I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy of Cruel Summer by Maisey Yates through NetGalley! Cruel Summer is a story about a woman in her 40s named Sam who is approached by her husband Will about potentially opening up their marriage. During a summer trial period apart, Will’s unruly and unpredictable best friend Logan invites Sam to join him on a few cross-country business trips. Sam didn’t anticipate the real journey was going to be one of self-discovery.

As far as my initial thoughts go, I loved it. I ended up reading the entire book in a day. Sam was very likeable. Her thoughts were entertaining, and I thought her inner monologue was relatable given the circumstances in which she finds herself. At first, it seemed like the writing was a bit disjointed, but as the story unfolds and Sam’s character grows, I realized it wasn’t the writing–it was Sam. Sam’s stilted perceptions and speech become much more fleshed out and confident as the book continues. I appreciated the style and tonal change as Sam becomes more confident in herself and starts to figure out what she wants out of life.

Will is.. Well, he’s a husband who asked his wife to consider an open marriage. He wasn’t painted as a villain, but he’s also not terribly likeable. I also didn’t much care for her friends Elysia and Whitney. But Logan…. LOGAN. Talk about someone who knows who he is and what he wants! That man did not back down from hard conversations and was the perfect man to push Sam out of her comfort zone. I loved the brief flashbacks we get throughout the book that show just how long and deeply Logan has cared about Sam. Big fan of his quiet pining and emotional intelligence. BIG fan. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone!