The Summer List

I enjoyed this story of friendship, love and mystery. The writing was strong, the characters intriguing and the setting so well drawn out. I can't believe this is a debut!

THE SUMMER LIST surprised me with its depth. Based on the cover, I expected a fairly light women's fiction novel. As it turns out, this story about Laura and Casey is multi-layered and complex with some pretty dark secrets. The way the author plants hints throughout the story line and raises questions in the reader's mind is masterful and really kept me anxious to find out what happened in the past and what would happen in present day. In many books that go back to the narrator's childhood I confess I'm tempted to skim the childhood chapters. Not so with this book. I felt like I needed those past chapters in order to understand what was going on in the present and why Laura felt the way she did about Casey, the lake, and JB. The friendship between Laura and Casey seems realistic -- flawed and yet deeply meaningful. I liked how the Epilogue wrapped things up too. It was a nice breather, if you will, after some of the twists and turns toward the end. I will definitely want to read other books by this author!

This is a wonderful book about the friendship. The characters were all so complex and interesting. The story just flowed along and kept my interest that I couldn’t stop reading. I hope to read more by this author.

I REALLY loved The Summer List and fell in love with the characters from page one. A truly heartwarming story of two childhood friends who have a falling out as teenagers but are brought back together by a scavenger hunt. Great debut novel!

I was given an advanced copy of this book and it did not disappoint me at all. The book had me hanging until the end and I admit I shed a couple tears. This is an excellent book about friendship and how no matter how far we travel we always come back together like nothing separates us. I highly recommend this book to family and friends. I also plan to purchase a copy when it releases.

Laura and Casey become the best of friends at a young age. They hold secrets between them, spend countless hours together and blossom into young adults. Then something happens when one of them over hears a conversation and the friendship dies over several years. Casey’s Mom endeavors to bring the girls back together through one of her well known scavenger hunts, but is it too late for the friendship to be rekindled?

I really loved this book about friendship. Two friends separate and reunite 17 years later. Lots of mystery. Beautifully written. It's seldom that you find a book about adult friendship that's written at such a deep emotional level. I was drawn in to this writer's style from the first page and I am very picky.

Lauren and Casey were best friends, extra emphasis on "were." They shared adventures in their beautiful California lakeside town, told each other's secrets. But a betrayal tore them apart, and Lauren seeks a new life elsewhere, as far away from Casey as possible. Fast-forward seventeen years, and these two come together again. Fate refuses to let things go, and soon Lauren and Casey have to face their past, and a revelation that may make them or break them for life.

This is such a beautiful story. I pictured the California breeze and the calming effects of a lake on a lazy summer day. But this isn't some light and fluffy summer read. The story is intricate and engaging, the characters complex and conflicted, and the revelations are dark and relatable. This isn't just a story about friendship either; it also focuses on the toxicity of human relationships, and the things we do to hurt one another. The Summer List should be on everyone's summer reading list (it'll be out in June), and I give this book five Strawberry Refreshers, with extra caffeine.

I was grateful and honored to be able to read an advanced copy of this fast moving, dialogue-driven story that takes you back to those bittersweet coming-of-age days. The characters are so real and dynamic; you truly relate to both their joy and their pain. The descriptions of the Tahoe area of northern California and the beauty of the lake draw you in with vivid clarity. The story explores the special ties between mothers and daughters, girls and their best friends, and the experiences that bind them. With plot twists up to the very end, this book keeps you reading to uncover the mysteries of these women’s lives—just like a scavenger hunt. A thoroughly enjoyable read! I'll be anxious to read Amy Mason Doan's next book and many more to come!

Fantastic debut! S*** gets real in this book. You might condemn me for using such an overused, vulgar expression but I honestly cannot describe this book any more succinctly. Even after the revelation of the secret past, readers still read on. The characters are rich and diverse, with community conflicts that don’t overshadow our main characters. It’s about teenhood bffs: almost everyone can relate

I really loved this book and was drawn to it from the first page and felt compelled to review. The characters resonated with me and I became invested in Laura and Casey's friendship from start to finish. As a child of the 80's, I had fun with the references from that era, and can visualize exactly what songs I would want to hear on a playlist if this were to become a film! But I also think my college aged daughter and her friends would appreciate and be entertained by this smart novel. I am very impressed by this debut and cannot wait to read more of Ms. Doan's work. A must for your 'to- read" lists, and book clubs!