Friday, July 7, 2017

Review: The Forever Summer

The Forever Summer
Jamie Brenner
Published April 25, 2017
When a DNA test reveals long-buried secrets, three generations of women reunite on Cape Cod for the homecoming of a lifetime.

Marin Bishop has always played by the rules, and it's paid off: at twenty-eight she has a handsome fiancé, a prestigious Manhattan legal career, and the hard-won admiration of her father. But one moment of weakness leaves Marin unemployed and alone, all in a single day. Then a woman claiming to be Marin's half-sister shows up, and it's all Marin can do not to break down completely. Seeking escape, Marin agrees to a road trip to meet the grandmother she never knew she had. As the summer unfolds at her grandmother's quaint beachside B&B, it becomes clear that the truth of her half-sister is just the beginning of revelations that will change Marin's life forever. THE FOREVER SUMMER is a delicious page-turner and a provocative exploration of what happens when our notions of love, truth, and family are put to the ultimate test. - from Goodreads
Marin is not having an easy time of it - she begins an affair with a superior at her law firm, then breaks up with her fiance, and when her affair is discovered at work, both she and the man are fired.  And to top it off?  A woman who says she is Marin's half-sister shows up, upending Marin's beliefs about her perfect family.  Rachel and Marin, along with Marin's mother, travel to Provincetown to meet Amelia, the girls' shared grandmother, where they spend a summer getting to know each other and facing up to the many issues they all have.

There are so many secrets in this novel, and they come fast and furious.  I felt like every chapter brought a new revelation - it was really astounding how many things all of these characters were hiding from each other, and how a fluke DNA test caused all of these decades-old secrets to spill out over one summer.

While I generally enjoyed the main female characters, I thought the secondary male characters were very weak.  How these women put up with such wishy-washy, can't make up their minds men is beyond me.  It was a little frustrating that the men were so similar.  However, I did like the sense of community in the novel - Amelia and her wife Kelly have built a solid life running a B&B and they have a close group of friends that all take care of each other.

There were a lot of heavy topics in this book (like adultery and cancer), but it didn't feel like a heavy read.  I flew through this book in just a couple days.  If you're looking for a fast-moving story about family ties, with a beachy summer setting, I'd recommend taking this book on your next vacation.


3.5 stars

12 comments:

  1. Ooh, this looks like a fun read! I always love books that contain a lot of secrets, but that's disappointing that the secondary characters were weak.

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    1. Yeah, it was kind of weird - all the men/love interests were so similar and one-dimensional. The female characters were a lot better!

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  2. I'm looking for more beach setting reads so I might have to check this one out. I adore novels that build a sense of community within their characters circle. That's sad about the secondary male characters though. Fantastic review!

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    1. Thank you! This is definitely a good beach/summer read.

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  3. The cover screams light, fluffy, summery but then to read that this is a much deeper read. The secrets sound good, but I think it is a bit too dramatic for a fun summer read for me.

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    1. I think it's more dramatic in the sense of a soap opera. It didn't feel like a heavy read to me.

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  4. Aside from the weak secondary characters, this sounds like a pretty engaging read. I love books that deal with family and that have some depth to them, so this is one I'd definitely consider reading. Great review!

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    1. Thanks! This dealt with some heavy topics without feeling melancholy.

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  5. Sounds good despite the secondary characters. Wishy-washy ... blah!

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    1. Seriously, all the men were like, "I don't want to be with you.. wait, wait, yes, I do!... Wait, wait..." So annoying!

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  6. I like the sound of this, of secrets coming to light and half-sisters finding each other. Definitely could use less of the wishy-washyness thouhg. Boo.

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    1. Yeah, I do enjoy stories about families and secrets.

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I'm so glad you stopped by, and I would love to hear your thoughts! Comments are always greatly appreciated!