April 1, 2024
Bailey pulls lightly from Jane Austen’s Persuasion in her impressive debut. Soon after professional tennis player Olivia Taylor leaves her cheating husband, her older sister, Charlotte, guilt trips her into coming to the Hamptons to help clear out her family’s just-sold mansion. Estranged from her father (whom she’s only called William since her mother’s death) for a variety of reasons, Olivia is prepared for a strained few days with her family. She’s unprepared, however, for the bombshell revelation that the mansion’s buyer is Fred Webb, her first love and the man who has broken her heart time and time again. To make matters worse, it seems that Fred has finally found love elsewhere. Bailey keeps the pages turning by toggling between 2003 and 2023, recounting the bumpy road of Olivia’s life—and how her relationship with Fred has played into it. The cutthroat world of pro tennis and the glitz of the Hamptons create a fascinating backdrop for these multilayered characters. Angsty but ultimately heartwarming, this should win Bailey plenty of fans. Agent: Stephanie Kip Rostan, Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary.
March 8, 2024
The summer she turned 16, Olivia Anne Taylor met Fred Webb.They had a fling, eventually breaking up over a small misunderstanding. This pattern continues throughout their lives, as Fred and Olivia get back together and break up multiple times. During their time part, Olivia works on her tennis career, eventually making it to Wimbledon, while Fred becomes a wildly successful and rich businessman. Tired of their romantic roller coaster, Olivia marries another man, Wes. But when Wes cheats on her, Olivia goes back to Southampton, both to heal from the betrayal and to clean out the family home after it has been sold. This move once again puts Olivia back in Fred's orbit--he is the one who bought the house. Summer after Summer is billed as a modern-day Persuasion, and the author borrows liberally from the Austen classic, though sometimes the parallels feel forced and take away from Olivia and Fred's story. Jumping back and forth between the present and their past relationship attempts, readers might wish for more communication between the hard-luck lovers but will rejoice when their HEA is reached. Recommended for larger romance collections.
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