The Whispers of My Summer

The Whispers of My Summer #1

by Chloe Lee

At three in the morning, Yeoreum is working another shift at a convenience store in Seoul.



Then, with the chime of the doorbell, her favorite celebrity walks through the door.



Ihyeon was one of Korea’s most beloved stars. But tonight, the singer and actor is alone, terrified, and struggling to breathe through a panic attack.



Yeoreum knows who he is. What she doesn’t expect is to become the one person he trusts enough to let into his carefully guarded world.





What begins as a chance encounter slowly draws them into each other’s lives. But while Ihyeon is fighting his way back into the world, Yeoreum is still struggling with poverty, grief, and a future she can’t afford to dream about.



Love is not a magic potion. Love is not just fireworks.

But sometimes, love simply gives you the strength to keep going.





The Whispers of My Summer is a Korean contemporary slow-burn romance about a beloved celebrity, a struggling young woman, and two lonely hearts learning how to live again.

218 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 11, 2026

Reviews

[Sam]

I was unfortunately not a fan of the writing style which because of this made it difficult to read at times. I don’t think I’m the right audience for this book and maybe someone else will enjoy it instead. Thank you to NetGalley and Chloe Lee for the ARC.

[Sydnopses]

Thank you so much Chloe Lee & NetGalley for this ARC of The Whispers of My Summer. I really enjoyed this. It read like an idol fan fiction, and it would be a really good K drama, though, I wish a lot of the “…” were replaced with movements or character descriptions. Sometimes it was hard to follow which person was talking because I would get a bit lost in the ellipsis. I think the mental health struggles in this story were depicted super well. I think adding more descriptions were the missing dialogue was would really bring this book to the next step. Sometimes it was a bit hard to follow when the settings jump from different place to place. But this was a very easy book for me to read. The cozy vibes despite the really heavy subject matter helped balance out the story very well

[Allyson]

The Whispers of My Summer by Chloe Lee is a tender, atmospheric read that captures the bittersweet feeling of summer, growing up, and the memories that stay with us long after a particular season has ended.

I really enjoyed the reflective tone of this story and the way Lee explores relationships, emotions, and the uncertainty that comes with change. There’s a lovely sense of nostalgia woven throughout, and I especially appreciated the quieter moments that allowed the characters and their feelings to breathe.

That said, there were a few moments where the pacing felt slower than I would have liked, and I occasionally found myself wanting a little more depth from certain character arcs. Still, the overall experience was heartfelt and evocative, and the story left me with that particular wistful feeling that makes a summer-themed book memorable.

Overall, The Whispers of My Summer is a sweet, emotional read with plenty of atmosphere and heart. It’s a good choice for readers who enjoy coming-of-age stories, complicated relationships, and a touch of summer nostalgia.

3.75/5 stars.

Thank you to Chloe Lee and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Phoenix2]

Big Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the Publisher for the advanced copy! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

The Whispers of My Summer' is a healing slice of life with a little romance thrown in the mix.

The story revolves around two people, an idol and his fan, as their lives intertwine and they get to heal each other.

First of all, the story touched upon many themes, and those were handled with care and sensitivity. Also, the 'twists' were nicely embedded in the story, as sometimes we moved back and forth in time. In addition, the romance was sweet, and the will they won't they game was thrilling to follow.

However, the writing style and the pace did not do the story any justice. The pace was messy and often confused the narrative and the plot. Moreover, the writing needed more editing and a bit more care.

[Ines]

Mostly well written, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that this needed one more round of editing to fully come together. The repeated “…” responses in dialogue felt awkward, and that ended up reflecting my overall experience: there are some lovely moments, but it often feels like something is missing between the scenes.

Also… this gave me very polished K-pop fanfiction vibes. The famous singer/actor, the chance encounter, the slow-building connection... I couldn’t unsee it. Clearly not quite the book for me.

And one of those cases where you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. It’s gorgeous and fits the story perfectly, but definitely set my expectations a little too high.

I appreciate what the author was trying to do, though. I just wish this had either been a fuller novel or given more room to develop, because it felt like it was only starting to get somewhere when it ended.