All the Summer Girls, Meg Donohue (4 stars)

About All the Summer Girls

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Original edition (May 21, 2013)

In Philadelphia, good girl Kate is dumped by her fiancé the day she learns she is pregnant with his child. In New York City, beautiful stay-at-home mom Vanessa finds herself obsessively searching the Internet for news of an old flame. And in San Francisco, Dani, an aspiring writer who can’t seem to put down a book—or a cocktail—long enough to open her laptop, has just been fired . . . again.

In an effort to regroup, Kate, Vanessa, and Dani retreat to the New Jersey beach town where they once spent their summers. Emboldened by the seductive cadences of the shore, the women begin to realize just how much their lives, and friendships, have been shaped by the choices they made one fateful night on the beach eight years earlier—and the secrets that now threaten to surface.

Review

Choice is a powerful element in our lives. It can change our path in a heartbeat. Kate, Vanessa, and Dani understand this all too well. Friends since childhood, they spent their summers at the beach along with Kate's twin brother, Colin. 

A swirling collision of choices bring about a tragedy, and the girls find themselves drifting apart and leading separate lives. Kate is an attorney engaged to be married, Vanessa is married and raising a little girl, and Dani is the free spirit trying to write her first novel. Then, Kate's fiance breaks up with her on the same day she finds out she's pregnant. Vanessa, although deeply in love with being a mom, is questioning other areas of her life--the career she gave up and her husband's loyalty. Finally, Dani is struggling with addiction.

In addition to all these life changes, the girls are holding onto secrets from that fateful night many summers ago--the night Colin died. Can they come back together? Can they overcome the long buried secrets?

All the Summer Girls is a fast read, full of well fleshed out characters and interesting twists and turns. It's an examination of the power of choice and the importance of the ties that bind. In addition to keeping you turning the pages, the novel's themes make you consider your own life and relationships. My only complaint is that it ended too soon, too abruptly.

I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy getting lost in memorable characters and a fast-paced story with thoughtful questions.  It's a captivating summer read just in time for summer!

Rating: 4 stars

About Meg Donohue

Meg Donohue is the author of How to Eat a Cupcake. She has an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University and a BA in comparative literature from Dartmouth College. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she now lives in San Francisco with her husband, their two young daughters, and their dog.

Find out more about Meg at her website, connect with her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

Thanks to TLC for my review copy.

Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.

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