6.24.2013

Review: The Summer Girls by Mary Alice Monroe


The Summer Girls by Mary Alice Monroe
Expected Publication: June 25, 2013
Format: E-ARC provided via Edelweiss
Publisher: Galley Books
Rating: 4/5

Summary via Goodreads
Three sisters reunite on Sullivan’s Island off the coast of South Carolina after years of separation in this heartwarming first novel in a new trilogy from a beloved author. Eighty-year-old Marietta Muir is a dowager of Charleston society who has retired to her historic summer home on Sullivan’s Island. At the onset of summer, Marietta, “Mamaw,” seeks to gather her three granddaughters—Carson, Eudora, and Harper—with the intent to reunite them after years apart. Monroe explores the depths and complexities of sisterhood, friendship and the power of forgiveness.

My Thoughts
Resentment, secrets and family is just some of the themes that run through this wonderful story of The Muir family. Three very different sisters are summoned by their grandmother to spend the summer with her and each other before she sells the beloved family summer house. We are told the story of the three Muir granddaughters who spent all their summers with their grandparents, especially after their father’s death. While each of the sisters has dealt with their father’s death in different ways, the oldest sister Carson is the only one who knows the real truth to their father’s death. Each sister comes to the beach house with their own drama; never realizing that one place [the beach house] they didn’t want to visit again, is the one place that magically helps change each of their lives.

This is my first venture into a Mary Alice Monroe book but I can honestly say it won’t be my last. She is known for her wonderfully written novels about family and many of them focus on summer time as the setting. This is the first installment of her new series. In this one we are vaguely introduced to all the Muir clan but it mainly focuses on Carson. It’s just my guess that in each of the following books will focus more on each remaining sister.

If you are looking for a good family based summer read pick this one up. It has all the elements of a classic summer book. It’s light, funny and touching all at the same time and I know you will surely enjoy it as much as I have. I can’t wait for the next one!

2 comments:

  1. This definitely sounds like a sweet, summery read. It's probably not the genre I'd review on my blog, but it's right up my alley...especially with a setting in South Carolina! I grew up having holidays there :)

    Wonderful review...I'm your newest follower!

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    Replies
    1. Aww thanks. It's a great summer read. I try and review but YA and Fiction equally, love them both.

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