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Aug 30, 2011

Jayne rated it:

Having just returned from a vacation just a stone’s throw north of the outer banks of NC, I couldn’t WAIT to dive into this beach tale. Happy to say Mary Kay Andrews did not disappoint, and I was immediately transported back to that blissful state of feeling sand in my shorts. On a craft level, gotta give the author props. Descriptions were well (but not overly) done, dialogue rang true to the characters, and timing was impeccable with secrets being revealed at perfect point that “goosed the g More...

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May 11, 2011

Rachel rated it:

Alrighty, so I won this on Goodreads, automatically making me quite happy. However, I was in a reading slump and didn't really want to read, but forced myself to anyway. Oh my gosh, I am so glad I did. Summer Rental was so fun to read and I really couldn't wait to write this review. I spent the past for days reading this, rather than studying for my exams.

So, Summer Rental is about three best friends who are all thirty-five and kind of at a turning point in their lives. They ha More...

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May 10, 2011

Kathy rated it:

In my childhood taking a house-rental at the beach included fun in the sun and time spent with family. On the downside there was no TV, no AC, no telephone and no videogames.

Such are the long-gone surroundings in which three best friends from school days find themselves on a month long reunion on the beach at Nags Head, North Carolina.

Ellis, the hyper-organized planner, has been downsized from a large-bank in Philadelphia. Married briefly and unsuccessfully, fresh out of col More...

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Sep 11, 2011

Antoinette rated it:

I should start by saying I felt dirty for even finishing this book, it was so awful. I'm pretty sure I lost IQ points somewhere in the middle of it. Don't get me wrong--I'm all for trashy, brainless novels, but this one was god-awful. Every person in it is a caricature, and the author, who apparently can and has written much better novels (though I've never read any and am not likely to start after this one), relies on tired literary devices rather than actually giving her characters and her plo More...

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Jul 12, 2011

Jackie rated it:

I found Summer Rental to be an enjoyable summer read. The central characters, Ellis, Dorie and Julie, are childhood friends who decide to not only meet up for each other's parent's funerals, they're going to get a summer beach house for the month of August in Nags Head, North Carolina. Their personal and professional lives are not left at the door and we learn about what is going on outside of the perfect summer get away as we get to know our thirty something year old heroines. While being best More...

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Nov 08, 2011

Paul rated it:

“Summer Rental” by Mary Kay Andrews, published by St. Martin’s Press.

Category – Fiction/Literature

This is Chick Lit and Beach Read at its best. If you have not read any of the novels of Mary Kay Andrews this would be a great time to start. Her stories take place in the south, in such wonderful locations as Savannah, Georgia, and Nags Head, North Carolina. They are funny, they are witty, and above all they are all good reads.

Ellis Sullivan and two of her friends s More...

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Jun 08, 2011

Dianne rated it:

Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews

Considering that, this is a book about women in their mid thirties, who are educated and worldly I had to say I was rather amazed at how Ms Andrews portrayed them.
We get to spend the month of August with best friends since elementary school—meet Julie, Ellis and Dorie who are spending the month in a beach house on the outer banks of North Caroline. A very diverse group of women that in “real life” may never bond as well as this group does. Add i More...

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May 26, 2011

Michele rated it:

This book is about three friends who spend a month in a beach house on the North Carolina coast. Along the way they meet Madison aka Maryn who is running away from her husband due to a surprising discovery that she had made about him. During the month the three friends get closer to Madison and eventually discover the secret that she had been keeping from them. Ellis is a woman who is in her thirties who was only recently fired from the job that she had for over ten years. She is using the m More...

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Oct 19, 2011

Christi rated it:

My Review:
I don't read much general fiction, but it really works for me in audio format, because I don't usually have to worry so much if my 4 year old walks into the room while I am listening to it. As a result, this is not necessarily a book that I would have picked up in the bookstore to read, but it worked perfectly for me in audio format...and I really enjoyed the story.

This book is about 3 childhood friends who rent a house on the Outer Banks for a month in August. Coinciden More...

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Sep 10, 2011

L rated it:

As a caveat, I'm not a huge fan of those 'group friendship stories' ala the YaYa's, knitting sisterhood or whatever else. I also find stories with a pass-it-around narrative to be often confusing in terms of storyline, or even bothersome if the characters aren't distinct enough and blend together.

However, I was strapped for new audiobooks and I've always found this author enjoyable, so I gave it a try. I suppose my reactions were much like the characters themselves, in that I More...

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Aug 14, 2011

Ruth rated it:

Three childhood friends decide to spend a month together in the Outer Banks. Ellis painstakingly arranges for a house, gets tourism information, and searches for coupons. Much to their dismay when they arrive they find that the house is a dump and leaves much to be desired. Dorie is worried about having enough money for the month after her sister backs out of coming with them at the last moment and has volunteered to still pay her share even though she can well afford it. While having a milk More...

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May 20, 2011

Victoria rated it:

This was a fun, easy read. Not a lot of depth, but then I wasn't expecting too much anyway. It's a beach read, obviously. Four women in seaside rented house dealing with relationships and careers and other life choices.

The main character Ellis has a farcical relationship with the guy next door. He's also the landlord and that's supposed to be one of their obstacles to "happily ever after." It's pretty forced and unrealistic, but fun to read for the most part.

Dor More...

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Oct 25, 2011

Ani rated it:

I have been a big fan of Mary Kay Andrews since reading Blue Christmas. This formula is no different than Ms. Andrews previous books but that is the beauty of it. It works. With a mixture of southern sassy charm, romance and mystery Ms. Andrews' books always captivate me. And it is a must that I read all of her recently published books.

In Summer Rental three lifelong friends are taking a summer month long vacation at a cottage on the beach in the Outerbanks. All have something that More...

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Sep 03, 2011

Kristy rated it:

This book is the perfect beach read! Pack up your bags and head to the beach with the perfect vacation book! Nothing better than reading about a group of friends at the beach while you're on the beach. "Summer Rental" is about 3 best friends who live together for a month in a distressed, old beach house that has been a family heirloom of a neighborhood local. Ellis, Julia, and Dorie quickly discover the power and strength their friendship has. They experience feelings like lust, love, More...

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Aug 05, 2011

Laurel-Rain rated it:

Themes of friendship, trust, and challenging events during a tough economy pepper the pages of this delightful book.

Ellis, Julia, and Dorie have been friends since early childhood, but now, separated geographically and by their circumstances, they are looking forward to their summer vacation in a beach house in Nags Head, North Carolina. Dorie's sister Willa has begged her way into the vacation, but Ellis is determined not to let anything annoy her. She has arranged it all online, an More...

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Jun 30, 2011

Debbie rated it:

Summer Rental is definitely a "chick" or "beach" novel. The story centers on three friends that meet for a month at Nags Head, South Carolina. Each lady has her own problems and agenda, but life does not always go as planned. A fourth lady joins this month of leisure. Andrews develops each woman, but the story seems silly at times. Real bad fortune never seems to enter the equation. Julia is an aging model trying to decide if she should marry longtime boyfriend Booker a More...

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Sep 06, 2011

Pat rated it:

Have you ever had friends (old or new) that you only see from time to time, but when you get together, it seems like you saw them yesterday? That is "Summer Rental"! Three best friends from grade schoool, after a year of up's and down's are together for Julia's Dad's funeral. That's when they decide on a "girl's only " vacation at a beach front house in Nag's Head, N.C. It was less than glamourous when they arrived ...add in their landlord "Mr. Culpepper" can onl More...

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May 21, 2011

Kristina rated it:

As always, I love my time with Mary Kay Andrews!! I discovered her by accident years ago when I picked up "Savannah Blues" in the bargain bin of my local B&N. I opened the book after checking my bags at the airport and didn't want to get off the plane a few hours later I was so into that fabulous book...."Summer Rental" was no different!! Summer Rental allows us to be with three best friends- Ellis, Dorrie, and Julia- as they spend a month together at a rustic beach house More...

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May 15, 2011

Jacque rated it:

This book was something that I would not normally read, but it looked interesting. I loved this book. It was very well written. It pulled me in and held my attention. I loved all of the characters and I loved the interplay between the characters.

The fact that Dorie did not want to tell her friends about her gay husband and her baby was interesting. She was worried about what they would think even though she knew they would support her.

The character of Maryn was ver More...

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Jul 28, 2011

Sherri rated it:

I just finished reading Mary Kay Andrew's latest, Summer Rental. I really like her books. This one takes place in Nags Head, NC. It's about three 30-something women who have been friends since childhood and they meet in Nags Head from various locations to spend the month of August together. They intend it to catch up and get away from their lives. They each have their own personal issues to work out and share with one another. There's also a woman who happens to come into the picture and ends up More...

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Jul 19, 2011

Diana rated it:

A good summer read. Four women rent a beach cottage in North Carolina for a month. (actally one of them ends up deciding not to go....typical for doing things with friends) The 3 women that go to the beach are all having life changing issues, but since they live in different cities, they really don't know about the others problems until they are all together. (kind of typical for what happens when friends live in different areas of the country) One of the women meets another woman who need More...

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May 08, 2011

Milena rated it:

I received this book from Goodreads. I have never read Mary Kay Andrews books before, but after reading this book I want to read her other books too. It is a really good chick-lit, fun and easy to read. The characters, Ellis, Julia and Dorie, are interesting and very relatable. They are best friends in their mid-thirties, who decide to spend summer vacation together. They are such fun characters, each with her own quirks, and you can't help but feel like they could be your best friends too. On More...

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May 16, 2011

Lauren rated it:

I received this book as a First Reads Give-away! :)
Summer Rental is about 3 childhood girl-friends, who've rented a beach house for the month of August in Nags Head,NC. Each comes to the house with their own relationship baggage and personal issues they're looking to "escape". There they meet the guy who lives in the garage apt of the beach house, and another girl who's on the run from something, who they invite to stay with them in the house for the month.
The story line More...

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Jan 28, 2012

Denise rated it:

I usually can't wait for a new Mary Kay Andrews to hit the shelves, but it took me a while to get around to reading Summer Rental. I looked forward to this read with anticipation. The book is basic chick lit. Three friends, Ellis, Julia, and Dorie, go to the beach to get away from their lives and find out what they really want from life... sort of.

Andrews usually writes with charm and wit and just a bit of attitude. Her stories are generally full of southernisms and over the top charac More...

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Jun 05, 2011

Patty rated it:

Brief Book Summary…from the book jacket…
For Ellis, Dorie, and Julia, a vacation in North Carolina’s Outer Banks is just what they need. They rent a rambling old beach house from the mysterious Ty Bazemore, who is also at a turning point in his life, and prepare for a month of rest, relaxation and reconnecting.
Their plans for a peaceful summer are interrupted when they meet up with Maryn Shackleford, a woman on the run who desperately needs their help. Soon Ellis and Julia and More...

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Jun 29, 2011

Charlotte rated it:

http://charlotteswebofbooks.blogspot.com...

Nothing says "Summer" like a good beach story. I am usually partial to the Nantucket or Cape Cod beach stories, but a good Outer Banks story will suffice. Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews is one of the latter stories.

Listening to the audio book provided a different perspective. If I had read this book it would have taken me a day or two tops. But listening to the book took two weeks. And it felt like I really spent th More...

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Aug 08, 2011

Jackie rated it:

This was the first book from this author that I have read and am so glad I did!!! She is now on my list of favorites. I am trying to decide now which of her other books I will be reading next.
The characters felt real and believable. All were refreshingly flawed. One is recently unemployed,another finds herself in a situation she couldn't have imagined, and the third while seemingly unflawed is in fact flawed making her more lovable.
The story had a great mix of romance More...

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Jun 14, 2011

Gail rated it:

After reading about China under Mao (Dreams of Joy), the OSS and McCarthy (Covert Affair), deadly political games (Trust No One), and being creeped out and glad it's summer (Snowman), I was ready for something different and this book was it. Andrews always writes snappy dialogue, setting her stories in Savannah, Tybee Island, or in this case Nags Head, N.C. with plenty of Southern flair, drink, and food. Although seriously older than the characters in this one, my life, too, has been in transi More...

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Mar 08, 2011

Phyllis rated it:

Ellis, Julia, and Dorie have been best friends since grade school. Now, in their mid-thirties, they're at a time of making new decisions in their lives. Ellis has been downsized from her banking job; Julia finds her modeling jobs getting fewer and the life style not as fun; Dorie has had a shocking betrayal in her marriage. To reconnect with each other and to rest and relax, they all rent a rambling old beach house on North Carolina's Outer Banks for the month of August. There is also an in More...

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Jun 19, 2011

Ann rated it:

I suspected that Summer Rental would be a great 'beach read' and it was. It's not great literature but it delivers. You don't want this book to end. You feel like you know the thirty-something Ellis, Julia, and Dorie, friends since Catholic grade school. Having decided to rent a house on the Outer Banks of North Carolina to spend some real time together, it turns out each friend is at a turning point. Add the mysterious Ty Bazemore, who lives over the garage, and the elusive Maryn, who is on the More...

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