“These girls..these women...these friendships... I am me because of them.”
The Clover Girls first meet at summer sleep away camp in the 1980’s , through the years, Em, Liz, V and Rachel have lost touch, not only with each other but with themselves.
When they receive a letter from Em, it is time to return to the camp and confront not only why they stopped speaking but confront the people they have become .
This book alternates between the 1980’s and current day and mixes nostalgia, friendship, forgiveness and lazy teenage summer days!
I absolutely loved this book, the nostalgia, and the characters , I turned the pages so slowly as to savor every minute with my new friends......forEVER!!!

Viola Shipman has done it again! If you are a fan of the 80’s, you will LOVE this book. He nailed it in every way! What a great story and I felt like I travelled back in time to when I was in the 80’s. Wow what a treat! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. I love all his books and always look forward to reading his latest one.

The Clover Girls
A Novel
by Viola Shipman
HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada)
Graydon House
General Fiction (Adult) | Women's Fiction
Pub Date 18 May 2021 | Archive Date Not set

This is a new author for me. I loved this book! I will make sure I read others she has written. I liked the plot of women friendships and trying to renew them. I think this would be a great book for a book club because there is so much to discuss. Thanks to Harelquin/Graydon House and NetGalley for the ARC.

5star

Another fantastic read by Viola Shipman! Full of complex characters that truly represent the bonds and intricacies of female friendships, this is a book you will want to savor. Perfect for a book club as there are so many issues that can be discussed in a group.

It’s 1985 and four young girls at summer camp form an everlasting bond and friendship...then have a major argument and only one of them speaks to each other for the next 30 years....and that one sends a letter to the remaining 3 saying by the time they’ll receive this letter she will have passed away from cancer and they need to return to the camp to work out their problems....

A beautifully written tale of strong female sisterhood, how those relationships survive through strife and challenges, and the book is simply a love letter to the state of Michigan, a touchstone of all Viola Shipman novels, The Clover Girls with its beautiful descriptions of the lakes, the trees, the flowers, simply transports you to summer camp in Michigan....

While the book is incredibly predictable, from the very first chapter, you know where the story is going, I enjoyed the ride. Viola Shipman is always a solid dependable 4 star read for me, I enjoy their books very much.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy.

Viola seems to have the knack of writing the right book at the right time. Another home run favorite!

Sometimes a long history of a friendship formed in the days of our youth is not enough. We all change as we grow older. Life happens. The Clover Girls have an opportunity to try to recapture their friendship and Viola Shipman writes about it beautifully.

I received an ebook ARC of The Clover Girls from Netgalley for my honest review. I have read and own every novel that Viola Shipman/Wade Rouse has written and love each one. Viola reaches into your heart and touches it with gentle reminders of the importance of family and friends. The Clover Girls are four camp bunk mates that are each unique in a special way. Physical beauty, creative talents, and of course a reader, librarian are all surface traits, while the way they complement what is the inner spark in each other becomes the root of their friendship. Life gets in the way, families, careers, and the struggles of maintaining long distance friendships. Reunited after one of the Clover girls passed away, the remaining three reflect on the past and look to the future. The thread of summer camp and the importance of friendship is woven throughout. If you have attended a camp, you can relate. I have not attended camp, however my son has worked at camps for the past 25 years providing me with the opportunity to meet campers, maintain the libraries, and observe the lifelong connections. The Clover Girls will be our summer book club selection. Hopefully, we can connect with Wade for our discussion. I highly recommend The Clover Girls to everyone. Friends FourEVER!

I am torn between how this book it is written (I think - good) and how I feel about what is being written about (not so good - friends that did not act as I think friends should). The book is about four friends from childhood, re-connecting as adults.

While I enjoyed reading this book, constantly in my mind is the fact that these girls became friends during their youth, since they were placed in the same housing unit in summer camp. They were “friends”, but not what I would consider to be a friend. You do not take actions that will cause your friend harm at any age. This book forgives the harm with the excuse that it was caused by being young and I do not agree with that. So, throughout the book, I had to try to keep my personal feelings about this, to not interfere with the actual writing of the book. This book is fiction, and as in many fiction books, the reality is not “real-life”. I had to let go of my real-life feelings that the bonds of these friendships were broken long ago, and maybe were never very strong. I think only one of these four friends acted as a friend should. In letting my personal feelings go, I was able to get more involved in the story. I suppose if I felt so much emotion toward the character’s actions, the author has done a good job of creating this world in the book

I definitely enjoyed reading the adult, 2021 part of the book, more than the younger person, 1980’s sections. I’d rather read about how the adults are trying to deal with the current situation, more than how their younger selves acted.

This is the first book I have read by Viola Shipman. I have heard about his books through a friend for a couple years and I always want to explore his writing. I think it is amazing how he can create woman characters so well. Many times throughout the book, I thought, He really understand so much of a woman’s life. In addition, many sections spoke directly to my heart, especially how Liz is feeling about her mother in a nursing home and how her children do not care about or even know her mother. That is a sad state of life now that generations do not know each other, not due to being busy, but more by choice. I do agree with what the author said in the story, that friends can be more our family, than actual blood relatives.

I found myself confused at various points of the book and had to read several sentences over more than twice for them to make sense to me. (I have not had to do this with the many other books I have read.) I also found the political views of the author shining through the book, which I actually dislike so much. I read for an escape of real life and I do not want to read about politics (even underlying in a story) unless I choose to read that type of book. (This book is not promoted as a political book. It is a book on friendship.)

The story is told through the eyes of four characters. Several chapters are titled with a character’s name and the year of the events being told. That makes the reader aware of the point of view of what is being read, but throughout the book, the three main characters are speaking and often it is not clear who is speaking. I just went with it and honestly sometimes did not know who was making the statements.

I definitely want to try another of the author’s books to experience his writing again with a theme that I am more open to. I thought a lot about how many stars to give this book and be fair to the actual book and not my feelings about the subject matter. I think the book is written well, the characters are deeply developed, the settings described in detail and the plot is well thought out and flows great back and forth in the dual time lines.

I want to thank HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) and NetGalley for allowing me to read the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is written freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.

--"In so many ways, it really just comes down to each of us, alone, trying to ignite a fire out of thin air, wanting to build a flame high enough that the whole world takes notice." Veronica, The Clover Girls --
The Clover Girls by Viola Shipman had me experiencing a variety of emotions. I remembered the sassy music that the girls lived by as their theme songs.
The Clover Girls is filled with emotional drama, the power of friendship, and memories of 80's music!
The story reveals scenes from the '80s and then brings you back to the present day. You will see the pattern emerging that caused problems within the circle of friends. There is so much I want to write in this review, but I won't because it would give too many spoilers. I loved the friendship the girls enjoyed through their young years. As they grow older, emotional fault lines begin to reveal some personal differences. Em, Liz, V, and Rach let selfish actions break their friendship apart. Low self-esteem, the death of a parent, and insecurities among the girls cause actions and words between them that are too painful to overcome. As time goes on, the sense of being wronged by a close friend builds a wall of pride and resentment among the girls.
Years later when Em realizes she is dying, her greatest wish is for the girls to face each other and talk about the conflicts which tore their friendship apart. Em sets into motion a summer camp experience for Liz, V, and Rach. As I read, I hoped the girls would let their pride crumble and repair their broken connection. During the Color War competition, before the rope burn, each of the women had times of reflection and seemed to arrive at an understanding of the problems in their lives. After the rope burn competition, the two women who walked away from the winner made me so angry! I was so disappointed in their actions. Also, the tender scene of Liz with her mother had me sobbing. I felt a chapter in my own life was being repeated as Liz must let go of her mom.
The Clover Girls is written with so much feeling and understanding of the friendships and heartbreaks that are all too common in lives among close friends.
--" ...family is comprised of more than those who are related by blood. Family should consist of those who know you, inside and out." Liz, The Clover Girls--
Publication Date: May 18, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.


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Four young girls who met every year at summer camp knew they were going to be friends forever. Betrayals and hurt broke them apart and they grew into woman who carried a deep seated grudge against each other, except for one of the girls. It is her death request that brings them together at the camp where they met and are given the chance to rectify their mistakes.
This is a captivating novel about friendship, lives not lived or given up, and how sometimes time does not heal all wounds.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was my first book by Viola Shipman and it took me a while to be able to really get into the book and I found some parts childish and hard to follow. I did enjoy the dual timeline that jumped back and forth from the 80’s to today, and the multiple points of view. I also liked that there was different strong independent women characters finding their way in today’s society.

****Coming May 18, 2021**** Thanks to HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) and Netgalley, I was chosen to be an early reviewer!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Remember your summer camp days? Viola Shipman brings back all the memories and drama of summer camp in the 80’s! What happens when the Clover Girls reunite as adults after the death of one of them? Will it be smooth sailing or will the drama continue? Viola Shipman so accurately describes the intricacies of friendships and how they can change and grow as you age. Friends can come and go, but it’s the true friends who build you up and help you navigate life! Make sure you add this book to your TBR pile, one not to be missed! A great book club pick!

Viola Shipman’s books are always great but this one has to be one of her best!! I couldn’t put it down! Her characters are so unforgettable and she weaves the past and present into an unforgettable story of family, friends, loss, love and the power of forgiveness. A truly memorable book!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I love the '80s flashbacks, love the Michigan setting, love the reunion of old friends. This book brings to mind my own summer camp memories - 4-H camps and Girl Scout core camp.

The Clover Girls are 4 girls that bunk together at summer camp - they're all sort of misfits that found each other. The seal of their friendship is the 4 leaf clover they find - and became FOUR-ever friends. This story follows their lives after they leave camp at odds with each other and how the time and events that happened at camp shape them. .Liz, Rachel and V come back to the camp to fulfill the last wishes of the fourth girl, Em. She has left messages that help draw them back together. They find out what really happened the last time they were together. They make amends and have a life-changing time. "That's what friends are for"

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, the review is my own

I automatically read all of Viola Shipman's books.
Each story always has encircling love, friendship and reminiscence!
It is a great big hug in between the pages!! We all need hugs!
This novel sent me right back to my best summer days of sleep away camp!
A time in the eighties when lake swimming, hiking, competitions, mess hall food and especially friendships were the priority!
A time when girlfriends were not above hurting others, not always on purpose, but with lasting effects.
We meet the four Clover girls- Veronica, Elizabeth, Rachel and Emily who learn that as different as they each are, they can be friends forever and perhaps; they are not so very different!
This is their story told in dual timelines, as they are brought back together in 2021 at their beloved camp grounds, when one of the Clover's dies.
Can the remaining three Clover's reconcile their hurt and anger from forty years ago?
Will friendship and love win?
I laughed, cried and definitely could smell the trees, fires and foods as if I was right there in my cabin with my new friends! Loved it!
Ten stars!!

It is a Hallmark movie in a book.

If you are binging on Netflix, this is Virgin River or Firefly Lane (the show not the book - big difference). A fun, charming, sweet escapist book. On the other hand it was just a little TOO sweet. (But keep in mind my favorite books are assassins and serial killers..lol)

For those people who watch all the Hallmark Christmas movies - this is the perfect book for you.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review.

It's hard to make new friends as an adult, so when given the chance to reunite with your best friend from childhood who you haven't spoken to in years- would you? Viola Shipman always writes beautiful settings, and the characters are well-written also, but I just couldn't make myself like one of them, no matter how much she said she had changed. The rest of the book was very enjoyable.

Four girls met at summer camp in the 80's and quickly became 'friends forever,' and soaked up each minute they had together during those summers. But, life goes on, and they all moved into their adult lives and careers and eventually lost touch. One of the women, Emily, sends each of the others a letter explaining her illness & death, and requests that the others all gather back at the camp to honor her life.
The three women arrive at the camp, and face memories both happy and painful, and also work through some of the challenges they are having in their current lives. This is a warm read about lifelong friendships that you can always rely on.

I ran across Viola Shipman's books on accident and so glad I did. All of his stories are very enjoyable. While I did enjoy Clover Girls it was hard for me to get into in the beginning. About mid-way through the story I really began enjoying it. It shows the strength of women when they put their mind towards changes in their lives.