I have read some wonderful and fun books this summer! Here are eight recent reads, in the order that I read them:
The Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune
I loved Our Perfect Storm. Carley Fortune is one of my favorite summer romance authors. This book was very sweet and had so much heart. It tells the story of Frankie and George, two best friends who grew up living next door to each other. When Frankie’s fiancé Nate breaks up with her the day of their wedding, she ends up going on their planned honeymoon to Tofino with George. This book explores Frankie and George’s relationship, their past and future, families, feelings, and individual goals and dreams, all while immersing the reader in lush scenery. Plus, there’s a lovely whale theme. It was a dreamy escape and a sweet return to home. I just loved it and read it in a few days. Definitely pack this one in your beach bag!
Whistler by Ann Patchett
I enjoyed Whistler by Ann Patchett. It was a sweet and simple story about a woman in her 50s named Daphne who is living in New York with her husband, Jonathan, and reconnects with her former stepfather, Eddie, at the Met. Although Eddie was not married to her mother for long, he and Daphne shared a life-changing experience that bonded them. Now many years later, the two of them still feel the bond, as they discuss the events from the past and get to know one another again in the present. This was an easy-to-read, heartwarming book.
Make Nice by Ryan Effgen
Make Nice was a quick and silly read. I read it fast and was kept entertained, but I didn’t just love it – the plot veered a little too absurd for me, and the writing left much to be desired (more character development for example; everyone felt flat and unrealistic). It takes place on an island in Lake Michigan (a corny setting, not the type I’d want to escape to!) as the three Pickford siblings – Pete, the snail scientist, Viv, mom of Ash and soon-to-be separated from her husband, and Corey, their mess of a brother – reunite with each other and their father to honor their recently passed mother in the place they spent during childhood. I really enjoy getting swept up in escapes during the summer, and this just was not it. If you’re in the mood for something easy and quirky, you might enjoy it. Thanks to the publisher for the advanced reader copy!
When You Loved Me by Beatriz Williams
I always read the new Beatriz Williams book every summer, and I loved this one! Many of her books are set in New England on the fictional Winthrop Island and are just perfect to read while I’m in Rhode Island. She writes beautiful, sweeping historical fiction + romances. This one is about Lucy Cooper, whose recently passed father spent his life searching for an old pirate treasure he believed was buried beneath his Winthrop Island property, based on extensive research from 1717, when a wounded pirate came to the island. While Lucy and her young daughter settle into Windward, the Cooper estate, Lucy sees Ben Ressler, the football star she fell in love with as a teenager while he was staying in the next-door Peabody estate, over which she lost her best friend, Laura. The story goes back and forth in time from the present day, to their time on the island as teenagers, to the brutal winter of 1717. There’s mystery and suspense regarding the treasure as well as what really happened to her father, as well as romance and female friendship. Plus, I love how the author always references characters and events from her other books set on Winthrop Island. I was absolutely hooked by this one and flew through it!
The Gulf of Lions by Caitlin Shetterly
I really enjoyed The Gulf of Lions. It’s about Alice and her two young daughters, Sophie and Iris, as they embark on a mother-daughter camping trip through France. Alice has recently recovered from breast cancer and is still coping with her husband’s affair from just before that time and her feelings regarding their marriage. She is hoping to write an article about the mother-daughter trip and find herself again. Sophie is in that in-between place of feeling like a little kid and a teenager, and the younger Iris is working through some anxiety regarding her mother’s sickness. I loved the descriptions of the French countryside scenery and food – that was a highlight for me. The book explores the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters, marriage, mistakes, adventures, and taking new chances. And of course, France. A great summer read!
Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan
Dolly All the Time was so adorable. It’s about Dolly Brick, who returns to Whitfield, Rhode Island for the summer with her son Gus, to help her dad and brother with the family home there. When Dolly unexpectedly runs into Stewart Whitfield (of the Whitfield family), she becomes involved in his proposed fake-dating scheme (such a fun trope!) and of course, the feelings turn very real. Dolly and Stewart come from different worlds, and she’s uncertain whether it could ever actually be something. I loved Dolly, who was just so charming and funny. The story was zippy and sparkling. And of course, I loved reading a story set during a Rhode Island summer while I enjoyed my own Rhode Island summer. I recommend for a lovely and fun summer read.
The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson
I enjoyed The Shampoo Effect. It’s about a group of friends in their 30s living in the fictional town of Greenhead, MA. When newcomer Caroline Lash begins dating Van, she gets to know their group but always feels a little like an outsider – especially after it turns out that Van’s ex, Bailey, is pregnant. The dynamics of the group become complicated with misunderstandings and secrets. Although there was quite a bit of surprisingly immature behavior prevalent for people in their 30s with kids, I enjoyed the writing and the characters’ stories and was very engaged the whole way through. The ending was perfect!
Down with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore
Down with the Shipmans was so cute. It’s about the three Shipman sisters – Jordan, Natalie, and Mae – reuniting at their family coastal home in New Hampshire with their father, Calvin, not long after their mother Theresa’s passing. When they arrive, they learn that Calvin has decided to sell the home, much to the protestations of his daughters. They all spend one last week together there, along with Natalie’s kids and dog, Mae’s current foster dog, and Calvin’s new wife, which is its own source of drama. They are all still grieving the loss of Theresa, and each sister happens to be in the midst of a personal crisis as well, which they must work through and help one another. It was a really sweet summery read about family and sisterhood.
What have you been reading this summer?
P.S. More book thoughts.
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