Until Next Summer

by Allison Ashley

A teen starts to fall for the boy she and her best friend agreed was off-limits while building a relationship with the new guy in town at the same time in this seaside teen romance perfect for fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty.

Amelia’s summers in Cape Cod have always been about three spending as much time in the ocean as possible, hanging out with her best friend Kat, and crushing on Myles Ford, her and Kat’s forever dream boy. But this summer, Kat’s leaving their little beach town to get a head start on tennis training at her new boarding school. Kat’s always been the social one in their friendship, the one who made things happen, and Amelia’s just been along for the ride. Without Kat, Amelia’s…adrift.

Amelia’s job at the local seafood joint keeps her busy, and Pearl’s just so happens to employ the one and only Myles. As Amelia and Myles get to know each other, Amelia realizes there’s more to him than she thought, which complicates things when Myles starts to show interest in her. Because ever since Amelia and Kat decided Myles was the epitome of crush-worthiness, they agreed he was off-limits so no boy would ever come between them.

And when another boy comes into Amelia’s life—a newcomer in town who makes Amelia look at life differently—Amelia will have to risk her closest friendship for a romance fit for a Nicholas Sparks novel or take a chance on a boy who might not stick around for long?

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Summer

336 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication May 5, 2026

About the author

Allison Ashley is a music-loving, coffee-drinking mom of two who loves love stories. She's an oncology pharmacist and spends her days focused on helping patients through the hardest thing life can throw at them. Her escape has always been books—specifically reading books about happiness, love, and laughter—and it was inevitable that she'd eventually write her own. She promises to always write stories with deep romance, intense connection, and humor…but most of all, that coveted happy ever after.

Reviews

[Ashlee (bookswithnopictures) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amelia's plans for the summer with her best friend blow up when Kat unexpectedly leaves early for boarding school and the next few months stretch ahead into nothing. Her last night with Kat opens up possibilites for more-than-friends with two boys. Myles is obviously forbidden as a shared crush with Kat makes it impossible and Gregory is new to the area but just for the summer. As Amelia draws closer to both, she can't help but feel torn.
Amelia is how I wish I was as a teen. She's sharp, knows herself, what she likes and doesn't, but still dealing with messy emotions of a girl coming of age. I just want to give them all a hug. Every girl, no matter her age, needs a network and I love that she found Shelby and developed relationships with Myles and Gregory. It's such a perfect summery read that I devoured in a very short amount of time.
The way this ends... I need book two asap! I want to know more about the playlist!!, Amelia's friendship with Kat and how it all comes together. I think this is perfect for fans of Jennie Han, Kasie West, and Morgan Matson.
Thank you to the author for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

10000/10!!! Favorite book of 2026 ! I have no words! There better be a second book. It ended with sorta of a plot twist but that might just be me !

It starts with Amelia and her best friend Kat . Kat is about to move to New York for tennis, so her and Amelia go to a party where Amelia meets Gregory. The new kid for the summer from Arizona. She also gives her number to Miles . The boy her and Kat have a crush on since they were little and they made a pack to never get together with him.

With Kat gone, Amelia finds herself liking both Gregory and Miles . With the summer coming, she has to pick who she wants to be with . Gregory who is about to move back to Arizona or Miles who is off limits and risk her friendship with Kat .

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

istg there better be a second book i think gregory might be the loml

full review to come :)

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun summer contemporary! It reminded me a bit of Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson since the main character Amelia has always been content to quietly shadow her more outgoing and social best friend Kat. When Kat moves away, Amelia suddenly has to develop a social life on her own.

I really liked the friendships that Amelia develops, particularly with her coworkers. They were always there for each other and I liked seeing her come out of her shell a bit and put herself out there to get to know people.

This also touched on the difficulty of keeping friendships with high school friends or whatnot. When people’s lives take them in different directions, it’s harder to manage a friendship. Kat and Amelia went from talking constantly to exchanging texts occasionally and a few brief phone calls. It was a very realistic depiction of a chance in relationship.

The romance was interesting and not really what I expected. I also thought the romance ended on an interesting note. Usually with a love triangle, I will like one guy and hate the other, but while I did prefer one guy, I did like the other guy as well.

And of course, I loved the setting. Like Amelia, I am a thalassophile, so I loved her love of the ocean and how it recharged her. They did so much swimming and beach combing and sunbathing that it made me long to do the same (even though summer is still pretty far off from where I live).

From what I can tell, this was this author’s first YA book (she had previously written only adult books) and I can’t wait to read more YA books from her. I really enjoyed this one.

[Ashleigh Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love a good young adult story, Until Next Summer is the book for you. This book had it all. A true angsty, yearning young adult love story all set against a coastal summer back drop. This will be a must read for the summer. The absolute perfection that was captured in this story unparalleled.
The story opens with Amelia having to say goodbye to her best friend, Kat. Kat got accepted to this big deal academy that will help Kat achieve her tennis dreams. But Kat leaving means that Amelia must learn to navigate a lot of firsts on her own. And what better first to navigate than hanging out at party on your own where you meet a newcomer and your long time (off limits) crush finally decides to talk to you.
From that night on, Amelia’s summer becomes about Amelia learning who she is without Kat by her side and deciding that her summer is going to be one for the record books. But there is slight monkey wrench in the plan. Myles her longtime (forbidden) crush seems to want to spend time with Amelia. Perhaps he may even like her. But he’s forbidden since Amelia and Kat made a pact that neither one of them would date him since they both liked them. Then enter, Gregory, the newcomer. The one Amelia was never expecting but developed a beautiful and meaning friendship with Gregory.
Amelia spends the summer working, spending time with Myles, and hanging out with Gregory. She makes new friendships and begins her traditions. She finds herself and realizes that perhaps who she was was hidden beneath her friendship with Kat.
What follows is a tale as old as time. Boy falls for girl and girl falls for two boys. Girl breaks promise with friend and that friendship comes crashing down around her. But what makes this story unique is the layered nuances to each character. The depth to which these teenagers feel and react. Never once did Allison Ashley pull a Dawson’s Creek and make these teenagers sound/act like adults. No, she let them be the teenagers they are and make mistakes. I never once felt that the story wouldn’t be believable. It was so grounded in reality that you could hope for either relationship to work. You could shake your head at Amelia knowing that keeping her secret may cause a problem with Kat. Your heart would break when one of the guys offers up his heart. And your heart broke as you realized that perhaps Amelia and Kat may never have the same friendship again. And at the very end your heart could swell and smile at the promise of hope.
If there is not a second book, I will be very disappointed. I want more of this story. I want more of Amelia and Myles and Gregory. I want more of the setting and small-town charm. Everything about this book worked in the best ways possible.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon Pulse and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Until Next Summer by Allison Ashley is a lighthearted, coming-of-age story that is the perfect beach read. Amelia and Kat have been best friends since kindergarten, and even though they have very different personalities, they are inseparable. Kat is outgoing, makes friends easily, and loves being the center of attention while Amelia is more reserved, sentimental, and tends to just go along with Kat’s plans and ideas. The entire story takes place the summer before their junior year of high school. Kat moves away at the beginning of the summer, and Amelia is nervous about navigating life without her.

Although the two promise to talk every day, Amelia and Kat quickly grow apart, talking and texting less often as the story continues. The book is told from Amelia’s point of view, taking place in a picturesque beach town. Amelia starts to come out of her shell as she begins making new friends, working at a local diner, rescuing stray animals, and getting to know Myles (who she has had a crush on forever) and Gregory (the new kid). Much of the story revolves around Amelia’s feelings for both Myles and Gregory and the confusion it causes her.

This was a sweet and light read that could be enjoyed by teens of any age. All the characters were likeable, even though they made mistakes, and they felt like real teens. Their parents were kind and involved in their lives, which was refreshing. I enjoyed seeing Amelia’s growth throughout the story. Also, Gregory. Gregory was one of my favorite characters, and I loved how he saw and understood Amelia. Although this could be a standalone book, there were some unanswered questions, and I do hope there will be a sequel. Perhaps next summer?

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis: After Amelia's best friend Kat moves away, Amelia is left to spend her first summer without Kat, but their pact they made from years still stands: to never get with Myles Ford, the guy they both have a crush on. But Amelia finds herself getting closer to Myles while also getting to know Gregory, the new boy, who is only around for the summer. As Amelia's feelings become jumbled, she will have to decide who to pick, and what she is willing to sacrifice as a result.

I want to thank the publishers and NetGalley for a free eARC copy in exchange for my honest review. All of my thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

I enjoyed reading this book. I found myself really resonating with Amelia, and some of the elements of her struggles with her friendship with Kat. The author captures the hardship of maintaining friendships, and the anxiety that surrounds that because I feel as if I have had very similar moments to Amelia in my life. Love triangles can be very hit or miss for me, but I did not have a problem with how it was executed here. I didn't mind either option. Though, I picked up some cues at the end that indicate to me, that one option is stronger/better for Amelia and likely the end game result because I am assuming that this is going to be a series with at least another book, so this book is just the beginning. The plot wasn't super action-heavy, but the pacing was still good, and I moved through this book with ease. Overall, it was a very solid and good read.

[E W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to spend time with this story early and share my honest response.

Rating: 3.5

This was an entertaining summer read that gave me strong Sarah Dessen–style vibes. The story captures the messy emotions of growing up, changing friendships, and trying to understand your own heart.

I could really feel Amelia’s pain as she struggled with having to choose between Myles and Gregory. Honestly, I had a hard time deciding who I wanted her to end up with which made the story even more engaging. Both relationships felt meaningful in different ways, and I appreciated how complicated Amelia’s feelings were.

One of my favorite aspects of the book was the writing itself. Amelia’s inner thoughts felt authentic and captured the voice of a young girl trying to figure out who she is and what she wants.

My biggest frustration was that the story ended with several questions unanswered. I’m genuinely hoping this means there will be a sequel, because I would absolutely return to Amelia’s world to see what happens next.

I also think this story might have resonated even more deeply with me if I had read it when I was closer to Amelia’s age. Younger readers will likely connect strongly with the emotions, friendships, and romantic confusion at the heart of the story.

Overall, I really enjoyed the author’s writing style and would happily read more from them in the future—even an adult romance. And if there’s ever a sequel, I will definitely be picking it up.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Thank you to Simon and Schuster Publishing for giving me an ARC of this book via NetGalley!**

I really enjoyed this book, and I had a hard time choosing whether to give it 4 or 5 stars.

I LOVED the characters so much. My face lit up whenever one of the boys was mentioned, since they were just so sweet and supportive. I'm not the biggest fan of love triangles, but this one was done really well. I was not sure which one Amelia would pick in the end, and I loved that little hint of suspense.

This book was fairly short and super easy to read quickly, which I really needed to get me out of a slump. The friendship arcs were also very well done. Also, the book was really clean! There were a few curse words here and there, but it was not bad at all. There were only mentions of kisses and no graphic descriptions, which I also really appreciated.

However, I feel like the drama was really... dramatic for no reason. The initial pact just felt really stupid to me, so the plot that ensued just felt manufactured for plot's sake. Also, I think the ending was super abrupt, and I (personally) think Amelia ended up with the wrong guy given the clues near the end. Also, some of the plot was not quite wrapped up as much as I wanted it to be, hence the feeling of abruptness.

Overall, this book was a really fun read and it got me out of a slump. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone needing a quick, fun summer read.

[Danae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC.

Oh the joys of summer romance are on the horizon! It's one of my favorite times to read. Summer romances just feel different.

Amelia and Kat are the kind of best friends that do everything together, including crush on the same boy, Myles Ford. Unfortunately for the first Summer of their frienship, Kat will not be there and Amelia feels lost. If it weren't for her Summer job at Pearl's she feels like she had nothing to do. Coincidentally, Myles Ford also is working at Pearl's this Summer. Unfortunately for Amelia, Kat and her made a 'pact' to never go after Myles.

At a start of the Summer party, Amelia meets the new boy in town, Gregory McLoughlin. And suddenly her lonely Summer turns into one of crushes, new friends, and finding who she is without Kat.

Amelia is sassy, fun, and a lover of music and the Ocean. Myles is hot, a surfer, and there's more to him than meets the eye. Gregory is tall, cute, and a lover of music.

Until Next Summer is a quick and enjoyable read. It's a cute, angsty, wholesome, and fun romance that I think any fan of 'The Summer I turned Pretty' will really enjoy. I can't to read what happens next summer.

[Michelle (easy.vesey.reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You’re fun to be around when I’m happy, but safe to be around when I’m sad. And at the end of the day, you’re the kind of person I want on my side.” 🩵

I loved this book sooooo much! The setting, the characters and the general plot of the story was everything I love in a summer romance novel. If you’re a fan of The Summer I Turned Pretty, then you will fall in love with this book too!

Now let’s talk about the love triangle. I absolutely adored both Gregory and Myles. They are both so sweet and thoughtful but they are just two completely different characters in terms of their hobbies/interests. And Amelia is stuck with such a hard decision because with Myles she has the no dating pact with Kat and with Gregory she knew he was always going to leave at the end of the summer. (I’m so glad I’m not in her position 😂)

There were so many cute scenes in this book that it had me smiling the entire time. I even teared up a bit at the ending because everything kind of ended abruptly and things were left open ended. I am so hoping we get a second book because I want more!

Thank you so much to Simon Teen for the advanced copy! Until Next Summer releases on May 5th, so be sure to check it out!

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wholesome, light book the cover says a lot about the tone of the book even the little details on it. This book felt like a summer read where you want something lighthearted, warm and gives you all the feels along with a great plot that grips you and have you turning the pages this book felt like it you follow along with Amelia’s story and her friendship with Kat and about a pact they made about not dating a boy named Myles and how in the story Amelia breaks that pact the story goes from there and you’ll see how she questions her friendship and her love life. She goes through a lot of problems and missteps, but grows as a character ending in a satisfying end. The ending leaves you with questions, but it has a happy ending. I liked the setting the descriptions of the beach how the author build the small town, and the cats and the dog Margarine that Amelia rescued. This was a cozy story and I liked it. It was a good book.

Thanks NetGalley and the Publisher for the arc.

[Hayley’s Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was a great YA debut for Allison Ashley, showing that she has a valid space here in the YA genre as she does in the adult romance genre. This book makes for the perfect summer romance read. It has all the beachy, summer vacation vibes. The characters (albeit are way younger than me) are still relatable and likable—therefore I even recommend this one to adults who prefer lower spice. Think: The Summer I Turned Pretty meets To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.

This is what I would consider an appropriate YA romance. Though, there is some discussions on the topic of sex, and underage drinking, therefore it’s more appropriate for 16 and up. (Coming from a mom with an eleven year old reading YA instead of middle grade.)



🙉 ocassional light curse word
💕 kissing only



**Thank you to author Allison Ashley for the gifted ARC. All thoughts are my own.**

[Jennifer Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book. Maybe it is just my opinion, but I could relate to Amelia. I was tha girl in high school who was quiet and let others take the center stage while I sat in the background never coming out of my shell. I honestly do not like Kat at all. I mean, I get it. They had a pack to never date Myles, but honestly, he pursued her, so how is it really her fault and just drop your so-called best friend all because of a boy that was never a real friend. and then you have sweet Gregory, who we all know, definitely loves Amelia. I mean, this is a great guy. There’s something more with Gregory. I’m honestly hoping that there is a second book to this because I need to know what happens after this.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Until Next Summer” by Allison Ashley is a heartwarming and beautifully written story that captures the bittersweet magic of fleeting summer romances. The book effortlessly blends humor, emotional depth, and vivid imagery, drawing readers into the sun-soaked world of its characters. Ashley’s prose is light yet evocative, making it impossible not to feel the warmth of the season and the pull of first love.

The characters are relatable and charming, each with their own quirks and dreams that feel authentic and lived-in. The story balances nostalgia with hope, leaving you reflecting on your own memories of summer and the people who’ve left a mark on your heart. Perfect for readers looking for a feel-good, poignant read that lingers long after the last page.

[kylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me just say, I need a sequel to this book!

First of all, the summery beach town setting was amazing. I also truly loved Amelia's struggles to come out of her shell when her best friend, Kat, moves to New York for tennis. Amelia's constantly comparing herself to before Kat moved and after. Eventually, Amelia starts becoming more outgoing and confident.

Now, the love triangle. It truly gave The Summer I Turned Pretty, which I absolutely love. There was constant back and forth between Myles (the popular boy who Amelia and Kat have had a crush on forever and have a pack to never date him) and Gregory (the new, music lover boy who works for Amelia's dad). Personally, I'm team Gregory since the tension was tensioning!

Overall, I've truly recommend this book and desperately need a sequel to see who Amelia will end up with. Everyone who loves and misses The Summer I Turned Pretty needs to read this right now!

[Maria Viselli · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first started this book, it definitely gave me the summer I turned pretty feelings! The characters, love triangle, and obviously, summer! I enjoyed the FMC and she truly felt relatable, and I kind of saw myself in her when I was younger! I did feel like the romance between her and Myles could’ve had a bit more yearning and maybe his POV, along with the other MMC Gregory. I think I wanted just a bit more of each of their separate relationships, and the ending left me questioning if the right decision was made.
Overall, I think it’s a fun summer read and a good palate cleanser!

[Cynthia Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic Young Adult, coming of age story by Allison Ashley. Told from Amelia's point of view, we follow her on the journey of self-discovery as she's forced to break out of her shell when her best friend, and life of the party, moves away. She finds new connections and develops friendships she never expected. Overall, this book was an emotional read that drew me in right away. I could not put it down! I'm hoping for more stories set in this town (maybe for next summer? ;-))

[Katelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this if you like:
•YA books
•cute summer romance
•coming of age

This was such a good depiction of what it’s like to be in high school with a crush and your best friend moves away. So realistic and fun coming of age romance. Thank you Simon Audio for ALC

[kglibrarian (Karin Greenberg) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this page turning YA romance.
*Review to come in a future issue of School Library Journal

[Stenasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

WAIT WHAT that can’t be the ending?!?! omg no

Im invested how can she pick him?!?! goodness noooo

[Cait | GoodeyReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Simon Teen for the eARC.

I have many thoughts.

Full review to come!

[LYNN MCCLAIN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great light feels good story. from friendships to relationships. Small town vibe. Loved all the characters and how the author brought them to life with purpose. Read in less than a day and couldn't put it down. I really hope a part 2 happens as I felt the ending was abrupt and not really an ending but a way to begin a new chapter. I am so glad I got to read as an ARC reader.