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Our Last Vineyard Summer: A Novel
From the “great storyteller” (Natalie Jenner, author of The Jane Austen Society) Brooke Lea Foster, a captivating new novel set in 1965 and 1978 about a graduate student who returns with her sisters to their family’s summer home on Martha’s Vineyard and begins to unravel old family secrets.
After suffering through her first year of graduate school at Columbia following her senator father’s death, Betsy Whiting is hoping to spend the summer with her boyfriend…and hopefully end the summer as his fiancée. Instead, her mother—a longtime feminist and leader in the women’s movement—calls Betsy and her sisters back home to Martha’s Vineyard, announcing that they need to sell their beloved summer house to pay off their father’s debts.
When Betsy arrives on the island a week later, she must reckon with her strained familial relationships, a long-ago forbidden romance, and the complicated legacy of her parents, who divided the family even as they did good for the world.
Following a dual timeline between 1965 and 1978, and filled with the vibrant, sunlit nostalgia of the cherished New England vacation setting, Our Last Vineyard Summer poignantly captures two generations of women navigating love, loss, and womanhood while trying to find the courage to stand up for what they believe in—and the strength to decide if the home they once loved is worth saving.
After suffering through her first year of graduate school at Columbia following her senator father’s death, Betsy Whiting is hoping to spend the summer with her boyfriend…and hopefully end the summer as his fiancée. Instead, her mother—a longtime feminist and leader in the women’s movement—calls Betsy and her sisters back home to Martha’s Vineyard, announcing that they need to sell their beloved summer house to pay off their father’s debts.
When Betsy arrives on the island a week later, she must reckon with her strained familial relationships, a long-ago forbidden romance, and the complicated legacy of her parents, who divided the family even as they did good for the world.
Following a dual timeline between 1965 and 1978, and filled with the vibrant, sunlit nostalgia of the cherished New England vacation setting, Our Last Vineyard Summer poignantly captures two generations of women navigating love, loss, and womanhood while trying to find the courage to stand up for what they believe in—and the strength to decide if the home they once loved is worth saving.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2025
227 people are currently reading
17418 people want to read
About the author
Brooke Lea Foster
6 books303 followersBrooke Lea Foster is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, People, PARADE, Parents, Psychology Today, Washingtonian,and The Atlantic, among others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews
August 11, 2025
3.5💫
this definitely delivered in the summer vibes department!! this is a historical womens fiction novel set with dual timelines set in the 1960s and 1970s era. the book follows two povs: the mother of three girls when her girls were just children, and the children in the future. I loved how this book explored the challenges women faced in regard to equal pay and opportunity in the job market and the struggle to have to prove yourself to everyone. the mother was definitely a boss bitch and defied her husbands wishes to keep her bottled up at home, and i love how she encouraged her daughters to do the same. this book explored the effects that the mother-daughter relationship can have on the children, as well as the relationships between the daughters. i wish we went more into depth on the relationships in this book because i feel like we really focused on the vineyard house instead. same with the growth of each character. the “resolutions” seemed very quick and brushed over imo, but i still appreciated them. there were a lot of little side plots going on and i wish we just stuck to the main plot of the house and all of the relationships. i loved the alternating timeline and povs, but the story moved by pretty slow, so im glad i switched to audiobooking it!!
overall i enjoyed this one!! i was really looking for something with a stronger family and relationship aspect because with the way the plot was built up it seemed like it was the direction it would take, but we mostly focused on small little side plots and the house. this was perfect for a summer read tho!!
this definitely delivered in the summer vibes department!! this is a historical womens fiction novel set with dual timelines set in the 1960s and 1970s era. the book follows two povs: the mother of three girls when her girls were just children, and the children in the future. I loved how this book explored the challenges women faced in regard to equal pay and opportunity in the job market and the struggle to have to prove yourself to everyone. the mother was definitely a boss bitch and defied her husbands wishes to keep her bottled up at home, and i love how she encouraged her daughters to do the same. this book explored the effects that the mother-daughter relationship can have on the children, as well as the relationships between the daughters. i wish we went more into depth on the relationships in this book because i feel like we really focused on the vineyard house instead. same with the growth of each character. the “resolutions” seemed very quick and brushed over imo, but i still appreciated them. there were a lot of little side plots going on and i wish we just stuck to the main plot of the house and all of the relationships. i loved the alternating timeline and povs, but the story moved by pretty slow, so im glad i switched to audiobooking it!!
overall i enjoyed this one!! i was really looking for something with a stronger family and relationship aspect because with the way the plot was built up it seemed like it was the direction it would take, but we mostly focused on small little side plots and the house. this was perfect for a summer read tho!!
July 28, 2025
"A captivating new novel set in 1965 and 1978 about a graduate student who returns with her sisters to their family’s summer home on Martha’s Vineyard and begins to unravel old family secrets."
The Whiting family is explored during these two timelines- Virginia, the feminist matriarch who is a journalist and senator's wife. She is prickly and unapologetic for who she is. She and her husband have three daughters, and Betsy's story is the focus of the 1978 narrative.
The novel is atmospheric, introspective, and character driven. Themes of feminism, sisterhood, motherhood, and career are explored. It is poignant, quiet, and powerful and looks at what family members inherit, choose to keep and choose to walk away from. I was fully immersed into these characters and transported to Martha's Vineyard while reading. One of the summer's best family sagas, which I highly recommend.
The Whiting family is explored during these two timelines- Virginia, the feminist matriarch who is a journalist and senator's wife. She is prickly and unapologetic for who she is. She and her husband have three daughters, and Betsy's story is the focus of the 1978 narrative.
The novel is atmospheric, introspective, and character driven. Themes of feminism, sisterhood, motherhood, and career are explored. It is poignant, quiet, and powerful and looks at what family members inherit, choose to keep and choose to walk away from. I was fully immersed into these characters and transported to Martha's Vineyard while reading. One of the summer's best family sagas, which I highly recommend.
July 4, 2025
4.25 stars. Rtc.
June 23, 2025
I'm 100% going to be in the minority about this book. So far, I see 30+ 4—and 5-star reviews, which is great. I'm glad people were able to enjoy it. I, however, not so much. Don't let the cover fool you. This isn't a light-hearted romp on an island for a few months.
Our Last Vineyard Summer is the story of a mother and her three daughters. In one narrative, Virgie is a senator's wife, but she's also a writer. She writes an advice column that ruffles feathers. In the second narrative, we switch years and focus on Betsy, the youngest of the children. She is currently a graduate student at Columbia, who has been having an affair with her advisor.
The girls all converge at the Martha's Vineyard family home, as they are packing up their lifetime full of memories. Their father has tragically died in a plane accident and the only way to survive is to sell the family house.
Throughout this book, feminism and second-wave feminism are the key topics, woven in and out of family drama, past history, and secrets within the family.
And here's why my issue lies. What kind of book is this?
Is this book about a family with secrets and how they unfold?
Is this a book about a woman teaching her daughters to be more than what is acceptable?
Is this a story about the power of sisterhood, motherhood, and friendship?
Is this a summer beach read?
I like the idea of a story like this, but the plot was too slow to develop and the 'twists' were too long. When we got to the 'reveal' about 'the land', I had forgotten who was who and why it mattered.
Virigie as a character was frustrating. She was so strong in her ideals and hopes for her children, but suppressed her desires because of convention. Betsy was more developed and showed great resolve. However, I wish the storyline with James had gone further. It was left hanging, unfinished.
I think Brooke Lea Foster is a good writer, and I am interested in checking into her other work; however, Our Last Vineyard Summer is not something I would recommend if someone were judging a book by its cover.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Our Last Vineyard Summer is the story of a mother and her three daughters. In one narrative, Virgie is a senator's wife, but she's also a writer. She writes an advice column that ruffles feathers. In the second narrative, we switch years and focus on Betsy, the youngest of the children. She is currently a graduate student at Columbia, who has been having an affair with her advisor.
The girls all converge at the Martha's Vineyard family home, as they are packing up their lifetime full of memories. Their father has tragically died in a plane accident and the only way to survive is to sell the family house.
Throughout this book, feminism and second-wave feminism are the key topics, woven in and out of family drama, past history, and secrets within the family.
And here's why my issue lies. What kind of book is this?
Is this book about a family with secrets and how they unfold?
Is this a book about a woman teaching her daughters to be more than what is acceptable?
Is this a story about the power of sisterhood, motherhood, and friendship?
Is this a summer beach read?
I like the idea of a story like this, but the plot was too slow to develop and the 'twists' were too long. When we got to the 'reveal' about 'the land', I had forgotten who was who and why it mattered.
Virigie as a character was frustrating. She was so strong in her ideals and hopes for her children, but suppressed her desires because of convention. Betsy was more developed and showed great resolve. However, I wish the storyline with James had gone further. It was left hanging, unfinished.
I think Brooke Lea Foster is a good writer, and I am interested in checking into her other work; however, Our Last Vineyard Summer is not something I would recommend if someone were judging a book by its cover.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.
May 10, 2025
Both nostalgic and strikingly current, this novel captures life at a cherished summer home in Martha’s Vineyard - first in 1965 with a couple and their three young daughters, then again in 1978 as those children revisit the past as adults.
With alternating narrators, we see life through the lens of matriarch Virgie in '65, as she navigates life in the spotlight as a prominent Senator's wife. Virgie is a noted feminist and leader in the women's movement, and is dedicated to making sure her daughters grow in a world where men see women as their equals. She struggles to condone a "boys will be boys" mentality (as was expected of women during that time) and will not turn a blind eye when her husband betrays her in more ways than one.
In 1978, we see things through the perspective of graduate student, and youngest daughter, Betsy, as she meets her sisters and mother back at their Vineyard summer home after learning it will need to be sold to pay off their father's secret debts, which came to light after his death.
When Betsy finds a letter from her father while cleaning out his desk, she is suddenly forced to confront long-buried familial secrets.
Foster masterfully unravels those secrets in real-time for both 1965 Virgie and 1978 Betsy.
There’s a quiet beauty to this novel’s exploration of family and womanhood, as the three sisters and their mother try to reckon with the past that shaped the women they all became, and are still becoming.
There's not a word in this novel that is wasted, not a character that goes undeveloped.
It’s rare to find a story that feels just as relevant today as it would decades ago, but Foster does it. Honest, provocative, heartbreaking, and raw, she captures the emotional push and pull of mother-daughter relationships in a way that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant.
OUR LAST VINEYARD SUMMER is a compelling exploration of how the past echoes throughout generations, and how a mother's goal is to shield her child from injustices she faced, and to protect them from any heartbreak by taking on potential pain as her own, no matter the cost.
This is one of those books that lingers long after the last page. YOU can't read it again for the first time, so you'll find yourself compelled to share it with the women closest to you; you know it'll resonate with them as well.
Nobody does summer on the New England coast like Brooke Lea Foster.
With alternating narrators, we see life through the lens of matriarch Virgie in '65, as she navigates life in the spotlight as a prominent Senator's wife. Virgie is a noted feminist and leader in the women's movement, and is dedicated to making sure her daughters grow in a world where men see women as their equals. She struggles to condone a "boys will be boys" mentality (as was expected of women during that time) and will not turn a blind eye when her husband betrays her in more ways than one.
In 1978, we see things through the perspective of graduate student, and youngest daughter, Betsy, as she meets her sisters and mother back at their Vineyard summer home after learning it will need to be sold to pay off their father's secret debts, which came to light after his death.
When Betsy finds a letter from her father while cleaning out his desk, she is suddenly forced to confront long-buried familial secrets.
Foster masterfully unravels those secrets in real-time for both 1965 Virgie and 1978 Betsy.
There’s a quiet beauty to this novel’s exploration of family and womanhood, as the three sisters and their mother try to reckon with the past that shaped the women they all became, and are still becoming.
There's not a word in this novel that is wasted, not a character that goes undeveloped.
It’s rare to find a story that feels just as relevant today as it would decades ago, but Foster does it. Honest, provocative, heartbreaking, and raw, she captures the emotional push and pull of mother-daughter relationships in a way that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant.
OUR LAST VINEYARD SUMMER is a compelling exploration of how the past echoes throughout generations, and how a mother's goal is to shield her child from injustices she faced, and to protect them from any heartbreak by taking on potential pain as her own, no matter the cost.
This is one of those books that lingers long after the last page. YOU can't read it again for the first time, so you'll find yourself compelled to share it with the women closest to you; you know it'll resonate with them as well.
Nobody does summer on the New England coast like Brooke Lea Foster.
July 16, 2025
It's 1978, and Betsy Whiting has struggled through her first year of post-graduate studies at Columbia. Her father, a senator, has died, leaving the family grieving and saddled with unexpected debt. When her mother, Virgie, informs Betsy and her two older sisters of the unfortunate need to sell their cherished summer home on Martha's Vineyard, the three come together to support their mother. As they prepare the house for sale, they confront their strained relationships and uncover family secrets. Alternating to 1965, Virgie's story unfolds. She is a talented writer and a leader in the feminist movement, yet she chooses to make sacrifices for her ambitious husband, Charlie, and to preserve her family. It is a tale of women coming together, navigating fractured relationships and betrayal while seeking strength to move forward.
Whether it is the Hamptons or Martha's Vineyard, these beautiful settings come alive in Brooke Lea Foster's summertime novels. Our Last Vineyard Summer is a poignant story that examines the challenges faced by women in the not-so-distant past. It explores personal goals, motherhood, being a daughter, and sisterhood. While the story is nostalgic, the issues remain relevant today.
Many thanks to Gallery Books for providing me with a copy of this compelling book.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
Whether it is the Hamptons or Martha's Vineyard, these beautiful settings come alive in Brooke Lea Foster's summertime novels. Our Last Vineyard Summer is a poignant story that examines the challenges faced by women in the not-so-distant past. It explores personal goals, motherhood, being a daughter, and sisterhood. While the story is nostalgic, the issues remain relevant today.
Many thanks to Gallery Books for providing me with a copy of this compelling book.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
July 5, 2025
Just finished reading Our Last Vineyard Summer by Brooke Lea Foster, and WOW! The perfect mix of family drama, self-discovery, and beautiful vineyard views. 😍🍇 It’s one of those books that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Our Last Vineyard Summer is a captivating, emotionally resonant story that I couldn't put down! Brooke Lea Foster expertly brings to life the complexities of family dynamics and the healing power of confronting the past. The setting—a sprawling vineyard in New England—is not only a beautiful backdrop but also a perfect metaphor for the characters’ emotional journeys.
The narrative is rich with details that make you feel like you're walking through the vineyards, tasting the wine, and experiencing the profound tension between tradition and change. Foster’s writing has a beautiful flow, with dialogue that rings true to real life and characters who are wonderfully layered.
What I loved most about this book is how it tackles themes of forgiveness, self-discovery, and second chances without ever feeling overly sentimental. It strikes a perfect balance of humor, heartbreak, and hope. The family drama is messy in the best possible way—just like life itself.
Whether you're looking for a compelling family saga or a story that digs into what it means to heal and move forward, Our Last Vineyard Summer will pull at your heartstrings in all the right ways. Highly recommended!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Our Last Vineyard Summer is a captivating, emotionally resonant story that I couldn't put down! Brooke Lea Foster expertly brings to life the complexities of family dynamics and the healing power of confronting the past. The setting—a sprawling vineyard in New England—is not only a beautiful backdrop but also a perfect metaphor for the characters’ emotional journeys.
The narrative is rich with details that make you feel like you're walking through the vineyards, tasting the wine, and experiencing the profound tension between tradition and change. Foster’s writing has a beautiful flow, with dialogue that rings true to real life and characters who are wonderfully layered.
What I loved most about this book is how it tackles themes of forgiveness, self-discovery, and second chances without ever feeling overly sentimental. It strikes a perfect balance of humor, heartbreak, and hope. The family drama is messy in the best possible way—just like life itself.
Whether you're looking for a compelling family saga or a story that digs into what it means to heal and move forward, Our Last Vineyard Summer will pull at your heartstrings in all the right ways. Highly recommended!
July 10, 2025
Betsy and James would’ve been a better storyline.
July 10, 2025
This book is told in dual timelines of 1965 and 1978, a group of sisters and their mother spending those summers at the family home on Martha's Vineyard. Their father is a well-respected politician and their mother has been a well known feminist writer, but these summers were about relationships between the sisters and their mom, between their parents. Things that went on behind the scenes as children or that seemed one way, may have actually been something completely different. The girls, now young adults are brought together with the goal to save their family home. Their mother is ready to share some truths from their past and ultimately they discover the strength in their bond, the true nature of their, and parents' relationship and careers, and their mother's hope to give them the world as their oyster.
I thought this book was excellent for several reasons - the Martha's Vineyard setting, the Women's Rights Movement history tie ins, and a family/characters that I felt drawn to. I felt that this book was ultimately about the mother's love and legacy for her three girls.
This one gave me Lessons in Chemistry vibes and that is a very good thing!
I thought this book was excellent for several reasons - the Martha's Vineyard setting, the Women's Rights Movement history tie ins, and a family/characters that I felt drawn to. I felt that this book was ultimately about the mother's love and legacy for her three girls.
This one gave me Lessons in Chemistry vibes and that is a very good thing!
June 8, 2025
Review: Our Last Vineyard Summer by Brooke Lea Foster
Brooke Lea Foster’s Our Last Vineyard Summer is a quiet powerhouse of a novel—deeply atmospheric, emotionally resonant, and steeped in the history and heartbreak of generational womanhood. Set against the salt-kissed backdrop of Martha’s Vineyard, this dual-timeline family saga toggles between 1965 and 1978, tracing the legacies of love, betrayal, feminism, and identity through the eyes of one fiercely independent mother and her three complicated daughters.
In 1978, graduate student Betsy Whiting is adrift—reeling from the death of her father, a U.S. senator, and the fallout from an affair with her married professor. She returns to her family’s summer home on the Vineyard, only to find her mother, Virgie, preparing to sell the house to pay off debts Betsy never knew existed. What was meant to be a nostalgic summer turns into a confrontation with secrets, grief, and unresolved tensions between the sisters and the woman who raised them.
Running parallel to this is Virgie’s own story in 1965. A respected feminist columnist and a senator’s wife living under a public microscope, Virgie fights to maintain her independence while raising her daughters in a patriarchal world that expects her to play nice, stay quiet, and look the other way. Her refusal to do so—and the cost of that choice—sends ripples through her family for years to come.
Foster’s ability to bring both timelines vividly to life is a standout. The 1960s passages feel fully immersed in the atmosphere of second-wave feminism’s rise, with Virgie’s character capturing the tension between public activism and private turmoil. The 1978 narrative offers a more introspective tone, as Betsy sifts through physical memories and emotional wreckage, questioning who her parents really were and what kind of woman she wants to become.
One of the novel’s greatest strengths is how it handles its themes with honesty and complexity. Family secrets are present, but they’re not deployed as gimmicks—they unfold gradually, revealing the small, human ways people fail each other. Foster also doesn’t shy away from difficult topics: abortion, infidelity, the silencing of women, the double standards of motherhood. These are handled with sensitivity, although some readers felt key plot points (like an inheritance twist or Betsy’s pregnancy decision) resolved too quickly or neatly. Others noted that while the novel is steeped in rich emotional terrain, it occasionally lingers too long in introspection and could move more briskly.
Still, for most readers, Foster’s characters are where the novel shines brightest. Virgie is a force—unapologetic, principled, often hard to love, but impossible to forget. Betsy’s journey feels true to the push-pull of becoming your own person while still living in the shadow of family expectations. The three sisters are distinct, and while some readers wished for deeper development of their individual storylines, the dynamic between them is sharply drawn and emotionally real.
The setting is not just beautiful but essential. Martha’s Vineyard is lovingly rendered—not as a tourist brochure, but as a place layered with memory, conflict, and identity. The house itself becomes a metaphor for everything the Whitings are trying to hold onto—or let go of.
What sets Our Last Vineyard Summer apart is how it bridges the past and present without leaning too heavily on either. Foster captures how women’s choices were shaped by the times they lived in—and how, despite progress, many of the same struggles persist. It’s not just a story about one family’s summer. It’s about how generations of women try to protect each other from heartbreak, even if it means carrying pain alone.
Final Thoughts:
This is not a fast-paced book, but it is a deeply felt one. Some readers may find the dual timelines occasionally muddled or the ending too tidy. But if you’re drawn to rich character studies, feminist undertones, and family stories that explore the space between love and disappointment, this novel delivers.
Foster writes with restraint, compassion, and precision. There are no wasted words, and even the quietest moments have weight. Our Last Vineyard Summer is a novel that doesn’t shout, but lingers—and like the best summer memories, it haunts in the most beautiful way.
Poignant, thoughtful, and quietly powerful—a novel about what we inherit, what we carry, and what we choose to leave behind.
Thank you to Gallery Books, Simon & Schuster, and the author for my gifted copy and ALC.
Brooke Lea Foster’s Our Last Vineyard Summer is a quiet powerhouse of a novel—deeply atmospheric, emotionally resonant, and steeped in the history and heartbreak of generational womanhood. Set against the salt-kissed backdrop of Martha’s Vineyard, this dual-timeline family saga toggles between 1965 and 1978, tracing the legacies of love, betrayal, feminism, and identity through the eyes of one fiercely independent mother and her three complicated daughters.
In 1978, graduate student Betsy Whiting is adrift—reeling from the death of her father, a U.S. senator, and the fallout from an affair with her married professor. She returns to her family’s summer home on the Vineyard, only to find her mother, Virgie, preparing to sell the house to pay off debts Betsy never knew existed. What was meant to be a nostalgic summer turns into a confrontation with secrets, grief, and unresolved tensions between the sisters and the woman who raised them.
Running parallel to this is Virgie’s own story in 1965. A respected feminist columnist and a senator’s wife living under a public microscope, Virgie fights to maintain her independence while raising her daughters in a patriarchal world that expects her to play nice, stay quiet, and look the other way. Her refusal to do so—and the cost of that choice—sends ripples through her family for years to come.
Foster’s ability to bring both timelines vividly to life is a standout. The 1960s passages feel fully immersed in the atmosphere of second-wave feminism’s rise, with Virgie’s character capturing the tension between public activism and private turmoil. The 1978 narrative offers a more introspective tone, as Betsy sifts through physical memories and emotional wreckage, questioning who her parents really were and what kind of woman she wants to become.
One of the novel’s greatest strengths is how it handles its themes with honesty and complexity. Family secrets are present, but they’re not deployed as gimmicks—they unfold gradually, revealing the small, human ways people fail each other. Foster also doesn’t shy away from difficult topics: abortion, infidelity, the silencing of women, the double standards of motherhood. These are handled with sensitivity, although some readers felt key plot points (like an inheritance twist or Betsy’s pregnancy decision) resolved too quickly or neatly. Others noted that while the novel is steeped in rich emotional terrain, it occasionally lingers too long in introspection and could move more briskly.
Still, for most readers, Foster’s characters are where the novel shines brightest. Virgie is a force—unapologetic, principled, often hard to love, but impossible to forget. Betsy’s journey feels true to the push-pull of becoming your own person while still living in the shadow of family expectations. The three sisters are distinct, and while some readers wished for deeper development of their individual storylines, the dynamic between them is sharply drawn and emotionally real.
The setting is not just beautiful but essential. Martha’s Vineyard is lovingly rendered—not as a tourist brochure, but as a place layered with memory, conflict, and identity. The house itself becomes a metaphor for everything the Whitings are trying to hold onto—or let go of.
What sets Our Last Vineyard Summer apart is how it bridges the past and present without leaning too heavily on either. Foster captures how women’s choices were shaped by the times they lived in—and how, despite progress, many of the same struggles persist. It’s not just a story about one family’s summer. It’s about how generations of women try to protect each other from heartbreak, even if it means carrying pain alone.
Final Thoughts:
This is not a fast-paced book, but it is a deeply felt one. Some readers may find the dual timelines occasionally muddled or the ending too tidy. But if you’re drawn to rich character studies, feminist undertones, and family stories that explore the space between love and disappointment, this novel delivers.
Foster writes with restraint, compassion, and precision. There are no wasted words, and even the quietest moments have weight. Our Last Vineyard Summer is a novel that doesn’t shout, but lingers—and like the best summer memories, it haunts in the most beautiful way.
Poignant, thoughtful, and quietly powerful—a novel about what we inherit, what we carry, and what we choose to leave behind.
Thank you to Gallery Books, Simon & Schuster, and the author for my gifted copy and ALC.
July 27, 2025
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I enjoy all of Brooke Lea Foster's family stories. In this story, there are two timelines, 1965 and 1978. Virginia and Charlie meet in school, both having career aspirations. In the 1960s, however, it was the woman who gives up her career to raise a family, not the man. When Virgie and Charlie have three daughters, you just know that Virgie is going to raise them to follow their own dreams of having a career and a family if they so choose. You get to know all three daughters, what shaped each of their childhoods, and how this affects their choices as adults. When they all gather at their cottage on Nantucket after Charlie's death, lots of secrets come to the surface, will they have to sell their island home? This is the perfect beach read. I did have a chance to sample the audiobook as well and enjoyed the narrators.
I enjoy all of Brooke Lea Foster's family stories. In this story, there are two timelines, 1965 and 1978. Virginia and Charlie meet in school, both having career aspirations. In the 1960s, however, it was the woman who gives up her career to raise a family, not the man. When Virgie and Charlie have three daughters, you just know that Virgie is going to raise them to follow their own dreams of having a career and a family if they so choose. You get to know all three daughters, what shaped each of their childhoods, and how this affects their choices as adults. When they all gather at their cottage on Nantucket after Charlie's death, lots of secrets come to the surface, will they have to sell their island home? This is the perfect beach read. I did have a chance to sample the audiobook as well and enjoyed the narrators.
July 25, 2025
The ideas in this book could be compelling: inter generational women’s stories. But the treatment of these stories is so heavy handed that it takes over the book. The characters are buried under the burden of the women’s movement; they remain largely underdeveloped as individuals. The women seem to be crafted as stereotypes. Additionally, the racial conflict of the mid-1960s seems to be an add-on, something dropped in out of obligation. I am a 2nd generation feminist, but this story didn’t ring true to me. Betsy and I are roughly the same age and plenty of my friends played sports in this time period and played with Aggie’s intensity with no social backlash. Betsy barely mourns lost love after the 1st few pages. Additionally, inaccurate chronological details are distracting. Until 1982, the drinking age in NY was 21. Pert shampoo wasn’t introduced until 1980.
May 3, 2025
I really enjoyed Brooke Lea Foster's latest book set on Cape Cod that focuses on the family of a politician, particularly the wife and daughters. Moving between the 1960s and the 1970s, I felt Foster did a great job capturing the historical feel of the decades and the experiences of women during this transformative time of second wave feminism.
July 2, 2025
Brooke Lea Foster's fourth novel, Our Last Vineyard Summer, delivers a richly textured family drama that oscillates between the sun-drenched shores of Martha's Vineyard and the political corridors of 1960s-70s Washington. This dual-timeline narrative weaves together themes of feminist awakening, family secrets, and the complex legacy of progressive parents, creating a story that resonates deeply with contemporary readers while honoring its historical setting.
The novel centers on the Whiting family, anchored by the formidable Virgie Whiting—a feminist icon reminiscent of Gloria Steinem—and her late senator husband Charlie. When financial troubles threaten to force the sale of their beloved Vineyard summer house, three adult daughters must confront long-buried family secrets that challenge everything they believed about their parents' marriage and their own identities.
Character Development That Echoes Real Relationships
Foster demonstrates remarkable skill in crafting authentic female relationships, particularly between mothers and daughters. The dynamic between Virgie and her youngest daughter Betsy forms the emotional core of the novel, revealing the particular pain that occurs when a daughter desperately seeks approval from a mother whose attention is divided between family and changing the world.
Betsy emerges as the most compelling character—a graduate student in psychology who finds herself pregnant and adrift after her father's death. Foster captures the uncertainty of young adulthood with genuine empathy, showing how Betsy's academic understanding of family dynamics fails to prepare her for the messy reality of her own relationships. Her journey from seeking external validation to developing inner strength mirrors the broader feminist themes woven throughout the narrative.
The portrayal of Virgie Whiting proves equally nuanced. Rather than presenting her as either a saint or villain, Foster shows a complex woman whose public feminism sometimes came at the cost of private maternal attention. The author skillfully reveals how Virgie's discovery of her husband's affair became the catalyst for her more radical feminist writings, transforming personal pain into public power.
The Dual Timeline Structure: Past Illuminating Present
The alternating chapters between 1965 and 1978 create a sophisticated narrative structure that allows readers to understand how past secrets shaped present relationships. The 1965 timeline reveals the cracks in Charlie and Virgie's marriage during the height of his political career, while the 1978 sections show the consequences of those fractures thirteen years later.
This temporal structure serves the story well, building suspense about family secrets while demonstrating how the personal becomes political in women's lives. Foster's decision to reveal the truth about Charlie's affair and secret love child gradually allows readers to understand the complexity of each character's motivations rather than rushing to judgment.
Martha's Vineyard as Character and Symbol
Foster's connection to Martha's Vineyard shines through in her loving descriptions of the island setting. The Vineyard functions as more than mere backdrop—it becomes a character itself, representing both privilege and sanctuary, tradition and change. The summer house serves as a tangible symbol of family legacy and the question of what's worth preserving from the past.
The author's prose captures the sensory pleasures of Vineyard summers—the scent of honeysuckle, the sound of buoy bells, the sight of sailboats dotting the harbor—creating an immersive atmosphere that makes readers long for their own New England escape. Yet Foster doesn't romanticize this world entirely; she acknowledges the exclusivity and social pressures that accompany such rarefied settings.
Feminist Themes That Transcend Their Era
While rooted in the women's liberation movement of the 1960s and 70s, the novel's exploration of feminist themes feels remarkably contemporary. The tension between personal ambition and family obligations, the challenge of maintaining authentic relationships while pursuing public goals, and the question of how to raise empowered daughters all resonate with modern readers.
Foster's treatment of these themes avoids both preachiness and oversimplification. The feminist book club discussions that punctuate the narrative serve as clever vehicles for exploring ideas about women's autonomy without feeling forced or didactic. The choice of Kate Chopin's The Awakening as their discussion book provides apt parallels to the characters' own journeys toward self-discovery.
Exploring Family Secrets and Their Consequences
The revelation of Charlie's affair and secret daughter Melody provides the novel's central mystery, but Foster handles this potentially melodramatic plot point with restraint and psychological insight. Rather than sensationalizing the scandal, she explores how secrets shape family dynamics across generations and how the truth, when finally revealed, can both wound and heal.
The character of Melody Fleming, Charlie's former press secretary and the mother of his secret daughter, could have been a one-dimensional "other woman," but Foster grants her dignity and complexity. Her relationship with Virgie before the affair adds layers to the betrayal while also showing how women's friendships can survive even devastating betrayals when both parties choose growth over revenge.
Areas Where the Novel Falls Short
Despite its many strengths, Our Last Vineyard Summer occasionally suffers from pacing issues, particularly in the middle sections where the family dynamics become somewhat repetitive. The resolution, while emotionally satisfying, arrives perhaps too neatly—the discovery of property that can be subdivided to solve their financial problems feels convenient rather than organic to the story.
Additionally, some secondary characters remain underdeveloped. Betsy's boyfriend Andy, whose abandonment catalyzes much of her emotional journey, never feels like more than a plot device. Similarly, some of the male characters lack the psychological depth Foster brings to her female protagonists.
The novel's treatment of 1970s politics and social issues, while generally well-researched, occasionally feels more informed by contemporary perspectives than authentic to the period. Certain conversations about feminism and gender roles carry a modern sensibility that can break the historical immersion.
Writing Style and Narrative Voice
Foster's prose style perfectly captures the languid pace of summer while maintaining narrative momentum. Her background as a journalist shows in her attention to historical detail and her ability to weave social context seamlessly into personal story. The dialogue feels natural and period-appropriate, particularly in the way different generations of women speak about ambition, marriage, and independence.
The author demonstrates particular skill in writing about family dynamics, capturing the way shared history can create both intimacy and misunderstanding. Her descriptions of the three sisters' relationships ring especially true, showing how adult siblings carry childhood roles and resentments into their grown-up interactions.
Final Verdict
Our Last Vineyard Summer confirms Brooke Lea Foster's position as a skilled chronicler of women's lives and historical moments. While not without its flaws—particularly in pacing and some convenient plot resolutions—the novel succeeds in creating an engaging family saga that honors both the complexity of human relationships and the ongoing struggle for women's equality.
For readers who enjoy historical fiction that combines personal drama with social issues, this novel delivers satisfying entertainment alongside meaningful themes. Foster's ability to capture the particular atmosphere of Martha's Vineyard summer culture while exploring universal questions about family, identity, and forgiveness makes this a worthwhile addition to the historical fiction canon.
The novel works particularly well for readers interested in stories about complicated mothers and daughters, the women's liberation movement, or the intersection of public and private life in political families. While it may not break new literary ground, it tells its story with heart, intelligence, and just enough beach-read appeal to make it an ideal summer companion.
The novel centers on the Whiting family, anchored by the formidable Virgie Whiting—a feminist icon reminiscent of Gloria Steinem—and her late senator husband Charlie. When financial troubles threaten to force the sale of their beloved Vineyard summer house, three adult daughters must confront long-buried family secrets that challenge everything they believed about their parents' marriage and their own identities.
Character Development That Echoes Real Relationships
Foster demonstrates remarkable skill in crafting authentic female relationships, particularly between mothers and daughters. The dynamic between Virgie and her youngest daughter Betsy forms the emotional core of the novel, revealing the particular pain that occurs when a daughter desperately seeks approval from a mother whose attention is divided between family and changing the world.
Betsy emerges as the most compelling character—a graduate student in psychology who finds herself pregnant and adrift after her father's death. Foster captures the uncertainty of young adulthood with genuine empathy, showing how Betsy's academic understanding of family dynamics fails to prepare her for the messy reality of her own relationships. Her journey from seeking external validation to developing inner strength mirrors the broader feminist themes woven throughout the narrative.
The portrayal of Virgie Whiting proves equally nuanced. Rather than presenting her as either a saint or villain, Foster shows a complex woman whose public feminism sometimes came at the cost of private maternal attention. The author skillfully reveals how Virgie's discovery of her husband's affair became the catalyst for her more radical feminist writings, transforming personal pain into public power.
The Dual Timeline Structure: Past Illuminating Present
The alternating chapters between 1965 and 1978 create a sophisticated narrative structure that allows readers to understand how past secrets shaped present relationships. The 1965 timeline reveals the cracks in Charlie and Virgie's marriage during the height of his political career, while the 1978 sections show the consequences of those fractures thirteen years later.
This temporal structure serves the story well, building suspense about family secrets while demonstrating how the personal becomes political in women's lives. Foster's decision to reveal the truth about Charlie's affair and secret love child gradually allows readers to understand the complexity of each character's motivations rather than rushing to judgment.
Martha's Vineyard as Character and Symbol
Foster's connection to Martha's Vineyard shines through in her loving descriptions of the island setting. The Vineyard functions as more than mere backdrop—it becomes a character itself, representing both privilege and sanctuary, tradition and change. The summer house serves as a tangible symbol of family legacy and the question of what's worth preserving from the past.
The author's prose captures the sensory pleasures of Vineyard summers—the scent of honeysuckle, the sound of buoy bells, the sight of sailboats dotting the harbor—creating an immersive atmosphere that makes readers long for their own New England escape. Yet Foster doesn't romanticize this world entirely; she acknowledges the exclusivity and social pressures that accompany such rarefied settings.
Feminist Themes That Transcend Their Era
While rooted in the women's liberation movement of the 1960s and 70s, the novel's exploration of feminist themes feels remarkably contemporary. The tension between personal ambition and family obligations, the challenge of maintaining authentic relationships while pursuing public goals, and the question of how to raise empowered daughters all resonate with modern readers.
Foster's treatment of these themes avoids both preachiness and oversimplification. The feminist book club discussions that punctuate the narrative serve as clever vehicles for exploring ideas about women's autonomy without feeling forced or didactic. The choice of Kate Chopin's The Awakening as their discussion book provides apt parallels to the characters' own journeys toward self-discovery.
Exploring Family Secrets and Their Consequences
The revelation of Charlie's affair and secret daughter Melody provides the novel's central mystery, but Foster handles this potentially melodramatic plot point with restraint and psychological insight. Rather than sensationalizing the scandal, she explores how secrets shape family dynamics across generations and how the truth, when finally revealed, can both wound and heal.
The character of Melody Fleming, Charlie's former press secretary and the mother of his secret daughter, could have been a one-dimensional "other woman," but Foster grants her dignity and complexity. Her relationship with Virgie before the affair adds layers to the betrayal while also showing how women's friendships can survive even devastating betrayals when both parties choose growth over revenge.
Areas Where the Novel Falls Short
Despite its many strengths, Our Last Vineyard Summer occasionally suffers from pacing issues, particularly in the middle sections where the family dynamics become somewhat repetitive. The resolution, while emotionally satisfying, arrives perhaps too neatly—the discovery of property that can be subdivided to solve their financial problems feels convenient rather than organic to the story.
Additionally, some secondary characters remain underdeveloped. Betsy's boyfriend Andy, whose abandonment catalyzes much of her emotional journey, never feels like more than a plot device. Similarly, some of the male characters lack the psychological depth Foster brings to her female protagonists.
The novel's treatment of 1970s politics and social issues, while generally well-researched, occasionally feels more informed by contemporary perspectives than authentic to the period. Certain conversations about feminism and gender roles carry a modern sensibility that can break the historical immersion.
Writing Style and Narrative Voice
Foster's prose style perfectly captures the languid pace of summer while maintaining narrative momentum. Her background as a journalist shows in her attention to historical detail and her ability to weave social context seamlessly into personal story. The dialogue feels natural and period-appropriate, particularly in the way different generations of women speak about ambition, marriage, and independence.
The author demonstrates particular skill in writing about family dynamics, capturing the way shared history can create both intimacy and misunderstanding. Her descriptions of the three sisters' relationships ring especially true, showing how adult siblings carry childhood roles and resentments into their grown-up interactions.
Final Verdict
Our Last Vineyard Summer confirms Brooke Lea Foster's position as a skilled chronicler of women's lives and historical moments. While not without its flaws—particularly in pacing and some convenient plot resolutions—the novel succeeds in creating an engaging family saga that honors both the complexity of human relationships and the ongoing struggle for women's equality.
For readers who enjoy historical fiction that combines personal drama with social issues, this novel delivers satisfying entertainment alongside meaningful themes. Foster's ability to capture the particular atmosphere of Martha's Vineyard summer culture while exploring universal questions about family, identity, and forgiveness makes this a worthwhile addition to the historical fiction canon.
The novel works particularly well for readers interested in stories about complicated mothers and daughters, the women's liberation movement, or the intersection of public and private life in political families. While it may not break new literary ground, it tells its story with heart, intelligence, and just enough beach-read appeal to make it an ideal summer companion.
September 1, 2025
Betsy Whiting is a graduate student at Columbia in the 1970s. It isn't easy; there's a lot of sexism to make her path even more difficult. After her senator father's untimely death, her mother asks Betsy and her sisters to return to their summer home at Martha's Vineyard. This is the last place Betsy wants to be after having independence in the city, but after the breakup with her professor boyfriend, she reluctantly returns to her family's home to help her mother. While there, Betsy must deal with her feminist mother and her sisters. She must deal with her memories of the past summers spent at the Vineyard. The story also includes flashbacks to Virgie, Betsy's mother, and her life as a senator's wife, and how that was difficult given her deeply rooted feminist beliefs. Our Last Vineyard Summer by Brooke Lea Foster is a nostalgic beach read about mothers, daughters, and female identity.
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
August 1, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5-Star Review: Our Last Vineyard Summer by Brooke Lea Foster
I know the Goodreads rating is 3.8, but honestly, that didn’t matter to me at all. Sometimes a book just hits you differently—and Our Last Vineyard Summer did exactly that. I gave it 5 stars because it touches on so many meaningful and powerful topics that deeply resonated with me.
This novel explores a wide range of issues, especially surrounding women’s rights and strength. It reflects a time when women had to fight for basic financial independence—like applying for mortgages or credit cards without a man’s signature. It also covers deeply personal issues like pregnancy, abortion, and the emotional weight of a simple pregnancy test.
But what really made this story unforgettable were the relationships—especially the bonds between women. The sister-to-sister connection is at the heart of the book. Their bond, even when tested by family secrets and personal differences, shows just how strong and complicated sisterhood can be. The mother-daughter relationships are equally moving—full of love, misunderstandings, resilience, and moments of true connection. These relationships remind us of the depth of generational ties and how much we carry from those who came before us.
There are strong women throughout the story—women who refuse to be silenced by politics or expectations. Women who stand up for what’s right, who lift each other up, and who encourage others to find their voice and advocate for themselves.
The book also does a beautiful job exploring family dynamics. Siblings can have vastly different memories of their parents—especially a father that the older girls saw clearly, while the youngest clung to an idealized version of him. There’s honesty in showing how people look at others and assume their lives are perfect when, in reality, everyone carries regrets, secrets, and moments of shame.
Life isn’t about being perfect—it’s about making it through the difficult parts with support from the people who truly love you. And this book captures that perfectly.
I know the Goodreads rating is 3.8, but honestly, that didn’t matter to me at all. Sometimes a book just hits you differently—and Our Last Vineyard Summer did exactly that. I gave it 5 stars because it touches on so many meaningful and powerful topics that deeply resonated with me.
This novel explores a wide range of issues, especially surrounding women’s rights and strength. It reflects a time when women had to fight for basic financial independence—like applying for mortgages or credit cards without a man’s signature. It also covers deeply personal issues like pregnancy, abortion, and the emotional weight of a simple pregnancy test.
But what really made this story unforgettable were the relationships—especially the bonds between women. The sister-to-sister connection is at the heart of the book. Their bond, even when tested by family secrets and personal differences, shows just how strong and complicated sisterhood can be. The mother-daughter relationships are equally moving—full of love, misunderstandings, resilience, and moments of true connection. These relationships remind us of the depth of generational ties and how much we carry from those who came before us.
There are strong women throughout the story—women who refuse to be silenced by politics or expectations. Women who stand up for what’s right, who lift each other up, and who encourage others to find their voice and advocate for themselves.
The book also does a beautiful job exploring family dynamics. Siblings can have vastly different memories of their parents—especially a father that the older girls saw clearly, while the youngest clung to an idealized version of him. There’s honesty in showing how people look at others and assume their lives are perfect when, in reality, everyone carries regrets, secrets, and moments of shame.
Life isn’t about being perfect—it’s about making it through the difficult parts with support from the people who truly love you. And this book captures that perfectly.
June 22, 2025
Loved this! Such a strong, powerful story about empowering women and fighting for our rights, freedom to choose, and equality. Loved how strong and determined all the female characters were and how even in the 60s and 70s, they didn’t give up on being heard, seen, and taken seriously. Absolutely loved the themes of strong sisterhood, motherhood, and mother/daughter relationships. Really only lowered my rating bc the pacing really hit lulls at some places in the book, but otherwise really loved the content and feminist themes of this one. Thank you gallery for the arc!!
June 25, 2025
Fantastic! Important, women centered and relevant.
My thoughts to follow.
Thanks Edelweiss and Gallery Books.
My thoughts to follow.
Thanks Edelweiss and Gallery Books.
September 24, 2025
4.8 stars. I loved this one set on Martha’s Vineyard and DC and going between 1965 and 1978. Exploring themes of family, feminism, class and forgiveness. Enjoyed the interaction and healing between the sisters. I liked the line about feminism being about being able to make your own choices. This is an important novel because it shows the strides that we made as women during this time period. I refuse to go back to a time where women are controlled by men and they decide how our lives will be lived.
The story is told by the youngest of three sisters Betsy and the writer mother Virgie. A quick and easy read that is powerful
The story is told by the youngest of three sisters Betsy and the writer mother Virgie. A quick and easy read that is powerful
August 7, 2025
3.3 stars. A solid summer read, especially while I’m on vacation at camp, just not quite enough character depth for me! The storyline definitely kept me engaged.
August 30, 2025
Set in both 1965 and 1978 in Martha's Vineyard. Loved the summer vacation setting, unraveling of family secrets, and the strong message of feminism and womanhood.
August 19, 2025
This dual time period novel is set primarily at the same Martha’s Vineyard house in two time periods. In 1965, it’s told from the perspective of Virgie, a writer, politician’s wife, and mom of three girls. And in 1978, it’s the perspective of Virgie’s youngest daughter Betsy, now 23, as she and her sisters return for the summer to help their mom clean out the house after their father’s death.
It’s a novel about family relationships (sisters, mothers and daughters, husband and wife), about family secrets, about feminism and how different it was to be a woman in the not so different path, and also about Martha’s Vineyard. It was a little slow to get going, but ultimately I ended up really enjoying it.
It’s a novel about family relationships (sisters, mothers and daughters, husband and wife), about family secrets, about feminism and how different it was to be a woman in the not so different path, and also about Martha’s Vineyard. It was a little slow to get going, but ultimately I ended up really enjoying it.
June 21, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I loved the dual timeline of this book which really helped me follow the plot. This was a great book about family drama and women navigating the many complications of life. I’m was swept away about the character interactions and how well written out they were. Family secret type books are always a favorite of mine and this was certainly no different as I read page after page to learn more about the family overall and their history but also how things are navigated. I loved the timeline also when the storylines took place.
August 3, 2025
3.5 stars
More to come
More to come
August 15, 2025
A sweet story that reminded me a lot of Tom Lake (but the East Coast version!) of a family and the secrets that have, unearthed via a summer spent together trying to save their beloved house on the vineyard.
Some quotes I liked:
- “You weren’t supposed to go backward. Her mother had taught her as much. You needed to look ahead.”
- “The love that came with disappointment when a person changed in you, the joy that emerged when they evolved alongside you.”
- “He liked to think that if you believed something enough, it would happen, and he was right.”
- “A sister’s love is an enduring one.”
Some quotes I liked:
- “You weren’t supposed to go backward. Her mother had taught her as much. You needed to look ahead.”
- “The love that came with disappointment when a person changed in you, the joy that emerged when they evolved alongside you.”
- “He liked to think that if you believed something enough, it would happen, and he was right.”
- “A sister’s love is an enduring one.”
July 10, 2025
This is a story of sisterhood and motherhood told in alternating timelines between 1965 and 1978, primarily involving Virgie and her three daughters. A year after their father died, Virgie summons her daughters to their beloved Martha’s Vineyard home to announce that their home must be sold due to their father’s unbeknownst debts.
The author has done an excellent job in her character development of the primary female characters, particularly as it relates to tension between the sisters and the need for parental approval. There’s plenty of family drama, devastating secrets, forgiveness and self discovery. The author does a superb job of bridging the two timelines and this is a novel that will linger with you long after you have finished it.
The author has done an excellent job in her character development of the primary female characters, particularly as it relates to tension between the sisters and the need for parental approval. There’s plenty of family drama, devastating secrets, forgiveness and self discovery. The author does a superb job of bridging the two timelines and this is a novel that will linger with you long after you have finished it.
June 30, 2025
Our Last Vineyard Summer by Brooke Lea Foster
Thank you to @gallerybooks and @kccpr for this gifted copy!
Betsy is hoping to spend the summer with her boyfriend and she hopes to soon have a ring in her finger. Plans change when her mother announces she must sell their beloved Martha’s Vineyard summer home to pay off her late father’s debts and calls Betsy and her sister to the vineyard for the summer.
Another great summer book by BLF!! I really enjoyed this one. I loved the dual timelines, the feminism, the characters, the secrets, everything! This was the perfect poolside read. I have read all of this author’s work and I can’t wait to see what’s next!
Thank you to @gallerybooks and @kccpr for this gifted copy!
Betsy is hoping to spend the summer with her boyfriend and she hopes to soon have a ring in her finger. Plans change when her mother announces she must sell their beloved Martha’s Vineyard summer home to pay off her late father’s debts and calls Betsy and her sister to the vineyard for the summer.
Another great summer book by BLF!! I really enjoyed this one. I loved the dual timelines, the feminism, the characters, the secrets, everything! This was the perfect poolside read. I have read all of this author’s work and I can’t wait to see what’s next!
July 15, 2025
Brooke Lea Foster is a force to be reckoned with in women's fiction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Every book is an amazing story and wonderful to read. This book is no exception to that. It is an amazing book of family, sisters, love, and life.
August 28, 2025
Thank you @gallerybooks for this free finished copy 💖.
✨What it is about:
A graduate student who returns with her sisters to their family’s summer home on Martha’s Vineyard, begins to unravel old family secrets.✨
💭My thoughts:
This was a deeper read than I expected. It follows Betsy Whiting as she returns to Martha’s Vineyard after her father’s death, only to find out her family might have to sell their beloved summer home. As she reconnects with her sisters and faces old memories, Betsy uncovers family secrets, past love, and begins to question what’s really worth holding onto. The story is told across two timelines (1965 and 1978), exploring love, loss, the bond between generations of women, and the journey to finding your own voice.
I found the story a little slow to start, but as the secrets began to unravel, it became much more engaging and compelling. I loved the themes of motherhood, self-discovery, mother-daughter relationships, sisterhood, women’s rights, forgiveness, and second chances. It was emotional and truly showcased how a mother will always try to protect her children from the struggles she’s faced herself. I think it will really resonate with moms out there.
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read if you like:
☀️Women’s rights
☀️Historical fiction
☀️Slow paced reads
☀️Women relationships/sisterhood
☀️Dual timelines
☀️Martha’s Vineyard Setting
☀️Complex family dynamics & secrets
⚠️CW: Infidelity, surprise pregnancy, abortion.
✨What it is about:
A graduate student who returns with her sisters to their family’s summer home on Martha’s Vineyard, begins to unravel old family secrets.✨
💭My thoughts:
This was a deeper read than I expected. It follows Betsy Whiting as she returns to Martha’s Vineyard after her father’s death, only to find out her family might have to sell their beloved summer home. As she reconnects with her sisters and faces old memories, Betsy uncovers family secrets, past love, and begins to question what’s really worth holding onto. The story is told across two timelines (1965 and 1978), exploring love, loss, the bond between generations of women, and the journey to finding your own voice.
I found the story a little slow to start, but as the secrets began to unravel, it became much more engaging and compelling. I loved the themes of motherhood, self-discovery, mother-daughter relationships, sisterhood, women’s rights, forgiveness, and second chances. It was emotional and truly showcased how a mother will always try to protect her children from the struggles she’s faced herself. I think it will really resonate with moms out there.
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read if you like:
☀️Women’s rights
☀️Historical fiction
☀️Slow paced reads
☀️Women relationships/sisterhood
☀️Dual timelines
☀️Martha’s Vineyard Setting
☀️Complex family dynamics & secrets
⚠️CW: Infidelity, surprise pregnancy, abortion.
July 13, 2025
3.5 stars. Historical/Womens fiction. I wanted to love this one more than I did. It just felt very slow to me.
We follow 2 timelines and 2 different POVs. Past is Virgie and her daughter’s summer life at Martha’s Vineyard. She is a strong feminist woman raising her daughters to fight for equality. She’s a senators wife but also a writer who ruffles a lot of feathers.
Then we fast forward to 1978 where we follow Virgie’s youngest daughter Betsy who is in college and recently had an affair with her professor.
They go back to the Vineyard to meet up with her mom and sisters to pack up their belongings of their beloved summer home and uncover secrets from their past while confronting their future.
While this was written lovely and great character development. However I thought this was going to be more lighthearted based on the cover. Damn me for judging books by their cover!
This was def not a summer beach read. Much heavier but still good.
We follow 2 timelines and 2 different POVs. Past is Virgie and her daughter’s summer life at Martha’s Vineyard. She is a strong feminist woman raising her daughters to fight for equality. She’s a senators wife but also a writer who ruffles a lot of feathers.
Then we fast forward to 1978 where we follow Virgie’s youngest daughter Betsy who is in college and recently had an affair with her professor.
They go back to the Vineyard to meet up with her mom and sisters to pack up their belongings of their beloved summer home and uncover secrets from their past while confronting their future.
While this was written lovely and great character development. However I thought this was going to be more lighthearted based on the cover. Damn me for judging books by their cover!
This was def not a summer beach read. Much heavier but still good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews