Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster | Gallery Books for gifting me the sophomore novel by Brooke Lea Foster, author of Summer Darlings, which I also loved. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!
Set in dual timelines of 1964 and 1978, we follow a family of women at their family summer house on Martha's Vineyard. In 1965, the story is mostly focused on Virgie and her relationship and marriage to Charlie, and their 3 daughters. In 1978, the youngest daughter, Betsy, is struggling with grad school and has come back to the summer house along with her sisters after Virgie announces they must sell the house to pay off their father's debts. What they find are family secrets, strained relationships, and facing the complicated legacy of both parents.
Well, no sophomore slump here. I liked this one even more than her debut. The setting is once again on the Cape Cod islands, and focuses on the strength of these women within their family and in the larger context of the times. I really enjoyed the look back at women's rights and feminism in both of these timelines - some of it is eye-opening! But where the book really shines is in its characters. I so enjoyed getting to spend time with these women, as they held secrets within so as not to hurt the others. One line really spoke to me about family relationships - "...my story is not your story. You could write a different version of the same exact events, and they would still be true." It was nostalgic, atmospheric, emotional and I thought it was wonderful. It's the perfect book to pack along on your beach vacation!
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