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The Last Summer of Us: A camp diary romance
It's 1999. The world is bracing for the apocalypse. Computers will crash. Planes will fall from the sky. The millennium will end everything. But first – one last summer.
Nineteen-year-old musician Millie has already lost everything that mattered: her best friend, her boyfriend, and her faith in humanity – all in one devastating betrayal. So when the chance comes to escape across the Atlantic to Camp Honey Badger, a pine-scented hideaway deep in the Pennsylvania woods, she packs her bag.
She's running away. She knows it. She goes anyway. Because even sharing a bunk with twenty spoiled, homesick teenagers beats staying home and watching her ex-best friend parade around the village with her ex-boyfriend.
Enter Laina – fierce, funny, and gloriously Northern – who becomes the truest friend Millie has ever known. And then there's Josh: guitar in hand, voice like warm honey, eyes that see straight through her. When they're paired up for the camp production of Grease, the chemistry is instant and undeniable – crackling through every rehearsal, every stolen glance, every walk down Firefly Alley where the air hums with something that can't quite be explained.
Because this place is magic. Real magic.
Fireflies that defy explanation. A lake with a legend. A lady who haunts the water's edge on moonless nights. And a summer that seems determined to show Millie exactly who she is – if she's brave enough to face herself.
When Josh's relationship finally falls apart, fate says yes. But new rules keep boys and girls on opposite sides of the lake – so they do the only sensible thing: midnight canoe rendezvous under the stars. Wild. Reckless. Electric. Get caught and they're fired on the spot, left to fund their own flights home. For Josh, that means going back to where his ex is waiting. For Millie, back to the betrayal she fled.
The stakes couldn't be higher. The temptation is higher still.
Josh calls her his shooting star. Together, they burn bright.
Until the end-of-summer show, when everything falls apart in the most spectacular, humiliating, heart-stopping way possible.
Equal parts swoony and ridiculous, The Last Summer of Us is a magic realism romance told in diary form – a story about the love that lights you up, the friendship that saves you, and the summer a girl finally steps into her power.
For anyone who remembers 1999. Before smartphones. Before social media. Before the world got so loud. When a summer could still change everything.
Firefly-lit nights. Forbidden kisses. Y2K panic. And the kind of sisterhood that saves your soul.
Perfect for fans of nostalgic 90s romance, magic realism and diary-format fiction that makes you laugh, cry and stay up way past lights out.
Nineteen-year-old musician Millie has already lost everything that mattered: her best friend, her boyfriend, and her faith in humanity – all in one devastating betrayal. So when the chance comes to escape across the Atlantic to Camp Honey Badger, a pine-scented hideaway deep in the Pennsylvania woods, she packs her bag.
She's running away. She knows it. She goes anyway. Because even sharing a bunk with twenty spoiled, homesick teenagers beats staying home and watching her ex-best friend parade around the village with her ex-boyfriend.
Enter Laina – fierce, funny, and gloriously Northern – who becomes the truest friend Millie has ever known. And then there's Josh: guitar in hand, voice like warm honey, eyes that see straight through her. When they're paired up for the camp production of Grease, the chemistry is instant and undeniable – crackling through every rehearsal, every stolen glance, every walk down Firefly Alley where the air hums with something that can't quite be explained.
Because this place is magic. Real magic.
Fireflies that defy explanation. A lake with a legend. A lady who haunts the water's edge on moonless nights. And a summer that seems determined to show Millie exactly who she is – if she's brave enough to face herself.
When Josh's relationship finally falls apart, fate says yes. But new rules keep boys and girls on opposite sides of the lake – so they do the only sensible thing: midnight canoe rendezvous under the stars. Wild. Reckless. Electric. Get caught and they're fired on the spot, left to fund their own flights home. For Josh, that means going back to where his ex is waiting. For Millie, back to the betrayal she fled.
The stakes couldn't be higher. The temptation is higher still.
Josh calls her his shooting star. Together, they burn bright.
Until the end-of-summer show, when everything falls apart in the most spectacular, humiliating, heart-stopping way possible.
Equal parts swoony and ridiculous, The Last Summer of Us is a magic realism romance told in diary form – a story about the love that lights you up, the friendship that saves you, and the summer a girl finally steps into her power.
For anyone who remembers 1999. Before smartphones. Before social media. Before the world got so loud. When a summer could still change everything.
Firefly-lit nights. Forbidden kisses. Y2K panic. And the kind of sisterhood that saves your soul.
Perfect for fans of nostalgic 90s romance, magic realism and diary-format fiction that makes you laugh, cry and stay up way past lights out.
380 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 14, 2026
About the author
Kate Sundara
3 books9 followersKate Sundara writes New Adult romance infused with magical realism: stories of love, adventure and the moments that change everything.
She is the author of two New Adult novels that sit together like night and day.
The United States of Us is the darker, mystical half: a sweeping romance woven with magical realism, suspense, mystery and adventure. Perfect for readers who love the emotional intensity of The Notebook, the atmospheric pull of Where the Crawdads Sing, the destined romance of The Time Traveller's Wife, and the all-consuming first love of Twilight. First traditionally published in 2016, it was represented by PFD and published by Canelo and Agora Books before Kate founded Wanderlust Books.
The Last Summer of Us is the sun-soaked counterpart: a funny, nostalgic, diary-style romance set at an American summer camp in 1999. A story of infatuation, fierce friendship, sisterhood, Y2K-era longing and the thrill of becoming exactly who you were meant to be. Perfect for readers who love The Summer I Turned Pretty, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Malibu Rising, and anyone who still feels a little tug when they hear the opening chords of Dawson's Creek.
Together, these novels capture the full emotional range of being young and feeling everything deeply: the mystery and the magic, the heartbreak and the hope.
Kate writes what she calls story medicine : fiction that entertains, uplifts and inspires. Her Irish heritage gives her writing its sense of enchantment, folklore and magical realism. Her Italian roots bring warmth, passion and emotional intensity. Both run through every page.
Kate has travelled the world gathering the experiences, characters and stories that fuel her fiction. Her background in mainstream film, television and theatre gives her books their natural cinematic flair. She graduated from the University of Exeter with a BA (Hons) in Drama and English Literature.
Kate lives in London. When she isn't writing, she coaches fellow authors through The Writers'Flow Pod on Skool, helping writers at every stage find their rhythm, finish their books and turn creative dreams into reality.
If you've read one of Kate's novels and it stayed with you long after the final page, she'd genuinely love to hear from you.
She is the author of two New Adult novels that sit together like night and day.
The United States of Us is the darker, mystical half: a sweeping romance woven with magical realism, suspense, mystery and adventure. Perfect for readers who love the emotional intensity of The Notebook, the atmospheric pull of Where the Crawdads Sing, the destined romance of The Time Traveller's Wife, and the all-consuming first love of Twilight. First traditionally published in 2016, it was represented by PFD and published by Canelo and Agora Books before Kate founded Wanderlust Books.
The Last Summer of Us is the sun-soaked counterpart: a funny, nostalgic, diary-style romance set at an American summer camp in 1999. A story of infatuation, fierce friendship, sisterhood, Y2K-era longing and the thrill of becoming exactly who you were meant to be. Perfect for readers who love The Summer I Turned Pretty, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Malibu Rising, and anyone who still feels a little tug when they hear the opening chords of Dawson's Creek.
Together, these novels capture the full emotional range of being young and feeling everything deeply: the mystery and the magic, the heartbreak and the hope.
Kate writes what she calls story medicine : fiction that entertains, uplifts and inspires. Her Irish heritage gives her writing its sense of enchantment, folklore and magical realism. Her Italian roots bring warmth, passion and emotional intensity. Both run through every page.
Kate has travelled the world gathering the experiences, characters and stories that fuel her fiction. Her background in mainstream film, television and theatre gives her books their natural cinematic flair. She graduated from the University of Exeter with a BA (Hons) in Drama and English Literature.
Kate lives in London. When she isn't writing, she coaches fellow authors through The Writers'Flow Pod on Skool, helping writers at every stage find their rhythm, finish their books and turn creative dreams into reality.
If you've read one of Kate's novels and it stayed with you long after the final page, she'd genuinely love to hear from you.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 13, 2026
Summer 1999. The world's buzzing about Y2K. Computers and planes might crash. The millennium could end everything.
But for nineteen-year-old Millie, her world has already ended.
Wow I really enjoyed this book and I could visualise everything that was written and I love the diary style.
Firefly-lit nights. Forbidden kisses. Y2K panic. And sisterhood that saves your soul.
A warm, witty diary-style romance for readers who love laugh-out-loud moments, swoony romance, fierce friendships, and nostalgic 90s vibes.
But for nineteen-year-old Millie, her world has already ended.
Wow I really enjoyed this book and I could visualise everything that was written and I love the diary style.
Firefly-lit nights. Forbidden kisses. Y2K panic. And sisterhood that saves your soul.
A warm, witty diary-style romance for readers who love laugh-out-loud moments, swoony romance, fierce friendships, and nostalgic 90s vibes.
April 9, 2026
Not the HEA I was expecting, but still a sweet and heartfelt coming-of-age story. It’s written in diary style, which I knew going in. I wasn’t sure about it at first, but it ended up not bothering me. Some parts did feel a bit repetitive in their explanations, though.
I found myself feeling nostalgic while reading. I remember when 2000 was approaching and it scared everyone, and I remember summers feeling like this magical space where anything could happen. This book really captures that feeling. It’s immersive and descriptive in a way that pulls you right into that kind of summer.
I thought it an easy read overall, but something to note: there are several non-American English–speaking characters, so some of the terms and sayings might give you pause. I didn’t find it a hindrance at all and actually enjoyed. There are also a few American Southern phrases that could do the same if you’re not familiar 😉.
Overall, my heart was broken and healed. I genuinely considered DNFing the book at around 90% (does that even count as a DNF at that point?). No spoilers, but even though I wanted to throw my reader I couldn’t bring myself to shut it down. After everything Millie went through back home, and then coming to a new country knowing no one? It pushes her and she shows real growth over her summer as a camp counselor, and there is not much more satisfying than that.
A sweet, cozy summer read and a great YA pick.
Thank you to the author for the advance read opportunity.
I found myself feeling nostalgic while reading. I remember when 2000 was approaching and it scared everyone, and I remember summers feeling like this magical space where anything could happen. This book really captures that feeling. It’s immersive and descriptive in a way that pulls you right into that kind of summer.
I thought it an easy read overall, but something to note: there are several non-American English–speaking characters, so some of the terms and sayings might give you pause. I didn’t find it a hindrance at all and actually enjoyed. There are also a few American Southern phrases that could do the same if you’re not familiar 😉.
Overall, my heart was broken and healed. I genuinely considered DNFing the book at around 90% (does that even count as a DNF at that point?). No spoilers, but even though I wanted to throw my reader I couldn’t bring myself to shut it down. After everything Millie went through back home, and then coming to a new country knowing no one? It pushes her and she shows real growth over her summer as a camp counselor, and there is not much more satisfying than that.
A sweet, cozy summer read and a great YA pick.
Thank you to the author for the advance read opportunity.
April 10, 2026
This was a cute, clean, coming of age story. Great for a YA audience. Millie heads to America to work for 2 months at a summer camp fresh after a devastating break up. She’s hoping for a summer romance to get over the betrayal and hurt that went along with that. She is working in the drama dept of the camp and has to help get the musical ready to preform. The story is told from Millie’s perspective as she writes in her diary. It’s set in the woods in Pennsylvania, the summer of 1999. Millie doesn’t get all that she thinks she wants in the summer but she finds her voice and heals from hurts and makes a BFF. I’m thankful I was given the opportunity to be an ARC reader for this book. Kate Sundara captures the drama and vibe of summer staff at a camp well with cute relatable characters and lots of the drama that goes along with being in close proximity to that many college age people all summer long. Spice level- .5, Coming of age, Clean
April 12, 2026
Take a splash back into simpler days. Let’s roll it back to good old Y2K, back to simpler days. With all the stress and chaos in the world today it’s good to remember when we were young and chasing a summer romance was one of the biggest problems we had. This is a refreshing, light, summer romance that combines in some real word problems and topics not always talked about. Pick it up! Great summer read!
April 14, 2026
Loved this read! The characters were so fun and relatable. Loved the nostalgia of it all. I personally also loved the British to American references 😅😂. A must read this summer!
April 14, 2026
Loved this book. Nostalgic, insightful and a fun read. Highly recommend.
April 14, 2026
It’s the summer of 1999 and the whole world is worried about Y2K. Our main character Millie just had a devastating breakup with her boyfriend and is now traveling to America to spend the summer as a camp counselor. Millie is ready for new friendships and looking for a summer romance.
This cozy romance is sweet and fun. The daily diary style writing keeps the readers engaged and wanting to know what is going to happen next for Millie. This book also gives you the happy feel of 90’s nostalgia. The Last Summer of Us transported me back to summer camps as a kid growing up in the 90’s and early 2000s. I really enjoyed this book. I received an ARC copy for my honest review.
This cozy romance is sweet and fun. The daily diary style writing keeps the readers engaged and wanting to know what is going to happen next for Millie. This book also gives you the happy feel of 90’s nostalgia. The Last Summer of Us transported me back to summer camps as a kid growing up in the 90’s and early 2000s. I really enjoyed this book. I received an ARC copy for my honest review.
April 9, 2026
I loved this book. Couldn’t put it down, I felt connected to this character the way she quotes musicals the references between grease and dirty dancing my all time favourite films. Sign me up for camp now I know I’ll
Have the time off my life
Have the time off my life
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2026
Tears, joy, and the best kind of slow burn
I loved absolutely everything about this story. The writing is so vivid and warm that I genuinely lost track of where fiction ended and real life began. It all just felt completely true.
The friendships at the heart of this story are so real and so vivid. I was completely absorbed in every moment shared between Millie and her friends. And Josh? Let's just say I was fully invested in that slow burn and completely at the mercy of wherever the story took me.
The song links are a brilliant touch that bring the whole summer to life, and the descriptions of camp, friendship, and those long golden days are pure joy to read.
I was in tears at the end. The good kind. The kind that remind you of your own best summers and make you grateful you had them.
Such a fun, exciting, feel-good read. If you want a story that makes you genuinely happy, this is it. Highly recommend.
I loved absolutely everything about this story. The writing is so vivid and warm that I genuinely lost track of where fiction ended and real life began. It all just felt completely true.
The friendships at the heart of this story are so real and so vivid. I was completely absorbed in every moment shared between Millie and her friends. And Josh? Let's just say I was fully invested in that slow burn and completely at the mercy of wherever the story took me.
The song links are a brilliant touch that bring the whole summer to life, and the descriptions of camp, friendship, and those long golden days are pure joy to read.
I was in tears at the end. The good kind. The kind that remind you of your own best summers and make you grateful you had them.
Such a fun, exciting, feel-good read. If you want a story that makes you genuinely happy, this is it. Highly recommend.
April 16, 2026
A coming-of-age story without a happy ending or was it a happy ending.
Great for reader's age 13-18. No sex and a bit of kissing. Nothing a teenager
hasn't done.
The FMC trying to escape her problems from home goes overseas to the United
States to be a camp counselor. Little did she realize that there are a whole new
set of life problems to face. Some even haunting her from home.
Millie, the FMC, finds a friendship that she never thought she would. She also finds
bullies are everywhere not just at home.
Millie grows and learns the 7 weeks at camp that not everything or everyone can be trusted.
But finding a last friendship is priceless.
Like I said this story is great for 13-18 years of age.
Great for reader's age 13-18. No sex and a bit of kissing. Nothing a teenager
hasn't done.
The FMC trying to escape her problems from home goes overseas to the United
States to be a camp counselor. Little did she realize that there are a whole new
set of life problems to face. Some even haunting her from home.
Millie, the FMC, finds a friendship that she never thought she would. She also finds
bullies are everywhere not just at home.
Millie grows and learns the 7 weeks at camp that not everything or everyone can be trusted.
But finding a last friendship is priceless.
Like I said this story is great for 13-18 years of age.
April 14, 2026
I loved the late 90’s nostalgia of this novel as this was the era of my time at university.
I loved the development of the female relationships and how this was told in a diary format. I liked the majority of the characters and the ones I didn’t, I don’t think I was supposed to.
I would definitely recommend this book and am interested in seeing what books follow.
This was an easy read that made you want to keep turning the pages
I loved the development of the female relationships and how this was told in a diary format. I liked the majority of the characters and the ones I didn’t, I don’t think I was supposed to.
I would definitely recommend this book and am interested in seeing what books follow.
This was an easy read that made you want to keep turning the pages
Review of advance copy received from Author
A true YA with no spice. I had forgotten the emotional immaturity of being 19, but there was growth from the beginning of summer to the end. A diary style story of over coming betrayal, immersing oneself in new adventures and growing into the young woman she is today.
I received an advanced copy from the author and this is my honest review.
I received an advanced copy from the author and this is my honest review.
April 14, 2026
3.5 stars for me
She is a new to me author. I enjoyed the story. It was a fast read and it took me back to the year 1999 and everyone thought the world was ending when it hit 2000. The writing style is new to me as well. I think this is the first time I've read something written this way. It kept my attention. I did enjoy it.
She is a new to me author. I enjoyed the story. It was a fast read and it took me back to the year 1999 and everyone thought the world was ending when it hit 2000. The writing style is new to me as well. I think this is the first time I've read something written this way. It kept my attention. I did enjoy it.
April 14, 2026
This was such a fun read! I literally read it over a weekend.
Our main character Millie has gone thru a rough time recently and is also anxious about her upcoming A Level results and the fact that everyone seems to think Y2K will end the world on new years (yes it's based in 1999 which was sooo cool!) She decides to get away from it all for the summer and work at Camp Honey Badger as a councillor over in Pennsylvania USA, and maybe even have a summer romance on the way... We are reading her travel journal she keeps during her camp experience and it is soooo fun.
I really related to Millie, she reminded me a lot of myself when I was 19. A people pleasing theatre kid! There were so many times I wanted to make her a cuppa tea and say 'hunny you're doing great it's gonna be fine'
The 90s nostalgia was so fun and I kept saying to my husband about songs that were mentioned we hadn't heard in ages and things like that.
The character growth you see Millie go thru is just amazing and I ended up feeling so proud of her.
I recommend this book for a holiday read or for a lighter book between heavier novels.
I gave it a STRONG 4 star
Our main character Millie has gone thru a rough time recently and is also anxious about her upcoming A Level results and the fact that everyone seems to think Y2K will end the world on new years (yes it's based in 1999 which was sooo cool!) She decides to get away from it all for the summer and work at Camp Honey Badger as a councillor over in Pennsylvania USA, and maybe even have a summer romance on the way... We are reading her travel journal she keeps during her camp experience and it is soooo fun.
I really related to Millie, she reminded me a lot of myself when I was 19. A people pleasing theatre kid! There were so many times I wanted to make her a cuppa tea and say 'hunny you're doing great it's gonna be fine'
The 90s nostalgia was so fun and I kept saying to my husband about songs that were mentioned we hadn't heard in ages and things like that.
The character growth you see Millie go thru is just amazing and I ended up feeling so proud of her.
I recommend this book for a holiday read or for a lighter book between heavier novels.
I gave it a STRONG 4 star
Review of advance copy
Thos book was a 3.5🌟. I think this was a perfect YA summer romance that would be a cutesy beach or lake summer read. Definitely think it would be a book to read if I wanted something easy to get out of a reading slump.
Perfect for those who prefer no spice.
Perfect for those who prefer no spice.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Cute, heart warming story. Would be a good YA read.
April 14, 2026
This was such a wonderful book! I was hooked by the very first page! If you’re ready for summer reading then this book is for you!
April 15, 2026
It’s a great story. It didn’t quite land for me- very YA. But definitely a blast to summer camp past in a pre tech world time which was fun. Not a bad read a little wordy
May 1, 2026
Lovely holiday read love the characters and story line
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews