Thank you to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.

I must say, I actually quite enjoyed this book. I slow burn of a character drama with some mysterious and tense undertones, this is a story that takes you on a ride. I LOVED the build up of intensity simmering beneath the surface and that you KNOW is not good, that things are going to go in a very bad direction. I loved the layering of the story and the way that each new chapter peels away a new reveal, sucking the reader in deeper.

This should be read without spoilers but will be perfect for readers who loved My Dark Vanessa. A must for this fall!

Rachel, a naive seventeen year old, takes a summer trip with her best friend to Greece. Upon finding a beautiful island and falling for the slightly older Alistair, Rachel decides to stay. What happens next, and throughout the next fifteen years of Rachel’s life, is straight out of the headlines, bringing to mind the Epstein/Maxwell sex trafficking trials and media attention.

I enjoyed this one, as the novel goes between past and present. It was very well-written and the pacing was perfect. There are several trigger warnings, so it’s not for the faint of heart. But if you’re one who loves “straight from the headlines” stories, add this to your list.

This was not a light and fluffy book by any means. The Girls Of Summer is a gripping and powerful book that I was easily swept into. I really enjoyed the two timelines I found the character of Rachel to be very interesting and I was very invested in her and how she would navigate the trials in her marriage, as well as the things that occurred in her past. This is a book that stays with you for a bit once you finish, The subject matter may trigger some, but I found this story to be extremely well written and very compelling. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC.

This book showcases the electrifying thrill of first love with an older man, edged with a spark of danger. Split between then and now, the narrative weaves together the young girl who believes in love and the mature thirty-something-year-old who hesitates to re-evaluate her memories of that summer. This book brings the #metoo movement to life, taking readers inside the mind of a young girl caught up in the excitement of something she doesn't quite understand. It's an examination of how easy it can be for people with power to manipulate others and rewrite narratives to fit their own purposes.

After weeks island-hopping, staying at hostels and partying, 17-year-old Rachel and her best friend get a job at an island bar working for the mysterious Mr. Taylor. Rachel falls in love with Alistair, his right-hand man, even as their world gets darker and darker the further she gets drawn into it. But a tragic death sends Alistair fleeing, and Rachel's left on her own to rebuild her life. Now, struggling with her marriage, Rachel returns to the island with her husband, stumbling across an old friend who can help her do something she's always dreamed of: find Alistair. But her friends from that time are asking hard questions, forcing Rachel to question and re-examine what really happened.

This book takes readers on a captivating emotional journey as Rachel struggles to be honest with herself and heal. The author's skill shows in the differences in the narrative style between young Rachel and adult Rachel. Equal parts heart-wrenching and empowering, Rachel looks back in order to move forward. It also showed how Rachel's unhealed wounds reverberated into her marriage, causing hurt and pain. The person I most felt sorry for was Rachel's husband, Chris, though, as he had no idea the outside forces causing havoc with his marriage.

This dark thriller has the reader working to put together the pieces of how that long-ago summer ended in a death and who was really to blame.

Thank you to the publisher for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great read if you go in expecting the dark themes of it. Towards the beginning you partially expect it to happen, but reading it unfold through the eyes of someone who doesn’t realize (or won’t allow themselves to) what is happening causes a new level of stress and anxiety throughout. The timeline is both past and present and I did find myself struggling to finish, especially when I felt the MC was being intentionally naive. I did not feel an attachment to anyone or anything, I really feel like if we fell more in love with the island and saw it as magical as Rachel did it may have helped. I also don’t understand the Caroline situation - they were friends for 17 years and never spoke again?

Regardless, I do think it is an eye opening read. Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for the copy.