The Summer We Ran - Hardcover

The Summer We Ran by Audrey Ingram is a heartfelt and evocative contemporary novel from my personal collection — previously read and cared for in a smoke-free home, now ready for its next reader. This engaging story weaves together first love, secrets, ambition, and the choices that shape a life, following two people whose teenage romance returns to define their futures decades later. 

Set across dual timelines, the novel begins in the summer of 1996 when Tess Murphy, a spirited young woman from a working-class household, falls deeply in love with Grant Alexander, the privileged son of a wealthy family next door. Their whirlwind romance feels timeless — until an unexpected tragedy tears them apart. More than twenty years later, Tess and Grant find themselves running against each other for Governor of Virginia, forcing buried memories and long-kept secrets to surface with powerful consequences. 

Perfect for fans of emotional, character-driven fiction and dual-timeline love stories, The Summer We Ran is a nostalgic and compelling read that asks whether the past truly defines who we become.