Book Review: Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

📝 What is Seven Days in June about?:

Eva Mercy, a single mom and bestselling erotica writer, unexpectedly reunites with reclusive novelist Shane Hall at a literary event in New York. Though they act like strangers, the two share a hidden history: a passionate week spent together fifteen years ago. As they rekindle their connection over seven steamy days in Brooklyn, Eva must confront her unresolved feelings for Shane and decide whether to embrace this second chance at love.

📚 Genre: Romance

🎧 Format: Audiobook

💞 Feels: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I liked the second chance romance and the mystery behind how they originally broke up. How Eva makes up her own story when there are holes in her memory, that leave her and Shane in bad positions. I like how the book gets right into reuniting Eva and Shane in the same location for a week. We’re given some back story (which I found confusing when we got the first flashback – I didn’t know what was happening, especially because I was reading via audiobook).

Having Eva’s memory of the last time they’d been around each other peppered in between the present day chapters kept the mystery of why and when they’d broken up out of reach for a little longer, while showing the reader what their chemistry was like then and now. I enjoyed getting to see Eva’s relationship with her daughter, Audrey, in contrast with her relationship when she’d been a kid with Audrey’s grandmother, Lizette. Eva definitely learned some lessons from being around her mother when she was younger – of what not to do.

Shane is also shown to be good with kids, and thriving in his new life, before he and Eva are reunited. It’s good to see that they’re doing well and are established, self-reliant individuals. Shane’s relationship with Ty, had me crying; it was as if Ty was a version of Shane that could’ve been if he hadn’t met Eva when they were younger.

Audrey was my favorite character, so precocious and intelligent. I laughed out loud at some of the things that Eva and Audrey would say. As if I was in the book with them and they were talking to me as one of Audrey’s aunties. I wanted her take on all of the adults. And I was really hoping that she would become Ty’s therapist. He needed someone his age to listen to him and give him good advice.

Getting technical

Mela Lee was a fantastic narrator, all the voices were amazing. At one point she was doing a new voice and I did a double take, like who’s this new character and why is she getting her daughter an exorcist!? But it was Eva watching a movie, because then Eva was explaining why the voice hadn’t been hers – and that she likes to watch The Exorcist. I was so fully immersed, I could tell the voices apart!

This is my first time reading a book by Tia Williams. Her characters became real to me, I could visualize them; eye colors, hair texture, skin tone, build, height; right cheek dimples. I looked at the cover often to see them in my head while I listened to the audiobook. I liked how the flawed and unlikeable mother in this book was more of a necessary evil to me than an overbearing presence.

In other books I would’ve hated her mother so much it would’ve ruined the experience. She’s used sparingly, just enough to get across that she’s a horrible person and mother. She’s running from her demons, and it’s best that the main character gets away from her as soon as possible. They do not need to be around each other.

The chapter headers as teasers for what was to come within the text was inventive. It had me wondering who was going to say “it was that boy.”

I liked how honest the characters were with each other. Communication or miscommunication, is usually the most annoying complication of romance novels. I was so happy that it was not a problem in this romance. High five!

You should read this book if…

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes second chance romances, like in The Partner Plot; a female character with mother issues, like in Just for the Summer; or undeniable chemistry, like in This Could Be Us. 🔥

✅ Spinoff novella nomination:

I want to see more of the parties thrown by Cece and her husband, Ken. Also, want to see more of Cece being nosy and in her friend’s business. Maybe with Belinda’s love life sprinkled in!

What are you reading? Let me know in the comments.

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