Publication Date: June 24, 2025
There are no rules this cruel summer…
“I think we should see other people…” That one sentence unravels Samantha Parker’s perfect life. She has a loving husband, three wonderful kids and a comfortable suburban lifestyle. But on the brink of their long-awaited empty-nest chapter, Will asks Samantha for something she never dreamed of: an open marriage.
Desperate to keep her husband happy, Samantha proposes a summerlong separation with no contact. She knows she has to use the opportunity to find herself, but she also has no interest in being with anyone but Will. She’s confident when the season is over, they’ll get back together like this time never happened.
Then Sam gets an offer of adventure from an unlikely source: Logan Martin, a classic-car restorer who happens to be Will’s best friend, asks Sam to help him drive across the country to make deliveries. Logan and Sam have never had an easy relationship. He’s prickly, aloof and a little too handsome. And as they traverse the winding roads and breathtaking backdrops of North America, her changing connection with Logan challenges everything she believed she wanted in life, love and passion. When her summer with Logan is up, will she go home to the familiar stability of her past…or choose the thrilling uncertainty of her future?
When her husband of more than 20 years asks for an open marriage, Samantha Parker’s world implodes.
Cruel Summer details a couple’s experiences after pushing the pause button on their marriage. Author Maisey Yates combines humor with the stark reality of a forced sense of freedom.
Sam’s shock resonates through her reaction to Will’s request. They’ve done all the right things, including finally having an empty nest. Instead of being able to celebrate with the love of her life, Will has other thoughts.
With help from an unexpected source, Sam explores “single” life and embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
Cruel Summer proves that new beginnings can yield unexpected results.
Maisey Yates is the New York Times bestselling author of over one hundred romance novels. An avid knitter with a dangerous yarn addiction and an aversion to housework, Maisey lives with her husband and three kids in rural Oregon. She believes the trek she makes to her coffee maker each morning is a true example of her pioneer spirit.
