The Summer We Ran

A Novel

By: Audrey Ingram

Narrated by: Anna Caputo, Andrew Gibson

A National Bestseller
An Indie Next & LibraryReads Pick for June
A June 2025 Book of the Month Selection
A Town & Country Best New Romance Novel

“The Summer We Ran is a perfectly nostalgic story of love, loss, and secrets that refuse to stay buried. It’s exactly what I hope for in a summertime read.”—Annabel Monaghan, author of Same Time Next Summer

Does your past define your destiny? Told through multiple perspectives, rich with emotion and immersive dual timelines, The Summer We Ran weaves together a story of lost love, devastating secrets, shocking sabotage, and the painstaking decision two people must make in order to fulfill the futures they each desire.

In the summer of 1996, Tess Murphy’s mom gave her two rules to abide by: keep quiet and stay out of trouble. Her mother landed a new job as a cook at an affluent Virginia estate and didn’t want anything to risk the opportunity, least of all her outspoken teenage daughter. What no one saw coming was Tess falling deeply in love with the boy next door, high-society Grant Alexander.

Over a few wondrous and heat-filled months, Tess and Grant’s love blooms so ferociously it feels utterly impossible that anything can keep them apart, until tragedy strikes.

Now, more than two decades after their epic teenage romance, Tess and Grant are both running for governor of Virginia, and secrets from that summer threaten to shatter their families, their political futures, and the memory of the first love that shaped their lives.

©2025 Audrey Ingram (P)2025 Zibby Publishing

Critic reviews

“Audrey Ingram’s The Summer We Ran is an exquisitely crafted tale of love, ambition, and the secrets that shape us. Weaving together past and present, rising political star Tess Murphy grapples with memories of a youthful, bittersweet summer romance with a man who is now her fierce professional rival. Perfect for fans of Emily Giffin and Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Summer We Ran is a page-turning, tender exploration of class, ambition, and the resilience of the human heart.” —Jamie Brenner, author of A Novel Summer

“First loves turn political rivals in The Summer We Ran, a glorious exploration of nostalgia, ambition, and the complexities of the human heart. Smart, poignant, and beautifully crafted—book clubs will devour it!” —Emma Grey, author of Pictures of You

“At once a tender portrait of first love and a captivating tale of long-buried secrets, The Summer We Ran follows the upstairs/downstairs former couple, Tess and Grant, as they're unexpectedly pitted against each other as political rivals. A heartfelt story that explores how we never quite let go of the people we love when we’re young, Audrey Ingram shows us, one revelation at a time, how it may be possible to forgive the crush of the past, even if we carry the pain for a lifetime. I flew through it!” —Brooke Lea Foster, author of All the Summers in Between

Meh

Drawn out story. I didn’t like or dislike characters-not very exciting. 2 1/2 stars

Great!

The reviews had me scared- but I truly enjoyed this book! I started out reading the physical book, but switched over to the audiobook. Overall, I thought it was written well, narrated well and moved along at a good pace. I don't know what everyone was expecting of this, I didn't read the synopsis, but to me, it was good!

Life is complicated

This is a story of love, deception, betrayal and redemption. A story of youthful innocence and love, of class differences, struggles and self worth. A book I did not anticipate liking or feeling like I would recommend. I’m giving it a 4.5 ⭐️ rating and a full recommendation. I’ve read others say it gets too political for them but I didn’t find it to be.
Tess is running for governor of Virginia, she would be the first female governor of the state if elected. Grant is also running for governor. Tess has struggled to get to this position , where Grant was born into it. Their lives are different but interconnected in the past. How does past experiences affect their future lives and marriages. These are the things they must learn to live with and change to make their lives more fulfilling and meaningful. When a hurtful past experience comes to light Tess and Grant must come to terms with their past life experiences and adjust not only their campaigns but their future lives. I was rooting for Tess all along.
I recommend this book to everyone. The narration was great. The story is excellent, well written and executed. A definite 4.5 ⭐️ rating.

Unique Love Story

I Loved that this story didn’t follow the typical romance trajectory and used unique situations. The ending was so unpredictable!

Wow I expected them to end up together

Will there be another book?! I loveddd this! I got into this because I needed something while I waited for another season of the summer i turned pretty and I was not disappointed!