Need S'More Time

by Nellie Wilson

June Lehrer needs to shut off her brain for a week to make a huge decision. Having taught middle school through a global pandemic, she is reconsidering the career she spent years working towards just in time to accompany 150 students to their annual retreat at Camp Peek-n-See. The last thing she needs is to make out with the new camp director Colin on the first night of camp, but when have the last three years ever gone according to plan?

Tucked away in the aspens, June and Colin find a connection that neither of them expected to burn as bright as it does. But camp is just for five days, and the real world is waiting down the mountain...

Featuring camp fires, a large grey cat, good coffee, and a healthy bit of steam, this story is about chasing what feels right and figuring out your path, even when it feels inconvenient and overwhelming.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Ebooks, Summer, Forced Proximity

242 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 10, 2022

About the author

Nellie Wilson is the pen name of a teacher and historian in her 30s who doesn't want her students to read her spicy books. Originally from western Pennsylvania, Nellie spent time in Ohio and Colorado before settling in San Diego. She enjoys drinking beer, talking about true crime and medical history, listening to emo music from the 2000s, and making up songs about her dog. When not writing books, she teaches sixth grade. When not doing that, she studies the history of San Diego city planning. When not doing that, she pours beer. "Need S'more Time" is her first book, but she has many more planned. You can find her on Instagram at @woahnelliewrites.

Reviews

[kelseyandherbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a teacher, you need to read this book. If you are a parent of school age children, you need to read this book. If you love spicy romance novels, you guessed it! You need to read this book.

Need S'More Time is a delightful book about nerds falling in love at summer camp - is there anything more perfect? June and Colin's instant chemistry positively JUMPED off the page and I loved reading as they opened up to one another and allowed themselves the space to fall. The book is also so freaking funny - Nellie definitely opens up a chapter with multiple pages of poop disaster stories. I was rolling on the floor laughing.

I also think this book does a great job of showcasing how tired and burnt-out teachers are, especially in this post-Covid world we're living in. It humanizes teachers in a way I think a lot of people need to see showcased in literature, reminding us that, at the end of the day, teachers are people, too. Silly that that needs to be said... but here we are.

I have had the opportunity to connect with the author a bit on Instagram and she is just as hilarious as her book is. The kind of person that makes it so very easy to support, because both her talent AND personality are top tier.

[a · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is..... bad. Like, several typos and glaring grammatical errors bad. Even if it weren't for the clearly poor editing this book received, it would still read like a 15 year old girl wrote this on her Wattpad account. Maybe it's just me, but one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to books or movies or television is when the COVID-19 pandemic is front and center. We all lived it for two years, books are my chance to get away from all of that and this book brings it up just about every chance you can.

The way the author describes Colin is not attractive whatsoever, and also contradicts herself on his description. At one point she basically says how scrawny and lanky he is and then a few pages later describes how big his biceps are. I know that everybody has their preferences for what they find attractive, but I think this might be the first time I've ever read a book where all I kept thinking is "...he sounds kinda gross".

The main character of this book is so whiney and obnoxious that I had to DNF about 60 pages in and quickly skim over the rest of the book. I appreciate all the struggles the author the author lists that teachers go through, as my sister is a teacher and I understand that it truly is one of the toughest jobs in the world. But it just rubs me the wrong way when someone whose job it is to take care of children all day starts saying (direct quote) "God, kids are stupid". Not only that but I just have to acknowledge the excessive drinking the teachers do?? When they're supposed to be chaperoning kids??

Honestly, my biggest issue with this book is just that it's simply not an easy read. When I'm reading, I play out the entire book like it's a movie in my head. The way the characters speak in this book just does not translate to how normal people talk in real life. It feels so fake and forced. I was really excited about this book because I thought the premise was really cute and could be turned into a really great story but unfortunately this one fell flat for me.

[lexi ✨ · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf @ 39%

i have never dnf’d a book before until now. i can feel myself slowly falling into a reading slump trying to get through this book. honestly it’s boring, the romance seems forced, i don’t like any of the characters. it’s just an overall no from me. which is sad because the cover is giving nothing but fall vibes, but this was just bad. i seriously always try to find at least one thing i like about a book, but i didn’t like anything in this one.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.

This was clearly a very personal romance debut by new indie author Nellie Wilson. Pun-tastic and very relatable, the story follows June, a teacher in her early thirties who is feeling completely burnt out after working through the pandemic and is searching for something she can get passionate about again.

Enter Collin, the hot, hipster camp director June meets while she spends a week with her class at a summer camp. The two have immediate and electric chemistry in this open door love story full of consent and sexual gratification. A little bit too insta-love for my tastes, the two main characters do however spend enough quality time together that their fast romance wasn't unbelievable.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to what's next from the author. It's not just any book that could get me rooting for a socks and sandals, man-bun hero! Much thanks to the author for a gifted arc in exchange for my honest review!

[Katie Golightly · Rating 5 out of 5]

So freaking cute. Camping romances are apparently top tier for me. I adore Colin and June and I can't wait for the next one.

[kenna bean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Successful car ride to Albany 🥰 this short and sweet novella was PERFECT. I may….I may like June and Colin even more than Ryan and Emmy?????? okay they’re EVEN. this was so warm and lovely and REAL, which is what I love most about Nellie Wilson’s stories thus far. I saw SO MUCH of myself in June — which makes this story even more bittersweet and wonderful. I will read whatever Nellie Wilson writes. It’s always a breath of fresh air to discover an author who makes u giggle and cry and feel seen.

[Julie WB · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute and there was a lot that I really liked about it. Some of it was very realistic. She nails teaching post-pandemic and I identify with the MC so hard on this. The negativity really spoke to me. 😆 I also enjoyed the comedy/realism of having a bathroom emergency at a new guy’s house. Great scene.

What didn’t really work for me was the insta-love. I didn’t feel the connection you need in order to buy in to that trope. The characters were both lovely, just something wasn’t clicking for me. Plenty of steam though. Overall this was enjoyable and a self-published debut so I cut a lot of slack for that. Would read this author again.

[Kae | reads.with.kae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book in less than 24 hours and then had to sit and stare at it for a while.
What a BOOK!
It was everything I wanted it to be and then some. Being able to chat with Nellie herself while reading the book made the experience even better.

I love June. I love June for having an emotional support water bottle (stay hydrated, friends!). June is a teacher who is burnt out after the pandemic and trying to figure out where her path is headed now. I am not a teacher, but my respect for teachers has always been tremendous, even more so since the pandemic. Teachers deserve everything. June deserves everything. What I also love is that June just gets to be human and do things outside of the label of being a teacher. Teachers are humans too.

Colin. Whitford. If you know me, then you know that I am team cinnamon roll love interest, and Colin is now at the top of the list. Colin and his punny tshirts. Colin and his socks and sandals. Colin and his very gentle heart. Colin and his cat Muir. If there’s anyone else who deserve everything, it’s Colin.

Also, Kevin and Phoebe for the win. Everybody needs a friend like Kevin who will hand it to your straight. And everybody needs a sibling like Phoebe who will always have your back.

I just loved this book. I loved it. I laughed, I cried at 9 o’clock this morning, I laughed even more. It’s one of my top books of the year for sure.

[Athen | ardentlyathen · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You don't have to have everything figured out to pursue things that make you happy."

the ✨highlights✨
+ cheesy t-shirts
+ campfire dates
+ MurderCouch
+ socks and sandals
+ realistic characters facing realistic problems
+ insta-love but they know it's weird (as Nellie puts it)

Nellie Wilson's debut novel was incredible in so many ways. It touches so realistically on how the last few years have changed our lives, teacher burnout, and that it's never too late to do what's best for YOU.

It wasn't always easy to read, but I think that was the point. It shines the light on the real world as well as June and Colin's love story. It makes you stop and think and process.

Butttt there's also some spicy, spicy scenes and poop stories. It's all about balance, people!

Read if you like:
+ summer camp
+ stargazing and beer
+ manbuns
+ a guy who knows how to comfort

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hit me right in the teacher feels!

I feel like I have had every single thought that June expressed about teaching in this book, which is a big part of why I enjoyed it. The romance was cute, too!

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

What to expect: insta love, camp setting, post-covid

I really enjoyed this book and I am glad I was warned of the long chapters before starting! I totally understand why they were done that way, and by the end I grew to appreciate it.

I'm a big fan of insta love, and I def insta loved this book. I liked how real June was, and she wasn't this perfect teacher, I am not a teacher and I am sure if I was I would feel like she did. Colin was adorable, obvi loved him from the moment we met him.

This book was just a ton of fun, and made me laugh a lot. The side characters were excellent, and I would now like a campfire hot dog and s'more please.

Spice: 3

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Earlier this year, I fell in love with Wilson’s book Curated. Because all of the characters in her books are interrelated, I wanted to make sure to read everything else before her next novel, Educated, is published.

Need S’more Time finds June, a teacher who has lost her love for teaching after the pandemic, chaperoning students to the annual week-long sleepaway camp. She plans to update her resume and apply for non-teaching jobs during the trip. Her plans flip upside down when she meets Colin, the new camp director. They are both struck by an instant physical and emotional connection. What follows is a whirlwind camp romance with both falling hard. But, can you fall in love in 4 days? Should you take a leap of faith or follow your current path?

I love Wilson’s writing style. She manages to balance funny, spicy, sweet, and thoughtful. I highlighted many quotes from this book, and when I went back through, although many were about the characters, even more were just damn good life advice.

If you’ve taught, chaperoned, or been to camp, I think you’ll enjoy this. If you like love at first sight, small college towns, found families, or hiking, you’ll like this book.

[Crystal Holland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love camp romances. I could read them forever. (I also happen to be living out a camp romance in real life but I DIGRESS). June is a fairly unlikable narrator, as she spends a lot of the story complaining about her job and her post-pandemic realities. But I think we have all been a bit unlikable over the past few years. And Colin, as a love interest & camp director extraordinaire, helps to draw out June’s likability through his presence. HAVE I THOUGHT TOO MUCH ABOUT THIS? Yes, yes I have.

[Rachel Dangora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay… I loved the idea of this book. Heck, I even loved the story in this book. However, the amount of typos drove me nuts, which is why I gave it 2 stars. I even highlighted a bunch of quotes that resonated with me, so I’m super bummed by how poorly reviewed this was. If you can get past the typos and grammar, you will like it for a cute, cozy romance. It was what I was looking for, but not sure if I can recommend it.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this debut. I am not a teacher, but the burnt out mindset of June is something all of us who have worked “outside of the home” jobs during the pandemic can relate to. I’m still experiencing terrible burnout 2.5+ years in now. If June can apply to jobs outside of school, I can apply to jobs outside the hospital.

Congratulations on writing such a heartwarming and real story. Nellie, if you’re reading this, I am obsessed with my dog and only listen to emo music. I live in CT, but I desperately want to settle in San Diego as well. We’re the same.

[RateTheRomance · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good, and clearly very personal, debut novel for this author. NEED S'MORE TIME is insta-love, taking place over one week, but the main characters spend a good amount of time together.

My main issue with NEED S'MORE TIME is there was no conflict. These two meet, have chemistry, go on dates, never argue, have lots of sex, the week ends and she returns home. Yes, they come back together, but there's just no issues besides her indecision.

Colin particularly is a book boyfriend super-human with zero discernible flaws. I just...wanted more. More complexity. More story beats. More plot arcs. It's just perfect dates and perfect sex. Repeat and add a heavy dose of teacher burn-out.

If I were this book's editor I would have cut 50 full pages of teacher burn-out musings, extended the camp to 3 weeks, and added a distinct conflict which impacts both main characters and which they need to work through together.

For these same reasons NEED S'MORE TIME would be a great beach read. A quick, conflict-free, enjoyable book with plenty of steamy scenes and a sweet happily-ever-after. If that's what you're looking for then definitely pick this one up!

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: Rated R
𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦: teacher burnout, lots of discussion of quarantine/covid, past death of parent
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗦: 2/5 - A bit of drama, but still a pretty light read.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

👇🏻𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗠𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘👇🏻
INSTAGRAM | YEAR OF SMUT CHALLENGE

[Carlina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't even know where to begin with this book...I guess I'll start with how much I related to it as an educator during covid. June is a burnt out 6th grade teacher who doesn't have it in her anymore to continue teaching post-covid, and boy do I get that. Her feelings of burnout and frustration with her lack of patience for her students are things I really struggled with also these past 2 years as a teacher. Every "rant" she went on about how awful these past few years have been for educators specifically felt like it was getting pulled straight from my brain. Also, her disdain for cover letters was 100% correct.

Okay next let's talk about the savior that is delicious manbun-wearing Colin. Ugh, I loved this man so much. He is so patient and well-spoken and just knows exactly what to say to put June at ease. I'm not usually attracted to outdoorsy hiking type men who wear socks with sandals, but Colin was actually making me question myself. He is the quintessential "man written by a woman" without it being unbelievable cringy overkill. He's definitely getting a best book boyfriend award 🏆

Some other tid bits I loved about this story:
💖 the plot mostly takes place in the span of 5 days
💖 MMC being a cat person
💖 S'MORES appreciation
💖 spring season camp setting
💖 best friend who gives great advice
💖 MCs are in their mid-30s
💖 teachers who drink and smoke
💖 THE SPICE 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
💖 the set up for book #2....

Overall, I think everyone needs to read this perfect romance, especially other teachers!!!

[K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trigger warnings: COVID, mental health, panic attacks, anxiety, death of a parent (in the past), poop

I had really high hopes for this because yes, it's a contemporary romance but it also deals with teacher burn out following the pandemic and I was absolutely here for that.

But.

The instalove in this is STRONG, and I was constantly baffled by the fact that June spends like zero time supervising the children who are in her care. Don't get me wrong, I understand that they're at a camp and there are camp counsellors who are doing the running of activities and whatnot. But, like, SURELY the teaching staff have to do more than turn up to meals from time to time???

Essentially, this would have worked better for me if June had been attending the camp to see if it was going to work for their school going forwards, seeing how it worked for other schools or summer camp groups or whatever rather than visiting with her own students.

Look, it was funny and sweet a lot of the time. But it was also riddled with typos (my favourite was "her public bone"), and I struggled with the formatting at times. So. There's that.

[JennShesBooked · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an example of humour and romance coming together in a perfect blend of romcom. I adored all the funny bits, the sweet bits, and the steamy bits. I also really, really loved the friendship between June and Kevin. It might have been my favourite thing about the book.
There’s no doubt the summer camp setting was so fun as well! I’ve always wanted to go to summer camp and so reading books set at camp always get me in the feels.
I, personally, did struggle with so much pandemic talk. A lot of the feelings June had around it were so familiar to me and a bit triggering, which did cause me to lose connection a bit, but that is no fault of the author or story at all.
Need S’more Time had a lot of heart and emotion. I loved how Colin was just what June needed but how he also gave her the space to realize that on her own. It made their bond so much stronger and sweeter to watch.
I highly recommend picking this one up!
Long live the Murder Couch and the Cholera Blanket 😏

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe 3.75 and rounding up? This book, though not a long read (ironically with VERY long chapters), had different feels/phases. The beginning was a cathartic (read: good and also genuinely uncomfortable to touch again) depiction of a burned out teacher. She taught through COVID lockdown and her wrestling with her ID as a "kid-person" and compassion fatigue was so real (probably because the author was in the same literal spot). So good and so hard. For the most part, the chemistry was off the charts but then there were 3 or 4 one-liners from the MMC that seemed out of character and (if I imagined myself in June's situation) off-putting (and, confusingly, June didn't find them off-putting, so it wasn't even like a moment that modeled having hard/necessary conversations with someone you love, so what was even the point??). The resolution at the end was abrupt, but I'm not suuuper mad about it. I definitely want to read more in this universe.

[Erin (she_is_2_fond_of_books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a teacher, so this just didn’t resonate with me as much as it might with others. Although I certainly understand career burnout.

I just didn’t really feel all that connected to our couple. Everything moved so fast and worked out so perfect, it didn’t really have much emotional impact for me.

Also, while I understand that our Heroine is working through some life shit, I found her negativity really distracting. When someone is burnt out and depressed with their job and life trajectory… I’m not sure I want to read about their camp hookup turned instalove, turned perfect resolution to their life frustrations. The relationship fixed all her other problems… finding a boyfriend made all the issues go away. I really don’t like that message at all.

[Emma Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a kid who went to nature camp and later became a counselor there, it's like this book was made for me. Would I curl up with Colin on his murder couch? Absolutely. It was so refreshing having a romance book talk about the pandemic, educational burnout, and poop. (Yeah, I'm serious about the last one... WHY DOES NO ONE EVER POOP IN ROMCOMS?) June is so sweet and Colin gives me all of those melty marshmallow feelings. The only con is that he's a psycho who purposefully burns his s'mores. Like....why?

Her writing definitely improved in Curated, but don't sleep on S'more! It's a quick book full of wilderness vibes and the cutest puppycat to ever exist.

[Hannah Bonam-Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a burnt out teacher, but I love a few of them dearly. Regardless, this book discussed living in a post-shut down / covid world in a way most people could relate to. During a time where it seems everyone is looking for new work, a new way of life, company after isolation- this book is so relevant and affirming.
Colin and June are such a wonderful pair. Colin is a mature, thoughtful man who is still somehow still goofy and great book boyfriend material.

I highly recommend you give this debut a read!

[Thalita · Rating 5 out of 5]

adorable and sweet and spicy

Honestly, this book is pure joy. June and Colin are so sweet and soft and wonderful. I read the books out of order, and it was actually so nice to get to “go back in time” to read this couple’s story. Insta-love isn’t always my favourite, but it’s done perfectly in this book.

[Jes · Rating 4 out of 5]

So Cute!

June gives me all the feels with her struggles as a teacher. I love that this narration doesn’t sugar coat what happens in the classroom. Teachers deserve this representation. And Colin—sweet, sock and sandal wearing Colin. He’s a delightfully emotional cinnamon roll. Such a cute debut!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute read by an Indie author. This made this read very relatable to me, as it was a teacher who was dealing with how she felt about teaching during the after math of covid. There were so many things that she said, that I just felt seen, and it made this read that much better for me.

[ChristinaReadsOnTheRoad · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO GOOD!!! Will review soon.

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Anxiety & panic attacks
COVID-19 pandemic
Death of a parent recounted

[Shannon three.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

So darn good!
This book is hilarious and sweet and steamy. The camp setting takes me back to my camp days. I love when a book can take you back in time. Colin and June’s dates are perfect, absolutely my kind of date.
Some of my absolute favourites were:
📖“Books should be windows, mirrors and sliding glass doors.”
📖June’s late night stomach pain
📖 Consent 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 more romance novels should include consent before getting 🔥🔥🔥

[Alanis Schoolcraft · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am June. June is me.