Book Review: The Summer You Were Mine

By Melissa Smoot

Ellie Beltrami and Cristiano Conte have known each other their entire lives. Both families hail from Chiavari, a small city on the Italian Riviera. Their grandparents are friends. Their parents are friends. They were friends. And for one brief moment fourteen summers ago, they were almost more than that.

After years apart, Ellie and Cris are headed back to Chiavari as generations of Beltramis and Contes gather for the unlikely second marriage between her grandmother and his grandfather. But while everyone’s celebrating, Ellie is reeling from the very public implosion of her career as the host of a sports talk show, plus overthinking her past and perceived flaws in light of the recent discovery that she is neurodivergent. Cris, a newly retired elite swimmer, also arrives adrift after being accused of using a banned substance.

Reunited in a place where summer dreams come true, Cris and Ellie make a deal: an exclusive interview with Cris to fix her career, and an appearance on Ellie’s show to clear his name. Soon they’re picking up where their teen romance left off—but if this second chance can last, they’ll need to finally confront what drove them apart all those summers ago. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

This was a great book! The story flowed well, and I loved the setting on the coast of Italy. I could picture the gorgeous scenery and beautiful villas. The two main characters, Ellie and Cris, were both relatable in different ways, and I liked how the author let us read the story from both of their points of view. 

I am a sucker for second-chance stories and this one was no exception. It wasn’t only about a second chance in love, but in life in general. I laughed out loud a lot while reading and found myself smiling at the sweetness of the big Italian families. If you are heading on vacation anytime soon, this would be a great book to take along. You will lose yourself in the visions of sunny Italian beaches and witty banter over wine. 

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the book in exchange for an honest review. Purchase The Summer You Were Mine here.

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