Book Chatter

Sunday Matters

It is Father’s Day in these here parts. Sometimes, I speak in a strange way. Right now is one of those times.

My husband is very easy to please. A nice meal out and maybe someplace fun to visit or see is all he wants. The meal out took place last night but the place to visit or see is up in the air because California is wide open now and there are people everywhere. It feels like there are more people now, than ever. Outdoor adventures are nice but not in this heat.

Right Now:

We attended church on Thursday and it was glorious. Thursday services have been gone for a year and it’s really the only service that works well for me since Sunday is also a volunteer day, normally. Still trying to decide what path to take now that my group has graduated.

This Week:

Not much happening this week and I am fine with it. I will be picking up my daughter’s yearbook tomorrow as she will be working. I honestly have no idea what will be in it. She wasn’t able to take photos for theatre or choir. Sure, her senior pic will be in there but no football games, no prom, no grad bash, nothing.

She had a dental appointment scheduled for this Wednesday but can’t get the day off so I’ve decided to move her to our dentist so she can get a visit in before she leaves. They have Saturday appointments. If she takes off during the week now the counselor to student ratio is affected so she needs the flexibility of Saturday appointments. I wasn’t ready to do it but we have to do it for my son too so they will both move over so they can be seen before they leave. Geesh! All these things you have to think about.

Reading:

I finished Go Tell It On The Mountain for book club and the review posts tomorrow. I also finished The Last Thing He Told Me. I should have that review up soon. That leaves me with my current read, Before She Disappeared which I am reading for 10 Books of Summer.

Watching:

I haven’t picked up anything new and because of all the anxiety I keep having I’ve resorted to tried and true shows like Hoarding: Buried Alive to take me out of my head a little.

Grateful for:

This short time I have with both kids under this roof. Trying to stretch it out but it’s going by fast.

Have a wonderful week!

Summer Darlings
By Brooke Lea Foster
Gallery Books, 9781982115029, May 5, 2021, 368pp.

The Short of It:

Everything you want in a summer read, a slow-burn romance, a Martha’s Vineyard setting, a 1960’s backdrop of money and glamour but also a tiny bit of deception to keep you interested.

The Rest of It:

I went into this read with an open mind and it surprised me in a lot of ways. It wasn’t a straight-up beach read, as you’ve come to expect from a cover like the one above. Summer Darlings offered quite a bit more and kept me interested very early on.

After losing her scholarship at Wellesley, Heddy must find a way to earn her tuition money quickly and the easiest way to do that is to be a nanny for one of the wealthiest families on the island. Heddy is great with children but the lifestyle is a stretch for her. She has never been surrounded by so much wealth and opulence, nor has she any experience with how social circles work.

At first she is envious of her boss. She seems to have everything, a beautiful home, an attractive husband but no matter how much money you have, things are never as perfect as they seem. Between the other inhabitants of the island and her keen observations, there is definitely trouble in paradise.

I really loved that this story had a little bit of everything. It had all the glitter and glamour you’d expect from the island rich, but there is a bit of darkness too and honestly, it caught me by surprise. Heddy is young and impressionable but she doesn’t always make good choices, which surprised me given her upbringing. Nonetheless, I found it to be a great summer read and a good kick-off to summer reading. Have you read it?

This is the first book on my 10 Books of Summer list.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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