The Summer You Were Mine - by Jill Francis (Paperback)

About the Book

"Ellie Beltrami and Cristiano Conte have known each other their entire lives. Both families hail from Chiavari, a small city on the Italian Riviera. Their parents are friends. Their grandparents are friends. They were friends. And for one brief moment fourteen summers ago, they were almost more than that. After years apart, Ellie and Cris are headed back to Chiavari, as generations of Beltramis and Contes gather to celebrate the unlikely second marriage between her grandmother and his grandfather. Ellie arrives in Italy mere hours after her career as the host of a multimedia sports talk show has imploded thanks to a hot mic incident. Without work to distract her, she spends her free time re-examining her early years and perceived flaws in light of a recent autism diagnosis. Cris, a newly retired elite swimmer, also arrives adrift after being accused of using a banned substance. His grandfather, father, and brothers have all made lifelong careers in sports, but he is searching for an off-ramp from athletics to something that gives him real meaning. Reunited in a place where summer dreams come true, Cris and Ellie make a deal: an exclusive interview with Cris to fix her career, and an appearance on Ellie's show to clear his name, letting him retire in peace. Soon they're picking up where their teen romance left off, but if this second chance can last, they'll need to finally confront what drove them apart all those summers ago. Can your greatest regret become your greatest romance?"--

Book Synopsis

"The Summer You Were Mine is a swoony dream of a love story, as seductive and unique as its Italian seaside setting. Bellissima, indeed!" - Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author

A beachy, second-chance romance set on the stunning Italian coast, where messy emotions and life challenges collide in this poignant and enthralling novel.

Ellie Beltrami and Cristiano Conte have known each other their entire lives. Both families hail from Chiavari, a small city on the Italian Riviera. Their grandparents are friends. Their parents are friends. They were friends. And for one brief moment fourteen summers ago, they were almost more than that.

After years apart, Ellie and Cris are headed back to Chiavari as generations of Beltramis and Contes gather for the unlikely second marriage between her grandmother and his grandfather. But while everyone's celebrating, Ellie is reeling from the very public implosion of her career as the host of a sports talk show, plus overthinking her past and perceived flaws in light of the recent discovery that she is neurodivergent. Cris, a newly retired elite swimmer, also arrives adrift after being accused of using a banned substance.

Reunited in a place where summer dreams come true, Cris and Ellie make a deal: an exclusive interview with Cris to fix her career, and an appearance on Ellie's show to clear his name. Soon they're picking up where their teen romance left off--but if this second chance can last, they'll need to finally confront what drove them apart all those summers ago.

Can your greatest regret become your deepest love?

Review Quotes

"Ellie and Cris' twisty road from friends to enemies to lovers makes one yearn to read The Summer You Were Mine on a sunny beach."
- Booklist

"What if the biggest mistake of your life turned out to be the best thing that ever happened? What if looking to the future meant combing through your past? The Summer You Were Mine is a swoony dream of a love story, as seductive and unique as its Italian seaside setting. Bellissima, indeed!"
- Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"With its luscious Italian setting, well-drawn complex characters, and a plot that keeps you turning pages, The Summer You Were Mine is a must-read for anyone who believes in the power of second chances and the magic of true love. Jill Francis's novel is as heartwarming as it is compelling. I couldn't put it down."
- Jenn McKinlay, New York Times bestselling author

"The Summer You Were Mine was the summer beach read I didn't know I needed! Jill's writing was so evocative I wanted to fall into the pages. This is a perfect, slow-build romance with empathetic main characters, beautiful family dynamics, and a vivid, summery scene setting. By the end of the story, The Summer You Were Mine will have you desperately searching for flights to the Italian coast."
- Clare Gilmore, USA Today bestselling author of Perfect Fit

"Jill Francis's novel is the perfect summer escape, as her pages whisk readers away to dreamy, sun-drenched Italy. Her immersive novel is filled with optimism, as her characters strive for all manner of second chances. Most importantly, she reminds readers to not let our mistakes define us, because in both life and love, it's never too late to course correct."
- Lindsay Hameroff, author of Till There Was You and Never Planned on You

About the Author

Jill Francis is a writer and researcher in forensic psychiatry. Originally from Rhode Island, she lives in Liguria, Italy with her husband and their Greyhound, Tulip.