Book Review: "Same Time Next Summer" by Annabel Monaghan

Growing up, Sam used to spend every summer at her family’s Long Island beach house. It was an idyllic time—she learned to surf, and she fell in love for the first time with Wyatt, whose family lived next door. Wyatt and Sam spent nearly every minute together, until a discovery changed everything and he broke her heart.

Thirteen years later, the beach hasn’t been much of a refuge for Sam, but she comes to visit with her fiancé, Jack, to look at a possible wedding venue. Her life is much more organized and together now, as Jack, a handsome doctor, thrives on routines. She tries not to be thrown when she learns that Wyatt is in town, too, but he’s still a significant part of her family despite all that happened in the past.

While she tries to focus on her future, Sam keeps getting stuck in the past, since not much has changed. Wyatt still plays guitar in the treehouse, and still makes her heart race. She can’t help but relive the memories—the good and bad.

The book alternates between past and present, switching narration between Sam and Wyatt. It’s a familiar story with a few twists, and Monaghan’s writing is evocative and emotional. In a theme that has been quite familiar for me this year, I absolutely loved Monaghan's first book, Nora Goes Off Script, so my expectations for this book were very high. And while I enjoyed it, I just felt as if it moved really slowly as both the past and present storylines unfolded.