Meredith Fox has been going to Martha’s Vineyard for the summer as long as she can remember. But this summer is the first one back since the death of Meredith’s sister. It will all be overwhelming, but even more since the entire extended family will be together for her cousin’s big wedding.

Unfortunately, Meredith’s longtime boyfriend unexpectedly dumped her two weeks before the wedding, leaving her dateless. Luckily, she has the perfect distraction. Her family has a tradition of playing the ultimate game of Assassin every summer, and this year it will take place during the week of wedding festivities.

But her target just happens to be a very cute groomsman. She’s determined to not let herself get distracted, not let herself be lost in another doomed relationship. But as the week progresses, she can’t help falling for him, which may cost her not only the game, but also her heart.

Meredith’s family’s annual game of assassin at Martha’s Vineyard during a summer wedding is the perfect chance to honor her sister’s legacy and finally join the world again. But when she forms an alliance with a cute groomsman, she’s at risk of losing both the game… and her heart.

4.5 stars

This book made my inner teenager swoon. This was my first YA/New Adult Modern Romance, and I just adored it. The romance was so cute, the family dynamics were heartwarming, and overall, it was such a sweet story.

I absolutely loved the setting in the New England area. I’ve never been there, but after reading this book, it felt like I had been. I loved the imagery and descriptions of the area where they stayed with the little cabins, and then it described the town and its surroundings. It definitely gave me summer vibes and summer vacation vibes.

Then, I really, really enjoyed reading about this family coming together for a wedding. At first, there were a lot of people introduced, and it was a little difficult to keep everyone straight, but then I remembered who was who and who was related to who. It was fun to see the interactions and get that close-knit family feeling. I loved it. There were even really good friends of the main character there. It just felt very cozy and family-oriented.

I also loved the Assassin game that they played. I’d never heard of that game, but it was a fun part of the story. I loved when they talked about strategies and how to take out their targets and then seeing them try to execute their ideas because it didn’t always work in their favor. Some scenes were pretty funny. It made me wish I had a family that had a fun game tradition like that at family reunions.

The romance was sweet, but it is insta-love and not quite believable or realistic. I do not like this romance trope, but it was tolerable. Some scenes were pretty cheesy, and some dialogue was pretty cringy. But overall, the couple had good chemistry together, the banter was good, and it was a cute puppy love story. The ending was predictable, but I still had a great time. I couldn’t put it down once I started it and finished it in just two days.

Read this charming beach read if you:

• Enjoy cute, sweet, heartwarming YA/New Adult love stories
• Love family dynamics and playfulness
• Want a quick, lighthearted, fluffy summertime read
• Enjoy feeling the warm, fuzzy feelings from a book
• Want to get out of a reading slump