The Comeback Summer by Ali Brady – emotionally rich contemporary

The Comeback Summer is a warm, funny, and emotionally rich contemporary, a story of sisterhood, self-growth, second chances, and finding your path.

Other Books Read by the Same Author –

The Beach Trap

Synopsis

Two sisters have one summer to crush their comfort zones and save their grandmother’s legacy in this sweet, sexy, and heartfelt novel by Ali Brady, author of The Beach Trap .

Hannah and Libby need a miracle. The PR agency they inherited from their grandmother is losing clients left and right, and the sisters are devastated at the thought of closing. The situation seems hopeless—until in walks Lou, an eccentric self-help guru who is looking for a new PR agency. Her business could solve all their problems—but there’s a catch. Whoever works with Lou must complete a twelve-week challenge as part of her “Crush Your Comfort Zone” program.

Hannah, whose worst nightmare is making small talk with strangers, is challenged to go on twelve first dates. Libby, who once claimed to have period cramps for four weeks straight to get out of gym class, is challenged to compete in an obstacle course race. The challenges begin with Hannah helping Libby train and Libby managing the dating app on her sister’s behalf. They’re both making good progress—until Hannah’s first love rolls into town, and Libby accidentally falls for a guy she’s supposed to be setting up with her sister.

Things get even more complicated when secrets come to light, making the sisters question the one relationship they’ve always counted each other. With their company’s future on the line, they can’t afford to fail. But in trying to make a comeback to honor their grandmother, are they pushing themselves down the wrong path?

Review

The Comeback Summer is a heartfelt, emotional, and uplifting story of two sisters—Libby and Hannah—as they take on a life-changing 12-week challenge that pushes them far outside their comfort zones.

Libby and Hannah inherited their beloved grandmother Gigi’s PR company after her death six years ago. Under Gigi’s leadership, the agency thrived. But now? The office is outdated, the staff has dwindled to just one—a charismatic and eccentric holdover named Great Scott (who they’ve kept partly out of sentiment and partly because he still somehow charms clients). When their last remaining clients walk away, Libby and Hannah find themselves unable to afford Scott’s salary, let alone continue Gigi’s cherished scholarship fund for Black women in PR. Desperate doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Enter Lou, a self-help book author and wildly successful podcaster with a massive following and a new book launch coming up. She’s the kind of client who could single-handedly revive the business—but there’s a catch. Lou will only hire them if they complete a 12-week “Crush Your Comfort Zone” program themselves. If they’re going to represent her brand, she wants them to live it. All they could do is accept challenge.

Libby, the older sister, is a romance novel-loving extrovert. She’s fun, loud, adventurous, and thrives around people. She’s also plus-sized, fully comfortable in her skin—but deeply uncomfortable with being judged for it. She’s allergic to the gym, and anything involving cardio makes her want to cry. Naturally, Lou assigns her a physical fitness challenge that culminates in an obstacle race.

Meanwhile, Hannah, the younger sister, is a classic introvert. Quiet, thoughtful, a Type-A overthinker with a perfect body earned through religious workouts—partly to manage her anxiety, partly because it’s the only thing she can fully control. Her challenge? Go on twelve first dates in twelve weeks. Just the thought of it makes her want to melt into the floor. And then, of course, Josh walks back into town—Hannah’s ex-boyfriend who dumped her over the phone. He wants to reconnect. Suddenly, things get complicated, fast.

What follows is a beautifully written, slow-burning story about personal growth, sisterhood, vulnerability, and the messiness of adult relationships. Ali Brady’s writing is engaging and emotionally resonant, if a bit slow in pacing. But it’s the kind of slow that works—it mirrors the real, gradual process of personal transformation.

I also appreciated the subtle inclusion of body positivity, anxiety, and ADHD rep. The authors don’t hit you over the head with it, but it is there, lived-in and believable.

One of my favorite elements in The Comeback Summer was the inclusion of Lou’s weekly journal prompts. Each entry sparked genuine introspection and forced Libby and Hannah to face their truths. Their answers—sometimes painful, sometimes funny—chart their evolving mindsets and emotions. These entries aren’t just plot devices; they’re mini therapy sessions in text form and add real depth to their arcs.

The sister dynamic is truly the heart of the book. Libby and Hannah are each other’s best friends, only family, and lifelong teammates—but that closeness also blinds them. They’ve spent years keeping silent about things that hurt or annoyed them for fear of rocking the boat. It takes conflict—and yes, some screaming matches—to finally bring those buried feelings to the surface.

Libby is my favorite plus-size heroine in a long time. She’s funny, confident, generous, and fiercely loyal. She essentially became a parent to Hannah after their parents’ divorce and grandmother’s death, and while she doesn’t regret it, it’s clear she’s been emotionally starved and lonely for years.

Her journey is being other than Hannah’s sister, giving her space, letting go of control. I loved her growing relationship with Adam, even if the miscommunication trope between them was predictable. That said, the way they handled it—especially Adam’s calm maturity—redeemed the cliché.

And as someone who also hated journaling until I tried it, I related hard to Libby pushing past her resistance and slowly finding value in the process. Same with exercise—she didn’t grow to love it, but she challenged herself, and that’s what mattered.

Hannah, meanwhile, is smart, pretty, and deeply empathetic—but she lacks self-confidence. Her anxiety is written with nuance and realism, and it made total sense that she gravitated toward structure and control to manage it. I loved watching her bloom over the 12 weeks—becoming bolder, more assertive, and more in tune with her desires. By the end, she’s pitching to clients solo and finally speaking up for what she wants—without filtering it through other people’s comfort.

The only part I didn’t fully buy into is Hannah’s relationship with Josh. While the flashbacks to their childhood and teen romance were sweet, I wasn’t rooting for a reconciliation. He didn’t exactly have to move mountains to win her back. And Libby was 100% right to be angry—Josh’s breakup devastated Hannah, and Libby was the one who had to pick up the pieces. While I appreciated the moment Hannah finally stood up for herself and made it crystal clear what she needed from Josh, I didn’t find their reunion satisfying.

That said, the emotional climax—when the sisters fight, all their unspoken frustrations explode, and they finally say the things they’ve been too scared to admit—was one of the most powerful parts of the book. It was raw and real and cathartic. And Lou showing up afterward like a fairy godmother with tough love and gentle nudging made them get over the fight and rethink their life.

By the end, both sisters find their own different path in which they bloom and earn oving each other doesn’t mean sacrificing everything for the other person’s happiness. There’s beauty in boundaries and strength in choosing your own path—even if you walk it side by side.

Overall, The Comeback Summer is a warm, funny, and emotionally rich contemporary, a story of sisterhood, self-growth, second chances, and finding your path. Whether you’re into personal growth, relatable female characters, or just love a good cry-laugh combo, this one’s for you.

Book Links

Goodreads | Amazon.in | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Have you read this? If so what did you think?
Are you “get out of comfort zone” or “hide under the blanket” person?

Just in case you missed,,,

• The Comeback Summer by Ali Brady – emotionally rich contemporary
• Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen – slow and simple coming-of-age classic
• The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King (Crowns of Nyaxia #2) by Carissa Broadbent – addictive and steamy romantasy

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