Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach?

It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring.

Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come. But when Jeremiah calls, saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be.

If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started—at Cousins Beach.

After reading the first book, I just had to find out what happens next in this sequel. At this point, this series feels like a terrible soap opera that you want to stop watching but can’t because you need to know what happens to the characters. There is so much teenage angst and drama that it’s ridiculous, but somehow, it’s ridiculous in the most entertaining way. Even though I still think this is a pretty mediocre story, it has officially sucked me in, and I know I’m going to finish the series.

Again, I listened to the audiobook, which was very short at around six hours. You could easily finish this book in one day, especially with the short chapters that keep the story moving. This time, we get two perspectives, Belly and Jeremiah, and I really enjoyed having both narrators. They did a great job bringing the characters to life, and I especially liked getting Jeremiah’s point of view. Once again, there is some mild language but no spice. Other content to note includes underage drinking and the death of a parent.

After the cliffhanger from the first book, I thought we would pick up right where we left off, but this story actually begins a few months later. We once again have past and present timelines, but this time, the past fills in the gap between books one and two. We slowly find out what happened during those missing months while also following what is happening in the present day. I liked getting those missing pieces, although at times I just wanted the story to move forward.

It’s hard to talk about this installment without spoiling what happens, but I will say that I was a little disappointed. I wanted more to happen, and once again, not much actually does. It wasn’t quite as boring as the first book, but it wasn’t that engaging either. It was another pretty mid story for me.

The book does take place during the summer, but I didn’t get nearly as many summertime vibes as I did in the first book. I liked returning to the beach house at Cousins Beach, but I wanted more beach activities, summer fun, and that carefree seasonal atmosphere. This time, summer felt more like the backdrop rather than an important part of the story. However, because of the setting, it would still make a good summertime beach read.

As for our three main characters, Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah, they have somehow gotten even more obnoxious and annoying to me. I know I’m not the target demographic for this teen romance, but these kids make such stupid decisions that they drive me crazy.

Conrad is still so broody, moody, and not very likable. I think he can be incredibly selfish, and he doesn’t seem to consider how his actions and behavior affect the people around him. Belly is still completely boy-obsessed with these two brothers, and I found her even more annoying in this sequel.

Then we have Jeremiah, who is still a sweetheart, although he feels sadder and a little more pathetic this time around. He’s pining for Belly, who is pining for Conrad, who seems to have no idea what he wants. This love triangle is such a mess.

At this point, I think I’m officially Team Jeremiah. He’s such a sweet guy, and I can’t help but root for him because he feels like the underdog. He’s a true friend to Belly and tries not to let his feelings for her get in the way of their friendship. I really love how close they are and how much history they have together. Their friendship feels more natural to me than Belly’s obsession with Conrad.

Also, why are Belly and Taylor even friends? I don’t understand this friendship. They don’t seem to have much in common, and their personalities are so different. Belly spends even more time complaining about Taylor in this book, which made their friendship even more confusing to me. I find the two of them incredibly frustrating together.

I was surprised by the ending, but I still have some reservations about whether Belly’s final choice is really going to stick. With how messy these characters are, I’m definitely not convinced that anything has actually been settled yet.

Overall, this sequel was just okay. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great either. I did find it a little more entertaining than the first book, mostly because there was more drama and I felt more invested in what was going to happen with the characters. At this point, I’ve accepted that this series is basically my book version of a guilty pleasure soap opera. I may roll my eyes at these characters and their decisions, but apparently I’m invested enough to keep coming back.

I’m also curious to see these characters grow older, head off to college, and hopefully mature a little. After everything that happened in this book, I definitely need to know how this messy love triangle finally ends. I’m looking forward to finishing the series and seeing what book three has in store.