Friendship, family, and love are tested as a hurricane barrels down and they are forced to evacuate. The hurricane has them reevaluating what is truly important and finding a way to find happiness and being true to yourself.

This was my first read by Mary Alice Monroe. I enjoyed the ease of the book and how quickly it was for me to be able to get into it. I enjoyed hearing of her journey with the rescue of animals, starting with the turtles. It gave a new perspective for surviving a hurricane.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ecopy for my Kindle.
The author switched from rescuing turtles to rescuing horses and dogs, which was interesting. Also, I enjoyed reading about the hurricane and different people's reactions.
But I didn't like the profanity and the ending was just a little to sappy for me.
However, if you like to read romantic novels with a little drama and profanity, you might enjoy this one.

Hurricane Noelle is the backdrop of multiple interpretations and facets of a storm. Changes, adjustments, relationships, lives, love, attitudes, tolerance, fortitude, hope, survival, anticipation, and pulling together are some of what these families and friends of Grace and Charles Phillips face together. Their graciousness in welcoming others to their horse farm in the North Carolina mountains was a relief to those in danger of loss, not knowing whether they will have a home to go back to once Noelle passes. Horses and rescue dogs also venture there with their owners. As important as their owners, the horses play a big part in the dynamics, as they are in a strange place away from familiarity and home. I always love the writings of this author who writes with her love of nature and all forms of life. [I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley and Gallery Books and my opinion is my own.]

Mary Alice Monroe is always a pleasure to read and her latest gem The Summer Guest is nor exception. This is not her typical South Carolina beach read this go round and we are transported to Grace & Charles Phillips horse farm located in the mountains of North Carolina. The impending category 5 hurricane Noelle headed towards the coast Phillip's horse farm becomes are the focal point as a safe haven for their friends, their horses, (&dogs) in the path of the storm. Once in the mountains, we are introduced to Grace & Charles friends and there personal drama, professional drama and all the things we love in a Mary Alice Monroe book. This is another MUST read and should be added to everyone's tbr list. I'd like to thank NetGalley, Galley books for an advance copy of The Summer Guest in exchange for an honest review.

Love this author!! A different story line this time, but loved it! It kept me hooked from page one. This will definitely be a great beach read this summer!

The Summer Guests is a well written story centered around fictional Hurricane “Noelle”. The story follows a group of lifelong friends that are linked together by friendship, heartache, the love of horses and the events that brought them together into one home, while they wait on the hurricanes eminent arrival. While each character has their own story and path to walk, there is a an entwinement with the other characters narratives. Some characters are developed more thoroughly and others are less focal. The book comes together like a puzzle. During a weeks time, the characters are changed, not only by the storms damage, but by the events leading up to the columniation of the story. A good read. 4 stars.

August in the beautiful south brings to mind the heat/humidity, the lovely coastal waters, sweet tea, lazy days, and the threat of the unwelcomed visit of a hurricane. As this story begins a major hurricane has its eye centered on the coasts of Florida and the Carolinas. As evacuations are put in place, an unusual assortment of people are seeking refuge for themselves, as well as their high dollar equestrian loves, with a family of equestrian trainers/breeders/etc., in the safer pastures of North Carolina. Family drama, friends, frenemies, relationships, animals, all come together to weather this storm, as well as some interesting storms of life. Really good, exciting book. You won't be disappointed. Solid 5++ stars

This book revolves around an impending hurricane. It wasn’t al ugly fluffy read like I so badly wanted it to become it was traumatic and so sad.

A new setting and cast of characters except for a small appearance of Cara Rutledge of Primrose Cottage, Isle of Palms, SC. Like Mary Alice Monroe 's (aka MAM) other books, it works well as a stand alone book.
There are vivid descriptions of the western North Carolina mountain region and the world of horse training, riding and competitions. You can feel the cool wet breezes, see the colorful sky and hear the horses hooves in her recounts. It is obvious a great deal of time and research has been spent in this realm . The terminology, use of colloquial language with expletives is different from MAM's other works, however, it fitting for these characters.
A variety of relationships are abound- mother-daughter, couples- both married and not, singles and even includes 'Casanova ' type fellow. It takes a while to 'get to know' these people and some of their risque' behaviors but they are complex and believable. They each have issues they are battling within , all the while loving their horses and waiting out a hurricane that may effect their lives and properties hundreds of miles away. While the book has an ending, it is left open to sequels.
A different kind of book for MAM, but quite enjoyable and especially so if you are fascinated with the horse world. Not to slight our four legged furry friends, they also play a role in waiting out the storm. Enjoy!

Many many thanks to Mary Alice Monroe and her great team Angela May et al. for the ARC. Looking forward to reading more of the challenges that await ''The Summer Guests'' as they return to their own domain or meet again in the mountains!

I received this book as an advanced copy for an honest opinion of the book. The opinions expressed are my own.

This is the first book by Mary Alice Monroe I've read. I will say that at first, I wasn't sure I would like it. But I really enjoyed the book.
Great book about friendship, animals and weathering the storms of life. I'm told that most if not all her books have animals in them. This time it was horses and dogs. A group of friends running from a hurricane end up together, and weather the storm and deal with some of their own issues. But in the end, I think everyone was happy when it was time to say bye.
Thanks to #NetGalley for letting me read #TheSummerGuests.

When you read a Mary Alice Monroe novel you know there will be strong characters (especially the females) with a turbulent mother daughter relationship thrown in, beautiful scenery, and some environment knowledge acquired. Summer Girls is no exception. This novel takes place in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina instead of our expected South Carolina coast. We do get to see an old familiar friend Cara as she is also in the mountains but she soon leaves to check on the beach house since a hurricane is approaching the east coast. A varied group of evacuees descends on a horse farm in the North Carolina Mountains. Some are bringing their horses to safety but they all have some ties to horse world. I enjoyed seeing the world surrounding horses and the interaction between human and horse. I also love when a book features dogs especially rescue dogs. I highly recommend getting this to read especially if you need a good read while vacationing. I always enjoy being drawn into the character lives and leaving knowing a little more informed about other living creatures. You feel for the non-human characters as much as the human ones.

It was interesting to get such a detailed peak into the world of competitive horseback riding. The approaching hurricane added much suspense. I loved the fact that we got an update on Cara!

Every year I look forward to the new Mary Alice Monroe beach read. This year I was a bit disappointed by her offering. I was delighted to see Cara Rutledge return but I just could not get into the world of competitive horse riding and dressage. Those characters weren't exactly appealing to me. Maybe if there had been fewer characters that were more developed, I could have "bonded" with them.

Great character studies and relationship stories in this new adult romance. This will keep you involved in all aspects of the plot line. Great read.

I have enjoyed reading books by Mary Alice Monroe in the past and this book is another of her books that I enjoyed reading. The story has a lot of moving parts... a hurricane, mother/daughter issues, romance and the problems that brings, the beauty of horses and dressage... it all eventually comes together. It took me several chapters to sort out all the characters and their issues. I found several characters that I liked and a few that I didn't care for. I think this is a great summer read - maybe not if you're riding out a hurricane.

There is nothing, absolutely nothing that gets me psyched for summer like the latest Mary Alice Monroe novel does!

The Summer Guests follows several people who all live on south eastern coast and all find themselves (and their animals) in the crosshairs of a major hurricane. Luckily, they are all friends (or family) with the generous Grace and Charles Phillips. Grace and Charles have a large farm and offer all their friends and family who need to evacuate to come to their home to wait out the storm. Everyone brings their animals (dogs & horses) and a few personal possessions to hunker down at the Phillipses’. Many don’t know each other and ultimately create new friendships and some old friends get reacquainted and clear up past misunderstandings.

I loved the premise for this novel! I know a lot of people who don’t typically read book series’—this book is for you! The Summer Guest has some past Mary Alice Monroe character favorites, but it is a complete standalone! I enjoy reading Mary Alice Monroe’s novel for many reasons, but her love for animals always comes shining through in every book! I felt I learned a lot about horses in The Summer Guests— loved that! If you’re looking for a 5 star read to get completely lost in, than The Summer Guest is the book for you! I am already looking forward to reading Mary Alice Monroe’s next novel!

I have always loved Monroe’s Beach novels so I didn’t read the description, just assumed it would take place on the beach. This time though Monroe takes the reader dingo the horse world of Carolina mountains, and, although I enjoyed the book, I missed the turtles and beach. It was classic Monroe, though, and everyone ended up happy and satisfied.

Because a perilous hurricane is brewing off the coasts of Florida and South Carolina, Grace and Charles Phillips invite their daughter and several friends from interesting and varied backgrounds to their farm in Tryon, North Carolina. These people also bring their dogs and horses along with their personal problems and insecurities. Friendships, romances, marriages, careers, parental-child relationships and self-reflection are all put to the test during this stressful but transcendent week.
The Summer Guests is a captivating departure by Mary Alice Monroe from her beach themed novels. I enjoyed reading about the competitive sport of equestrian jumping and dressage. As always, MAM does a superb job of character development along with compelling and informative storylines. Readers will definitely want a copy of The Summer Guests for their library!

The Summer Guests tells the story of multiple families escaping the wrath of a major hurricane headed for the FL/SC coast. Each family owns or rides horses and they travel north to a mutual friend's horse farm in NC. Monroe builds the momentum of the story as the storm approaches. At times I was in suspense, but mostly The Summer Guests is a story of friends, the connections of community and finding one's path.