Women’s Summer Fiction, May 1, 2011
May 1, 2011Make room in your beach tote for a mix of favorite authors and debut novelists from this year’s crop of summer women’s fiction reads. Ensemble reads—featuring best friends, sisters, or soon-to-be friends—remain popular, while several titles include dashes of mystery and intrigue along with the usual romance and fun.
Andrews, Mary Kay. Summer Rental. St. Martin’s. Jun. 2011. c.416p. ISBN 9780312642693. $25.99. F
Andrews (The Fixer-Upper) is at her warm and funny best with this story of three girlfriends who rent a beach cottage on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. A month of fun, frolicking, romance, and self-discovery ensues, while the arrival of a fourth roommate ratchets up the drama. Andrews simply excels at creating the kind of characters readers can relate to, and she has a fabulous sense of humor to boot. For all women’s fiction fans, especially those who enjoy ensemble fiction. [National tour; see Prepub Alert, 12/20/10.]
Cloyed, Deborah. The Summer We Came to Life. Mira: Harlequin. Jun. 2011. c.320p. ISBN 9780778312918. pap. $14.95. F
For years, childhood friends Samantha, Kendra, Isabel, and Mina have spent their summers together on exotic vacations. This year, however, the group is missing Mina, who died earlier in the year. Mina left behind her journal for her friends to remember her by, but it offers little comfort for the women, who are each struggling with personal and family demons. Featuring drama, family secrets, and friendship, Cloyed’s multilayered debut will appeal to those who don’t mind their beach reading on the weighty side.
Cook, Claire. Best Staged Plans. Voice: Hyperion. Jun. 2011. c.256p. ISBN 9781401341176. $23.99. F
Sandra is a professional home stager based out of the Boston area. Knowledgeable about home design and full of ideas, she somehow can’t manage to get her own house ready for the market, thanks to her slacking-off husband and son. When she gets an offer to stage a boutique hotel in Atlanta, she leaps at the chance to run away and get some distance and perspective. She soon starts to wonder whether her whole life, not just her home, needs a makeover. Fans of HGTV and of Cook’s previous charming fiction (Seven Year Switch; Must Love Dogs) will adore this light, funny read.
Harbison, Beth. Always Something There To Remind Me. St. Martin’s. Jul. 2011. c.368p. ISBN 9780312599102. $24.99. F
Erin has spent the last 20 years unable to forget her first love, Nate. Despite having a successful career, a teenage daughter, and a great new boyfriend, she still gets lost in memories of Nate and their turbulent teen romance. When he appears back on the scene, Erin obsesses over what could have been. Told in chapters alternating between the past and the present, Harbison’s (Thin, Rich, Pretty; Hope in a Jar) latest will be enjoyed by readers who came of age in the 1980s, but too many teen sex scenes may make some readers uncomfortable (or worse, bored). [See Prepub Alert, 1/24/11.]
Holton, Cathy. Summer in the South. Ballantine. Jun. 2011. c.362p. ISBN 9780345506016. $25. F
Hidden family secrets threaten to mar aspiring writer Ava’s summer retreat. When her mother dies, Ava realizes it’s time for a change, so she quits her job in Chicago and moves to Tennessee to stay with an old friend’s relatives. While the eccentric family provides rich fodder for her novel, Ava quickly learns that some secrets are better left hidden. Fans of Southern fiction will lap up Holton’s (Beach Trip) setting and characters.
Jio, Sarah. The Violets of March. Plume: Penguin Group (USA). May 2011. c.304p. ISBN 9780452297036. pap. $15. F
Jio’s debut novel is a rich blend of history, mystery, and romance. After a heartbreaking divorce, one-hit-wonder author Emily is staying on Bainbridge Island, WA, with her elderly aunt when she comes across a diary from the 1940s. Drawn into the details of a mysterious stranger’s life, Emily begins to see parallels to her own situation and senses a mystical connection with the anonymous writer. Fans of Sarah Blake’s The Postmistress should enjoy this story.
Lynch, Sarah-Kate. Dolci di Love. Plume: Penguin Group (USA). 2011. c.320p. ISBN 9780452296756. pap. $15. F
When Lily discovers a photograph (in his golf shoe, of all places) of her husband, another woman, and two children, she realizes he’s been living a dual life. Turns out he has another family—in Italy—so Lily decides to head over there to see what’s up. She ends up in Tuscany under the care of eccentric old widows, who make it their business to fix affairs of the heart. This quaint, charming novel by the author of House of Daughters and By Bread Alone will appeal to readers who enjoy their summer fiction set in romantic locations.
McMullen, Beth. Original Sin: A Sally Sin Adventure. Voice: Hyperion. Jul. 2011. c.304p. ISBN 9781401324216. $24.99. F
McMullen’s debut introduces Lucy Hamilton, stay-at-home mom by day, spy by night. After giving up a stellar career as a government agent (code name: Sally Sin), Lucy finds herself drawn back into the underworld when her old nemesis, an arms dealer, resurfaces—and she’s apparently the only one who can bring him to justice. High-spirited fun that will appeal to readers who enjoy sassy mystery heroines. [Library marketing; BEA and ALA promotion and advance reading edition giveaways.]
Mallery, Susan. Already Home. Mira: Harlequin.2011. c.336p. ISBN 9780778329510. pap. $14.95. F
After a bad divorce, Jenna realizes she needs a change of pace, so she decides to move back to her hometown in Texas to be near her adoptive parents and open a cooking store. Life is pretty stable, until her birth parents find her and turn her world upside down. As Jenna warily gets to know her “other” family, she begins to open her heart to new possibilities, no matter in what form they come. A lovely, light family story with a touch of romance from the author of Chasing Perfect.
Moriarty, Liane. What Alice Forgot. Amy Einhorn: Putnam. Jun. 2011. c.432p. ISBN 9780399157189. $24.95. F
When Alice Love passes out at the gym and bonks her head, she wakes up with no memory of the past decade. It’s a complete shock to her that she is thin, has three children, and is in the midst of a nasty divorce. She also has no idea why people don’t want to talk to her about a mysterious woman named Gina, who was apparently her best friend. Moriarity makes this more than just a one-note story, weaving in a plotline involving Alice’s childless sister. Deeper and much more serious than Sophie Kinsella’s similarly themed Remember Me?, Moriarty’s (Three Wishes; The Last Anniversary) intriguing story will keep readers guessing and curious to know more about Alice. [See Prepub Alert, 1/3/11.]
Wax, Wendy. Ten Beach Road. Berkley: Penguin Group (USA). May 2011. ISBN 9780425240861. pap. $15. F
Three strangers discover they share something very bad in common—their financial manager has vanished, along with their life svings. However, he did leave them with Bella Flora, a waterfront vacation home in Florida that needs a lot of work. They decide to band together and make lemonade out of lemons, with unexpected results. Wax (The Accidental Bestseller) keeps the plot twists coming and makes this great escape reading, perfect for the beach.—Rebecca Vnuk, Forest Park, IL
