The Summer Everything Changed

by Holly Chamberlin

Bestselling author Holly Chamberlin welcomes readers to the sunny beaches and unspoiled beauty of Maine, in this poignant, thoughtful novel of a mother and daughter in the midst of profound change . . .
 
When Louise Bessire was living in Boston, she dreamed of another way of life, far from the phony smiles and small-talk of corporate dinners. Now she’s got what she wanted—though not exactly in the way she hoped. Blindsided by her husband’s affair, Louise has used her divorce settlement to buy Blueberry Bay, a picturesque bed and breakfast in Ogunquit. And with a celebrity wedding taking place on the premises this summer, business is looking up.
 
While Louise deals with paparazzi and wedding planners, her sixteen-year-old daughter, Isobel, is falling hard for local boy Jeff Otten. Being singled out by Jeff—nineteen, handsome, and from a wealthy family—almost makes up for her father’s increasing neglect. Yet even in the glow of golden beach days there are sudden, heart-wrenching revelations for both Louise and Isobel. It will be a summer that tests their strength and courage and proves that through every changing season, nothing is as steadfast as a mother’s love . . .

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance, Book Club, Summer Reads, Adult Fiction, Ebooks

432 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Holly Chamberlin is a native New Yorker, but she now lives in Portland, Maine - the aftermath of stumbling across Mr. Right at the one moment she wasn't watching the terrain. She's been writing and editing - poetry, children's fantasies, a romance novel or two, among many other genres and projects - her entire life. She has two cats, Betty and Cyrus, and when she's not writing her hobbies include reading, shopping, and cocktails at six.

Reviews

[Mehreen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had such high hopes for this book and was severely disappointed. I regret recommending it for book club! it took me way longer to read than normal because it was so awful. I agree with most of the other comments in that it was boring, slightly unbelievable, and barely average. it moves very slowly with unecessary detail about things that don't matter. and then what appeared to be a book about two strong and savvy women turned into a book about two pathetically awful women making excuses for someone they hardly know. the book was insulting to motherhood and friendship. entirely frustrating, predictable, and not very interesting. honestly, a waste of a summer read.

[Phyllis · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I get the point the author was trying to make, I think this book could use another round of editing. Some of the dialogue dragged on and on while others seemed pointless. I found myself skimming through parts of this book. Because of that I gave this book 2 stars.

[Cardmaker · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. I really did want to but I couldn't. It's inconceivable to me that a 15 year old girl who is so ridiculously self-aware, articulate, fashion conscious, intelligent, independent and fashion forward and has such a close relationship with her once-abused mother (and was told over and over about that abuse) could suddenly become a timid, frightened little person who can't tell mommy or her best friend or anyone else about this abuser/boyfriend she's met.

The author starts off by making the girl so totally unbelievable that she's sickening to read about. Then, she does an abrupt turn around and makes her the total opposite.

This book might be fine for a 15 year old to read. It's way too immature for my tastes. I struggled through it because I wanted to see how it ended (although, truth be told, I knew by chapter 3 or 4 how it would end) but I was skipping a LOT.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read a few books now by Holly Chamberlin and have enjoyed them.
I saw this book advertised online and was excited to read it. I am quite a fast reader but sped through this book even faster than normal.

I really loved the mother and daughter dynamic. In fact I enjoyed all of the female relationships in this book. I really liked a lot of the characters in this book. I could see where the book was heading quite early but still liked how it played out. I found it to be very realistic. The relationship with her father rang very true as it was close to my daughters relationship with her father under similar circumstances.

I will continue to read Holly's books. I look forward to it :)

[Sheena · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 out of 5. Not her best book

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started out promising but then the story dragged.

[Stefanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won’t spend much breath or typing reviewing this one.
The Summer Everything Changed has a great story premise, and the promise of a good message with tough subject matter, but the writing was very immature.

The characters, Louise (mother) and Isabel (daughter) started out with great spunk, but halfway through lost that spunk and spark and became quite dull. It was bizarre.
The author constantly added phrases in parentheses, which drove me nuts. It’s a sign of poor wording and sentence structure and I’m shocked an editor didn’t nip that in the bud and eliminate it.
The writing was just really poor with way too many descriptions and fluffy undertones, as well as childish and unnatural dialogue.

Anyway, definitely not a good read for me at all.

[Karla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very likely could’ve ended up in a DNF pile, but it was a bookclub book. ;-) First 200 pages were a struggle, but it did definitely pick up and hold my interest, the last 100 pages. Didn’t really feel Louise and the wedding had much to do with the rest of the story with Izobel and Jeff. Not a book I’d recommend to anyone.

[Marion · Rating 3 out of 5]

Without giving away too much, I would recommend this book for mothers of teenage daughters. Extremely important subject matter.

The only disappointment was my realizing the cycle will continue until justice wakes up and realizes they are part of the problem...not the solution.

[Heather Starr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh, this book was such a struggle to read.

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was not what I had expected. I thought it would be a light summer read. Although it was light in some respects, the book had a message. The content was meant to shed light on a realistic problem facing many women today. It was written in an easy to read and understand format. I quite enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't finish. Story seemed to be going nowhere. Though I liked the characters and setting, the dialogue was not natural.

[Bambi Kline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute summer read but with a serious topic of domestic abuse

[Faith Kayajian · Rating 2 out of 5]

While reading this book I thought that it would have been better geared towards young adults. One point that didn’t set well with me is the fact that an author who lives in Maine would indicate that you go south from Oguquit to Wells. Wells is north of Ogunquit. Small detail. Didn’t like the outcome at the end. Once again the bully was relocated instead of prosecuted.

[Karen Zelano-Guilbault · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars- a well, simply-written book. I was expecting a light hearted summer read, but it was not. This would have been an excellent book to place on a high school summer reading list. Lessons about teenage domestic violence, mother-daughter relationships, friendship and first love make it more appropriate for a younger set. I enjoyed I, but it's not what I was looking for. One specific criticism- the character Isobel was too young. The idea that a good mother would allow her 15 year old admittedly naive daughter to date a 21 year old charmer is unbelievable and dilutes the character of Louise. I'll recommend it to my 19 year old daughter, not my 50 year old friends.

[Cindy Feigert · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the heart of this story is Isobel, a teenager, who is smart, independent and a free spirit. Along with her best friend she writes a fashion blog and things seem fine. Then she meets Jeff Otten and that is where everything changes. Because we as readers know that Isobel's mother suffered abuse at the hands of her first boyfriend, we can easily predict what is going to happen to Isobel. I give the author props for wanted inform us that abuse can happen to anyone. Even the person who seems to have their life altogether. So sad but true. I did feel that the plot was wrapped up pretty quickly but otherwise it was a good read.

[Mk · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was so predictable that it wasn't very enjoyable. And it spent a lot of time giving us details of characters that really didn't matter to the story. I could have done without the multi-page description of the interior of Catherine's house.

Isobel was quite the precocious 15 year old and of course didn't have any teenage angst or moodiness until Jeff came into the picture. Every single thing that Jeff did was cliche. I felt like I was reading an after school special.

Bottom Line: Skip it. There are much better beach reads than this.

[Colleen Myers · Rating 2 out of 5]

UGGGHHHH. I loved the first 20% of the book when the characters were all being introduced and then it turned into a predictable cautionary tale against domestic violence. The mother-daughter central duo had so much potential and the setting, a small B&B in Maine with a host of potentially rich side characters, could have made for such a great story. I stuck it out hoping it would turn around, but nope, it never realized its potential. I'm legitimately angry about it because it could have been great.

[Alice Mola · Rating 2 out of 5]

Similar to others who reviewed this book, I had really high hopes for how this book would turn out. The first few chapters had me hooked, with the celebrity wedding coming up and the unique blogger style entries in the beginning, however a minor character entering the story completly made it change direction. The story lost itself in a rabbit hole of delving into a subplot, and because of that, the actual wedding the story was initially so focused on is thrown on the backburner. Sadly, I do not recommend this book.

[Kresti Lyddon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters are all interesting and likable, drawing you into the story.. I caught a glimpse of how insidious an abuser can be, catching a normally strong person off-guard. Like boiling a frog in a pot: by the time it realizes the water is hot, it’s too late. Holly Chamberlain writes very well, and I shall look for more of her books!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I was wary because of the low ratings, I am so glad that I chose to read this book! This is a beach read with a message. It is wonderfully written, kept me interested, and gave me something to actually think about without being heavy.

[elizabeth sawyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Breezy chick lit with a mother-daughter duo who you can't help but like. Setting of small town Maine with odd ball regulars to get to know. However the story takes on a serious topic in a way that's too tidy, superficial which left me annoyed.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the overall story was good, this book reads more YA. Overly descriptive outfits, consistent rehashing of back stories and an ending you can see a mile away. The summary on the back of the book is very misleading as well.

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was slow going at beginning. It did pick up when Isobel was abused by boyfriend (middle of book) and the end was very rushed. With Isobel character I was hoping she would get even with Jeff. Not the best book.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was going to be about a mother and daughter moving on from a divorce, wow was I completely wrong. This delved into an abusive relationship between teens. I was not ready for a heavy topic. The writing was choppy at times and I was very frustrated with Louise.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overall, but little details (sunset is not at 7:30 in July, mother are not usually ok with their 16 year old daughter having sex with a 21 year old stranger) made it feel unrealistic.

[Laurel · Rating 1 out of 5]

eh.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

every teenage girl should read this

[Theresa Mary Stem · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just couldn’t finish this book. Insipid comes to mind. Don’t bother.

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

As expected, a light read. Very predictable, repetitive and boring. Average at best.