Same Time Next Year by Tessa Bailey Summary, Characters and Themes
Same Time Next Year by Tessa Bailey is a contemporary romance that blends humor, vulnerability, and the tension of forbidden attraction into a story about love, trust, and second chances. It follows Britta, a woman scarred by her father’s betrayal, who finds herself in an unexpected marriage of convenience with hockey defenseman Sumner Mayfield.
What begins as a practical arrangement to secure his residency soon evolves into a journey of healing, self-discovery, and undeniable connection. Set against the backdrop of hockey games, bar nights, and family complications, the novel explores what it means to risk everything for love when the heart has been taught to resist.
Summary
Britta spends New Year’s Eve 2023 juggling a chaotic shift at Sluggers, the local bar she dreams of co-owning, when her half-brother Bryce arrives with his hockey teammates. Among them is Sumner Mayfield, a reserved but commanding player who has quietly admired her for years.
As the night unfolds, Bryce reveals that Sumner’s work visa expires the next day, threatening to force him back to Canada. In a moment of rowdy encouragement, Bryce and the team propose a bold solution: Britta should marry Sumner so he can stay in the United States.
The idea strikes directly at Britta’s deepest insecurities about marriage, rooted in her father abandoning her mother, but when Sumner offers to pay her enough to secure a stake in the bar, she reluctantly agrees to discuss the possibility.
In a private conversation, Sumner makes it clear he never wanted to pressure her. Still, when Britta names her price—$50,000—he readily agrees.
They set terms for a purely business arrangement: a one-year marriage, complete with staged photos and fabricated intimacy, but no romance or sex. Despite the boundaries, their chemistry simmers just beneath the surface.
At midnight, surrounded by cheers from the Bandits, they officially marry, sealing the union with a quick, careful kiss.
Months later, Britta visits one of Sumner’s practices, where his teammates treat her as a lucky charm, crediting their winning streak to her presence in his life. The time they spend preparing for their immigration interview deepens their understanding of each other.
Sumner reveals tender stories about his family, including how his middle name, Wade, honors the moment his father first fell in love with his mother. Britta, in contrast, shares her distrust of marriage after her father left for a new family, which included Bryce.
Sumner’s quiet empathy allows her to express pain she normally keeps locked away, and their connection grows even as she insists she is not interested in romance.
When the green card interview arrives in June, Sumner surprises Britta with wedding bands to make their story more convincing. The gesture unsettles her, stirring feelings she doesn’t want to face, but during the interview, the officer quickly deems their marriage genuine.
Afterwards, Britta struggles to reconcile her relief with the confusing realization that she would miss Sumner deeply if he returned to Canada. Their partnership is supposed to be temporary, but Sumner’s longing for something real lingers in every gesture.
By September, Sumner has been away in Edmonton for training, and Britta feels the void of his absence acutely. Jealousy flares when she discards a swimsuit magazine featuring him, betraying feelings she refuses to acknowledge.
When he returns home, they attend a concert together, where the tension between them finally boils over into a heated kiss. Yet Sumner refuses to reduce their connection to casual sex, admitting he wants everything with her.
Britta’s fear of commitment pushes her to pull away, though her attraction to him is undeniable.
As the year progresses, their so-called expirationship becomes increasingly complicated. At Britta’s apartment after the concert, Sumner demonstrates his devotion by enabling location sharing on his phone, proving he has nothing to hide from her.
Overwhelmed by his openness, Britta finally lets herself kiss him again. Their intimacy escalates, and in her bedroom, they give in to their desire.
During the encounter, Sumner confesses his love and calls her his last, terrifying Britta with the permanence of his words. Though shaken, she agrees to meet his family for his birthday, signaling a step forward.
Meeting Sumner’s family proves transformative. They embrace her warmly, even connecting her broccoli cheddar soup to cherished memories of Sumner’s late grandmother.
The night strengthens their bond, and later, back at her apartment, they share another urgent moment of intimacy that underscores their growing commitment to each other. But the next morning, Sumner learns he is being called up to an AHL affiliate in Anaheim, forcing them to confront the possibility of a long-distance future.
Sumner asks Britta to come with him, even offering to support her dreams of attending business school, but the thought of leaving Sluggers and her familiar life terrifies her.
In a moment of clarity, Bryce visits Britta at the bar and gives her tough love. He tells her Sluggers, once her refuge, has become a cage keeping her from embracing her own potential.
He reminds her that she trusted Sumner enough to marry him at the start, urging her to take the same leap of faith now. His words resonate deeply, leaving Britta to reflect on how much fear has dictated her choices.
At the Bandits’ game, Britta faces her fears head-on. Wearing an Anaheim jersey and a lumberjack hat Sumner once admired, she sits defiantly in the family section, even near her estranged father.
When Sumner sees her, he rushes to her side, and she finally confesses she loves him and will move to California with him. Their public kiss cements their commitment, cheered on by the roaring crowd.
In the epilogue, one year later, Britta and Sumner are thriving in California. Sumner has advanced from the AHL to the NHL, while Britta pursues business school and remains by his side at every game.
During a private New Year’s Eve celebration, Sumner proposes with a ring, promising her forever. This time, Britta accepts without hesitation, certain that she has found not only safety and trust but the love of her life.
Characters
Britta
Britta emerges as a complex, layered protagonist in Same Time Next Year. Her life is deeply marked by her father’s betrayal, which left behind lasting scars of mistrust and fear of commitment.
This past has hardened her outlook on relationships, shaping her cynical stance that love is temporary and unsafe. Despite this, Britta is not without courage or vulnerability—she maintains a bond with her half-brother Bryce, a living reminder of her father’s abandonment, which highlights her quiet resilience and capacity for forgiveness.
At the heart of Britta’s desires lies her dream of owning part of Sluggers, the bar where she has worked tirelessly; this dream represents both stability and independence, things she fears she can only truly rely on herself to provide. Throughout her relationship with Sumner, she wrestles with the contradiction between her heart and her fears.
She is restless, passionate, and fiercely independent, but also afraid of being trapped in another cycle of betrayal. Ultimately, Britta’s journey is one of learning to let go of fear and accept the permanence of love when it proves itself trustworthy.
Sumner Mayfield
Sumner is the steadfast counterbalance to Britta’s guarded nature. A defenseman for the Bridgeport Bandits, he is introduced as quiet and imposing, yet his inner world reveals deep loyalty and a romantic soul.
His middle name, Wade, carries the story of his parents’ enduring love, which fuels his belief in the beauty of permanence and commitment. Unlike Britta, Sumner is not afraid of emotional vulnerability; he openly acknowledges his long-standing feelings for her and refuses to separate love from physical intimacy.
His honesty and refusal to settle for less than a genuine connection mark him as both patient and principled. Sumner’s role is not simply that of a lover but of a steady presence who challenges Britta’s fears without coercion, showing her that real love means consistency, reassurance, and partnership.
His arc demonstrates that strength is not only physical but also emotional—the courage to wait, to prove devotion, and to stay despite rejection.
Bryce
Bryce, Britta’s half-brother and teammate to Sumner, occupies a pivotal role as both a bridge and a reminder of Britta’s fractured family history. While his very existence is tied to Britta’s father’s betrayal, Bryce himself is portrayed as warm, supportive, and protective of his sister.
His suggestion of the marriage between Britta and Sumner, though unconventional, springs from a mix of practicality and care, since he recognizes both her financial struggles and Sumner’s precarious visa situation. At key moments, Bryce provides Britta with grounding advice—reminding her that Sluggers, while important, has become a prison of fear rather than a sanctuary of growth.
By urging her to trust and embrace a future with Sumner, Bryce plays the role of truth-teller, nudging Britta out of her emotional stagnation. His presence underscores themes of forgiveness and chosen family, as he demonstrates that one can carry the legacy of painful pasts while still forging supportive and healthy bonds.
Themes
Fear of Commitment Versus Desire for Love
Britta’s journey in Same Time Next Year is defined by the tension between her deep-seated fear of relationships and her growing pull toward love and permanence with Sumner. Her aversion stems from her father’s betrayal, leaving her wary of promises and skeptical of loyalty.
This personal history casts a long shadow over her choices, making even a business arrangement like her marriage to Sumner fraught with emotional resistance. Despite this, the story demonstrates how genuine affection, consistency, and emotional security can gradually erode even the strongest defenses.
Sumner, with his quiet steadfastness, represents the antithesis of the instability Britta experienced as a child. Through his patient devotion, she confronts the reality that her skepticism has prevented her from seeking true happiness.
The theme underscores how trauma can shape expectations, yet also suggests that love’s reliability, when paired with patience, can rebuild trust and open the door to vulnerability. The arc of their relationship illustrates that the decision to embrace commitment is rarely sudden—it is a slow, often reluctant acknowledgment that security lies not in guarding oneself from pain but in allowing oneself to risk attachment.
Family and Forgiveness
Family dynamics and the scars of broken relationships form another powerful theme in Same Time Next Year. Britta’s fractured relationship with her father, who abandoned her and her mother, shapes her perception of love as impermanent and unsafe.
The existence of Bryce, her half-brother and a reminder of her father’s other life, complicates her feelings. Yet, her ability to maintain a bond with Bryce demonstrates a quiet act of forgiveness, revealing her resilience and willingness to look beyond betrayal.
Through Sumner’s close-knit and affectionate family, Britta is confronted with what she missed growing up but also what she could have for herself. This juxtaposition highlights the power of family, both chosen and inherited, in shaping one’s sense of belonging.
The theme suggests that forgiveness is not about excusing past wrongs but about releasing their hold, allowing space for healthier connections. Britta’s eventual acceptance of Sumner’s family and her reconciliation with her own fractured past mark significant growth, proving that healing from family wounds requires both confrontation and the courage to build something new.
The Tension Between Independence and Partnership
Britta’s independence is a defining aspect of her character. Her dream of owning part of Sluggers, the bar where she works, represents her longing for autonomy and control after years of feeling destabilized by her father’s choices.
However, her desire for independence frequently clashes with her growing reliance on Sumner. She fears that love and partnership will mean giving up her agency, believing that dependence is synonymous with weakness.
Sumner challenges this belief, showing her that partnership does not negate individuality but rather strengthens it. His support for her ambitions, including his willingness to discuss business school and her ownership goals, reframes love as a space where independence can coexist with shared dreams.
This theme emphasizes that true partnership requires balance—neither person sacrificing their identity, but instead finding strength in combining their paths. By the end, Britta learns that independence is not compromised by love but expanded, as partnership allows her to pursue goals she once thought impossible on her own.
Healing Through Vulnerability
The relationship between Britta and Sumner demonstrates how vulnerability can become a catalyst for healing. Britta’s cynicism is her shield, protecting her from disappointment, yet it also isolates her.
Sumner’s openness—his willingness to express devotion, loyalty, and even insecurity—provides her with a model of emotional honesty she has never trusted before. Each intimate exchange, from sharing personal histories to confronting jealousy, chips away at her guardedness.
The moments where Britta breaks down, whether discussing her father or admitting jealousy, highlight the transformative power of being seen and accepted without judgment. The theme suggests that vulnerability is not a weakness but a bridge to intimacy, allowing wounds to be acknowledged and soothed.
In this context, love becomes not only passion or companionship but a process of mutual restoration. Sumner’s love is healing not because it erases Britta’s pain but because it allows her to face it while no longer being alone.
Dreams, Ambition, and the Search for Belonging
Beyond romance, Same Time Next Year also emphasizes the importance of personal dreams and the quest for belonging. Britta’s attachment to Sluggers symbolizes her need for stability and a place that feels truly hers.
However, as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that her dream of ownership is tied to her fear of venturing beyond her comfort zone. The bar is both sanctuary and prison—safe but stagnant.
Through her relationship with Sumner and encouragement from Bryce, she recognizes that belonging is not about clinging to one space but about finding the courage to grow. Similarly, Sumner’s ambition in hockey underscores the sacrifices and risks inherent in chasing dreams.
His progression from uncertain residency to NHL success parallels Britta’s journey from guarded independence to embracing a new life with him in California. This theme reinforces that ambition and belonging are not mutually exclusive; sometimes, the pursuit of dreams requires the courage to leave behind familiar walls in order to create a life that feels authentically one’s own.
