some grace and permission to start over. I just loved absolutely everything about their relationship dynamic whether it be fake or not. Their romance never erased their past loses, giving them both courage and bravery to become better versions of themselves.
I have absolutely NO criticism. I thought they each had strong individual arcs and that Jeremiah's family added balance to the romance plot. I appreciated how this had no crazy drama, no miscommunication. It's a mature romance with sweet leads, great summer setting and wonderful, funny and smart side characters. I have a feeling the next book might be Amara's and Danny's story!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author, Kristina Forest for the early eARC!
Publication date: June 9, 2026
June 1, 2026
“I know it’s only been one summer, but you live deep in here now, Noelle.” He placed his hand over his heart.
“I love you. I love you so much.”
on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ♪ˎˊ˗
“ɢᴏʟᴅᴇɴ ʜᴏᴜʀ” x ᴋᴀᴄᴇʏ ᴍᴜsɢʀᴀᴠᴇs
0:33 ─♥───────── 3:18
This was such a cute, easy read and the perfect summer romance. 😍 The fake dating premise immediately hooked me, and I loved watching Jeremiah and Noelle go from strangers to friends to something more. Their relationship developed so naturally, with all those little moments where they realized how much they enjoyed being around each other.
One of my favorite things about this book was how intentional they were with each other. They listened, paid attention, and genuinely cared about one another. Jeremiah was especially thoughtful, supportive, and respectful, which made him impossible not to love 🤭🤭
I also appreciated how mature they were when it came to their feelings. They were honest about their arrangement and communicated openly as things started to change between them. (I always love seeing characters actually talk to each other instead of creating unnecessary drama) 🙈
While the romance was wonderful, I felt like there was an even bigger story being told about family, forgiveness, and honesty. Jeremiah’s journey with his family was one of my favorite parts of the book. It was such a great reminder of how important it is to be truthful with the people who love us, even when it’s difficult or uncomfortable. Watching him reconnect with his family and find his place with them again added so much heart to the story.
Overall, this was warm, sweet, and heartfelt with characters I genuinely enjoyed spending time with. A perfect book to pick up for a summery read 💖✨
favorite quotes ↓
“If you don’t forgive yourself, how can you ever move forward?”
“If we spend too much time thinking about the what-ifs, how can we ever accomplish anything?”
things to know about the book ↓
✨ summer romance
✨ fake dating
✨ written in 3rd person
✨ beach town setting
✨ slow burn
✨ strangers → friends → lovers
✨ family tension
✨ emotional growth
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 13, 23, 24, 25
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
this is genuinely one of the prettiest covers!!
i'm ready for some fake dating + summer vibes <3
“I love you. I love you so much.”
on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ♪ˎˊ˗
“ɢᴏʟᴅᴇɴ ʜᴏᴜʀ” x ᴋᴀᴄᴇʏ ᴍᴜsɢʀᴀᴠᴇs
0:33 ─♥───────── 3:18
This was such a cute, easy read and the perfect summer romance. 😍 The fake dating premise immediately hooked me, and I loved watching Jeremiah and Noelle go from strangers to friends to something more. Their relationship developed so naturally, with all those little moments where they realized how much they enjoyed being around each other.
One of my favorite things about this book was how intentional they were with each other. They listened, paid attention, and genuinely cared about one another. Jeremiah was especially thoughtful, supportive, and respectful, which made him impossible not to love 🤭🤭
I also appreciated how mature they were when it came to their feelings. They were honest about their arrangement and communicated openly as things started to change between them. (I always love seeing characters actually talk to each other instead of creating unnecessary drama) 🙈
While the romance was wonderful, I felt like there was an even bigger story being told about family, forgiveness, and honesty. Jeremiah’s journey with his family was one of my favorite parts of the book. It was such a great reminder of how important it is to be truthful with the people who love us, even when it’s difficult or uncomfortable. Watching him reconnect with his family and find his place with them again added so much heart to the story.
Overall, this was warm, sweet, and heartfelt with characters I genuinely enjoyed spending time with. A perfect book to pick up for a summery read 💖✨
favorite quotes ↓
“If you don’t forgive yourself, how can you ever move forward?”
“If we spend too much time thinking about the what-ifs, how can we ever accomplish anything?”
things to know about the book ↓
✨ summer romance
✨ fake dating
✨ written in 3rd person
✨ beach town setting
✨ slow burn
✨ strangers → friends → lovers
✨ family tension
✨ emotional growth
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 13, 23, 24, 25
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
this is genuinely one of the prettiest covers!!
i'm ready for some fake dating + summer vibes <3
September 13, 2026
just know i’m OBSESSED!
ok, i know i'm currently in spooky mode, but my libby hold for kristina forest's the summer girlfriend arrived, and i’m soooo glad that i squeezed it in! i really loved hearing her talk about books with ashley poston earlier this summer, and the summer girlfriend was the perfect last summer splash before i continue my spooky reads🎃☀️
the summer girlfriend is such a great summer read with sweet treats galore, but also had family drama that really resonated with me. i felt so strongly for jeremiah not wanting to let down his family and their legacy, but i love how his family supported one another during difficult times.
i HIGHLY recommend the audiobook! both narrators did a fantastic job!
i cannot wait to check out kristina forest’s other books!!
ok, i know i'm currently in spooky mode, but my libby hold for kristina forest's the summer girlfriend arrived, and i’m soooo glad that i squeezed it in! i really loved hearing her talk about books with ashley poston earlier this summer, and the summer girlfriend was the perfect last summer splash before i continue my spooky reads🎃☀️
the summer girlfriend is such a great summer read with sweet treats galore, but also had family drama that really resonated with me. i felt so strongly for jeremiah not wanting to let down his family and their legacy, but i love how his family supported one another during difficult times.
i HIGHLY recommend the audiobook! both narrators did a fantastic job!
i cannot wait to check out kristina forest’s other books!!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
4.0 ★— Being generously paid to spend a summer fake dating a hot, wealthy guy is a dream scenario, and I’m supremely jealous of the main character of this book.
At 27, Noelle Lewis has had a rough couple of years, not being able to finish college after a regretful mistake and having to take care of her ailing mother. Determined to complete her degree and become a librarian, she works multiple jobs, one of which is being a bridesmaid for hire, giving her the acting and people skills to be the perfect fake girlfriend.
Jeremiah Smith II, the MMC, is the wealthy son of a prominent family and the respectful, conscientious man of any woman’s dreams. I can’t express how light and fun this was to read, as I got all the summery feelings in this decidedly un-summery time for me.
This story is told in a dual POV style, which I usually don’t prefer, but I really enjoyed it here because the MMC and his family are actually well developed! They’re an amazing part of the book, and seeing their bonds and relationships through Jeremiah’s perspective is a very important element of the story.
His family business, a large baked goods company started by his grandparents, is a narrative centerpiece, connecting him and his family members and their clear love tied up into it. The book also does a good job of portraying his complicated relationship with his grandfather, who is already dead at the beginning of the story. His lingering feelings there drive many of the emotions he’s grappling with.
And while in many stories I have to actively suspend my disbelief to buy into the whole fake dating setup, here I thought it made a lot of sense for him to find a fake girlfriend, as he deals with a lot of complicated emotions that make him want to maintain a certain façade for his family.
Now, while I really enjoyed this book, there were a few things I noticed. There were moments where I thought it lacked a bit of tension, or maybe just some of the more interesting, fun things that can come up with the fake dating trope.
Noelle and Jeremiah's first meeting felt so smooth that their move into fake dating was almost too seamless, and I think that removed some of the fun tension or banter that could have been developed between them. A lot of the zany, chaotic, and more interesting moments that the fake dating trope could invoke felt almost sidestepped, which zapped the story of a bit of charm and kept me from feeling more tension.
I also thought the sex scenes were a bit disappointing as they felt somewhat devoid of the personality both characters showed elsewhere, and I didn’t feel like they fully conveyed the very real attraction these two shared.
Otherwise, I’ll say again that I really liked how respectful the MMC was, and I thought his genuinely loving and supportive family dynamic was a joy to read. Also, seeing a heroine who’s been working hard finally be spoiled is always fun, which this book has plenty of!
____________
Thank you to the Berkley for the ARC.
At 27, Noelle Lewis has had a rough couple of years, not being able to finish college after a regretful mistake and having to take care of her ailing mother. Determined to complete her degree and become a librarian, she works multiple jobs, one of which is being a bridesmaid for hire, giving her the acting and people skills to be the perfect fake girlfriend.
Jeremiah Smith II, the MMC, is the wealthy son of a prominent family and the respectful, conscientious man of any woman’s dreams. I can’t express how light and fun this was to read, as I got all the summery feelings in this decidedly un-summery time for me.
This story is told in a dual POV style, which I usually don’t prefer, but I really enjoyed it here because the MMC and his family are actually well developed! They’re an amazing part of the book, and seeing their bonds and relationships through Jeremiah’s perspective is a very important element of the story.
His family business, a large baked goods company started by his grandparents, is a narrative centerpiece, connecting him and his family members and their clear love tied up into it. The book also does a good job of portraying his complicated relationship with his grandfather, who is already dead at the beginning of the story. His lingering feelings there drive many of the emotions he’s grappling with.
And while in many stories I have to actively suspend my disbelief to buy into the whole fake dating setup, here I thought it made a lot of sense for him to find a fake girlfriend, as he deals with a lot of complicated emotions that make him want to maintain a certain façade for his family.
Now, while I really enjoyed this book, there were a few things I noticed. There were moments where I thought it lacked a bit of tension, or maybe just some of the more interesting, fun things that can come up with the fake dating trope.
Noelle and Jeremiah's first meeting felt so smooth that their move into fake dating was almost too seamless, and I think that removed some of the fun tension or banter that could have been developed between them. A lot of the zany, chaotic, and more interesting moments that the fake dating trope could invoke felt almost sidestepped, which zapped the story of a bit of charm and kept me from feeling more tension.
I also thought the sex scenes were a bit disappointing as they felt somewhat devoid of the personality both characters showed elsewhere, and I didn’t feel like they fully conveyed the very real attraction these two shared.
Otherwise, I’ll say again that I really liked how respectful the MMC was, and I thought his genuinely loving and supportive family dynamic was a joy to read. Also, seeing a heroine who’s been working hard finally be spoiled is always fun, which this book has plenty of!
____________
Thank you to the Berkley for the ARC.
May 29, 2026
┆ ⤿ 🌊 ⌗ started: may 28, finished: june 14
4.75 stars 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
⤿ arc review with no spoilers.
⋆.˚ ★— ⓘ thank you berkley, kristina forest, and netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
⤿ OUT ON JUNE 9!!
tropes to expect: ⋆˚࿔
.ᐟ fake dating
.ᐟ third person pov
.ᐟ only one bed
.ᐟ summer romance
.ᐟ slow burn
.ᐟ he falls first, he falls even harder
summary ⋆˚࿔
the summer girlfriend follows noelle lewis, who works in a bookstore and takes on bridesmaid-for-hire jobs on the side to save up money so she can go back to college for her senior year and hopefully continue on to get her master’s.
after she gets laid off from her main job, noelle gets a golden opportunity to be jeremiah smith ii’s fake girlfriend. jeremiah, the golden rich boy and grandson of the founder of smith’s sweets, is trying to clean up his act after his grandfather’s death. but when his family asks him to come to their summer house in heart beach, new jersey, where one of his most painful memories happened, jeremiah says he already has plans with his girlfriend. the problem? jeremiah doesn’t have a girlfriend.
after a chance meeting, noelle and jeremiah make a deal. he’ll hire her to be his stand-in girlfriend for the weekend, and she’ll use the money toward her tuition. noelle thinks it’ll be quick and easy money, but jeremiah’s family ends up being lovely, and jeremiah is even lovelier.
thoughts ⋆˚࿔
using the word beautiful feels like an understatement for this book! kristina did such an amazing job making the fake dating and slow burn blend together so well. noelle and jeremiah’s story was sweet, soft, and had the perfect amount of tension that kept me wanting more.
i really enjoyed how noelle kept encouraging jeremiah to reconnect with his family, especially because he had been carrying so much regret for the past two years. she never pushed him in a harsh way, but instead helped him see that he still had time to heal, open up, and let the people who loved him back in. that part made their relationship feel even more meaningful because it wasn’t just about fake dating slowly turning real, but also about growth, forgiveness, and finding comfort in each other.
it was a breath of fresh air seeing that jeremiah wanted to treat noelle with the same love and care she gave for everyone except herself. he allowed her to be her safety net and i loved it so much. she deserved it after everything she went through.
the only reason why i kept it 4.75 instead of 5 stars is because of the super long chapters. i have an attention span of dory so it was getting hard for me lol. but other than that everything was perfect. i hope book 2 is about dylan cause oh his tension with annabel was sooo good!!
⋆.˚ ★ — characters
noelle lewis ⋆˚࿔
i love complicated fmcs who think they have to take care of everything by themselves, and i love it even more when everything slowly falls into place for them. that’s exactly the case for noelle. she was so easy to root for because she was trying so hard to keep everything together, even when life kept throwing more at her. between working at the bookstore, taking bridesmaid-for-hire jobs, saving up for college, and figuring out her future, noelle carried so much on her own. but what made her so special was that she never let that stop her from being kind, thoughtful, and open to love. watching her realize that she didn’t have to do everything alone was one of my favorite parts of the book. she deserved softness, support, and someone who saw how hard she was trying, and jeremiah gave her exactly that.
jermiah smith ⋆˚࿔
oh i loved him too. he had that golden rich boy charm, but underneath all of that, he was carrying so much pain and regret that made him feel so much more real. i loved seeing his softer side slowly come out with noelle. he was sweet, thoughtful, and trying so hard to be better, even when it was clear he didn’t fully know how to face everything he had been avoiding. his relationship with his family also made me love him more because you could see how much he cared, even when he was scared to reconnect with them. and the way he was with noelle? adorable. he gave her the softness and support she deserved, and i loved watching him fall for her without even realizing how deep he was already in.
4.75 stars 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
⤿ arc review with no spoilers.
⋆.˚ ★— ⓘ thank you berkley, kristina forest, and netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
⤿ OUT ON JUNE 9!!
tropes to expect: ⋆˚࿔
.ᐟ fake dating
.ᐟ third person pov
.ᐟ only one bed
.ᐟ summer romance
.ᐟ slow burn
.ᐟ he falls first, he falls even harder
“When you walk into a room, I feel like the sun is shining right on me. And you don’t even have to do anything; you’re just being yourself.
summary ⋆˚࿔
the summer girlfriend follows noelle lewis, who works in a bookstore and takes on bridesmaid-for-hire jobs on the side to save up money so she can go back to college for her senior year and hopefully continue on to get her master’s.
after she gets laid off from her main job, noelle gets a golden opportunity to be jeremiah smith ii’s fake girlfriend. jeremiah, the golden rich boy and grandson of the founder of smith’s sweets, is trying to clean up his act after his grandfather’s death. but when his family asks him to come to their summer house in heart beach, new jersey, where one of his most painful memories happened, jeremiah says he already has plans with his girlfriend. the problem? jeremiah doesn’t have a girlfriend.
after a chance meeting, noelle and jeremiah make a deal. he’ll hire her to be his stand-in girlfriend for the weekend, and she’ll use the money toward her tuition. noelle thinks it’ll be quick and easy money, but jeremiah’s family ends up being lovely, and jeremiah is even lovelier.
thoughts ⋆˚࿔
using the word beautiful feels like an understatement for this book! kristina did such an amazing job making the fake dating and slow burn blend together so well. noelle and jeremiah’s story was sweet, soft, and had the perfect amount of tension that kept me wanting more.
i really enjoyed how noelle kept encouraging jeremiah to reconnect with his family, especially because he had been carrying so much regret for the past two years. she never pushed him in a harsh way, but instead helped him see that he still had time to heal, open up, and let the people who loved him back in. that part made their relationship feel even more meaningful because it wasn’t just about fake dating slowly turning real, but also about growth, forgiveness, and finding comfort in each other.
it was a breath of fresh air seeing that jeremiah wanted to treat noelle with the same love and care she gave for everyone except herself. he allowed her to be her safety net and i loved it so much. she deserved it after everything she went through.
the only reason why i kept it 4.75 instead of 5 stars is because of the super long chapters. i have an attention span of dory so it was getting hard for me lol. but other than that everything was perfect. i hope book 2 is about dylan cause oh his tension with annabel was sooo good!!
⋆.˚ ★ — characters
noelle lewis ⋆˚࿔
i love complicated fmcs who think they have to take care of everything by themselves, and i love it even more when everything slowly falls into place for them. that’s exactly the case for noelle. she was so easy to root for because she was trying so hard to keep everything together, even when life kept throwing more at her. between working at the bookstore, taking bridesmaid-for-hire jobs, saving up for college, and figuring out her future, noelle carried so much on her own. but what made her so special was that she never let that stop her from being kind, thoughtful, and open to love. watching her realize that she didn’t have to do everything alone was one of my favorite parts of the book. she deserved softness, support, and someone who saw how hard she was trying, and jeremiah gave her exactly that.
jermiah smith ⋆˚࿔
oh i loved him too. he had that golden rich boy charm, but underneath all of that, he was carrying so much pain and regret that made him feel so much more real. i loved seeing his softer side slowly come out with noelle. he was sweet, thoughtful, and trying so hard to be better, even when it was clear he didn’t fully know how to face everything he had been avoiding. his relationship with his family also made me love him more because you could see how much he cared, even when he was scared to reconnect with them. and the way he was with noelle? adorable. he gave her the softness and support she deserved, and i loved watching him fall for her without even realizing how deep he was already in.
June 13, 2026
just finished this book and i needed this! it’s been hard getting out of my reading slump but this book? i flew through! i had a good time
June 30, 2026
such a gorgeous cover, i was ready to love this but unfortunately it did not deliver.
my main complaint is the overall simplicity of most aspects of the book. the writing, the plot, the dialogue, the relationship. there's very little description, conversations are so straight forward but not in any stylistically impressive way. his family has their bakery and there's the whole no sweets thing but i can't really recall it getting much into food descriptions. i definitely expected some romance in the language itself but it left it with a very stilted almost juvenile quality lending more towards YA tone.
the fake dating aspect, which is a trope i love, just wasn't done in a fun, exciting way. while it makes him a major "green flag" mmc, the lead's aversion to doing anything too "untoward" since he was paying her as a fake girlfriend kind of just took the fun out of it. pretend kissing and intimacy is half the fun of fake dating! and while i enjoy slowburns, when we're 70% into a book and the mc's are texting about what their favorite color is, i fear we are not moving enough.
the opening had me v excited and i was really into the family background aspects, but it didn't take up enough of the book in a way that made the story a standout for me.
there were some great ideas and concepts for this, but in the execution it fell flat.
my main complaint is the overall simplicity of most aspects of the book. the writing, the plot, the dialogue, the relationship. there's very little description, conversations are so straight forward but not in any stylistically impressive way. his family has their bakery and there's the whole no sweets thing but i can't really recall it getting much into food descriptions. i definitely expected some romance in the language itself but it left it with a very stilted almost juvenile quality lending more towards YA tone.
the fake dating aspect, which is a trope i love, just wasn't done in a fun, exciting way. while it makes him a major "green flag" mmc, the lead's aversion to doing anything too "untoward" since he was paying her as a fake girlfriend kind of just took the fun out of it. pretend kissing and intimacy is half the fun of fake dating! and while i enjoy slowburns, when we're 70% into a book and the mc's are texting about what their favorite color is, i fear we are not moving enough.
the opening had me v excited and i was really into the family background aspects, but it didn't take up enough of the book in a way that made the story a standout for me.
there were some great ideas and concepts for this, but in the execution it fell flat.
June 16, 2026
The Summer Girlfriend is a light and breezy summer romance full of charm! The story follows Noelle, a bookseller saving up to finish her degree, and Jeremiah, heir to a bakery empire, as he hires Noelle to act as his fake girlfriend while he spends weekends with his family over the summer. This slow burn romance was just so sweet, the beach house setting and fake dating setup made for such a fun time. I loved how the small coastal town atmosphere bled into the lighthearted plot and gave way for so much fun summer activities and vibes. I also appreciated the hint of drama that was delivered, it was so needed and was the perfect balm to balance out the all too sweet book. This beach read is the ideal summer escape; each page is brimming with heart, charm, and swoon.
~Many thanks to Berkley Romance for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
~Many thanks to Berkley Romance for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
Read
June 16, 2026This sweet summer romance and 2026 Summer Reading Guide selection is bursting with bookishness and baked goods. Jeremiah has been avoiding his tight-knit family lately, claiming his (fictional) girlfriend has kept him too busy. Noelle makes decent money as a for-hire bridesmaid, but needs a lot more to pay tuition for her coveted library science degree. After a bookstore meet-cute, Jeremiah makes Noelle an offer: pretend to be his girlfriend at his family’s beach house for the weekend. That outing goes so well, they extend their fake fling for the whole summer. Noelle falls in love with the house, the family… and pretty soon she’s falling for Jeremiah as well. Little does she know, it’s mutual. This is a fun escapist read with a beach house setting that’s a character in its own right.
I enjoyed talking with Kristina Forest in What Should I Read Next 530: Nothing holds my attention like a romance.
I enjoyed talking with Kristina Forest in What Should I Read Next 530: Nothing holds my attention like a romance.
August 15, 2026
If I’m going to read a romance in 3rd person, THIS is how it should be done!!👏🏾👏🏾
This fake dating trope was adorable. I loved Jeremiah and Noelle’s relationship so much in this. This is what “soulmates” look like to me. A chance meeting with someone that feels like you’ve known them your whole life. How everything becomes so easy when they’re around. They knew as soon as they laid eyes on each other🥰
I also loved the portrayal of a healthy, wealthy black family. The dynamics that Jeremiah’s family had wasn’t perfect (what family is?) but I loved each and every character-even Percy LOL
I can definitely see why this one has been rated so highly by all who have read it. The only reason I didn’t rate this higher is because y’all know I love a little more depth and layers in my romances LOL🤭 This one was simply cutesy read.
But I definitely would recommend this one 100 times over.
🍪📖🩷
June 19, 2026
so he buys you books, listens to you yap about them, provides an endless supply of sweet treats, makes you tea, AND parallel parks the car so you don’t have to? that’s a forever boyfriend
April 20, 2026
This was such a heartwarming story. Fake dating turned into a slow burn romance, with family growing pains and self acceptance. The romance was sweet and believable.
I went into this read expecting something light and fluffy. What we get instead is an emotional story that is very relatable. Two people with different upbringings both trying to figure out where they fit in. I really loved the family dynamic told in this story.
A perfect beach read. Thank you Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for this Advance Readers Copy ebook in exchange for my honest review
I went into this read expecting something light and fluffy. What we get instead is an emotional story that is very relatable. Two people with different upbringings both trying to figure out where they fit in. I really loved the family dynamic told in this story.
A perfect beach read. Thank you Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for this Advance Readers Copy ebook in exchange for my honest review
May 19, 2026
some parts were a strong four and others were a high three so we’re landing here for now…
i just adore the sweet (no pun intended) romcoms that kristina forest is writing! all her characters are so wholesome and they genuinely deserve the love stories they are getting. her characters are always so mature, miscommunication seriously fears jeremiah and noelle, and that makes the story even better!!
fake dating is always a win, this was no different, but i do think i misread the synopsis when i got this arc because i thought there was going to be a wedding. is noelle a hired bridesmaid, yes, but there’s no wedding we go to. i did get over that but i’m always mourning a wedding in a book. these two strike up a deal when they meet on the day noelle gets fired, she’ll be his girlfriend for the summer and he’ll pay her which allows for her return to college. the deal was signed, by a maybe real lawyer, and the summer at heart beach was wonderful!
if you’re looking for the perfect relationship, when the girl reads her books out loud so be can be included and then he picks up the series and reads it anyway, this book has it! jeremiah and noelle were able to heal from their pasts and be each others soft places to land, isn’t that all we need??
i seriously loved them, this is a perfect beach read, and i will be back to heart beach when the inevitable novel about danny and amara is released!!
*thank you to netgalley and berkley for the copy!*
i just adore the sweet (no pun intended) romcoms that kristina forest is writing! all her characters are so wholesome and they genuinely deserve the love stories they are getting. her characters are always so mature, miscommunication seriously fears jeremiah and noelle, and that makes the story even better!!
fake dating is always a win, this was no different, but i do think i misread the synopsis when i got this arc because i thought there was going to be a wedding. is noelle a hired bridesmaid, yes, but there’s no wedding we go to. i did get over that but i’m always mourning a wedding in a book. these two strike up a deal when they meet on the day noelle gets fired, she’ll be his girlfriend for the summer and he’ll pay her which allows for her return to college. the deal was signed, by a maybe real lawyer, and the summer at heart beach was wonderful!
if you’re looking for the perfect relationship, when the girl reads her books out loud so be can be included and then he picks up the series and reads it anyway, this book has it! jeremiah and noelle were able to heal from their pasts and be each others soft places to land, isn’t that all we need??
i seriously loved them, this is a perfect beach read, and i will be back to heart beach when the inevitable novel about danny and amara is released!!
*thank you to netgalley and berkley for the copy!*
August 22, 2026
they said read this if you love janine & greg and they MEANT IT. i love kristina forest already because she’s a jersey girlie like me, so i understand all of her references. but this book was just amazing. fmc who understood her role & played it well. no horrible super unnecessary third act break up, no miscommunication trope, no fmc that needs therapy more than a man. goodness i loved this book.
Want to Read
November 26, 2025this cover...omg
June 9, 2026
Looking for an adorable, steamy summer romance? This was oh so cute and I adored it so. It's set at the Jersey Shore and we get all the beachy feels. The side characters were amazing as well as the romance. If your looking for your next summer romance, this is it.
July 22, 2026
this was so cute !! rtc <3
₊˚⊹ 💐☀⊹ ࣪ ˖ ໒ pre-read ۫ ׅ ༉‧₊˚ 𓍼
𓂃⋆.˚ ⋮ predicted rating: ★★★★☆ ˚. ᵎᵎ
⸝⸝ im soso excited to start this book !! i honestly haven’t heard much about it at all, but i stumbled across it by chance and fell in love with the cover !! i read the synopsis on a whim, and it sounded exactly like the kind of summer romance i love ! i’m going into this one almost completely blind, which is honestly one of my favourite ways to start a book. i’m hoping it’ll be the perfect summer read, and i have a feeling i’m going to fly through it. here’s hoping it lives up to my expectations!
₊˚⊹ 💐☀⊹ ࣪ ˖ ໒ pre-read ۫ ׅ ༉‧₊˚ 𓍼
𓂃⋆.˚ ⋮ predicted rating: ★★★★☆ ˚. ᵎᵎ
⋆.˚ 22/7 to 24/7
⸝⸝ im soso excited to start this book !! i honestly haven’t heard much about it at all, but i stumbled across it by chance and fell in love with the cover !! i read the synopsis on a whim, and it sounded exactly like the kind of summer romance i love ! i’m going into this one almost completely blind, which is honestly one of my favourite ways to start a book. i’m hoping it’ll be the perfect summer read, and i have a feeling i’m going to fly through it. here’s hoping it lives up to my expectations!
June 17, 2026
✨ Rating: 4⭐️
🫧 Vibes: summer romance to more
🎶 Song: golden - harry styles
📖 Favourite Quote: "When you walk into a room, I feel like the sun is shining right on me."
📚 Would I recommend? yes!
💬 tldr thoughts: a warm, sweet and summery read!
In the package:
📦 forced proximity
📦 fake dating
📦 family tension
Plot: Noelle is trying to save up to go back to college only she's just been let go from her job at the bookstore and is now serving as a “stand-in” bridesmaid, which doesn’t pay enough. On her last day at the bookstore she meets Jeremiah who has been lying to his family about having a girlfriend. They agree to fake date for the weekend but a weekend agreement quickly turns into an entire summer.
Thoughts: Let me start by saying what I loved the most about this book: the level of maturity between the characters was beyond refreshing. Their actions and the way they communicated with each other made this a great reading experience. The summer vibes were immaculate and this book also felt like a warm hug. The relationship progression felt natural and authentic and I loved how they read a book series together, it was so sweet 🥹 I also loved the side characters and Jeremiah's family. They were so welcoming and kind.
Tbh the only reason this isn't a 5 star read for me is because it's told in the 3rd person which I'm not a fan of. It really takes me out of the story.
Thank you BookSparks for the gifted physical copy!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
🫧 Vibes: summer romance to more
🎶 Song: golden - harry styles
📖 Favourite Quote: "When you walk into a room, I feel like the sun is shining right on me."
📚 Would I recommend? yes!
💬 tldr thoughts: a warm, sweet and summery read!
In the package:
📦 forced proximity
📦 fake dating
📦 family tension
Plot: Noelle is trying to save up to go back to college only she's just been let go from her job at the bookstore and is now serving as a “stand-in” bridesmaid, which doesn’t pay enough. On her last day at the bookstore she meets Jeremiah who has been lying to his family about having a girlfriend. They agree to fake date for the weekend but a weekend agreement quickly turns into an entire summer.
Thoughts: Let me start by saying what I loved the most about this book: the level of maturity between the characters was beyond refreshing. Their actions and the way they communicated with each other made this a great reading experience. The summer vibes were immaculate and this book also felt like a warm hug. The relationship progression felt natural and authentic and I loved how they read a book series together, it was so sweet 🥹 I also loved the side characters and Jeremiah's family. They were so welcoming and kind.
Tbh the only reason this isn't a 5 star read for me is because it's told in the 3rd person which I'm not a fan of. It really takes me out of the story.
Thank you BookSparks for the gifted physical copy!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
June 30, 2026
Romance and summertime go together a bit like PB&J. So it’s no surprise I’d gravitate towards a book about a summer romance. And the fact that it’s by Kristina Forest, an author who’s easily earned auto-buy status in my book, made it that much more appealing. What I did not expect was the emotional depth that exists just below the surface, making this book the epitome of the summer read.
I must admit, I have become quite the sucker for fake dating and done well. It can help to further the plot in an authentic way (ironic I know for a trope that is not super realistic) and Forest did that with our MCs, Noelle and Jeremiah, and their incredibly dynamic fake relationship.
While the swoon factor of the romance here didn’t surprise me, the inclusion of heavier topics including grief and familial guilt did. Handled with delicacy and nuance, these themes helped to create a multi-faceted leading man and an emotionally complex novel that goes beyond your standard summer romance.
🎧 The audiobook was fantastic as well. J.Y. Kora and Lawrence Baldwin were pitch perfect in their roles and added another level of raw vulnerability to these characters.
Read if you like:
▪️romance with emotional depth
▪️fake dating
▪️he falls first
▪️one bed
▪️family drama
Thank you Booksparks and PRH Audio for the gifted copies.
I must admit, I have become quite the sucker for fake dating and done well. It can help to further the plot in an authentic way (ironic I know for a trope that is not super realistic) and Forest did that with our MCs, Noelle and Jeremiah, and their incredibly dynamic fake relationship.
While the swoon factor of the romance here didn’t surprise me, the inclusion of heavier topics including grief and familial guilt did. Handled with delicacy and nuance, these themes helped to create a multi-faceted leading man and an emotionally complex novel that goes beyond your standard summer romance.
🎧 The audiobook was fantastic as well. J.Y. Kora and Lawrence Baldwin were pitch perfect in their roles and added another level of raw vulnerability to these characters.
Read if you like:
▪️romance with emotional depth
▪️fake dating
▪️he falls first
▪️one bed
▪️family drama
Thank you Booksparks and PRH Audio for the gifted copies.
June 13, 2026
a romance with actual mature characters and an fmc who lets a rich man help her with money problems instead of saying “I can do it myself” ? FINALLY 🙌🏻
this was SUCH a fun summer romance. I adore both main characters, they were so likable and I never got annoyed with either of them. the found family in this was also so cute and I love how it touched on grief, definitely a must read for summer
this was SUCH a fun summer romance. I adore both main characters, they were so likable and I never got annoyed with either of them. the found family in this was also so cute and I love how it touched on grief, definitely a must read for summer
August 27, 2026
i never wanna see the words "salted caramel chocolate chip cookies" again
October 24, 2026
➸ ∞/5 stars
If you looked up the definition of the word perfection in the dictionary the definition would simply just be the title of this book.
The fake dating trope has been my top pick with any kind of media that I consume. At the end of the day I’m more likely to pick something up if I get the tiniest hint that it includes fake dating. While the fake dating element of this book is a special plotpoint the book is so much more than the trope.
It's the truest example of love and what love can be. The book showcases how love and loving someone can be easy and hard sometimes but that doesn't mean you shouldn’t fight for it. Jeremiah and Noelle are soulmates and I can’t stress that enough. They understood each other and never tried to change one another. Not only did they grow together but they were able to grow as individuals as well.
I really connected with Noelle’s characters for a number of reasons but the main one is her love for reading and reading a number of genres. Books have always been a big part of my life especially when times get hard. I know that there's an infinite number of books out there waiting for me to read. I enjoyed how she thought that everyone is a reader. It just takes that one book to change a person’s mind because I feel the same way.
From the setting to every character I felt like I was a narrator looking in on these characters and their everyday lives. In my heart not only is Noelle a real person but every aspect of this book is the real deal. That's one of the things that make reading so special. Having that deep connection with a book and its contents.
The last chapter with the inclusion of the epilogue caught me by surprise, because nothing could’ve prepared me for the amount of tears I would come to shed. I hadn’t cried over a book in this way in some time so I was extremely shocked. While some were happy tears others were sad ones because I didn’t want this to come to an end. By the time I got to these two chapters this book felt pure sunlight streaming in through my window after a cloudy day.
Matter fact it would be a dream for Kristina Forest to write a romance book where I’m the main character and I too get to fall in love in Heart Beach.
Thank you Berkley and Netgalley once again for my eARC!! Pub date: June 09, 2026.
“I think maybe the key to lasting love is making sure you really like the person before you fall in love. That at the end of the day, they're your friend first.”
If you looked up the definition of the word perfection in the dictionary the definition would simply just be the title of this book.
The fake dating trope has been my top pick with any kind of media that I consume. At the end of the day I’m more likely to pick something up if I get the tiniest hint that it includes fake dating. While the fake dating element of this book is a special plotpoint the book is so much more than the trope.
“I think, at the very least, you should allow life the opportunity to surprise you. Don’t miss out on something good because you’re afraid.”
It's the truest example of love and what love can be. The book showcases how love and loving someone can be easy and hard sometimes but that doesn't mean you shouldn’t fight for it. Jeremiah and Noelle are soulmates and I can’t stress that enough. They understood each other and never tried to change one another. Not only did they grow together but they were able to grow as individuals as well.
I really connected with Noelle’s characters for a number of reasons but the main one is her love for reading and reading a number of genres. Books have always been a big part of my life especially when times get hard. I know that there's an infinite number of books out there waiting for me to read. I enjoyed how she thought that everyone is a reader. It just takes that one book to change a person’s mind because I feel the same way.
From the setting to every character I felt like I was a narrator looking in on these characters and their everyday lives. In my heart not only is Noelle a real person but every aspect of this book is the real deal. That's one of the things that make reading so special. Having that deep connection with a book and its contents.
“With Jeremiah, she had a feeling that she could be ready for anything.”
The last chapter with the inclusion of the epilogue caught me by surprise, because nothing could’ve prepared me for the amount of tears I would come to shed. I hadn’t cried over a book in this way in some time so I was extremely shocked. While some were happy tears others were sad ones because I didn’t want this to come to an end. By the time I got to these two chapters this book felt pure sunlight streaming in through my window after a cloudy day.
Matter fact it would be a dream for Kristina Forest to write a romance book where I’m the main character and I too get to fall in love in Heart Beach.
Thank you Berkley and Netgalley once again for my eARC!! Pub date: June 09, 2026.
August 31, 2026
4.5⭐️ this was so cute!! just what i needed
also! if for some odd reason writing doesn’t work out, kristina can be a comedian, the woman is hilarious
also! if for some odd reason writing doesn’t work out, kristina can be a comedian, the woman is hilarious
July 5, 2026
Very cute summer read. Loved the characters and their development. I somehow wanted some of the sweets mentioned in this book haha Jeremiah and Noelle both seemed like sweethearts .
July 1, 2026
The perfect summer beach read! Gimmie 17 more exactly like it!
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