As she reaches her 30's, Rachel reflects on her life and how events of her youth have shaped her into a woman unsatisfied with her life. She rolls back the days with the story of her 17th summer and the time she spent under the spell of a much older man. Katie Bishop uses Rachel's experiences to display the hypnotic hold Alastair held over Rachel and so many other young women. THE GIRLS OF SUMMER will stir emotions as it builds to an ending both unexpected and surprising.

'The Girls of Summer' was such a refreshing take of female unity. Beautiful and unforgettably realistic, this story provided a healing balm to anyone reaching out to find closure towards a relationship that overpowered ones self esteem from years past. One should not pass up this novel, as it highlights the importance of validating a woman's voice in a male dominated society.

The Girls of Summer is a haunting and atmospheric debut that explores memory, obsession, and the darker side of youthful romance. Katie Bishop’s writing is lyrical and evocative, drawing readers into the sun-drenched yet unsettling world of the Greek island where the story unfolds. While the premise is intriguing and the themes powerful, the pacing occasionally lags, and some character motivations feel a bit underdeveloped. Still, it’s a compelling read that leaves a lingering impact—perfect for those who enjoy thought-provoking, character-driven fiction with a darker edge.

A gripping, emotional novel about first love, dark secrets, and the way memories shape us. The summer setting contrasts beautifully with the heavy emotional themes. Lush, evocative, and quietly devastating.

The Girls of Summer is a gripping and emotionally intense read that delves into darker themes and the complexities of trauma. I found it compelling, but it’s definitely a book best approached when you’re in the right mindset.

Definitely check the trigger warnings, this one has human trafficking. It almost checked me at how easy it is to fall into the trap, and how sinister things can quickly become. Rachel is a solid character, despite being naive, but it adds to0 the overall story.

I was expecting something different with this story, but I was pleased with what I got. I liked the way it was written - split timelines.

If you are sensitive, I warn you to check the trigger warnings.

This was a really hard read but a really impactful one. I found the character growth and the journey of the protagonist coming to terms with what had happened to her very compelling. The story was really well written; I liked the structure of the two different timelines. I recommend this book but I fully believe that people should read the trigger warnings first.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, #partner for the advanced copy of The Girls of Summer in exchange for my honest review.

Don’t be fooled by this gorgeous cover…this is not the romantic, summery read you want it to be. And how it’s a debut it beyond me!

This book, with its lush writing that transports you to Greece, so easily shows the tricks our memory can play on us as well as the lies we tell ourselves just go get by. Told using a dual timeline, we follow Rachel when she is seventeen on a holiday to Greece with her friend Caroline where she meets an older man and starts a secret romance. Now, sixteen years later, Rachel is married to Tom and has come back to the island, only to find out she is still haunted by all that happened that one summer.

This is not always an easy read, with the heavy themes such as abuse, trauma and consent. It’s thought-provoking and very timely and is one that I have not stopped thinking about, even though I read it a while back. Sometimes, it’s easier to lie to ourselves than accept the truth of what really happened.

I did not finish this one. To no fault of the book. I just had a lot going on. Thanks for the advance reader copy,

The cover and synopsis convinced me to read this book and the beginning seemed promising, however the more I read the less I like the main character Rachel and the less the plot surprised me. I was waiting for a big reveal of what happened in the past, but nothing revealed surprised me. I found any "reveal" fairly obvious. The timeline was constantly shifting which could've added to the suspense but only added to my confusion.

Seventeen-year-old Rachel takes a summer holiday to a Greek island and is seduced into an affair with Alistair, a man 20 years her senior.
As a teenager on vacation in an exotic location, she easily falls under his spell. In the present, fifteen years later and married to someone else, she still recalls those carefree days, unable to accept that an older man took advantage of her. While readers see the toxic relationship for what itth was, Rachel doesn't. THE GIRLS OF SUMMER is an exploration of what happens when young girls are exploited by older men. The effect on their self-esteem, friendships, and lives is profound. Part suspense, the story unfolds from Rachel's point of view in the both the present and past with an undertone of impending doom. Bishop does a fantastic job of shining a light on an issue that still exists in today's society.

While I really tried, I just didn’t find myself engaged in this story. I think it just wasn’t for me, but I think many will enjoy.

This book took me by surprise, I did not expect it to turn the way that I did, but we go back-and-forth between Rachel when she was 17 or 18 years old, and the Rachel now who is an adult and a married woman. Her and her husband go to Greece for a vacation, and he takes her around to the places that she used to reminisce about, but somehow she is very uneasy.. then of course we end up finding out that this beautiful island in Greece brings back horrible memories for her, aside from its beauty and the great times that she did have.

This book was a little confusing, because even though we know there are more sinister things going on when Rachel decides to stay in the island and work at a bar, she falls in love with a slightly older man, and somehow she is being brainwashed, and it’s so painful to read. And then, as an adult, what she made her husband go through was horrible, it was hard for me to really like Rachel. I don’t want to give too much away, but I loved the ending of the book more than anything, because the women that were part of her past in Greece, somehow get their voices back, and they are starting to rebuild that was inspirational, but ugh RACHEL!! 😒😒😡😡

The novel's exploration of themes such as consent, trauma, and the female gaze is both timely and relevant. Bishop's characters are complex and multifaceted, and their motivations are often ambiguous. The narrative is gripping, and the suspense builds steadily as Rachel uncovers shocking truths about her past.

The Girls of Summer is a compelling and intellectually stimulating novel that will stay with you long after you've finished the final page.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a tough book. The protagonist is in such deep denial for so long that it was difficult for me not to constantly judge her and want to speed up her moment of clarity. For the reason, I found that it dragged even though I commend the author’s writing and style.

Not a mystery or psychological thriller as I was somewhat expecting at the outset.

The setting of this one is what got me. Greece is a bucket list travel destination! However, once I got into the story, it was just a little too slow for me. I tried a combo of audio and physical to see if the audio would help, but while the narrator was good, I still couldn't get myself into the story, I found myself zoning out both while reading and listening and missing things. Thank you SMP and Netgalley for the ARC though!

This is a work of fiction with dark themes pertaining to when Rachel revisits the island where she fell in love with an older man and the that come back to her in the process. It was a very slow burn and honestly not what I was expecting.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and netgalley for an arc.

The title and the cover leaded me to believe it was a fun summer book- it kis kinda far from it. Its a slow-paced thriller jumping from timeline pas and present. The topic was dark and scary how easily young women can be manipulated and exploited. I am giving it 2 stars because I just did not enjoy the story. The writing was well done and I will try another book from this author. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was really excited for this one based on the Greece setting and summer-y girl power vibes. But unfortunately this title was a DNF for me. The story was too slow burn and I didn’t feel invested in the characters so I wasn’t getting into it at all. Nothing was wrong with the writing or the audiobook narrator, just not the right book content for me right now. Maybe I’ll try again in the future! Thanks for the copy anyways Katie and SMP!