It's Not Summer Without You

Summer #2

by Jenny Han

Belly finds out what comes after falling in love in this follow-up to The Summer I Turned Pretty from the New York Times bestselling author of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (soon to be a major motion picture!), Jenny Han.

Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach?

It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come.

But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started—at Cousins Beach.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Realistic Fiction

275 pages, Hardcover

First published April 27, 2010

Reviews

[ashleigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

ngl my favorite character might be the house

[Rachel Reads Ravenously · Rating 3 out of 5]

These books are terrible and yet I cannot stop reading them.

[bo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Belly is stupid. Conrad is annoying. Jeremiah is pathetic.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5
Belly was more obnoxious in this book and the love triangle was hit SO HARD but I still really liked it.

[☾]

belly is so immature that her decisions honestly make my brain rot. on to book three!

[Claudia Lomelí · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't liked it as much as the first one. Belly is starting to piss me off and don't make me talk about Conrad, I can barely stand him.

Jeremiah, Laurel and Susannah are my faves <3.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Belly… Girl, you gotta get it together.

[Larissa Cambusano · Rating 4 out of 5]

OKAY EXCUSE ME!!!! this was a lil sadder than I bargained for!!! me: reading a cute summer romance, also me: gets sad 👁👁 it’s fine everything’s fine. moving on. listen, Jeremiah is nice and all but Conrad is where it’s at. my mind has not changed.

THAT ENDING THO. SOS. IM RUNNING TO THE LAST BOOK 🏃‍♀️

“happiness is a slurpee in a hot pink straw” <3

[Regan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man.... So many ups and downs. I feel so attached to everyone, and I feel like they are real people dealing with real struggles. It's a nice change.

[Ali Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute read! So perfect for summer!! And perfect for all ages. Belly did get on my nerves a little bit at certain parts but overall I love that she is a real character with flaws. And the love triangle tore me up in this book!! Can't wait to start book 3 and to watch the series coming out next month!!!

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

For helpful visuals of Conrad and Jeremiah: http://irresistiblereads.blogspot.com...

Favourite Quote: "I stared at him. Did he really say that? Did he remember? The way he looked back at me, one eyebrow raised, I knew he did. And this time, I was the one to look away.
Because I remembered. I remembered everything."

Don't you love it when the second book in a series is way better than the first? That is the case with It's Not Summer Without You. I enjoyed The Summer I Turned Pretty but sometimes founds the characters are little annoying. But in this installment of the series the characters have grown and the story seems a little deeper and more meaningful.

I love Han's writing. She really captures the emotions of being a teen and in love. I am sure we all remember how painful and confusing it is. And Han writes it perfectly so that it causes your heart to ache.

Belly's character is showing some maturity in this book. If you have read the first book you will know she was a little bit selfish. Sure she still makes mistakes but in this installment she starts to get a little wiser.

"That's when I finally got it. I finally understood. It wasn't the thought that counted. It was the actual execution that mattered, the showing up for somebody. The intent behind it wasn't enough. Not for me. Not anymore. It wasn't enough to know that deep down, he loved me. You had to actually say it to somebody, show them you cared. And he just didn't. Not enough."

Love triangles for me are either sooooooo bad or sooooo good. And surprisingly, considering it is two brothers (how more complicated could it get), it is good. Probably because I really love them both even though they are complete opposites.

Conrad is moody and sometimes selfish and is definitely unpredictable when it comes to his interactions with Belly. I love how in this book his character is very slowly unravelling and we are getting a glimmer of who he really is behind all that angst. And there is something about a flawed soul that I can't resist.

Jeremiah made me swoon. I mean how could anybody not adore this guy especially since in this book we got snippets of his POV allowing us to get know him on a deeper level. Seriously, he is the biggest sweetheart and the underdog when it comes to Belly's affection.

Overall, I loved It's Not Summer Without You.

Shout Out: I would like to say a big thank you to Nomes for reading this with me. It was an awesome experience. We read it over one night and check in every hour or so to discuss. We had so much fun dissecting the book and ended up typing over 3700 words through conversation on google docs about it. Okay so most of it was Jeremiah is making me swoon and Conrad is moosy....I mean moody (still laughing about your typos Nomes).

[Jodie✨ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wowww she switched up so fast at the end like where did that come from?? I just don’t see the point of this book. It’s just constant conflict, silly arguments and the main character being annoying and self absorbed 😭

[Sophia Judice · Rating 4 out of 5]

My comfort series <3 This series reminds me of summer camp and family friends. The second book was super cute; definitely felt like a sequel, not super exciting, but had really nice moments. Even though she's annoying, sometimes Belly is the voice in my head, but it really bothers me how she keeps toying with Jeremiah's feelings. I mean, I understand her. It's never easy loving someone like Conrad, who gives and takes, someone unavailable. But still, she needs to make up her damn mind before she loses both of these dudes forever. Excited for the next book:)

[cor · Rating 3 out of 5]

i saw a review “these books are terrible but i can’t stop reading them” and i AGREE.

The writing is SO GOOD but the characters just make me mad.


Belly (whether she admits it or not) acts like a whiny, annoying child who can’t stop running back to Conrad, who is an egotistical jerk. I don’t see the appeal other than the fantasies she has of his younger self (who she definitely over romanticized).

Jeremiah. Him and Belly are partners in crime and true friends before romance. But, Belly isn’t fair to him because ever time Conrad says 3 words to her, suddenly she’s begging on her knees for him. Jeremiah is a sweetheart and I loved how his POV was in the book. I feel so bad for him, and it hurts to see that Belly could lose them both.


Honestly, Laurel and Susannah are my favorite characters. I love the setting and the idea of beach house memories. I liked the flashbacks intertwined with the book. Love triangle aren’t my thing i guess.

[Whitney Atkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This didn't even feel like a real book. It was just a continuation of the last one which ended kinda abruptly, so this series is probably meant to be read back-to-back to make it seem like all one storyline. I definitely liked book one way more. In this there's just SO much angst and going back and forth and everyone's emotions were haywire. But I do love Belly. She's selfish and childish in a way that i'm sure some people hate, but to me, it's completely relatable. It's her flaw, and it makes her real to me. I'm definitely gonna be finishing the third book this summer, and i'm excited to see what these characters have in store for them, even if I wish the first book had somehow remained a standalone.

[kari · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow, how to take a happy and hopeful ending, twist and turn it inside out until it becomes so sad that you don't really want to finish the story. That's what happened here and I didn't like it.
This story takes a long time to roll out, being quite a ways into it before it all stops being back story and you actually get to some action. The back and forth in this one didn't work as well as the first book and I didn't think the two person point of view added anything. Knowing Jeremiah's thoughts didn't add to my understanding of him. If we were going to have another viewpoint it should have been Conrad.
Belly, in this book, is, well, to put it bluntly, irritatingly childish. She is still pining over Conrad and yet, the first real chance she gets to lock lips with Jeremiah, she jumps right in, managing to hurt Conrad in the process, like somehow although she's known all along that he really loves her, being kissed by his brother, convinces her that she is suddenly over him. Again, I didn't like it. Does she really know Conrad and her own self so little? Is she that shallow? I'm left to wonder why either of these brothers are interested in her, other than we've been told that she grew some nice-sized boobs and is now quite the cutie.
And Jeremiah, whom I really liked in the first book, becomes far less likeable. He is smart enough to know Conrad isn't going to tell him the truth of what he feels, he doesn't tell anyone. Jeremiah knows it's not true when Conrad says it, but he chooses to believe the lie. Didn't like that from him and moving in on the girl you know your brother loves is. Not. Okay.
Jeremiah and Belly (hate this nickname, btw) seem very selfish to behave that way, particularly at the time they choose to make out. Not. Okay. Jeremiah's thought process seems to be that he wants to be the one chosen over his more accomplished and better at everything brother more than it's about him actually wanting Belly. Like he'll feel better about himself if he gets chosen instead.
Belly tells Conrad off the day of the mother's funeral, unable, she says, to stop herself. These two brothers have just lost their mother and are dealing with that grief, so Belly, maybe it shouldn't be all about you just this once. There seem to be so many instances in this book where Belly needs to stop herself from saying or doing something childish and then when Conrad calls her on being childish, well, she acts even more like a whiny baby.
I felt like I actually understood Conrad far less at the end of this book than I did at the end of the first one, Belly regressed a lot and Jeremiah wasn't the same person as the first book. If this guy went to five proms with five diffrerent dates, what possible reason would he have for then going after someone his brother cares for? What kind of person does this? With all the girls he could have, he wants the one he shouldn't have. He seems unfeeling of his brother who has always had a more difficult time dealing with things.
How truly stupid is Belly? When Conrad tells her he never cared about her, which she knows to be a lie and which happens right after she's been caught up close and personal with his brother, she chooses this time of all the times, to believe that's the truth and when he later tells her it wasn't true, she thinks to herself, aha, gotcha and then ignores his heartfelt words.
Did. Not. Like. Her.
I thought this story was about Conrad and Belly and how she was going to help him, the way his mother asked her to, the way she promised his dying mother that she would after his mother tells her how much Conrad loves her, not just another teenage love triangle with two fabulous boys enchanted by a girl not worthy of either of them. I'm tired of this particular overused plot, very unrealistic.
I read that this is actually the second in a trilogy. Not sure I'll sign on for the third one as this installment was very disappointing.

[Bryce Rocks My Socks · Rating 4 out of 5]

why im team jeremiah in the show and not the books

why im team jeremiah in the show:
- "equal opportunist"
- listens to hayley kiyoko
- ok but have u seen this man dance????!
- 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

why im not team jeremiah in the books:
- the third book

[Peyton Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Conrad sucks

[Danielle Choffrey · Rating 1 out of 5]

It is a known fact that I did not care for the first book. I wasn't able to connect with Belly. The way she would string along all the guys in her life irritated me beyond belief. Not only that but she came across as self centered and childish. I don't think she changed much from the first book.

This book finds Belly and Jeremiah in search for Conrad. Their search leads them to Cousins Beach. When they find Conrad everyone has decisions to make that will forever change them.

While writing that short summary I realized that not much has happened in this book.

Belly's relationship with Conrad is not perfect. He is flawed in many ways, but I felt like Belly doesn't want to accept that. She refuses to see how Conrad is not the "perfect" guy and that he is struggling with the death of his mother, the potential loss of their beach house, and anger at his father. Most girlfriends or even friends would want to help or at least stand by their friend through these tough times, not Belly. She wants Conrad's entire focus.

I felt like as I read this Belly would be jumping in a corner yelling, "look at me, look at me!"

I have a major problem with Belly jumping from one brother to the next. Yeah, both boys have feelings for Belly, but who asks their brother if they are done with a girl so they can have them??? I struggle with that. Maybe it's the fact that I grew up with 2 brothers as good friends and I can't see dating both, or even one for that matter.

It just feels wrong... like you are forever driving a wedge between family members, forever destroying that bond.

The thing that irritates me beyond belief is Belly. She is 17, but I felt as though I was listening to a 13 year old tell her story. Where was the growth from the last book???

Why hasn't she matured??

The storyline was lacking. Looking back nothing happened. There was a party, a fight, a few flash backs, a smaller fight and that was it. I was looking for more.. more meat.. something... anything.

I will find myself reading the final installment because some sick part of me needs to know who Belly ends up with and in what manner. Is she going to destroy Conrad or Jeremiah on her journey for the perfect boyfriend?? I wish I were continuing to read because it was good story, but I can't say that.

[m. · Rating 2 out of 5]

belly is public enemy #1

[ZOË · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as blatantly awful as the first book, but still SO bad RTC

Edit: I lied about the RTC part, not spending the energy thinking about this series is self care 😍 #protectyourpeace 🙏🙏

[Kyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was like nothing happening ??? It wasn’t bad or great it was just like …. is something going to happen?

[Zoë · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5
This was definitely a more somber and emotional read than The Summer I Turned Pretty, but I really liked it! I couldn't give it a full 5/5 because I still think Belly is annoying and childish at times which bothers me, but I read the whole book in about four hours! If you loved the first book like I did, definitely read this one!

[destiny ༘ · Rating 3 out of 5]

started out as team conrad but that mf was such a dick at most parts of the book that he has me rethinking at times

[Aj the Ravenous Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

What the what?! I finished the second book without realizing it. It felt like I have just started and then suddenly it’s done?! I guess that’s how addicted I am in Ms. Han’s writing. The second book is a lot gloomier than the first now that the glue that supposedly holds the characters together is now gone. Even I miss her too. *Sniffs*

The second installment has become more mature than the first book. The conflicts a lot more complicated and the love triangle has become deeper and more intense. I’m not so sure which team I’ll go for. Usually, I go for the dark, brooding, indifferent guy so I should go with Conrad but I’m starting to get annoyed at his coldness so maybe I should go for the sweet, caring and happy Jeremiah instead. Ugh. I guess, I’ll finally get to pick my final guy come third book so third book, here I come!

[emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

i think i liked this one more than the first, but it's so hard to say. i can't stand belly and conrad most of all, but none of the decisions in these books make sense to me. i thought belly really was a terrible friend to taylor, but apparently taylor was the only bad one? and conrad had huge expectations and gave literally nothing, but belly was still obsessed w him. i liked jeremiah kind of, but it seems like the only reason the boys like belly is bc she's pretty. (but it's not like she has any redeeming qualities or defining traits anyway.) i liked susannah but she's not a part of this. anyway. i'll probably read the third book bc they take like an hour to read but i don't own it so i won't now. it's hard to believe this is the same author as to all the boys i've loved before.

[Camila Ochoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

le iba a poner 3 estrellas para hacerme la quisquillosa pero sabes que AL CARAJO disfrute este libro como una nena de 12 años
en 4 horas me lo leí
CUATRO HORAS
CUANDO ME VES A MI LEYENDO UN LIBRO EN CUATRO HORAS???? NUNCA solo con jenny han
que habilidad de hacer finales de mierda tiene esta mujer


a pesar de que puede ser bastante relleno este libro y como un puente para el tercero siento que igualmente es muy necesario a su manera, da mucho lugar a ver cómo los personajes atraviesan la perdida y como se ven obligados a crecer rápidamente
me gusta porque sí, son insoportables como cualquier adolescente pero también son complejos y tienen emociones y aprender de sus errores
igualmente, FUCK YOU CONRAD FISHER
ahre que igual soy team conrad, anywaYs
FUCK YOU CONRAD FISHER
CRECÉ CAMPEÓN

AMO esta trilogía y no me avergüenzo de decirlo hermanas SOY UNA THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY STAN.

[Leilaniiii · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate it but I can’t stop reading these books THEYRE like crack.
HEROINE.
SORRY I WENT INTO HEAVY DETAIL ABOUT IT😭✋.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and bring on the angst! Another year has come and gone and things are not quite so rosy for our summer crowd. We knew Susannah was sick last year, and with her gone, everyone is having trouble coping. We ended “The Summer I turned Pretty” with Conrad and Belly finally, maybe being a thing, but with Conrad’s mother passing away, of course that’s going to throw things into turmoil. It was interesting the way the love triangle between the brothers began to slowly grow during this one. Conrad is the dark, mysterious one Belly has always loved, but you have to feel sorry for Jeremiah, the sweet neglected kid who never gets the girl and seems to fade out of the spotlight every time his brother is around. Definitely want to read book 3!

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.

[anastasia ࿓ ✧˖° · Rating 3 out of 5]

why are belly and taylor friends ?? in every single one of their interactions i feel like they absolutely despise each other