The Summer of Yes

Say yes to The Summer of Yes.

This was a sweet story about an unlikely intergenerational friendship between two women who randomly meet while roommates in the hospital. Georgina is a well-known CEO of her own highly successful cosmetics company who is battling health problems and Kelsey is a 32-year-old book editor whose close call with death gives her the idea to step back and actively choose to say 'yes' to the many, many things she's been afraid of or too busy to do.

The story focuses on the bond between curmudgeonly, set-in-her-ways Georgina and unsure-of-herself Kelsey who pulls Georgina (begrudgingly) into her project to 'say yes' as she butts her nose into Georgina's life.

I loved the themes in this story that centres around women mentoring and lifting up other women and how we could all use the reminder to focus on what's truly important in life. We get the POVs of both women and their internal struggles felt authentic (if a bit repetitive), but delightful snarky quips from Georgina, the light romance and hunky and oh-so-forgiving menfolk were added bonuses.

The Summer of Yes balances poignant moments with humour and great messages about living a good life, what success truly means, and getting out of your own way so you can live life to its absolute fullest.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Thomas Nelson for the advanced digital copy of this book which was provided in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 4 stars

Author: Courtney Walsh

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Type and Source: ebook from publisher via NetGalley

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

First Published: July 2, 2024

Book Description from GoodReads: A near-death experience catapults workaholic junior editor Kelsey Worthington into changing her life--one yes at a time.

Kelsey Worthington always dreamed of being a writer, but she's settled into a routine of helping other people tell their stories in her job as a junior editor. She doesn't go outside of her comfort zone. Her relationships are safe. Her job is secure. Her existence is stable. And she's great with that.

And then, the accident.

While she's in the hospital overnight, she meets an older woman named Georgina Tate--a glass-ceiling-shattering, wildly successful businesswoman. Georgina sacrificed everything to become the woman she is today, but now, with a pair of failing kidneys and only a handful of months left to live, Georgina is forced to come face-to-face with her regrets. Kelsey is forced to reckon with her own list of "things I'll do someday," and she starts to ask a simple but life-changing What if I said yes to all the things I normally say no to? And The Yes Plan is born.

It takes some convincing, but Georgina finally agrees to go along with Kelsey on her Summer of Yes adventures. The two of them set off to see what might be out there waiting for them if they simply open themselves up to it. Together, they say yes to whatever comes their way--a whole day being tourists in their own New York City, dinner with strangers, a convertible that is far from practical but so much fun. But when Kelsey springs a surprise visit to Georgina's son Hayden and Georgina's ex-husband (who is not so much of an ex), the older woman is less than thrilled. But this is where the true journey begins.

Two stories of love, forgiveness, regret, romance, and finding a way to live a fearless life intertwine as these two women make an indelible impression on each other. And it all starts with a simple "yes."