A Summer to Remember was an enjoyable read. I would say this is a beach read, but for readers who like their fiction to be a little al dente, which I certainly do. I like to be able to sink my teeth into a book and think as I read.

I found it a bit convoluted at the start, but the plot and characters starting coming together a few chapters in, and I found my groove with the book. Enjoyable, well-developed characters, some beautiful writing, and an intriguing mystery set mostly in Cape Cod. Lots of escapism as well as old-Hollywood intrigue. Although there is a good bit of the romantic in this novel, I definitely wouldn't classify it as a romance novel.

Thanks to @NetGalley for the advance reader copy!

4 1/2

As Frankie is going through her recently deceased mother’s files, she finds an envelope addressed to people she doesn’t know and a picture that her neighbor tells her is of famous movie stars, Glory Cartwright and Mitch Beckett and her mother. Looking closer, Frankie realizes that it is a picture of her mother at an age even younger than Frankie is now. After researching the year the picture was taken, Frankie wonders if this movie festival and its Cape Cod location could be the key to discovering who her father was and what affiliation her mother had with these people.

Erika Montgomery has created a wonderfully intriguing read in A Summer to Remember. The characters are lovingly depicted. Frankie and Gabe could have been an antagonistic, push-and-pull couple, but instead they are drawn to each and fall into an easy relationship, although Frankie keeps thinking that this is not a movie and they might be moving too quickly. On the opposite end of the spectrum are Russ and Louise who after so many years have begun to have issues as Russ faces retirement. They were friends of Glory and Mitch and may have the answers that Frankie is seeking–and more.

I appreciated the movie references, of which there are many, and imagine that anyone who has ever been starry-eyed over movies would feel the safe

A Summer to Remember had more substance in it than a typical romance novel so probably falls more easily into being a women’s fiction novel. Some of the themes brought up include search for identity, trust in relationship, and the sacrifices people make in relationships. Despite some heavy duty themes, I found this to be a perfect summer read and could feel the salty breeze that Montgomery describes so ably. And, I loved the flirty romance between Frankie and Gabe.

This might be one to add to your beach read tbr list.

I received an ARC in exchanged for an honest review.

A Summer to Remember is a story of finding your family. Its part past story and part present story set in dual timelines. Readers who like old Hollywood glam will really enjoy this novel. It's a novel of family, friendships and secrets. Although I liked reading this novel I was not satisfied with how it ended. Too many loose ends and the ending seemed too rushed. A nice beach read.

Hollywood collectibles shop owner Frankie Simon has no idea what she is stirring up when she follows her intuition and brings two letters to their rightful owner in A SUMMER TO REMEMBER by Erika Montgomery. From the moment she steps from the ferry onto Cape Cod, she instigates an inevitable cascade of memories, resolutions, and peace out of long-buried secrets, misunderstandings, and unquestioning love. I was with Frankie all the way from her store in Los Angeles as well as on the windswept beaches, snug cottages, and boats of the Cape -- and read way into the night, breathless to find out what Frankie would do next. I received an early reader copy of this novel in exchange for my unbiased review.

In this lovely new read we meet Frankie Simon a young woman whose life is the movie memorabilia shop she opened up with her now deceased mother. The store is the only tangible thing that connects her to her family and she pours herself into it. When an unexpected package arrives at the storeone day she soon learns it contains a photo that she has never seen of her mother with a couple of movie stars. Frankie can't help but wonder what exactly the photo means and how it might change things for her. Looking into the past and just what the photo means takes her on a course into a past she never knew anything about. Follow along as Frankie looks into the past that takes her on an emotional journey of self discovery. She soon learns that life is a series of memories and that making new ones is a wonderful thing. This was a lovely read that took me on an emotional journey along with the characters.

This is one of those books that both take on a journey and make you take your own journey. Different timelines, different lives. A detailed account best savored and not rushed. A perfect summer read.

I can hardly believe "A Summer to Remember" is the debut novel for Erika Montgomery because this is one of the best women's fiction novels I have read and will definitely read again with characters that jump right out of the book and into your heart and a beautifully written story that immediately captivated my attention and kept me totally immersed in all that was happening until I read the last word. I loved Frankie Simon who sells movie memorabilia in Hollywood and enjoyed her dynamic with the other characters especially Gabe Beckett, a boat builder in Cape Cod. If you enjoy well-crafted novels of love, loss and finding your place, don't miss this book. I received an advance reader copy from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review. I also purchased a copy for my keeper library.

A perfect summery read set in Cape Cod that follows Frankie as she sets out to find out who her father is and more about her late mother’s past. Audio was awesome and I loved the old Hollywood glamour and family drama.

A Summer to Remember is a dual narrative with mystery, romance, and adventure, topped with a beautiful cover. It is the perfect book to toss in a bag and head to the beach with.

Frankie and her late mother owned and worked together at a Hollywood memorabilia shop. As Frankie is working around the shop after her mother’s death, she discovers some things that cause her to question her mother’s past. It certainly seems that secrets have been withheld. And since Frankie’s biological father has never been disclosed, Frankie is immediately interested in what she is learning.

The more she thinks about it, she becomes determined to look into her mother’s past. So she packs her bags and heads out to follow clues that she hopes lead to her father.

As I mentioned, this is told by two people. The story jumps back and forth between Frankie’s quest for answers and Louise, a friend of her mother’s who Frankie hopes can give her some answers.

This was an interesting story and I enjoyed the unfolding of the mystery. Though it was more of a leisure discovery than suspenseful or intense, it easily held my attention.

My Concerns
This is a very small concern, but at times it felt a little slow.

Final Thoughts
If a romantic story with a mystery attached is your cup of tea, this will make you smile. And if you like lots of references to old movies, your smile will grow even bigger. You’ll absolutely love this book.

3.5 Stars

Frankie sells Hollywood memorabilia, her store and love of this was handed down to her by her Mother, who passed away in a tragic accident. She doesn’t know who her father is...it’s been a closely guarded secret for 30 years. She finds some sealed letters that she feels must be delivered and heads to Hollywood, in search of the recipient and, hopefully to find her father.

Story drew me in from the beginning, but didn’t gel as nicely as I had hoped. Quick read, perfect for a lazy day on the beach. Loved the references to old movies and Hollywood personalities. A good debut novel, look forward to reading this author again.

Thanks to Ms. Montgomery, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

A Summer to Remember by Erika Montgomery is a poignant novel about a young woman's journey to discover who her father is, while at the same time solving mysteries for people she would come to care about. For about a year Maeve Simon had worked for Hollywood legends Glory Cartwright and her husband, Mitch Beckett at their home on Cape Cod. Then one day she disappeared, never to be heard from again. Glory's collection of Hollywood memorabilia disappeared at the same time. Everyone who cared assumed Maeve had stolen it. Eventually Maeve opened a memorabilia store in Los Angeles and later, she was joined by her daughter, Frankie, who had grown up with a profound respect for Hollywood in all its guises. Frankie never knew who her father was. When asked her mother would reply, a blank box. When Frankie eventually saw her birth certificate, she saw her mother had been telling the truth. Now, she had what she thought was a clue: two sealed letters addressed to Mitch Beckett and Gabe. Who was Gabe? Along with the envelopes was a photo: her mother snuggling up to Mitch Beckett. Was he her father? So begins a journey, which in reality was only a couple of weeks, but really was a lifetime.

Frankie was a rational thirty-year-old woman, still reeling from her mother's death a few months before in a car accident at a young 55. She really didn't have any friends, except for Saul, her 82-year-old neighbor, and Dennis, her ex-boyfriend and the landlord for her story. Big mistake. Never date your landlord. The picture she found had been taken at the Stardust Summer Festival on Cape Cod, started by Glory, in 1988. Her mother must have been pregnant at that time. Mitch? She ran into Louise Chandler's husband, Russ, in the lobby of the Stardust Festival as she was trying to find Louise and he took her under his wing like a long-lost daughter. From there she got to know them, and their adopted son, Gabe, and so much emotional baggage was released for each of them. It was a cathartic couple of days in some scenes so exceptionally heart-breaking that it gives one pause when commenting on "privilege." Gabe was hunky and crabby which made him both attractive and off-putting. Louise was tired and frightened that her life, as she knew it, was over. Russ was back to himself for the first time in months. It was several stories all leading into the current day and it was exciting. Very Hollywood. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of A Summer to Remember by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #asummertoremember

Review:

I really enjoyed this one yall! I listened to it on audio and finished it in literally one day. I did not want to be disturbed because it was fun and full of secrets. While the biggest mystery is who is Frankie’s biological father, it kind of takes a back seat to let all the other drama unfold, and I’m okay with it.

I loved hearing about the Golden Age of Film, and all the stars. It reminded me of The Holiday, when sure, there’s Jude Law, but more importantly, Arthur Abbott with all his amazing screenwriting and stories.

I did get a bit confused (duh) because it would go back and forth from when both Glory (the actress) and Maeve (Frankie’s mom) were both alive and how they met. I thought, “what a peculiar name, and there’s two of them!” ...and then realized it was the same person, just years ago. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Overall, I enjoyed the story and thought it was just sweet. The mystery and secrets were major bombshells that I did NOT see coming. I was shocked and did clutch a pearl a time or two. Thank you so much MacMillan for the gifted copy. A Summer to Remember is out now!

This book is a must have for your beach bag! An enjoyable story about love, family, friendship, deceit and so much more. This book provides a roller coaster of emotions as Frankie learns more about the mom she thought she knew so well.

A Summer to Remember is the author's debut novel. I would categorize it as women's fiction.

The main character is 30 year old Frankie (female -3rd person POV). She runs a Hollywood shop selling movie memorabilia. It was her late mother's store.

Frankie finds a picture of her mom and a former movie star. And that leads her on a journey.

The book has some romance and a bit of a mystery. But it is really Frankie's story to learn more about her mom's life.

The book is also about Louise (3rd person POV). We get a past/present storyline. Most of the story is told in the present. But we have a few chapters from 1979-1989 interspersed throughout the book that help us better understand the story.

Louise is in charge of a movie and memorabilia festival. And I thought that her POV added a lot to the story.

The beginning started off a bit slow for me. But then the magic happened. And I was completely pulled into the book.

I really loved the Cape Cod setting. I really enjoyed Louise and her husband Russ. And I enjoyed Gabe.

I don't love past/present storylines because I find that they can really take me out of the story. But in this case the chapters in the past were quite short. And they were always directly tied to what was happening in the present. So it actually worked as we got to see what happened.

I was invested in Frankie and I was very interested to see her learn more about her mom. I also really enjoyed the Frankie and Gabe dynamic.

This book was full of amazing secrets. And by the end I could not put it down. I really enjoyed this book.

Frankie finds two unopened letters that her mother left for a famous actor and his son. Frankie never knew about this part of her mothers life nor who her father is. Parts of the story are set in the 80's and other parts now. The perfect beach day read. A story of hope, loss, regret, finding home and love. Good debut novel.

In Erika Montgomery’s “A Summer to Remember,” Frankie Simon, now 30, sells memorabilia from the movies in a shop that she and her late mother opened on Hollywood Boulevard. Frankie has grown up surrounded by her mother’s own collection, which features many items relating to Glory Cartwright, a former star, and is debating whether to begin selling some of those items in the store as well.
When Frankie receives a photograph of her mother and Glory, obviously taken before she was born, all sorts of questions arise. Frankie decides to travel to Cape Cod to find answers, opening the doors to many secrets long hidden.
New twists revealed at every turn!

A Summer To Remember by Erika Montgomery has everything you need for a perfect beach read. Romance, intrigue, sadness, angst and yes there is redemption.

Frankie is still mourning the death of her mom, who was a memorabilia dealer in Hollywood. Her mother's boyfriend gives her two letters, one says My Dearest Mitch and the other one My Beloved Gabe. Mitch Beckett is the husband of Gloria Cartwright, both were actors in Hollywood and included with the letters is a picture of Mitch and Gloria. At the height of their career, they leave Hollywood and move to the east coast. Gloria still feels the pull to act, but Mitch is done.

Frankie finds Gabe through an internet search and offers to send him the letters. He doesn't want them. But through that search she finds out that her mom spent time there and that she (Frankie) may be able to find out who her father is.

This book had a little bit of everything and though some parts were predictable, it added to the story. I loved the characters and the plot and I think this book makes for a wonderful, easy read! 3.5⭐

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Erika Montgomery for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What a fun first novel. I am looking forward to more great stories from this author. It’s a love story, a mystery, a story of secrets and betrayals, of long-forgotten friendships. And of a woman looking to see where she belongs.

It was always just Frankie and her mother, running their movie memorabilia shop on Hollywood Boulevard, and they had a fine time doing it, just the two of them against the world. But now Frankie’s mother is gone and Frankie may lose the lease for the shop. Suddenly it’s not her and her mom enjoying the Hollywood glitz and glitter, the movie quote and gossip, but just 30-year old Frankie missing her mom, wondering what she is going to do, and thinking maybe she would have liked to have more family after all. So when a package arrives containing a mysterious photograph Frankie starts to wonder about the life her mother had before Frankie was born, and if it just might be possible to find her father, to have a family. So off she goes to Cape Cod with nothing but the photograph and some hunches.

Frankie feels at home on the Cape, both with the place and with the people she meets. But will the secrets she uncovers make it possible for her to stay or necessary for her to leave? Will she find family – and love – or will the truth ruin her?

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance copy of A Summer to Remember via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. It’s a wonderful story, with interesting characters and a good mystery to keep you guessing and a sweet romance running throughout. All opinions are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it without hesitation.

"What begins is a journey along a path revealing buried family secrets, betrayals between lovers, bonds between friends. The chance to learn that memories define who we are, and that they can show us the meaning of home and the magic of true love." - from book description.
This paragraph puts this book in a nutshell. Wonderfully written "adventure" with realistic characters.

I was given an ebook ARC by Netgalley and this is my voluntary, honest review.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:
I knew from the first few lines that I was going to love this book and it did not disappoint.

What I liked:

The cover is SO pretty!

All the characters I wanted to hug- starting with Frankie and Gabe.

The warm and pleasant feeling I had when i finished this book. These characters, this setting, it all just created a book that I loved (and was in a way sad to see end).



Bottom line: If you like charming books, this book should be on your TBR list.



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*