Summer Fridays, Suzanne Rindell: a review

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy from NetGalley!

⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

TW: mentions 9/11, death of relative (off page), cheating 

There’s one thing I definitely didn’t expect going into Summer Fridays, and that was to have the AOL ‘you have email’ alert play such a vital part in Nick and Sawyer’s story. I also didn’t think that I even remembered what it sounds like, but apparently I do and it needs to be brought back.

There’s obviously a lot more to Rindell’s book than the wonders of AOL in the 90s. It’s summer in NYC, so for Sawyer, she’s got free Friday afternoons from working in publishing. Nick does too. He’s the boyfriend of the woman Sawyer’s fiancé is having an affair with. It’s obvious and it’s messy, which is why Nick suggests they meet up, and he immediately grates on Sawyer’s nerves. But somehow, they connect online, and he’s the only one she can talk to as her fiancé, Charles, works later and later, getting dinner and drinks with someone else. Talking online turns into meeting up every Friday, which turns into some complicated feelings and difficult choices.

Summer Fridays had such a good story, with lots of romantic potential, but by the time I hit the 50% mark, I don’t know if it was really for me. It felt like there wasn’t all that much keeping me interested, but I think this is very much my issue. I did initially love it, but the more I read, the less there was to keep me coming back. There was also a lot going on for Sawyer, the FMC: her relationship is breaking down, her job is becoming unsatisfying and she’s trying to figure out how she feels about Nick. There was just a bit too much going on – or at least not enough time was given to certain parts of the story, making me question whether this was really women’s fiction or romance.

Even being stereotypes of the overworked New Yorkers trying to make it, I think Rindell nailed the supporting characters. Charles, the fiancé, and Kendra, the woman he’s cheating with, were clearly playing their ‘roles’ but it was done without seeming too trope-y. Any romance would be remiss without a best friend to act as the voice of reason, and Autumn does just this for Sawyer. As far as Sawyer goes, I’m not as big of a fan. She started off as a good FMC but became slightly annoying by the end. Also, Nick is in a band in the 90s, talking about ‘real music’ – how am I supposed to take him seriously? Jokes aside, he was a strong MMC and was perfect for the story.

Summer Fridays had a lot of potential for romance and longing, which it mostly nailed. Where it fell short was the cheating, and it made a lot of the book uncomfortable so I just couldn’t get behind Nick and Sawyer. Nick ends things with Kendra reasonably early but Sawyer and Charles just go on. And on. And on. I get it’s more complicated because they’re engaged, but she’s still undecided about what to do when she sleeps with Nick. For this reason, Nick and Sawyer lacked a spark you want in a romance, which is part of why I struggled to keep reading. 

Overall, Summer Fridays was good. Not particularly sparkling or witty, but mostly enjoyable. I don’t know if it’s a book that’s going to stick with me personally, but if you’re into an opposites attract, summer romance set in New York then this might be for you. Releases 30 May 2024.

– Em