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All the Summer Girls
In Philadelphia, good girl Kate is dumped by her fiance the day she learns she is pregnant with his child. In New York City, beautiful stay-at-home mom Vanessa is obsessively searching the Internet for news of an old flame. And in San Francisco, Dani, the aspiring writer who can't seem to put down a book--or a cocktail--long enough to open her laptop, has just been fired... again.
In an effort to regroup, Kate, Vanessa, and Dani retreat to the New Jersey beach town where they once spent their summers. Emboldened by the seductive cadences of the shore, the women being to realize how much their lives, and friendships, have been shaped by the choices they made one fateful night on the beach eight years earlier--and the secrets that only now threaten to surface.
In an effort to regroup, Kate, Vanessa, and Dani retreat to the New Jersey beach town where they once spent their summers. Emboldened by the seductive cadences of the shore, the women being to realize how much their lives, and friendships, have been shaped by the choices they made one fateful night on the beach eight years earlier--and the secrets that only now threaten to surface.
264 pages, Paperback
First published May 21, 2013
558 people are currently reading
7049 people want to read
About the author
Meg Donohue
8 books695 followersMeg Donohue is the USA Today bestselling author of The Memory Gardener (11/25/25), You, Me, and the Sea, Every Wild Heart, Dog Crazy, All the Summer Girls, and How to Eat a Cupcake. Her novels have been translated into Dutch, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Turkish. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she lives San Francisco with her husband, three daughters, and dog. She is currently working on her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 880 reviews
June 1, 2013
I received the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. It is a part of the TLC book tour, published on http://www.ireadabookonce.com on May 30, 2013.
I wasn’t enamored of this book. Its plot is simple. Three twenty-nine-year-old women, best friends since kindergarten, are at the crossroads in their lives.
In Philadelphia, Kate discovers that she is pregnant. Her revelation occurs on the same day her boyfriend dumps her. Despite her successful career as a lawyer, she wallows in gloom and loneliness; understandably so. She doesn’t know how to go on with her life.
In New York, Vanessa is a stay-at-home mom of her two-year-old daughter, but her husband committed indiscretion – kissed another woman. Nothing worse happened, and he apologized, but Vanessa can’t forgive him. She she wallows in gloom and loneliness. She doesn’t know how to go on with her life. Should she divorce him? Should she go back to work?
In San Francisco, Dani is a drunk and a druggy. She just lost her latest job – 12th in seven years. She she wallows in gloom and loneliness, with no money, no home, and no one to care for her. She doesn’t know how to go on with her life.
All three decide to meet for the Fourth of July weekend in their favorite summer spot, Avalon, NJ, where they were happy as children. Perhaps the familiar and beloved beach town will rejuvenate their lives and rekindle their friendships?
Throughout the length of the novel, the friends talk a lot, dig into their souls to dredge out old lies, and contemplate their past mistakes. And that’s all. Nothing else happens across 260 pages, although the author provides her readers with plenty of small, inconsequential details. Atmosphere – yes: brooding and hazy, palpable like the summer heat. Action – no. I don’t consider driving a car or drinking beer an action.
There is one more prominent character in this tale – Kate’s twin brother Colin. Colin has been dead for eight years. He died from OD the last summer they spent together in Avalon, and all three friends have been carrying guilt over his death ever since. Instead of the three living women, the dead Colin seems to be the protagonist of the story. Everything revolves around him. He is the only one in the novel allotted any action by the author, the only colorful personage in the entire book. He did stupid things, repeatedly and unrepentantly, until he died. Even after his death, he is affecting everyone who had ever loved him.
Kate, Vanessa and Dani are perpetually rehashing his death in their recurring mournful recollections. Their three lives seem on pause, trapped by Colin-related secrets and regrets. Because of their story-wise immobility, the friends, though alive, seem unreal and shadowy in contrast with Colin, dead but ubiquitous. Frankly, the Mobius strip of the women’s mental process, repeatedly punctuating the same groove of Colin’s tragic demise, made the story dead-ended and frustrating, just like Colin himself had been.
How long can one dwell on a death that happened many years ago, I wonder? In my experience, people tend to forget, even if they feel guilty. Especially if they feel guilty. Most people I know re-write history in their heads to absolve themselves of any past wrongdoings. Psychologically, we’re not wired to carry guilt for long. In this respect, the novel feels ultimately untrue.
Another facet of this book that had me gnashing my teeth was grammatical: the constant juggling of tenses. The story is told in the present tense, which I dislike but wouldn’t hold against the author. Unfortunately, every page or so, all the POV characters – Kate, Vanessa, and Dani – slide into retrospection, and the narrative switches to the past tense.
The tense-fluctuating technique becomes confusing fast. Eventually, the entire book feels like a memory clip. Anything of interest happened exclusively in the past. In the present, there is only a frame, a skeleton of a story, and not very alluring at that.
I wasn’t enamored of this book. Its plot is simple. Three twenty-nine-year-old women, best friends since kindergarten, are at the crossroads in their lives.
In Philadelphia, Kate discovers that she is pregnant. Her revelation occurs on the same day her boyfriend dumps her. Despite her successful career as a lawyer, she wallows in gloom and loneliness; understandably so. She doesn’t know how to go on with her life.
In New York, Vanessa is a stay-at-home mom of her two-year-old daughter, but her husband committed indiscretion – kissed another woman. Nothing worse happened, and he apologized, but Vanessa can’t forgive him. She she wallows in gloom and loneliness. She doesn’t know how to go on with her life. Should she divorce him? Should she go back to work?
In San Francisco, Dani is a drunk and a druggy. She just lost her latest job – 12th in seven years. She she wallows in gloom and loneliness, with no money, no home, and no one to care for her. She doesn’t know how to go on with her life.
All three decide to meet for the Fourth of July weekend in their favorite summer spot, Avalon, NJ, where they were happy as children. Perhaps the familiar and beloved beach town will rejuvenate their lives and rekindle their friendships?
Throughout the length of the novel, the friends talk a lot, dig into their souls to dredge out old lies, and contemplate their past mistakes. And that’s all. Nothing else happens across 260 pages, although the author provides her readers with plenty of small, inconsequential details. Atmosphere – yes: brooding and hazy, palpable like the summer heat. Action – no. I don’t consider driving a car or drinking beer an action.
There is one more prominent character in this tale – Kate’s twin brother Colin. Colin has been dead for eight years. He died from OD the last summer they spent together in Avalon, and all three friends have been carrying guilt over his death ever since. Instead of the three living women, the dead Colin seems to be the protagonist of the story. Everything revolves around him. He is the only one in the novel allotted any action by the author, the only colorful personage in the entire book. He did stupid things, repeatedly and unrepentantly, until he died. Even after his death, he is affecting everyone who had ever loved him.
Kate, Vanessa and Dani are perpetually rehashing his death in their recurring mournful recollections. Their three lives seem on pause, trapped by Colin-related secrets and regrets. Because of their story-wise immobility, the friends, though alive, seem unreal and shadowy in contrast with Colin, dead but ubiquitous. Frankly, the Mobius strip of the women’s mental process, repeatedly punctuating the same groove of Colin’s tragic demise, made the story dead-ended and frustrating, just like Colin himself had been.
How long can one dwell on a death that happened many years ago, I wonder? In my experience, people tend to forget, even if they feel guilty. Especially if they feel guilty. Most people I know re-write history in their heads to absolve themselves of any past wrongdoings. Psychologically, we’re not wired to carry guilt for long. In this respect, the novel feels ultimately untrue.
Another facet of this book that had me gnashing my teeth was grammatical: the constant juggling of tenses. The story is told in the present tense, which I dislike but wouldn’t hold against the author. Unfortunately, every page or so, all the POV characters – Kate, Vanessa, and Dani – slide into retrospection, and the narrative switches to the past tense.
The tense-fluctuating technique becomes confusing fast. Eventually, the entire book feels like a memory clip. Anything of interest happened exclusively in the past. In the present, there is only a frame, a skeleton of a story, and not very alluring at that.
June 29, 2015
Three women come together for a July 4th vacation as they did in their youth, all in different places in their lives and all three have a bit too much drama in their individual lives (yet the only interesting parts of the book). There is so much focus on the drama in their individual lives that I am unsure why they got together because once they did the book began to bore me. The only interesting parts of the story were basically just summarized at the end or left open for interpretation. The one issue between the three of them was the death of one of the women's twin brother many years prior: they all blamed themselves. So the whole vacation is spent on their guilt and blaming each other until they think that another may have taken a handful of Oxycotin...then it's, "Oh, I don't want to lose you", etc. etc. Meh...
February 27, 2019
This wasn't a bad book if you like that everything is explained. Meaning every thought the characters have is explained, everything they do is explained, everything that is bought or mentioned is explained. The ending isn't great, could have been more. The secrets they kept could have been bigger and more interesting and more full of drama.
August 20, 2013
I love chick lit as much as the next chick lit chick. And since I am a Jersey Shore girl, I really expected to fall right into this one and come out with a tan and a smile... I love a good beachy frothy light summer girlie caper. This book was not that. I made it up to page 59 and decided that my life is too short. It has been 59 pages describing the 3 main characters and their lives. Just describing. And I hate to say I didn't like or wouldn't want to be friends with any of them. Nobody is doing anything. They're dopey. Even Kate's breakup was a non-event. Her dog Gracie has more personality than these 3. So I have given up on this one. Sorry Meg. I won't be eating cupcakes either.
May 30, 2013
3.5 stars. "All the Summer Girls" tells the story of lifelong friends, Kate, Vanessa, and Dani who spent summers together at the Jersey Shore. When the adult lives that they have built for themselves come crashing down (Kate) or on the verge of potential change (Vanessa), or need a change (Dani), they come together again. All of them are hiding their own secrets from each other but they learn that honesty is the only way that you can get what you need.
This book is billed as a beach book and it definitely fits into my definition of a good pick for the beach. When I go to the beach, I want something that keeps me turning the pages but that I don't have to think about too hard. Although some of the topics that the book deals with are on the tough side, you still don't have to think about it too hard.
I really enjoyed this book. I really enjoy stories about friendship. Friendship is such a universal thing. We all need to have those sorts of relationships where we know that we have someone to lean on when things get really hard. Although there is some discontent between Dani and Vanessa in the beginning of the book, you still get to see why this group was so connected to each other. I loved seeing their relationship.
The ending of the book fell a little flat for me. I really wanted to see a little more closure. It almost felt like the book stopped prematurely and it would have been nice to see more where things ended up for the women.
Overall, this book is definitely enjoyable and I would recommend it to someone looking for a book on the lighter side that will still keep you turning the pages.
This book is billed as a beach book and it definitely fits into my definition of a good pick for the beach. When I go to the beach, I want something that keeps me turning the pages but that I don't have to think about too hard. Although some of the topics that the book deals with are on the tough side, you still don't have to think about it too hard.
I really enjoyed this book. I really enjoy stories about friendship. Friendship is such a universal thing. We all need to have those sorts of relationships where we know that we have someone to lean on when things get really hard. Although there is some discontent between Dani and Vanessa in the beginning of the book, you still get to see why this group was so connected to each other. I loved seeing their relationship.
The ending of the book fell a little flat for me. I really wanted to see a little more closure. It almost felt like the book stopped prematurely and it would have been nice to see more where things ended up for the women.
Overall, this book is definitely enjoyable and I would recommend it to someone looking for a book on the lighter side that will still keep you turning the pages.
July 18, 2014
This book was dumb. I will reveal the plot so you never have to read it.
Three friends: Kate, Dani, Vanessa. Friends since kindergarten. Kate had a twin brother named Colin, but he died from an overdose (and drowned) when they were all 21 years old. The three girls visit their "summer home" after a series of unfortunate events. Drama ensues.
Kate: Engaged to Peter, who dumps her on the first page. She then realizes she's pregnant. Lawyer. Fights with her friends throughout the whole book. Probably gets back together with Peter at the end of the book. Burned down lifeguard chair but her brother took the blame and was arrested. Then he died.
Dani: Drug addict. MAJOR DRUG ADDICT. Wants to be a writer. Fights with her friends throughout the whole book. At the end of the book, maybe stops doing drugs. Gave the drugs to Colin which caused him to overdose. Then he died.
Vanessa: Married with baby. Husband kissed another woman, therefore she decides to start an affair with her ex (they dated for one month eight years ago). Fights with her friends throughout the whole book. End of book, decides not to have an affair. Broke up with Colin the night he overdosed and drowned and died.
Seriously. That is the plot. SO DUMB. Also, poorly written. Tenses jump around like crazy.
Three friends: Kate, Dani, Vanessa. Friends since kindergarten. Kate had a twin brother named Colin, but he died from an overdose (and drowned) when they were all 21 years old. The three girls visit their "summer home" after a series of unfortunate events. Drama ensues.
Kate: Engaged to Peter, who dumps her on the first page. She then realizes she's pregnant. Lawyer. Fights with her friends throughout the whole book. Probably gets back together with Peter at the end of the book. Burned down lifeguard chair but her brother took the blame and was arrested. Then he died.
Dani: Drug addict. MAJOR DRUG ADDICT. Wants to be a writer. Fights with her friends throughout the whole book. At the end of the book, maybe stops doing drugs. Gave the drugs to Colin which caused him to overdose. Then he died.
Vanessa: Married with baby. Husband kissed another woman, therefore she decides to start an affair with her ex (they dated for one month eight years ago). Fights with her friends throughout the whole book. End of book, decides not to have an affair. Broke up with Colin the night he overdosed and drowned and died.
Seriously. That is the plot. SO DUMB. Also, poorly written. Tenses jump around like crazy.
March 14, 2013
I loved All the Summer Girls by Meg Donohue
When I first started reading it, I must admit I was a bit scared since there are three main characters I thought I would get tangled up with so many to remember, but each character is so distinct and believable I fell into each story easily. The story is about three best friends since childhood, one who is a twin.
They summer in Avalon every year and when they are in college, Kate's twin brother dies. Each girl blames themselves for the death of Colin and although their lives continue, there is a rift in their relationship. Now, eight years later, they reunite at the beach for what will turn out to be a reconciliation and confrontation of sorts.
I loved this book -- it was one of those that I couldn't put down -- one that I had to jump into bed to read every chance I could get. Very satisfying, compelling. LOVED the ending. It left you with a feeling of SIGH, OK, that was good.
Didn't wrap up in a happy bow, but didn't end cheesy, perfect ending.
Meg Donohue may be the new Emily Giffin. There, I said it!
When I first started reading it, I must admit I was a bit scared since there are three main characters I thought I would get tangled up with so many to remember, but each character is so distinct and believable I fell into each story easily. The story is about three best friends since childhood, one who is a twin.
They summer in Avalon every year and when they are in college, Kate's twin brother dies. Each girl blames themselves for the death of Colin and although their lives continue, there is a rift in their relationship. Now, eight years later, they reunite at the beach for what will turn out to be a reconciliation and confrontation of sorts.
I loved this book -- it was one of those that I couldn't put down -- one that I had to jump into bed to read every chance I could get. Very satisfying, compelling. LOVED the ending. It left you with a feeling of SIGH, OK, that was good.
Didn't wrap up in a happy bow, but didn't end cheesy, perfect ending.
Meg Donohue may be the new Emily Giffin. There, I said it!
October 28, 2013
I have to start by saying that this book should not be titled All the Summer Girls, it is way too juvenile. I assumed it would be about a group of college girls during the summer. I really liked the characters in this book. They were all distinct with clear voices,something that is hard to find in pov books.
Kate, Vanessa and Dani, decide they should head back to the beach of Avalon after eight long years away, to face their demons. This is mostly the plot. The girls are supposedly best friends. You honestly do not get that vibe from them. I feel like they love each other because they grew up together and know they cant leave each other although they all live miles away from one another with completely separate lives.
Kate's character is pretty annoying, and you get this every time the story is told from her view point. She goes on and on and its a bit much.
I really wanted to like Vanessa at first and I really did. she was poised and elegant. It wasn't until later when more of her character was revealed that I began to dislike her. She played with emotions for a game and was pretty snobby. I wished the author would have touched more on her features. I know she was supposed to be biracial but she was painted as a typical white girl, while Kate and Dani's characters received plenty of descriptions.
Dani was ultimately my favorite for two reasons. One, she's a writer. I can appreciate that. She also struggles to finish her first novel that she's been writing for eight years. Two, she has a real sap story. 12 jobs in 7 years? Fired from all of them? Struggling writer with no real since of direction? Alcoholic and pill popper? I love it.
What I absolutely loathed is that all of these women were grown-ups, almost 30, yet they acted like they were 21. It annoyed me because even Kate who was supposed to be mature and Vanessa who was supposed to be well composed all acted catty and territorial like high school girls. I wished they would have actually acted like adults, then they wouldn't have all held an eight year grudge they couldn't tell their best friends about.
Kate, Vanessa and Dani, decide they should head back to the beach of Avalon after eight long years away, to face their demons. This is mostly the plot. The girls are supposedly best friends. You honestly do not get that vibe from them. I feel like they love each other because they grew up together and know they cant leave each other although they all live miles away from one another with completely separate lives.
Kate's character is pretty annoying, and you get this every time the story is told from her view point. She goes on and on and its a bit much.
I really wanted to like Vanessa at first and I really did. she was poised and elegant. It wasn't until later when more of her character was revealed that I began to dislike her. She played with emotions for a game and was pretty snobby. I wished the author would have touched more on her features. I know she was supposed to be biracial but she was painted as a typical white girl, while Kate and Dani's characters received plenty of descriptions.
Dani was ultimately my favorite for two reasons. One, she's a writer. I can appreciate that. She also struggles to finish her first novel that she's been writing for eight years. Two, she has a real sap story. 12 jobs in 7 years? Fired from all of them? Struggling writer with no real since of direction? Alcoholic and pill popper? I love it.
What I absolutely loathed is that all of these women were grown-ups, almost 30, yet they acted like they were 21. It annoyed me because even Kate who was supposed to be mature and Vanessa who was supposed to be well composed all acted catty and territorial like high school girls. I wished they would have actually acted like adults, then they wouldn't have all held an eight year grudge they couldn't tell their best friends about.
January 10, 2019
Je ne sais plus comment ce roman a atterri entre mes mains, avant de réaliser que j'avais déjà lu La Fille Qui Cherchait Son Chien du même auteur. J'ai donc plongé et avalé 100 pages d'une traite : la tension dramatique est palpable, savamment dosée par un suspense réel. Seulement, au fil des chapitres, l'intérêt s'est émoussé. Quand, comment, pourquoi. Impossible de pointer du doigt. Peut-être l'amertume me semblait de plus en plus lourde et indigeste.
Toujours est-il que j'ai fini par me lasser : une fois révélés, les secrets ne nous laissent pas bouche bée. Que de tristesse et de non-dits... Le verdict final est désolant. En bref, ce court roman n'a pas su me convaincre pleinement et taille le portrait de trois copines sans concession, en laissant filer toute légèreté... J'espérais davantage de charme, de chaleur, de douceur. En vain.
http://blogclarabel.canalblog.com/arc...
Toujours est-il que j'ai fini par me lasser : une fois révélés, les secrets ne nous laissent pas bouche bée. Que de tristesse et de non-dits... Le verdict final est désolant. En bref, ce court roman n'a pas su me convaincre pleinement et taille le portrait de trois copines sans concession, en laissant filer toute légèreté... J'espérais davantage de charme, de chaleur, de douceur. En vain.
http://blogclarabel.canalblog.com/arc...
May 25, 2013
All The Summer Girls
By
Meg Donahue
My"in a nutshell" summary...
Three girls/ women...with issues...try to solve them during a beach weekend at the Jersey shore.
My thoughts after reading this book...
There might be one teensie spoiler in here so be careful!
Loved it even though every one of these women were painfully annoying! The other thing about this book is that even though everyone has a secret...and they are all supposed to be best friends from childhood...they annoy each other! They still have secrets...they still irritate each other and in spite of their getaway weekend...Dani and Vanessa seem to want to tear into each other every second. And that leaves Kate...who has just been dumped...is preggers...and that's not a spoiler...you find it out in the first chapter...and still hasn't told anyone...including her ex fiancé!
What hangs over everyone is what devastating thing happened to Colin...Kate's twin brother.
What I loved about this book...
I loved all of the Philadelphia and Jersey Shore references...we are familiar with all of it and the memories were awesome. The author even mentioned a Wawa hoagie...and locals crave those things!
What I did not love...
I was so annoyed by Dani, Vanessa and Kate...but that made the book a really yummy reading experience.
Final thoughts...
I though this was a really fascinating book...I loved it without becoming overly fond of the three main characters...is that even possible? Yes! Plus by the end of the book I loved them all!
By
Meg Donahue
My"in a nutshell" summary...
Three girls/ women...with issues...try to solve them during a beach weekend at the Jersey shore.
My thoughts after reading this book...
There might be one teensie spoiler in here so be careful!
Loved it even though every one of these women were painfully annoying! The other thing about this book is that even though everyone has a secret...and they are all supposed to be best friends from childhood...they annoy each other! They still have secrets...they still irritate each other and in spite of their getaway weekend...Dani and Vanessa seem to want to tear into each other every second. And that leaves Kate...who has just been dumped...is preggers...and that's not a spoiler...you find it out in the first chapter...and still hasn't told anyone...including her ex fiancé!
What hangs over everyone is what devastating thing happened to Colin...Kate's twin brother.
What I loved about this book...
I loved all of the Philadelphia and Jersey Shore references...we are familiar with all of it and the memories were awesome. The author even mentioned a Wawa hoagie...and locals crave those things!
What I did not love...
I was so annoyed by Dani, Vanessa and Kate...but that made the book a really yummy reading experience.
Final thoughts...
I though this was a really fascinating book...I loved it without becoming overly fond of the three main characters...is that even possible? Yes! Plus by the end of the book I loved them all!
March 4, 2023
that was so bad.
October 8, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up
pretty good story. originally borrowed it because it was set in jersey and was satisfied with the plotline. the characters were well rounded (i think) and the plot didn't leave too much to interpretation.
pretty good story. originally borrowed it because it was set in jersey and was satisfied with the plotline. the characters were well rounded (i think) and the plot didn't leave too much to interpretation.
September 2, 2017
Just an okay summer beach book. I liked that the setting took place in Avalon, NJ, but the rest of it didn't do much to keep my attention.
December 10, 2013
Initial reaction: I'm not a fan of the narrative style, and there are many contemplative sections between three different POVs that make the narrative more sluggish than it ought to have been, but surprisingly...I liked this. The story came together much better than I expected, and I'd say it'd appeal well to literary fiction lovers and those who like women's fiction as well. Probably giving it around 3.5 stars.
Full review:
Meg Donohue's "All the Summer Girls" is the first book I've read from the author, and I'm surprised by how it pulled me into the narrative despite toggling between three different women's lives that converge one summer as they spend a vacation in a place that holds very dark memories for them. I say this is surprising because I'm not that much a fan of the narrative style here as it tends to meander a bit between three different POV sets that might be difficult to keep track of and tends to be lost in a sea of meditations of regret through each character. Yet, I found myself drawn to the stories of Kate, Dani, and Vanessa - 29 year olds (my present age at the time of my writing this review) who find themselves at tough spots in their lives and take one summer vacation for a "girl's trip" to reconnect. Yet each of the women have their dark secrets over a tragedy that once ripped them apart, and threatens to toggle the balance between them yet again as confessions come to the surface.
Kate's a woman who's six weeks pregnant and has just been dumped by her longtime fiance. Dani's stuck in a difficult place, being a writer who just lost her last day job in a string of one too many screw-ups. She's facing the possibility to move back home, though her father may not necessarily welcome her with open arms. Vanessa's distraught over a shared kiss her husband shared with another woman, and finds herself drawn to an old flame that she doesn't know whether she wants to pull him closer, or push away. Ultimately speaking, these women have a lot to deal with in the form of regret. But they all have some sentiments in common - finding it hard to let go of the past. With Kate, especially, it involves her dead twin Colin, who's death has left a shadow over the relationship between the three. The surprising detail in this is that they all hold a particular piece of guilt surrounding Colin's death, and it takes the ladies summer trip to make them realize how the pieces fit, and have a coming to terms after the secrets emerge and work their way in succession.
I did not expect the novel to come together so well in the end with each of the ladies's connections to the tragedy. Maybe some would find it to be too neatly tied, but the grief that Kate, Dani, and Vanessa feel is very real, and while the narrative is a bit more sluggish in pacing and presentation than I would've liked, in the end - I appreciated it for taking the time to develop the three women, and I realized the pertinence of having the perspective points showcased the way they were. In the end, I thought the novel brought the relationship of Kate, Dani, and Vanessa full circle and the resolutions were well noted for the coming to terms.
It's definitely a novel that those who like women's fiction/literary fiction would appreciate. I wouldn't call it as much a fulfilling "summer" adult story, but it's one that deals with grief and life events well for its characters, and I appreciated all it had to offer.
Overall score: 3.5/5 stars
Note: I recieved this as an ARC from Edelweiss, from the publisher.
Full review:
Meg Donohue's "All the Summer Girls" is the first book I've read from the author, and I'm surprised by how it pulled me into the narrative despite toggling between three different women's lives that converge one summer as they spend a vacation in a place that holds very dark memories for them. I say this is surprising because I'm not that much a fan of the narrative style here as it tends to meander a bit between three different POV sets that might be difficult to keep track of and tends to be lost in a sea of meditations of regret through each character. Yet, I found myself drawn to the stories of Kate, Dani, and Vanessa - 29 year olds (my present age at the time of my writing this review) who find themselves at tough spots in their lives and take one summer vacation for a "girl's trip" to reconnect. Yet each of the women have their dark secrets over a tragedy that once ripped them apart, and threatens to toggle the balance between them yet again as confessions come to the surface.
Kate's a woman who's six weeks pregnant and has just been dumped by her longtime fiance. Dani's stuck in a difficult place, being a writer who just lost her last day job in a string of one too many screw-ups. She's facing the possibility to move back home, though her father may not necessarily welcome her with open arms. Vanessa's distraught over a shared kiss her husband shared with another woman, and finds herself drawn to an old flame that she doesn't know whether she wants to pull him closer, or push away. Ultimately speaking, these women have a lot to deal with in the form of regret. But they all have some sentiments in common - finding it hard to let go of the past. With Kate, especially, it involves her dead twin Colin, who's death has left a shadow over the relationship between the three. The surprising detail in this is that they all hold a particular piece of guilt surrounding Colin's death, and it takes the ladies summer trip to make them realize how the pieces fit, and have a coming to terms after the secrets emerge and work their way in succession.
I did not expect the novel to come together so well in the end with each of the ladies's connections to the tragedy. Maybe some would find it to be too neatly tied, but the grief that Kate, Dani, and Vanessa feel is very real, and while the narrative is a bit more sluggish in pacing and presentation than I would've liked, in the end - I appreciated it for taking the time to develop the three women, and I realized the pertinence of having the perspective points showcased the way they were. In the end, I thought the novel brought the relationship of Kate, Dani, and Vanessa full circle and the resolutions were well noted for the coming to terms.
It's definitely a novel that those who like women's fiction/literary fiction would appreciate. I wouldn't call it as much a fulfilling "summer" adult story, but it's one that deals with grief and life events well for its characters, and I appreciated all it had to offer.
Overall score: 3.5/5 stars
Note: I recieved this as an ARC from Edelweiss, from the publisher.
September 14, 2015
The three of them had met at the Philadelphia Friends School years before, and their friendship bonds had cemented during the summers spent at the Avalon Beach house. They were very different from one another, yet their connections came from a common bond developed in the school: Katherine (Kate) Harrington, whose twin brother Colin often joined them; Vanessa Dale, whose hippie parents were a constant reminder of how different her life was from her friends' lives; and Dani Lowenstein, whose father owned the house on Avalon Beach and provided the backdrop to the fabulous summers.
Now, years later, they come together for one more summer, hoping to heal from the secrets of the past and a tragic event that left them all reeling, and the problems in their present. Kate's fiancé Peter has just broken up with her only weeks before their wedding; Vanessa is still reeling from her husband Drew's betrayal with another woman; and Dani is suffering from her own guilt and unable to maintain any kind of life out in San Francisco.
Will their secrets break them apart, or will they find enough strength in their friendship to help them heal? "All the Summer Girls: A Novel (P.S.)" is alternately narrated by the three friends, and the reader can jog along with them as they agonize over the past and try to carve out a future.
An enjoyable and somewhat predictable read, it was also very satisfying and the perfect ending to a summer. 4.0 stars.
Now, years later, they come together for one more summer, hoping to heal from the secrets of the past and a tragic event that left them all reeling, and the problems in their present. Kate's fiancé Peter has just broken up with her only weeks before their wedding; Vanessa is still reeling from her husband Drew's betrayal with another woman; and Dani is suffering from her own guilt and unable to maintain any kind of life out in San Francisco.
Will their secrets break them apart, or will they find enough strength in their friendship to help them heal? "All the Summer Girls: A Novel (P.S.)" is alternately narrated by the three friends, and the reader can jog along with them as they agonize over the past and try to carve out a future.
An enjoyable and somewhat predictable read, it was also very satisfying and the perfect ending to a summer. 4.0 stars.
August 27, 2016
I was very bored with this book. For most of the book, each character hints about her role in a boy's death years ago. When it all finally comes out how each girl was to "blame" for the accident, it really wasn't that shocking, and they were all angry at each other for about a paragraph, and then all is well and they are BFFs again. The most exciting part of the book was when the dog got lost on the last two pages of the book.
September 2, 2017
This book snuck up on me. I was not feeling the begining of the story, the flow felt halting. However, I wasn't a few chapters in before the characters completely pulled me into the story. I was invested in the lives of these people, and had to know what happened to Colin.
July 1, 2018
So, yeah, beach read. Even though I am nowhere near a beach. It was a cheap download and I was in the mood for something "light," I guess. Chick Lit is not my favored genre, although I am a huge fan of women's literature. I found this a little formulaic for Chick Lit (maybe a lot formulaic). Not a waste of time to read, but I'd probably prefer to have spent the time reading something more substantial. (Note: I downloaded a number of cheap, beachy type books, so I might be in for more light reading.) I will say that Donohue won points for quoting a lyric from one of my all-time favorite songs ("Today") and for the character Vanessa saying to herself that people wouldn't remember her name correctly. Ha! As a "Victoria" who has regularly over the years been called "Vanessa," "Valerie," "Virginia"--yes, I feel you.
July 30, 2023
It definitely makes me want to regularly get together with a group of friends in some other town every summer/year. And it made me think about the power of/friendships in general. Stuff happened and nothing happened at the same time. It's crazy how different people can take such different paths in reaction to the same feeling -> guilt.
The girls weren't the best, most enjoyable characters. I could see this being a movie though, especially the Avalon scenes.
I read a lesson in not losing/missing yourself in there, too.
Favorite quote: "someone once told me that you have to give yourself permission to be happy. you have to decide you deserve it"
The girls weren't the best, most enjoyable characters. I could see this being a movie though, especially the Avalon scenes.
I read a lesson in not losing/missing yourself in there, too.
Favorite quote: "someone once told me that you have to give yourself permission to be happy. you have to decide you deserve it"
January 20, 2020
This was a quick, easy read. I enjoyed the setting of the Jersey Shore, and the mentions of places I know and love from summer vacations. Characters were likable and the story was pleasantly predictable. The ending is satisfying without being too perfectly wrapped up.
July 20, 2021
4.5
For some reason I just felt this book SO MUCH. I sobbed for like a half of it. I need all the peace of mind in the world for characters like Colin and Danni. They always pull on my heartstrings the most effectively. Ah, GOSH.
For some reason I just felt this book SO MUCH. I sobbed for like a half of it. I need all the peace of mind in the world for characters like Colin and Danni. They always pull on my heartstrings the most effectively. Ah, GOSH.
June 7, 2017
Fun, easy summertime chick read.... doesn't require a lot of "think"
August 7, 2018
Good quick read. It was rather predictable but I still enjoyed it
August 26, 2020
It took alittle bit for me to really get into it but I stuck it out. This ended up being a great story about friendship, secrets, and how life changes as we age.
January 11, 2021
Fun read and quick.
Would be a perfect beach read or vacation read. Interesting characters who are really trying discover who they are and how a secret can influence your life. Enjoyed it
Would be a perfect beach read or vacation read. Interesting characters who are really trying discover who they are and how a secret can influence your life. Enjoyed it
May 22, 2021
This is a nice summer book. Not too cliched or predictable, which is always a good change. Likable characters with some depth. Worth the read.
August 21, 2017
Not a great book. I found the writing style very choppy and the characters so poorly developed that I didn't connect with or care about any of them. But the descriptions of how it feels to be at the Jersey Shore ( and even how much the real Jersey Shore is not like the horrible TV show) was spot on. I love the Shore so that made me keep reading.
June 19, 2018
Easy little summer read about three pre-adult teens each of whom hides her her own guilty secret about a shared tragedy that occurred when they were last together. Now in their late 20’s, each is suffering a personal crises and they decide to come together once again in the beach town of Avalon, NJ for support and to perhaps rekindle some of the old summer magic.
As they weekend progresses, they begin to talk about thier current crises and, bit-by-bit, the secrets surface, and they begin to find themselves as indictable and as friends.
A little predictable in places and sometimes disappointing, but a solid three stars, and if read on the beach, maybe three and a half!
As they weekend progresses, they begin to talk about thier current crises and, bit-by-bit, the secrets surface, and they begin to find themselves as indictable and as friends.
A little predictable in places and sometimes disappointing, but a solid three stars, and if read on the beach, maybe three and a half!
June 14, 2013
Meg Donohue’s All the Summer Girls is a story of friendship.
Oh, it’s about more than that, too — like motherhood and substance abuse and grief and first love. But beyond those tiny, inconsequential little topics? It’s friendship. Sisterhood. The bonds of women — the marks we make upon each other, and how we flounder or thrive in the aftermath of loss.
A fateful night one summer eight years before drove a wedge between this once-inseparable trio: three friends who grew up visiting the same beach house each summer in Avalon, New Jersey. It took me about 30 pages to clarify who was with whom and what they were doing and where they lived, etc., but once I had the principle players down, I was hooked on Donohue’s latest. Her sophomore effort delved much deeper into her characters’ interior lives than How To Eat A Cupcake, which I really appreciated. And who couldn’t use a little literary vacation to the Jersey Shore? (Sans Snooki, of course.)
Almost a decade later, each woman is carrying a secret — or a half-truth — about one tragic night. Though Kate and Vanessa have moved jerkily forward, Dani is as broken as ever. Despite her messy edges (or maybe because of them?), Dani was my favorite character. An aspiring novelist and lost soul who wanders San Francisco like a ghost, Dani dances with too many personal demons . . . and I really felt for her. More than the others. When she reunites with Vanessa and Kate after losing her twelfth job in seven years (no small feat), we know her tough, somber exterior is just a mask.
My Type-A side could relate to serious, steadfast lawyer Kate, and my tender side broke in half as she struggled with the end of an engagement and unexpected pregnancy (all facts revealed almost immediately, so no spoilers). She’s never come to terms with what happened in Avalon eight years ago, changing her family forever, and her fiance’s ultimatum that she come to terms with it was heartbreaking. And that her friends would declare A Kate is a Kate is a Kate felt, to me, like the highest kind of compliment. She’s loyal, honest and true.
The book is quick and fast and, dare I say it, an excellent “beach read.” I hesitate to use the term too often because we hear it all the time as soon as Memorial Day rolls around. Plus, you know, some readers dismiss “beach reads” as fluffy entertainment — and All the Summer Girls has real heart. I felt the ends were wrapped nicely without convenient “tied with a bow” packaging, and I appreciated the resolute — even hopeful — close. After the heartache, it was a balm.
With mystery, beautiful language and a gorgeous beach backdrop, Donohue’s story will appeal to fans of women’s fiction, novels on friendship and books laced with emotion and drama in equal measure. All the Summer Girls deserves that much-coveted spot next to your SPF 30 — or the spot on your nightstand to simply take you away.
Oh, it’s about more than that, too — like motherhood and substance abuse and grief and first love. But beyond those tiny, inconsequential little topics? It’s friendship. Sisterhood. The bonds of women — the marks we make upon each other, and how we flounder or thrive in the aftermath of loss.
A fateful night one summer eight years before drove a wedge between this once-inseparable trio: three friends who grew up visiting the same beach house each summer in Avalon, New Jersey. It took me about 30 pages to clarify who was with whom and what they were doing and where they lived, etc., but once I had the principle players down, I was hooked on Donohue’s latest. Her sophomore effort delved much deeper into her characters’ interior lives than How To Eat A Cupcake, which I really appreciated. And who couldn’t use a little literary vacation to the Jersey Shore? (Sans Snooki, of course.)
Almost a decade later, each woman is carrying a secret — or a half-truth — about one tragic night. Though Kate and Vanessa have moved jerkily forward, Dani is as broken as ever. Despite her messy edges (or maybe because of them?), Dani was my favorite character. An aspiring novelist and lost soul who wanders San Francisco like a ghost, Dani dances with too many personal demons . . . and I really felt for her. More than the others. When she reunites with Vanessa and Kate after losing her twelfth job in seven years (no small feat), we know her tough, somber exterior is just a mask.
My Type-A side could relate to serious, steadfast lawyer Kate, and my tender side broke in half as she struggled with the end of an engagement and unexpected pregnancy (all facts revealed almost immediately, so no spoilers). She’s never come to terms with what happened in Avalon eight years ago, changing her family forever, and her fiance’s ultimatum that she come to terms with it was heartbreaking. And that her friends would declare A Kate is a Kate is a Kate felt, to me, like the highest kind of compliment. She’s loyal, honest and true.
The book is quick and fast and, dare I say it, an excellent “beach read.” I hesitate to use the term too often because we hear it all the time as soon as Memorial Day rolls around. Plus, you know, some readers dismiss “beach reads” as fluffy entertainment — and All the Summer Girls has real heart. I felt the ends were wrapped nicely without convenient “tied with a bow” packaging, and I appreciated the resolute — even hopeful — close. After the heartache, it was a balm.
With mystery, beautiful language and a gorgeous beach backdrop, Donohue’s story will appeal to fans of women’s fiction, novels on friendship and books laced with emotion and drama in equal measure. All the Summer Girls deserves that much-coveted spot next to your SPF 30 — or the spot on your nightstand to simply take you away.
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