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Summer Hours: A Novel
“Fantastic. Wistful, mysterious, sparkling with secrets. I raced through
Summer Hours
in a day!” —Meg Donohue,
USA Today
bestselling author
“A dreamy, nostalgic tale full of wisdom and heart. I love this book.” —Andrea Dunlop, author of She Regrets Nothing
Vividly told and unforgettable, Summer Hours is a sweeping story charting a secret relationship, the summer it unravels, and the sparkling reunion a decade later...
Thirty-three-year-old Becc Reardon has tried hard to forget the all-consuming relationship that upended her life one summer in college. But when a mutual friend’s wedding means road-tripping up the California coast with a man from the past, she can't resist one last chance at a reunion.
From gorgeous beaches to quaint hotels, each stop along the way is a reminder of their memories together—the infinite nights at bonfires, the sneaky midday movie sessions. And soon enough, Becc is happily speeding beside the ocean waves with the funny, adventurous person she used to love and wondering what the future holds beyond the weekend.
But when the pair unexpectedly arrive at the location of their long-ago flameout, old heartbreaks flood back, and Becc will have to decide if those dazzling hours they once shared are worth fighting for before the trip ends and they’re lost forever. Set in the mid ’90s and 2008, Summer Hours is about love, female coming of age, the power of nostalgia, and what happens when you realize you haven’t become the person you’d always promised to be.
*Don't miss Lady Sunshine, Amy Mason Doan's next novel that Elin Hilderbrand calls "a delicious daydream" and Laura Dave calls "a fantastic summer read." Available now.
“A dreamy, nostalgic tale full of wisdom and heart. I love this book.” —Andrea Dunlop, author of She Regrets Nothing
Vividly told and unforgettable, Summer Hours is a sweeping story charting a secret relationship, the summer it unravels, and the sparkling reunion a decade later...
Thirty-three-year-old Becc Reardon has tried hard to forget the all-consuming relationship that upended her life one summer in college. But when a mutual friend’s wedding means road-tripping up the California coast with a man from the past, she can't resist one last chance at a reunion.
From gorgeous beaches to quaint hotels, each stop along the way is a reminder of their memories together—the infinite nights at bonfires, the sneaky midday movie sessions. And soon enough, Becc is happily speeding beside the ocean waves with the funny, adventurous person she used to love and wondering what the future holds beyond the weekend.
But when the pair unexpectedly arrive at the location of their long-ago flameout, old heartbreaks flood back, and Becc will have to decide if those dazzling hours they once shared are worth fighting for before the trip ends and they’re lost forever. Set in the mid ’90s and 2008, Summer Hours is about love, female coming of age, the power of nostalgia, and what happens when you realize you haven’t become the person you’d always promised to be.
*Don't miss Lady Sunshine, Amy Mason Doan's next novel that Elin Hilderbrand calls "a delicious daydream" and Laura Dave calls "a fantastic summer read." Available now.
464 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 4, 2019
461 people are currently reading
7379 people want to read
About the author
Amy Mason Doan
5 books966 followersTHE CALIFORNIA DREAMERS out now
"Unforgettable....an epic family story...escapist & warm."
Bestselling author of LADY SUNSHINE, THE SUMMER LIST and SUMMER HOURS, out now.
"Doan's characters leap off the page," says Publishers Weekly. "Sure to please fans of Kristin Hannah" -- Library Journal.
I grew up in California and now live in Portland, Oregon with my family, so I consider both states home.
As a writer for publications including The Oregonian, San Francisco Chronicle, Wired and Forbes, I've interviewed everyone from billionaire CEOs to beer-brewing monks. I have an M.A. in journalism from Stanford University and a B.A. in English from U.C. Berkeley.
Connect with me on Instagram or via my website, amymasondoan.com.
If I'm in my writing cave I may not respond right away, but I do try to get to every message and I genuinely appreciate you reaching out. Writing is this confirmed introvert's way of connecting with people, so I'm always grateful when you take the time to send me a note. xoAmy
"Unforgettable....an epic family story...escapist & warm."
Bestselling author of LADY SUNSHINE, THE SUMMER LIST and SUMMER HOURS, out now.
"Doan's characters leap off the page," says Publishers Weekly. "Sure to please fans of Kristin Hannah" -- Library Journal.
I grew up in California and now live in Portland, Oregon with my family, so I consider both states home.
As a writer for publications including The Oregonian, San Francisco Chronicle, Wired and Forbes, I've interviewed everyone from billionaire CEOs to beer-brewing monks. I have an M.A. in journalism from Stanford University and a B.A. in English from U.C. Berkeley.
Connect with me on Instagram or via my website, amymasondoan.com.
If I'm in my writing cave I may not respond right away, but I do try to get to every message and I genuinely appreciate you reaching out. Writing is this confirmed introvert's way of connecting with people, so I'm always grateful when you take the time to send me a note. xoAmy
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 384 reviews
June 10, 2019
4.5 Stars!
Becc has two best friends - Eric and Serra. They were the three musketeers all through high school and helped each other out different difficult times. There was always something there between Becc and Eric but they did not act on it. Becc and Serra eventually went off to school and somewhat stayed in touch with Eric however Becc started a secret affair which she knew would upset Eric and has been holding onto the reason why she did it for many years.
Fast forward 10+ years later, Serra is getting married and Becc and Eric are making their way up the coast to celebrate their friends special day. However, they have a lot of past questions that they need to answer for each other. Can their friendship survive and be rekindled based on the secrets that unravel during their trip? How much does it take to forgive someone you love when they kept something from you that they knew would hurt you?
I love Amy Doan's book THE SUMMER LIST last year and I was highly anticipated this one. I am so happy it lived up to everything I hoped it would. The thing I love most about Doan's books are that they tackle both love and friendship in each novel. I feel like we typically get one or the other and I love when they are combined within a story. I also think that the flow of the book was great. Sometimes when you have books that flip between years and storylines, they can get a little out of sorts but I felt this one really flowed well.
The other thing I love about Amy's novels are that they are not your typical romance novel. Was there romance and love? Sure, but she also dives in so much deeper than that. She explores the reasons why we tend to rebel even when we know it's wrong and why it sometimes helps validate the way that we are feeling. She also tackles how friends who love each other go through hurt and forgiveness - I felt the emotions between Becc and Eric were very realistic and almost like I was Serra watching them go through the highs and lows.
Overall it's a great summer read and I highly recommend for anyone who loves a good romance with a side of friendship and secrets.
Thank you to Graydon house and Kathleen Carter Communications for my copy of this book!
The thrill of the chase. Entering into other people's worlds, so different from your own. One fact leading to another, feeling your way through the dark, sometimes crawling and sometimes backing up and sometimes running. The certainty that the story is important, that you have to keep going because no one else will. Until you're out of the maze, holding a fragment of the truth up to the light.
Becc has two best friends - Eric and Serra. They were the three musketeers all through high school and helped each other out different difficult times. There was always something there between Becc and Eric but they did not act on it. Becc and Serra eventually went off to school and somewhat stayed in touch with Eric however Becc started a secret affair which she knew would upset Eric and has been holding onto the reason why she did it for many years.
Fast forward 10+ years later, Serra is getting married and Becc and Eric are making their way up the coast to celebrate their friends special day. However, they have a lot of past questions that they need to answer for each other. Can their friendship survive and be rekindled based on the secrets that unravel during their trip? How much does it take to forgive someone you love when they kept something from you that they knew would hurt you?
I love Amy Doan's book THE SUMMER LIST last year and I was highly anticipated this one. I am so happy it lived up to everything I hoped it would. The thing I love most about Doan's books are that they tackle both love and friendship in each novel. I feel like we typically get one or the other and I love when they are combined within a story. I also think that the flow of the book was great. Sometimes when you have books that flip between years and storylines, they can get a little out of sorts but I felt this one really flowed well.
The other thing I love about Amy's novels are that they are not your typical romance novel. Was there romance and love? Sure, but she also dives in so much deeper than that. She explores the reasons why we tend to rebel even when we know it's wrong and why it sometimes helps validate the way that we are feeling. She also tackles how friends who love each other go through hurt and forgiveness - I felt the emotions between Becc and Eric were very realistic and almost like I was Serra watching them go through the highs and lows.
Overall it's a great summer read and I highly recommend for anyone who loves a good romance with a side of friendship and secrets.
Thank you to Graydon house and Kathleen Carter Communications for my copy of this book!
July 12, 2019
4.5 stars.
"Whatever we'd been swimming away from, whatever we sensed lurking inside that gold nylon graduation cap above us, maybe we'd been right to fear it. We say we'll never be like them, but it happens. It happens gradually. We give in a little here, put off the hard decision there, say we're paying our dues. We forget to swim against the current."
It was the three of them—Becc, Eric, and Serra—against the world in high school. Becc and Eric always had an unspoken connection but his emotional issues caused him to keep her at arm's length, and when they went away to college, he barely kept in touch with her for reasons she couldn't understand.
A scholarship student at Berkeley, Becc always did what was expected of her—she took the right classes, got good grades, did the right things. In an effort to prove she's not the perfect girl everyone thinks she is, she pursues an affair with Cal, an older man with a connection to her life before college. While at first the relationship and the need to keep it a secret excites her, after a while she just wants to be a regular college student.
When Becc's secret is revealed, it destroys her friendship with Eric and any chance the two might have for happiness. It puts her scholarship at risk, and it also has the potential to hurt her pursuit of a journalism career, something she has spent years trying to pursue.
Ten years later, Becc is driving to Oregon through California for Serra's wedding. She is not alone, although her passenger is someone from whom she has been estranged for years, although he agrees to help Becc assemble a special wedding present for Serra. Along the way, they reopen old wounds and try to find explanations for their behavior and actions years ago. But some hurts, some decisions, require more than simple excuses and could haunt them forever.
Summer Hours is told in alternating chapters between the mid-1990s and 2008, tracing the genesis of Becc's decisions and her relationships, and then examining the aftermath of those decisions years later. Amy Mason Doan does a terrific job painting a portrait of how the lines of friendship can be stretched into romance, and where the pain points lie. It's also a look at the way a young woman's confidence can be shaped by her relationships, until she realizes she has more control than anyone.
Doan did a great job creating fully fleshed, complex characters—not just Becc, but Eric and Cal as well. I also was really taken by her use of imagery—I could see the beauty of Catalina and the California coast as she described them. I really enjoyed this book and love the way that Doan writes. This is the first book of hers I read and it definitely won't be the last.
As you might imagine, Summer Hours is a great summer read, although you can read it anytime. You'll want to experience Doan's writing and this terrific, well-thought-out story which will make you feel and make you think, and then you'll want to share it with your friends.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
"Whatever we'd been swimming away from, whatever we sensed lurking inside that gold nylon graduation cap above us, maybe we'd been right to fear it. We say we'll never be like them, but it happens. It happens gradually. We give in a little here, put off the hard decision there, say we're paying our dues. We forget to swim against the current."
It was the three of them—Becc, Eric, and Serra—against the world in high school. Becc and Eric always had an unspoken connection but his emotional issues caused him to keep her at arm's length, and when they went away to college, he barely kept in touch with her for reasons she couldn't understand.
A scholarship student at Berkeley, Becc always did what was expected of her—she took the right classes, got good grades, did the right things. In an effort to prove she's not the perfect girl everyone thinks she is, she pursues an affair with Cal, an older man with a connection to her life before college. While at first the relationship and the need to keep it a secret excites her, after a while she just wants to be a regular college student.
When Becc's secret is revealed, it destroys her friendship with Eric and any chance the two might have for happiness. It puts her scholarship at risk, and it also has the potential to hurt her pursuit of a journalism career, something she has spent years trying to pursue.
Ten years later, Becc is driving to Oregon through California for Serra's wedding. She is not alone, although her passenger is someone from whom she has been estranged for years, although he agrees to help Becc assemble a special wedding present for Serra. Along the way, they reopen old wounds and try to find explanations for their behavior and actions years ago. But some hurts, some decisions, require more than simple excuses and could haunt them forever.
Summer Hours is told in alternating chapters between the mid-1990s and 2008, tracing the genesis of Becc's decisions and her relationships, and then examining the aftermath of those decisions years later. Amy Mason Doan does a terrific job painting a portrait of how the lines of friendship can be stretched into romance, and where the pain points lie. It's also a look at the way a young woman's confidence can be shaped by her relationships, until she realizes she has more control than anyone.
Doan did a great job creating fully fleshed, complex characters—not just Becc, but Eric and Cal as well. I also was really taken by her use of imagery—I could see the beauty of Catalina and the California coast as she described them. I really enjoyed this book and love the way that Doan writes. This is the first book of hers I read and it definitely won't be the last.
As you might imagine, Summer Hours is a great summer read, although you can read it anytime. You'll want to experience Doan's writing and this terrific, well-thought-out story which will make you feel and make you think, and then you'll want to share it with your friends.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
February 10, 2019
Excited to get this novel to you. Love the characters & story so much!!
November 2, 2019
I loved The Summer List Amy Mason Doan brought us in the summer of 2018. It had touches of nostalgia, and those same bits are present in Summer Hours. Bring on all the reads set in the 90s!
Becc is a devoted student and want-to-be reporter with big dreams. One summer she becomes involved in an affair, and she loses everything in the process- her dreams, her best friend.
Several years later, she’s on her way to a wedding, and she’s feeling nostalgia and wistfulness for that time period. Is that something she can recreate, or does she need to leave the past in the past?
We have all been there, I think. I can definitely remember turning points in my life just like this where I longed for old relationships to be the same that probably never would be, and the pain of letting go of that is something I’ll never forget.
At its heart, Summer Hours is a deeply moving and genuine story of friendship and its push and pull. There’s love and romance and lots of secrets, and the entire time, I felt like a close girlfriend was telling me her story, baring all her secrets over a long, lingering lunch. It’s emotionally smart and relevant with complex characters and lovely writing. Thank you for telling us this story, Amy Mason Doan.
I received a complimentary copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Becc is a devoted student and want-to-be reporter with big dreams. One summer she becomes involved in an affair, and she loses everything in the process- her dreams, her best friend.
Several years later, she’s on her way to a wedding, and she’s feeling nostalgia and wistfulness for that time period. Is that something she can recreate, or does she need to leave the past in the past?
We have all been there, I think. I can definitely remember turning points in my life just like this where I longed for old relationships to be the same that probably never would be, and the pain of letting go of that is something I’ll never forget.
At its heart, Summer Hours is a deeply moving and genuine story of friendship and its push and pull. There’s love and romance and lots of secrets, and the entire time, I felt like a close girlfriend was telling me her story, baring all her secrets over a long, lingering lunch. It’s emotionally smart and relevant with complex characters and lovely writing. Thank you for telling us this story, Amy Mason Doan.
I received a complimentary copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
January 6, 2019
I read an advanced Kindle copy of this book.
I LOVED this one and couldn't put it down. The characters and scenery up and down the California coast are so real and vividly detailed and Rebecca's unusual love triangle with the sexy older "forbidden" man and her complicated relationship with her best friend, Eric (who holds a torch for her) was juicy and something I related to immediately. At times funny and at times heartbreaking, but always very honest and true to the characters and their situations. This book surprised me more than once and kept me reading late late into the night to figure out 1. who was in the car with Rebecca!, 2. who she would end up with, if anyone and 3. what would happen after the wedding. Finished the book with a satisfied sigh and I'm not easy to please. Recommend very highly.
I LOVED this one and couldn't put it down. The characters and scenery up and down the California coast are so real and vividly detailed and Rebecca's unusual love triangle with the sexy older "forbidden" man and her complicated relationship with her best friend, Eric (who holds a torch for her) was juicy and something I related to immediately. At times funny and at times heartbreaking, but always very honest and true to the characters and their situations. This book surprised me more than once and kept me reading late late into the night to figure out 1. who was in the car with Rebecca!, 2. who she would end up with, if anyone and 3. what would happen after the wedding. Finished the book with a satisfied sigh and I'm not easy to please. Recommend very highly.
January 6, 2019
Wow, wow, wow.
I just read the last page of Summer Hours and I have to say I absolutely adored this gripping, endearing and beautifully written book. It's a tightly-plotted and engaging story about first friendships, first secrets, first SEX* (more on that later), coming of age, and, most of all, it's about reconnecting with the handful of people who matter most. On a road trip up the California coast, the 33-year-old main character, Becc, is forced to confront a choice she made at 20 that has had a ripple effect on her and those she loves for more than 10 years. The result is a moving and universal tale of coming to terms with our pasts, forgiving others, and accepting our mistakes.
Tore through this one in a weekend and thought about it often throughout the day as I tried to figure out what would happen next.
The characters are lovable but flawed, the plot is fast-moving, the writing and descriptions of the Cali beach settings are lovely--just like the cover--and, hello, that ending!! Did not see it coming but it made perfect sense and sent me on a research spree about the history involved. (Hard to describe without a spoiler but I mean the very last page about a certain mysterious person, not the last chapter, which also surprised me in a good way).
*This is not a tawdry or trashy book, but I can't review without saying I really really loved the sex scenes. One of my pet peeves is soft-focus or unrealistic sex in books. In Summer Hours, the sex is detailed and hot and memorable with both of the love interests. Swoon. Trust me on this.)
Highly recommend for fans of smart and emotional fiction who look for appealing, recognizable main characters, a heartwarming plot, skilled, subtle writing and a *highly* satisfying ending. And GREAT sex scenes.
I just read the last page of Summer Hours and I have to say I absolutely adored this gripping, endearing and beautifully written book. It's a tightly-plotted and engaging story about first friendships, first secrets, first SEX* (more on that later), coming of age, and, most of all, it's about reconnecting with the handful of people who matter most. On a road trip up the California coast, the 33-year-old main character, Becc, is forced to confront a choice she made at 20 that has had a ripple effect on her and those she loves for more than 10 years. The result is a moving and universal tale of coming to terms with our pasts, forgiving others, and accepting our mistakes.
Tore through this one in a weekend and thought about it often throughout the day as I tried to figure out what would happen next.
The characters are lovable but flawed, the plot is fast-moving, the writing and descriptions of the Cali beach settings are lovely--just like the cover--and, hello, that ending!! Did not see it coming but it made perfect sense and sent me on a research spree about the history involved. (Hard to describe without a spoiler but I mean the very last page about a certain mysterious person, not the last chapter, which also surprised me in a good way).
*This is not a tawdry or trashy book, but I can't review without saying I really really loved the sex scenes. One of my pet peeves is soft-focus or unrealistic sex in books. In Summer Hours, the sex is detailed and hot and memorable with both of the love interests. Swoon. Trust me on this.)
Highly recommend for fans of smart and emotional fiction who look for appealing, recognizable main characters, a heartwarming plot, skilled, subtle writing and a *highly* satisfying ending. And GREAT sex scenes.
January 16, 2019
I devoured Amy Mason Doan's debut, "The Summer List", and was thrilled to get an early copy of "Summer Hours". I love Amy's ability to conjure the sun-washed days of youth and contrast them with the sometimes jaded adults we become, all in flawless prose that keeps you turning the pages. In "Summer Hours", we follow good girl Becc who, while breaking free of her carefree and boundless childhood, makes decisions and finds herself the victim of circumstances that lead to a future her younger self would never have expected. As Becc traces her past and her present, and the effect on her relationships along the way, "Summer Hours" examines how we can reconcile the decisions we make with the people we once thought we were.
June 6, 2019
I read The Summer List by this author last year and really enjoyed it so I was eagerly anticipating this book. I loved it!! This is a story of friendship, mistakes, love, and finding yourself. The book spans over a few years and goes back and forth in telling the relationship between Becc and Eric. As teenagers they were best friends. The summer before they left for college Eric pulled away from Becc and they remained relatively estranged for years. Meanwhile, as the years passed Becc struggled with finding her true self, her career choices, and past mistakes. Becc eventually began a secret relationship with the one person sure to drive a deeper wedge between her and Eric. The book begins with a road trip where we initially go back and forth in time between Becc and her mystery passenger. We learn about their lives leading up to the road trip. I really liked the format of the book. The characters were great and the dialogue was so engaging. I was totally invested in this book from beginning to end.
January 16, 2019
I loved Amy Mason Doan's first novel, so I was eager to read this one. And it didn't disappoint. The characters were beautifully rendered and so very real in their dreams, urges, and regrets. I raced through the book and loved every page. I think everyone will love it.
January 6, 2019
Loved, loved, loved this delightful nostalgic tale of friendship, love, and the impact of choices we make as teens. For fans of stories about the West Coast and stories that make us think of many "what ifs" from our own lives. Amy Mason Doan is a master of women's fiction, the descriptive and emotional portrayal of family, friendship, love, and choices women make.
June 22, 2019
Rebecca and Eric have been best friends since forever. They’ve been there for each other through it all—from dealing with academic pressure at school to handling family drama at home—and even though financially their situations couldn’t be more different, they’ve always understood each other on a deep level. But at the end of their senior year, Eric hints that he might want something more than a friendship with Rebecca, and things get…weird. When Rebecca doesn’t immediately reciprocate feelings, the two part ways on awkward terms and don’t see each other for years.
In the meantime, Rebecca moves on to different relationships as she tries to figure out what she wants out of her life. One relationship in particular, with an older friend of Eric’s family named Cal, becomes especially serious and puts Rebecca in a tricky position. She assumes Eric doesn’t even want to be her friend anymore, but is she willing to explore her feelings for Cal, knowing it will put her even more on the outs with Eric? And when (well, if) Eric does decide to come back into her life, will she tell him the truth? Or just see how far a few white lies can take her?
Oh my, oh my, how I loved this book. I feel like I keep saying this, but, for realz, Summer Hours is another one of my favorite books of the year. If you liked Normal People by Sally Rooney, you will definitely want to read this one. The relationships between Rebecca and Eric, as well as Rebecca and Cal, are so well-developed. I identified with Rebecca. I empathized with her. I was right there with her, through good decisions and bad—and, honestly, I got it. Been there, done that, boo boo.
I loved how her relationships with both men are fully developed and so fair and balanced. Neither man is vilified; it’s not like one is better than the other. They’re just different. And Rebecca isn’t any better or worse for being with either of them; she’s just exploring different parts of herself and trying to figure out who and what she needs in order to be her best self.
So I give this one all the stars! And author Amy Mason Doan, you’ve got a fan girl for life. I can’t wait to read your next book!
Thank you Amazon Vine and Graydon House for the ARC!
See more of my book reviews at www.bugbugbooks.com!
In the meantime, Rebecca moves on to different relationships as she tries to figure out what she wants out of her life. One relationship in particular, with an older friend of Eric’s family named Cal, becomes especially serious and puts Rebecca in a tricky position. She assumes Eric doesn’t even want to be her friend anymore, but is she willing to explore her feelings for Cal, knowing it will put her even more on the outs with Eric? And when (well, if) Eric does decide to come back into her life, will she tell him the truth? Or just see how far a few white lies can take her?
Oh my, oh my, how I loved this book. I feel like I keep saying this, but, for realz, Summer Hours is another one of my favorite books of the year. If you liked Normal People by Sally Rooney, you will definitely want to read this one. The relationships between Rebecca and Eric, as well as Rebecca and Cal, are so well-developed. I identified with Rebecca. I empathized with her. I was right there with her, through good decisions and bad—and, honestly, I got it. Been there, done that, boo boo.
I loved how her relationships with both men are fully developed and so fair and balanced. Neither man is vilified; it’s not like one is better than the other. They’re just different. And Rebecca isn’t any better or worse for being with either of them; she’s just exploring different parts of herself and trying to figure out who and what she needs in order to be her best self.
So I give this one all the stars! And author Amy Mason Doan, you’ve got a fan girl for life. I can’t wait to read your next book!
Thank you Amazon Vine and Graydon House for the ARC!
See more of my book reviews at www.bugbugbooks.com!
January 20, 2019
Entertaining, touching and clever. I thoroughly enjoyed this lovely and timely book.
Even though I really, really wanted to peek at the last pages to see what would happen when this road trip ended, I’m so glad I went along for the ride.
Characters, even relatively minor ones, are so intriguing and descriptions of places along the way depicted so vividly that it pays to savor every page of this wonderful novel.
The plot, a gender-swapped nod to The Graduate, is an evergreen story of a good person trying to make it in the real world, and the scenes at her first jobs are so timely as women grapple with #MeToo and the power dynamics of the workplace.
But the issues are explored in a subtle way that doesn’t detract from Becc’s extremely-relatable story of love, hopes for the future, and friendship. And her lifelong friendship with Eric, the boy from long-ago who deserves a second look, warmed my heart.
Highly recommended!!
Even though I really, really wanted to peek at the last pages to see what would happen when this road trip ended, I’m so glad I went along for the ride.
Characters, even relatively minor ones, are so intriguing and descriptions of places along the way depicted so vividly that it pays to savor every page of this wonderful novel.
The plot, a gender-swapped nod to The Graduate, is an evergreen story of a good person trying to make it in the real world, and the scenes at her first jobs are so timely as women grapple with #MeToo and the power dynamics of the workplace.
But the issues are explored in a subtle way that doesn’t detract from Becc’s extremely-relatable story of love, hopes for the future, and friendship. And her lifelong friendship with Eric, the boy from long-ago who deserves a second look, warmed my heart.
Highly recommended!!
February 18, 2019
Got my hands on an early ecopy & tore through it very quickly over a rainy weekend. Summer Hours is a classic but surprisingly twisty summery story that the author handles with heart and intelligence.
Sexy, slow-burn tease of a plot that more than pays off in an ending that will give you ALL THE FEELS (and make you wish you lost your virginity on Catalina island.)
Gorgeous writing throughout and to-die settings. Recommended.
Sexy, slow-burn tease of a plot that more than pays off in an ending that will give you ALL THE FEELS (and make you wish you lost your virginity on Catalina island.)
Gorgeous writing throughout and to-die settings. Recommended.
January 17, 2019
Loved this book! I couldn't put it down. Smart, sexy, thought provoking, and heart warming! Highly recommend.
June 24, 2019
Summer Hours is a love story of sorts, but more important it is a story of a girl (woman) Becc who experiences a few rites of passage during her lifetime. As a child, she and her best friend Eric bond over movies...any and all. Inseparable until the end of their senior year of high school, both realize that perhaps this friendship could turn into something more. It is made quite clear by the end of that summer nothing will happen.
When high school turns into college, Becc has a relationship with an older man which no one can know about. This will later impact her relationship with Eric as a final betrayal to him. Their relationship severed completely.
But when one of their childhood friends gets married in a summer wedding 10 years later Becc and Eric decide to meet up once again for a road trip almost the equivalent to Thelma and Louise (or Louis) in this case! Their awkwardness during the trip with flashbacks as to how they ended up on this journey and the walls which were built throughout the years begin to break down and crumble.
Summer Hours is a beautiful coming of age story which focuses on Becc's challenges as Miss Perfect in high school, through her college years where she has decided to have no boundaries and to keep secrets, to her working adult life where her mistakes come back to haunt her. Especially her reasons for letting her choices always interfere with her relationship with Eric.
Can you really ever go back or take back mistakes and change the trajectory of your life after you have broken it?
Thank you #NetGalley #Graydon House #Summer Hours #Amy Mason Doan for the advanced copy. The book is out now.
When high school turns into college, Becc has a relationship with an older man which no one can know about. This will later impact her relationship with Eric as a final betrayal to him. Their relationship severed completely.
But when one of their childhood friends gets married in a summer wedding 10 years later Becc and Eric decide to meet up once again for a road trip almost the equivalent to Thelma and Louise (or Louis) in this case! Their awkwardness during the trip with flashbacks as to how they ended up on this journey and the walls which were built throughout the years begin to break down and crumble.
Summer Hours is a beautiful coming of age story which focuses on Becc's challenges as Miss Perfect in high school, through her college years where she has decided to have no boundaries and to keep secrets, to her working adult life where her mistakes come back to haunt her. Especially her reasons for letting her choices always interfere with her relationship with Eric.
Can you really ever go back or take back mistakes and change the trajectory of your life after you have broken it?
Thank you #NetGalley #Graydon House #Summer Hours #Amy Mason Doan for the advanced copy. The book is out now.
March 21, 2019
Amy Mason Doan, you are becoming one of my favorite storytellers! The Summer List was my favorite book of 2018, so I could not wait to read Summer Hours and I absolutely loved it. From the characters who you feel like are your own friends because with the way Amy writes, you are feeling every emotion alongside them, through the tour through California, I could not put this book down and had to keep reading to find out what happens.
Becc story is relatable from so many angles, what teenager isn't ready to break free of what is expected of them when the graduate high school and go off to college? The story follows Becc from a high school senior enjoying the last summer before college with her best friends Serra and Eric to a 33 year-old driving up the coast of California to a wedding reliving a decision at 20 years old that she knew would hurt those around her who loved her most. As Becc gets closer to her destination and deals with her past, she learns to also confront the mistakes she has made.
Its a coming of age story where I think you can't help but root for Becc to find her way. As much as I didn't want the book to end, I thought the ending was absolutely perfect. Highly recommend this book and I cannot wait to read more by Amy Mason Doan!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.
Becc story is relatable from so many angles, what teenager isn't ready to break free of what is expected of them when the graduate high school and go off to college? The story follows Becc from a high school senior enjoying the last summer before college with her best friends Serra and Eric to a 33 year-old driving up the coast of California to a wedding reliving a decision at 20 years old that she knew would hurt those around her who loved her most. As Becc gets closer to her destination and deals with her past, she learns to also confront the mistakes she has made.
Its a coming of age story where I think you can't help but root for Becc to find her way. As much as I didn't want the book to end, I thought the ending was absolutely perfect. Highly recommend this book and I cannot wait to read more by Amy Mason Doan!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.
February 14, 2019
This was such a heartwarming, intelligent, romantic, and enjoyable read! The characters are sympathetic but real and flawed, and the writing flows beautifully.
I loved this one.
Rebecca and her best friend Eric have never given into their undeniable attraction, but they are clearly meant for each other. Or are they? When college sends these two to opposite sides of the country, Rebecca, weighed down by her good-girl image, gives into temptation and dates the one person she knows she shouldn't: the alluring older man who just happens to be Eric's worst enemy and "stepfather-figure." It seems nobody will get their happy ending.
But years later, with the wisdom of time, there's a second chance at love, or at least understanding, as she drives up the Californian coast highway to an old friend's wedding. I greatly enjoyed this coming-of-age/road trip tale and read it in one big gulp as I was very anxious to know what would happen. I look forward to more by this author.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this one.
Rebecca and her best friend Eric have never given into their undeniable attraction, but they are clearly meant for each other. Or are they? When college sends these two to opposite sides of the country, Rebecca, weighed down by her good-girl image, gives into temptation and dates the one person she knows she shouldn't: the alluring older man who just happens to be Eric's worst enemy and "stepfather-figure." It seems nobody will get their happy ending.
But years later, with the wisdom of time, there's a second chance at love, or at least understanding, as she drives up the Californian coast highway to an old friend's wedding. I greatly enjoyed this coming-of-age/road trip tale and read it in one big gulp as I was very anxious to know what would happen. I look forward to more by this author.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 7, 2020
To quote the Booklist review, Summer Hours is the perfect summer read, especially this summer. Pure escapism. Amy took me right back to the Bay Area in the 90s. Ah, the memories. A sweet love story that spans years of longing. I really enjoyed this book.
February 10, 2019
I loved and devoured Doan's debut novel SUMMER LIST, so I've been looking forward to her follow-up SUMMER HOURS for months and luckily got a NetGalley copy. I work in media and read a ton of books and scripts for my job, and it's hard to find a lot of stories that stand out and keep you engaged. I wondered if Doan's second novel would have the same effect -- where I can't put it down.
And it did. There was definitely no sophomore slump. Doan has a real talent for drawing characters who are totally distinct, her writing is so well-detailed (and funny in an effortless way) that I was immediately invested in all her characters - Becc, Eric, Cal, Serra, Maggie, Francine.
Her other talent is keeping a mystery alive throughout, constantly keeping you guessing what's going to happen. Again in an effortless way (because this isn't a mystery mystery it's a love story about romantic love, friendship and self-love) where you find yourself at the end of a chapter and you have to keep reading. Because you want to know how the characters are going to evolve and how they're going to come together or not or who they're going to come together with. What happened in the past? What's going to happen in the future? Even characters you don't expect to have a big role surprise you in the end.
Basically Doan's fantastic in weaving a tapestry together where all the dangling strings come together in ways you don't expect and don't even think about because you're immersed in her story each page. In addition to the richly drawn characters, I loved the California setting north and south. Having lived in both and in many of the places her characters traveled, I can say she nailed the details and evoked these places perfectly whether you've been to them or not. She's great at making her settings characters in themselves.
The movie references and other 90s cultural references are so fun, too. She really puts you back in that era. As well as the late aughts. And I love that the story has something to say in a way that doesn't hit you over the head at all - the commentary on journalism and how it changed with the internet is written humorously and it's just real, you feel the character's own struggles along with a bigger societal shift. Same with the MeToo and feminist aspects to the story which I loved and which were also done so deftly as part of the story that made their effectiveness that much stronger. Again her stories just feel incredibly real. Her stories are both relatable and they introduce you to new worlds (journalism, film, art) where you're accidentally learning some things while being deeply engaged in the story.
I love finding a writer who I now feel like I can always rely on to deliver stories that will engage me on so many levels - emotionally, intellectually, socially. And more than that I love knowing that though I'll never be able to guess her endings, I'll always know how good I'll feel at the end of her novels. And I know I'll never feel that disappointed, incomplete feeling I've often felt at the end of novels. Her stories always feel complete and satisfying, meaningful and hopeful.
And it did. There was definitely no sophomore slump. Doan has a real talent for drawing characters who are totally distinct, her writing is so well-detailed (and funny in an effortless way) that I was immediately invested in all her characters - Becc, Eric, Cal, Serra, Maggie, Francine.
Her other talent is keeping a mystery alive throughout, constantly keeping you guessing what's going to happen. Again in an effortless way (because this isn't a mystery mystery it's a love story about romantic love, friendship and self-love) where you find yourself at the end of a chapter and you have to keep reading. Because you want to know how the characters are going to evolve and how they're going to come together or not or who they're going to come together with. What happened in the past? What's going to happen in the future? Even characters you don't expect to have a big role surprise you in the end.
Basically Doan's fantastic in weaving a tapestry together where all the dangling strings come together in ways you don't expect and don't even think about because you're immersed in her story each page. In addition to the richly drawn characters, I loved the California setting north and south. Having lived in both and in many of the places her characters traveled, I can say she nailed the details and evoked these places perfectly whether you've been to them or not. She's great at making her settings characters in themselves.
The movie references and other 90s cultural references are so fun, too. She really puts you back in that era. As well as the late aughts. And I love that the story has something to say in a way that doesn't hit you over the head at all - the commentary on journalism and how it changed with the internet is written humorously and it's just real, you feel the character's own struggles along with a bigger societal shift. Same with the MeToo and feminist aspects to the story which I loved and which were also done so deftly as part of the story that made their effectiveness that much stronger. Again her stories just feel incredibly real. Her stories are both relatable and they introduce you to new worlds (journalism, film, art) where you're accidentally learning some things while being deeply engaged in the story.
I love finding a writer who I now feel like I can always rely on to deliver stories that will engage me on so many levels - emotionally, intellectually, socially. And more than that I love knowing that though I'll never be able to guess her endings, I'll always know how good I'll feel at the end of her novels. And I know I'll never feel that disappointed, incomplete feeling I've often felt at the end of novels. Her stories always feel complete and satisfying, meaningful and hopeful.
June 3, 2019
Filled with 90s references galore and a second chance at a first love, Amy Mason Doan’s Summer Hours delivers on all fronts! Told in alternating timelines between 1998 & 2008, we know Becc & Eric are estranged for the ten years in between, but we don’t know why.
Doan artfully reveals what happened in those fateful years and tells a tale of friendship, love, mistakes and redemption leading up to a hell of an ending! This was my first book by Doan and I’ll be eager to go back and read her debut, as well as add her future books to my TBR!
Summer Hours is a strong novel which will definitely hold its own against some of the big name authors of the summer and for good reason. This book is captivating and heartfelt and honest - all the things that I look for in a women’s fiction book!
Thank you to Graydon House for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Doan artfully reveals what happened in those fateful years and tells a tale of friendship, love, mistakes and redemption leading up to a hell of an ending! This was my first book by Doan and I’ll be eager to go back and read her debut, as well as add her future books to my TBR!
Summer Hours is a strong novel which will definitely hold its own against some of the big name authors of the summer and for good reason. This book is captivating and heartfelt and honest - all the things that I look for in a women’s fiction book!
Thank you to Graydon House for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
December 17, 2018
I received an ARC of this terrific second novel by Amy Mason Doan. Like her first book, The Summer List, this story is mysterious, clever and un-put-downable. Doan’s writing is vivid, darkly funny and crisp. Highly recommend.
January 16, 2019
I devoured Amy Mason Doan's debut, "The Summer List", and was thrilled to get an early copy of "Summer Hours". I love Amy's ability to conjure the sun-washed days of youth and contrast them with the sometimes jaded adults we become, all in flawless prose that keeps you turning the pages. In "Summer Hours", we follow good girl Becc who, while breaking free of her carefree and boundless childhood, makes decisions and finds herself the victim of circumstances that lead to a future her younger self would never have expected. As Becc traces her past and her present, and the effect on her relationships along the way, "Summer Hours" examines how we can reconcile the decisions we make with the people we once thought we were.
June 4, 2019
Becc's past is coming back in vivid memories as she travels to a wedding along the California coast with a man she hasn't seen in years. A duel time line from 2008 flashing back to the 1990's That made my own memories and choices come flooding back. A beautiful story of having dreams and the choices you make. Lyrical and thought provoking. A summer list must have. Don't miss it.
I was given a copy from the publisher for my honest review.
Dawnny-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte Review
Novels N Latte Book Club
Hudson Valley NY
I was given a copy from the publisher for my honest review.
Dawnny-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte Review
Novels N Latte Book Club
Hudson Valley NY
Want to read
June 24, 2019Summer Hours is a love story of sorts, but more important it is a story of a girl (woman) Becc who experiences a few rites of passage during her lifetime. As a child, she and her best friend Eric bond over movies...any and all. Inseparable until the end of their senior year of high school, both realize that perhaps this friendship could turn into something more. It is made quite clear by the end of that summer nothing will happen.
When high school turns into college, Becc has a relationship with an older man which no one can know about. This will later impact her relationship with Eric as a final betrayal to him. Their relationship severed completely.
But when one of their childhood friends gets married in a summer wedding 10 years later Becc and Eric decide to meet up once again for a road trip almost the equivalent to Thelma and Louise (or Louis) in this case! Their awkwardness during the trip with flashbacks as to how they ended up on this journey and the walls which were built throughout the years begin to break down and crumble.
Summer Hours is a beautiful coming of age story which focuses on Becc's challenges as Miss Perfect in high school, through her college years where she has decided to have no boundaries and to keep secrets, to her working adult life where her mistakes come back to haunt her. Especially her reasons for letting her choices always interfere with her relationship with Eric.
Can you really ever go back or take back mistakes and change the trajectory of your life after you have broken it?
Thank you #NetGalley #Graydon House #Summer Hours #Amy Mason Doan for the advanced copy. The book is out now.
When high school turns into college, Becc has a relationship with an older man which no one can know about. This will later impact her relationship with Eric as a final betrayal to him. Their relationship severed completely.
But when one of their childhood friends gets married in a summer wedding 10 years later Becc and Eric decide to meet up once again for a road trip almost the equivalent to Thelma and Louise (or Louis) in this case! Their awkwardness during the trip with flashbacks as to how they ended up on this journey and the walls which were built throughout the years begin to break down and crumble.
Summer Hours is a beautiful coming of age story which focuses on Becc's challenges as Miss Perfect in high school, through her college years where she has decided to have no boundaries and to keep secrets, to her working adult life where her mistakes come back to haunt her. Especially her reasons for letting her choices always interfere with her relationship with Eric.
Can you really ever go back or take back mistakes and change the trajectory of your life after you have broken it?
Thank you #NetGalley #Graydon House #Summer Hours #Amy Mason Doan for the advanced copy. The book is out now.
June 17, 2019
I finished this book with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. This is a story that had me holding my breath as I waited for the inevitable to happen, dreading difficult bits, hoping against hope that somehow it was all going to be okay. I love books about choices and consequences, betrayal and forgiveness, and Summer Hours brilliantly captures the essence of all that and more. The heroine, Becc, finds herself adrift and restless the summer that she is 20; trying to figure out who she is—not just the person everyone thinks she should be, her future planned like a roadmap. Ten years later she heads out on a road trip with a mysterious, reluctant passenger, driving past both painful and happy memories, hoping to recapture what has been lost for too many years. I enjoyed the dual timelines which provided insight into the decisions Becc made, the girl she was, and the woman she became. This compelling book is a reader’s dream: characters with depth, weaknesses, passion; a story that is profound, riveting, heartfelt; a setting, both time and place, that adds an edge and interest to the story. Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book.
June 7, 2019
Amy Mason Doan, Author has written a memorable, thought-provoking, emotional, intense and captivating novel. There are basically two timelines in this story, one in the 1990s and the other is 2008 I appreciate the way the author weaves the two together. The Genres for this Novel are Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age and Women’s Fiction. The author describes her characters as complex and complicated. I like that the title of this story, “Summer Hours” symbolically could stand for different things.
When summer is mentioned, beaches, vacations, swimming, sailing, watersports, hiking, picnics, and so many wonderful things come to mind. Beach parties friends, romance, fireworks, food, and drink come to mind as well. Summer is relaxing vacation time for some people. For others, it is that life goes on as with responsibilities and work. For young high school and college graduates, it is both the end and beginning of possibly a new life and direction.
Becc, and Eric have been the best of friends in California in High School in the 1990s. Becc’s dream is to be a journalist and Eric dreams of doing something with movies. Becc gets a scholarship which she needs to help make her dreams come true, and goes to Berkley. Eric has his own problems and heads in his direction. As time moves on, many things have changed. Sometimes it is a difficult journey to find what you really want and expect.
I appreciate that the author discusses the importance of family, friends, self-growth, self-worth, forgiveness, love, and hope. I would highly recommend this thought-provoking novel.
When summer is mentioned, beaches, vacations, swimming, sailing, watersports, hiking, picnics, and so many wonderful things come to mind. Beach parties friends, romance, fireworks, food, and drink come to mind as well. Summer is relaxing vacation time for some people. For others, it is that life goes on as with responsibilities and work. For young high school and college graduates, it is both the end and beginning of possibly a new life and direction.
Becc, and Eric have been the best of friends in California in High School in the 1990s. Becc’s dream is to be a journalist and Eric dreams of doing something with movies. Becc gets a scholarship which she needs to help make her dreams come true, and goes to Berkley. Eric has his own problems and heads in his direction. As time moves on, many things have changed. Sometimes it is a difficult journey to find what you really want and expect.
I appreciate that the author discusses the importance of family, friends, self-growth, self-worth, forgiveness, love, and hope. I would highly recommend this thought-provoking novel.
June 2, 2019
Swooning over this perfect beach read!
The Summer Hours was everything you could want in a juicy love triangle, a road trip, a wedding, a coming of age book, college life, first jobs and first times - it's got it all!
We first meet Becc as she's on a road trip - with a mysterious passenger. The story goes back and forth from what happens along the ride, and also back to how she got in this awkward place. There are things that Becc did, careless and carefree - that have placed her in some very strained circumstances with a friend, that has changed so many things in her life along the way. And she wonders "what if" - as we all do some time in our lives - so we follow to find out who her passenger is and if second chances are a thing of the past.
The writing - incredible. The way the story weaves through a significant span of Becc's life has you become so attached. Not only to her, but to every single character along the way. There's some mystery and suspense, really endearing friendships and mentors along the way, and an ending that will warm your heart and having you grabbing for the tissues!
I loved this book and although it was my first of Amy's books - it will certainly not be my last!
The Summer Hours was everything you could want in a juicy love triangle, a road trip, a wedding, a coming of age book, college life, first jobs and first times - it's got it all!
We first meet Becc as she's on a road trip - with a mysterious passenger. The story goes back and forth from what happens along the ride, and also back to how she got in this awkward place. There are things that Becc did, careless and carefree - that have placed her in some very strained circumstances with a friend, that has changed so many things in her life along the way. And she wonders "what if" - as we all do some time in our lives - so we follow to find out who her passenger is and if second chances are a thing of the past.
The writing - incredible. The way the story weaves through a significant span of Becc's life has you become so attached. Not only to her, but to every single character along the way. There's some mystery and suspense, really endearing friendships and mentors along the way, and an ending that will warm your heart and having you grabbing for the tissues!
I loved this book and although it was my first of Amy's books - it will certainly not be my last!
May 13, 2019
What a beautiful written book with flawed characters this was such a breath of fresh air had me craving for summer!! Becca , Sierra and Eric had been best friends in high school. Becca has always felt the pressure to be perfect to always be the good girl. As her feelings grow for Eric towards the end of her senior year and nothing happens she feels the pressure of college and finding herself. Eric whose dealing with his own emotional problems the fact his parents are going through a divorce and his mom moved on dating a much younger man named Cal. As Becca and Eric are in college they lose connection and they drift apart emails become scarce. Becca returns home from college for the summer after being declined internships and summer jobs and she bumps into Cal and he offers her a job at his business. She soon finds herself in a secret affair with Cal even though he’s a whole decade older than her, he’s rich, handsome and single after ending his relationship with Erics mom. Becca and Cals relationship was much more than a fling and it lasted the whole summer and she keeps it a secret from Eric, her mother and everyone else in her life she knows if Eric finds out it would devastate him and also end their friendship! If she can’t be honest with Eric could she ever be in a relationship with him? Fast forward a decade later and Becca is in a car with an unknown male driving to sierras wedding and she finds herself thinking back to that summer and wondering if one mistake could actually ruin the rest of her life. This book jumps back and forth between the 90’s and early 2000’s and back to the present. I loved this book it makes you think about the decisions you make and how they can affect who
you are and which path you take along with learning to forgive yourself! I give this four stars! This book is available June 4th 2019!
you are and which path you take along with learning to forgive yourself! I give this four stars! This book is available June 4th 2019!
February 5, 2019
I enjoyed so many things about this charming book. Over the few days I was reading it, I looked forward to firing up my Kindle so I could get back to riding along with Becc and sharing her observations, hopes, and frustrations. (In fact, I was enjoying reading it on my phone so much, I almost didn't notice when the tire shop took 90 minutes longer than promised to finish working on my car :))
Amy Mason Doan included so many thoughtful details about the character and her world that helped bring her protagonist to life. There was a healthy dollop of suspense, too. By the end of the story, the past and present threads are connected for a satisfying ending--with a few welcome surprises along the way.
Looking forward to what's next from Amy Mason Doan.
Amy Mason Doan included so many thoughtful details about the character and her world that helped bring her protagonist to life. There was a healthy dollop of suspense, too. By the end of the story, the past and present threads are connected for a satisfying ending--with a few welcome surprises along the way.
Looking forward to what's next from Amy Mason Doan.
June 26, 2019
I've written this review for Really Into This
Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!
After loving The Summer List last year, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Summer Hours by Amy Mason Doan. This is one of my more highly anticipated books this summer!
Growing Up 90's Style
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel about friendship, growing up, love, the choices we make & what stems from said choices.
I'm giving a shout out to my buddy Heather over at Book Club Chat because this book is ripe for questions, discussion & ideas for book clubs. During her formidable college years, Becc trudges among trying to follow her heart & her instinct even if they each lead her down different roads.
While there is a romance element, it’s a smaller part of the narrative. Instead, relationships are strained, created & reignited.
THE VERDICT
I’m Really Into This book! I’m bummed I missed the launch for Amy’s book. Hopefully, she saved me a book cookie! Summer Hours by Amy Mason Doan is out now. Read this book if you’re looking for a well-written tale about relationships, secrets among friends & developing your own sense of self.
Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!
After loving The Summer List last year, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Summer Hours by Amy Mason Doan. This is one of my more highly anticipated books this summer!
Growing Up 90's Style
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel about friendship, growing up, love, the choices we make & what stems from said choices.
I'm giving a shout out to my buddy Heather over at Book Club Chat because this book is ripe for questions, discussion & ideas for book clubs. During her formidable college years, Becc trudges among trying to follow her heart & her instinct even if they each lead her down different roads.
While there is a romance element, it’s a smaller part of the narrative. Instead, relationships are strained, created & reignited.
THE VERDICT
I’m Really Into This book! I’m bummed I missed the launch for Amy’s book. Hopefully, she saved me a book cookie! Summer Hours by Amy Mason Doan is out now. Read this book if you’re looking for a well-written tale about relationships, secrets among friends & developing your own sense of self.
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