TORONTO, ON – A decade apart, a painful secret—can two childhood sweethearts reignite a love that defies cultures and time?
Lia Juma thought she’d buried the dreams of her heart long ago. But when she’s forced to return to her family’s summer cottage on Pike Bay, the life she’s carefully crafted begins to unravel. The perfect immigrant daughter, Lia has carved a successful career as a corporate lawyer and has just started dating a man who fulfills all her mother’s criteria for the ideal son-in-law. But underneath her polished life lies a secret she’s never spoken of—one she fears could have destroyed her family a decade ago.
Back at the bay, Lia stumbles upon memories she thought long forgotten and, at the center of it all, is Wesley Forest—the boy she left behind, the boy who knew her dreams better than anyone. Their friendship and young love once burned bright, woven through long sun-drenched days and whispered promises of a future together. But when family pressures and heartbreak pulled the two lovers apart, they were forced to follow separate paths.
Now, Wes is back in her life, and with him, old wounds and feelings surface. As the two confront the choices and secrets that divided them as teenagers, Lia must decide if she can heal from the past and finally embrace the life and love she’s always craved. Could a second chance with Wes be worth risking everything for?
Told over the course of five years in the past, and one summer in the present, Lia will discover that sometimes, the only way forward is through the heart’s deepest scars.
“The Summers Between Us”
Noreen Nanja | May 13, 2025 | Random House Canada | Contemporary Romance
Paperback | ISBN: 9781039013001 | $19.00 USD / $26.00 CAD
NOREEN NANJA is a Toronto-based contemporary romance writer. A second-generation immigrant from the Indian diaspora, Noreen’s writing explores themes of identity, race and belonging, wrapped in stories of romantic and familial love. Noreen studied Psychology and English Literature at McGill University, received her MD from the University of Calgary, and now practices as a pediatric neurologist. She was the Editor-Writer Romance Mentee in 2022. When she is not writing or reading, she can be found spending time with her partner and their adorable dog and exploring local bookstores. Learn more about Noreen’s life and work at: www.noreennanja.com
Follow Noreen Nanja on social media:
Twitter: @noreennanja | Instagram: @noreennanjawrites | TikTok: @noreennanjawrites
In an interview, Noreen Nanja can discuss:
- Her inspiration for writing “The Summers Between Us” and what it was like writing the romance novel she always wanted to read
- Her writing process and how she approached writing a dual-timeline romance
- How Lia develops from the “perfect immigrant daughter” bound to others’ expectations of her into a more complete version of herself
- The truth at the heart of romance novels, and why we crave stories of second chance romance and a love that was always meant to be
An Interview with Noreen Nanja
1. What inspired you to write “The Summers Between Us”?
Over the past few years, the genre has grown and become more diverse and reading authors like Nisha Sharma and Saumya Dave really inspired me to try my hand at writing the book I always wanted to read, which ended up being “The Summers Between Us.” My main character, Lia, faces challenges growing up that my fellow daughters of immigrants may relate to while also taking her through the same romance journey and happy ending that made me fall in love with romance originally.
2. Have you always been a romance fan? What are your favorite tropes?
I have always been a romance fan. I started off reading Meg Cabot’s YA rom-coms, then progressed into paranormal, historical and contemporary romances as I grew older and have never looked back. While I read other genres too, I am always searching for the romance b-plot! My favorite tropes are friends-to-lovers, only one bed, forced proximity and fake dating. But truly, the right book can convince me that any trope is my favorite!
3. What is your writing process like?
I usually start with an inkling of a character, of a message I want them to learn or an emotional beat I want them to experience. Then I sit down and think about what kind of story to tell, the big plot moments, and make an extremely flexible outline. And then I write towards those goal points. Then it’s time to read through, make my own edits and get broader feedback from my editor or other readers before going back in to polish the book further.
4. Pike Bay is such a lovely setting for the budding romance between Wes and Lia. Did you have your own summers by the water growing up?
I did not have my own summers by the water growing up. I actually grew up in Alberta and did not live anywhere near a lake, but I did live close to a very large mall! During the pandemic, I spent time in various cottages and cabins in Ontario with friends and family to escape my condo in the heart of Toronto and the quiet time there sparked the idea for Wes and Lia’s romance.
5. Can you tell us a little bit about the complicated family dynamics in “The Summers Between Us”?
While no relationships in this story have a one-to-one correlation with one from my life, there are pieces that strike a familiar chord, either from my own experiences or those of my friends. Parents who are new to the country, searching for stability, and the tendency to place their anxiety and worries as pressure on their children. Sibling rivalries that grow through misguided parents comparing them in the hopes of spurring them to do “better.” The pressure some children of immigrants face trying to live up to their parental expectations, while navigating growing up in a social environment that their parents don’t always understand. I think all of these can lead to hurt and confusion in parent-child and sibling relationships and I wanted to show characters who start to recognize that, and who are able to take that recognition further and enact change and healing so that they can be healthy in their love for their family.
A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.
Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.
