The Extended Summer of Anna and Jeremy

by Jennifer Ann Shore

Is one summer enough time to change everything?

Anna Wright is always on her best behavior — turning in homework assignments early, keeping her head down during disagreements, and living life vicariously through action movies.

Faced with the reality of her reputation as a lame, high school cliché, she decides now is the time for a change, so when hotshot basketball player Jeremy Blake interrupts her late-night plotting over a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, she convinces him to help.

As they explore the summer together, Anna can’t help but wonder what else will fall into place as autumn approaches.

"The Extended Summer of Anna and Jeremy" is a mature young adult novella with coming of age themes such as self-discovery and teenage love/relationships.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Young Adult Romance, Rus, Summer

176 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 2, 2019

About the author

Jennifer Ann Shore is an award-winning, bestselling author based in Seattle, Washington.

She writes romance stories that go a little deeper than the standard tropes. Her lineup of more than a dozen books includes standalones, a dystopian series, and a vampire series—with titles such as “Perfect Little Flaws,” “Young at Midnight,” and “Metallic Red.”

Prior to publishing, she led an impressive career in New York, first as a journalist and then as a marketing executive, gaining recognition for her work from companies such as Hearst and SIIA.

Be sure to sign up for her newsletter on her website (https://www.jenniferannshore.com) and follow her on Twitter (@JenniferAShore), Instagram (@shorely), and TikTok (@jenniferannshore).

Reviews

[Celia Buell (semi hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into this with very low expectations. The last time I read a book that was purely high school romance was... I'm not sure, but it was a long time ago. But I guess this was a little better than what I expected. (Also as a side note two of my college friends are Anna and Jeremy. They're both gay, so reading this book without picturing them was... weird to say the least. Also Jeremy's middle name is the same as the character Jeremy's last name, so that didn't help at all).

The characters were actually interesting. I'd expected Anna and Jeremy to be cardboard cutouts, but they did have a fair amount of depth to them. I liked that Anna was trying to change for herself rather than to meet societal expectations. I don't know if she approached it in the best way, but it was an interesting premise.

However, what didn't do it for me was all the sex scenes. Like, they're sixteen and seventeen. Yes, I know that's the age of consent in most states, including Pennsylvania where this book is set, but I honestly do not need that much steam in a high school romance. Maybe I can't talk, because I always skip past the steamy bits anyway, but this is the first time I've seen multiple (or any) full-on steamy scenes for an audience that's this young. It's very off-putting, although I'm sure many teenagers enjoy it.

And let me just say, I am very glad I never had the life of anyone in this story in high school.

Disclaimer: Free in exchange for an honest review, via Goodreads Giveaways. Thank you to Jennifer Ann Shore for listing. All opinions are my own.

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna is tired of being the same old boring goody two shoes so after mulling over her life while eating a bowl of cereal, she vows to make some changes. She’s going to make a bucket list and when her brother’s best friend, Jeremy, walks into her kitchen, she decides to start by kissing him. She’s crushed on him for as long as she can remember, and she’s floored when he agrees to help her with her list but with more spontaneity. As the summer rolls on, she spends all her time with him. She makes it perfectly clear it’s just for the summer but when it’s back to school time, Jeremy doesn’t want to go back to just being friends. Can Anna see past her list to what’s in front of her or will she break Jeremy’s heart?



The Extended Summer of Anna and Jeremy is a beautifully written summer romance/coming of age story. I connected with Anna right away as she reminds me of a very younger me. Anna is a heroine every girl can relate to and her reactions to all that life throws at her is spot on. Figuring out where you fit in and foraging your own path is a main theme to this book. Another powerful theme has to do with Jeremy and his basketball career. The pressure from his father is something many young athletes deal with on a daily basis. It was such fun exploring Anna and Jeremy’s feelings and attraction.



While some readers didn’t care for the timeline of the book (flashbacks and flashforwards), I found it appealing and broke up the monotony of Anna’s single POV. It was easy to follow along and added just the right amount of dramatic tension to the story.



If you’re looking for a unique young adult romance with realistic characters you’ll fall in love with, pick up The Extended Summer of Anna and Jeremy. Highly recommend! I hope the author plans on a sequel because there’s many characters I want to know more about.



Favorite Character/Quote: Anna. She’s so much like I was at that age, only I didn’t have the courage to try new things. Her addiction to movies and cereal cemented her as my favorite heroine of 2019.



My Rating: 5+ stars



Reviewed by: Mrs. N



This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/si...

[Kelly Fitzpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book in 2 days because I both wanted to know the fate of the characters and because Jennifer is such a fantastic writer! There were times throughout this book that I wanted to jump through the pages and yell at Anna and there were times that I wanted to be Anna. This book made me feel nostalgic for my old high school sweetheart, I absolutely adored it.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! I read it on vacation at the beach, and it was the perfect beach read. Only problem - I want more. Please write a sequel!!

[Page Pest · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story of this book held so much promise, but fell flat due some stylistic errors that I could not get behind. Both of the characters (Anna and Jeremy) felt so flat to me, due to their characterization. There were no motivations behind either of them, there was no reasoning given to why they were the way they were. It all felt so abrupt and sudden when the two started to get together because the book was so short. There were two sex scenes, yet no details of how the characters had developed any of their character points which was very frustrating. We had no reason why Anna was such a goody-two-shoes and why she wanted to change and why she wanted to do anything on her list. We had no reason for why Jeremy didn't want to do basketball, no reason as to why he wanted to study journalism and why he acted in anyway that he did. Most of all I was so frustrated with the callousness that alcohol was treated with the entire book. It was thrown into the story hastily and then never really expanded upon. The last conversation that you see with Jeremy and his dad is a come to Jesus style intervention that has no resolution. This to me came across as a way for the author to have a deeper meaning in the story about how alcoholism is bad, but its undercut by the amount of partying and the callousness that it is handled with.

This book was a quick and easy read that if you're looking for something to read on the beach is a good idea.

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me get this out of the way first: I'm doing a book challenge this year and one of the items is to read a book by an Indie author. I had a hard time finding any kind of good list with suggestions, so I settled for this one. It sounded okay. I didn't realize it was a novella and I HATE that, but here we are.

This was...meh. Neither of the main characters have any kind of reason for being how they are. Anna's a good student, but she drops everything she tries. She doesn't want to commit to a relationship. Why? No reason, really. Jeremy wants to quit basketball and be a journalist. Where did that come from? Who know? You certainly aren't going to find out in this book. Really, this book left a lot to be desired. There was so much missing from the plot. It's like the author did an overall story arc, but instead of backstory, just stuck in a couple if sex scenes and called it a day. So, yeah. Don't recommend this one.

[Caitlyn A · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book but I couldn’t. It’s disjointed and I felt like I couldn’t keep up with some of the abrupt changes both within a chapter and between chapters. It switches back and forth between two time periods - which is not in and of itself a bad thing - but it does so in a way that didn’t work for me. The protag was not likeable and I honestly couldn’t care less what happened to her. Jeremy was a better character but the author didn’t even flesh him out as much as she should have. Also the book was ridiculously short.

[emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was amazing. it was really fast-paced, and i definitely needed that. i love how it goes back and forth between then and now (and both are actually interesting). I wish i could go back and read it all over again. it gave me better than the movies vibes, and i was here for it.

[jocelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

”He smiled sadly. 'I love you, Anna Wright. I want to be with you for longer, for this summer, for the future. I know you feel the same way. I feel it so clearly, just like I feel how frightened you are.'”

3.5/5 ⭐️ (rounded down)

[Irma Khilji · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna is entering her junior year of highschool and is tired of being the old boring goody two shoes so after muling her life over while eating a midnight breakfast snack Anna decides she wants more but is not sure what more really is yet. Until she is caught checking out his brother's best friend and the guy she grew up with, Jeremy.
Anna craves experiencing life and her own feelings, and she decides to start by kissing Jeremy. But Anna's mind is a constant war zone.
Throughout the summer, Anna and Jeremy's relationship blossoms. They fulfill a bucket lists full of adventures all summer; from getting intimate with each other to getting her ear piercings and crossing states. Jeremy more than willingly follows Anna through her adventures. But Anna keeps on building walls that Jeremy constantly climbs over.
Can Anna see past her lists and put her guard down or will she end up breaking Jeremy's heart?
The Extended Summer of Anna & Jeremy is not your typical YA novel. It has more of a poetic feel. The book is a snippet of summer with a little bit of fall too. Their relationship is warm and fuzzy. The story is relatable, unique and sweet.
If you're looking for contemporary YA read with realistic characters (I think Anna was the most relatable character I've ever come across), you'll most definitely fall in love with this one.

[rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING
so cute and I love these characters
such a good short and sweet summer read
brothers best friend 🫶

[Lily · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a short, young adult, beach read...that has been done before. I even knew that going into it.

I didn’t really look at how little this book had been reviewed and let the high ratings sway me to purchase it when it randomly showed up on one of my social media feeds. It was an impulse moment and impulse purchase. The only reason I pushed through was because it was so short. It otherwise isn’t a book or movie that hasn’t been done a thousand times before. And the only reason I gave this two stars was because I reserve one star for my DNF and, again, pushed through because it was so short.

Despite it being cliche and overdone, Anna’s character did not wholly match up to the plot the author promised. We have this anxious, introverted, high achiever who seemingly overnight becomes someone fully confident in her sexuality and putting herself out there. I thought the intent was to show us a girl blossoming into self-confidence, but the author apparently just skipped past all that. This book also failed to live up to the summer adventures it promised — which was maybe the whole message of the plot (we can find “love” where we already are or maybe even in the simple monotony of life); but it was disappointing nonetheless.

There was *almost* a saving grace when the author decided to sprinkle in Anna’s brother’s opinion about her relationship with Jeremy...and then...nothing. We didn’t get more details; Anna never confronted her brother. We had a millisecond of an actual cliff hanger that failed to perform. I also feel like so much more could have been explored with the relationship and dynamics in Jeremy’s family to bring more flavor and introspective to the story. But, alas, nothing.

Overall, this book fell short. It brought promise and hype to, again, a plot that’s been done time and time again; but, even then, failed to live up to the cliche plot standards that have been done before. If you’re wanting to relive another nerd-girl-falls-in-love-with-high-school-jock story, just rewatch “She’s All That” for the millionth time. Because, even if you’ve seen it 999,999x before already, at least there’s some substance.

[Christine The Uncorked Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grab a bowl of cereal and a fuzzy blanket and get ready to spend your fall weekend getting in the back to school grove with Jennifer Ann Shore's newest contemporary YA romance, The Extended Summer of Anna and Jeremy.

If you love teen romance and coming of age, you'll jump off the high dive boards for Anna and Jeremy's experimental summer together. Wait....that sounds kind of wrong. But it's so wrong in such a good way!

Anna wants to be that straight-edge girl who makes lists for her life yet she lacks future ambitions. Wanting to start seeing and experiencing more, Anna asks Jeremy to help her become someone else--hotter, more fun, and someone with direction.

Will their adventure last just for the summer? Find the full review on The Uncorked Librarian here: https://theuncorkedlibrarian.com/the-...

Thanks to Jennifer Ann Shore for sending me a free copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great YA book! Anna is your typical straight-edged teenage girl who all of a sudden wants to have a different kind of summer and makes a list for it too. In doing so, she sets off to have an extraordinary summer of self realization and a little romance with Jeremy, her brother's best friend and the neighbor who has always been there for her.

I liked how the depiction of Anna stayed true to how teenagers in these millennial days develop and grow. The lesson here is that it's okay to take risks and by doing so, you can get value from that. With Jeremy's portrayal, the theme of identity against parental expectations came through.

Overall, this is a coming of age story and a love story combined. It is so much more than a summer fling :)

*Note: I received the Kindle version of this book via a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

[Dominic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! I’m a slow reader and sped through this. It was short, sweet, and to the point. It had just the right amount of angst that brought me right back to my high school days. It wasn’t trying to be anything it wasn’t and I really enjoyed the characters. Jess was my favorite and I hope the author gives her a spin-off! Please!

[Isabelle | Nine Tale Vixen]

I received a review copy from the author through a Goodreads giveaway; all opinions are my own and honest.

DNF @ 18%.

The setup uses a lot of tropes I generally enjoy, but the execution isn't working for me. Some of it just doesn't make sense — for example, an apparent intersection of "brother's best friend" and "tall dark popular mysterious" — and some of it is just over-the-top cheesy. The characters didn't seem very developed beyond archetypes, so I couldn't really get attached or invested, and to be quite honest I'm not convinced about their chemistry.

content warnings: past infidelity + separation (parents), major childhood injury + blood, ableism
rep: queer best friend

[Pamela Anderson-Bartholet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version of this book (unabridged...narrated by Stacy Birch).

First (and quite important for an audio book)...I loved the narrator. Her voice was perfect for this book (something I appreciated, having heard narrators that I dislike...which can spoil the book, for me).

This is a great "girl coming into her own" book; however, I hope the author writes a sequel because I feel that is more to be told in this story.

Anna is grappling with the expected challenges of teen years and friendship and the demands of school and whatever her future might be. She wants to be different...to grow up in her own ways...to break with her normal patterns of behavior. Her parents want her to think about her future and what she might want to do with her life, but Anna cannot think beyond the summer.

Anna is fortunate to have a family (mother, father, brother) and a best friend who love and care about her, but she can see the cracks in other families (particularly her brother's best friend, Jeremy, who has known Anna since they were small). It is interesting to watch Anna tackle (and often overcome) things in her life that cause her anxiety or distress; she is learning how to manage her life.

I particularly recommend this book for young people who likely are facing similar situations. And, again, I hope Jennifer Ann Shore writes a sequel to we can see how Anna navigates the end of her high school years, college (or trade school), and her life as a growing, changing young woman.

[Jenifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, those summer nights...
I feel so giddy! This transported me back to those flirty fun high school summers. Everyone's had or done some silly thing during the summer that they would never bring back to school with them. Summer 'flings' usually don't equal fall 'things.'
Anna was desperately trying to break out of her structured, bookworm, boring life before school starts. Her older brother Cory and his best friend Jeremy are her complete opposite. So, of course Jeremy is the perfect person to assist her with her audacious summer goals because there is no way this basketball stud would be seen with her during the school year. No strings, no pressure summer fun. Nothing really real to worry about.

This book was so much fun! Just the right amount of angst and no cheese. That's a hard line to walk.
While this book is lighthearted there's also a bit of an under tone of learning about yourself and what you want from life after high school to keep things grounded.

A great quick read just in time for summer vacay to start!


(I received a complimentary copy of this book from Hidden Gems.)

[Amanda Holt]

I'm leaving this unrated because I'm still undecided on whether or not I liked it.

Let's start with what I liked.

I'll say that I like how the author wrote it - pacing, style (the way it went back and forth between two time periods) to let the story unravel.

Anna, I could relate to -- to an extent. She got a little pigheaded and stubborn which frustrated me the same way pigheaded and stubborn people tend to frustrate me. But there was one moment that especially irked me and I'll applaud the author for that because it was realistic.

The book was short which I think was a great length for the plot. Felt like I was reading a modern romantic comedy movie in the making so I'll say it was fun.

BUT...here's where I have a problem and it's a pet peeve of mine so let's just say it's a really BIG problem.

I hate the FWB story line. I hate when authors use sex for not apparent reason to the plot...it was 100% out of character and it was poorly placed. I didn't buy the relationship actually being anything real after that and that's disappointing.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who ever really knows what they want?

I enjoyed how this story can reflect how teens think and act. Some people never understand how they effect each other. Some people know what they want early on while others never have a clue.

In this book Anna believes she wants to change and that her brother's best friend may be able to help her do that. She has never been outgoing and has not really ever tried to hang out with more then one person and feels like she doesn't fit in. Jeremy is someone everyone wants to be around. He always seems to fit in everywhere he goes. She asks him to help her be more like him.

During the summer break from school they do spend a lot of time together and Anna doesn't understand that Jeremy doesn't want her to change.

This story was worth reading for a lite romance and to find out who really helped who, who knew what they've wanted and for how long and who discovers what they really want.

[emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.2/5 🌟

Anna Wright has always been the perfect teenage girl who happens to love action movies. Jeremy (star basketball player) has always been seen to have a perfect life. Join the pair as they find themselves and each other during their summer adventures.

I wanted to save The Extended Summer of Anna and Jeremy for summer but I just couldn’t wait. This book was just so cute! The childhood friends to lovers trope is superior. I really enjoyed the character development of both Jeremy and Anna, as well as their relatable teenage problems. It was a short and sweet Novella and hit the spot just right. The only I thing I would like better about this book would be more details. Overall, it was another great book from my favorite author Jennifer Ann Shore.

*Also I’m definitely in the mood for cereal now 😭*

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Jennifer Ann Shore's books. They are sweet romances that I can have my daughter read worry-free. This story was from Anna's point of view, but I wish I could have been inside Jeremy's head for a little bit. Anna seems neurotic and self-involved, but I think that converts to being scared and overthinking everything. Sometimes it's best to get out of our own heads and follow our hearts. This was a fast-paced read because it was enjoyable and endearing. The only thing I wish was an epilogue. I wanted to know where Jeremy and Anna went from high school. Did they get married? However, by the author not including an epilogue, the reader can use their imagination and give the story their own personalized happily ever after.

[Laura Ramsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read from Jennifer!

I love friends to lovers, so this was the perfect book for me. It took me a couple of chapters to get to grips with the jumps between summer and fall, but after that, I enjoyed it!

I am also a great lover of he falls first tropes, and that's exactly what happened here. I loved all the wee details that came out about how much Jeremy had liked Anna before the start of this story.

I totally agree with Anna that you don't need to know what you're going to do with your entire life at 17. You need to live life and experience more before you make a decision like that.

Overall, it was a cute, quick read that I really enjoyed!

[Adria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the idea of the plot line and I would have enjoyed it more, but I don' think it was executed properly. The book jumped throughout summer and fall haphazardly and didn't go into much detail in some parts. The biggest disappointment for me was the ending. I enjoyed reading the book, although I wish it was written a little differently, but when I got to the end, I felt it was rushed and didn't wrap up the book in the way that it should. It was a quick read and I would recommend it if you don't mind mundane endings.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my most favorite book. I didn't realize the gist of it would be heavy on the romance side. Romance books aren't really my thing. My own preferences aside, I thought the story lacked depth. It was confusing at times what was happening when. Some themes were slightly mentioned, but I feel the story would have benefitted from going deeper into more of these. All in all, I wouldn't rush out to buy this book, nor can I think of anyone I would recommend it to. I can see teenage girls liking it though; hence, the 3 stars instead of 2.

[kaiah❣️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

do i even need to mention kindle unlimited anymore? this book fell so flat for me mainly because of anna’s characterization. i love the childhood friends to lovers arc but it felt SO rushed in the beginning and i never felt that Anna truly loved Jeremy. There’s never a moment in the book where I felt like she realized or admitted she loved him even close to the magnitude at which he expressed loving her. Had so much potential but it did not deliver

[Lauren T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It’s a short, sweet romance between Anna and Jeremy, two teenagers who have known each other since they were kids. There were a few plot holes and unnecessary conflict due to how short the book was, but I still give it 5 stars despite that. I recommend this for anyone who wants a short story focused on the relationship of the main characters over the summer.

Spice rating: 🌶️
There are two sex scenes but they aren’t super explicit or anything.

[Danielle Keil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swear, Shore never disappoints! She writes amazing, relatable FMC's (even if I want to shake some sense into them sometimes, it's nothing short of relatable honestly!) and her MMC's are loveable and swoony. Always. TESoAaJ took me for a ride, bringing me back to high school with the scenes like hanging out in the back of the truck, being at the pool, and of course, embarrassing moments in science class... Another winner for JAS!

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

i’ve read this before and i decided to read it again because it’s short. its length however is the one thing i really don’t like about this book. i wish there was more development between anna and jeremy’s relationship. it goes 0 to 100 so quick. i appreciate that they are able to have some semblance of character development in the 150 pages though!! these 2 stars aren’t necessarily because it’s bad but because there’s not enough book to judge and not enough cute moments to bump up the score.

[Lady Lex · Rating 2 out of 5]

Якось малувато... Ніби не повноцінна книжка, а скоріше замальовка або взагалі стисла чернетка, які, якби розписати, були б цікавіші й яскравіші, як мені здається. А так солодкувата, легка, літня, наївна, без аж такої надмірної драми, та й кінцівка така, що хочеться вхопити кришталеву кулю і зазирнути в майбутнє героїв, але надовго їхня історія не запам'ятається, зітреться з пам'яті вже за день, і все це засмучує більше за втіху від знайомства з ними.