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First Summer
Not yet published
Expected 18 Aug 26A dreamy debut novel about the summer love that changes two girls at the edge of adulthood.
“In the heat and the green haze that seemed to surround us both like a physical presence, I felt intensely awake.”
One afternoon at the start of summer, a teenage girl watches a new girl move in across the street. In Clara, she recognizes the same loneliness that she feels herself, but finds tenderness and laughter, too. Over hot, languid days spent talking and reading side by side in the garden, the narrator is awakened to the possibility of a true connection with another human being, free of the self-consciousness she feels with others.
Meanwhile, in a distant fictional galaxy, Nadia the space explorer—the protagonist of a childhood book series beloved by both girls—traverses the known universe with her companion Rosa. Their imagined adventures make sense of new and powerful feelings.
First Summer captures the innocence and agony of adolescence and the exquisite promise of love on the cusp of adulthood: a moment where fantasy is still vivid in the mind, even as adulthood looms. This story of the first summer of love echoes throughout the characters’ lives and will change them forever.
“In the heat and the green haze that seemed to surround us both like a physical presence, I felt intensely awake.”
One afternoon at the start of summer, a teenage girl watches a new girl move in across the street. In Clara, she recognizes the same loneliness that she feels herself, but finds tenderness and laughter, too. Over hot, languid days spent talking and reading side by side in the garden, the narrator is awakened to the possibility of a true connection with another human being, free of the self-consciousness she feels with others.
Meanwhile, in a distant fictional galaxy, Nadia the space explorer—the protagonist of a childhood book series beloved by both girls—traverses the known universe with her companion Rosa. Their imagined adventures make sense of new and powerful feelings.
First Summer captures the innocence and agony of adolescence and the exquisite promise of love on the cusp of adulthood: a moment where fantasy is still vivid in the mind, even as adulthood looms. This story of the first summer of love echoes throughout the characters’ lives and will change them forever.
208 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication August 18, 2026
95 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
tbr-arc
January 9, 2026what's not to love about young love that blossoms during the summer?
*thank you to S&S/Summit Books for the ARC*
*thank you to S&S/Summit Books for the ARC*
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⋆˙✮ 5
I held it together for most of this book knowing what was coming, but I still teared up by the end of it. This is the epitome of a love story, not a romance— and if you don’t know the difference between the two, you’ll certainly find out after reading this.
The story follows our main character during her summer break, where she meets Clara, the granddaughter of her “oddball” neighbor, who’s temporarily visiting her town. Together, the two find solace in each other, both not having many friends. And what initially started out as a comforting friendship soon blossomed into something more, with lingering glances, hidden touches, and secret meanings.
This was such a treat to read. I genuinely felt like I was reading a diary entry of someone’s journey through all the messy things that come along with growing up— first loves, sexuality, and teenage awkwardness. Coming of age stories, especially ones like First Summer, serve as a reminder that not everyone you meet will become a permanent fixture in your life, but your time with them and the memories have the opportunity to linger, shaping who you become long after the moment has passed. It’s a universal language that I truly believe anyone can relate to in some way.
I was also wary about the Nadia excerpts after reading the blurb, but it 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 worked for me. The way it was incorporated was done really well, and I even found myself looking forward to the next bits of Nadia’s “story” as I was making my way through the book.
The only thing I was left confused about was the author’s choice to not include when and where the book takes place. The town and the sizzling summer heat were described really well, but I had no idea it took place in the late 90’s in Australia until “Breakers” was mentioned, which I came to find out was an Australian TV show. I don’t think I’ve ever had to go through the trouble of Googling something like that for a book until now, but who knows, maybe it was intentional since the book reads like a journal entry.
With only 208 pages, this was a very quick and enjoyable read that left me reflective and almost nostalgic in a way. This was truly a great debut novel.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.
I held it together for most of this book knowing what was coming, but I still teared up by the end of it. This is the epitome of a love story, not a romance— and if you don’t know the difference between the two, you’ll certainly find out after reading this.
The story follows our main character during her summer break, where she meets Clara, the granddaughter of her “oddball” neighbor, who’s temporarily visiting her town. Together, the two find solace in each other, both not having many friends. And what initially started out as a comforting friendship soon blossomed into something more, with lingering glances, hidden touches, and secret meanings.
This was such a treat to read. I genuinely felt like I was reading a diary entry of someone’s journey through all the messy things that come along with growing up— first loves, sexuality, and teenage awkwardness. Coming of age stories, especially ones like First Summer, serve as a reminder that not everyone you meet will become a permanent fixture in your life, but your time with them and the memories have the opportunity to linger, shaping who you become long after the moment has passed. It’s a universal language that I truly believe anyone can relate to in some way.
I was also wary about the Nadia excerpts after reading the blurb, but it 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 worked for me. The way it was incorporated was done really well, and I even found myself looking forward to the next bits of Nadia’s “story” as I was making my way through the book.
The only thing I was left confused about was the author’s choice to not include when and where the book takes place. The town and the sizzling summer heat were described really well, but I had no idea it took place in the late 90’s in Australia until “Breakers” was mentioned, which I came to find out was an Australian TV show. I don’t think I’ve ever had to go through the trouble of Googling something like that for a book until now, but who knows, maybe it was intentional since the book reads like a journal entry.
With only 208 pages, this was a very quick and enjoyable read that left me reflective and almost nostalgic in a way. This was truly a great debut novel.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm going to say this first because it BOTHERED ME but I feel like the publisher did this book a great injustice by not mentioning that it's set in Australia around either the summer of 1998 or 1999. The only way I figured it out is because the narrator mentioned the TV show Breakers, and I Googled it.
Literally, WHY WOULD YOU HIDE THAT? That's the best part! Am I going to get in trouble for revealing it here? Was it supposed to be a big secret or something? SO WEIRD.
It's necessary info because it partially explains the behavior of the main character. To me, the main character feels neuro-diverse-coded, and despite being sixteen, she thought and behaved more like a twelve-year-old. (This isn't to disparage the writer or the book, as you see, I gave five stars. Just as precocious sixteen-year-olds who act twenty-four exist, so do ones who act much younger. Those stories are interesting and worth telling, too. Actually, sometimes they are even more fascinating. The loss of innocence at such an older age after having been sheltered too long can be brutal.)
At 208 pages, it was a quick read, like a curated summer journal of a teenage girl's sapphic summer awakening, filled with honest, raw, embarrassing detail. Something to get lost in for a day, preferably outdoors in the shade of a porch overlooking a grassy yard on a hot sunny day while wearing a sundress and sipping lemonade, or by the pool or the beach.
The sprinkling of Nadia fanfiction was a nice touch.
I'm going to say this first because it BOTHERED ME but I feel like the publisher did this book a great injustice by not mentioning that it's set in Australia around either the summer of 1998 or 1999. The only way I figured it out is because the narrator mentioned the TV show Breakers, and I Googled it.
Literally, WHY WOULD YOU HIDE THAT? That's the best part! Am I going to get in trouble for revealing it here? Was it supposed to be a big secret or something? SO WEIRD.
It's necessary info because it partially explains the behavior of the main character. To me, the main character feels neuro-diverse-coded, and despite being sixteen, she thought and behaved more like a twelve-year-old. (This isn't to disparage the writer or the book, as you see, I gave five stars. Just as precocious sixteen-year-olds who act twenty-four exist, so do ones who act much younger. Those stories are interesting and worth telling, too. Actually, sometimes they are even more fascinating. The loss of innocence at such an older age after having been sheltered too long can be brutal.)
At 208 pages, it was a quick read, like a curated summer journal of a teenage girl's sapphic summer awakening, filled with honest, raw, embarrassing detail. Something to get lost in for a day, preferably outdoors in the shade of a porch overlooking a grassy yard on a hot sunny day while wearing a sundress and sipping lemonade, or by the pool or the beach.
The sprinkling of Nadia fanfiction was a nice touch.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
***3.5 stars rounded up to 4 on here***
This was a super speedy read at 208 pages and is basically a teenage girl’s abbreviated journal entry detailing her sapphic summer awakening. I thought the writing was detailed and compelling and I loved the ending. The Nadia fanfiction entries were an interesting touch too, though I didn’t think they strengthened the overall story.
A teenage girl plans to spend the summer lonely until a neighbor’s granddaughter, Clara, comes to stay in the neighborhood. In this new girl Clara, our narrator sees herself reflected, and the girls become intimately close, spending all their days together, sharing stories and experiences, and slowly falling in love, until summer ends and they go their separate ways. The plot really focuses on their time together and the author does a great job laying out all their experiences together in great detail. This book would be a great read at the beach during the summer, or cooling off in a sunny meadow. As previously mentioned, it’s a fast read.
I loved the ending and the maturity arc the narrator experiences as she recounts that past summer as an adult. Plus, I love a good plot tie up and the happy ending of sorts that the author arrives at. I took off a star because I wanted more info about the setting and point in time this took place. The experience was almost universal feeling but I wanted more info about the situational factors that influenced the narrator.
This book publishes on 8/18/26. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the eARC.
This was a super speedy read at 208 pages and is basically a teenage girl’s abbreviated journal entry detailing her sapphic summer awakening. I thought the writing was detailed and compelling and I loved the ending. The Nadia fanfiction entries were an interesting touch too, though I didn’t think they strengthened the overall story.
A teenage girl plans to spend the summer lonely until a neighbor’s granddaughter, Clara, comes to stay in the neighborhood. In this new girl Clara, our narrator sees herself reflected, and the girls become intimately close, spending all their days together, sharing stories and experiences, and slowly falling in love, until summer ends and they go their separate ways. The plot really focuses on their time together and the author does a great job laying out all their experiences together in great detail. This book would be a great read at the beach during the summer, or cooling off in a sunny meadow. As previously mentioned, it’s a fast read.
I loved the ending and the maturity arc the narrator experiences as she recounts that past summer as an adult. Plus, I love a good plot tie up and the happy ending of sorts that the author arrives at. I took off a star because I wanted more info about the setting and point in time this took place. The experience was almost universal feeling but I wanted more info about the situational factors that influenced the narrator.
This book publishes on 8/18/26. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
* 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4.
a book about first love and how quickly it can start and then dissipate, and how much it can stick with you for the remainder of your life. first summer goes through a teenage girl's self-discovery phase as she learns more about herself and the world around her. it reads a bit awkwardly, but in the sense that it shows the stunted growth of our main character as she navigates her new friendship with clara. the excerpts with nadia and rosa were a great touch as well, even if the swaps to the different povs were a bit jarring. i do wish that the time period and settings were a bit more explored - i didn't realize it was set in australia in the 90s until after ive finished. otherwise, a great summer read!
thank you to s/s and the author for a copy of the arc.
a book about first love and how quickly it can start and then dissipate, and how much it can stick with you for the remainder of your life. first summer goes through a teenage girl's self-discovery phase as she learns more about herself and the world around her. it reads a bit awkwardly, but in the sense that it shows the stunted growth of our main character as she navigates her new friendship with clara. the excerpts with nadia and rosa were a great touch as well, even if the swaps to the different povs were a bit jarring. i do wish that the time period and settings were a bit more explored - i didn't realize it was set in australia in the 90s until after ive finished. otherwise, a great summer read!
thank you to s/s and the author for a copy of the arc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
My initial thought about this book is that appears to be set ambiguously. After reading a few reviews it’s appears the book was set in the late 90s in Australia. World building is important to readers especially in debut novels. I would have loved to know where this was set to help imagine the characters and their journeys better. Not sure if the writing style was intentional on some chapters being repetitive as it reads like a stream of consciousness. No one writes teenage girls better than previous teenage girls. Overall 4/5. Sapphic summer romance/coming of age novels always hold a place in my heart.
ARC from net galley
ARC from net galley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was such a beautiful and touching novel about coming of age, discovering your true self, and the strong between women as friends and lovers. Taking place over one summer, I was swept away as I read and I could feel the emotions and the chemistry between the two girls. There were some really great life lessons in this book including how sometimes we lose people and what we had with them just becomes a memory that stays with us forever more. I am absolutely going to read this book again and again. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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