I hadn't read anything by Jamie Brenner until I read The Forever Summer! She has become a favorite author of mine now. This is the story of DNA testing, family secrets, long lost family and all coming together again in an idyllic location, Provincetown, MA on Cape Cod. This is a book that you will not be able to put down until you turn that last page.

I LOVED this story and I'm kicking myself for not reading it sooner. It's the perfect beach read with just the right amount of light heartedness and depth. Such a good story filled with memorable characters. I will definitely be checking out the author's other work. Love!

This was a lovely read about a family with a lot of secrets and drama that they need to overcome. I loved the atmosphere and the descriptions of the area and the locals. It was a great beachy read. It had a bit too much angst in some parts for my taste, but those parts were minor. Also, there was a little too much of a "neat bow" bow ending, but it was still really enjoyable getting there.

This book is the perfect summer read. It's filled with drama and secrets in a gorgeous setting. Great story, well written, really enjoyed my time spent in this world.

This is a wonderful engaging read. So much so I got quite the sunburn reading it at the pool. Once you begin you will not want to put it down.
Marin is a lawyer, with her life seemingly in perfect order. , She feels she has it all with the perfect apartment, a handsome fiance and a great career. After a one night stand with a partner, her well ordered life falls apart. At the same time a new relative shows up in her life, a half sister and ask her to go to coastal New England for a visit with a Grandmother she never knew. The two women have complex lives and throughout the summer as their lives mesh and family secrets abound, find out they are not so different after all.
This is a mesmerizing book of family dynamics , starting over and building relationships where once you had none. I loved it and found this to be the perfect summer read. I look forward to further books by this wonderful author.
Thank you for the ARC which did not influence my review.

I prioritized The Forever Summer after Tracie Banister told me it was one of her favorites this year. I can definitely see why she would recommend it. Jamie Brenner has a way of engaging her readers from the very first line all the way until the end. I found myself not wanting to put it down and just breezing through the pages.

All the main characters were sympathetic in various ways. They had a lot of stress and worry in their lives. Watching everything come together for them was interesting and I cared about what happened to each character. I was worried the story would be predictable, but there are a lot of surprises, both happy and sad. It was easy to connect with the story throughout.

Jamie's use of description and detail really brought Provincetown to life. I could feel the idyllic summer of walking on the beach and gathering around a dinner table or going to a party like I was right there. I could visualize people and scenery while staying engaged in the narrative.

Since I read an ARC, I noticed some timing errors that I really hope were fixed in the final print. I tried not to let them bother me for that reason, but it was definitely hard not to do the math! Aside from that, I was hoping for some more dramatic revelations than what was already there, but I figure the characters had their hands full as it was.

Overall, this was an enjoyable story and I'm really glad I read it. I am already excited about Jamie's next novel, The Husband Hour!

Dream movie cast:
Amelia: Stockard Channing
Kelly: Lauren Holly
Marin: Jaina Lee Ortiz
Rachel: Zoey Deutch
Kip: Peter Gallagher
Blythe: Kyra Sedgwick
Luke: Robbie Amell

I loved this book, even though a few of the characters grated on my nerves at times. Good story, well written.

Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is the perfect summer read. It's a little sad, but it's also full of hope. It's filled with drama and secrets in a gorgeous setting. I liked all the main characters and found myself rooting for their lives to turn around. If you're hanging out by the pool or going to the beach this summer, pick up this book!

I really loved this story! It is a must read for your beach bag!

I loved it! This is chick lit at it's finest and I didn't want to put it down! Will recommend!

I had been looking forward to this book for a while, so was extremely excited to have a chance to read it early.

This was a good beach read, with more depth than most beach reads. The character development was great, but there weren't any characters that I really cared about. I just couldn't get as into it as I was hoping to. I was able to put it down and not think about it, rather than hurry to get back to it. I do think Ill probably re-read this down the road though.

A broken engagement. A forbidden affair. The loss of a prestigious job. The announcement that her parents are getting divorced. What else could possibly happen to shake up Marin Bishop's already wrecked life?

The final bombshell comes with the arrival of twenty-two year old Rachel Moscowitz—Marin's half-sister—and the painful discovery that Marin's beloved father isn't really her father, after all. Shattered and in denial, Marin nevertheless agrees to travel with Rachel to the Beach Rose Inn in Provincetown, to meet their grandmother, Amelia Cabral. Against her wishes, Marin's mother, Blythe, accompanies them. The group of women spend the summer getting to know one another as decades-old secrets are finally spoken, and the pain of the past confronted at last.

<em>The Forever Summer </em>is an enjoyable story with some surprising twists thrown into the mix. The characters were well written, with vivid personalities. There were times I found myself annoyed with some of the things Rachel did or said, but in hindsight I think it was because she's a young woman doing/feeling what young women do, and I wasn't able to identify with it at this time in my life. (I think I may have just insulted myself there, and inferred I was getting old? Yikes!)

My favorite characters were definitely Amelia and Kelly. Their backstory—as well as Blythe's—was the most interesting part of the story for me. Nadine, Amelia's daughter, was extremely unlikable, but she had her reasons for behaving the way she did. There were a few twists in the latter part of the book (some good, others not so good) that really surprised me.

I'm giving this one a solid 3.5 stars. I couldn't decide between three and four stars, so 3.5 felt right in the end.

If you're looking for books to add to your summer reading list, I would suggest adding this one to your list.

I became an instant fan of Jamie Brenner after devouring The Wedding Sisters last year. I just finished The Forever Summer and my fan girl status has been solidified. I loved it. What I especially appreciate about Brenner's book is that they do not just focus on a single character, but an "ensemble" cast. I loved reading Marin's story, but found Rachel, Amelia, and Blythe's story equally engaging. I loved how quickly Marin and Rachel really acted like siblings. It made me chuckle.

I read this book while on the beach and it was the perfect setting. I could picture everything and even taste the food. Parts of the story broke my heart, but ultimately it was about family.

Can't wait to see what Brenner has in store for us next!

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is a perfect summer read! I love each character. Except Nadine. She is annoying and mean. We start with Marin. She is an attorney who gets caught having an affair with her supervisor. Then she finds out her Dad is not her biological father. Talk about life imploding! Wonderfully written and it will pull at your heart strings. Kick back in your beach chair or favorite reading spot. You will enjoy!

I received this ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.
This is my first 5-star fiction title of 2017. I usually shy away from books with many characters but in the case of this book, it the story stronger. I really loved Amelia and Kelly and how their story unfolded. Each chapter we learned a little more about their past. Each character had a reason to be in the story and each added their own story. This is the kind of book that makes you think about how the characters stories continue. I honestly could not put this book down and loved every moment of it. I will be checking out the author's other titles soon.

For me this book was just a generous 3 star, more 2.5. Even for a light beach read, it had a lot of faults. Marin breaks her engagement to be with Julian, another lawyer at her law firm. The law firm has a very strict policy on their members dating each other and when Julian and Marin are found out, they are both fired. Around the same time, Marin finds out that she has a half sister in California and a grandmother in Providence, Massachusetts. Her parents are also divorcing, so needless to say, things are not going well for Marin.
What I didn't like about this novel:
Way too much happening throughout the book, too many characters introduced
All the protagonists gather in Providence to.meet each other and end up staying for the whole summer, leaving behind their life, etc. it's totally contrived how they all get into Providence life
Way too predictable what is going to happen at the end I. Ever like that.
I got this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Overall this is a quick light Beach read, not too much substance.

The 6 Women’s Fiction Best Bets for April 2017
Scarlettleigh
“We dance round in a ring and suppose, While the secret sits in the middle and knows"
-Robert Frost
Don’t you just love a good secret?  Except when it is your own, of course. Some months the theme that brings the month’s best books together is a bit broad or loose, but this month the underlying premise is surprising strong. Secrets never stay hidden, and keeping them will always change a person— as our heroines discover.
Of course, each story is uniquely different, but within the story each author has taken a secret and spin it into a fascinating tale –of intrigue; of lost love; and in some cases, scenarios that test the bonds of family.
You’ll find a fascinating journey within the cover of each book.

The Forever Summer by Jamie Brenner
(Amazon | B&N | Kobo)
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.
Strengths:Wonderful exploration of new family bonds; challenging scenarios; Multi-faceted, flawed characters; Uplifting ending;
Measure of Love: Teaspoon
Mood: Poignant
Why You Should Read this: Brenner is a wonderful storyteller and she takes you on such an intriguing journey. Marvelous theme of forgiveness, and the strength of family.

The Hideaway by Lauren K. Denton
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After her last remaining family member dies, Sara Jenkins goes home to The Hideaway, her grandmother Mags’s ramshackle B&B in Sweet Bay, Alabama. She intends to quickly tie up loose ends then return to her busy life and thriving antique shop in New Orleans. Instead, she learns Mags has willed The Hideaway to her and charged her with renovating it—no small task considering her grandmother’s best friends, a motley crew of senior citizens, still live there.
Rather than hurrying back to New Orleans, Sara stays in Sweet Bay and begins the biggest house-rehabbing project of her career. Amid drywall dust, old memories, and a charming contractor, she discovers that slipping back into life at The Hideaway is easier than she expected.
Then she discovers a box Mags left in the attic with clues to a life Sara never imagined for her grandmother. With help from Mags’s friends, Sara begins to piece together the mysterious life of bravery, passion, and choices that changed her grandmother’s destiny in both marvelous and devastating ways.
When an opportunistic land developer threatens to seize The Hideaway, Sara is forced to make a choice—stay in Sweet Bay and fight for the house and the people she’s grown to love or leave again and return to her successful but solitary life in New Orleans.
Strengths: Multi-generational characters; Appealing setting; Past and Present love story; HEA
Measure of Love: Teaspoon
Mood: Poignant and lighthearted
Why You Should Read this:  Touching story of a granddaughter finally coming to understand her grandmother. Denton writes in a way, that just makes you want to reach out to family. The charming Alabama setting is a plus.

The Night the Lights Went Out by Karen White
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Recently divorced, Merilee Talbot Dunlap moves with her two children to the Atlanta suburb of Sweet Apple, Georgia. It’s not her first time starting over, but her efforts at a new beginning aren’t helped by an anonymous local blog that dishes about the scandalous events that caused her marriage to fail.
 
Merilee finds some measure of peace in the cottage she is renting from town matriarch Sugar Prescott. Though stubborn and irascible, Sugar sees something of herself in Merilee—something that allows her to open up about her own colorful past.
Sugar’s stories give Merilee a different perspective on the town and its wealthy school moms in their tennis whites and shiny SUVs, and even on her new friendship with Heather Blackford. Merilee is charmed by the glamorous young mother’s seemingly perfect life and finds herself drawn into Heather's world.
In a town like Sweet Apple, where sins and secrets are as likely to be found behind the walls of gated mansions as in the dark woods surrounding Merilee’s house, appearance is everything. But just how dangerous that deception can be will shock all three women....
Strengths: Intriguing mystery; Multi-faceted characters; Uplifting ending
Measure of Love: Teaspoon
Mood: Poignant and Suspenseful
Why You Should Read this: Karen White has a reputation for writing intriguing mysteries with wonderful southern settings. And this one fits the bill. This book is perfect for readers who love a story filled with revenge, and murder along with some fascinating relationships.

One Good Thing by Wendy Wax
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Embroiled in a battle to regain control of their renovation-turned-reality TV show, Do Over, Maddie, Avery, Nikki, and Kyra find themselves holding tight to the frayed ends of their friendship and relationships.
Maddie must face the realities of dating a rock star once again topping the charts and dealing with her hapless ex-husband, while Avery is caught up in family drama even as she attempts to transform a tiny cottage into a home for the newly impoverished heiress who helped bankroll their last renovation. Put on bedrest, a hugely pregnant Nikki can’t quite believe love can last, or trust in her own maternal instinct. And Kyra, who has secretly put Bella Flora at risk in an attempt to salvage Do Over, must decide whether to accept a desperately needed bail out from her son’s famous father that comes with far too many strings attached…
But friendship is made for times like these, to keep each other—and their dreams—from crumbling.
Strengths: Challenging life changing scenarios; Engaging characters; Continuing storyline; Uplifting ending
Measure of Love:  Teaspoon
Mood: Poignant
Why You Should Read this: This series is so addictive. Readers have come to know the characters over the last five books, and their lives continue to keep us enthralled. With its appealing HGTV type theme, you get the best of all worlds – decorating, romance and strong female friendships. 

Slightly South of Simple by Kristy Woodson Harvey
(Amazon | B&N | Kobo)
Caroline Murphy swore she’d never set foot back in the small Southern town of Peachtree Bluff; she was a New York girl born and bred and the worst day of her life was when, in the wake of her father’s death, her mother selfishly forced her to move—during her senior year of high school, no less—back to that hick-infested rat trap where she'd spent her childhood summers. But now that her marriage to a New York high society heir has fallen apart in a very public, very embarrassing fashion, a pregnant Caroline decides to escape the gossipmongers with her nine-year-old daughter and head home to her mother, Ansley.

Ansley has always put her three daughters first, especially when she found out that her late husband, despite what he had always promised, left her with next to nothing. Now the proud owner of a charming waterfront design business and finally standing on her own two feet, Ansley welcomes Caroline and her brood back with open arms. But when her second daughter Sloane, whose military husband is overseas, and youngest daughter and successful actress Emerson join the fray, Ansley begins to feel like the piece of herself she had finally found might be slipping from her grasp. Even more discomfiting, when someone from her past reappears in Ansley's life, the secret she’s harbored from her daughters their entire lives might finally be forced into the open.

Exploring the powerful bonds between sisters and mothers and daughters, this engaging novel is filled with Southern charm, emotional drama, and plenty of heart.
Strengths: Engaging Characters; multiple storylines; Uplifting ending
Measure of Love: Teaspoon  
Mood: Poignant 
Why You Should Read this: One reason of course, is the fascinating secrets – but the relationships between mother/daughter; sister and sister are so well-drawn with sometimes funny –sometimes a bit snarky but always great inter-dialogue.

The Forbidden Garden by Ellen Herrick
(Amazon | B&N | Kobo)
Every garden is a story, waiting to be told…
At the nursery she runs with her sisters on the New England coast, Sorrel Sparrow has honed her rare gift for nurturing plants and flowers. Now that reputation, and a stroke of good timing, lands Sorrel an unexpected opportunity: reviving a long-dormant Shakespearean garden on an English country estate.
Arriving at Kirkwood Hall, ancestral home of Sir Graham Kirkwood and his wife Stella, Sorrel is shocked by the desolate state of the walled garden. Generations have tried—and failed—to bring it back to glory. Sorrel senses heartbreak and betrayal here, perhaps even enchantment. Intrigued by the house’s history—especially the haunting tapestries that grace its walls—and increasingly drawn to Stella’s enigmatic brother, Sorrel sets to work. And though she knows her true home is across the sea with her sisters, instinct tells her that the English garden’s destiny is entwined with her own, if she can only unravel its secrets…
Strengths: Wonderful backdrop and settings; Engaging characters; Intriguing mystery
Measure of Love: Teaspoon
Mood: Poignant
Why You Should Read this: Readers who love bits of magic along with a bit of gothic ambiance will thoroughly enjoy this book.  It has such a wonderful atmosphere! It is the second in a series, so I do recommend you read the first book, Sparrow Sisters first. And if you’ve already read Sparrow Sisters – then I know you have been anxiously waiting for Sorrel’s story.

What a beautiful heartbreaking story! Family and love in all shapes and sizes are the best! A beautiful story with twist and unexpected turns takes you on a beautiful journey of love. That's s is an excellent beach read for Summer 2017!

Wow! What a gem of a story! The Forever Summer by Jamie Brenner, my first by her. I am ready to pick up and leave for vacation in P-town. I want to soak up the eclectic, free spirit vibe there. This is a wonderful story of family, friends, community and they are often pieces that fit together in ways that will surprise you. Grab your beach chair and settle in for a perfect beach read. There are secrets, hidden letters and a journal, old love and new love and family drama. At the heart of it all is the charming Beach Rose Inn. Get ready to to check in, your room is ready.

Marin Bishop is a successful lawyer with an incredibly attractive boyfriend. Life in New York City is nearly perfect when she submits her DNA for to the genealogy website that she is representing. She is not expecting any kind of surprises, she more or less just does it to understand her client better. She does not expect to receive an email from a young woman who claims to be her sister. It has to be a mistake because Marin doesn't have a sister.

Rachel Moskowitz has always known that her free-spirited mother used a sperm donor to have Rachel, but she can't help but be curious about her genetic history. She is thrilled to discover that she has a half-sister in New York City and is going to stop to introduce herself to her new sister on her way to Provincetown, where their new grandmother lives. When Marin's world implodes due to getting fired she decides to join Rachel on her journey. Soon two of them, along with Marin's mom for good measure, embark on a summer vacation full of family secrets, shocking revelations, and a whole lot of relationship building. A summer that may never end.

It has been a very long time since I have stayed up late into the night to finish a good book. I did that last night with The Forever Summer. Rachel and Marin are about as opposite as two sisters could be, but I liked them both. They were both at crossroads in their life and seeking something. I also like the way they were both ultimately kind and caring towards their new grandmother. And Amelia was a sweet lady who had suffered a lot of pain in her life, yet that didn't discourage her from embracing everything life had to offer. Including two young women who claim to be her granddaughters. I loved everything about Amelia, her wife, and their life in Provincetown. The setting of Provincetown was quite unique, too. When you hear "beach reads" you think of Cape Cod or Nantucket, but not Provincetown. It made for a really fun read.

Bottom line - The Forever Summer was my first official "beach read" of the season and it was the perfect book to kick off the season. Well written, with great characters who are easy to connect with on many levels and do a great job of redefining family. The perfect beach read.

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