A feel-good summer beach read/women's fiction story about female friendship, second chances and helping to save the summer camp that was a defining part of your youth.

Told in alternating POVs and timelines, we get to know three women who became friends at summer camp and faced challenges as they grew older. They reunite when their beloved summer camp is facing closure and try to save it.

Great on audio narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya, Reena Dutt and Jackie Sanders. Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster audio for early digital and audio copies in exchange for my honest review!

This might be KWH's best yet!

Synopsis: June Moore bought Camp Holly Springs nearly thirty years ago, following a personal tragedy. Now, she is in danger of having to close the camp for good. Her niece, Daphne, met her two best friends, Lanier and Mary Stuart, at Camp Holly Springs, and they've since helped each other tackle various hard things that life has thrown their ways, ranging from heartbreak to substance abuse to unplanned pregnancy. They work together to try and save the camp that has meant so much to them, all while faces personal struggles of their own.

Thoughts: As someone who both went to summer camp as a camper and then also worked as a camp counselor, I love stories about the magic of camp. Camp people are some of the most special people, and the bond you share is unlike any other. This story is full of rich backstories, and each character was very relatable. As I read, I couldn't help but feel like this was a love letter to female friendship--often imperfect, yet so important. This is an absolute must-read for this summer!

The Summer of Songbirds
Kristy Woodson Harvey
Pub Date: July 11, 2023

Wow! This book had me hooked from the start and I had a hard time putting it down! This was my first book by Kristy Woodson Harvey and will not be my last!

Daphne, Lanier and Mary Stuart all met when they were six years old at Camp Holly Springs, owned by Daphne’s aunt, June. The camp became a place they visited every summer and eventually worked at as counselors. Most of all, Camp Holly Springs was a safe haven, especially for Daphne, as her childhood and family life was rocky. Now, with the camp in financial trouble following the pandemic, the women come together to save a place that means so much to them. Past relationships and secrets threaten the women and their personal lives and friendships as they work to save the place that became their second home.

I just adored the main characters in this book! I felt like the characters were so well developed and I just felt such a connection to each one. I just loved the concept of The Hard Things List and loved how the friends were such a support for one another! And the ENDING! Just so perfect! READ THIS BOOK.

Here are some of the things I loved about this book:
Female Friendships
Second Chance Romance
The Hard Things List
Found Family
Multiple POVs (Daphne, Lanier, June)
Best Friends Brother Trope
Summer/Summer Camp Memories

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Favorite Quotes:

“Maybe there are no perfect words in a situation like this. But there are people who are perfect for each other.”

“It’s true that we can’t control the wind. But this group is better than any that I know of at adjusting our sails.”

Thank you to Kristy Woodson Harvey, Gallery Books, and NetGalley for a #gifted copy of The Summer of Songbirds!

Posted on Instagram on June 9, 2023 (Currently Reading): http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
Posted on Goodreads on June 12, 2023: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram (full review) on July 11, 2023: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Instagram (mini review) early July 2023: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on July 11, 2023
**-will post on designated date

This book just feels nostalgic for me with the summer sleep away camp setting. The friendships made, and how they’ve faired over the years. I really loved how if one of the friends had a hard task to do, one of the other friends would take care of it for them. I loved the character growth. This was a delightful book to read.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kristy Woodson Harvey does it again! She has quickly become an auto-buy author for me. This is the perfect summer read, taking you back to your days of carefree living at summer camp. I loved the girls, especially Daphne. I thought Lanier was a bit of a tough character to love, but her development throughout the book was so great to see. I thought the story was well paced, the world Kristy created was one you could easily get lost in.

3.75 rounded down to 3. I know 3.75 should round up to 4 but this feels more like a 3 star read than a 4 star read to me. I honestly think this book got better the more I read. It went from 3 to 3.75 from about 60% on.

I enjoyed this one! It's not super deep which is why I'm rating it lower but it is a good, mindless beach read. Kristy Woodson Harvey writes great beach reads that are so summery and fun. I loved the camp plotline of this one because it really felt so summery.

I think this one is worth a read! No, it's not the best book I've ever read but I did enjoy it.

TW: Drugs, Car Accident, Cheating

KWH takes the reader on a nostalgic summer at camp, as she tells the story of three friends who bonded over camp fires, cabins, and sailing adventures. They have maintained their relationships as they grow into adults, supporting one another through their "hard things" and celebrating their happy times. This book is a warm hug when the world seems chaotic. A feel good romance, a family drama, and an ode to friendship, you will definitely enjoy this novel!

A great beach read. A combination of nostalgia, love, friendship, and what it means to forgive. A delightful book to read in the summertime to remind you of days of the past and appreciate the present.

The Summer of Songbirds is a heartwarming, beautifully woven story about friendship, first loves, and family.

Daphne, Lanier, and Mary Stuart met at a summer camp owned by Daphne’s Aunt June at age 6, and have spent the past 25 years helping each other through the hard things in life- problems in their love lives, death, addiction, work woes, and everything in between. When June tells the girls that she is about to lose the camp, the four women come together to formulate a plan to save the place that has always been a safe, happy second home for them. They deal with past loves and hurt feelings along the way.

The setting of the camp along the river was perfection. I loved reading about the cabins, the docks, and all the activities the camp offered. What an idyllic place for little girls to find their independence! The love each woman felt for the camp shone through as they plotted ways to raise money and make sure others could enjoy camp the same way they did.

The book is a story of enduring female friendship, the kind of friendship where a fierce love bonds friends together for life. These women have obstacles to overcome, and are always aware that they would walk through fire for one another. They fight, they make up, they fight again, and they send each other their ‘hard things’ each week in an e-mail to help each other out. Their bond was beautifully written, and I loved the sections where parts of their past was described and we understood why the bond was so deep.

Daphne’s love story is also a main part of the book, and it is one of an enduring love. Daphne’s character has her flaws, and she has to realize that she is worthy of that once in a lifetime love in order to find happiness.

This author is new to me, but I will be seeking out more of her books. I loved her writing, her dialogue, and the poetry of some of her lines. I was deeply touched by parts of this book and have so many favorite lines from the story. The epilogue was read with happy tears in my eyes, and I will be highly recommending this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Kristy Woodson Harvey for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I just love this author- she writes the sweetest, most relatable, insightful stories, all tied together by a great group of characters.

This book tells the story of four women, who after the pandemic, come together to save their treasured summer camp. Summers spent at camp tied these women together for life and I loved reading about their current lives, how they came together, and how they ultimately won their camp back.

This book is perfect for the summer months ahead, especially if summer camp was a big part of your own childhood!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my free review copies.

I have read and loved MANY of Kristy's books and this was another one that I completely lost myself in.  This is about 3 longtime friends, Daphne, Lanier, and Mary who met at summer camp when they were younger. They still remain friends now. The owner of the camp, June, is Daphne's aunt. She has put so much into this camp and is now at risk of losing it all. The three of them rally around June to help her save the camp that means so much to them.  Now…this isn't just about the camp. You get to know each of these women and the things they are going through in their own personal lives. I really enjoyed this one. A perfect beach read. 

Out July 11.

Thank you Uplit Reads, netgalley, and the publisher for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own. My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Bookbub, and Amazon once it publishes.

Oh man, I love me a good summer camp story!

There were points in the story that I felt the characters were immature and not really early 30s material but the very next page, they redeemed themselves. And man oh man, the camp... it was the best setting and I'd dare say the best character of the book!

Kristy Woodson Harvey writes the best adult woman fiction and this is no exception.

While I loved that I read this book in the summer and it is set in the summer giving me all the summer “feels,” I found it a bit predictable. I didn’t fall in love with any of the characters and found it strange that two of the three “Songbirds” had chapters devoted to their storyline, but the third did not. I do love Kristy Woodson Harvey’s books and would read a sequel to this if she writes one, but it definitely wasn’t a page turner.

I was given an ARC from NetGalley.

If this isn’t the perfect first summer book of the season I don’t know what is. KWH does it again! I used to go to sleep away camp when I was younger and I loved the traditions and experiences I had there. The Summer of Songbirds took me back to my own camp times and the cast of characters were delightful. I fell in love with Daphne, June, Mary Stuart and Lanier and loved their love for each other. Helping with hard things, sticking by each other’s sides through thick and thin, they weren’t perfect but they were perfect for each other. The lengths they went through to save Holly Springs really showed their love for one another. I loved it!

Heart warming story of enduring friendship. This novel follows the lives of three women, who met at summer camp. Daphne is an attorney, healing from a broken childhood. Lanier is an engaged, bookstore owner who is questioning her future. Mary, a marketing guru, is the trio's voice of wisdom. These women, and Daphne's aunt June, come together to save the summer camp that saved their lives. This novel highlights the beauty of sisterhood and those places that make us who we are. I highly recommend this novel.

In Summer of Songbirds, Kristy Woodson Harvey delivers a delightful and heartfelt story that captures the essence of summer and the complexities of family relationships. Set against the backdrop of a charming coastal town, this novel weaves together themes of love, loss, and self-discovery, creating a truly engaging reading experience.

One of the highlights of this book is Harvey's exquisite portrayal of the setting. The coastal town comes alive with vivid descriptions, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the sights, sounds, and scents of summer. The author's attention to detail shines through, painting a picturesque backdrop for the characters' journeys.

The characters themselves are well-crafted and relatable. From Linnea's journey of self-discovery to her grandmother's poignant reminiscences, each character brings a unique perspective and depth to the story. Their individual struggles and growth are sensitively portrayed, making it easy to connect with their emotions and root for their happiness.

Harvey's writing style is both lyrical and engaging, effortlessly transporting readers into the story. The pacing is well-balanced, with moments of introspection and reflection interspersed with more lively and heartwarming scenes. The author's ability to evoke a range of emotions, from joy to heartache, adds depth and authenticity to the narrative.

Another commendable aspect of Summer of Songbirds is the exploration of family dynamics. Harvey delves into the complexities of familial relationships, highlighting the joys and challenges that come with them. The themes of forgiveness and understanding are delicately woven into the storyline, leaving readers with a sense of hope and warmth.

While the novel is a beautiful portrayal of the human experience, there are moments where the plot feels slightly predictable. Some of the conflicts and resolutions follow familiar patterns, which may be anticipated by seasoned readers of the genre. However, the strength of the characters and the overall emotional journey compensate for this minor drawback.

In conclusion, Summer of Songbirds is a captivating and heartwarming read that will transport you to a coastal town filled with love, self-discovery, and family bonds. Kristy Woodson Harvey's eloquent writing and evocative descriptions create a sensory experience that lingers long after the final page. If you're looking for a summer read that will tug at your heartstrings and leave you with a smile, this book is an excellent choice

Kristy Woodson Harvey writes the perfect beach read! Fun, and entertaining for the summer. Would recommend to anyone looking for a light entertaining read.

The Summer of Songbirds is a must add to your beach/pool bag this summer. I enjoyed the alternating perspectives and the enduring love and friendships depicted in the novel.

Read if you love:
Female friendship
Friends who become family
Second chance romance
Summer camp nostalgia
Summertime memories

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Summer of Songbirds has stayed with me long after I finished the final chapter. Kristy Woodson Harvey weaves a story of friendship, love, family and sacrifice. Holly Springs is the dream summer camp that is run by June Moore, but the pandemic and changing times have put the camp in danger of closing. Daphne, June’s niece, Lanier and Mary Stuart first met decades ago at Holly Springs and maintain a close friendship across the miles and various life chapters. Each woman has had their own challenges as they navigate romance, family and careers. When the news of Holly Spring’s potential closing surfaces, the three women band with June to create one last summer of chance, vowing to do everything in their power to save the camp. I adored The Summer of Songbirds and know it will be one of this summer’s best reads!

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. This will appear on goodreads.
Disclaimer, this is my first Harvey book, my first southern women’s fiction, and not a genre I normally pick up.
But I loved it!
Three friends who met at age 6 at camp have seen each other through all of the “hard things” are grown and preparing for a wedding…when they come to some of the hardest things they will face as friends, lovers, and families can. Told in multiple voice and timelines, it might be hard for some to latch on and stay focused, but for me, it supercharged the book. I read it in two sittings.
I loved the camp setting and could see it all play out in front of me. The characters are ones you want to laugh and cry with…and even perhaps become a little jealous that you don’t have BFFs like these. I rooted for all of them the whole way through, This is a perfect summer read…camp without the mosquitoes, friends and happy endings.
I would recommend this to my patrons for sure.
5*