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The Summer of Good Intentions
Cape Cod summers are supposed to remain reassuringly the same, but everything falls apart when three sisters and their families come together for their annual summer vacation—and they are carrying more secrets than suitcases.Maggie is the oldest. She feels responsible for managing the summer house and making sure everything is as it always has been. But she’s hurt that her parents’ recent divorce has destroyed the family’s comfortable summer routines, and her own kids seem to be growing up at high speed. Is it too late to have another baby? Jess is the middle sister. She loves her job but isn’t as passionate about her marriage. She’s not sure she can find the courage to tell Maggie what she’s done—much less talk to her husband about it. Virgie is the youngest, her dad’s favorite. She’s always been the career girl, but now there’s a man in her life. Her television job on the west coast is beyond stressful, and it’s taking its toll on her—emotionally and physically. She’s counting on this vacation to erase the symptoms she’s not talking about. The Herington girls are together again, with their husbands and kids, for another summer in the family’s old Cape Cod house. When their mother, Gloria, announces she’s coming for an unscheduled visit—with her new boyfriend—no one is more surprised than their father, Arthur, who has not quite gotten over his divorce. Still, everyone manages to navigate the challenges of living grown-up lives in close quarters, until an accident reveals a new secret that brings everyone together in heartbreak…and then healing. Poignant, compelling, and so real that you could shake the sand out of the pages, The Summer of Good Intentions is by a rising star who aims her fiction square at the heart of readers who love Elin Hilderbrand, Dorothea Benton Frank, and Mary Kay Andrews.
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 7, 2015
570 people are currently reading
4182 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Francis
17 books339 followersWendy Francis is a former book editor (Houghton Mifflin Co.) and the author of Feels Like Summer, Summertime Guests, Best Behavior, The Summer Sail, The Summer of Good Intentions, and Three Good Things. Her new book, Betting on Good, will be out in May 2025. Her essays have appeared in Good Housekeeping, The Washington Post, YahooParenting, The Huffington Post, and WBUR's Cognoscenti. She lives outside of Boston with her husband and 16-year-old son. For events and updates, check out her webpage at www.facebook.com/wendyfrancisauthor or follow her on Instagram @wendyfrancisauthor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 380 reviews
July 6, 2015
The Summer of Good Intentions is an ideal summer read. It is full of ever-changing family dynamics and ailments. It focuses from the POV of three sisters and their families, as well as their mother and father (the parents are separated).
Every summer the family travels from their various homes and head to their summer home in Cape Cod to visit each other and reconnect. This year in particular is more dramatic, heartbreaking, and touching than the times in the past.
There were parts in the book that were summarized when I felt that there should have been more focus and I was surprised that three sisters could get together without one dramatic episode of arguing or jealousy…had that happened then it would have been a bit more realistic for me rather than the illnesses that occurred. Other than that, I did find it to be an enjoyable read. I would recommend as a satisfying summer read.
Every summer the family travels from their various homes and head to their summer home in Cape Cod to visit each other and reconnect. This year in particular is more dramatic, heartbreaking, and touching than the times in the past.
There were parts in the book that were summarized when I felt that there should have been more focus and I was surprised that three sisters could get together without one dramatic episode of arguing or jealousy…had that happened then it would have been a bit more realistic for me rather than the illnesses that occurred. Other than that, I did find it to be an enjoyable read. I would recommend as a satisfying summer read.
August 28, 2015
Awww, this book leaves me with such a contented feeling. I love it.
Although I'm convinced these types of books are written for people way older than me, I absolutely love reading them. When there's a nice ending, they give me hope for my future, concerning my career and love life when I'm older. This one, although it was quite depressing and sad at some point, really did the trick!
I loved how each chapter focuses on alternated characters. It helped me vizualize them in a more complete way than I would've it the story had been focused on one of them, because I could see what image the characters have of themselves as well as how the others see them. It doesn't happen often, but I love it.
The family in this book is such a nice one. Everyone has their flaw, but in the end, they love each other and so did I. My favorite character was probably Maggie, because she's incredible. Basically, everyone worships her, which is why it's weird that she's my favorite character, but the fact is that they have a good reason to do so. She's so kind, organized and nice to everyone that she inspired me a lot. Sure, she goes through hell while doing so, which sucks for her, but in the end she's loved and appreciated by her friends and family. I loved her relationship with Mac.
This book approaches many touchy subjects, which I'm not going to mention to keep this spoiler-free. However, I'm going to say how well described and explained they are, which I really liked. I cried more than once towards the end, because the family goes through hard times, but I loved the ending. There's no question left, there's no sadness, there's only happiness and contentment.
I highlt recommend this book. It's amazing and definitely one of my favorite summery novels.
(Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
Although I'm convinced these types of books are written for people way older than me, I absolutely love reading them. When there's a nice ending, they give me hope for my future, concerning my career and love life when I'm older. This one, although it was quite depressing and sad at some point, really did the trick!
I loved how each chapter focuses on alternated characters. It helped me vizualize them in a more complete way than I would've it the story had been focused on one of them, because I could see what image the characters have of themselves as well as how the others see them. It doesn't happen often, but I love it.
The family in this book is such a nice one. Everyone has their flaw, but in the end, they love each other and so did I. My favorite character was probably Maggie, because she's incredible. Basically, everyone worships her, which is why it's weird that she's my favorite character, but the fact is that they have a good reason to do so. She's so kind, organized and nice to everyone that she inspired me a lot. Sure, she goes through hell while doing so, which sucks for her, but in the end she's loved and appreciated by her friends and family. I loved her relationship with Mac.
This book approaches many touchy subjects, which I'm not going to mention to keep this spoiler-free. However, I'm going to say how well described and explained they are, which I really liked. I cried more than once towards the end, because the family goes through hard times, but I loved the ending. There's no question left, there's no sadness, there's only happiness and contentment.
I highlt recommend this book. It's amazing and definitely one of my favorite summery novels.
(Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
July 6, 2015
Put on your sunscreen, grab your beach chair, and throw this book in your bag for a pleasant afternoon of summer reading. Wendy Francis tells the story of the the Herington sisters, their husbands and children, and their newly-divorced parents traveling to the Cape Cod family beach house, just as they do every summer.
The book is a family drama, so you can probably guess some of the plot points and character archetypes (oldest sister is Type A? Yep. One of the sisters is on the brink of divorce? Yep. etc...) There are some surprises, though, and one part of the book I found to be profoundly touching and humanizing. If you're not looking to tackle the books on the Man Booker prize shortlist, but wanting more substance than what's offered on the drugstore fiction rack, "The Summer of Good Intentions" provides a solid read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book is a family drama, so you can probably guess some of the plot points and character archetypes (oldest sister is Type A? Yep. One of the sisters is on the brink of divorce? Yep. etc...) There are some surprises, though, and one part of the book I found to be profoundly touching and humanizing. If you're not looking to tackle the books on the Man Booker prize shortlist, but wanting more substance than what's offered on the drugstore fiction rack, "The Summer of Good Intentions" provides a solid read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 28, 2015
Ahhhhh Summer!!
Every July since they were babies, the Herington Clan gathered at their beach house. These summers were always memorable and something everyone looked forward to, but this year's family get together was turning out to not be the best.
The Herington's parents were divorced, Maggie was stressed just because she always had to be in control and organized, Jess and her husband were having trouble, and Virgie, the single sister, who had a stressful job had some bad news that was difficult to accept.
All of the characters were likeable and made you want to share the month with them even though they were not having the best summer this particular year. I liked Arthur, their father, the best. He seemed like such a terrific person.
As July drew to a close, a secret the Herington girls could never have imagined surfaced as well as a loss that was the last straw for their summer.
Despite the heartaches, THE SUMMER OF GOOD INTENTIONS is a nice, breezy read when you are in the mood for family drama, family bonding, and of course a well-written story.
Ms. Francis has a way of emotionally drawing you into the story, and her writing style keeps you interested. And speaking of emotions, you will need some tissues as you read the ending pages.
I truly enjoyed THE SUMMER OF GOOD INTENTIONS because it brought out family-related topics that we all can learn from. I would also call THE SUMMER OF GOOD INTENTIONS an uplifting read.
I loved Ms. Francis' comments about the bond of sisters and her tribute to her mother in the acknowledgements.
I now want to read her first book, THREE GOOD THINGS.
ENJOY when you read THE SUMMER OF GOOD INTENTIONS. Thanks, Ms. Francis. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
July 10, 2024
I can't rant about this book, nor can I rave about it. All I can say is that it was more depressing than I would have liked to have read over the Fourth of July weekend.
Three grown-up sisters, a set of divorced parents (mother with her "boy" toy!), and a beach house...naturally, each family is having some sort of crisis/issues, and hopefully, a month/two weeks/week at the family beach house should put things into perspective. Discussions with your sisters over copious glasses of wine or fruity drinks should help you figure out what you want to do - no, this doesn't happen, though. This book is filled with nothing you have come to expect for a summer beach read.
I could not connect with any of the characters. They were too cliched for my tastes. I felt that too many tragedies befell this family over the space of a couple of weeks. I was depressed reading this. Frankly, to be honest I could not finish this book - how could things get better when one of the main characters is diagnosed with a fatal disease?
*ARC supplied by publisher.
Three grown-up sisters, a set of divorced parents (mother with her "boy" toy!), and a beach house...naturally, each family is having some sort of crisis/issues, and hopefully, a month/two weeks/week at the family beach house should put things into perspective. Discussions with your sisters over copious glasses of wine or fruity drinks should help you figure out what you want to do - no, this doesn't happen, though. This book is filled with nothing you have come to expect for a summer beach read.
I could not connect with any of the characters. They were too cliched for my tastes. I felt that too many tragedies befell this family over the space of a couple of weeks. I was depressed reading this. Frankly, to be honest I could not finish this book - how could things get better when one of the main characters is diagnosed with a fatal disease?
*ARC supplied by publisher.
October 7, 2015
I enjoyed this book for the most part. It centered around three sisters and their families while vacationing on Cape Cod in July. Which is perfect--the timing while reading this. I really felt that I was on the Cape (which is one of my favorite places I've ever been), Wendy Francis captured the essence of the summer magic there. I liked the characters. Every chapter was dedicated to each sister: Maggie, Jess, & Virgie, and also from their father. I didn't mind all the pov's, I thought each chapter depicted the characters perfectly. Each one had a different problem they were working through; "real" problems that I think happen quite often. That wasn't bad but I think that's what kept me from really loving this book. It was a just a little heavier in subjects than I guess I was expecting. Which, while not a bad thing, just got to me by the end. I also love the cover; I could just imagine myself sitting in one of those chairs.
**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 21, 2024
3.5 stars. Grown siblings spend time together during the summer at the family beach house. Drama ensues. That’s usually a formula for a story that I’ll love but this was just okay for me. My first book by this author and even though I didn’t love it as much as I’d hoped, I’d be willing to give another one of her books a shot at some point.
July 7, 2015
4.5 stars.
In The Summer of Good Intentions by Wendy Francis, the Herington family's annual trip to their summer cottage on Cape Cod is rife with tension and minor discord. Unlike years past, the family vacation is anything but relaxing as each member is faced with challenges that play out during the month long visit.
Oldest daughter Maggie McNeil is looking forward the chance to unwind and escape from her hectic life. This über organized mom of three is more than ready to leave behind the hustle and bustle of busy days and enjoy a relaxing month at the beach with her extended family. She has managed to schedule everyone's visits and figure out sleeping arrangements and now it is time for her to let her husband, Mac, lend a hand with kids while she hangs out with the rest of the family. But the first hint of trouble arrives when her mom, Gloria, arrives at the summer house early which puts her visiting at the same time as her father Arthur, whom Gloria divorced eighteen months earlier after nearly 46 years of marriage.
Jess, Maggie's twin sister, is next to arrive with her husband, Tim, and their two young kids. Although she is excited about the upcoming visit with her family, she is dreading spending extended time with Tim. Their marriage has hit a very rough patch and the two are barely speaking to each other. Their relationship has disintegrated to the point that Jess can barely stand to look at him and her flirtation with a neighbor has come very close to crossing the line into infidelity. The time away from their normal routine is just what Jess needs to rediscover the man she fell in love with, but will Tim forgive her if she admits her attraction to another man?
Youngest sister Virgie has a successful career in journalism but she is definitely feeling the stress from her demanding job. She is also in a new relationship with a wonderful man but since he so different from her previous boyfriends, she is a little unsure what comes next for them. She has also been experiencing a few troubling health issues but the symptoms are so vague she finds them easy to ignore. However, a fainting spell lands Virgie in the ER and the diagnosis becomes a crossroads for her.
The sisters' dad, Arthur, has been floundering since his divorce from Gloria. He is still deeply in love with her and although he maintains his normal daily routine, he is having troubling finishing his latest novel. He still enjoys his volunteer position at a local library but he has picked up a rather strange habit that is vaguely troubling to his daughters. However it is Arthur's lapses in memory that everyone finds most disconcerting but is his forgetfulness just a natural part of aging?
Written in alternating points of view, The Summer of Good Intentions is a poignant and heartwarming novel with a realistic storyline. Wendy Francis brings the seaside retreat vibrantly to life and the idyllic setting perfectly balances the characters' weightier issues. The characters are brilliantly developed, likable and although each are facing life altering situations, the plot is delightfully free of angst. A warm and inviting story with a close-knit family whose bonds are strengthened by crisis.
In The Summer of Good Intentions by Wendy Francis, the Herington family's annual trip to their summer cottage on Cape Cod is rife with tension and minor discord. Unlike years past, the family vacation is anything but relaxing as each member is faced with challenges that play out during the month long visit.
Oldest daughter Maggie McNeil is looking forward the chance to unwind and escape from her hectic life. This über organized mom of three is more than ready to leave behind the hustle and bustle of busy days and enjoy a relaxing month at the beach with her extended family. She has managed to schedule everyone's visits and figure out sleeping arrangements and now it is time for her to let her husband, Mac, lend a hand with kids while she hangs out with the rest of the family. But the first hint of trouble arrives when her mom, Gloria, arrives at the summer house early which puts her visiting at the same time as her father Arthur, whom Gloria divorced eighteen months earlier after nearly 46 years of marriage.
Jess, Maggie's twin sister, is next to arrive with her husband, Tim, and their two young kids. Although she is excited about the upcoming visit with her family, she is dreading spending extended time with Tim. Their marriage has hit a very rough patch and the two are barely speaking to each other. Their relationship has disintegrated to the point that Jess can barely stand to look at him and her flirtation with a neighbor has come very close to crossing the line into infidelity. The time away from their normal routine is just what Jess needs to rediscover the man she fell in love with, but will Tim forgive her if she admits her attraction to another man?
Youngest sister Virgie has a successful career in journalism but she is definitely feeling the stress from her demanding job. She is also in a new relationship with a wonderful man but since he so different from her previous boyfriends, she is a little unsure what comes next for them. She has also been experiencing a few troubling health issues but the symptoms are so vague she finds them easy to ignore. However, a fainting spell lands Virgie in the ER and the diagnosis becomes a crossroads for her.
The sisters' dad, Arthur, has been floundering since his divorce from Gloria. He is still deeply in love with her and although he maintains his normal daily routine, he is having troubling finishing his latest novel. He still enjoys his volunteer position at a local library but he has picked up a rather strange habit that is vaguely troubling to his daughters. However it is Arthur's lapses in memory that everyone finds most disconcerting but is his forgetfulness just a natural part of aging?
Written in alternating points of view, The Summer of Good Intentions is a poignant and heartwarming novel with a realistic storyline. Wendy Francis brings the seaside retreat vibrantly to life and the idyllic setting perfectly balances the characters' weightier issues. The characters are brilliantly developed, likable and although each are facing life altering situations, the plot is delightfully free of angst. A warm and inviting story with a close-knit family whose bonds are strengthened by crisis.
June 17, 2015
The cover says "great summer/beach read". And it is. But it it SO much more. Not light. Not fluffy. But still so much beachy summer goodness.
The Herinton sisters are spending July at their family Cape Cod beach house, like every year. This year though they are all struggling in some way. Maggie longs for "more" in her family. Jess feels her marriage isn't what she thought it was and has had a "fling". Virgie is the career woman, but health problems loom for her.
Add in their parents (who are 1.5 years post divorce), mom's "friend" Gio, kids, etc. and you have a full on family full of as much disfunction as any other.
Oh yes, and Arthur, their father, is having memory lapses and they start to worry it is more than just old age.
Enjoyed watching the three sisters work through their own issues, and things they had to deal with together and pull together as a family.
I don't want to give too much away! Go read it. More "meat" than your typical beach read. Didn't want to put it down!
Thank you Netgalley & Simon & Schuster for my ARC copy. It was my pleasure to read it and give you my honest review! More like this one!
The Herinton sisters are spending July at their family Cape Cod beach house, like every year. This year though they are all struggling in some way. Maggie longs for "more" in her family. Jess feels her marriage isn't what she thought it was and has had a "fling". Virgie is the career woman, but health problems loom for her.
Add in their parents (who are 1.5 years post divorce), mom's "friend" Gio, kids, etc. and you have a full on family full of as much disfunction as any other.
Oh yes, and Arthur, their father, is having memory lapses and they start to worry it is more than just old age.
Enjoyed watching the three sisters work through their own issues, and things they had to deal with together and pull together as a family.
I don't want to give too much away! Go read it. More "meat" than your typical beach read. Didn't want to put it down!
Thank you Netgalley & Simon & Schuster for my ARC copy. It was my pleasure to read it and give you my honest review! More like this one!
June 2, 2023
I can’t remember when I have ever read a book in which the characters all work out their difficulties by talking about their problems together and trying to change the behaviors that are not working. Isn’t that a refreshing idea? In addition, the story can’t get much more summer-ish than this, with a setting at a beach house. A perfect little read.
December 2, 2017
It was ok, just ok. I had much higher expectations, it seemed disjointed in places.
August 26, 2015
As the dog days of summer wind down, Wendy Francis' The Summer of Good Intentions is the perfect book to read at the beach or on the porch.
A family reunites to spend their annual July vacation at their summer home on Cape Cod. Maggie is mom to three, married to a great guy, and the organizer of the family. Jess is a high school principal, struggling to balance her demanding job, her children and a husband who is more interested in his job than his family. Virgie is the single one, a career-driven reporter trying to get a job as a TV news anchor and just staring a promising relationship.
Their parents have recently divorced, and their mother Gloria is bringing her new boyfriend to the house. This makes their dad, Arthur, a mystery book writer, very sad as he doesn't understand why their marriage fell apart.
Maggie fears that her life will become empty as her children get older and need her less. She wants to bring a foster child into the family but must first convince her husband. Jess' marriage woes have led her to place that could destroy her marriage and Virgie's work stresses have made her physically ill.
I just fell into this story, reading it in two sittings. The sibling relationships felt so real, and the story of the three marriages facing different challenges was so engrossing. I felt like I was in the family vacation home, watching these people interact around me.
We are privy to the secrets and feelings that each character has, and just like in life, things happen that can bring people together or tear them apart. Wendy Francis brings to life this interesting family, one just like our own, and she does so with heart and compassion that we can't help but want them to be happy even as the sad things that life inevitably brings each us do their best to bring us down.
This is the second book I have read that features a character who is a hoarder (the other being Mary Pflum Peterson's upcoming memoir White Dresses), and it has given me more compassion for people who suffer from this disorder and for the family members who try to deal with them and the physical and emotional mess they leave behind.
I loved The Summer of Good Intentions, and give it my highest recommendation. If you've ever sat on the beach talking with your sisters, this is the book for you.
A family reunites to spend their annual July vacation at their summer home on Cape Cod. Maggie is mom to three, married to a great guy, and the organizer of the family. Jess is a high school principal, struggling to balance her demanding job, her children and a husband who is more interested in his job than his family. Virgie is the single one, a career-driven reporter trying to get a job as a TV news anchor and just staring a promising relationship.
Their parents have recently divorced, and their mother Gloria is bringing her new boyfriend to the house. This makes their dad, Arthur, a mystery book writer, very sad as he doesn't understand why their marriage fell apart.
Maggie fears that her life will become empty as her children get older and need her less. She wants to bring a foster child into the family but must first convince her husband. Jess' marriage woes have led her to place that could destroy her marriage and Virgie's work stresses have made her physically ill.
I just fell into this story, reading it in two sittings. The sibling relationships felt so real, and the story of the three marriages facing different challenges was so engrossing. I felt like I was in the family vacation home, watching these people interact around me.
We are privy to the secrets and feelings that each character has, and just like in life, things happen that can bring people together or tear them apart. Wendy Francis brings to life this interesting family, one just like our own, and she does so with heart and compassion that we can't help but want them to be happy even as the sad things that life inevitably brings each us do their best to bring us down.
This is the second book I have read that features a character who is a hoarder (the other being Mary Pflum Peterson's upcoming memoir White Dresses), and it has given me more compassion for people who suffer from this disorder and for the family members who try to deal with them and the physical and emotional mess they leave behind.
I loved The Summer of Good Intentions, and give it my highest recommendation. If you've ever sat on the beach talking with your sisters, this is the book for you.
July 30, 2015
Each July, the Herington sisters take off for their family's beach house in Cape Cod. There's Maggie, the eldest sister, who always tries to make everything perfect for the family. Her twin, Jess, is also coming with her family, except things with her husband aren't good. Then there's the younger sister, Virginia, or Virgie, who is always consumed with her job. To complicate matters further, her parents are newly divorced and want to spend some time with them this summer, but thankfully, Maggie has them coming on different weeks in order to not make things completely awkward. This is even more crucial when they find out their mother is bringing a male friend. But this summer is anything but easy. Many ups and downs occur for the family. For starters, Arthur, their father, is suffering from memory loss and showing many signs of hoarding since his marriage has been over. He wants Gloria, his ex-wife, to come back to him, but she has moved on. There's also marital problems, issues with careers, illness, and a side of family drama all while the Heringtons try to enjoy their summer vacation. The Summer of Good Intentions by Wendy Francis is a summer read with heart. It's not all rainbows in this book; the characters face some major issues that I think many people can relate to today.
Read the rest of my review here:
http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
Read the rest of my review here:
http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
August 8, 2017
I had to quit this book. It is so...........BORING! I found myself clicking two or three pages at a time and not missing anything. It's just so..............................navel-gazing. I couldn't care less about these people, there is no storyline or plot. It's just a bunch of people dissecting their boring, average lives in a boring, average house that apparently has so much significance that they spend 11 months of their year living like shit (relationships, boozing, affairs, health etc) and then put it all on "the summer house" to correct. It's just stupid. And BORING! Thanks be that I only paid a buck for the thing!
August 26, 2017
A bit scatterbrained
Did anyone else notice there were two "final" chapters complete with the sisters checking out of the hotel twice? How do editors miss things like that? I thought the premise was good but the book was so disjointed. Started out as a nice beach read then spiraled into tragedy. Storyline drug on in many places.
Did anyone else notice there were two "final" chapters complete with the sisters checking out of the hotel twice? How do editors miss things like that? I thought the premise was good but the book was so disjointed. Started out as a nice beach read then spiraled into tragedy. Storyline drug on in many places.
September 3, 2023
Strong 4
July 20, 2015
Thanks to NETGALLEY and Simon and Schuster for the giving me the opportunity to read The Summer Of Good Intentions by Wendy Francis, and give an honest review.
I enjoyed this novel very much, its the story of three sisters and various family members. The book takes place in the summer at a beach house that the family owns. The sisters and their families all come together to enjoy the beach house for a month. Maggie and Jess are twins and Virgie is the youngest. The sisters parents are newly divorced, but both mom an dad come to the beach this July.
which becomes somewhat a comical reaction for all family members.
This vacation however does not turn out exactly how the sisters had planned, there are many ups and downs for the families to face.
This is a novel about sisters, family, trials, there is laughter, many tears, they experience a tragedy, illness, but the sisters come together, they work as a unit and things begin to come together for them. Its about love, forgiveness, acceptance, reconciliation and most important new beginnings.
This was a great read and if you love family drama, its the perfect book for you.
Thanks NETGALLEY and SIMON AND SCHUSTER...
I enjoyed this novel very much, its the story of three sisters and various family members. The book takes place in the summer at a beach house that the family owns. The sisters and their families all come together to enjoy the beach house for a month. Maggie and Jess are twins and Virgie is the youngest. The sisters parents are newly divorced, but both mom an dad come to the beach this July.
which becomes somewhat a comical reaction for all family members.
This vacation however does not turn out exactly how the sisters had planned, there are many ups and downs for the families to face.
This is a novel about sisters, family, trials, there is laughter, many tears, they experience a tragedy, illness, but the sisters come together, they work as a unit and things begin to come together for them. Its about love, forgiveness, acceptance, reconciliation and most important new beginnings.
This was a great read and if you love family drama, its the perfect book for you.
Thanks NETGALLEY and SIMON AND SCHUSTER...
July 15, 2015
I just finished this amazing book, and I'm still weeping from the ending, good tears and sad tears. This book is by far one of the best reads I've read in quite awhile. Reading a book like this is so refreshing, and ignites so many emotions, many of which we deal with in our own families. Love, loss, Family, Illness, and even hoarding!
The topics the author hits on are point on. I love books that have chapters labeled with a certain characters perspective. It brings it all together and you get deeper into each character. Love that!
If you are looking for a new book to read, pick this book up, but plan on being glued to your chair for a few days....it's hard to put down.
I look forward to the next book from the author, reading the conversation with Wendy Francis at the end I learned one is in the works....CANNOT WAIT!
I won this book on the Goodreads Giveaway, and I'm so glad I did, otherwise I might have missed it! THANK YOU!
So I must end with Que sera, sera!
The topics the author hits on are point on. I love books that have chapters labeled with a certain characters perspective. It brings it all together and you get deeper into each character. Love that!
If you are looking for a new book to read, pick this book up, but plan on being glued to your chair for a few days....it's hard to put down.
I look forward to the next book from the author, reading the conversation with Wendy Francis at the end I learned one is in the works....CANNOT WAIT!
I won this book on the Goodreads Giveaway, and I'm so glad I did, otherwise I might have missed it! THANK YOU!
So I must end with Que sera, sera!
March 29, 2015
Give me a summer beach setting with a multitude of family dynamics involved, and I'm there. This story of three sisters and their families spending the month of July at their Cape Cod summer house that, natch, involves the usual array of issues such as infidelity, health secrets, sibling relationships, and marriage problems is a solid entry in the realm of women's fiction. This would fit nicely on the shelf with books by Nancy Thayer, Elin Hilderbrand, and Wendy Wax. Perfect for the beach tote.
Thanks to Edelweiss for a DRC for advance previewing.
Thanks to Edelweiss for a DRC for advance previewing.
May 4, 2016
No...this book was all over the place with its ailments, causes, weaknesses, whatever. Understanding hoarders; living with MS; dementia, and recognizing its signs; mid-life crises and your marriage; foster parenting; long-distance relationships - can they succeed? And more! Also, while trust can be violated just as severely (or moreso) with an emotional affair as it can with a lusty physical one, the woman in this book agonizes over one kiss.
Too many main characters, too many big issues. They all end up muddied together.
Too many main characters, too many big issues. They all end up muddied together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2015
What a wonderful book about family. These sisters could live next door they are so real. Meeting in Cape Cod for their annual summer get together the family brings along problems and baggage that could derail their vacation. The Herrington's pull together and their love come blazing to life. Just in time for a beach read, Wendy Francis has written a great summer time story.
June 12, 2017
Good summer read, easy and quick!!
July 28, 2020
Perfect summer read I like a book I can read in one sitting!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2025
I wish I liked this more - it was summery which was a fun feeling, but I was kind of bored 🫠
August 31, 2025
2.5⭐️ this book was the most average book ever. elicited absolutely 0 emotional response.
June 22, 2015
This is a pretty good summer read. The Herinton sisters, Maggie, Jess and Virgie, are back at the family home in Cape Cod to spend the summer. Their parents, divorced roughly eighteen months, are part of the visit. Though not planned this way, their mother, Gloria, has dropped in with her current squeeze, much to the dismay of their father Arthur and of the girls. Each of the sisters has secrets they are hiding and life obstacles they are working to overcome. Maggie, the oldest, the family nurturer, wants more in her life, as her youngest son goes off to school in the fall. Jess has definite problems in her marriage which she isn’t sure how to overcome or even begin to resolve. Virgie is at a turning point in her journalism career as well as having a new man in her life—who may become a permanent part of her life. Though the divorce is final and things supposedly should have settled down, Arthur still has major problems with his divorce from the girls’ mother Gloria and is floundering. Gloria, though divorced from Arthur and accompanied by her latest boy toy, also still has feelings for Arthur and while feeling her oats as a newly free divorcee. The dynamics of the family as they all interact during this one month at Cape Cod are interesting to watch. I found myself swept up in this family and their daily lives and struggles. The characters are real and enticing. The setting is a great summer one. However, don’t be fooled. This is more than just another quick fluff piece. The story and its underlying themes are real, to the point, and grab you from the get-go. I found myself totally involved in the family as they each work through their own problems and struggles.
This is a possible spoiler. The only part of the book I could not understand and felt could have been eliminated was the sisters’ cleaning up of their father’s house at the end of the month. Had the author not included this in the detail she did the story would still have stood strong and steady, making this picture of the girls’ father unnecessary. It just did not lend anything to the story.
This is a good book for a summer or even a beach read. However, be forewarned. The book will scoop you up out of your lazy days of summer and take you to new levels of interest and understanding. It may seem like a light hearted story of one family’s summer vacation at the Cape, but it is definitely more, with more depth and feeling. I highly recommend it. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.
This is a possible spoiler. The only part of the book I could not understand and felt could have been eliminated was the sisters’ cleaning up of their father’s house at the end of the month. Had the author not included this in the detail she did the story would still have stood strong and steady, making this picture of the girls’ father unnecessary. It just did not lend anything to the story.
This is a good book for a summer or even a beach read. However, be forewarned. The book will scoop you up out of your lazy days of summer and take you to new levels of interest and understanding. It may seem like a light hearted story of one family’s summer vacation at the Cape, but it is definitely more, with more depth and feeling. I highly recommend it. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.
July 5, 2015
The Summer of Good Intentions focuses on the Herington family and how one summer has changed their lives forever. When all three sisters and their families comes together for their annual summer getaway at the family house but this year feels and is very different from summers past. Their parents are recently divorced and they have to deal with having them there separately since their mother is bringing a new boyfriend and their father just isn’t acting himself these days. Plus they all have to deal with their own lives and families and how their choices will not only affect themselves but the family as a whole.
Maggie is the oldest the family’s rock. Her life and marriage is the most solid and she is the one who is determined that her family doesn’t fall apart, so much so that she takes on everything only adding more stress to her own life.
Jess is the middle sister who we discover is having an affair after she feels her life is boring and her husband doesn’t give her what she feels is missing. She takes this summer to discover if she wants to save her marriage or if she wants to see if this “affair” is really anything or just a fling.
And then there is Virgie. She is the baby of the family her father’s favorite who up to this point has put her career first and personal happiness second. She recently has met a nice guy who she is quickly falling for and for the first time she rethinks her decisions in life.
The Summer of Good Intentions gives us everything that makes it an amazing read. I loved this story of family and how while everyone has their own problems in the end it’s all about family. They are truly there for one another and this summer of the tragedies, illnesses and obstacles they face will truly test just that. This book defines a summer read. It gives you a nice summer background of sun and fun but it is so much more than that. I loved the family dynamics between everyone; however the bonds the sisters have with one another is so true to life. It isn’t perfect they fight and argue and I liked how the author didn’t try to sugar coat this family and showed them flaws and all. In the end this read digs below the surface and shows us that family is the most important thing, that you can have all the money, fame and career but nothing means anything if you don’t have that backbone of love and support behind you. This is one is a MUST on any summer reading list.
Maggie is the oldest the family’s rock. Her life and marriage is the most solid and she is the one who is determined that her family doesn’t fall apart, so much so that she takes on everything only adding more stress to her own life.
Jess is the middle sister who we discover is having an affair after she feels her life is boring and her husband doesn’t give her what she feels is missing. She takes this summer to discover if she wants to save her marriage or if she wants to see if this “affair” is really anything or just a fling.
And then there is Virgie. She is the baby of the family her father’s favorite who up to this point has put her career first and personal happiness second. She recently has met a nice guy who she is quickly falling for and for the first time she rethinks her decisions in life.
The Summer of Good Intentions gives us everything that makes it an amazing read. I loved this story of family and how while everyone has their own problems in the end it’s all about family. They are truly there for one another and this summer of the tragedies, illnesses and obstacles they face will truly test just that. This book defines a summer read. It gives you a nice summer background of sun and fun but it is so much more than that. I loved the family dynamics between everyone; however the bonds the sisters have with one another is so true to life. It isn’t perfect they fight and argue and I liked how the author didn’t try to sugar coat this family and showed them flaws and all. In the end this read digs below the surface and shows us that family is the most important thing, that you can have all the money, fame and career but nothing means anything if you don’t have that backbone of love and support behind you. This is one is a MUST on any summer reading list.
July 11, 2015
I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the book, it was a perfect book to just set back and enjoy.The locale was beautiful set in Cape Cod and the whole family tradition was just great. But, this will be the first time since their parents had gotten their divorce that they have all gathered at the summer house.
The three sisters, Maggie the oldest of the twins sisters, Jess is next then the youngest is Virgie. Maggie is one of these super types that everything works out well for and she takes charge of every situation. She has three children and a wonderful husband.
Jess, the middle sister is not looking forward to this vacation for her own reasons. She is having trouble with her husband, Tim. He finds her new career as a High School Principal more of a pain to the family and doesn't take it serious. He is lazy at home and doesn't communicate with her and barely the two children. She has just about had it with him.
Virgie, the youngest is a journalist and is her father's favorite. She is looking so forward to spending this time with her family. She thinks she may have met the love of her life and she really hated to leave him in LA. She has been suffering from minor heath glitches that turn out to be anything but minor.
They are all a bit nervous when their mother and father show up on the same day! Gloria, their flamboyant mother shows up with a boytoy and poor Arthur who is still in love with Gloria really takes a hit. But when Gloria sees Arthur is there she and her friend decide to stay in a nearby hotel. Arthur has really deteriorated mentally since the divorce the sisters have noticed it, but after all he is 72 yrs old and they give him a bit of slack until he forgets some major things and then they have decided that he needs to get to a doctor and checked out.
While they were celebrating Arthur's birthday party they realize Virgie isn't around. Someone goes up to finds that she has fainted and is laying on the floor. They get her to the hospital and the ER doctor wants her to go to Boston to get more testing done. They decide to get Arthur to go as well. But things get a little confusing for the family and everything kind of falls apart. Not even Maggie can fix these issues.
It has some great times and sad times. I really enjoyed the way the writer held them all together and kept the story going.
I really enjoyed the book, it was a perfect book to just set back and enjoy.The locale was beautiful set in Cape Cod and the whole family tradition was just great. But, this will be the first time since their parents had gotten their divorce that they have all gathered at the summer house.
The three sisters, Maggie the oldest of the twins sisters, Jess is next then the youngest is Virgie. Maggie is one of these super types that everything works out well for and she takes charge of every situation. She has three children and a wonderful husband.
Jess, the middle sister is not looking forward to this vacation for her own reasons. She is having trouble with her husband, Tim. He finds her new career as a High School Principal more of a pain to the family and doesn't take it serious. He is lazy at home and doesn't communicate with her and barely the two children. She has just about had it with him.
Virgie, the youngest is a journalist and is her father's favorite. She is looking so forward to spending this time with her family. She thinks she may have met the love of her life and she really hated to leave him in LA. She has been suffering from minor heath glitches that turn out to be anything but minor.
They are all a bit nervous when their mother and father show up on the same day! Gloria, their flamboyant mother shows up with a boytoy and poor Arthur who is still in love with Gloria really takes a hit. But when Gloria sees Arthur is there she and her friend decide to stay in a nearby hotel. Arthur has really deteriorated mentally since the divorce the sisters have noticed it, but after all he is 72 yrs old and they give him a bit of slack until he forgets some major things and then they have decided that he needs to get to a doctor and checked out.
While they were celebrating Arthur's birthday party they realize Virgie isn't around. Someone goes up to finds that she has fainted and is laying on the floor. They get her to the hospital and the ER doctor wants her to go to Boston to get more testing done. They decide to get Arthur to go as well. But things get a little confusing for the family and everything kind of falls apart. Not even Maggie can fix these issues.
It has some great times and sad times. I really enjoyed the way the writer held them all together and kept the story going.
August 2, 2016
THE SUMMER OF GOOD INTENTIONS is a tale of three grown sisters, and their families, brought together for a family vacation at Cape Cod.
Maggie and Jess are twins who can usually read one another’s thoughts. Maggie is the organizer whose family gets to Cape Cod first to open and air out the summer house. Maggie has to have everything running smoothly in the house before she can relax and enjoy the vacation.
Jess is a few minutes younger than Maggie so she is considered the middle daughter. She loves her job as a school principal, but her marriage is suffering because of it. Jess has always told Maggie about her problems, but she is not sure she can reveal her infidelity.
Virgie is the youngest daughter, and has always been her father’s favorite because she is a writer like him. She lives in Seattle, so she doesn’t get back to the east coast often.
The girl’s parents have been divorced for a while so when their mother calls and informs them that she is coming to the family vacation, and is bringing a friend, the sisters are distraught for their father, who has made plans to be with them as well.
Maggie starts worrying about how her dad will react, Jess tells her husband about her fling with their neighbor, and Virgie falls and ends up in the hospital. All these things add to the family crisis and takes away from the vacation’s simplicity. When a tragedy occurs that devastates the family and leaves them wondering about the future, it tends to bring them all together as one to overcome adversity.
Wendy Francis has written a compelling story of family and their unity through adversities. This story will make you do a lot of deep thinking about your own family.
"I received a copy of this book for an honest review. Diana S, Romance Junkies."
Maggie and Jess are twins who can usually read one another’s thoughts. Maggie is the organizer whose family gets to Cape Cod first to open and air out the summer house. Maggie has to have everything running smoothly in the house before she can relax and enjoy the vacation.
Jess is a few minutes younger than Maggie so she is considered the middle daughter. She loves her job as a school principal, but her marriage is suffering because of it. Jess has always told Maggie about her problems, but she is not sure she can reveal her infidelity.
Virgie is the youngest daughter, and has always been her father’s favorite because she is a writer like him. She lives in Seattle, so she doesn’t get back to the east coast often.
The girl’s parents have been divorced for a while so when their mother calls and informs them that she is coming to the family vacation, and is bringing a friend, the sisters are distraught for their father, who has made plans to be with them as well.
Maggie starts worrying about how her dad will react, Jess tells her husband about her fling with their neighbor, and Virgie falls and ends up in the hospital. All these things add to the family crisis and takes away from the vacation’s simplicity. When a tragedy occurs that devastates the family and leaves them wondering about the future, it tends to bring them all together as one to overcome adversity.
Wendy Francis has written a compelling story of family and their unity through adversities. This story will make you do a lot of deep thinking about your own family.
"I received a copy of this book for an honest review. Diana S, Romance Junkies."
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