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The Forever Summer
The Awful Truth About Emily Ruth! Lucas Griffin has come to Port Gamble for one purpose: to get the Griffin family summer home out of the clutches of his evil ex-wife, Emily Ruth Griffin. But before he can blink twice, she drops dead in the local grocery market. Now he's stuck with her ghost, and her little dog, too. Not-So-Dearly Departed Lila Abbott has had her fill of rich summer people who crowd Port Gamble every year. Townie girls and summer boys just don't mix, and she's learned that the hard way. But Lucas Griffin has a ghost problem that only Lila can solve, and she finds herself knee-deep in Cheez Whiz while Lucas and the deceased Emily Ruth duke it out. Working together to clear his name and get rid of their pesky poltergeist, Lucas and Lila find themselves falling in love. Maybe this will finally be the forever summer for Lila Abbott.
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 31, 2007
22 people are currently reading
197 people want to read
About the author
Suzanne Macpherson
14 books42 followersI was born in New Mexico back in the fifties (she said vaguely), mingling with the aliens and the big bombs.
My family settled in the northwest, where those rainy days led me to read constantly. I grew up with Nancy Drew, Anya Seton, Gene Stratton Porter, Charlotte Bronte, Thomas Hardy, anything to take me Far from the Madding Crowd!
My family settled in the northwest, where those rainy days led me to read constantly. I grew up with Nancy Drew, Anya Seton, Gene Stratton Porter, Charlotte Bronte, Thomas Hardy, anything to take me Far from the Madding Crowd!
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 15, 2025
This book is mind-numbing, pointless chick lit and I loved it!!! Perfect for the sunbed!
Four stars.
Four stars.
June 25, 2011
Great book! full of humor, spooky ghosts, cheez whiz, & romance! Perfect summer time reading! ;-)
January 10, 2018
The Awful Truth About Emily Ruth!
Lucas Griffin has come to Port Gamble for one purpose: to get the Griffin family summer home out of the clutches of his evil ex-wife, Emily Ruth Griffin.
But before he can blink twice, she drops dead in the local grocery market. Now he's stuck with her ghost, and her little dog, too.
Not-So-Dearly Departed Lila Abbott has had her fill of rich summer people who crowd Port Gamble every year. Townie girls and summer boys just don't mix, and she's learned that the hard way.
But Lucas Griffin has a ghost problem that only Lila can solve, and she finds herself knee-deep in Cheez Whiz while Lucas and the deceased Emily Ruth duke it out.
Working together to clear his name and get rid of their pesky poltergeist, Lucas and Lila find themselves falling in love. Maybe this will finally be the forever summer for Lila Abbott.
Lucas Griffin has come to Port Gamble for one purpose: to get the Griffin family summer home out of the clutches of his evil ex-wife, Emily Ruth Griffin.
But before he can blink twice, she drops dead in the local grocery market. Now he's stuck with her ghost, and her little dog, too.
Not-So-Dearly Departed Lila Abbott has had her fill of rich summer people who crowd Port Gamble every year. Townie girls and summer boys just don't mix, and she's learned that the hard way.
But Lucas Griffin has a ghost problem that only Lila can solve, and she finds herself knee-deep in Cheez Whiz while Lucas and the deceased Emily Ruth duke it out.
Working together to clear his name and get rid of their pesky poltergeist, Lucas and Lila find themselves falling in love. Maybe this will finally be the forever summer for Lila Abbott.
June 19, 2012
I really liked this one. This was a new author for me. It was cute, paranormal with a little mystery.
August 9, 2022
The book is written from the perspective of Lila and Lucas, but the transition between them is not clear cut so it can get a little confusing at times, but it's not too hard to get a hang of it. Also, I feel that the characters are superficial in their description. It's light reading for me and I rather enjoyed it particularly with a touch of humour.
January 8, 2019
3.5 stars. I read this when it first came out and I remember it being fun and cute, but I had liked the cover more at that time. And, even a little over a decade, there are a couple elements from the book I still remember.
October 13, 2021
Fun story
Murder! An agitated ghost! Toppling lemons in the grocery store where the murder happeened. Fun story with love at the center circled by the ghost, a criminal investigation, and accusations of murder. Wonderfully enjoyable book.
Murder! An agitated ghost! Toppling lemons in the grocery store where the murder happeened. Fun story with love at the center circled by the ghost, a criminal investigation, and accusations of murder. Wonderfully enjoyable book.
October 29, 2024
Very good book, just in time for Holloween, even though it is A summer read. Secert 's with some Twist 's and turns and my favorite A Ghost Story.
November 9, 2014
I'm going to be honest - I didn't finish this book. I got about 3/4ths of the way through before I just couldn't care enough to finish. Some of that is my problem, but some of it is with the book (but not, I think, the author.)
My problems: I picked this book up because it said it was set in Port Gamble, Washington. It wasn't. I mean, the book says it's set there, but the book's Port Gamble is COMPLETELY irreconcilable with the real Port Gamble. The only thing they share is the church. If I hadn't been reading this book specifically for that, I would not have found the setting annoying - the descriptions were charming and well integrated into the rest of the book. But because I'm familiar with the real town it was like nails on chalkboard.
The Book's problems: The protagonist(FMC). Oh MY GOD. She was completely erratic, and not in an interesting way. In a one paragraph she think's that the main male character (MMC) was a murderer, in the next she doesn't, then she hates him, then she defends him... and on and on. If there was character growth or any sort of reason for her off-the-cuff over-reactions to everything then it wouldn't be a problem. But even people with genuine mental disorders are more consistent in their thoughts and behavior than the FMC. I gave up when she was breaking out of prison in a way that was GOING to cause someone to lose their job, and not because she was in any real danger or she had to do something to fix/save something, but just because she was pissed that she was locked up. She just had no ability to actually take the consequences of her actions into account, which made me dislike her as a character.
Why it's not the author's fault: In contrast to the FMC, the MMC and all of the other characters were REALLY well written and relatable. I particularly enjoyed the FMC's parents and her best friend. I lost interest in the book shortly after the best friend had to leave on a business trip. The plot was decent for a simple paranormal mystery. If it hadn't been for my disappointment with the setting and the fact that I couldn't stand the FMC, this would have been a great summer read.
When I'm less busy I want to pick up another book by this author and see if my impression of her as an author is correct. I think she writes well enough... it was just her protagonist that ruined the book for me.
My problems: I picked this book up because it said it was set in Port Gamble, Washington. It wasn't. I mean, the book says it's set there, but the book's Port Gamble is COMPLETELY irreconcilable with the real Port Gamble. The only thing they share is the church. If I hadn't been reading this book specifically for that, I would not have found the setting annoying - the descriptions were charming and well integrated into the rest of the book. But because I'm familiar with the real town it was like nails on chalkboard.
The Book's problems: The protagonist(FMC). Oh MY GOD. She was completely erratic, and not in an interesting way. In a one paragraph she think's that the main male character (MMC) was a murderer, in the next she doesn't, then she hates him, then she defends him... and on and on. If there was character growth or any sort of reason for her off-the-cuff over-reactions to everything then it wouldn't be a problem. But even people with genuine mental disorders are more consistent in their thoughts and behavior than the FMC. I gave up when she was breaking out of prison in a way that was GOING to cause someone to lose their job, and not because she was in any real danger or she had to do something to fix/save something, but just because she was pissed that she was locked up. She just had no ability to actually take the consequences of her actions into account, which made me dislike her as a character.
Why it's not the author's fault: In contrast to the FMC, the MMC and all of the other characters were REALLY well written and relatable. I particularly enjoyed the FMC's parents and her best friend. I lost interest in the book shortly after the best friend had to leave on a business trip. The plot was decent for a simple paranormal mystery. If it hadn't been for my disappointment with the setting and the fact that I couldn't stand the FMC, this would have been a great summer read.
When I'm less busy I want to pick up another book by this author and see if my impression of her as an author is correct. I think she writes well enough... it was just her protagonist that ruined the book for me.
December 20, 2007
I know it seems weird me reviewing a book called The Forever Summer in the depths of winter (well, I'm trying to pretend this is the depths and it's not going to get much worse...), but this book isn't really "summery". In fact, it's rather cosy.
When beautiful but bitchy Emily Ruth Griffin drops dead in the produce aisle of the supermarket where Lila works, Lila's immediate worry is that she's poisoned her with the Cheese Whiz and crackers Emily had just sampled.
But when Emily Ruth starts haunting both the produce aisle and Lila herself, Lila's got more to worry about. Like the kid in the Sixth Sense, Lila sees dead people. But not All The Time, just when they've got a beef. But
For the rest of this review, visit
http://www.trashionista.com/2007/12/b...
When beautiful but bitchy Emily Ruth Griffin drops dead in the produce aisle of the supermarket where Lila works, Lila's immediate worry is that she's poisoned her with the Cheese Whiz and crackers Emily had just sampled.
But when Emily Ruth starts haunting both the produce aisle and Lila herself, Lila's got more to worry about. Like the kid in the Sixth Sense, Lila sees dead people. But not All The Time, just when they've got a beef. But
For the rest of this review, visit
http://www.trashionista.com/2007/12/b...
November 28, 2008
Emily Ruth drops dead in aisle 2 of the grocery store and starts haunting the grocery store every day at the time of her death. Plus, Emily Ruth won't leave her ex, Lucas, alone. Emily Ruth has sometime important to tell him and won't leave until he knows. Lila was the one who fed Emily Ruth the ill-fated Cheese Whiz, so she is feeling guilty and feels even more guilty when she finds herself attracted to Lucas. Lila has a "gift" of communicating with the dead, so she feels the need to help Lucas send Emily Ruth "into the light."
This is a cute read that is quick and easy. Nothing too spectacular, but entertaining nonetheless. It doesn't go into too much depth and the pace moves along quickly.
This is a cute read that is quick and easy. Nothing too spectacular, but entertaining nonetheless. It doesn't go into too much depth and the pace moves along quickly.
December 2, 2013
This book was such a relief from the slump I had gotten myself into with horrible books. No it wasn't profound in any way, shape, or form. Nor did it have a subplot with expansive characters. But! It was funny and cute and I liked it.
I loved all of the characters because even though they all got about two seconds each in the book, they were very likable, which helps the book to move along faster than it already does. Win-win!
I loved all of the characters because even though they all got about two seconds each in the book, they were very likable, which helps the book to move along faster than it already does. Win-win!
June 9, 2012
Written in a youthful english language style. Young woman is able to see ghost and does not get upset. Gets involved in figuring out what the ghost's emotional hangup is and helps release it from earthly bonds. Girl gets boy.
September 29, 2008
Nice, light, fluffy read for the holidays.
March 1, 2009
It was ok for a quick read. The mystery was basic, no surprises. No real suspense, but it had it's funny moments. Just not up there with some of the better mystery/romance/light fiction books.
Read
January 18, 2010a nice chick book. romance a bit suspense. one-day-read
November 18, 2010
Wanted a quick easy book before vacation and this was it. Trite, smaltzy chick book.
Read
July 27, 2011Nice fluffy reading, perfect for quick light reading. Fun too.
June 7, 2012
Not too predictable. A nice easy read. I guess I just like books with a little more substance to them, or ones that keep me really guessing the ending.
Read
September 2, 2012Good book
July 6, 2013
A very interesting read. To me it was more of a paranormal mystery with a little romance thrown in. It was OK for a mysterious ghost story with a little romance.
April 14, 2017
A decent story. Even though I can't see why Emily couldn't have gone a bit more precise in her ways of communicating to Lila about her murderer. There were moments of suspense and you could tell who the likely murderer was before long. Good book overall.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews