This felt like too many stories at once. Part mystery, part mild thriller, part romance, part women’s fiction… and it all just felt like they didn’t totally line up right.

The latest by Henry is a look at what family really means, and how the past affects the present in so many ways. The writing is superb; each sentence is meaningful and drives the story along. Even the backstory is well crafted and doesn’t drag the story down. The ultimate resolution to the mystery is not what is expected, but is quite realistic.
When they were growing up in the 1970s, Lainey and Bonny were "Summer Sisters" whose families vacationed together in Watersend, South Carolina, each year. One year, something tragic happened, and although the two remained friends, they never again returned to their summer house. Now, Bonny is a physician with an unhappy marriage and a daughter who just finished a troubling first year of college. When Bonny makes a fatal mistake at work, she and her daughter travel to Watersend with the idea of taking time away to regroup. Lainey is an artist with young children, and when Bonny asks her to accompany her on the trip, she's reluctant, but knows she will do anything for Bonny. When they arrive, the two begin to look at and uncover secrets from the past

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I loved this group of women and wish I could hop into this bookshop and join them. This was the perfect read at a time when I needed it.

All great stories begin in a bookshop and this one is no different. I loved this group of women. They supported each other through all of life's ups and downs. Each woman had strengths that they doubted and through love and friendship they got to see just how strong they were. I wanted to hang out at the river house with them!

Isn’t that cover lovely? Perfect for this beach read. And with school starting soon, at least for my kids, The Bookshop at Water’s End is the perfect selection if you’re trying to hold on to summer as long as possible.

Bonny Blankenship has just accepted a position at a new hospital when a blast from the past comes into her ER. When another patient dies, possibly because of her distraction, her world is turned upside down. She decides to finally leave her husband, taking their teenage daughter, Piper, with her, and escapes to Water’s End, the place her family vacationed for a few summers when she was a child.

Bonny convinces her best friend Lainey to join her at the river house but Lainey has bad memories of the island where her mother disappeared. And Piper, who has been roped into babysitting Lainey’s two kids, is nursing a broken heart thanks to the boyfriend who dumped her for her best friend.

The story alternates between the three women’s point of view as each works through their issues. Will Bonny lose her new job, and does she want to keep her old one? What did happen to Lainey’s mother? And will the cute boy who works at the grocer’s help Piper move on?

All of these questions and more are answered in The Bookshop at Water’s End. The titular book shop makes an appearance now and then, along with the bookshop’s owner who knew Bonny and Lainey as girls and may know more about what happened to Lainey’s mom than she lets on. There are other colorful locals, including an elderly woman who forms a connection with Lainey’s son, who add some spice to the story.

If you’re looking for a last-ditch summer read, then you can’t go wrong with The Bookshop at Water’s End.

I enjoyed this book. I liked the writing and the characters, and how it is told from multiple perspectives, giving four different women the chance to narrate and tell their personal story. Well done!

I love Southern fiction and have read all of Patti Callahan Henry's books and will tell you that this book was another fantastic book by a great author. I have been in a reading slump lately and this is the book that ended that slump. I thought it was Southern fiction at it's best.

Bonny and Lainey had been friends since childhood when they spent three summers sharing a beach house with their families. They were now in their 50s and Bonny, an ER doc who has made a terrible mistake, begs Lainey to return to the beach house for a summer to help her decide what to do with her life. Lainey is reluctant because her mother disappeared during the last summer they spent at the beach house and she didn't think she could cope with the memories but friendship won out and she and her two children went to the beach house for the summer along with Bonny's 19 year old daughter who feels she is a failure at everything she tries to do and feels like she is being exiled to the beach because of all of the mistakes she's made in her life. Will the long summer days and the rhythm of the tides help all three women with the problems in their lives and will they be able to return to the lives they left behind?

This is a beautiful written book and I can almost see the house and the river that runs beside it. Reading it made me long to see the ocean again. The characters are very well written and I loved their relationships with each other and how important that friendship was to each of them. Another great book by a fantastic Southern author.

one of the most beautiful stories ive read. as a book seller I adore books at bookshops.
loved it and will stay with me for awhile

I loved the cover of this book. There is something so beautiful about it and the title is awesome. Any book which has a bookshop in its title is worth a read.
Patti Callahan Henry has written a fabulous book on friendships taking time to deal with the sensitive nuances. The book is a bit slow but it reads expressively.
A story of 2 best friends Bonny and Lainey and their years of friendship along with Piper, Bonnie's daughter makes this book a wonderful read.
The bookshop and its owner Mimi do make their appearance and have their own parts to play but the book mainly deals with Bonny Lainey and Piper.
All of them decide to live together for the summer in Bonny's river house and each of them has their own story, their own problems and their fortitude to overcome them.
I didn't like some parts of it, reasons for the mother's disappearance but that is a small part.
The rest of the book is beautifully woven in the threads of friendship, love, warmth, forgiveness and second chances.
To be very frank, who wouldn't like to visit the bookshop at Water's end???

Four stars: A book that explores the lives of three women as they endure heartache, hope and life lessons.

Bonny Blankenship is falling apart. Her marriage is over, her career is in trouble and her college age daughter is flunking out of school. Hoping to find her way again, Bonny returns to her parent’s beach house, but she isn’t going alone. Bonny brings along her daughter, Piper. She also convinces her best friend, Lainey, to return to the beach house and confront the ghosts of the past. As the summer unwinds in the lazy, scenic Southern town, the three women grow and change, and they learn what is important to each of them. Will they find their way again?
What I Liked:
*The Bookshop at Water’s End is a lovely book that bursts with hope and change. It is gorgeously written, entertaining and the perfect read for when you want a good old fashioned comfort read.
*I loved that this book featured three different women. Bonny is falling apart, her life is in shambles and she is lost. In desperation, she packs up and heads to her parent’s long abandoned beach house, in hopes of finding herself. While she is there, Bonny learns what is important, and she finds her way. Piper, Bonny’s daughter, is drowning. She is trying to recover from a nasty breakup. She drinks too much, and she can’t seem to get anything right. Her summer brings her new love, new perspective and new beginnings. Lainey, Bonny’s best friend, reluctantly agrees to return to the beach house where her past nearly broke her. Lainey has spent years desperately searching for her mother, often forgetting what is important to her. While at the beach house, Lainey finally learns the truth about the past and she finally realizes what is most dear to her. Watching each of these women transform as they overcame their troubles was a delight. I loved all three of them and their journeys.
*The setting is magical. It was easy to transport myself to this calm, scenic beach town. The book shop with its cozy interior, eccentric and kindly owner, and piles of books was a huge draw. I couldn’t get enough of the setting.
*I appreciated that the message of this book was finding what is most important. This is a book that is all about the important things in life and accepting change.
The writing is gorgeous. I was enchanted by the rich metaphors and delightful descriptions.
*The ending is a bit open but it satisfactorily closes most of the story lines. I liked seeing how each woman transformed during the summer. It closes in a good spot.
*I listened to the audiobook version, and I enjoyed the narration. This audiobook incorporates four different narrators to properly capture the voices of all the different women, which I liked. I highly recommend the audiobook version.
And The Not So Much:
*I was disappointed with the whole story line regarding Owen. There was all this buildup from the beginning, and I was expecting something to happen. When all was said and done, this portion of the story was left undone. Such a disappointment. I wanted it settled one way or another.
*I found myself wishing for more of Mimi and the bookshop. The title is a bit misleading because the bookshop is only a minor part of the story. I wanted more Mimi and more bookshop.
*Lucas is just awful. He dragged down the story.

The Bookshop at Water’s End is a lovely book perfect for when you want a comfort read. This is a book that features three different women undergoing a journey of transformation. This is a story with heartbreak and hope, second chances and new beginnings. I loved the positive messages and the gorgeous writing. Pick this one up!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

A perfect vacation read, I was thrilled to have this when I had a few days off from work and time to spend at the beach. This book is classic Patti Callahan Henry at her finest; she certainly creates characters that cause you to empathize with them.

You know the saying, "You can't go home again."? Well this was nothing further from the truth with this book. Despite her reservations, Bonny Blankenship returned home after a somewhat catastrophic period of her life. She then spent her time healing with her best friend Laney and her daughter Piper. Not always easy, but very necessary.

The book alternates between different points of view and past and present. This style is increasingly becoming one of my favorites as it seems to make the story more rounded and complete. The different perspectives created a wonderful synergy.

This book felt like catching up with an old friend and drew me into the plots deeply that I did not want it to end. It was one of those nice reads that feels almost like a warm blanket on a cold day.


Thank you to Berkley Books for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

I enjoyed the varying viewpoints of this book, found the setting appealing, and the characters' storylines very interesting and believable. I had never read a book by this author but will seek out more books by her and recommend her to patrons who enjoy women's fiction about friendships.

This summer beach read book is told mainly by three of the characters: Bonny, an ER doctor who made a tragic error at work and who has decided to divorce her husband; Piper, her 19 year old daughter who has been getting into trouble in college; and Lainey, Bonny's best friend since they spent childhood summers together at in a beach town. They go to stay at a house that was left to Bonny and work through problems from their past and present.

Home is where the heart is…Bonny and Lainey had many treasured memories of idyllic summers spent in Watersend, South Carolina. As young girls, they played in the sand dunes and oak trees, swam and wished for happy-ever-afters, until the night that changed everything, Lainey’s mother disappeared. Now, emergency room doctor, Bonny Blakenship has spent years in a lonely marriage, her daughter, Piper, is flunking out of college and one crazy night at the E.R. threatens her career and future plans. Fleeing her life to the place of her youth with Piper in tow, seems a great way reassess and get them both back on track. Convincing Lainey to join her in the place that scarred her memories is another thing.
Lainey McKay’s memories of Watersend are not as joyful as Bonny’s. Her mother’s disappearance has scarred her greatly, and now the obsession of finding out what happened to her mother is beginning to interfere with her marriage. But the unknown haunts her; she just can’t understand how someone could abandon her children in that way when she loves hers so much. When Bonny calls and says she needs her during this time of turmoil, Lainey’s husband nudges her to go in order to put the hunt for her mother behind her.
With her two kids in tow, Lainey agrees to join her best friend in South Carolina for the summer. Reuniting with bookshop owner Mimi, who knows more about their buried secrets than they suspect, has made the lazy summer days magical again. As secrets are uncovered, new relationships are made, and a family crisis brings long lost loves and extended family running to help these women must navigate the memories, uncover the mystery, and survive their own personal anguishes.
As we follow the characters through the intricate web of personal hang-ups, these three women are able to lean on one another to heal and move on from their problems and pasts. It’s a fun ride, with plenty of books, beaches, and a relaxed small town that comes together in times of need and celebration. This is a light-hearted read that uses a neighborhood bookstore to delve into the mysteries hidden in a small town in order to heal the future.

This is a novel of female friendship, tragedy and new beginnings in a wonderful setting.

This is the story of Bonny, Piper and Lainey. Bonny Blankenship is an ER doctor who has been suspended from her job and is under investigation for her role in the accidental death of a patient. Lainey is Bonny's best friend and an artist. Piper is Bonny's daughter who has recently come into some trouble.

The three of them move into Bonny's river house for the summer, located in the town of Water's End. This was the place where Bonny, Lainey and their families used to spend their summers in until Bonny's mother disappeared without a trace when the girls were 13. That was the last time the "Summer Sisters" were in Water's End until now. Each character has their own struggles and obstacles to overcome.

The story is told from different points of views and alternates between the present and the past. The writing is beautiful and character-driven. The setting takes place in Water's End which is a beautiful town in the South close to the ocean. It sounds idillic.

The bookshop and its owner Mimi make appearances into the novel. I always love reading about bookshops in novels, their patrons, managers, books and so on. The novel was a bit slow-paced and some aspects where not explored more deeply, for example, Piper's feelings towards their parent's divorce and her insights related to their relationship.

Overall, it was a nice read. I recommend it to all who love a story of enduring friendship and hardships in a wonderful setting. It's a perfect book for the summer.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this publication in exchange for an honest review.

My review is here http://www.bethfishreads.com/2017/07/stacked-up-book-thoughts-this-weeks.html

This is one of my favorite Patti Callahan Henry books so far! I completely fell in love with the Summer Sisters and can't wait to read a sequel! From childhood crushes to long-term marriages dissolving, my emotions rode the entire way with the characters. At the end, I was even motivated to search for the "one thing" that I need to do with my life. Very inspiring and motivational. Hurry with the sequel -- I'm not ready to lose these characters yet!!

6 Women’s Fiction Best Bets for July 2017
Scarlettleigh
One benefit of Summer was that each day we had more light to read by.”
—Jeanette Walls, The Glass Castle
With electricity we don’t really need to worry about light to read by—but don’t you find as the summer gets hotter and the humidity gets higher you’re staying indoors more? I know I am—which is perfectly fine. It gives me the perfect excuse to spend more time reading.
From beach read books to books that make you think about social mores or just how it feels to be different, there is the perfect book just for you in this month’s selection:
The Seven Rules of Elvira Carr by Frances Maynard
(Amazon | B&N | Kobo)
Elvira Carr believes in rules. She also strongly believes in crisp schedules, clear guidelines, and taking people at face value. Not that the twenty-seven-year-old sees many people. After several unfortunate incidents, her overbearing mother keeps her at home.

But when her mother has a stroke, Elvira is suddenly on her own. To help her navigate a world that is often puzzling, she draws up seven ironclad rules. Armed with these, a notebook full of questions, and guidance from a helpful neighbor, she takes charge of herself ? and realizes that something isn't quite right about the life she thought she knew.

She'll need all the courage, perseverance and curious charm she can muster to unravel the mystery of what happened to her family and to manager her own life, her way.
Strengths: Atypical heroine; Multi-faceted characters; Compelling storyline; Uplifting ending
Measure of Love: Dash
Mood: Poignant
Why You Should Read this: This book is definitely a favorite. I loved the characters, especially Elvira and her altruistic neighbor. And while the book thoroughly entertained it's a great societal reminder that we're all different.

Secret of the Tulip Sisters by Susan Mallery
(Amazon | B&N | Kobo)
Kelly Murphy's life as a tulip farmer is pretty routine—up at dawn, off to work, lather, rinse, repeat. But everything changes one sun-washed summer with two dramatic homecomings: Griffith Burnett—Tulpen Crossing's prodigal son, who's set his sights on Kelly—and Olivia, her beautiful, wayward and, as far as Kelly is concerned, unwelcome sister. Tempted by Griffith, annoyed by Olivia, Kelly is overwhelmed by the secrets that were so easy to keep when she was alone.

But Olivia's return isn't as triumphant as she pretends. Her job has no future, and ever since her dad sent her away from the bad boy she loved, she has felt cut off from her past. She's determined to reclaim her man and her place in the family…whether her sister likes it or not. For ten years, she and Kelly have been strangers. Olivia will get by without her approval now.

While Kelly and Olivia butt heads, their secrets tumble out in a big hot mess, revealing some truths that will change everything they thought they knew. Can they forgive each other—and themselves—and redefine what it means to be sisters?

Told with Mallery's trademark heart and humor, the Tulip Sisters are in for the most colorful summer of their lives…
Strengths: Appealing characters; multi-romances; Complex relationship dilemmas; HEA
Measure of Love: Tablespoon
Mood: Poignant and lighthearted
Why You Should Read this: Perfect feel-good beach read. Another one of Mallery's page turners.

The Bookshop at Water’s End by Patti Callahan Henry
(Amazon | B&N | Kobo)
Bonny Blankenship’s most treasured memories are of idyllic summers spent in Watersend, South Carolina, with her best friend, Lainey McKay. Amid the sand dunes and oak trees draped with Spanish moss, they swam and wished for happy-ever-afters, then escaped to the local bookshop to read and whisper in the glorious cool silence. Until the night that changed everything, the night that Lainey’s mother disappeared.
Now, in her early fifties, Bonny is desperate to clear her head after a tragic mistake threatens her career as an emergency room doctor, and her marriage crumbles around her. With her troubled teenage daughter, Piper, in tow, she goes back to the beloved river house, where she is soon joined by Lainey and her two young children. During lazy summer days and magical nights, they reunite with bookshop owner Mimi, who is tangled with the past and its mysteries. As the three women cling to a fragile peace, buried secrets and long ago loves return like the tide.

Strengths: Multi-generational characters; Atmospheric setting; Complex emotional issues; Uplifting ending
Measure of Love: Teaspoon
Mood: Poignant
Why You Should Read this: The problems that the characters face are not lighthearted –the disappearance of a mother, and the death of a patient— but Henry's lyrical writing pulls you into this rewarding story.

Hello, Sunshine by Laura Dave
(Amazon | B&N | Kobo)
Sunshine Mackenzie is living the dream—she’s a culinary star with millions of fans, a line of #1 bestselling cookbooks, and a devoted husband happy to support her every endeavor.
And then she gets hacked.
When Sunshine’s secrets are revealed, her fall from grace is catastrophic. She loses the husband, her show, the fans, and her apartment. She’s forced to return to the childhood home—and the estranged sister—she’s tried hard to forget. But what Sunshine does amid the ashes of her own destruction may well save her life.
In a world where celebrity is a careful construct, Hello, Sunshine is a compelling, funny, and evocative novel about what it means to live an authentic life in an inauthentic age.
Strengths: Flawed heroine; Thought provoking scenarios; Real-life compromises; Uplifting ending
Measure of Love: Teaspoon
Mood: Poignant
Why You Should Read This: Fascinating look at the role social media now plays in our life. Sunshine is not always an easy character to like, so intent on getting back her successful life, but her journey is a compelling one.

Wives of War by Soraya M. Lane
(Amazon | B&N)
London, 1944. Two young nurses meet at a train station with a common purpose: to join the war effort. Scarlet longs for the chance to find her missing fiancé, Thomas, and to prove to her family—and to herself—that she’s stronger than everybody thinks. Nursing is in Ellie’s blood, but her humble background is vastly different from Scarlet’s privileged upbringing. Though Ellie puts on a brave face, she’s just as nervous as Scarlet about what awaits them in France.

In Normandy, the two friends soon encounter the seemingly unflappable Lucy. Scarlet and Ellie are in awe of her courage and competence, but the experienced nurse is well aware of the dangers of the job they’ve chosen—and even she is terrified they won’t make it home alive.
Pushed to their limits by the brutality of a world at war, Scarlet, Ellie and Lucy will need to rely on each other—and the power of their friendship—to survive.
Strengths: Strong female friendships; multi-romances; HEA
Measure of Love: Tablespoon
Mood: Poignant
Why You Should Read this: While this is an historical-light book the emotional poignancy definitely makes up for that.

The Perfect Recipe for Love and Friendship by Shirley Jump
(Amazon | B&N | Kobo)
Bridget O'Bannon is ready for a do-over. After years of pretending she had a happy marriage and denying that she missed the friends and family she'd left behind, she's headed home to restart her life.

But working alongside her family every day at their bakery isn't as easy as whipping up her favorite chocolate peanut butter cake. Her mother won't give her a moment's peace, and her sister Abby is keeping secrets of her own. And there doesn't seem to be enough frosting in the world to smooth over the cracks forming between them.

Bridget can see the recipe for a happy life- including the possibility of a new romance- written out before her, but first she and her family will need to lay bare their secrets and rediscover the most elusive ingredients of all: forgiveness, laughter, and love.

Strengths: Authentic familial relationship issues; Appealing characters; Uplifting ending
Measure of Love: Teaspoon
Mood: Poignant
Why You Should Read this: Intriguing skeleton-in-the-cupboard plots—more than one secret! Delicious description of food and examination of the bonds of sisterhood.

https://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com/blogs/2017/07/best-july-womens-fiction

Bonny Blankenship is an emergency room doctor, ready to leave her verbally abusive husband and begin a new life at a new hospital. Something happens one night in the emergency room and she is thrown out of her comfort zone. She heads back to Watersend, South Carolina and her family’s old summer home, Sea La Vie. (Loved the name) She enlists the help of her daughter Piper, who is also at loose ends, and her best friend Lainey. Lainey and her brother Owen spent their summers with Bonny’s family until an incident with Lainey’s mother changes everything. Lainey hasn’t been back to the house since then but has always been on a search for her elusive, missing mother. They all come together for a summer that will hopefully cure all their sorrows. Throw in Mimi’s Bookshop and you have the perfect summer read.

Summer and Patti Callahan Henry go hand in hand. How many times have I wanted to fly to the lowcountry and sit on one of the porches or walk the beach in one of her stories? I wanted to cuddle up in Mimi’s store and have her pick me the perfect book. (No doubt it would be one by Patti!) I love that there are happy endings. I look forward to them in her books. I love the happiness I feel when I turn the final page. I love how the women in this book are such good friends. She writes women’s friendships so well. I love how Bonny and Piper, though at odds at times, have such a deep bond. This is the perfect summer read so do yourself a favor and pick it up.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book from Netgalley because I enjoy Pat Conroy novels, but although this was set in the same location and on the surface perhaps followed similar characters, it was in no way comparable to Conroy or writers like Anne Rivers Siddons! This was mainly because of the two-dimensional characters, the predictable plot, the lack of depth in the psychological exploration of the issues and themes (eg: friendship, mother-daughter relationships, partner abuse, addiction, grief; they were all added to the mix), and the drawn-out wordy writing that did not connect to emotion (in me at least). I struggled to the end to see if it improved, mainly because I was reading it as a Netgalley copy and feel an obligation to review, and it did improve in the second half (much of the first half could have been drastically cut). Perhaps it was just too American for me to relate to (in the same way that saccharine American soap operas make me cringe!) But clearly such stories are popular with many women, as a beach read at least. Just not my thing. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this.