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The Summer That Made Us
Mothers and daughters, sisters and cousins, they lived for summers at the lake house until a tragic accident changed everything. The Summer That Made Us is an unforgettable story about a family learning to accept the past, to forgive and to love each other again.
That was then…
For the Hempsteads, two sisters who married two brothers and had three daughters each, summers were idyllic. The women would escape the city the moment school was out to gather at the family house on Lake Waseka. The lake was a magical place, a haven where they were happy and carefree. All of their problems drifted away as the days passed in sun-dappled contentment. Until the summer that changed everything.
This is now…
After an accidental drowning turned the lake house into a site of tragedy and grief, it was closed up. For good. Torn apart, none of the Hempstead women speak of what happened that summer, and relationships between them are uneasy at best to hurtful at worst. But in the face of new challenges, one woman is determined to draw her family together again, and the only way that can happen is to return to the lake and face the truth.
That was then…
For the Hempsteads, two sisters who married two brothers and had three daughters each, summers were idyllic. The women would escape the city the moment school was out to gather at the family house on Lake Waseka. The lake was a magical place, a haven where they were happy and carefree. All of their problems drifted away as the days passed in sun-dappled contentment. Until the summer that changed everything.
This is now…
After an accidental drowning turned the lake house into a site of tragedy and grief, it was closed up. For good. Torn apart, none of the Hempstead women speak of what happened that summer, and relationships between them are uneasy at best to hurtful at worst. But in the face of new challenges, one woman is determined to draw her family together again, and the only way that can happen is to return to the lake and face the truth.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published September 5, 2017
3082 people are currently reading
5607 people want to read
About the author
Robyn Carr
161 books12.6k followers Robyn Carr is a RITA® Award-winning, eleven-time #1 New York Times bestselling author of over sixty novels, including the critically acclaimed Virgin River series and Sullivan's Crossing series. Robyn's new women's fiction novel, THE FRIENDSHIP CLUB, will be released in January 2024. The new hit Sullivan's Crossing TV series (season 1) inspired by Robyn's book series was released in the USA in the fall of 2023! Plus, season 5 of the worldwide fan-favorite Virgin River TV Series is now streaming on Netflix (July 2023) with two holiday episodes coming November 30, 2023. Both TV series have been renewed for another season!
Robyn is a recipient of the Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award 2016, and in 2017, VIRGIN RIVER was named one of the HarperCollins 200 Iconic Books of the past 200 years. Robyn currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. You can visit Robyn Carr's website at https://www.robyncarr.com/.
Robyn is a recipient of the Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award 2016, and in 2017, VIRGIN RIVER was named one of the HarperCollins 200 Iconic Books of the past 200 years. Robyn currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. You can visit Robyn Carr's website at https://www.robyncarr.com/.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 943 reviews
November 19, 2017
Originally posted on The Book Nympho
Charlene (Charley) Hempstead is suddenly facing big changes in her life after her successful, long-running national talk show is canceled. Her younger sister, Megan (Meg) is fighting a tough battle with breast cancer and wants to return to their family’s lake house at Lake Waseba, Minnesota for the summer. She’s also inviting her cousins and their mothers, who haven’t spoken to each other in years. They all used to spend every summer at the lake until a tragic event fractured the family 27 years ago. Will they show up and if they do, can this highly dysfunctional family overcome their differences to restore the closeness they once shared?
This was a fascinating story with every level of conflict represented. Charley is at sea now that her self-defining career is stalled and the man she’s lived with for over 20 years suddenly proposes. And, she’s barely on speaking terms with her prickly mother. Her cousins, sisters Krista, Hope and Beverly, haven’t spoken to each other in years. Their mother, Jo, hasn’t had a real relationship with her sister and Charley’s mother, Lou, since that last trip to the lake. I won’t spoil the story by giving you more details but suffice it to say this was one strange brew. There are so many layers to the story, the characters and the events that happened at the last lake visit. There’s a LOT going on but Carr effectively weaves them together to create a compelling narrative using many voices.
I loved this story and wished we could see more of this family. But, deep down, I’m very satisfied to end where it did. This was one I had a tough time putting down and is contemporary fiction at its finest as family dynamics are explored in such a relevant way.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
Charlene (Charley) Hempstead is suddenly facing big changes in her life after her successful, long-running national talk show is canceled. Her younger sister, Megan (Meg) is fighting a tough battle with breast cancer and wants to return to their family’s lake house at Lake Waseba, Minnesota for the summer. She’s also inviting her cousins and their mothers, who haven’t spoken to each other in years. They all used to spend every summer at the lake until a tragic event fractured the family 27 years ago. Will they show up and if they do, can this highly dysfunctional family overcome their differences to restore the closeness they once shared?
This was a fascinating story with every level of conflict represented. Charley is at sea now that her self-defining career is stalled and the man she’s lived with for over 20 years suddenly proposes. And, she’s barely on speaking terms with her prickly mother. Her cousins, sisters Krista, Hope and Beverly, haven’t spoken to each other in years. Their mother, Jo, hasn’t had a real relationship with her sister and Charley’s mother, Lou, since that last trip to the lake. I won’t spoil the story by giving you more details but suffice it to say this was one strange brew. There are so many layers to the story, the characters and the events that happened at the last lake visit. There’s a LOT going on but Carr effectively weaves them together to create a compelling narrative using many voices.
I loved this story and wished we could see more of this family. But, deep down, I’m very satisfied to end where it did. This was one I had a tough time putting down and is contemporary fiction at its finest as family dynamics are explored in such a relevant way.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
September 15, 2017
Robyn Carr weaves an engrossing tale of family bonds, hurt, betrayal and tragedy that touched me deeply!
At the center of the story is Meg and Charlie, sisters enduring their own crisis’, but Meg’s is more urgent. She’s been battling cancer for four long years and just had a bone marrow transplant after chemo and needs to recuperate. Her prognosis is not good, and Charlie wants to be there for Meg in whatever way she can. Life gave Charlie a great opportunity, freed up her time, because she just lost her job as a talk show host, and has no idea what to do next. Add to that Charlie’s long-time committed man (they’ve been together for twenty-years) has just proposed marriage and for some odd reason this rattles Charlie. Meg’s wish is to go to the lake house, a place that holds some of their fondest memories, but a place where tragedy changed their lives forever. Meg and Charlie’s little sister, Bunny, drowned and their mother and aunt parted ways in an ugly way. For twenty-seven years neither family has been back, but that’s about to change.
Spending time at the lake house will stir up drama, but it’s Meg’s wish, and who can deny a woman what is most likely her dying wish? To get to the heart of why everything went to hell they must travel back with their memories to the time when their mothers: Louise and Josephine, (sisters who married brothers) would take them out to Lake Waseka those summers long ago. Was Bunny’s death the only reason for their estrangement or was it something more?
I loved this story sooo much! It made me cry, stirring up so many emotions! It sounds like a lot is going on, but it’s not hard to follow as a reader. I loved the sister dynamic between Meg and Charlie, they’re so very close, but Krista, Josephine’s daughter, and Meg and Charlie’s cousin quickly bonded with them again after so many years apart. Krista had a hard life, but managed to see the positive, and I adored her little slow burn romance that was unexpected, but so sweet for her!
Charlie has basically a marriage-in-crisis sort of situation even though she’s not technically married, her relationship is at odds and I so wanted her to work it out, because Michael was the best kind of man! Meg was just so centered and at peace with her situation, she just broke my heart, though!
Louise, Meg and Charlie’s mom, and Hope, Josephine’s daughter, are also notable characters, but not in a good way. I was stunned and shocked by their behavior, but also less upset with them by the end, as details of their lives are revealed. Each and every character, flaws and all came to life; felt realistic they were crafted so well.
The Lake Wasuka house and location was vividly depicted, and sounded gorgeous! I could smell the pine and wood of the forest, feel the breeze coming off the lake and wish that I was there with Meg, Charlie and Krista having a glass of wine on the porch!
The Summer That Made Us was a beautiful and intricate story of family and love that took my breath away!
A copy was kindly provided by MIRA via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
At the center of the story is Meg and Charlie, sisters enduring their own crisis’, but Meg’s is more urgent. She’s been battling cancer for four long years and just had a bone marrow transplant after chemo and needs to recuperate. Her prognosis is not good, and Charlie wants to be there for Meg in whatever way she can. Life gave Charlie a great opportunity, freed up her time, because she just lost her job as a talk show host, and has no idea what to do next. Add to that Charlie’s long-time committed man (they’ve been together for twenty-years) has just proposed marriage and for some odd reason this rattles Charlie. Meg’s wish is to go to the lake house, a place that holds some of their fondest memories, but a place where tragedy changed their lives forever. Meg and Charlie’s little sister, Bunny, drowned and their mother and aunt parted ways in an ugly way. For twenty-seven years neither family has been back, but that’s about to change.
Spending time at the lake house will stir up drama, but it’s Meg’s wish, and who can deny a woman what is most likely her dying wish? To get to the heart of why everything went to hell they must travel back with their memories to the time when their mothers: Louise and Josephine, (sisters who married brothers) would take them out to Lake Waseka those summers long ago. Was Bunny’s death the only reason for their estrangement or was it something more?
I loved this story sooo much! It made me cry, stirring up so many emotions! It sounds like a lot is going on, but it’s not hard to follow as a reader. I loved the sister dynamic between Meg and Charlie, they’re so very close, but Krista, Josephine’s daughter, and Meg and Charlie’s cousin quickly bonded with them again after so many years apart. Krista had a hard life, but managed to see the positive, and I adored her little slow burn romance that was unexpected, but so sweet for her!
Charlie has basically a marriage-in-crisis sort of situation even though she’s not technically married, her relationship is at odds and I so wanted her to work it out, because Michael was the best kind of man! Meg was just so centered and at peace with her situation, she just broke my heart, though!
Louise, Meg and Charlie’s mom, and Hope, Josephine’s daughter, are also notable characters, but not in a good way. I was stunned and shocked by their behavior, but also less upset with them by the end, as details of their lives are revealed. Each and every character, flaws and all came to life; felt realistic they were crafted so well.
The Lake Wasuka house and location was vividly depicted, and sounded gorgeous! I could smell the pine and wood of the forest, feel the breeze coming off the lake and wish that I was there with Meg, Charlie and Krista having a glass of wine on the porch!
The Summer That Made Us was a beautiful and intricate story of family and love that took my breath away!
A copy was kindly provided by MIRA via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 30, 2018
I love Robyn Carr's books. She's one of my favorite authors, so it was a joy being a part of her new family of characters in THE SUMMER THAT MADE US, even though these women were dealing with some major dysfunction!
The Hempstead sisters (who married two brothers) were once very close, and they spent every summer with their daughters (three each) at the family's idyllic Minnesota lake house. Then during the summer of 1989, tragedy strikes. As a result, the family is torn apart; lives are turned upside down. It's not until decades later that the women dare venture back to the lake house and attempt to make amends - some more willing than others.
THE SUMMER THAT MADE US is an emotional and complex family drama, with the characters dealing not only with their estrangement from each other, but also with difficult personal issues. The author did a beautiful job constructing this story, especially with so many voices. There were a couple of characters that I wished we'd heard more from, but overall I think the focus stayed where it needed to be. Fantastic summer read!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Hempstead sisters (who married two brothers) were once very close, and they spent every summer with their daughters (three each) at the family's idyllic Minnesota lake house. Then during the summer of 1989, tragedy strikes. As a result, the family is torn apart; lives are turned upside down. It's not until decades later that the women dare venture back to the lake house and attempt to make amends - some more willing than others.
THE SUMMER THAT MADE US is an emotional and complex family drama, with the characters dealing not only with their estrangement from each other, but also with difficult personal issues. The author did a beautiful job constructing this story, especially with so many voices. There were a couple of characters that I wished we'd heard more from, but overall I think the focus stayed where it needed to be. Fantastic summer read!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 20, 2017
Once again, it is easy to see why Robyn Carr is one of my favourite authors!
The Summer That Made Us is a very touching story of mothers, daughters, sisters and cousins.
Every summer was spent at the lake house until a tragic accident changed everything. The lake house was then closed for good. Many years later, one woman is determined to bring her family back together again. She sets out to make this happen at the lake house, to face the truth with no more secrets and lies.
A beautifully written unforgettable story!
Thank you to NetGalley and Mira Books for an arc of this novel.
The Summer That Made Us is a very touching story of mothers, daughters, sisters and cousins.
Every summer was spent at the lake house until a tragic accident changed everything. The lake house was then closed for good. Many years later, one woman is determined to bring her family back together again. She sets out to make this happen at the lake house, to face the truth with no more secrets and lies.
A beautifully written unforgettable story!
Thank you to NetGalley and Mira Books for an arc of this novel.
September 3, 2017
4.5/5
Wow this book was such an emotional read, way more than I was expecting it to be! There were highs and lows, ups and downs and I loved every minute of getting to know the dysfunctional Hempstead family. When I say dysfunctional I’m not even sure that word accurately describes things, this is a family steeped in tragedy going all the way back to the summer of ’89 and to say the events of that fateful summer messed them all up something fierce is putting it mildly.
Megan’s dying wish is to reunite her shattered family. At one point they were all super close and twenty seven years later most of them hardly speak at all. Jo and Lou are sisters who married brothers and they each had three daughters. They spent magical summers at their family lake house and life was pretty damn perfect for those summer months. When the youngest child, Bunny drowns the family is completely broken. Jo and Lou don’t speak and the daughters all mostly went their separate ways as well. Twenty seven years later and they’re back, for better or worse.
What makes Carr’s books standouts for me is her phenomenal characterization. Almost immediately I find myself invested and engrossed in the lives of her characters and this may be my favorite book of hers to date. I can’t even pick a favorite one here because they were all so real and raw, but Megan definitely wormed her way into my heart. I also really liked Krista, she is fresh out of prison after serving twenty five years and she was just such a unique women’s fiction character with her own type of spunk.
The plot mostly focused on repairing the families fractured relationships while slowly revealing secrets from the past and there were quite a few doozies. I’m always fascinated by complex families and hidden stories and there were so many here. There was one little twist that I totally didn’t see coming, twists in women’s fiction always through me for a loop because I’m not waiting on the edge of my seat for them like in a thriller.
Despite it being a highly evocative read it’s still very much a lighter read with substance. Carr’s trademark charm and easy writing style is in full effect making the perfect combination for a late summer read.
All of my reviews can be found on www.novelgossip.com
Wow this book was such an emotional read, way more than I was expecting it to be! There were highs and lows, ups and downs and I loved every minute of getting to know the dysfunctional Hempstead family. When I say dysfunctional I’m not even sure that word accurately describes things, this is a family steeped in tragedy going all the way back to the summer of ’89 and to say the events of that fateful summer messed them all up something fierce is putting it mildly.
Megan’s dying wish is to reunite her shattered family. At one point they were all super close and twenty seven years later most of them hardly speak at all. Jo and Lou are sisters who married brothers and they each had three daughters. They spent magical summers at their family lake house and life was pretty damn perfect for those summer months. When the youngest child, Bunny drowns the family is completely broken. Jo and Lou don’t speak and the daughters all mostly went their separate ways as well. Twenty seven years later and they’re back, for better or worse.
What makes Carr’s books standouts for me is her phenomenal characterization. Almost immediately I find myself invested and engrossed in the lives of her characters and this may be my favorite book of hers to date. I can’t even pick a favorite one here because they were all so real and raw, but Megan definitely wormed her way into my heart. I also really liked Krista, she is fresh out of prison after serving twenty five years and she was just such a unique women’s fiction character with her own type of spunk.
The plot mostly focused on repairing the families fractured relationships while slowly revealing secrets from the past and there were quite a few doozies. I’m always fascinated by complex families and hidden stories and there were so many here. There was one little twist that I totally didn’t see coming, twists in women’s fiction always through me for a loop because I’m not waiting on the edge of my seat for them like in a thriller.
Despite it being a highly evocative read it’s still very much a lighter read with substance. Carr’s trademark charm and easy writing style is in full effect making the perfect combination for a late summer read.
All of my reviews can be found on www.novelgossip.com
May 3, 2025
I don’t like the term “chick lit” for obvious reasons (but for those who don’t get obvious reasons and need everything spelled out for them: it’s a term that is derogatory, demeaning, and sexist), but in very rare non-ironic cases, it actually fits. This is the case with Robyn Carr’s novel “The Summer that Made Us”.
Carr is, according to her own bio, a “#1 New York Times bestselling author of more than sixty books”. It is the first book of Carr’s that I have read, and I am well aware that my assessment of her writing should be taken with a grain of salt as it is based solely on this book. I realize that writers have off days, that some books are better than others, that some publishers have deadlines that writers need to make and they don’t always do a stellar job of self-editing. Fair enough. This is why I am always willing to give an author a second chance if I don’t happen to like my first attempt at reading them.
“The Summer that Made Us” is one of those books that follow the same formulaic mold as books like “Fried Green Tomatoes”, “How to Make an American Quilt”, and “Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood”. Not surprisingly, all of those books were made into films. I would not be surprised if this book is already being shopped around by studios to be made into a movie. I will probably see it when it inevitably arrives in theaters.
Despite my dislike of the term “chick lit”, there is perhaps no better descriptor for books like this: a group of women from all walks of life are brought together for some reason to work out their individual problems and recognize the importance and beauty of sisterhood and female solidarity.
I don’t have a problem with the fact that men are practically and significantly absent from a vast majority of the novel. I get it. Men are usually the root of the problem, and they are rarely, if ever, the solution. I don’t feel offended because I know that I am not the target demographic here.
I don’t even have a problem with the melodramatic plot and dialogue. In truth, parts of the book read like a soap opera, but I have certainly read worse.
My biggest problem with Carr’s writing is a technical one, and one that anyone who has ever taken a creative writing course in high school or college will understand.
One of the first and most important lessons in writing fiction is the short but succinct axiom, “Show, don’t tell.”
Carr spends way too much of her time telling, through lengthy and boring paragraphs of exposition and clunky chunks of dialogue in which way too much information is given. Indeed, so little action actually takes place in the novel mainly because very little is needed. Carr spoon-feeds us every bit of information---back-story, character descriptions, nervous habits, favorite colors, the food they eat. It is mostly extraneous. It is also not very interesting, mainly because she doesn’t seem to have much confidence in her readers and their ability to figure things out.
Somewhere within “The Summer that Made Us” is a good book, with a decent story. Unfortunately, it is buried beneath a lot of expository telling that takes much of the excitement and suspense out of reading.
Carr is, according to her own bio, a “#1 New York Times bestselling author of more than sixty books”. It is the first book of Carr’s that I have read, and I am well aware that my assessment of her writing should be taken with a grain of salt as it is based solely on this book. I realize that writers have off days, that some books are better than others, that some publishers have deadlines that writers need to make and they don’t always do a stellar job of self-editing. Fair enough. This is why I am always willing to give an author a second chance if I don’t happen to like my first attempt at reading them.
“The Summer that Made Us” is one of those books that follow the same formulaic mold as books like “Fried Green Tomatoes”, “How to Make an American Quilt”, and “Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood”. Not surprisingly, all of those books were made into films. I would not be surprised if this book is already being shopped around by studios to be made into a movie. I will probably see it when it inevitably arrives in theaters.
Despite my dislike of the term “chick lit”, there is perhaps no better descriptor for books like this: a group of women from all walks of life are brought together for some reason to work out their individual problems and recognize the importance and beauty of sisterhood and female solidarity.
I don’t have a problem with the fact that men are practically and significantly absent from a vast majority of the novel. I get it. Men are usually the root of the problem, and they are rarely, if ever, the solution. I don’t feel offended because I know that I am not the target demographic here.
I don’t even have a problem with the melodramatic plot and dialogue. In truth, parts of the book read like a soap opera, but I have certainly read worse.
My biggest problem with Carr’s writing is a technical one, and one that anyone who has ever taken a creative writing course in high school or college will understand.
One of the first and most important lessons in writing fiction is the short but succinct axiom, “Show, don’t tell.”
Carr spends way too much of her time telling, through lengthy and boring paragraphs of exposition and clunky chunks of dialogue in which way too much information is given. Indeed, so little action actually takes place in the novel mainly because very little is needed. Carr spoon-feeds us every bit of information---back-story, character descriptions, nervous habits, favorite colors, the food they eat. It is mostly extraneous. It is also not very interesting, mainly because she doesn’t seem to have much confidence in her readers and their ability to figure things out.
Somewhere within “The Summer that Made Us” is a good book, with a decent story. Unfortunately, it is buried beneath a lot of expository telling that takes much of the excitement and suspense out of reading.
July 21, 2017
The Summer that made us didn't quite make it with me.
I have read most or Robyn Carr's books and this one is my least favorite of all of them. For some reason I didn't find myself as absorbed in the story. The premise is good. A family spent their summers at their summer home. They were happy and enjoyed each other's company. Then one summer everything changed. A young girl tragically drowned and the summer home was boarded up for what they believed would be for good. That summer changed their lives for many reasons. Relationships became strained, distant and at times painful.
In the present day the family members are dealing with various personal issues - illness, relationship issues, family drama,etc. The family members agree to return to their summer lake home to re-connect, deal with their past and reunite in the present.
This book deals with death, illness (cancer & dementia), teenage pregnancy, adoption, love, family, forgiveness and relationships. Great themes and they usually would draw me in. I found that I just didn't connect entirely with this book. I devoured her other books but this was was just okay at best for me. Her writing continues to be strong and she continues to write about real issues, this one just did not grab me as her other books have done. I'm actually sad about this because as I mentioned I am a Carr far - her Virgin River series being my favorite. As a whole she is a wonderful Author. I believe most will really enjoy this book by her as well. It just didn't WOW me as her others have done. Still a fan!
I received a copy of this book from Harlequin and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
I have read most or Robyn Carr's books and this one is my least favorite of all of them. For some reason I didn't find myself as absorbed in the story. The premise is good. A family spent their summers at their summer home. They were happy and enjoyed each other's company. Then one summer everything changed. A young girl tragically drowned and the summer home was boarded up for what they believed would be for good. That summer changed their lives for many reasons. Relationships became strained, distant and at times painful.
In the present day the family members are dealing with various personal issues - illness, relationship issues, family drama,etc. The family members agree to return to their summer lake home to re-connect, deal with their past and reunite in the present.
This book deals with death, illness (cancer & dementia), teenage pregnancy, adoption, love, family, forgiveness and relationships. Great themes and they usually would draw me in. I found that I just didn't connect entirely with this book. I devoured her other books but this was was just okay at best for me. Her writing continues to be strong and she continues to write about real issues, this one just did not grab me as her other books have done. I'm actually sad about this because as I mentioned I am a Carr far - her Virgin River series being my favorite. As a whole she is a wonderful Author. I believe most will really enjoy this book by her as well. It just didn't WOW me as her others have done. Still a fan!
I received a copy of this book from Harlequin and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
March 17, 2020
Look this is marketed as chick lit and a romance and it is not for all of the characters. I mean we have someone who is convicted for murder. We have an attempted rape scene. There is a secret pregnancy (that everyone knows about) and then the woman who got pregnant didn't know the real name of the father. Well hello there random man in the story. I can guess who you are. Someone has cancer that has a grim prognosis.
This book was a mess.
Not all of the characters were given equal weight and it was just all over the place.
I think I was also disappointed with the secret that was eventually shared with everyone too. It was so lackluster. And the reason for the aunts falling out was beyond stupid. I just had nothing when I got to the ending.
This book was a mess.
Not all of the characters were given equal weight and it was just all over the place.
I think I was also disappointed with the secret that was eventually shared with everyone too. It was so lackluster. And the reason for the aunts falling out was beyond stupid. I just had nothing when I got to the ending.
August 10, 2017
The Summer That Made Us
Robyn Carr
Received from Netgalley
Wow, what an emotional rollercoaster THE SUMMER THAT MADE US had me on. Megan has one crazy family and wants them all to get together one more summer at their lake house. Megan has cancer and she wants to try to get the family back as a whole like the good old days. It's been almost thirty years and Megan feels like it's time to let go of the past and be a family again. When I tell you this family is blistered, fractured, and blown to pieces, you will have to take my word for it. As you read THE SUMMER THAT MADE US you will begin to feel the same way.
For the Hempstead family, two sisters marry two brothers. Each family has three girls and they have them in six years. They go to the lake house every summer the day after school gets out and stay there until Labor Day. Life is good, they are all happy until the one summer when tragedy strikes. A young girl drowns and their lives will never be the same. The lake house is boarded up never to be used again. One by me, each of the daughters is broken. The sisters, Louise, and Jo don't talk anymore and they were best of friends. Once I started reading THE SUMMER THAT MADE US I was instantly hooked. I felt as if I were right there with all of these women, stressing everything they were going through.
The twists and turns in THE SUMMER THAT MADE US will have you staying up late just to read one more page. Before you know it, you have read three more chapters. Don't you love when an author has that kind of power over you? I sure do and that why I always run to Robyn Carr's books. She never fails to pull on my heart strings and never disappoints. By the time I finished, I had a huge lump in my throat, tears streaming down, and a stupid smile on my face. THE SUMMER THAT MADE US is filled with family, forgiveness, love, grief, and letting go of the past.
One by one, the women return to their summer cottage and stories are shared, events and good times remembered, and slowly they become a family again. Who could ask for anything more?
Robyn Carr
Received from Netgalley
Wow, what an emotional rollercoaster THE SUMMER THAT MADE US had me on. Megan has one crazy family and wants them all to get together one more summer at their lake house. Megan has cancer and she wants to try to get the family back as a whole like the good old days. It's been almost thirty years and Megan feels like it's time to let go of the past and be a family again. When I tell you this family is blistered, fractured, and blown to pieces, you will have to take my word for it. As you read THE SUMMER THAT MADE US you will begin to feel the same way.
For the Hempstead family, two sisters marry two brothers. Each family has three girls and they have them in six years. They go to the lake house every summer the day after school gets out and stay there until Labor Day. Life is good, they are all happy until the one summer when tragedy strikes. A young girl drowns and their lives will never be the same. The lake house is boarded up never to be used again. One by me, each of the daughters is broken. The sisters, Louise, and Jo don't talk anymore and they were best of friends. Once I started reading THE SUMMER THAT MADE US I was instantly hooked. I felt as if I were right there with all of these women, stressing everything they were going through.
The twists and turns in THE SUMMER THAT MADE US will have you staying up late just to read one more page. Before you know it, you have read three more chapters. Don't you love when an author has that kind of power over you? I sure do and that why I always run to Robyn Carr's books. She never fails to pull on my heart strings and never disappoints. By the time I finished, I had a huge lump in my throat, tears streaming down, and a stupid smile on my face. THE SUMMER THAT MADE US is filled with family, forgiveness, love, grief, and letting go of the past.
One by one, the women return to their summer cottage and stories are shared, events and good times remembered, and slowly they become a family again. Who could ask for anything more?
September 6, 2017
That Summer that Made Us is the perfect summer read!! This is my 3rd book by Robyn Carr and as with all the others, I enjoyed this book very much! Family feuds, an accidental drowning, a lot of drama, an ex-convict, all makings for a great dysfunctional family in a book. This one fit the bill!! I want to read other Robyn Carr books because I really enjoy her writing style!
August 17, 2017
I think that this book had the potential to be a really great book and I think for many regular readers of this author will enjoy it, but I didn't really think it worked out for me personally - which is really unfortunate because I was expecting to love it, in kind of a This is Where I Leave You family reunion sort of book.
Thank you so much to Little Bird Press for providing me with an eARC of this book for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.
This book follows the story of a family who has been broken and estranged by a tragedy twenty-some years ago. The story jumps through a couple of different narrators, including Megan and her sister Charley and their cousins Krista and Hope, and different timelines, that fateful summer and present day. After many years apart and of not going to the lake house in the summer, cancer-stricken Meg pleads with her family for one last reunion before she passes away. Through the summer, the family reunites and works through their issues.
On the outside, this book sounds really interesting. I was anticipating, as I mentioned, something like Tropper's novel, This Is Where I Leave You - a dysfunctional family reuniting in the face of a tragedy and healing. And I suppose that is what I got, but I think this one had a few too many integral issues for me to truly enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.
Firstly, the narration threw me off. The story was told in third person so I was already feeling a little distant from the characters and then the narrators kept jumping around, sometimes even within chapters. I don't know if I am just more used to a certain type of narration and then this one was just too outside of my usual that I wasn't a fan or what happened.
I also had a hard time keeping track of the characters. They all pretty much sounded the same because it was third person and it took me a good chunk to figure out the family tree. The cousins may as well have been sisters, their mothers marrying a pair of brothers and because of how close they were growing up.
I think that the main reason I wasn't a fan of this book was that I didn't connect to any of the characters. It seemed like each one was embodying some sort of trope and stereotype. Meg - the sick one, Charley - pregnant at 16, Bunny - died tragically, Hope - has delusions and mental health issues, Krista - went to prison, Beverley - the foster kid. It just felt like I didn't know the characters, I knew what had happened to them. Each of their trials felt like plot points, not characteristics, something I don't usually like.
I will say that this book did have its good moments, and perhaps I'm being a little too critical. I feel like it would be a good relaxing read, one where you aren't really becoming fully invested in the story for a long period of time but just kind of reading to pass the time. One of those typical "women's fiction" novels that your grandma or mom might read. And I think that might also be a part of why I didn't love it - I'm not the right demographic. I was expecting more than a book like this could give me.
The writing itself was fairly well done and I can see why many people love Carr's novels and will enjoy this one. I just think it didn't draw me in enough to fully enjoy it.
Overall, if you are a Carr fan, definitely give it a go - but for me, it just wasn't my cup of tea.
Thank you so much to Little Bird Press for providing me with an eARC of this book for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.
This book follows the story of a family who has been broken and estranged by a tragedy twenty-some years ago. The story jumps through a couple of different narrators, including Megan and her sister Charley and their cousins Krista and Hope, and different timelines, that fateful summer and present day. After many years apart and of not going to the lake house in the summer, cancer-stricken Meg pleads with her family for one last reunion before she passes away. Through the summer, the family reunites and works through their issues.
On the outside, this book sounds really interesting. I was anticipating, as I mentioned, something like Tropper's novel, This Is Where I Leave You - a dysfunctional family reuniting in the face of a tragedy and healing. And I suppose that is what I got, but I think this one had a few too many integral issues for me to truly enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.
Firstly, the narration threw me off. The story was told in third person so I was already feeling a little distant from the characters and then the narrators kept jumping around, sometimes even within chapters. I don't know if I am just more used to a certain type of narration and then this one was just too outside of my usual that I wasn't a fan or what happened.
I also had a hard time keeping track of the characters. They all pretty much sounded the same because it was third person and it took me a good chunk to figure out the family tree. The cousins may as well have been sisters, their mothers marrying a pair of brothers and because of how close they were growing up.
I think that the main reason I wasn't a fan of this book was that I didn't connect to any of the characters. It seemed like each one was embodying some sort of trope and stereotype. Meg - the sick one, Charley - pregnant at 16, Bunny - died tragically, Hope - has delusions and mental health issues, Krista - went to prison, Beverley - the foster kid. It just felt like I didn't know the characters, I knew what had happened to them. Each of their trials felt like plot points, not characteristics, something I don't usually like.
I will say that this book did have its good moments, and perhaps I'm being a little too critical. I feel like it would be a good relaxing read, one where you aren't really becoming fully invested in the story for a long period of time but just kind of reading to pass the time. One of those typical "women's fiction" novels that your grandma or mom might read. And I think that might also be a part of why I didn't love it - I'm not the right demographic. I was expecting more than a book like this could give me.
The writing itself was fairly well done and I can see why many people love Carr's novels and will enjoy this one. I just think it didn't draw me in enough to fully enjoy it.
Overall, if you are a Carr fan, definitely give it a go - but for me, it just wasn't my cup of tea.
March 4, 2018
A well written story containing a vast array of dynamics in multi- generational family members over the years. Since the key characters are female, you might classify this as a kind of family love story between Grandmothers, Mothers, Sisters, Daughters and Grandchildren.
I actually had a tear fall from my eye as I read the last several pages and closed the book with a satisfied sigh.
Yeah, there were some instances where I was able to predict what was going to happen next, but overall, there were enough elements of surprise or unexpected reveals to keep the plot interesting. The author does a great job in getting the reader emotionally connected to each of the characters from start to finish.
To provide a summary/review of this book and detail its characters in full, would be to simply give away the pleasure of discovering, reading and enjoying this book on your own.
I’ve just filed more of Robyn Carr’s books onto my TBR list. 🙂
I actually had a tear fall from my eye as I read the last several pages and closed the book with a satisfied sigh.
Yeah, there were some instances where I was able to predict what was going to happen next, but overall, there were enough elements of surprise or unexpected reveals to keep the plot interesting. The author does a great job in getting the reader emotionally connected to each of the characters from start to finish.
To provide a summary/review of this book and detail its characters in full, would be to simply give away the pleasure of discovering, reading and enjoying this book on your own.
I’ve just filed more of Robyn Carr’s books onto my TBR list. 🙂
August 15, 2017
This is the very touching story of a family whose lives were all changed by a summer tragedy. Sisters Lou and Jo were each the mother of three daughters. They all spent summers together at the family lake house. After the tragedy, none of them visit again. Years later, Meg, one of the cousins who spent summers on the lake, has cancer and wants to get her family back together again in this place they all once loved. The family hasn't kept in good contact since that long ago summer, but now a sister and cousin join Meg at the lake house. They start to build and repair relationships and to come to terms with the past.
Great characters, a poignant storyline, and a wonderful summer setting make this another wonderful read from Carr!
Great characters, a poignant storyline, and a wonderful summer setting make this another wonderful read from Carr!
September 7, 2017
This story was really chick-lit with a touch of romance that just pulled me in with all the dysfunctional people and relationships. I so like Robyn Carr's style of writing that feels like constant motion even when characters reminisce. Charley just lost her job and her cousin Megan who is battling cancer asks for help to spend the summer at their childhood vacation lake house.
September 12, 2017
Earlier this year, I read Robyn Carr’s Any Day Now. It was the second book in the Sullivan’s Crossing series and I was instantly left wanting to read more of the author’s work. The Summer That Made Us is the result of that desire.
In all honesty, I did not enjoy The Summer That Made Us as much as I enjoyed Any Day Now. Both of the books are deeply emotional reads, yet I found myself more connected with the characters in Any Day Now than I was with the characters in The Summer That Made Us. In all honesty, I believe I can explain why this is – but I’ll save that until later in the review. I’ll start by explaining my general feelings.
It took me a few chapters to fall into the story of The Summer That Made Us. I had a similar experience with Any Day Now, and with this being my second Robyn Carr book, I’m thinking such may be the norm for the author’s work. For me, it took me a while as I felt like the start of the book was made up of a lot of information dumps. There is a lot to understand about the dynamics of the characters and the family, meaning there is a lot of information to be provided. I simply felt, at first, information was thrown in excess. Once all of the information has been shared, the book starts to move faster – but I would have liked for this to have started happening sooner.
Once the story is moving, so many connections come into play. There is so much to be known about all of the characters. There really is a lot happen throughout this one. Secrets are found in the background of all of the characters, more information waiting to be revealed. On top of all these secrets we’re begging to understand, we also have a deeply emotional read. There is so much to deal with – cancer, marital problems, prison, teenage pregnancy, mental health, loss, and so much more. Every character brings something to the story, leaving you intrigued as to where things will go, whilst falling into the deeply emotional family story.
As I found with Any Day Now, the characters were wonderfully realistic. Each brought something different to the table, and we got to experience so much. I enjoyed some of the storylines more than others, but everything came together really well. You get to experience so much throughout this one, taking you on the wild journey of family life.
Despite the deep emotional pull of the story, I wasn’t as lost to it as I had hoped to be. This is why I gave the story a three star rating rather than a four. In truth, it is more of a three-point-five read. With all the emotions at the end of the book I considered giving the four star rating, but I spent more time closer to the three star rating throughout the rest of the book.
The reason for this is more of a personal preference than something everyone will dislike. I’m the kind of person who prefers to follow just a couple of characters throughout a book. With this one, we followed so many different storylines. I never quite lost myself to all of the storylines, finding myself rather disinterested when we were focusing upon certain characters. Whilst I understand the necessity of this within such a story – it is necessary to understand all of the connections within the book – I would have preferred it had we not been flickering between characters within a chapter. I’m much fonder of one chapter following one character, the next following another, and so on when I’m reading a book with multiple characters being central.
Overall, however, this was an enjoyable read. It was deeply emotional, and I’m still willing to read more of the author’s work.
In all honesty, I did not enjoy The Summer That Made Us as much as I enjoyed Any Day Now. Both of the books are deeply emotional reads, yet I found myself more connected with the characters in Any Day Now than I was with the characters in The Summer That Made Us. In all honesty, I believe I can explain why this is – but I’ll save that until later in the review. I’ll start by explaining my general feelings.
It took me a few chapters to fall into the story of The Summer That Made Us. I had a similar experience with Any Day Now, and with this being my second Robyn Carr book, I’m thinking such may be the norm for the author’s work. For me, it took me a while as I felt like the start of the book was made up of a lot of information dumps. There is a lot to understand about the dynamics of the characters and the family, meaning there is a lot of information to be provided. I simply felt, at first, information was thrown in excess. Once all of the information has been shared, the book starts to move faster – but I would have liked for this to have started happening sooner.
Once the story is moving, so many connections come into play. There is so much to be known about all of the characters. There really is a lot happen throughout this one. Secrets are found in the background of all of the characters, more information waiting to be revealed. On top of all these secrets we’re begging to understand, we also have a deeply emotional read. There is so much to deal with – cancer, marital problems, prison, teenage pregnancy, mental health, loss, and so much more. Every character brings something to the story, leaving you intrigued as to where things will go, whilst falling into the deeply emotional family story.
As I found with Any Day Now, the characters were wonderfully realistic. Each brought something different to the table, and we got to experience so much. I enjoyed some of the storylines more than others, but everything came together really well. You get to experience so much throughout this one, taking you on the wild journey of family life.
Despite the deep emotional pull of the story, I wasn’t as lost to it as I had hoped to be. This is why I gave the story a three star rating rather than a four. In truth, it is more of a three-point-five read. With all the emotions at the end of the book I considered giving the four star rating, but I spent more time closer to the three star rating throughout the rest of the book.
The reason for this is more of a personal preference than something everyone will dislike. I’m the kind of person who prefers to follow just a couple of characters throughout a book. With this one, we followed so many different storylines. I never quite lost myself to all of the storylines, finding myself rather disinterested when we were focusing upon certain characters. Whilst I understand the necessity of this within such a story – it is necessary to understand all of the connections within the book – I would have preferred it had we not been flickering between characters within a chapter. I’m much fonder of one chapter following one character, the next following another, and so on when I’m reading a book with multiple characters being central.
Overall, however, this was an enjoyable read. It was deeply emotional, and I’m still willing to read more of the author’s work.
May 15, 2018
As always Robyn Carr has written a well crafted story that fully engaged me all through the book The Summer That Made Us. It has many threads to it, many issues and themes that ebb and flow as the story unfolds.
This is a story about relationships mostly - that of sisters and cousins, plus some of the people that surround them. As it starts out it is rather obvious that you could put a capital D on dysfunctional for many but not all of the family members.
There is Lou and Jo, two sisters - once such good friends, now estranged. Two families who grew up close to each other, spending time as children at a lake house in Minnesota. Two families of thre girls each. However one summer everything turned to ruin and they never went back...
Until Meg wants to go back to that house. She is dealing with cancer, she has had her last ditch treatment and it is time to see will it work... or not. Charlie her sister wants to make that happen for her and does so. As Charlie begins her renovations there, her cousin Krista turns up, just out of prison. We are also introduced to Hope, Krista's sister and all is not right in the state of Denmark for sure in her life.
We see things from all their points of view which does help me the reader be sympathetic towards them and to wish the best for them. I am not always engaged by so many characters in one book with issues and things to deal with. But the fact that they are all related and have been affected by the same family dynamics and tragedy, pulled me in. It perhaps lost a little though in the focus being on so many, not much, just a tad, it left me feeling a little distant from the full emotion of the characters.
Each woman grapples with her own life, moving towards resolution, new hope, forgiveness and healing in various forms as the story is retold and understood. Another well told story from Robyn Carr.
This is a story about relationships mostly - that of sisters and cousins, plus some of the people that surround them. As it starts out it is rather obvious that you could put a capital D on dysfunctional for many but not all of the family members.
There is Lou and Jo, two sisters - once such good friends, now estranged. Two families who grew up close to each other, spending time as children at a lake house in Minnesota. Two families of thre girls each. However one summer everything turned to ruin and they never went back...
Until Meg wants to go back to that house. She is dealing with cancer, she has had her last ditch treatment and it is time to see will it work... or not. Charlie her sister wants to make that happen for her and does so. As Charlie begins her renovations there, her cousin Krista turns up, just out of prison. We are also introduced to Hope, Krista's sister and all is not right in the state of Denmark for sure in her life.
We see things from all their points of view which does help me the reader be sympathetic towards them and to wish the best for them. I am not always engaged by so many characters in one book with issues and things to deal with. But the fact that they are all related and have been affected by the same family dynamics and tragedy, pulled me in. It perhaps lost a little though in the focus being on so many, not much, just a tad, it left me feeling a little distant from the full emotion of the characters.
Each woman grapples with her own life, moving towards resolution, new hope, forgiveness and healing in various forms as the story is retold and understood. Another well told story from Robyn Carr.
July 3, 2017
Beautiful. RTC
June 8, 2019
I really enjoyed this! I’ll be looking for more Robyn Carr❤️
August 17, 2020
This book was so much more than I expected. I was expecting a summer story where there is some estrangement, but a summer at the lake would bring the family back together, what I got was a heartbreaking story about a family torn apart by secrets, mental illness, abuse and mistakes. The summer at the lake brings so much to light as Meg, Charley and Krista peel back the layers of dysfunction that brought the family to where it was that summer. With Meg wanting to bring the family back to the Lake House to reconcile and finally deal with that summer, no one knew who would show up and what secrets they would bring with them.
I love Robyn Carr's books and always need tissues nearby. This book deals with major life changes. Charley has lost her high-profile television career and is not sure what is next for her, Meg is dealing with cancer and not sure if her latest procedure will save her life and Krista has been released from prison after 25 years behind bars. Throw in their mothers (sisters) Lou and Jo and a couple of other sisters and their children and this is a reunion that needed to happen, but was like watching a car wreck. I do not want to give away the story, but will say that it had me thanking my lucky stars for my family. The characters all dealt with mistakes, accidents and disaster in different ways and each decision turned them in different ways. There are so many layers to this story, the characters and the events that happened during that last summer at the lake, but Robyn Carr weaves all the plot points together in a way that had me not wanting to put this book down. I enjoyed the characters, watching them grow and reconcile. There was also some happiness, especially with Krista trying to find her way in her new world. The character development with their reconciliation, honesty and emotions was a huge part of this book and was very well written. I definitely recommend this one to those who enjoy family drama and a well written story.
I love Robyn Carr's books and always need tissues nearby. This book deals with major life changes. Charley has lost her high-profile television career and is not sure what is next for her, Meg is dealing with cancer and not sure if her latest procedure will save her life and Krista has been released from prison after 25 years behind bars. Throw in their mothers (sisters) Lou and Jo and a couple of other sisters and their children and this is a reunion that needed to happen, but was like watching a car wreck. I do not want to give away the story, but will say that it had me thanking my lucky stars for my family. The characters all dealt with mistakes, accidents and disaster in different ways and each decision turned them in different ways. There are so many layers to this story, the characters and the events that happened during that last summer at the lake, but Robyn Carr weaves all the plot points together in a way that had me not wanting to put this book down. I enjoyed the characters, watching them grow and reconcile. There was also some happiness, especially with Krista trying to find her way in her new world. The character development with their reconciliation, honesty and emotions was a huge part of this book and was very well written. I definitely recommend this one to those who enjoy family drama and a well written story.
September 5, 2017
"My God, I’m forty-four years old and still afraid of my mother!"
I am a big fan of Robyn Carr's books and have read them all since she published THE HOUSE ON OLIVE STREET in 1999. This book is similar to that standalone women's fiction novel in many ways.
This story is an involved tale of mothers and sisters and children and cousins and aunts and uncles and husbands and boyfriends and an extended dysfunctional family - and staying at a family-owned lake house on Lake Waseka in rural Minnesota.
Meg has Stage IV breast cancer and wants all of her extended family to gather at the lake house since it might be her last summer - and since the family stopped going there years ago after the death of one of the children.
There's a lot of characters to keep track of and the book started out slowly for me with some characters I wasn't too fond of but author Carr, with her usual adept touch, soon had me turning the pages as fast as I could and wondering what was going to happen next.
The pieces fell neatly into place and, again, Carr has a winner!
I received this book from MIRA Books through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.
I am a big fan of Robyn Carr's books and have read them all since she published THE HOUSE ON OLIVE STREET in 1999. This book is similar to that standalone women's fiction novel in many ways.
This story is an involved tale of mothers and sisters and children and cousins and aunts and uncles and husbands and boyfriends and an extended dysfunctional family - and staying at a family-owned lake house on Lake Waseka in rural Minnesota.
Meg has Stage IV breast cancer and wants all of her extended family to gather at the lake house since it might be her last summer - and since the family stopped going there years ago after the death of one of the children.
There's a lot of characters to keep track of and the book started out slowly for me with some characters I wasn't too fond of but author Carr, with her usual adept touch, soon had me turning the pages as fast as I could and wondering what was going to happen next.
The pieces fell neatly into place and, again, Carr has a winner!
I received this book from MIRA Books through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.
June 17, 2019
RATING: 3.5 STARS
2017; Mira/HarperCollins
Since I first stepped into Virgin River, Robyn Carr has become part of my "mood" list. By "mood" list I mean a list of authors I can be guaranteed at least a 3.5 STAR read. As much as I read I do get into reading slumps (where every book I pick up I don't like, or can't get into, etc), can't decide what to read (usually feel overwhelmed) or just want a book I know I will love. Often at times I don't read these authors as quickly because I want to keep some of the novels at my fingertips. This novel was no different.
I really enjoyed the characters and the different plotlines! I did often want to know more about a character, but I think it would be hard to do without bogging down the overall story arc. It would be cool if there was a novella on Beverly (hint hint, haha). Rather than one or two characters this novel is about a family. After a tragic death, a family shuts down the summer home. It also fractures a once close family. As another tragedy is upon them, they come together to see if they can heal the hurt and pain. If you want a mellow read with family drama and a bit of romance and tears I recommend The Summer That Made Us.
***I received an eARC from EDELWEISS***
My Novelesque Blog
2017; Mira/HarperCollins
Since I first stepped into Virgin River, Robyn Carr has become part of my "mood" list. By "mood" list I mean a list of authors I can be guaranteed at least a 3.5 STAR read. As much as I read I do get into reading slumps (where every book I pick up I don't like, or can't get into, etc), can't decide what to read (usually feel overwhelmed) or just want a book I know I will love. Often at times I don't read these authors as quickly because I want to keep some of the novels at my fingertips. This novel was no different.
I really enjoyed the characters and the different plotlines! I did often want to know more about a character, but I think it would be hard to do without bogging down the overall story arc. It would be cool if there was a novella on Beverly (hint hint, haha). Rather than one or two characters this novel is about a family. After a tragic death, a family shuts down the summer home. It also fractures a once close family. As another tragedy is upon them, they come together to see if they can heal the hurt and pain. If you want a mellow read with family drama and a bit of romance and tears I recommend The Summer That Made Us.
***I received an eARC from EDELWEISS***
My Novelesque Blog
February 15, 2020
Charley / Meg / Krista / Lou / Jo
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4 stars
Listen 15/10/19
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4 stars
Listen 15/10/19
November 12, 2017
I’ve been a fan of Robyn Carr’s since I read her first Virgin River book, and I’ve read everything else she’s written since, as well as all of her older titles I’ve been able to find—point being, I love the way this author tells her stories. They’re almost always about a community, or a family, or a group of friends who become like family, and I find the way she creates her characters and develops their interactions absolutely fascinating.
THE SUMMER THAT MADE US is no exception, though I have to admit that I wondered how even an author as talented as Ms. Carr could make this beautifully dysfunctional family work. When you’ve got estranged older sisters, a daughter dying of cancer, another dealing with mental illness, one going through a crisis with her long time partner and another just out of prison after serving almost a quarter century for murder, you really have to wonder what’s going to happen.
Truth? Everything, and yet nothing I expected. This book is an absolute joy to read, some of the scenes and a few throwaway lines almost slapstick and putting me in the position of having to explain to my husband what I was chortling about, other scenes that brought me to tears. What I loved is the fact that the ex-con is the sanest, most level-headed one of the bunch.
I’ve read this one three times—the first the day it showed up in the mail, the second time as soon as I closed the final page and realized I wasn’t ready to put the book away, and again when I realized I’d not written a review. This book deserves a review and a five star recommendation. I don’t know how she does it, but every book Robyn writes is better than the one before, and they are all keepers. I’m running out of shelf space, but I always buy a Robyn Carr release in print. They’re stories I plan to enjoy over and over again because they’re just that good. THE SUMMER THAT MADE US is one of her very best.
THE SUMMER THAT MADE US is no exception, though I have to admit that I wondered how even an author as talented as Ms. Carr could make this beautifully dysfunctional family work. When you’ve got estranged older sisters, a daughter dying of cancer, another dealing with mental illness, one going through a crisis with her long time partner and another just out of prison after serving almost a quarter century for murder, you really have to wonder what’s going to happen.
Truth? Everything, and yet nothing I expected. This book is an absolute joy to read, some of the scenes and a few throwaway lines almost slapstick and putting me in the position of having to explain to my husband what I was chortling about, other scenes that brought me to tears. What I loved is the fact that the ex-con is the sanest, most level-headed one of the bunch.
I’ve read this one three times—the first the day it showed up in the mail, the second time as soon as I closed the final page and realized I wasn’t ready to put the book away, and again when I realized I’d not written a review. This book deserves a review and a five star recommendation. I don’t know how she does it, but every book Robyn writes is better than the one before, and they are all keepers. I’m running out of shelf space, but I always buy a Robyn Carr release in print. They’re stories I plan to enjoy over and over again because they’re just that good. THE SUMMER THAT MADE US is one of her very best.
August 29, 2017
THE SUMMER THAT MADE US by Robyn Carr is a layered tale of family relationships, tragedy, and heartbreak underpinned by deep connections and memories that remind the characters of better days.
Two sisters who married two brothers, and had three daughters apiece, used to spend idyllic summers together on the lake where they were as close and as happy as any family could be. But when tragedy struck, it tore them apart where bitterness and jealousy made sure that they would never reconnect again. Until now.
The daughters are all grown up now, living their own lives and making their own mistakes, but when one daughter receives some shocking news, she is determined to bring her family back together so that they can finally heal the heartbreak from the past and face the future together. But life is never that simple and with plenty of emotions, anger, and problems of their own, it may not be as easy as she hoped...
This book is about a family reuniting after years apart, and as each character has their own issues and lives to contend with, they must also confront that awful summer from all those years ago, and the underlying tension and jealousies that always existed between them. While many believe that you cannot fix the unfixable, this story shows that there is always hope - hope that you can find peace with the past and move forward together. Full of family drama and interesting characters, THE SUMMER THAT MADE US by Robyn Carr, is a story of loss, heartache, and hope, and ultimately the importance of family in all of its forms. While this wouldn't be my favourite book of Robyn Carr's it is definitely well worth reading, and I highly recommend it.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from Little Bird Publicity
Two sisters who married two brothers, and had three daughters apiece, used to spend idyllic summers together on the lake where they were as close and as happy as any family could be. But when tragedy struck, it tore them apart where bitterness and jealousy made sure that they would never reconnect again. Until now.
The daughters are all grown up now, living their own lives and making their own mistakes, but when one daughter receives some shocking news, she is determined to bring her family back together so that they can finally heal the heartbreak from the past and face the future together. But life is never that simple and with plenty of emotions, anger, and problems of their own, it may not be as easy as she hoped...
This book is about a family reuniting after years apart, and as each character has their own issues and lives to contend with, they must also confront that awful summer from all those years ago, and the underlying tension and jealousies that always existed between them. While many believe that you cannot fix the unfixable, this story shows that there is always hope - hope that you can find peace with the past and move forward together. Full of family drama and interesting characters, THE SUMMER THAT MADE US by Robyn Carr, is a story of loss, heartache, and hope, and ultimately the importance of family in all of its forms. While this wouldn't be my favourite book of Robyn Carr's it is definitely well worth reading, and I highly recommend it.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from Little Bird Publicity
August 17, 2017
This is another wonderful book by Robyn Carr.
In this book, there are 2 families that are intermingled by two sisters marrying two brothers. This book is fraught with dysfunction, intrigue, mystery and a tough of romance.
Both families spend summers at the lake until the day the youngest of 6 children drowns. After that, the lake house is shut down tight and everyone is told not to go there any longer.
27 years later, Meg, wants everyone to go back to the lake house and as she has cancer, the house is repaired and reopened. Her sister Charley takes care of everything. Meg's husband John comes and stays as often as possible.
The sisters/cousins come to stay at the house, each dealing with their own issues as well as some mysterious things that happened that summer.
5 stars
In this book, there are 2 families that are intermingled by two sisters marrying two brothers. This book is fraught with dysfunction, intrigue, mystery and a tough of romance.
Both families spend summers at the lake until the day the youngest of 6 children drowns. After that, the lake house is shut down tight and everyone is told not to go there any longer.
27 years later, Meg, wants everyone to go back to the lake house and as she has cancer, the house is repaired and reopened. Her sister Charley takes care of everything. Meg's husband John comes and stays as often as possible.
The sisters/cousins come to stay at the house, each dealing with their own issues as well as some mysterious things that happened that summer.
5 stars
August 10, 2017
Heartbreakingly complicated & so very brilliant.
As I have said so many times before AND I'll say it again. Robyn Carr is my favorite author and she just gets better and better.
Family...can't live with them...and you sometimes have to live without them. This is a story of family, the good, the bad and the oh so ugly. It's about forgiveness, loss and the beauty of finding something that was lost and maybe not fixing but moving beyond it.
One of my favorite things about this author is her ability to write about real and difficult life changing things. She makes you realize how lucky you are, that life can be dark, painful and the beauty of the human spirit can overcome anything. She made me ugly cry with this one.
This book is one that will stay with you long after you finish. It's so beautifully written, and what I most loved is the strong amazing women she wrote about and there ability to overcome so much and still love so deeply.
As I have said so many times before AND I'll say it again. Robyn Carr is my favorite author and she just gets better and better.
Family...can't live with them...and you sometimes have to live without them. This is a story of family, the good, the bad and the oh so ugly. It's about forgiveness, loss and the beauty of finding something that was lost and maybe not fixing but moving beyond it.
One of my favorite things about this author is her ability to write about real and difficult life changing things. She makes you realize how lucky you are, that life can be dark, painful and the beauty of the human spirit can overcome anything. She made me ugly cry with this one.
This book is one that will stay with you long after you finish. It's so beautifully written, and what I most loved is the strong amazing women she wrote about and there ability to overcome so much and still love so deeply.
September 23, 2017
This book tells the story of sisters, mothers and daughters, cousins and dynamics of a family that after a very long period of time, come together at the summer house on a lake, where these woman spent summers over three generations and how tragedy, grief and betrayal and most of all secrets tore them apart. But when one of them makes a dying request that they all have one last summer at the lake to find the truth of what really happened when that tragedy struck 27 yrs ago. Can they put aside there animosity for this one summer on the lake and come they together to find peace and bring back harmony and find there way back to a family that loved once another.
This book was an amazing read and for me it brought back a time when a similar tragedy, that took place in summer and how it affected every member of my family, brought back a lot of feelings of how that summer changed us forever.
This book was an amazing read and for me it brought back a time when a similar tragedy, that took place in summer and how it affected every member of my family, brought back a lot of feelings of how that summer changed us forever.
December 30, 2017
I don't read a lot of romance anymore, but when I do, Robyn Carr is usually one of my favourite authors. However, I was really struggling with this one. I didn't connect with any of the characters, and I found it slow going and borderline boring.
August 31, 2017
Originally published at Reading Reality
This is a story that will get you right in the feels. It certainly did me. And it will probably make you feel all the feels as well, as the story runs from tragedy to hope, if not to triumph, and hits every emotional stop along the journey.
Most of all, it’s a story about one particular extremely dysfunctional family, and their attempt to get to the heart of at least some of their dysfunctions and heal, before it’s too late.
And it’s about one final gift that one member of that family gives to herself, and to everyone that she has to leave behind.
The story begins with Charley and Megan, who seem more like sisters than cousins – possibly because they sorta/kinda are. Once upon a time, a young mother began bringing her two daughters to Lake Waseka, one of the 10,000 lakes of Minnesota, every summer. The two Hempstead girls, Louisa and Jo Anne, had the time of their lives. When those girls grew up, they continued the family tradition, bringing their daughters to the lake, until the summer when it all went smash.
Lou and Jo married Chet and Ray, two sisters marrying two brothers. Continuing to outwardly mirror each other’s lives, they each had three daughters, alternating years, so that the six girls looked more like stair-step sisters than cousins. Even double-cousins.
But their lives weren’t as similar as they seemed. And neither were they. Lou’s husband was boring but responsible and respectable, while Jo’s was every woman’s bad-boy dream, in more ways than one. Ray was an alcoholic and a conman, and every woman’s bicycle – not that he would have thought of it quite that way. Lou was strong and decisive, while Jo was soft and often needed direction. Apart, they drifted into the extremes of their natures, with Lou turning sharp and angry, and Jo being the world’s doormat.
Those summers kept them grounded, and they helped each other stay strong in their broken places. Until they shattered, one summer night, when Lou’s youngest daughter, 12 year old Bunny, drowned on the lake in a tragic accident.
Twenty-seven years later, the cottage is still closed up, Lou and Jo are still estranged, and every single one of the remaining girls, their now grown up daughters with children of their own, are, in one way or another lost or dysfunctional.
Megan decides to spend her very last summer trying to patch the broken places in her family. With her waning energy, she gets everyone back to the lake for one last summer, in the hopes that if they can go back to where it all went wrong, they’ll have one last chance to patch things back together.
To be each other’s strength in all their broken places once more.
Escape Rating A-: As much as I deride the term, The Summer That Made Us is a stellar work of women’s fiction. The story is all about this group of women, their feisty grandmother, their battling mothers, the troupe of sister-cousins, and even their own daughters, and all the myriad ways that those relationships have played out over time, both good and bad.
The men in this story are merely supporting characters, and spend most of the story off-stage, whether in another city or a cemetery. There’s plenty of trauma that relates all the way back to the Judge, Grandma Berkey’s husband who was Lou and Jo’s father. He’s certainly dead, and thank goodness for that!
While there is a romance in this story, the romance itself is a sub-sub-sub-plot. But it is important both as part of one sister’s healing, and as part of clearing up one of the mysteries of Charley’s last time at the lake.
At the beginning of the story, ironically, the one thing that seems marginally hopeful is Megan’s final, experimental cancer treatment, and the one thing that seems beyond all possibility of healing is Charley’s contentious relationship with her mother Lou. In that regard, nothing is as it seems.
But at that beginning, all the relationships seem to be going to hell in a handcart, and it’s a bit of a hard read to get through. Nothing seems to be looking up, and some of the interactions are downright painful.
As things begin, every single member of the family is damaged in one way or another. And all in ways that seem to trace their origins back to Bunny’s death and the abandonment of those idyllic summers at the lake. But the girls were all girls at the time, ranging up from Bunny to somewhere in their teens. They all saw those lake summers as perfect, and were not necessarily aware of all the tensions running underneath, especially the roiling tensions between Lou and Jo.
Bunny’s death was not the only thing that went wrong that summer. But after it, nothing went right. And unfortunately for everyone, one of the underlying dysfunctions of the entire family was that no one ever talked about what was really wrong.
One of the things that is so terrific about this story is that even though it all went wrong and the same time and in the same place, for each one of the women that wrongness burst out into entirely different directions. All of the women, even in the end Lou, appear as ultimately sympathetic and surprisingly unique characters. They never seem alike, they are not cookie-cutters of each other. Each one is distinct, both in their voice and in their manifestation of the family dysfunction.
And that’s the biggest problem they have to work with. Or against. Until they can finally share all the separate pieces of that broken story, none of them will be able to heal.
At the beginning of The Summer That Made Us, it feels like this one, last summer on the lake is Charley’s gift to Megan. But in the end, this summer turns out to be one final gift that Megan gives to Charley, and everyone in her family.
And it’s beautiful.
(Bring tissues)
This is a story that will get you right in the feels. It certainly did me. And it will probably make you feel all the feels as well, as the story runs from tragedy to hope, if not to triumph, and hits every emotional stop along the journey.
Most of all, it’s a story about one particular extremely dysfunctional family, and their attempt to get to the heart of at least some of their dysfunctions and heal, before it’s too late.
And it’s about one final gift that one member of that family gives to herself, and to everyone that she has to leave behind.
The story begins with Charley and Megan, who seem more like sisters than cousins – possibly because they sorta/kinda are. Once upon a time, a young mother began bringing her two daughters to Lake Waseka, one of the 10,000 lakes of Minnesota, every summer. The two Hempstead girls, Louisa and Jo Anne, had the time of their lives. When those girls grew up, they continued the family tradition, bringing their daughters to the lake, until the summer when it all went smash.
Lou and Jo married Chet and Ray, two sisters marrying two brothers. Continuing to outwardly mirror each other’s lives, they each had three daughters, alternating years, so that the six girls looked more like stair-step sisters than cousins. Even double-cousins.
But their lives weren’t as similar as they seemed. And neither were they. Lou’s husband was boring but responsible and respectable, while Jo’s was every woman’s bad-boy dream, in more ways than one. Ray was an alcoholic and a conman, and every woman’s bicycle – not that he would have thought of it quite that way. Lou was strong and decisive, while Jo was soft and often needed direction. Apart, they drifted into the extremes of their natures, with Lou turning sharp and angry, and Jo being the world’s doormat.
Those summers kept them grounded, and they helped each other stay strong in their broken places. Until they shattered, one summer night, when Lou’s youngest daughter, 12 year old Bunny, drowned on the lake in a tragic accident.
Twenty-seven years later, the cottage is still closed up, Lou and Jo are still estranged, and every single one of the remaining girls, their now grown up daughters with children of their own, are, in one way or another lost or dysfunctional.
Megan decides to spend her very last summer trying to patch the broken places in her family. With her waning energy, she gets everyone back to the lake for one last summer, in the hopes that if they can go back to where it all went wrong, they’ll have one last chance to patch things back together.
To be each other’s strength in all their broken places once more.
Escape Rating A-: As much as I deride the term, The Summer That Made Us is a stellar work of women’s fiction. The story is all about this group of women, their feisty grandmother, their battling mothers, the troupe of sister-cousins, and even their own daughters, and all the myriad ways that those relationships have played out over time, both good and bad.
The men in this story are merely supporting characters, and spend most of the story off-stage, whether in another city or a cemetery. There’s plenty of trauma that relates all the way back to the Judge, Grandma Berkey’s husband who was Lou and Jo’s father. He’s certainly dead, and thank goodness for that!
While there is a romance in this story, the romance itself is a sub-sub-sub-plot. But it is important both as part of one sister’s healing, and as part of clearing up one of the mysteries of Charley’s last time at the lake.
At the beginning of the story, ironically, the one thing that seems marginally hopeful is Megan’s final, experimental cancer treatment, and the one thing that seems beyond all possibility of healing is Charley’s contentious relationship with her mother Lou. In that regard, nothing is as it seems.
But at that beginning, all the relationships seem to be going to hell in a handcart, and it’s a bit of a hard read to get through. Nothing seems to be looking up, and some of the interactions are downright painful.
As things begin, every single member of the family is damaged in one way or another. And all in ways that seem to trace their origins back to Bunny’s death and the abandonment of those idyllic summers at the lake. But the girls were all girls at the time, ranging up from Bunny to somewhere in their teens. They all saw those lake summers as perfect, and were not necessarily aware of all the tensions running underneath, especially the roiling tensions between Lou and Jo.
Bunny’s death was not the only thing that went wrong that summer. But after it, nothing went right. And unfortunately for everyone, one of the underlying dysfunctions of the entire family was that no one ever talked about what was really wrong.
One of the things that is so terrific about this story is that even though it all went wrong and the same time and in the same place, for each one of the women that wrongness burst out into entirely different directions. All of the women, even in the end Lou, appear as ultimately sympathetic and surprisingly unique characters. They never seem alike, they are not cookie-cutters of each other. Each one is distinct, both in their voice and in their manifestation of the family dysfunction.
And that’s the biggest problem they have to work with. Or against. Until they can finally share all the separate pieces of that broken story, none of them will be able to heal.
At the beginning of The Summer That Made Us, it feels like this one, last summer on the lake is Charley’s gift to Megan. But in the end, this summer turns out to be one final gift that Megan gives to Charley, and everyone in her family.
And it’s beautiful.
(Bring tissues)
April 8, 2025
I believe this is only the second title I’ve read by the author, I didn’t really have expectations as such, I was just in the market for something light.
I’m sure this happened with the other novel I read by Robyn Carr. I ended up loving it (I’ve added a couple more to my library)
This time around we have a family saga. A family full of estrangement, broken bonds, broken trusts and broken hearts. Back at the lake for the summer they’re all about to find out if the breaks can be repaired.
Beautifully written,beautifully narrated.
Currently included with audible 🎧
3.75 🌟
I’m sure this happened with the other novel I read by Robyn Carr. I ended up loving it (I’ve added a couple more to my library)
This time around we have a family saga. A family full of estrangement, broken bonds, broken trusts and broken hearts. Back at the lake for the summer they’re all about to find out if the breaks can be repaired.
Beautifully written,beautifully narrated.
Currently included with audible 🎧
3.75 🌟
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