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There are currently 41 member reviews
for The Summer Wives
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Kimberly H. (Stamford, CT)
a good beach book
Love, loss, family, in a rich enclave. Well written but not a favorite.
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Angela K. (Cleveland, OH)
Interesting and Confusing
Brief Summary: Miranda Schuyler arrives on Winthrop Island in 1951 to see her mother marry socialite Hugh Fisher and is catapulted into a society of wealth as well as the working class that runs the island's fishing industry. Yet the summer ends in tragedy when her stepfather is killed. 17 years later she returns to the island searching for answers. Alternating between multiple viewpoints spanning 39 years, this is a tale of romance, passion, class, and justice. This is my third book by Beatriz Williams and I was eager to read it having enjoyed the previous two.
Highlights: The alternating narration spanning multiple generations; I especially loved trying to figure out how the various characters ended up together once the past and present were detailed. At times the pace was very engaging and I couldn't put it down and other times it dragged and I had to force myself to pick it back up. I liked the various love triangles. I was also guessing the pieces of the puzzle up until the last page. Despite these highlights, the characters and the story won't stay with me.
Explanation of Rating: 3/5: Average. I did not enjoy this as much as I did her previous work Along the Infinite Sea. I actually found the various storylines confusing, which is rare for me. Sadly, though I am a big fan of this author there are better books out there this summer. I also think the historical perspective is underdeveloped; it could have happened in the current day, though smart phones would have certainly changed various turning points.
Final thoughts: this was not a waste of time, I finished it but accurately describe it as average. I'd recommend other books before this one this summer. I will definitely read this author again and I'm looking forward to meeting her when she visits my hometown next month.
Thank you to BookBrowse and William Morrow for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review
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Cynthia C. (Chula Vista, CA)
The Summer Wives
I did not really enjoy the book. All the "social strata stuff" became too tedious for me. I wanted to like the book more... just being honest.
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RoseMarie G. (White Plains, NY)
How I spent my summer vacation ...
The story covers a span of 30 years of several families on Wintrop Isand, who are all somehow intertwined because of Hugh Fisher, Sr. It's old money vs. working folks, summer residents vs. permanent residents.
Miranda, who's mom is about to marry old man Fisher, is thrown into a life that she is not really prepared for. She becomes a part of a tragedy that forces her to leave the island for 2 decades. When Miranda returns years later, she figures out that her stepdad is basically the cause of all the craziness.
I wish I liked the story more; to me, some parts were just too confusing or did not make sense to the storyline. But I'm sure it will be a popular beach read.
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Cheryl K. (Naples, FL)
Beach read
This book will most definitely be one of the "summer reads"of 2018. It is reminiscent of so many former favorites, yet falls short in character development and substance.
It was confusing to follow each of the characters through 1930, 1951, and finally 1969.
I would not recommend it for my book club, but would definitely pack it for the beach.
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Rosanne S. (Franklin Square, NY)
the Summer Wives
Well, I finished. There was a time when I actually thought I'd abandon it. I have read several of her other books and enjoyed them; I cannot say the same for this book.
There were several reasons why I didn't care for the Summer Wives. I thought that the time frames, though identified, were irregular and confusing. Miranda shifts gears from past to present and then somewhere in the middle too often.
The story itself was contrived and predictable and often unbelievable. It was extremely hard for me to get involved and even harder for me to read.
All in all a very disappointing novel from an author I have previously enjoyed.
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Amber H. (Asheville, NC)
Ok read
For me personally, I will label this book as "just fine." The story line started out interesting enough, but towards the end of the book, the plot felt unrealistic yet predictable. The quality of the writing felt a bit jumpy in the last third of the book as well, it was almost as though the author was rushed to finish or wrap up the ending within few remaining pages. This book would be fine as a low-key beach type of read. Based solely on Summer Wives, I don't feel inspired to pick up any other books by this author.
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