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That Summer in Maine
A novel about mothers and daughters, about taking chances, about exploding secrets and testing the boundaries of family
Years ago, during a certain summer in Maine, two young women, unaware of each other, met a charismatic man at a craft fair and each had a brief affair with him. For Jane it was a chance to bury her recent pain in raw passion and redirect her life. For Sue it was a fling that gave her troubled marriage a way forward.
Now, sixteen years later, the family lives these women have made are suddenly upended when their teenage girls meet as strangers on social media. They concoct a plan to spend the summer in Maine with the man who is their biological father. Their determination puts them on a collision course with their mothers, who must finally meet and acknowledge their shared past and join forces as they risk losing their only daughters to a man they barely know.
Years ago, during a certain summer in Maine, two young women, unaware of each other, met a charismatic man at a craft fair and each had a brief affair with him. For Jane it was a chance to bury her recent pain in raw passion and redirect her life. For Sue it was a fling that gave her troubled marriage a way forward.
Now, sixteen years later, the family lives these women have made are suddenly upended when their teenage girls meet as strangers on social media. They concoct a plan to spend the summer in Maine with the man who is their biological father. Their determination puts them on a collision course with their mothers, who must finally meet and acknowledge their shared past and join forces as they risk losing their only daughters to a man they barely know.
320 pages, Paperback
First published June 23, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
June 27, 2020
3.5 stars
Sixteen years ago, two young women met Silas, a handsome young man at a craft fair, and had affairs with him. For Jane, it was a summer-long affair to help her cope with the recent deaths of her parents. For Sue, it was to relieve some stress over the fertility struggles she and her husband were having.
Both women became mothers and wives, and then one day, Jane's daughter Hazel is contacted by Eve, Sue's daughter informing her that they are sisters. Both want to spend the summer in Maine with their father, Silas. This rocks both Mother’s worlds.
I was a HUGE fan of the Author's book Rosie Colored Glasses. It was 5 tear-jerking stars for me. So, I went into this book with very high hopes. Which I realize is not entirely fair to the author or the new book. As with Rosie Colored Glasses this book deals with Motherhood, single motherhood, the mother-daughter relationship. It also deals with marriage, relationships, secrets, learning what makes a family, loneliness, the search for the truth, and belonging.
I found this to be an enjoyable book that handled all the situations with ease. Two women having an affair with a man and having daughters the same age can make for a messy and complicated situation. The characters were likable although some of them - Eve ticked me off with her fits of anger and deliberately saying things to hurt others. I enjoyed how the story was told especially and particularly appreciated the letters which written but not sent. I found this to be a clever and moving way in which Wolfson told both Sue and Jane’s stories and the decisions they made.
An enjoyable and quick read from a talented writer. I look forward to more books by Wolfson. She is a gifted author who shows all her character's inner thoughts and feelings. We also learn about Silas and what his life was like before he met both Jane and Sue making him also an interesting character.
This might not have lived up to my high expectations, but it was still well written, full of heart, and showcased family dynamics. At times moving, at times frustrating and all the time about family.
Thank you to Harlequin - Mira and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Sixteen years ago, two young women met Silas, a handsome young man at a craft fair, and had affairs with him. For Jane, it was a summer-long affair to help her cope with the recent deaths of her parents. For Sue, it was to relieve some stress over the fertility struggles she and her husband were having.
Both women became mothers and wives, and then one day, Jane's daughter Hazel is contacted by Eve, Sue's daughter informing her that they are sisters. Both want to spend the summer in Maine with their father, Silas. This rocks both Mother’s worlds.
I was a HUGE fan of the Author's book Rosie Colored Glasses. It was 5 tear-jerking stars for me. So, I went into this book with very high hopes. Which I realize is not entirely fair to the author or the new book. As with Rosie Colored Glasses this book deals with Motherhood, single motherhood, the mother-daughter relationship. It also deals with marriage, relationships, secrets, learning what makes a family, loneliness, the search for the truth, and belonging.
I found this to be an enjoyable book that handled all the situations with ease. Two women having an affair with a man and having daughters the same age can make for a messy and complicated situation. The characters were likable although some of them - Eve ticked me off with her fits of anger and deliberately saying things to hurt others. I enjoyed how the story was told especially and particularly appreciated the letters which written but not sent. I found this to be a clever and moving way in which Wolfson told both Sue and Jane’s stories and the decisions they made.
An enjoyable and quick read from a talented writer. I look forward to more books by Wolfson. She is a gifted author who shows all her character's inner thoughts and feelings. We also learn about Silas and what his life was like before he met both Jane and Sue making him also an interesting character.
This might not have lived up to my high expectations, but it was still well written, full of heart, and showcased family dynamics. At times moving, at times frustrating and all the time about family.
Thank you to Harlequin - Mira and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 3, 2020
Favorite Quotes:
It would have been better if that silence between them was thick and heavy with sadness or regret, but it had become light and comfortable now. Hazel and her mother were now connected by only the loosest stitch.
And from that moment on, every subsequent message that Hazel received from Eve was a supernova. Each text blew everything that once was, wide-open. Started life anew. Illuminated every fiber of her being. And it was all happening in Hazel’s own personal universe.
She felt that there was something deep within her that was better than her life allowed for.
Looking down at you, I felt as if I had gone out and bought something too precious and too expensive. It was as if I had walked around a shop I knew I shouldn’t have been in and walked out with something I couldn’t afford.
My Review:
This book was a pleasant surprise and I was rather besotted and bewitched by the outstanding writing quality, which frequently leaped out at me in the most unexpected places. However, the insightfulness and depth of the characters as well as the unexpected corners and nuances of the storylines often left me delightfully stunned and needing to reread passages more than once. This talented wordsmith obviously has a keen memory and profound understanding of the chaotic, confusing, conflicting, calamitous, and crushingly catastrophic emotions and thoughts of a teen as she developed the multi-faceted character of Hazel with devastating clarity. Did I have enough /c/ words there?
Each character was cleverly textured, multi-layered, captivatingly complicated, and endlessly intriguing, even when they greatly annoyed or frustrated me. Ms. Wolfson’s writing was thoughtfully emotive and cleverly observant with deftly penned and well-crafted prose that was often so elegant it snagged my breath. She is definitely going on my list of Ones to Watch. Fangirl down.
It would have been better if that silence between them was thick and heavy with sadness or regret, but it had become light and comfortable now. Hazel and her mother were now connected by only the loosest stitch.
And from that moment on, every subsequent message that Hazel received from Eve was a supernova. Each text blew everything that once was, wide-open. Started life anew. Illuminated every fiber of her being. And it was all happening in Hazel’s own personal universe.
She felt that there was something deep within her that was better than her life allowed for.
Looking down at you, I felt as if I had gone out and bought something too precious and too expensive. It was as if I had walked around a shop I knew I shouldn’t have been in and walked out with something I couldn’t afford.
My Review:
This book was a pleasant surprise and I was rather besotted and bewitched by the outstanding writing quality, which frequently leaped out at me in the most unexpected places. However, the insightfulness and depth of the characters as well as the unexpected corners and nuances of the storylines often left me delightfully stunned and needing to reread passages more than once. This talented wordsmith obviously has a keen memory and profound understanding of the chaotic, confusing, conflicting, calamitous, and crushingly catastrophic emotions and thoughts of a teen as she developed the multi-faceted character of Hazel with devastating clarity. Did I have enough /c/ words there?
Each character was cleverly textured, multi-layered, captivatingly complicated, and endlessly intriguing, even when they greatly annoyed or frustrated me. Ms. Wolfson’s writing was thoughtfully emotive and cleverly observant with deftly penned and well-crafted prose that was often so elegant it snagged my breath. She is definitely going on my list of Ones to Watch. Fangirl down.
July 6, 2020
Brianna Wolfson's new novel,
That Summer in Maine
, is an emotional story about the choices women make and how those choices affect their daughters.
"Every single person on this planet wants nothing more than love."
Jane met Silas, a handsome, charismatic woodworker, at a craft fair in Maine. Both bear emotional scars, but the relationship is intense and satisfying, until she discovers he has slept with another woman.
Susie loves her husband and is happy in her marriage, but there’s something about Silas that draws her to him. She knows, however, that this will be a one-time thing.
Nearly 16 years later, Jane’s daughter Hazel is contacted online by another teenager, Eve, who says that they are half-sisters. Eve also says that she spent last summer with their father and encourages Hazel to join her this summer. For Hazel, who has been feeling pushed out by her mother’s new husband and babies, this couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.
That Summer in Maine alternates between past and present, and is narrated by Susie, Jane, and Hazel. The two mothers are determined to help their daughters understand the circumstances behind the choices they made, before it’s too late.
I thought this was a beautifully written book but it just didn’t grab me as much as I was expecting. There definitely were some poignant moments but the book was full of instances in which if only the characters communicated with each other, there’d be less drama. I also really disliked Eve’s character until you realized the motivations for her behavior, and that she was only a teenager.
I was pleased to participate in the blog tour for this book. Thanks to MIRA Books and NetGalley for making an advance copy available!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
"Every single person on this planet wants nothing more than love."
Jane met Silas, a handsome, charismatic woodworker, at a craft fair in Maine. Both bear emotional scars, but the relationship is intense and satisfying, until she discovers he has slept with another woman.
Susie loves her husband and is happy in her marriage, but there’s something about Silas that draws her to him. She knows, however, that this will be a one-time thing.
Nearly 16 years later, Jane’s daughter Hazel is contacted online by another teenager, Eve, who says that they are half-sisters. Eve also says that she spent last summer with their father and encourages Hazel to join her this summer. For Hazel, who has been feeling pushed out by her mother’s new husband and babies, this couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.
That Summer in Maine alternates between past and present, and is narrated by Susie, Jane, and Hazel. The two mothers are determined to help their daughters understand the circumstances behind the choices they made, before it’s too late.
I thought this was a beautifully written book but it just didn’t grab me as much as I was expecting. There definitely were some poignant moments but the book was full of instances in which if only the characters communicated with each other, there’d be less drama. I also really disliked Eve’s character until you realized the motivations for her behavior, and that she was only a teenager.
I was pleased to participate in the blog tour for this book. Thanks to MIRA Books and NetGalley for making an advance copy available!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
May 24, 2020
A different read about relationships. A mother and daughter struggling to connect. Add to that a new family along with a half sister and an unknown birth father, the story had its share of complicated relationships.
My first book by this author, I loved the emotions evoked by the mother-daughter duo. The story was different enough to keep my interest flowing. Certain parts were a tad far fetched in this time and Era.
Overall, a good read.
My first book by this author, I loved the emotions evoked by the mother-daughter duo. The story was different enough to keep my interest flowing. Certain parts were a tad far fetched in this time and Era.
Overall, a good read.
June 19, 2020
3.5 stars
One of the things I remember most about Brianna Wolfson’s debut novel Rosie-Colored Glasses , which I had read back in 2018, was how emotionally resonant the book was for me. At the time, it was one of my favorite reads of the year (one that I rated 5 stars of course) and, more significantly, it was one of the few books that actually brought tears to my eyes as I was reading. There were so many things I loved about that book – the story, the characters, and most memorable for me, the lyrical writing that made the story flow so beautifully.
Given that experience, it should come as no surprise that when I heard Wolfson would have a new book out this summer, aptly titled That Summer in Maine , I was ecstatic and knew right away that I had to get my hands on a copy as soon as possible. Of course, this also meant that I went into this book with very high expectations, to the point that I automatically assumed that I would love this one as much as I did her debut. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and in the end, it fell quite a bit short of expectations for me. While Wolfson’s second book was written in mostly the same lyrical style that had captivated me in her debut – plus it covered the same theme of flawed families as well as the bond between mothers and daughters -- everything else felt so different this time around. Not only did I find it difficult to get into the story this time (it took me until close to the halfway mark before I felt pulled in), I also didn’t feel anything for the characters, which really surprised me. I had loved the characters in Rosie-Colored Glasses so much that, when I had gotten to the end of that story, I didn’t feel ready to let them go yet. With That Summer in Maine , I actually felt annoyed with the characters for majority of the story. Perhaps it was the inconsistency in the way the characters were portrayed -- Hazel and Eve were supposed to be 16-year-old teenagers, yet throughout most of the first half of the story, Hazel’s actions and behavior made her come across like a much younger child, while the descriptions of Eve in the second half made it seem like she could pass for someone much older, perhaps a young adult even. The unevenness of the characters’ portrayals from one section to another was a bit jarring, which definitely affected the flow of the story for me. Also, using the format of writing letters to recount Jane’s and Susie’s experiences with Silas during that fateful summer, while it made sense based on their story taking place in the past, the writing style felt a bit out of place with the rest of the narrative, almost like I was reading two different books. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem, but Wolfson has a unique writing style that was one of the key aspects of why I adored her debut novel as much as I did, so the contrast in style with those segments was particularly felt.
While the story and characters didn’t really appeal to me this time around, one of the things I appreciated was the depth with which Wolfson depicted the characters’ struggles in dealing with the complex family dynamics at the center of this particular story. The idea of two families from completely different walks of life, previously unknown to each other, discovering the truth of their connection via two daughters born from two different affairs with the same man – it’s a pretty complicated premise that Wolfson handled well in the overall scheme of things.
Though this one didn’t quite live up to my expectations, especially compared to this author’s debut novel, it was still a good read overall – basically, this was a book that I liked well enough, but didn’t love. With that said, I still look forward to reading Wolfson’s next work, though I probably should be more cautious about not going in with high expectations next time.
Received ARC from MIRA / Harlequin via NetGalley.
One of the things I remember most about Brianna Wolfson’s debut novel Rosie-Colored Glasses , which I had read back in 2018, was how emotionally resonant the book was for me. At the time, it was one of my favorite reads of the year (one that I rated 5 stars of course) and, more significantly, it was one of the few books that actually brought tears to my eyes as I was reading. There were so many things I loved about that book – the story, the characters, and most memorable for me, the lyrical writing that made the story flow so beautifully.
Given that experience, it should come as no surprise that when I heard Wolfson would have a new book out this summer, aptly titled That Summer in Maine , I was ecstatic and knew right away that I had to get my hands on a copy as soon as possible. Of course, this also meant that I went into this book with very high expectations, to the point that I automatically assumed that I would love this one as much as I did her debut. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and in the end, it fell quite a bit short of expectations for me. While Wolfson’s second book was written in mostly the same lyrical style that had captivated me in her debut – plus it covered the same theme of flawed families as well as the bond between mothers and daughters -- everything else felt so different this time around. Not only did I find it difficult to get into the story this time (it took me until close to the halfway mark before I felt pulled in), I also didn’t feel anything for the characters, which really surprised me. I had loved the characters in Rosie-Colored Glasses so much that, when I had gotten to the end of that story, I didn’t feel ready to let them go yet. With That Summer in Maine , I actually felt annoyed with the characters for majority of the story. Perhaps it was the inconsistency in the way the characters were portrayed -- Hazel and Eve were supposed to be 16-year-old teenagers, yet throughout most of the first half of the story, Hazel’s actions and behavior made her come across like a much younger child, while the descriptions of Eve in the second half made it seem like she could pass for someone much older, perhaps a young adult even. The unevenness of the characters’ portrayals from one section to another was a bit jarring, which definitely affected the flow of the story for me. Also, using the format of writing letters to recount Jane’s and Susie’s experiences with Silas during that fateful summer, while it made sense based on their story taking place in the past, the writing style felt a bit out of place with the rest of the narrative, almost like I was reading two different books. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem, but Wolfson has a unique writing style that was one of the key aspects of why I adored her debut novel as much as I did, so the contrast in style with those segments was particularly felt.
While the story and characters didn’t really appeal to me this time around, one of the things I appreciated was the depth with which Wolfson depicted the characters’ struggles in dealing with the complex family dynamics at the center of this particular story. The idea of two families from completely different walks of life, previously unknown to each other, discovering the truth of their connection via two daughters born from two different affairs with the same man – it’s a pretty complicated premise that Wolfson handled well in the overall scheme of things.
Though this one didn’t quite live up to my expectations, especially compared to this author’s debut novel, it was still a good read overall – basically, this was a book that I liked well enough, but didn’t love. With that said, I still look forward to reading Wolfson’s next work, though I probably should be more cautious about not going in with high expectations next time.
Received ARC from MIRA / Harlequin via NetGalley.
June 15, 2020
I really wanted to love this one!!
The last novel that Brianna Wolfson wrote made me bawl my eyes out. So, I went into this one with extremely high expectations. But, unfortunately this one fell a bit flat and didn't have that same spark that her debut novel had.
I do have to say Brianna Wolfson definitely knows how to write! She truly has a way with writing and it's beautiful.
I really loved the different aspects of family this one. You see the struggles between the relationship of a mother and daughter, step siblings, half sister, and lovers. It was nice to see a family aspect and how it truly is beautiful to have a blended family.
Each characters is dealing with their own struggles in the family aspect but at the end you see nicely how each one realizes what makes a family important.
Overall, 3 stars for me!
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin/Mira for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Pub date: 6/23/20
Published to GR: 6/14/20
The last novel that Brianna Wolfson wrote made me bawl my eyes out. So, I went into this one with extremely high expectations. But, unfortunately this one fell a bit flat and didn't have that same spark that her debut novel had.
I do have to say Brianna Wolfson definitely knows how to write! She truly has a way with writing and it's beautiful.
I really loved the different aspects of family this one. You see the struggles between the relationship of a mother and daughter, step siblings, half sister, and lovers. It was nice to see a family aspect and how it truly is beautiful to have a blended family.
Each characters is dealing with their own struggles in the family aspect but at the end you see nicely how each one realizes what makes a family important.
Overall, 3 stars for me!
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin/Mira for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Pub date: 6/23/20
Published to GR: 6/14/20
June 30, 2020
Thank you Brianna Wolfson, MIRA Books & NetGalley for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I read this as a part of the 2020 Summer Reads Blog Tour.
That Summer in Maine is a story that alternates between past and present. There are three narrators, Susie, Jane, and Hazel. In the past, two women, Susie and Jane, meet a man named Silas during a trip to Maine. Susie and Jane have two different relationships with Silas. Jane gets caught up in a whirlwind romance until she finds out that Silas slept with another woman. Susie was happy in her marriage, but she ended up sleeping with Silas as a one-night stand. Both of these resulted in unexpected pregnancies.
Sixteen years later, Jane's daughter, Hazel is contacted online by another sixteen year old, Eve, saying that they are sisters. Of course, to anyone, this would come as a shock, but especially to a sixteen year-old girl. Eve had already met Silas and spent the summer with him the previous year. Eve invites Hazel and with Hazel's current predicament with her mother having twins and no time for her, she accepts.
This book was a very beautiful telling about something that truly can happen within a family. Hazel feels like she's being replaced because her mother got married and had twin boys. She is unable to feel heard with her mother and doesn't feel as though she's a part of that family. She feels like she's an outsider. With the age gap between her and the twin boys, she finds it hard to fit in with her mother's "new family". I think people with siblings that have an age gap definitely could find this book relatable.
There was a lot about this book that I wanted to love. I had a hard time finding any development within the characters except for Hazel. Eve and Hazel are both supposed to be sixteen and I found myself thinking that their ages were not even close to the same. Hazel portrayed herself as a child almost. Eve seemed like a mean girl, but not like "high-school" mean. I found her seeming older than sixteen while I was reading it. It was hard to relate because they didn't seem the same age. I really didn't like the characters either. I did towards the end when I saw why they acted the way that they did. However, it was a little hard reading this not liking the characters until the end.
I did like that this was a story between mothers and daughters. It was almost like it was two stories in one book. I learned about the mother's stories and what happened and what they would do or wouldn't do differently. I got to see the outcomes from sixteen years of secrets. That alone was pretty interesting as a premise of the story.
Overall, I think more people should give this book a chance. The characters aren't that likable until the end, but once you see the background development, you'll like the ending and how everything plays out. I definitely would read Brianna Wolfson again as this was my first novel by her. If you are looking for a quick, feel-good family story, definitely pick this one up!
That Summer in Maine is a story that alternates between past and present. There are three narrators, Susie, Jane, and Hazel. In the past, two women, Susie and Jane, meet a man named Silas during a trip to Maine. Susie and Jane have two different relationships with Silas. Jane gets caught up in a whirlwind romance until she finds out that Silas slept with another woman. Susie was happy in her marriage, but she ended up sleeping with Silas as a one-night stand. Both of these resulted in unexpected pregnancies.
Sixteen years later, Jane's daughter, Hazel is contacted online by another sixteen year old, Eve, saying that they are sisters. Of course, to anyone, this would come as a shock, but especially to a sixteen year-old girl. Eve had already met Silas and spent the summer with him the previous year. Eve invites Hazel and with Hazel's current predicament with her mother having twins and no time for her, she accepts.
This book was a very beautiful telling about something that truly can happen within a family. Hazel feels like she's being replaced because her mother got married and had twin boys. She is unable to feel heard with her mother and doesn't feel as though she's a part of that family. She feels like she's an outsider. With the age gap between her and the twin boys, she finds it hard to fit in with her mother's "new family". I think people with siblings that have an age gap definitely could find this book relatable.
There was a lot about this book that I wanted to love. I had a hard time finding any development within the characters except for Hazel. Eve and Hazel are both supposed to be sixteen and I found myself thinking that their ages were not even close to the same. Hazel portrayed herself as a child almost. Eve seemed like a mean girl, but not like "high-school" mean. I found her seeming older than sixteen while I was reading it. It was hard to relate because they didn't seem the same age. I really didn't like the characters either. I did towards the end when I saw why they acted the way that they did. However, it was a little hard reading this not liking the characters until the end.
I did like that this was a story between mothers and daughters. It was almost like it was two stories in one book. I learned about the mother's stories and what happened and what they would do or wouldn't do differently. I got to see the outcomes from sixteen years of secrets. That alone was pretty interesting as a premise of the story.
Overall, I think more people should give this book a chance. The characters aren't that likable until the end, but once you see the background development, you'll like the ending and how everything plays out. I definitely would read Brianna Wolfson again as this was my first novel by her. If you are looking for a quick, feel-good family story, definitely pick this one up!
June 29, 2020
For most of her life it’s been just sixteen year old Hazel and her mother, Jane. Then, Cam came into Jane’s life. They married and had twin boys. Hazel no longer felt like part of the family. She felt like an outsider in her own home.
Through social media she found out she had a biological sister. They make plans to go to Maine and meet their biological father. Hazel is thrilled. She’s sure this will be her new family. Jane is terrified of losing her daughter to a man who has been absent from her daughter’s life for sixteen years.
I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, but I will say this is a different take on mother/daughter relationships. The characters are well-written and realistic. My heart went out to Hazel and her mother the most. Their situation is sad. My heart breaks for a teenager to feel so isolated.
It’s an emotional story that touches your heart. The first half mainly deals with the two mothers and how they became involved with the girls’ biological father. I thought the story really took off when we got to Maine and saw how the girls and their father got along. It’s a bumpy road to say the least.
This is a heartwarming story dealing with family, mother/daughter relationships and love. I never read this author before, but I was impressed and will be keeping an eye open for more of her work.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Through social media she found out she had a biological sister. They make plans to go to Maine and meet their biological father. Hazel is thrilled. She’s sure this will be her new family. Jane is terrified of losing her daughter to a man who has been absent from her daughter’s life for sixteen years.
I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, but I will say this is a different take on mother/daughter relationships. The characters are well-written and realistic. My heart went out to Hazel and her mother the most. Their situation is sad. My heart breaks for a teenager to feel so isolated.
It’s an emotional story that touches your heart. The first half mainly deals with the two mothers and how they became involved with the girls’ biological father. I thought the story really took off when we got to Maine and saw how the girls and their father got along. It’s a bumpy road to say the least.
This is a heartwarming story dealing with family, mother/daughter relationships and love. I never read this author before, but I was impressed and will be keeping an eye open for more of her work.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 15, 2020
I adored Rosie Colored Glasses and I was looking forward to reading Brianna Wolfson's follow-up but this was really bland. The basic idea--two teenage girls discover they share a father neither has known and travel to Maine to meet him and each other--but the structure really took the knees out of the story. Most of the background is told through diary entries (well, the two mothers writing letters they haven't given to their daughters, so effectively diaries) which makes the first half of the book just feel like an exposition dump. The character development was seriously lacking because you don't get much of the daughters' point of view until the second half of the book.
This had a lot of promise but the final result was just kind of bleh.
This had a lot of promise but the final result was just kind of bleh.
June 12, 2020
I wanted to love this book. It had all the trappings of a book just made for me; Maine, summer, sisters, family drama. I kept reading it even when it began to set my teeth on edge hoping for a turn-about. At the end of the book, I was just irritated. A few take-aways from my experience:
If I never hear the word tummy again I will be a happy woman. Everyone had a tummy. It hurt, or it quaked, or it growled, etc. The thing is, other than the twin one-year-olds, everyone else using the word was mid-teen or older. It gave me a pain. It made my eyes roll.
There was a lot of vague sexual tension and sexualized description of bodies. There was an uncomfortable description on the part of the daughter's of her father's chest hair and muscled thighs. There was a great deal of description of breasts, provocative posturing, and posing. There was descriptive analysis of one sister's body by the other, and the reverse. These characters were all seemingly sexually aware of one another, and yet all related in direct and indirect ways. It was creepy.
There was a subplot running between the two mothers of the teen sisters that could have been a story on its own and yet encompassed the middle third of the book and then was barely referenced again until the last page. Reading it and jumping back into the daughter's perspectives again felt like someone abruptly changed the channel.
And then the obligatory bad girl who manipulates everyone and clearly needs a therapist. She was the only character that was consistent throughout the book. She was tempestuous and selfish from beginning to end, hurting whom she pleased and never receiving consequences.
I received this book as a digital ARC in return for a fair and honest review through NetGalley.
If I never hear the word tummy again I will be a happy woman. Everyone had a tummy. It hurt, or it quaked, or it growled, etc. The thing is, other than the twin one-year-olds, everyone else using the word was mid-teen or older. It gave me a pain. It made my eyes roll.
There was a lot of vague sexual tension and sexualized description of bodies. There was an uncomfortable description on the part of the daughter's of her father's chest hair and muscled thighs. There was a great deal of description of breasts, provocative posturing, and posing. There was descriptive analysis of one sister's body by the other, and the reverse. These characters were all seemingly sexually aware of one another, and yet all related in direct and indirect ways. It was creepy.
There was a subplot running between the two mothers of the teen sisters that could have been a story on its own and yet encompassed the middle third of the book and then was barely referenced again until the last page. Reading it and jumping back into the daughter's perspectives again felt like someone abruptly changed the channel.
And then the obligatory bad girl who manipulates everyone and clearly needs a therapist. She was the only character that was consistent throughout the book. She was tempestuous and selfish from beginning to end, hurting whom she pleased and never receiving consequences.
I received this book as a digital ARC in return for a fair and honest review through NetGalley.
June 13, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin - Trade Publishing for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
For starters, if you are looking for a great book about 2 women who made some iffy decisions in their younger years, crazy bonding of 2 half-sisters, and takes place in the beautiful state of Maine, you have picked the right book.
I found this book as little of the crazy side for me...... I kept shaking my head and saying ‘really”. I kept looking for the m moment that I could grab the tissue, have a good cry and say ‘Good Book”., I never got there.
For starters, if you are looking for a great book about 2 women who made some iffy decisions in their younger years, crazy bonding of 2 half-sisters, and takes place in the beautiful state of Maine, you have picked the right book.
I found this book as little of the crazy side for me...... I kept shaking my head and saying ‘really”. I kept looking for the m moment that I could grab the tissue, have a good cry and say ‘Good Book”., I never got there.
dnf
July 4, 2020I'm not a fan in general of books that feature bratty teens who need a major attitude adjustment. Or feature parents who don't have conversations with their teens about how things are going in their lives. This book had both things, so I opted out early on.
June 29, 2020
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
This was my first experience reading Brianna Wolfson's writing and I enjoyed her style overall. It was descriptive and flowed well, while also being filled with heart. I found myself feeling for many of the characters and their individual situations, even if they weren't something I could identify with myself, it was written that well.
I felt this was really a story about families and all the different relationships and roles that different members play and how those roles can change with life events, time and changes to the family. I really enjoyed the look at how family dynamics can shift and the different emotions that can happen with those shifts. I didn't necessarily like all of the characters, but each of their specific situations were well examined and explained.
This was my first experience reading Brianna Wolfson's writing and I enjoyed her style overall. It was descriptive and flowed well, while also being filled with heart. I found myself feeling for many of the characters and their individual situations, even if they weren't something I could identify with myself, it was written that well.
I felt this was really a story about families and all the different relationships and roles that different members play and how those roles can change with life events, time and changes to the family. I really enjoyed the look at how family dynamics can shift and the different emotions that can happen with those shifts. I didn't necessarily like all of the characters, but each of their specific situations were well examined and explained.
January 30, 2022
i don’t know, i feel just... empty, after reading this. i know that this is supposed to be a cute happy story about our hazel finding her true family and blah, blah, blah, but i just found everyone in this book so superficial, so 1D, and the storyline just wasn’t there for me.
i genuinely disliked every. single. character in this book, which made it SUCH an enjoyable read (sarcasm). anyways, nothing stand-out and a little bit of a waste of time reading this book.
i genuinely disliked every. single. character in this book, which made it SUCH an enjoyable read (sarcasm). anyways, nothing stand-out and a little bit of a waste of time reading this book.
June 8, 2020
I looked forward to this book from the first day I read a description of it. Unfortunately the book does not live up to the description. The characters are impossible to relate to and it is impossible to have any sympathy for them or their situation. There are far better summer reads out there.
June 19, 2020
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
3.5*
This is a book with a number of layers, but as we get to see the story from different viewpoints - partly due to the reading/writing of never to be opened letters to the daughters; partly as the chapters swap between narrators. There is a lot of inner monologue, which I am not a huge fan of, particularly when it is expressing feelings which could have been demonstrated in other ways. But I did enjoy finding out all the nuances and reasoning that they protagonists had for their actions. Each of them believed that they were doing the thing that worked best for them. Thankfully once they work out that happiness can be found in the simple and the honest. It can be found all around you, and sometimes being open to it, communicating clearly and giving a hug when you want one, can work wonders.
There are some really fun bits, like the girls and Silas lying on the grass in the rain, the trip out on the boat. But there were some very discordant ones for me too - especially the beer incident, and a few times I wanted to put Eve on the naughty step! I was very curious as to how it could all work out, but I was mostly satisfied with how it ended. I think anyone in that situation might find it a salutary reminder of how lies definitely find you out, and how the grass is never greener on the other side!
3.5*
This is a book with a number of layers, but as we get to see the story from different viewpoints - partly due to the reading/writing of never to be opened letters to the daughters; partly as the chapters swap between narrators. There is a lot of inner monologue, which I am not a huge fan of, particularly when it is expressing feelings which could have been demonstrated in other ways. But I did enjoy finding out all the nuances and reasoning that they protagonists had for their actions. Each of them believed that they were doing the thing that worked best for them. Thankfully once they work out that happiness can be found in the simple and the honest. It can be found all around you, and sometimes being open to it, communicating clearly and giving a hug when you want one, can work wonders.
There are some really fun bits, like the girls and Silas lying on the grass in the rain, the trip out on the boat. But there were some very discordant ones for me too - especially the beer incident, and a few times I wanted to put Eve on the naughty step! I was very curious as to how it could all work out, but I was mostly satisfied with how it ended. I think anyone in that situation might find it a salutary reminder of how lies definitely find you out, and how the grass is never greener on the other side!
June 8, 2020
For a women's fiction book I found this rather complex and a little different. The story is about a struggling mother/daughter relationship (Hazel/Jane), step siblings, half siblings and so much drama. Without giving too much away Jane is reluctant for Eve and Hazel to meet up with a man named Silas she hasn't seen in over 16 years in his cabin in Maine. Jane is remarried to Cam after being a single mom for so long, Does this sound mundane? It certainly was not.
I wanted to smack the heck out of a few characters for different infuriating reasons. This book had a surprising amount of depth for a women's fiction book. Not my usual women's fiction read but an author I would love to read more from. Definitely a nice summer read.
Thanks to Netgalley, Brianna Wolfson, and Harlequin Trade Publishing Mira for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Available: 6/23/20
I wanted to smack the heck out of a few characters for different infuriating reasons. This book had a surprising amount of depth for a women's fiction book. Not my usual women's fiction read but an author I would love to read more from. Definitely a nice summer read.
Thanks to Netgalley, Brianna Wolfson, and Harlequin Trade Publishing Mira for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Available: 6/23/20
January 11, 2024
The storyline of this book was intriguing; two 15 year-olds discover that the were fathered by the same man and arrange to spend time with him one summer. Their respective families are not keen, end up going along with the plan but worry about them the whole time. I liked the narrative style, POV was split between the girls, their mothers and letters written by both mothers which flesh out background and personalities. But all is not as it seems, one of the girls is not being honest and the other is searching for a different, better family. Wolfson is excellent at portraying the turbulent emotions of teenage girls, their longings and confusion as they figure out who they are going to become. I think older teen girls would love this book, even though it was published as an adult title. It might even help them develop an adult perspective. I did feel that thing s wrapped up a bit abruptly, but still enjoyed reading it. If you are a mother of girls, I bet you would enjoy this, too!
July 2, 2020
This was a very unusual story and that I couldn’t really relate to any of what any of the characters had been through… Which was fine. Opened me up to seeing peoples stories in a different way. I skimmed over much of the middle section telling the stories of the two mothers. For me, I was much more interested in the teenage daughters stories. There was a little too much preachiness at the end when the author was wrapping up the story… I didn’t need to be told several times what the novel had been all about.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read
July 2, 2020Categories
Contemporary Women's Fiction, Family Life Fiction, Coming of Age Fiction
Contemporary Women's Fiction, Family Life Fiction, Coming of Age Fiction
May 5, 2020
This was a 3 1/2 star read for me. I didn't care much for the story line, or one aspect of it, I should say. But the words, wow. I really enjoyed this author's style. I'm not really one that loves or needs extra words to describe things, I even sometimes find them to be annoying.
Every single word in this book is beautiful, and well chosen, not wasteful at all. I liked the stories of the Mothers, and of Hazel, but Eve, oh Eve, I wanted to slap you. Ha!
Will definitely read more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC.
Every single word in this book is beautiful, and well chosen, not wasteful at all. I liked the stories of the Mothers, and of Hazel, but Eve, oh Eve, I wanted to slap you. Ha!
Will definitely read more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC.
June 5, 2020
I have reviewed this book for the New York Journal of Books website where it will be posted on the evening prior to the release date.
"That Summer in Maine" by Brianna Wolfson
MIRA
June 23, 2020
10-0778351238
Contemporary Fiction
320 Pages
Most teenage girls experience growing up--am I pretty enough, how can I be popular, will any boy ever like me--and the list goes on. This is the case with Hazel Box, though her anxiety encompasses so much more. For years there's only been Hazel, and Jane, her single mom, and life was close to perfect. Hazel could talk to her mother about anything and receive unconditional love as well as knowing she was number one in Jane's life.
Things changed when Jane met Cam. They marry and Hazel isn't the focus of her mom's attention. When Jane gives birth to twin boys, Hazel feels more like an outsider than ever. Where do I belong, she often asks herself?
All Hazel seems to be good for is watching the babies and helping her mom, while she fades into the background. Jane has told Hazel about an ex-love who was her biological father, but she never considered him. Though Hazel carries his surname, he's never been in her life, so why should she care?
One day she receives an email from the social media site, Wassup? from Eve Warrington, an unfamiliar girl.
"'I think we're sisters.'
"'Hazel swallowed. It took effort.'
"'Well, half-sisters.'
Looking at Eve's pictures, she is surprised by the similarities between them. So, confused yet excited, she reads as Eve tells her about the one-night stand her mother, Susie had with Silas Box, who fathered both girls. Susie and her husband, Parker desperately wanted a child but were unable to, so on a shopping trip in Maine for her decorating business, Susie met Silas. She loves the furniture he fabricates, and after they got talking, Susie went with him for a drink. She over imbibed and the rest is history. Unfortunately--Susie never told Eve that Parker was not her birth father. Eve, ever precocious thought something was wrong seeing she did not resemble either of her parents, so she searched the Internet and found Silas. When she called him, he thought Eve was Jane's daughter, but Eve did not tell anyone about Hazel. Instead, she visited Silas for the summer.
The following spring, Eve contacts Hazel which piques Hazel's curiosity, especially she believes she's doesn't mean much to her mother now.
Eve states she is planning to go to Maine and insists Hazel joins her. With mixed feelings, Jane does not want to lose her daughter to a man she hasn't seen in 16 years, but she notices how withdrawn Hazel has become, and against her better judgment and after getting together with the Warrington's, she relents.
As they leave Susie's, she hands Jane a journal in which she has recorded her thoughts from last year about Eve meeting her biological dad. She tells Jane this helped her through a tough time when Eve went to visit Silas.
Overwhelmed with joy, Hazel thinks to be with her "real" father she will gain the true family she desires as well as a sister her age. Excited when they arrive, she takes in Silas's very rustic cabin set in the woods and on the lake and pictures herself living there with him. Silas entertains his daughters the best he can but is unsure how to act around young girls. When he offers them beer, she is excited to think he's treating them as adults, though knowing Jane and Cam would be appalled.
As the days pass, Jane worries because Hazel does not answer her phone or texts. Is she losing the Hazel?
Suddenly, Jane gets a call from Hazel:
"'Hello?' Jane responds, nearly out of breath with relief.'
"'Mom,' Hazel said, but didn't say it warmly.'
"'Hello?' Jane asked again, with more urgency this time.'
'She wanted to hear from her daughter so badly.'
"'I'm staying here,' her daughter said into the phone and then hung up."
With this, Jane realizes she must go to Maine to reclaim Hazel.
The girls get along somewhat well, though Eve is a drama queen, and Hazel, who always longed for a sister, starts to have misgivings about her brash ways. Silas, somewhat reticent and melancholy, appears to be hiding something from them. There is a locked room in his house which they are forbidden to enter, and this only makes Hazel more inquisitive. What is the big secret?
One night before going to sleep, Hazel desperate for connection, questions Eve:
"'Eve,' she blurted out into the darkness. "'Are you awake?'
"'Yeah, why?' Eve responded without turning around.'
"'How did you find out about me?' Hazel asked. She could see Eve stirring a bit now.'
"'What do you mean?' Eve replied with much more energy. She sat straight up and turned her lamp on.'
"The glow lit her face up, and Hazel could sense a maniacal twinge in her eye.'
"'Well,' Eve began, slamming her palms onto the sheets nest to her, causing them to ripple.'
"'As you know, I am always one to have all the information. Some people call it gossip but I really prefer to call it information. And there was no way I was going to not find every bit of information about my own father.'
"Hazel nodded along. The feeling resonated.'
"'And in this case, the information wasn't just going to come to find me. My mother gave up his name pretty easily.'
"Eve smiled proudly and flipped her messy bun from one side of her head to the other.'
"'I told her I was sick of her secrets, and she just blurted it right out. So, one day after school, I googled his name. Silasvox.com was the first search result. I literally could not believe it would be this easy and I clicked on the page. The first page was boring. Just a bunch of shitty tables and stuff. But then I found the About Me page.'
"Hazel felt the room get a bit colder and the light of the lamp against Eve's cheek get more dramatic as the story continued.'
"'Silas's pictures popped up right away and there was no doubt that this was him. His green eyes. His black hair. If it's not creepy to say, his good look. And right there beneath the picture was a whole set of contact information. Email, phone number, address.'
"'I thought calling him would be the easiest first step, so I did. The phone rand a few times and I thought he might not pick up but then I heard his voice on the other end.'
"Hazel was enraptured now. 'Well, what did you say?'
"'I said, 'I think I'm your daughter.'
"'Just like that?' Hazel asked with true shock at Eve's straightforwardness.'
"'Yep, just like that. It was quiet on the other end of the line for a moment and then . . . Want to know what he said?'
"Eve was giggling now, her shoulders bouncing up and down.
"'He cleared his throat, and he sounded a bit flustered. 'Uh, right. The other daughter.'
"Eve guffawed as the words left her lips and Hazel's tummy clenched into one big know. Silas knew about her the whole time? Her father knew about her the whole time? It was almost as if it were all happening all over again. That kick in the stomach, those hot tears pressing behind the eyes, the constriction of the throat that came with learning that the things you thought you knew were not wholly true. She wasn't sure whether to interpret this as a betrayal of not. But Hazel wanted to stay far, far away from that idea. She wanted to push it way, way away. She wanted so badly for this new life to be her permanent one now."
One day at a local fair, Hazel spots two young boys in a double stroller and rushes to see them. In her mind, she sees her brothers, and without thinking, picks one of them up to cuddle. This terrifies their mother, causing Hazel to realize she misses her "real" family.
Soon, Eve becomes downright surly and insists she wants to go home. She states the only reason she sought Silas out was to make her parents angry after they kept his identity from her for so long. This bewilders Hazel, making her start to think about her own life.
"That Summer in Maine" is actually two novels in one; the mother's histories and the mistakes they made from their past which they now face with their love for their daughters while trying to protect them and keep them close. The daughters have their own tale combining their fears, frustrations, and questions about their place in life as they mature. Both Hazel and Eve come to see their mothers though not perfect are human and fiercely love their girls. As well as adult contemporary fiction, this can also be a coming-of-age story as the girls try to find their purpose. Either way, with tight and concise prose, two generations come to understand each other and find the real meaning of family.
"That Summer in Maine" by Brianna Wolfson
MIRA
June 23, 2020
10-0778351238
Contemporary Fiction
320 Pages
Most teenage girls experience growing up--am I pretty enough, how can I be popular, will any boy ever like me--and the list goes on. This is the case with Hazel Box, though her anxiety encompasses so much more. For years there's only been Hazel, and Jane, her single mom, and life was close to perfect. Hazel could talk to her mother about anything and receive unconditional love as well as knowing she was number one in Jane's life.
Things changed when Jane met Cam. They marry and Hazel isn't the focus of her mom's attention. When Jane gives birth to twin boys, Hazel feels more like an outsider than ever. Where do I belong, she often asks herself?
All Hazel seems to be good for is watching the babies and helping her mom, while she fades into the background. Jane has told Hazel about an ex-love who was her biological father, but she never considered him. Though Hazel carries his surname, he's never been in her life, so why should she care?
One day she receives an email from the social media site, Wassup? from Eve Warrington, an unfamiliar girl.
"'I think we're sisters.'
"'Hazel swallowed. It took effort.'
"'Well, half-sisters.'
Looking at Eve's pictures, she is surprised by the similarities between them. So, confused yet excited, she reads as Eve tells her about the one-night stand her mother, Susie had with Silas Box, who fathered both girls. Susie and her husband, Parker desperately wanted a child but were unable to, so on a shopping trip in Maine for her decorating business, Susie met Silas. She loves the furniture he fabricates, and after they got talking, Susie went with him for a drink. She over imbibed and the rest is history. Unfortunately--Susie never told Eve that Parker was not her birth father. Eve, ever precocious thought something was wrong seeing she did not resemble either of her parents, so she searched the Internet and found Silas. When she called him, he thought Eve was Jane's daughter, but Eve did not tell anyone about Hazel. Instead, she visited Silas for the summer.
The following spring, Eve contacts Hazel which piques Hazel's curiosity, especially she believes she's doesn't mean much to her mother now.
Eve states she is planning to go to Maine and insists Hazel joins her. With mixed feelings, Jane does not want to lose her daughter to a man she hasn't seen in 16 years, but she notices how withdrawn Hazel has become, and against her better judgment and after getting together with the Warrington's, she relents.
As they leave Susie's, she hands Jane a journal in which she has recorded her thoughts from last year about Eve meeting her biological dad. She tells Jane this helped her through a tough time when Eve went to visit Silas.
Overwhelmed with joy, Hazel thinks to be with her "real" father she will gain the true family she desires as well as a sister her age. Excited when they arrive, she takes in Silas's very rustic cabin set in the woods and on the lake and pictures herself living there with him. Silas entertains his daughters the best he can but is unsure how to act around young girls. When he offers them beer, she is excited to think he's treating them as adults, though knowing Jane and Cam would be appalled.
As the days pass, Jane worries because Hazel does not answer her phone or texts. Is she losing the Hazel?
Suddenly, Jane gets a call from Hazel:
"'Hello?' Jane responds, nearly out of breath with relief.'
"'Mom,' Hazel said, but didn't say it warmly.'
"'Hello?' Jane asked again, with more urgency this time.'
'She wanted to hear from her daughter so badly.'
"'I'm staying here,' her daughter said into the phone and then hung up."
With this, Jane realizes she must go to Maine to reclaim Hazel.
The girls get along somewhat well, though Eve is a drama queen, and Hazel, who always longed for a sister, starts to have misgivings about her brash ways. Silas, somewhat reticent and melancholy, appears to be hiding something from them. There is a locked room in his house which they are forbidden to enter, and this only makes Hazel more inquisitive. What is the big secret?
One night before going to sleep, Hazel desperate for connection, questions Eve:
"'Eve,' she blurted out into the darkness. "'Are you awake?'
"'Yeah, why?' Eve responded without turning around.'
"'How did you find out about me?' Hazel asked. She could see Eve stirring a bit now.'
"'What do you mean?' Eve replied with much more energy. She sat straight up and turned her lamp on.'
"The glow lit her face up, and Hazel could sense a maniacal twinge in her eye.'
"'Well,' Eve began, slamming her palms onto the sheets nest to her, causing them to ripple.'
"'As you know, I am always one to have all the information. Some people call it gossip but I really prefer to call it information. And there was no way I was going to not find every bit of information about my own father.'
"Hazel nodded along. The feeling resonated.'
"'And in this case, the information wasn't just going to come to find me. My mother gave up his name pretty easily.'
"Eve smiled proudly and flipped her messy bun from one side of her head to the other.'
"'I told her I was sick of her secrets, and she just blurted it right out. So, one day after school, I googled his name. Silasvox.com was the first search result. I literally could not believe it would be this easy and I clicked on the page. The first page was boring. Just a bunch of shitty tables and stuff. But then I found the About Me page.'
"Hazel felt the room get a bit colder and the light of the lamp against Eve's cheek get more dramatic as the story continued.'
"'Silas's pictures popped up right away and there was no doubt that this was him. His green eyes. His black hair. If it's not creepy to say, his good look. And right there beneath the picture was a whole set of contact information. Email, phone number, address.'
"'I thought calling him would be the easiest first step, so I did. The phone rand a few times and I thought he might not pick up but then I heard his voice on the other end.'
"Hazel was enraptured now. 'Well, what did you say?'
"'I said, 'I think I'm your daughter.'
"'Just like that?' Hazel asked with true shock at Eve's straightforwardness.'
"'Yep, just like that. It was quiet on the other end of the line for a moment and then . . . Want to know what he said?'
"Eve was giggling now, her shoulders bouncing up and down.
"'He cleared his throat, and he sounded a bit flustered. 'Uh, right. The other daughter.'
"Eve guffawed as the words left her lips and Hazel's tummy clenched into one big know. Silas knew about her the whole time? Her father knew about her the whole time? It was almost as if it were all happening all over again. That kick in the stomach, those hot tears pressing behind the eyes, the constriction of the throat that came with learning that the things you thought you knew were not wholly true. She wasn't sure whether to interpret this as a betrayal of not. But Hazel wanted to stay far, far away from that idea. She wanted to push it way, way away. She wanted so badly for this new life to be her permanent one now."
One day at a local fair, Hazel spots two young boys in a double stroller and rushes to see them. In her mind, she sees her brothers, and without thinking, picks one of them up to cuddle. This terrifies their mother, causing Hazel to realize she misses her "real" family.
Soon, Eve becomes downright surly and insists she wants to go home. She states the only reason she sought Silas out was to make her parents angry after they kept his identity from her for so long. This bewilders Hazel, making her start to think about her own life.
"That Summer in Maine" is actually two novels in one; the mother's histories and the mistakes they made from their past which they now face with their love for their daughters while trying to protect them and keep them close. The daughters have their own tale combining their fears, frustrations, and questions about their place in life as they mature. Both Hazel and Eve come to see their mothers though not perfect are human and fiercely love their girls. As well as adult contemporary fiction, this can also be a coming-of-age story as the girls try to find their purpose. Either way, with tight and concise prose, two generations come to understand each other and find the real meaning of family.
August 25, 2020
That Summer in Maine
by Brianna Wolfson
MIRA
June 23, 2020
10-0778351238
Contemporary Fiction
320 Pages
Most teenage girls experience concerns growing up—Sm I pretty enough? How can I be popular? Will boys/girls like me?—and the list goes on. This is the case with Hazel Box, though her anxiety encompasses so much more. For years Hazel has had her single mom Jane to herself and life was close to perfect. Hazel could talk to her mother about anything and receive unconditional love as well as knowing she was number one in Jane's life.
Things changed when Jane meets Cam and they marry. Hazel isn't the focus of her mom's attention, and when Jane gives birth to twin boys, Hazel feels more like an outsider than ever. Where do I belong, she often asks herself?
All Hazel seems to be good for is watching the babies and helping her mom and fading into the background. Jane told Hazel about an ex-lover who is her biological father, but Hazel never considered him. Though she carries his surname, he's never been in her life, so why should she care?
One day Hazel receives an email from the social media site, Wassup? from Eve Warrington, an unfamiliar girl:
"'I think we're sisters.'
"'Hazel swallowed. It took effort.'
"'Well, half-sisters.'
Glancing at Eve's pictures, Hazel is surprised by the similarities between them. Confused yet excited, she reads as Eve writes about the one-night stand her mother Susie had with Silas Box, who fathered both girls. Susie and her husband Parker desperately wanted a child but were unable to, and on a trip to Maine, Susie encounters Silas, a furniture maker. She loves his work, and they get to talking then go for a drink. Susie over-imbibes, and the rest is history.
Unfortunately—Susie never told Eve that Parker was not her birth father. The ever-precocious Eve, believing something wasn’t right because she did not resemble either of her parents, searched the Internet and found Silas. When she called him and introduced herself, he thought she was Jane's daughter. Eve did not mention she knew about Hazel, and she visited Silas for the summer.
The following spring, Eve contacts Hazel, which piques Hazel's curiosity, especially since she imagines she's doesn't mean much to her mother now.
Eve is planning to go to Maine and insists Hazel join her. With mixed feelings, Jane does not want to lose her daughter to a man she hasn't seen in 16 years, but she seeing how withdrawn Hazel now is, and though it’s against her better judgment, she relents after meeting the Warringtons.
As they leave Susie's home, she hands Jane a journal in which she has recorded her thoughts from last year about Eve meeting her biological dad. She tells Jane her musings helped her through a tough time when Eve was gone.
Overwhelmed with joy, Hazel thinks being with her "real" father will offer her the true family she desires as well as having a sister her age. She is excited when they arrive, taking in Silas's very rustic cabin set in the woods and on the lake and pictures herself living there with him forever. Silas entertains his daughters the best he can but is unsure how to act around young girls. When he offers them beer, she is excited to think he's treating them as adults, though knowing Jane and Cam would be furious.
As the days pass, Jane worries when Hazel does not answer her phone or texts. Is she losing Hazel?
Suddenly, Jane gets a call from Hazel:
"'Hello?' Jane responds, nearly out of breath with relief.'
"'Mom,' Hazel said, but didn't say it warmly.'
"'Hello?' Jane asked again, with more urgency this time.'
'She wanted to hear from her daughter so badly.'
"'I'm staying here,' her daughter said into the phone and then hung up."
With this, Jane realizes she must go to Maine to reclaim Hazel.
The girls get along well, though Eve is somewhat of a drama queen, and Hazel, who always longed for a sister, starts to have misgivings about her brash ways. Silas is reticent and melancholy, appearing to be hiding something from them. They are told they are forbidden to enter the locked room in his house, which only makes Hazel more inquisitive. What is the big secret?
One night before going to sleep, Hazel desperate for connection, questions Eve:
"'Eve,' she blurted out into the darkness. "'Are you awake?'
"'Yeah, why?' Eve responded without turning around.'
"'How did you find out about me?' Hazel asked. She could see Eve stirring a bit now.'
"'What do you mean?' Eve replied with much more energy. She sat straight up and turned her lamp on.'
"The glow lit her face up, and Hazel could sense a maniacal twinge in her eye.'
"'Well,' Eve began, slamming her palms onto the sheets nest to her, causing them to ripple.'
"'As you know, I am always one to have all the information. Some people call it gossip but I really prefer to call it information. And there was no way I was going to not find every bit of information about my own father.'
"Hazel nodded along. The feeling resonated.'
"'And in this case, the information wasn't just going to come to find me. My mother gave up his name pretty easily.'
"Eve smiled proudly and flipped her messy bun from one side of her head to the other.'
"'I told her I was sick of her secrets, and she just blurted it right out. So, one day after school, I googled his name. SilasBox.com was the first search result. I literally could not believe it would be this easy and I clicked on the page. The first page was boring. Just a bunch of shitty tables and stuff. But then I found the About Me page.'
"Hazel felt the room get a bit colder and the light of the lamp against Eve's cheek get more dramatic as the story continued.'
"'Silas's pictures popped up right away and there was no doubt that this was him. His green eyes. His black hair. If it's not creepy to say, his good looks. And right there beneath the picture was a whole set of contact information. Email, phone number, address.'
"'I thought calling him would be the easiest first step, so I did. The phone rang a few times and I thought he might not pick up but then I heard his voice on the other end.'
"Hazel was enraptured now. 'Well, what did you say?'
"'I said, 'I think I'm your daughter.'
"'Just like that?' Hazel asked with true shock at Eve's straightforwardness.'
"'Yep, just like that. It was quiet on the other end of the line for a moment and then . . . Want to know what he said?'
"Eve was giggling now, her shoulders bouncing up and down.
"'He cleared his throat, and he sounded a bit flustered. 'Uh, right. The other daughter.'
"Eve guffawed as the words left her lips and Hazel's tummy clenched into one big knot. Silas knew about her the whole time? Her father knew about her the whole time? It was almost as if it were all happening all over again. That kick in the stomach, those hot tears pressing behind the eyes, the constriction of the throat that came with learning that the things you thought you knew were not wholly true. She wasn't sure whether to interpret this as a betrayal or not. But Hazel wanted to stay far, far away from that idea. She wanted to push it way, way away. She wanted so badly for this new life to be her permanent one now."
One day at a local fair, Hazel spots two young boys in a double stroller and rushes over to them. In her mind, she sees her brothers, and without thinking, picks one boy up to cuddle. This terrifies their mother, causing Hazel to realize they are not her brothers and she misses her "real" family.
Soon, Eve becomes downright surly and insists she wants to go home. She tells Hazel the only reason she sought Silas out was to make her parents angry after keeping his identity from her for so long. Hazel, now bewildered, starts to think of her own life.
That Summer in Maine is two novels in one; first, the mothers’ histories and the mistakes they made from their past which they now face with their love for their daughters while trying to protect them and keep them close. And the daughters offer their own insights combining their fears, frustrations, and questions about their place in life as they mature. Throughout this, Hazel and Eve see their mothers though not perfect are human and fiercely love them. So as well as adult contemporary fiction, this is also a coming-of-age story as the girls search for meaning. Either way, with the tight and concise prose, two generations come to understand each other and find the true meaning of family.
by Brianna Wolfson
MIRA
June 23, 2020
10-0778351238
Contemporary Fiction
320 Pages
Most teenage girls experience concerns growing up—Sm I pretty enough? How can I be popular? Will boys/girls like me?—and the list goes on. This is the case with Hazel Box, though her anxiety encompasses so much more. For years Hazel has had her single mom Jane to herself and life was close to perfect. Hazel could talk to her mother about anything and receive unconditional love as well as knowing she was number one in Jane's life.
Things changed when Jane meets Cam and they marry. Hazel isn't the focus of her mom's attention, and when Jane gives birth to twin boys, Hazel feels more like an outsider than ever. Where do I belong, she often asks herself?
All Hazel seems to be good for is watching the babies and helping her mom and fading into the background. Jane told Hazel about an ex-lover who is her biological father, but Hazel never considered him. Though she carries his surname, he's never been in her life, so why should she care?
One day Hazel receives an email from the social media site, Wassup? from Eve Warrington, an unfamiliar girl:
"'I think we're sisters.'
"'Hazel swallowed. It took effort.'
"'Well, half-sisters.'
Glancing at Eve's pictures, Hazel is surprised by the similarities between them. Confused yet excited, she reads as Eve writes about the one-night stand her mother Susie had with Silas Box, who fathered both girls. Susie and her husband Parker desperately wanted a child but were unable to, and on a trip to Maine, Susie encounters Silas, a furniture maker. She loves his work, and they get to talking then go for a drink. Susie over-imbibes, and the rest is history.
Unfortunately—Susie never told Eve that Parker was not her birth father. The ever-precocious Eve, believing something wasn’t right because she did not resemble either of her parents, searched the Internet and found Silas. When she called him and introduced herself, he thought she was Jane's daughter. Eve did not mention she knew about Hazel, and she visited Silas for the summer.
The following spring, Eve contacts Hazel, which piques Hazel's curiosity, especially since she imagines she's doesn't mean much to her mother now.
Eve is planning to go to Maine and insists Hazel join her. With mixed feelings, Jane does not want to lose her daughter to a man she hasn't seen in 16 years, but she seeing how withdrawn Hazel now is, and though it’s against her better judgment, she relents after meeting the Warringtons.
As they leave Susie's home, she hands Jane a journal in which she has recorded her thoughts from last year about Eve meeting her biological dad. She tells Jane her musings helped her through a tough time when Eve was gone.
Overwhelmed with joy, Hazel thinks being with her "real" father will offer her the true family she desires as well as having a sister her age. She is excited when they arrive, taking in Silas's very rustic cabin set in the woods and on the lake and pictures herself living there with him forever. Silas entertains his daughters the best he can but is unsure how to act around young girls. When he offers them beer, she is excited to think he's treating them as adults, though knowing Jane and Cam would be furious.
As the days pass, Jane worries when Hazel does not answer her phone or texts. Is she losing Hazel?
Suddenly, Jane gets a call from Hazel:
"'Hello?' Jane responds, nearly out of breath with relief.'
"'Mom,' Hazel said, but didn't say it warmly.'
"'Hello?' Jane asked again, with more urgency this time.'
'She wanted to hear from her daughter so badly.'
"'I'm staying here,' her daughter said into the phone and then hung up."
With this, Jane realizes she must go to Maine to reclaim Hazel.
The girls get along well, though Eve is somewhat of a drama queen, and Hazel, who always longed for a sister, starts to have misgivings about her brash ways. Silas is reticent and melancholy, appearing to be hiding something from them. They are told they are forbidden to enter the locked room in his house, which only makes Hazel more inquisitive. What is the big secret?
One night before going to sleep, Hazel desperate for connection, questions Eve:
"'Eve,' she blurted out into the darkness. "'Are you awake?'
"'Yeah, why?' Eve responded without turning around.'
"'How did you find out about me?' Hazel asked. She could see Eve stirring a bit now.'
"'What do you mean?' Eve replied with much more energy. She sat straight up and turned her lamp on.'
"The glow lit her face up, and Hazel could sense a maniacal twinge in her eye.'
"'Well,' Eve began, slamming her palms onto the sheets nest to her, causing them to ripple.'
"'As you know, I am always one to have all the information. Some people call it gossip but I really prefer to call it information. And there was no way I was going to not find every bit of information about my own father.'
"Hazel nodded along. The feeling resonated.'
"'And in this case, the information wasn't just going to come to find me. My mother gave up his name pretty easily.'
"Eve smiled proudly and flipped her messy bun from one side of her head to the other.'
"'I told her I was sick of her secrets, and she just blurted it right out. So, one day after school, I googled his name. SilasBox.com was the first search result. I literally could not believe it would be this easy and I clicked on the page. The first page was boring. Just a bunch of shitty tables and stuff. But then I found the About Me page.'
"Hazel felt the room get a bit colder and the light of the lamp against Eve's cheek get more dramatic as the story continued.'
"'Silas's pictures popped up right away and there was no doubt that this was him. His green eyes. His black hair. If it's not creepy to say, his good looks. And right there beneath the picture was a whole set of contact information. Email, phone number, address.'
"'I thought calling him would be the easiest first step, so I did. The phone rang a few times and I thought he might not pick up but then I heard his voice on the other end.'
"Hazel was enraptured now. 'Well, what did you say?'
"'I said, 'I think I'm your daughter.'
"'Just like that?' Hazel asked with true shock at Eve's straightforwardness.'
"'Yep, just like that. It was quiet on the other end of the line for a moment and then . . . Want to know what he said?'
"Eve was giggling now, her shoulders bouncing up and down.
"'He cleared his throat, and he sounded a bit flustered. 'Uh, right. The other daughter.'
"Eve guffawed as the words left her lips and Hazel's tummy clenched into one big knot. Silas knew about her the whole time? Her father knew about her the whole time? It was almost as if it were all happening all over again. That kick in the stomach, those hot tears pressing behind the eyes, the constriction of the throat that came with learning that the things you thought you knew were not wholly true. She wasn't sure whether to interpret this as a betrayal or not. But Hazel wanted to stay far, far away from that idea. She wanted to push it way, way away. She wanted so badly for this new life to be her permanent one now."
One day at a local fair, Hazel spots two young boys in a double stroller and rushes over to them. In her mind, she sees her brothers, and without thinking, picks one boy up to cuddle. This terrifies their mother, causing Hazel to realize they are not her brothers and she misses her "real" family.
Soon, Eve becomes downright surly and insists she wants to go home. She tells Hazel the only reason she sought Silas out was to make her parents angry after keeping his identity from her for so long. Hazel, now bewildered, starts to think of her own life.
That Summer in Maine is two novels in one; first, the mothers’ histories and the mistakes they made from their past which they now face with their love for their daughters while trying to protect them and keep them close. And the daughters offer their own insights combining their fears, frustrations, and questions about their place in life as they mature. Throughout this, Hazel and Eve see their mothers though not perfect are human and fiercely love them. So as well as adult contemporary fiction, this is also a coming-of-age story as the girls search for meaning. Either way, with the tight and concise prose, two generations come to understand each other and find the true meaning of family.
June 16, 2020
Brianna Wolfson's first novel, Rosie Colored Glasses, is about a mother-daughter relationship. Her second novel, That Summer In Maine, tells the stories of two mothers and daughters and the one thing that binds them together.
Hazel is 16 years old, and her mom Jane raised Hazel all on her own. Hazel never knew her father and she and her mom were inseperable, sharing everything, including bowls of ice cream in bed at night.
Now Jane is married, and with her husband Cam has twin baby boys who take up all her time and energy. The relationship Hazel and Jane had has changed, and Hazel feels left out, never more so than when she sees her mother sharing ice cream in bed with Cam instead of her.
Hazel receives a message from a 16 year-old girl named Eve who looks like her and tells her that she thinks they are sisters. Eve tells Hazel that she is going to visit their biological father in Maine and asks Hazel to come with her.
Jane is shocked. She had no idea that Hazel's father Silas had another child, let alone one who was born so close to Hazel. Jane, Cam and Hazel meet with Eve's parents, and after Hazel insists she is going whether Jane approves or not, Jane relents and allows Hazel to go to Maine.
Eve's mother Susie gives Jane a notebook that she wrote to Eve, explaining everything that happened during that summer in Maine when she met Silas and returned home pregnant with Eve. As Jane reads the notebook, she decides to write her own story of how she met Silas that same summer in Maine, became pregnant, and left to have Hazel on her own.
We get to read both woman's notebooks, and follow Eve and Hazel's summer trip to Maine to stay with Silas, their artist father who lives in a cabin on a beautiful lake. Eve has already spent part of last summer with Silas, so she has established a relationship with him. Hazel has some catching up to do, but she enjoys having a sister and a father, something new to her.
Wolfson writes the mother-daughter relationship so well, and she captures the teenage voices of Eve and Hazel so beautifully and realistically. Eve has underlying anger issues, and she vacillates between wanting to be a fun party girl and being angry at her parents and the world. Hazel wants to fill the void left by her changing relationship with her mom, but is uncertain if Silas and Eve can do that.
I liked that the character of Silas is so layered. He's not just some guy who left two women pregnant, he has something in his past that he cannot seem to get over, a deep hurt. I didn't like that he gave teenage girls beer, though. Bad judgement there, Silas.
That Summer in Maine is a novel that will appeal to adult women and teenage young women. I think many young women can relate to the feelings that Eve and Hazel have, as older women will to Jane and Susie's stories.
Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Summer Reads 2020 Tour.
Hazel is 16 years old, and her mom Jane raised Hazel all on her own. Hazel never knew her father and she and her mom were inseperable, sharing everything, including bowls of ice cream in bed at night.
Now Jane is married, and with her husband Cam has twin baby boys who take up all her time and energy. The relationship Hazel and Jane had has changed, and Hazel feels left out, never more so than when she sees her mother sharing ice cream in bed with Cam instead of her.
Hazel receives a message from a 16 year-old girl named Eve who looks like her and tells her that she thinks they are sisters. Eve tells Hazel that she is going to visit their biological father in Maine and asks Hazel to come with her.
Jane is shocked. She had no idea that Hazel's father Silas had another child, let alone one who was born so close to Hazel. Jane, Cam and Hazel meet with Eve's parents, and after Hazel insists she is going whether Jane approves or not, Jane relents and allows Hazel to go to Maine.
Eve's mother Susie gives Jane a notebook that she wrote to Eve, explaining everything that happened during that summer in Maine when she met Silas and returned home pregnant with Eve. As Jane reads the notebook, she decides to write her own story of how she met Silas that same summer in Maine, became pregnant, and left to have Hazel on her own.
We get to read both woman's notebooks, and follow Eve and Hazel's summer trip to Maine to stay with Silas, their artist father who lives in a cabin on a beautiful lake. Eve has already spent part of last summer with Silas, so she has established a relationship with him. Hazel has some catching up to do, but she enjoys having a sister and a father, something new to her.
Wolfson writes the mother-daughter relationship so well, and she captures the teenage voices of Eve and Hazel so beautifully and realistically. Eve has underlying anger issues, and she vacillates between wanting to be a fun party girl and being angry at her parents and the world. Hazel wants to fill the void left by her changing relationship with her mom, but is uncertain if Silas and Eve can do that.
I liked that the character of Silas is so layered. He's not just some guy who left two women pregnant, he has something in his past that he cannot seem to get over, a deep hurt. I didn't like that he gave teenage girls beer, though. Bad judgement there, Silas.
That Summer in Maine is a novel that will appeal to adult women and teenage young women. I think many young women can relate to the feelings that Eve and Hazel have, as older women will to Jane and Susie's stories.
Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Summer Reads 2020 Tour.
June 25, 2020
3.5 stars, as reviewed at Roses Are Blue: https://wp.me/p3QRh4-1fV
Hazel Box and her single mother, Jane, had a close and loving relationship throughout her childhood and into her teen years. Then Cass came into her mother’s life. While Cass provided love and stability that Jane never knew with Hazel’s father, the new family dynamic has Hazel feeling like an outsider. When the twin boys are born, Hazel feels more than ever that she doesn’t belong. When Hazel is contacted online by a girl claiming to be her half-sister, Hazel jumps at the chance for a genuine connection.
Eve has been harboring anger ever since she learned that her father was not her biological parent. Her internet searches have let her find her birth father, as well as discovering a half-sister her own age. She spent some time last year with Silas, her birth father, and she intends to do so again this year, only this time, with Hazel along.
THAT SUMMER IN MAINE explores the varied and complicated relationships between the newly discovered sisters, former lovers, and blended families. When I selected this book to read, I assumed that the focus was going to be on the mothers of the girls and their former lover, but I was mistaken. While everyone’s story is touched on to some degree, Hazel is the hub, with her feelings of alienation and separation, and her search for belonging. I’m truly not a fan of teenage / young adult books, as my preference is to read about people who have had a chance to mature some, find out who they are, and then see the choices they make. Having said that, I did enjoy seeing the self revelations that Hazel’s mother discovered when her daughter was away from home, and how she allowed her new found happiness to truly take away from the relationship she had with Hazel. While I felt a tad sorry for Silas, the girls’ father, who was portrayed as a somewhat tragic figure, I also couldn’t help but shake my head at his carelessness and wonder if there were a dozen more unknown half-sisters lurking about. I appreciate that Hazel did somewhat find some peace, and a better sense of herself. THAT SUMMER IN MAINE is the type of read which will appeal to readers who really like to delve into complicated relationships, and those who enjoy exploring the emotions and lives of girls on the verge of becoming women in this crazy world.
Hazel Box and her single mother, Jane, had a close and loving relationship throughout her childhood and into her teen years. Then Cass came into her mother’s life. While Cass provided love and stability that Jane never knew with Hazel’s father, the new family dynamic has Hazel feeling like an outsider. When the twin boys are born, Hazel feels more than ever that she doesn’t belong. When Hazel is contacted online by a girl claiming to be her half-sister, Hazel jumps at the chance for a genuine connection.
Eve has been harboring anger ever since she learned that her father was not her biological parent. Her internet searches have let her find her birth father, as well as discovering a half-sister her own age. She spent some time last year with Silas, her birth father, and she intends to do so again this year, only this time, with Hazel along.
THAT SUMMER IN MAINE explores the varied and complicated relationships between the newly discovered sisters, former lovers, and blended families. When I selected this book to read, I assumed that the focus was going to be on the mothers of the girls and their former lover, but I was mistaken. While everyone’s story is touched on to some degree, Hazel is the hub, with her feelings of alienation and separation, and her search for belonging. I’m truly not a fan of teenage / young adult books, as my preference is to read about people who have had a chance to mature some, find out who they are, and then see the choices they make. Having said that, I did enjoy seeing the self revelations that Hazel’s mother discovered when her daughter was away from home, and how she allowed her new found happiness to truly take away from the relationship she had with Hazel. While I felt a tad sorry for Silas, the girls’ father, who was portrayed as a somewhat tragic figure, I also couldn’t help but shake my head at his carelessness and wonder if there were a dozen more unknown half-sisters lurking about. I appreciate that Hazel did somewhat find some peace, and a better sense of herself. THAT SUMMER IN MAINE is the type of read which will appeal to readers who really like to delve into complicated relationships, and those who enjoy exploring the emotions and lives of girls on the verge of becoming women in this crazy world.
June 13, 2020
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Harlequin-Trade Publishing US& Canada. This was a different book but one that I enjoyed reading very much.
The book is the journey of 2 mothers who had a brief affair with a man in Maine and they both got pregnant at about the same time even though they didn't know it for a long time. Their journey lets us see the decisions they made and where they went in life. They each tell us their story and then both had girls and we get to see the journey of the girls who as teenagers met on social media. It was interesting when the mothers wrote to their daughter about how they messed up their lives, then to see how their choices affected their daughters but then we saw how much they learned from it.
There was the father that one of his daughters showed up one summer and learned she had a half-sister. She made a connection with her on social media and told her about their father and she went to see him last summer and was going back this year. They both went to see him and that was intriguing because it felt like on the surface all was well but I felt like it was an act. The day finally did come when we found out what was going on.
The author wrote this book with so much feeling that you could feel what they were going through. Through the writing of the mothers, we saw how much they learned from writing what they went through and got a clearer picture of what was really going on. You know how sometimes when you're just living life you don't see a lot of what is really going on but when you tell someone or write it down, you see things differently. I could see that is this story. I liked that the author took us on the journey of the girls and how they really felt and what their mother's decisions did to them. Then we followed into seeing if they could heal.
I think this book is an eye-opener because so many times we don't think about how our decisions affect someone else. I highly recommend this book and think Brianna Wolfson did an amazing job telling the story of their journey.
The book is the journey of 2 mothers who had a brief affair with a man in Maine and they both got pregnant at about the same time even though they didn't know it for a long time. Their journey lets us see the decisions they made and where they went in life. They each tell us their story and then both had girls and we get to see the journey of the girls who as teenagers met on social media. It was interesting when the mothers wrote to their daughter about how they messed up their lives, then to see how their choices affected their daughters but then we saw how much they learned from it.
There was the father that one of his daughters showed up one summer and learned she had a half-sister. She made a connection with her on social media and told her about their father and she went to see him last summer and was going back this year. They both went to see him and that was intriguing because it felt like on the surface all was well but I felt like it was an act. The day finally did come when we found out what was going on.
The author wrote this book with so much feeling that you could feel what they were going through. Through the writing of the mothers, we saw how much they learned from writing what they went through and got a clearer picture of what was really going on. You know how sometimes when you're just living life you don't see a lot of what is really going on but when you tell someone or write it down, you see things differently. I could see that is this story. I liked that the author took us on the journey of the girls and how they really felt and what their mother's decisions did to them. Then we followed into seeing if they could heal.
I think this book is an eye-opener because so many times we don't think about how our decisions affect someone else. I highly recommend this book and think Brianna Wolfson did an amazing job telling the story of their journey.
August 7, 2020
Since her mother, Jane, had twins, Hazel has felt left out of her family. It used to be just her and her mom, but then her mom married Cam and they had twin sons. She doesn’t even look like anyone in her family, with her dark hair while they are all blonde. One night, she gets a message online from a girl who claims to be Hazel’s half-sister. Eve suggests that Hazel and her go to visit their father, Silas, together for the summer. That seems like the perfect escape for Hazel to leave her family behind and find new relatives. Hazel and Eve seem to bond over their new found biological father, while their moms have their own shared history with Silas.
This was an intriguing concept for a story. I read an article once about a young woman who found out she had 30-something half-siblings because their mothers all used the same sperm donor. That isn’t the way Hazel’s and Eve’s mom’s had their daughters, but it was similar in the way that these girls had many close relatives that they didn’t know about.
There were a few loose ends at the end of the story. Some of the subplots weren’t explained. Silas had a former girlfriend who he almost had a baby with, and their story was only told in parts, though it seemed important to the overall story. The format of the story was a little confusing as well. The first part was about Jane and Hazel in their home. The second part was about what Jane did when Hazel was visiting Silas, as well as stories about how she met Silas and how Eve’s mother met him. The next part was about Hazel and Eve spending the summer with Silas. The final part was when they were leaving his home. The second and third parts happened simultaneously, so I wish they had been combined so the story continued to move forward. The way the story jumped between time periods was disjointed and anticlimactic.
I liked the premise for the story, but I wish it had been organized more clearly.
Thank you HarperCollins for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was an intriguing concept for a story. I read an article once about a young woman who found out she had 30-something half-siblings because their mothers all used the same sperm donor. That isn’t the way Hazel’s and Eve’s mom’s had their daughters, but it was similar in the way that these girls had many close relatives that they didn’t know about.
There were a few loose ends at the end of the story. Some of the subplots weren’t explained. Silas had a former girlfriend who he almost had a baby with, and their story was only told in parts, though it seemed important to the overall story. The format of the story was a little confusing as well. The first part was about Jane and Hazel in their home. The second part was about what Jane did when Hazel was visiting Silas, as well as stories about how she met Silas and how Eve’s mother met him. The next part was about Hazel and Eve spending the summer with Silas. The final part was when they were leaving his home. The second and third parts happened simultaneously, so I wish they had been combined so the story continued to move forward. The way the story jumped between time periods was disjointed and anticlimactic.
I liked the premise for the story, but I wish it had been organized more clearly.
Thank you HarperCollins for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2020
A brilliantly observed and wonderfully written tale of love, loyalty and friendship, That Summer in Maine is an immensely enjoyable family drama by Brianna Wolfson.
Jane and Susie had been two perfect strangers spending the summer in Maine when they had met a charismatic young man at a craft fair and fallen completely under his spell. Both of them had succumbed to his charm and indulged in a brief but passionate affair. This affair was a way for Jane to forget about her pain and redirect her life while for Susie this fling was a catalyst which gave her troubled marriage a way forward. However, what these two perfect strangers hadn’t realized was that this affair was going to have serious repercussions with dangerous consequences stretching well into the coming decades…
Sixteen years later, Jane and Susie’s daughters meet on social media and concoct a plan that will enable them to spend the summer in Maine with the man who is their biological father. Naturally, their mothers are absolutely appalled by their decision. Both Jane and Susie have spent years trying to put that summer behind them, but now that their daughters are forcing them to confront the past and face forgotten demons, the two they must come together, finally meet and work in unison to ensure that they do not lose their girls.
This summer in Maine is going to be confronting, scary and painful, but it may also provide Jane, Susie and their daughters with everything they have always wanted.
Brianna Wolfson’s That Summer in Maine is a heart-warming, feel-good and captivating tale of redemption, renewal and healing written with heart, sensitivity and humor. Full of wonderfully nuanced characters, compelling emotional drama and insightful and honest emotional veracity, Brianna Wolfson’s That Summer in Maine is a superb tale of sisterhood and secrets you will want to tell all your friends about.
Jane and Susie had been two perfect strangers spending the summer in Maine when they had met a charismatic young man at a craft fair and fallen completely under his spell. Both of them had succumbed to his charm and indulged in a brief but passionate affair. This affair was a way for Jane to forget about her pain and redirect her life while for Susie this fling was a catalyst which gave her troubled marriage a way forward. However, what these two perfect strangers hadn’t realized was that this affair was going to have serious repercussions with dangerous consequences stretching well into the coming decades…
Sixteen years later, Jane and Susie’s daughters meet on social media and concoct a plan that will enable them to spend the summer in Maine with the man who is their biological father. Naturally, their mothers are absolutely appalled by their decision. Both Jane and Susie have spent years trying to put that summer behind them, but now that their daughters are forcing them to confront the past and face forgotten demons, the two they must come together, finally meet and work in unison to ensure that they do not lose their girls.
This summer in Maine is going to be confronting, scary and painful, but it may also provide Jane, Susie and their daughters with everything they have always wanted.
Brianna Wolfson’s That Summer in Maine is a heart-warming, feel-good and captivating tale of redemption, renewal and healing written with heart, sensitivity and humor. Full of wonderfully nuanced characters, compelling emotional drama and insightful and honest emotional veracity, Brianna Wolfson’s That Summer in Maine is a superb tale of sisterhood and secrets you will want to tell all your friends about.
February 23, 2022
I'm giving this book four stars, not because I "really liked it", because for me, it was a hard read, but because it was compelling and (with one deus-ex-machina exception at the very end) believable.
I felt for Hazel. She was a sympathetic character, responding to her situation in the best she can. Given that she's 14, her best was limited, but who isn't limited, at fourteen? The author makes Hazel's struggles and feelings very real, and I truly felt for her, which was what made the book a very difficult read, at points. Her half-sister Eve is a different thing entirely. She was also believable, but much less likeable.
Hazel grows a lot over the summer. Her discoveries of love, family, and her place in her world were true and real. The much less likeable Eve also makes some discoveries, but I doubt she's become any less self-centred and manipulative.
I felt for Jane, too, but found her less sympathetic. It's hard for me to believe that you could live with a thoroughly miserable child for at least two years, and not notice her misery. Unlike Eve, Hazel is not given to histrionics, so her pain would have been more subtle, but it certainly wasn't invisible. I found Jane more self-absorbed, less in tune with her daughter than would be credible, given that it had been only the two of them for at least ten years.
But in the end, that's why this book gets four stars. Not because I enjoyed reading it, really. Much of it was difficult. But because it drew me in, emotionally. I cared about Hazel. I was exasperated by Jane (though also feeling her pain and sharing her fear that she might lose her daughter). I actively disliked the manipulative Eve, and would happily have given the wounded Silas a good shake once in a while.
I cared around these people, and was relieved by the ending.
I felt for Hazel. She was a sympathetic character, responding to her situation in the best she can. Given that she's 14, her best was limited, but who isn't limited, at fourteen? The author makes Hazel's struggles and feelings very real, and I truly felt for her, which was what made the book a very difficult read, at points. Her half-sister Eve is a different thing entirely. She was also believable, but much less likeable.
Hazel grows a lot over the summer. Her discoveries of love, family, and her place in her world were true and real. The much less likeable Eve also makes some discoveries, but I doubt she's become any less self-centred and manipulative.
I felt for Jane, too, but found her less sympathetic. It's hard for me to believe that you could live with a thoroughly miserable child for at least two years, and not notice her misery. Unlike Eve, Hazel is not given to histrionics, so her pain would have been more subtle, but it certainly wasn't invisible. I found Jane more self-absorbed, less in tune with her daughter than would be credible, given that it had been only the two of them for at least ten years.
But in the end, that's why this book gets four stars. Not because I enjoyed reading it, really. Much of it was difficult. But because it drew me in, emotionally. I cared about Hazel. I was exasperated by Jane (though also feeling her pain and sharing her fear that she might lose her daughter). I actively disliked the manipulative Eve, and would happily have given the wounded Silas a good shake once in a while.
I cared around these people, and was relieved by the ending.
June 9, 2020
What a beautiful novel this turned out to be! The story is told to us by Jane, Hazel's mom, and Hazel herself. Their dynamic is interesting. Hazel is a 16 year old withdrawn teenage girl living her mom, step dad, and newborn twin brothers. She feels abandoned by her mother and Jane has no clue.
One day out of the blue Hazel gets a message with someone who claims to be her half-sister. She invites her to spend the summer in Maine with her and their father, Silas. Jane hesitantly agrees and goes on a journey within herself and realizes she's been losing Hazel slowly.
I loved this story. I loved all the characters (even though I wanted to wring the half sister's neck NUMEROUS times) and loved Silas. I thought there was a LOT of growth with Jane AND Hazel. Jane grew mostly from reading the diary of Susie, the mother of Eve, Hazel's half sister. She took it upon herself to create her own diary filled with letters her daughter would probably never see to explain herself and the decisions she made. Hazel grew after she realized the life she thought she could have with blood relatives wasn't quite what it was cracked up to be.
This book had me feeling the lake breeze while mosquitoes buzzed around in the sweet, sticky heat of the summer. I imagined myself sitting next to the fire while the girls and Silas talked. It was so easy to image the scenery, Wolfson did a remarkable job with that!
4 stars. This is a PERFECT summer read that will have you smiling from ear to ear at the end. Sometimes we all need a happy book and this one delivers just that. You won't be disappointed if you pick this one up to read!
One day out of the blue Hazel gets a message with someone who claims to be her half-sister. She invites her to spend the summer in Maine with her and their father, Silas. Jane hesitantly agrees and goes on a journey within herself and realizes she's been losing Hazel slowly.
I loved this story. I loved all the characters (even though I wanted to wring the half sister's neck NUMEROUS times) and loved Silas. I thought there was a LOT of growth with Jane AND Hazel. Jane grew mostly from reading the diary of Susie, the mother of Eve, Hazel's half sister. She took it upon herself to create her own diary filled with letters her daughter would probably never see to explain herself and the decisions she made. Hazel grew after she realized the life she thought she could have with blood relatives wasn't quite what it was cracked up to be.
This book had me feeling the lake breeze while mosquitoes buzzed around in the sweet, sticky heat of the summer. I imagined myself sitting next to the fire while the girls and Silas talked. It was so easy to image the scenery, Wolfson did a remarkable job with that!
4 stars. This is a PERFECT summer read that will have you smiling from ear to ear at the end. Sometimes we all need a happy book and this one delivers just that. You won't be disappointed if you pick this one up to read!
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