The Summer We Ran - by Audrey Ingram (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A National Bestseller
An Indie Next & LibraryReads Pick for June
A June 2025 Book of the Month Selection
A Town & Country Best New Romance Novel
2026 Southern Book Prize Finalist

"The Summer We Ran is a perfectly nostalgic story of love, loss, and secrets that refuse to stay buried. It's exactly what I hope for in a summertime read."
--Annabel Monaghan, author of Same Time Next Summer

Does your past define your destiny? Told through multiple perspectives, rich with emotion and immersive dual timelines, The Summer We Ran weaves together a story of lost love, devastating secrets, shocking sabotage, and the painstaking decision two people must make in order to fulfill the futures they each desire.

In the summer of 1996, Tess Murphy's mom gave her two rules to abide by: keep quiet and stay out of trouble. Her mother landed a new job as a cook at an affluent Virginia estate and didn't want anything to risk the opportunity, least of all her outspoken teenage daughter. What no one saw coming was Tess falling deeply in love with the boy next door, high-society Grant Alexander.

Over a few wondrous and heat-filled months, Tess and Grant's love blooms so ferociously it feels utterly impossible that anything can keep them apart, until tragedy strikes.

Now, more than two decades after their epic teenage romance, Tess and Grant are both running for governor of Virginia, and secrets from that summer threaten to shatter their families, their political futures, and the memory of the first love that shaped their lives.

Review Quotes

"The Summer We Ran is a perfectly nostalgic story of love, loss, and secrets that refuse to stay buried. It's exactly what I hope for in a summertime read."
--Annabel Monaghan, author of Same Time Next Summer

"Audrey Ingram's The Summer We Ran is an exquisitely crafted tale of love, ambition, and the secrets that shape us. Weaving together past and present, rising political star Tess Murphy grapples with memories of a youthful, bittersweet summer romance with a man who is now her fierce professional rival. Perfect for fans of Emily Giffin and Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Summer We Ran is a page-turning, tender exploration of class, ambition, and the resilience of the human heart."
--Jamie Brenner, author of A Novel Summer

"First loves turn political rivals in The Summer We Ran, a glorious exploration of nostalgia, ambition, and the complexities of the human heart. Smart, poignant, and beautifully crafted--book clubs will devour it!"
--Emma Grey, author of Pictures of You

"At once a tender portrait of first love and a captivating tale of long-buried secrets, The Summer We Ran follows the upstairs/downstairs former couple, Tess and Grant, as they're unexpectedly pitted against each other as political rivals. A heartfelt story that explores how we never quite let go of the people we love when we're young, Audrey Ingram shows us, one revelation at a time, how it may be possible to forgive the crush of the past, even if we carry the pain for a lifetime. I flew through it!"
--Brooke Lea Foster, author of All the Summers in Between

"The Summer We Ran is a mesmerizing buffet of mystery, lost love, beautifully realized settings, and intriguing characters. Audrey Ingram weaves a story between past and present that you will not be able to put down. Please tell me a sequel is in the works."
--Ethan Joella, author of The Same Bright Stars

"Timely and poignant, The Summer We Ran perfectly captures the societal, political, and moral complications that can both bring people together and tear them apart. Ingram writes complex, real, and beautifully flawed characters. I am forever an Audrey Ingram fan!"
--Neely Tubati Alexander, author of Love Buzz

"An enticing setup . . . and well paced . . . the uncertainty and suspense enjoyably builds. Ingram offers a romantic novel about former young lovers turned political rivals. Readers will find themselves engaged by their stories."
--Kirkus

About the Author