Book Review: The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh

 

The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh - 4.5 Stars

"Society lies to women when it says they can have it all, a family, career, success at home and success in the workplace. You can't. At least not all at the same time."

"Yes. It's risky to feel things. And it's risky to hope for good. And it's hard to say yes to the unknown. And it doesn't always result in wonderful memories. But that's what it means to be alive."

A story all about what really matters most in life and saying yes or no to the RIGHT things. I needed this book at such a time in my life when things are crazy as a busy working Mom to a special needs child. I am constantly busy, working, trying to DO IT ALL, when we can't. I find myself spending too much time on the things I don't need to be doing and not prioritizing what I should in life.

This story makes you realizes truly how short life is and how things could end in the blink of an eye. Take the vacation. Go on that road trip. Enjoy life with family, even in the hard. Take the chance and you never know what beauty may come from the ashes. 

This book is a clean, women's fiction contemporary story. We have some romance but I was primarily invested in the friendship that develops between Kelsey and Georgina. Kelsey works all the time and is always busy. She gets hit by a car and ends up in the hospital next to Georgina, one of New York's successful business women. Georgina is dying from kidney failure, unless she can get a transplant. Georgina is a woman who spent most of her life working all the time, prioritizing her career success over her son and husband. She's been apart from them for 20+ years and now that she is dying, she is filled with regrets. Along comes Kelsey, who realizes from Georgina's story she is repeating many of the same mistakes in her 30s. She pushes Georgina and her to have a "SUMMER OF YES" - where they go on a trip and say yes to things that they normally wouldn't. To get out and enjoy life and see what they have been missing. What Georgina doesn't know is Kelsey has some plans up her sleeve to help Georgina reconcile with her son and husband after all these years. The story kicks off here.

I really related to the subject matter in this story as I mentioned. I felt a new perspective reading through this. I need to say no to things I always say yes to in my "people pleasing" self and start saying "yes" to what is most important to me in life and take risks where necessary. You never know where it could lead.

Now, it's important to go in this book knowing it's not meant to be a "Christian Fiction" book. It's meant to be a clean, secular fiction book in my mind. Do I think this book could have benefited from a few moments of gentle, everyday faith content and removing some of the things about the universe, fate and our main girl not knowing really where she stands with God? Absolutely. But do I think the overall message Courtney is sharing here is well needed in today's society, especially for us women who feel like we have to be everything for everybody else and "do all the things" -- ABSOLUTLEY! 

As a special needs Mama, I needed many of these reminders regardless and I appreciate Courtney tackling this topic and writing a clean fiction story to represent it. 

I am so glad I purchased this book for my summer reading vlog, full thoughts and reactions to come in a future reading vlog.

Highly recommend as a good summer read.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6537616258

Amazon:  https://amzn.to/4cxVxgY
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/560299

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