Review: The Summer's End by Mary Alice Monroe

The Summer’s End [Lowcountry Summer #3] by Mary Alice Monroe

Published: May 19, 2015

Format: via NetGalley

Publisher: Gallery

Challenges: 2015 NG/ED

Rating: 5/5

Pre-Order: Amazon / BN

Synopsis

It is summer’s end and Sea Breeze, the family’s beloved estate on Sullivan’s Island, must be sold. It is an emotional time of transition as Mamaw and the three sisters each must face loss and finds a new place in the world. Harper, the youngest sister, arrived at Sea Breeze intending to stay only a weekend, but a rift with her wealthy, influential mother left her without direction or a home. During this remarkable summer, free from her mother’s tyranny and with the help of her half-sisters, Harper discovered her talents and independent spirit. But summer is ending, and the fate of Sea Breeze hinges on Harper’s courage to decide the course of her own life. To do so she must release her insecurities and recognize her newfound strengths. She must accept love fully into her life—the love of Mamaw, Carson, and Dora, the love of Sea Breeze and the lowcountry, and most of all, the love of a Wounded Warrior who has claimed her heart. The third book in Mary Alice Monroe’s trilogy that brims with “stories that touch the mind and heart of her readers” (Huffington Post), The Summer’s End follows three half-sisters bound by love for their grandmother and the timeless beauty and traditions of the lowcountry.

My Thoughts

The Summer’s End is the final book in the Lowcountry Summer series. I love how this book perfectly wraps up each sisters story. Dora finds love again with an old boyfriend and her son finds comfort and stability in his new surroundings. Carson finds herself dealing with so many emotions that who can blame her for doubting herself and her sobriety. This book continues seamlessly where the last one did this time focusing on the youngest sister Harper. Harper has always been the sister who has had the easiest life. Her mother is a book publisher and her grandparents are very rich. She has never to struggle or want for anything in life as her older sisters have. And while from the outside it might seem she has had it easy it is quite the opposite. She has always lived under the thumb of her mother who in returned has never showed her true love but in a sense has always treated her like an employee instead of her daughter. Harper’s dream has always been to be a writer, like her father and her mother will do whatever it takes so that she doesn’t follow in his path.

Her first act of defiance is to tell her mother she will not go back to New York but will spend the whole summer with her sisters and Mamaw. She is determine to help fix up the old house before it is to be sold and then one day she meets an old friend of her sister Dora and let’s just say its love at first sight. She realizes she is meant to be there with her family, in that state, in that house and with that man. I love that she finds unconditional love with someone who loves her for her and not her money. Although the romance part is great what I enjoyed most was that each sister truly found themselves. They found their inner peace and independence.

This book was the perfect send off to characters that I have grown to love and will miss deeply. Mary Alice Monroe has given us the gift of the perfect summer trilogy and I highly encourage everyone to dive into this series I promise you will laugh, cry and most importantly fall in love this family as much as I did.