It’s hard to put down my feelings and thoughts about this book. It was a very difficult read for me. My first thought was this is a 2 star read. After reading the complete book, I was torn between liking the story and wondering what the heck did I just read.
I think the wishywashy personality of the main character was one of the reasons I had a hard time finishing this book.
Overall, this was a ok read for me. I did read it to the end which I didn’t think would happen.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Rachel never really left the island of Santorini where she worked for a summer and fell in love w/ Alistair. Even though she was only 17 at the time and he was at least 15 years older, she never quite got over the entire thing. As you read this book, it alternates between Rachel on the island then, working with other girls at the bar owned by Henry Taylor, a British businessman and Rachel in the present. You begin to see that Rachel was quite thoroughly manipulated when she was 17 and the bar and island take on an insidious air. Henry Taylor and Alistair were not good guys and once Rachel is in contact with some of the other girls on the island, she begins to see the horrible truth of their time there and that the past isn't quite as idyllic as she remembers.

*Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-arc.*

Well written and thought provoking, this story is a great combination of some of the stories that have made headlines since the #metoo movement gained momentum. The way the author explains the mindset of a trafficking victim is raw and makes the reader feel that anguish and confusion that comes with the uneven distribution of power and manipulation. Definitely recommend.

Katie Bishop’s impressive debut “The Girls of Summer” will be one of summer’s most talked about novels. “Girls” is complex and disturbing tale of one woman’s affair during a vacation with her girlfriends that turned into tragedy after the death of one of the girls. This seems like the plot of many current thrillers, but Bishop wisely chose to use a narrator who isn’t the usual unreliable narrator, but instead is driven to find the truth about what happened during her most memorable summer.

I’m already looking forward to Katie Bishop’s follow-up.

I was really looking forward to this, however, in the end it wasn’t for me, although I have a feeling it’s going to be a popular read this summer!
While the Greek setting is gorgeous, I found the main character, Rachel very unlikeable, especially in the now POV.
This was a fast read, but a slow burn - I highly recommend checking out content warnings (specifically related to the #MeToo movement)
While this wasn’t my cup of tea, I did like the writing style and will certainly pick up more from Katie Bishop in the future!

This book was amazing and really started off giving me warm mama main vibes however that might have just been because it was about two girls on an island however the case it hooked me instantly. It wasn't very long in however that the book took a darker turn and I found myself desperate for answers. Our main character Rachel is living the dream as she gets to spend her summer on a Greek island all alone with her best friend. What could possibly be better? Flash forward and now Rachel is back on the island she once lived but vowed to never return to with her new husband. When the secrets from the past start to unleash themselves Rachel is forced to come to terms with things that she has long since buried. And that magical summer when everything went wrong comes back up to the forefront again. This book switches back and forth between the incident that happened in the past and how the main characters are dealing with the aftermath in the future. I like the way that it was presented because it really let the reader tried to guess what happened at the same time as it was being revealed. When Rachel meets Allister her whole life is rocked. Unlike the boys her age, he is more mature and really understands her. At least that is what she thinks. It isn't until years later looking back that Rachel really sees their friendship for what it was and her whole look on life starts to change. This book pulled me in and threw me for a loop because it pulled off such a dark story line but it made lots of it feel super breezy and light hearted even though it was anything but. Great read so original and I loved the way that the author wrote this she is truly talented and I don't think I will ever be able to read anything even remotely close to this ever again because the story and her flow were so unique and mesmerizing. If there is one criticism that I have is near the end of the book I found the plot to be a bit chopy and hard to follow unlike the first part.

We get to experience The Girls of Summer in alternating past and present perspectives. Rachel in the past is young, so it’s understandable that she would be selfish and naive. Rachel in present time is atrocious. This made it difficult for me to connect with her character and ultimately the story as a whole. I didn’t find much redeeming about her until maybe the end when she seemed to finally consider other people’s feelings.

I also felt the pace was incredibly slow. This story is heavily character driven and some parts seemed to drag on while Rachel was trying to figure stuff out. Unfortunately, because of the pace and my dislike for Rachel by the time we discover what is even propelling this story forward I had already lost interest (around 50%).

I think this book has very important messages and was well written, but I didn’t enjoy the story for entirely personal reasons. I found it lacking and almost boring. That is mostly because I prefer more action and faster paced books.

If you like character driven novels that discuss difficult topics, you will likely find this enjoyable and as always- I suggest giving it a chance and deciding for yourself.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for my advanced reader copy.

Let me start by saying that I am 100% behind the Me Too theme of this book. I’m really sad that I didn’t end up loving this more. There were a few big problems for me, the biggest one being Rachel. She was such a selfish and immature character that I immediately disliked her. The second issue for me was that it literally takes 75% of the book before the story takes a turn and gets interesting. I seriously contemplated DNFing this at least a dozen times before that point. Had Rachel been a bit more endearing and done something other than obsess over creepy Alistair for 200+ pages, this could have been so much better.

My rating: 2.5/5

Thanks to Netgalley, St Martins Press, and Macmillan Audio for my gifted copies.

This was a slow and atmospheric read. I wouldn't call this one a thriller but more of a suspense with some mystery elements. I felt like the dual timeline worked well for this book but found myself gravitating to the POV in the past because I wanted to find out what happened that had impacted the characters so much. You do have to read between the lines for a while before you finally start to grasp what is really happening but you have this building sense of wrongness as you read and the betrayal when what really conspired is revealed! Ouf! This book tackles some tough subjects and I appreciate what the author tried to accomplish with this book.

Content warnings: adult/minor relationship, rape, suicide, abortion, sexual content.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC for review. All opinions are my own.

I was quite excited for this book and really really enjoyed the first 30%! Around the midpoint, things started to lose steam and I ended up DNF-ing.

I don't even know how to put my thoughts into words for this one.

Nothing worked for me.

The plot was droll. It had no suspense. It had no real surprises. There were no twists, no turns, no aha moments. Nothing. It moved at a painstakingly slow pace. I almost walked away from it a few times.

The characters left me feeling eh. I didn't dislike them. However, they were not characters I particularly cared for either.

Everything in this book felt forced and overdone and exaggerated. I can't say that I would recommend this book.

The Girls of Summer by Katie Bishop is a compelling debut with an especially gorgeous and enticing cover. This book explores our protagonist Rachel’s experience living in Greece as a young woman and the relationships that she had there. Using duel timelines, the present day in the US where Rachel is married to a good man, and the past in Greece where Rachel is falling in love with Alistair. I won’t go into more detail to avoid spoilers but overall this is a very timely book that explores consent, power, and lust.

I zoomed through this one, it was highly readable and I wanted to learn more about what was happening. I felt disappointed by the ending, it fell a little flat for me and I hoped for more exploration of the central topic but overall this was enjoyable and the perfect read this summer.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC - Girls of Summer will be out 6/6/23!

The Girls of Summer was a very slow read, one in which I didn't care for the characters. That's always a red flag for me and the pacing was another. It felt like when you're riding a hilly road on a bicycle. A lo-o-ong slow uphill, a sudden picking up of speed, and immediately another lo-o-o-ong slow stretch.

The novel is very topical, very #metoo with themes of rape, sexual exploitation, and suicide. I don't think this book is for everyone and it wasn't for me. I do think if you enjoy a slow, dual-timeline story with a lot of angst, this will do it for you.

2.5 stars rounded to 3.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publishers for an ARC. My thoughts are my own.

This book was well-written, but the MC was awful.

SPOILERS:

As a 17-year-old, this gal went to an island. While she was there, she destroyed her friendship with her former-BFF, ignored a friend who was afraid in favor of her own dalliances, yelled at anyone who told her to avoid the bar she found work at, and then sold out one of her friends. And there is oh so much more, including how she said she “didn’t want to be a victim” in the present timeline. If you were, though, it’s a simple fact and not something to avoid through a lifetime of lying. 🤦🏽‍♀️

I found it difficult to sympathize with the MC. It kind of felt like she was getting her comeuppance. She who never believed the truth, no matter how many people tried to tell her. I usually can empathize with just about anyone, but she was willfully ignorant and it hurt a LOT of people.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

A beautiful and sometimes painful read about how memories shape you, and how the destruction of those memories can upend your entire sense of self. It's so easy for teenage girls to be swept up, especially in an exotic locale, and by older men. Rachel and her friends are having the most perfect summer, on a beautiful remote Greek isle, partying and having fun. And Rachel is in love for the first time. But almost 20 years later, those memories are revisited and the dark corners revealed, and Rachel is thrown into turmoil. This is a fantastic debut.

"'That place has been my whole life. Everything I thought I knew about myself was constructed in those few months I spent within touching distance of the sea. Everything I am is because Alistair loved me.'

Rachel has been in love with Alistair for fifteen years. Even though she’s now married to someone else. Even though she was a teenager when they met. Even though he is twenty years older than her.

Rachel and Alistair’s summer love affair on a remote, sun-trapped Greek island has consumed her since she was seventeen, obliterating everything in its wake. But as Rachel becomes increasingly obsessed with reliving the events of so long ago, she reconnects with the other girls who were similarly drawn to life on the island, where the nights were long, the alcohol was free-flowing and everyone acted in ways they never would at home. And as she does so, dark and deeply suppressed secrets about her first love affair begin to rise to the surface, as well as the truth about her time working for an enigmatic and wealthy man, who controlled so much more than she could have ever realized."

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

this book can definitely be described as a cross between ‘my dark vanessa’ and the jeffrey epstein trial. and if that doesn’t tell you enough, well, I don’t know what else will. it is extremely unsettling at times, so make sure you look into trigger warnings.

the author weaves a story about a woman (but once a young girl— important to remember) so manipulated by a man that she is aching to relive her past. she simultaneously creates a FMC that is so incredibly unlikeable but will still make you want to continue reading, even if that means peeking through your fingers while you cover your face at the choices she makes, in past and present.

overall, I liked the story. it was predictable, but not in a bad way, just that once it started to unravel, I felt like I knew what was going to happen next. I felt like it was a little long, and I went into it thinking it would have more of a focus on the island vibes (hence, the title) but it definitely goes in another direction. again, not a bad thing, but if you are thinking this is a fluffy summer read, think again!!

thank you St. Martin’s Press for my eARC!

Yes, this is a slow burn at first, but wow.

I’ve read a lot of people comparing it to My Dark Vanessa, which I personally wasn’t the biggest fan of, but I absolutely loved this one. I thought it a better version of MDV. The multiple timelines were easy to follow and I found the “then” portions way more fast paced. However, I will say it took a little to remember all the character names and at times I did question who I was reading about.

There are some trigger warnings, IE rape, grooming, suicide.

All in all, better than I expected, given the reviews. Huge shoutout to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

I knew very little about this book going in, except that I loved this beautiful cover and I had to read it. Though I expected a lighter read based on the cover alone, I still found myself immersed in Rachel's story and in for a darker ride than I anticipated. I've also seen this book grouped with thriller and suspense reads and though I found it compelling and intense, in my humble reading opinion this is a well written drama with a strong psychological component but definitely NOT a thriller.

As a young woman on the cusp of adulthood, Rachel spent one unforgettable summer on a Greek island. Unsatisfied with her life in the present, her mind keeps wandering back to the memories of that summer and her first love. Will reconnecting with him help her reconnect with the person she thinks she used to be?

I really enjoyed the setting, the vibe and the writing style. Though this book deals with some heavy topics, this still ended up being a quick and enjoyable read! If you've enjoyed My Dark Vanessa and The Ingenue, you will certainly enjoy The Girls of Summer! This book is not about surprising twists and turns but still contains some dark tension building. I will definitely be keeping an eye out on Katie Bishop's next one!

Grateful to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

After the love affair with an older man 15 years ago, Rachel can't seem to shake him still. Although married, her pull to know where he is, is stronger than ever. Her obsession clouds her judgement on what his true intentions were back on that island all those years ago. This book was an interesting read. It touches on a very difficult subject of the #metoo movement. It gave me Jeffrey Epstein vibes. The island, the girls, the older men...just cringe worthy. I think the author did a great job with the impact that something like this has on young women and what it means to speak up.

This moves between past and present to tell the story of Rachel and her obsession with Alaistair, a man she met when she was a teen years ago. Rachel and her friend Caroline met Alaistair and his set on a Greek island and they did not recognize at the time- and even today Rachel is not entirely committed- that he was grooming and abusing their trust, among other things. It wasn't a pretty situation, this isn't a light read, and it's one where you might not like any of the characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Not for me but others might enjoy.