The Last Days of Summer

by Sarra Manning

Sometimes all it takes is one long summer weekend for the person you thought you hated to become something more...

'It's about friendship, it's about life, it's about how people change . . . I loved it very much' MARIAN KEYES

'Funny, filled with emotion and very, very sexy! Add it to your 2025 TBR pile immediately...' BETH O'LEARY

'I laughed out loud, cried until I was a husk and finished it feeling refreshed, renewed, and looking at life a little bit differently. It's a summer I never wanted to end' CRESSIDA MCLAUGHLIN

'Your favourite writer's favourite writer . . . fun, sexy, bittersweet and utterly romantic, I fell head over heels for Cassie and Marc' LINDSEY KELK

'Expertly crafted, extremely loveable and a perfect balance of wit, heart and smut' LAUREN BRAVO

After a disastrous first meeting, Cassie and Marc become arch nemeses. He might have great cheekbones and a sexy French accent but he's a terrible person who did a terrible thing. Too bad that Cassie's best friends Lucy and Russell think he's wonderful.

But years later, when an unexpected tragedy strikes their friendship group, Cassie and Marc team up to give Lucy and Russell the best weekend ever so they can make new memories with all of their favourite people. Which means convincing everyone that Cassie and Marc are head over heels in love.

After hating him for so long, it takes four bittersweet days for Cassie to wonder if she got Marc all wrong. Can they let go of their troubled past and together, face whatever the future is going to throw at them?

⭐Enemies to lovers
⭐Fake relationship
⭐Grumpy / sunshine
⭐Heartfelt and emotional
⭐True love
⭐Hot, French, male main character
⭐Spicy, including a walk-in pantry scene...

REAL READERS ARE SWOONING OVER SARRA MANNING...
'Beautifull written, romantic, sexy, and gives a good ol' tug on the heart strings' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Sarra Manning is a one-click author for me' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Funny, romantic and spicy in equal measures' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'An auto-buy author for me' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Yet another absolute triumph by this author' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'I willed my eyes to move faster so I could find out where the story was going! And I teared up more than once' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

AND EVEN YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHORS ARE FALLING HARD FOR SARRA MANNING...
'Romantic, funny, sweet and sexy' MARIAN KEYES
'The funny, clever, deeply romantic, sinfully sexy, devastatingly heartbreaking, perfectly uplifting' CRESSIDA McLAUGHLIN
'A very swoony, sexy, warm read' CESCA MAJOR
'Emotional and profound and so so hot' SOPHIE IRWIN
'What a wonderful storyteller Sarra Manning is' JANE CASEY
'Funny and sexy and rips along' FREYA NORTH&

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Enemies To Lovers, Fiction, Summer, Ebooks, Chick Lit

400 pages, Paperback

Published July 31, 2025

About the author

Sarra Manning is a teen queen extraordinaire. She spent five years working on the now sadly defunct J17, first as a writer and then as Entertainment Editor. She then joined the launch team of teen fashion bible Ellegirl, which she later went on to edit and has consulted on a wide range of youth titles including Bliss, The Face and More.

Sarra is now editor of What To Wear magazine. She's also been a regular contributor to ELLE, The Guardian, ES Magazine, Seventeen, Details and Heat and wrote the Shop Bitch column for Time Out. Sarra lives in North London with her dog Miss Betsy

Reviews

[Aylin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Days of Summer perfectly captures the sad feeling that engulfs you when you know this will be the last time you will experience something. It is bitter-sweet and it is emotional.


Cassie and Marc are enemies. Enemies who share a history and a couple of best friends. Civil behaviour amongst their friends, snarky when they are alone. They avoid each other at all costs until tragedy strikes and they are forced to present a united front. Is a weekend enough to erase 16-year history of being enemies?



I liked the romance in this book but more than anything, I loved how the author wrote everything around Russell and Lucy. They were not the main couple but are the heart of the story. Russell’s diagnosis, his choice, and the different reactions of Cassie and Marc were portrayed so realistically. You are really able to empathize with the characters and it is an emotional read that balances a heavy topic with the beauty of life. I think by the end of it, you will look at life a little more differently and maybe take one or two more moments to appreciate the beauty and joy of living. See it as a chance instead of a chore and take fewer things for granted.



The only reason I deduct a star is because I would have liked to see a few more tender moments between Marc and Cassie. They went from hot to cold quite a few times and I couldn’t follow the development of their emotions, they just suddenly more than liked each other, it felt a little underdeveloped for me.

Thank you to Hodder&Stoughton and NetGalley for an earc in exchange for an honest review!



The Last Days of Summer is out March 27th 2025!

[jordan εїз · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars 🌟 ouchhhhh 🥲 beautifully written but also quite painful, especially those last words from russell 🥹 cassiemarc were a bit underwhelming (i personally loathe the tugging pigtails cause i love you trope…) but the friendship between cassie, lucy, marc, and russel was so lovely ⛱️🍾🪩 there were some sweet domestic moments between marc and cassie but the way they came together so close to the end irked me a bit. lucy and russell’s love for each other literally made me want to cry 😭 ugh this evoked lots of feeling but it was still good!

[Angela Appah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Marc was absolutely awful & very disrespectful for 90% of the book. Cassie should have had more respect for herself and made him grovel.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarra Manning has always been an auto-buy and favourite author for me, and ‘The Last Days of Summer’ is up there with one of my favourite books she’s ever written.

Is it heart-achingly sad? Yes! Does it have proper enemies to lovers? Yes! Is the spice, spicy? Yes! Is it written in the most beautiful way that made me upset that I had to put it down to live life occasionally? 1000% yes.

This book and these characters will be living with you far past the last page. It’ll make you realise you need to cherish what is in your life and fix the things you don’t like. It’ll make you grateful for the little things and make you want to ring your loved ones to tell them you love them.

Also, the nods to previous characters was *chefs kiss*.

This is romance with the extra oomph. If you’ve never read a Sarra Manning masterpiece than I implore you to start with this one. It is Manning at her best.

A huge thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.

Sad.

Happy.

Nervous.

Excited.

Happy again.

Sad again.

I love Russell, and I want to be his best friend. I want to be friends with Lucy and go to her naughty fortieth birthday party to drink champagne and sing karaoke. My fancy dress outfit would be Dorothy from the wizard of Oz and my karaoke song will be Piano Man by Billy Joel.

I want the next part of the story. I want to know what happens after the birthday party. I want Marc to say dirty things in French to me.

Beautiful story, with beautiful people. Hire me a house and fill it with my best friends and all the love in the world.

[Gitte TotallyBookedBlog · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘She was always going to feel at her most alone among a group of people who had found their person. Whatever life threw at them, they didn’t have to deal with it on their own…Still, it shouldn’t be so hard to find your most favourite person and be their favourite person in return. Not when she wanted it so desperately.’

Oh wow, Sarra Manning has done it again! THIS STORY is why we love this Author so much, why we will ALWAYS buy her books as soon as they release for our book shelves of love. She never fails to grab our hearts, make us laugh and make us cry. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Sarra Manning is truly MAGNIFICENT!

’Even though it hadn’t been real, to Cassie’s indiscriminate heart, it had felt real. She wanted to hate him but she also wanted to mean something to him.’

Be still our beating hearts! Sarra Manning has written an absolutely beautiful story about friendship, love and ultimately, the ups and downs of life. What a stunning romance, what a beautiful setting and what a gorgeous group of friends! We felt every bit of Cassie’s journey as we laughed with her, cried with her and swooned with her. We join her at a poignant moment in her life which sees her facing the ultimate test where the fragility of life is the main character.

’Despite the wind, the frenetic waves, there was a stillness to the two of them. Their love was palpable. A living breathing thing.’

One weekend changed everything for Cassie and it’s bittersweet. What a beautiful character she is! We loved Cassie for her devotion, her sense of humour, her selflessness, her vulnerability and her patience.

’They fell asleep like that, the half-moon peeking in at the window the only witness to the start of something that had taken sixteen long years to begin. Something precious.’

When we, as readers, say we love enemies to lovers…THIS IS IT! Cassie and Marc’s story played out as if we were watching a movie, whilst frantically turning the pages, compelled by the stunning storytelling by Sarra Manning. This is a book that’ll stay in our hearts. Always.

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars ⭐️

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Something has happened to romance fiction since I started reading it as a young teenager in the late nineties. I hesitate to call it woke, but … I think it’s woke?

Maybe it’s the fact that there’s likely an irreconcilable difference between being a competent, financially stable, emotionally secure woman in the world, and getting into a rewarding heterosexual relationship. When I think of the great romances in literature, there’s a clear imbalance. The woman tends to be poor or powerless or both, and the man provides money and power, while also being hot and overall a good dude – even if he tends also to be arrogant and domineering and all those other alpha male characteristics latter-day romance jettisons. I am also slowly re-watching Natalie Wynn/Contrapoint’s video on Twilight and it’s really hitting. The idea of not wanting to take responsibility for your desires (as well as everything fucking else!) as a straight woman, and so the rich alpha male representing an alleviation of responsibility more than anything else – yes. It makes sense to me.

Which is why in this novel Marc is both too much of an asshole and NOT ENOUGH of an asshole. Yes, he pumps and dumps Cassie on their first meeting, and lives to regret it as a later reformed fuqueboi. However, Cassie has no hand in his reformation. I’m not saying I necessarily want to have my female heroines take charge of the emotional development of the male heroes, but … there’s something in that. Elizabeth Bennet calls Darcy to account and walks away. He does the rest on his own, but the callout remains hers to perform. There IS something inherently appealing about being the Only One the incredibly hot and sought-after man can truly confide in, can truly be himself around. Jilly Cooper and Fiona Walker, two of my OG romance writers, were past masters at this. Sarra Manning herself was able to do this, once upon a time! You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me remains, not just one of my favourite romance books, but one of my favourite books, full stop. Which almost makes her later works worse, in a way, because I know she can do way better than this.

There’s also a lot of insufficiently justified or interrogated choices made in this book. Case in point: the age gaps between Cassie and Marc, but also Lucy and Russell. As many have said before me, it’s not just age but experience gaps. Cassie being 37 to Marc’s 44 is a WAY different prospect to Cassie’s TWENTY-ONE to Marc’s TWENTY-EIGHT. And for why? Is it just to make the current ages work? Because quite simply no one needed to be as young as they were. Lucy and Russell’s teenage children barely feature, to the point where they could just have been YOUNGER CHILDREN when the book opens. Have Lucy be thirty when she has her kids!

Ditto Cassie’s convoluted parental history, with her mother being fifteen when she had Cassie and creating a huge abandonment wound and then having a second-chance romance etc etc etc. None of this contributed to the plot except to explain Cassie’s Trauma, but why put it in at all? I feel the time is ripe for Manning and other authors to just write about late bloomers who glowed up post-college (or not at all) rather than scrabbling for reasons why someone would be this tragic combination of late thirties, single, but normal.

I’m also tired of Manning’s MCs not going to college. That was sort-of fine when the books were set and written in the early to mid-aughts, but if you’re going to have characters NOW who aren’t college-educated, you really need to do the work of explaining how they’re good friends with OXBRIDGE GRADUATES. Cassie’s RIGHT when she talks about not fitting in with people who went to private schools and stuff. Even in Ireland, which has a much less rigid class system, people tend to stay within their intellectual levels. Because it’s simply not that fun to be friends with people who don’t share your cognitive abilities and interests! Sorry to be a snob on main but it’s true. And if you’re going to have this girl who seemed to LEAVE SCHOOL AT 16 in a BOOK that’s mainly going to be read by BOOKISH GIRLS … fucking own goal, basically. In no other sphere of life do you see bookish, nerdy intellectuals getting with hot men. Can we not have this ONE THING?!

Also the whole premise of the fake dating being the imminent tragic death of their friend from cancer … uh, I guess that could work, but the execution is half-hearted at best. Mainly because sixteen years is just too long for this to carry on and be believable. Again; why is Lucy twenty-four getting married and having babies? Make her thirty, make all of this have happened five years ago, and boom, suddenly there’s urgency and it makes sense. And Russell is barely a person, just a ‘beacon of light’. Convenient that no one needs to have any kind of complicated feelings about that I guess. I feel like there’s a very different book attempting to burst, Alien-style, from the guts of this one. One that’s much longer and better developed. I think of the scenes that took place in YDHTSYLME over one evening of clock time but pages and pages of book time, the exquisite detail and 360 view from the character’s head, and cannot but sigh for what we’ve lost.

[Harps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarra Manning never fails to deliver, and this book is no exception! Cassie and Marc start off as sworn enemies after a disastrous first meeting. But years later, they’re unexpectedly thrown back into each other’s lives when they’re asked to help their mutual friends, Lucy and Russell. Tasked with planning an unforgettable weekend, Cassie and Marc must put their differences aside and pretend to be madly in love. However, as the weekend unfolds, Cassie starts to question her long-standing resentment toward Marc and wonders if there’s more to him than she ever allowed herself to see.

This novel has everything you’d expect from a Sarra Manning story—romance, friendship, heartache, and redemption. While the primary focus is on Cassie and Marc, the narrative beautifully interweaves their friendships with Lucy and Russell, adding layers of depth to the story. The heartache felt so raw and authentic that it moved me to tears more than once. Manning masterfully balances these emotional moments with lighthearted humor and delightful banter, especially in the playful dynamics between Cassie, Marc, and their friends during the weekend’s escapades.

Without giving too much away, I’ll admit I was nervous about how things would ultimately unfold between the four friends. But the ending was nothing short of perfect—a touching, satisfying conclusion that felt like the cherry on top of an already delicious cake.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this gem. If you’re a Sarra Manning fan or simply love heartfelt, character-driven stories, this one is not to be missed!

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 - nothing extraordinary, but it was a sweet, moving summer read nonetheless.

[Katie Bamman · Rating 2 out of 5]

No

[Maggie John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good beach read.

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 🌟 stunning

[Ireniam · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Emily Stonier · Rating 2 out of 5]

felt like a millennial trying to cosplay gen z

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Last Days Of Summer’ by Sarra Manning is an emotional and steamy enemies-to-lovers romance that will break and repair your heart multiple times across the pages. Cassie and Marc have been arch nemeses almost since they first met, but are forced to orbit each other due to their close friendships with spouses Lucy and Russell. When Lucy and Russell’s perfect family life is struck by an awful tragedy, Cassie and Marc are thrown together to plan them a gorgeous, nostalgic and perfect weekend trip. To create beautiful and everlasting memories, they have to put their differences aside… but is it possible to fake cordiality after sixteen years of hostility?

Sarra is one of my favourite, auto-buy authors (I felt personally seen by the part of this book’s dedication that was to “those who… still think that ‘Unsticky’ is my best novel”), and this novel absolutely met my sky-high expectations (and not just because of the Grace and Vaughn cameo). I admire how Sarra creates realistic and loveable characters, and allows them to open up throughout the chapters until they feel like your best friends. Cassie’s sunny personality was given depth by her grief and complex feelings about family, and Marc’s grumpy and controlled disposition masked so much heart. Each supporting character was vivid and full of personality, even if some of them (Heather) weren’t exactly likeable!

Of course, this book had some wonderful spicy scenes, with Cassie and Marc making good use of the walk-in pantry and the en-suite shower of the beachside Manor House setting. However, the book was as much about friendship and respect as it was about lust. I was dreading the book ending for two reasons - I didn’t want it to be over, and I also didn’t want to feel destroyed by an inevitable gut punch - but the conclusion was pitch-perfect, real and full of hope as well as grief.

This was a five star read for me, and I’d really recommend it to anyone who enjoys character-driven, open-door romance. Just remember you may need tissues, but I promise you’ll smile and swoon more than you sob!

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[fats · Rating 4 out of 5]

sarra manning I love you and your writing and the skirt-verse and your heroines who aren't always likeable and don't always have their shit together but are still compelling and your sexy male leads who are usually kind of pricks but in a loveable way and I just enjoy your books SO MUCH. maybe this one hit harder because of the themes about finding love and fearing whether you're inherently unlovable and all that fun jazz, but i had a great time reading this, I find manning's (good (I don't love all of them)) books a more accessible and real version of mcfarlane's. the only thing here is I think we needed a lot more focus on both cassie and marc's families and backgrounds esp when it informed so much of the characters themselves. marc was hot like I said and I did love him but I didn't fully buy his excuses for being an arsehole lol.

[Suzanne Illingworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed several Sarra Manning books and this latest one didn’t disappoint.
Perfectly balanced with interesting characters some of which you will love but some you will love to hate.
It follows the path of Cassie and Marc,drawn to each other despite their differences and fall out of many years ago.Cassie is tasked with planning her best friend Lucy’s big birthday weekend by Lucy’s lovely husband Russell.
Without spoiling the plot news changes the world of old standing firm friends.The novel perfectly balances romance,love,spice(def spicy )and heartache.
Loved it,highly recommended

[Lauren Dunkley · Rating 5 out of 5]

“They fell asleep like that, the half moon peeking in at the window the only witness to the start of something that had taken sixteen long years to begin. Something precious.”

UGH this book was just everything

It was grief and love all rolled into one, heartbreaking and charming all at the same time 🥺

ALSO MARC WITH A C PARDON MY FRENCH BUT OUI OUI

[Ruth Mackay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last day of the holiday and a beach day, so naturally I read the whole book in a day as it was too good to put down. I was a fan of Sarra as a teen, reading the diary of a crush series, I didn’t realise she had written adult fiction. I look forward to reading more.

[Isadora Eilers · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s not the best romance i’ve read, but I loved the way these characters are a bit older than usual. The book is sensitive and emotional, but not very dramatic. I like that. I do think the development of the relationship was a bit rushed and i’d love to see more of an “in between”.

[Amy K]

Jane Casey recco “a writer’s writer”

[Kit Wolverson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

This needed a trigger warning but I love a Sarra Manning book as a fan from a teenager

Slightly predictable but some lovely moments and sayings - first book I’ve genuinely highlighted

[Clodagh ♡]

DNF @ 37%
Ew ew ew

[Kristina Griffiths · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarra manning is one of my all time favourite authors!

This book had me sobbing , I could not put it down o enjoyed it immensely and as always I need more of the characters!

[Carly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the main characters annoying

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Harper Perennial, for the ARC!
What a sweet, tender story about friendship. And we love a forced proximity, enemies to lovers trope! The spice was fantastic. I loved the relationships of the characters. I enjoyed how Heather and Davy weren’t redeemed and left as terrible people and no cheesy feel good arc about them. And I like how the ending was speculative. Like know what’s coming but it didn’t need to be put down in words any more than it was. Beautiful story

[Heather Pruett · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this book 10 stars I totally would!

What I loved most is how honest it feels—about love, loss, timing, and the way one summer (or one person) can leave a mark on you forever. The characters are flawed, relatable, and deeply human. It’s not a perfect, fairytale romance, but that’s exactly why it works. It’s raw, nostalgic, and quietly heartbreaking in moments, yet still full of hope.

[Emma Harris]

I finished it in one day! A beautiful & impactful standalone story for when you need a quick read.
I do think that Marc’s rude persona went on a little too long & would’ve liked to see Cassie making him sit with his regret longer

[ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

ohmy heart 🥲 feelin heavy & on the verge of tears post finishing 😭