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One S'more Summer

(The Campfire Series #1)

Beth Merlin (Goodreads Author)

3.69 · Rating details · 1,567 ratings · 168 reviews

Since that first bus ride to Camp Chinooka twenty long years ago, Gigi Goldstein has been pining for her best friend’s guy. She knows her crush is wrong and has to stop, but her heart won’t listen to reason. To escape the agony of their impending wedding, Gigi accepts a summer job at the only place she’s ever been happy.

But working at Chinooka isn’t all campfire songs and ...more

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216 pages

Published May 30th 2017 by Ink Monster Books, LLC

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Ink Monster 2017!

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My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

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Jul 24, 2020 Cammie rated it really liked it

This title seemed a bit (no, actually a lot) cheesy, but the storyline was tempting enough, and the book met several of the Summer PopSugar Reading Challenge categories, plus it was free on Kindle.
Gigi escapes her disastrous life--fired from her job, her best friend is marrying the man she (Gigi) loves--by accepting a summer job as head counselor at Camp Chinooka where she spent summers as a teenager. However, while at camp, she realizes she cannot run from her troubles and camp may not be the e ...more

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May 20, 2017 Kris Mauna rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc-reading, romantic, strong-friendships, strong-main-characters, swoon-worthy-romances, adult-fiction

To say that our main character, Gigi, is going through a bit of a rough patch in her life would be an understatement. After getting fired from her job and a million other things going south in her life, she's forced to make a decision in hopes to get a much needed break from her life in New York City. With nothing left to lose, Gigi heads off to be the head counselor at her childhood summer camp.

I'm not going to lie, it got a little frustrating to read from Gigi's POV because she's so different To say that our main character, Gigi, is going through a bit of a rough patch in her life would be an understatement. After getting fired from her job and a million other things going south in her life, she's forced to make a decision in hopes to get a much needed break from her life in New York City. With nothing left to lose, Gigi heads off to be the head counselor at her childhood summer camp.

I'm not going to lie, it got a little frustrating to read from Gigi's POV because she's so different than me. I couldn't handle how easy she gave up and just ran away from her problems, especially when it concerned her best friend and the guy she's been in love with her entire life (who is a total jerk, in my opinion). But I also related to her on a level because in my early 20s I went through a bit of a crisis myself, and running away from my problems was a lot easier than dealing with them, so on some level I got it. And Gigi is a kind, caring person at the end of the day.

I loved the aspect of Gigi going back to her childhood summer camp! It brought up so many fun summer memories for me while reading. And the activities at camp made the book fun, like the color war towards the end - so exciting! More characters are introduced once she settles into camp and I loved Perry and Jordana right off the bat. But let's talk Perry because his relationship with Gigi was the BESSSSST. I'm always here for "hate-love" romances and theirs was something special - and the banter was hilarious and perfect. Sure, they had some annoying moments when it was clear how in love they were with one another but overall I enjoyed their relationship. They balanced each other out and it was really sweet the way they helped each other overcome their pasts/burdens.

Beth Merlin's writing was fantastic - I really loved how well she blended in flashbacks with the present. I was happy we didn't know every piece of the puzzle when it came to what exactly Gigi and Perry were running away from. It kept the story fresh and unique for me. Plus, there was so much to enjoy outside Gigi's personal journey and romance, too. I loved her friendship with Jamie - who is the absolute best! And the family drama was just the right amount needed for this story.

The story wraps up beautifully. I was happy to see so much change in Gigi and her relationships, and how she comes forward with truths and gains closure for all the things she desperately tried to run away from at the beginning of the book. This is the first book in the series and it does a great job at leaving readers with questions. I'm looking forward to the next one!

If you're looking for a touching, fun chick lit book then definitely check this one out! :) ...more

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Jun 06, 2017 Elle's Book Blog rated it liked it

Shelves: chick-lit, womens-fiction

Release Date: May 30, 2017
Genre: Women's Fiction

One S'more Summer by Beth Merlin is a cute book about summer camp. Readers may initially believe that because it's about summer camp that it is a young adult novel- but it's not! This is an adult (women's fiction) novel about a woman who is running away from her life, back to the place where some of her greatest memories are kept- at camp Chinooka. There is a little bit of summer romance in this book, but because the story doesn't really revolv Release Date: May 30, 2017
Genre: Women's Fiction

One S'more Summer by Beth Merlin is a cute book about summer camp. Readers may initially believe that because it's about summer camp that it is a young adult novel- but it's not! This is an adult (women's fiction) novel about a woman who is running away from her life, back to the place where some of her greatest memories are kept- at camp Chinooka. There is a little bit of summer romance in this book, but because the story doesn't really revolve around this romance and instead, revolves more around the heroine's issues, I would consider it women's fiction. Also, it's a very clean novel with no sex. If you enjoy women's fiction novels or want to conjure up the memories of summer camp then I would recommend this book. If your looking for a clean and lighthearted read that you can also escape to in one afternoon this would be a good fit for you as well. If your purely a romance reader then this may not be the best book for you though. The romantic aspects are unresolved in this novel and kind or/sort of, leaves readers on a cliffy in terms of the relationship. With that, I did enjoy the novel and found it to be really cute.

What I Liked
- The feeling of summer that this book oozes. Honestly, you will feel like you are at summer camp yourself!
- The setting: The setting is quite a unique one especially considering that this is an adult novel. You don't normally read books about summer camp with adults as the lead characters.
- The "hero"- Perry is a British Camp counselor and while very sarcastic, readers can see that he is quite charming,
- The cover: I was initially drawn to this book because of the cover. It's minimal and cute!

Dislikes
- The love triangle: there is a bit of a love triangle (which is a part of the back story) that still affects the heroine in the present. To me it comes off as cheating. If you want to know what I mean, well, you'll have to read it!
- The unresolved ending (although it makes sense because the second book is supposed to resolve some things, I think?

Overall, I found this book to be a cute and lighthearted read. While I could have done without a few parts (the triangle and the ending) I did find myself enjoying the read. ...more

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Jun 11, 2017 Jackie added it

Shelves: arcs, dnf, trash

DNF @ 77%. Sadly, this book just wasn't for me! RTC. ...more

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Dec 03, 2017 Paula Phillips rated it really liked it

Gigi and her best friend Alicia met when they were nine at Summer Camp in Chinooka twenty years ago. During their time at camp, they also made a new friend Joshua. The three of them became inseparable but as they got older Alicia and Joshua became a couple and Gigi - the third wheel. Years later Alicia and Joshua have recently announced their engagement, and Gigi wants to be happy for them, but how can she be when she is still in love with Joshua. During Alicia and Joshua's break, Gigi and Joshu ...more

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Jun 20, 2017 Heidi rated it liked it

Three and a half stars: A lighthearted read, perfect for summer all about reconciling the past and self discovery.

Gigi isn’t surprised when she gets sacked from her designing job at an elite, high end fashion designing label. After nearly winning the designing reality tv show, her career sky rocketed. Then everything fell apart when she started dating the man, Joshua, whom she has been crushing on since she was nine years old. Joshua has been dating her best friend, Alicia, for years, but when Three and a half stars: A lighthearted read, perfect for summer all about reconciling the past and self discovery.

Gigi isn’t surprised when she gets sacked from her designing job at an elite, high end fashion designing label. After nearly winning the designing reality tv show, her career sky rocketed. Then everything fell apart when she started dating the man, Joshua, whom she has been crushing on since she was nine years old. Joshua has been dating her best friend, Alicia, for years, but when Alicia went to London and called off the relationship, Gigi and Josh finally got together. Now Alicia is back, and she and Josh are reconciled. Brimming with guilt, Gigi can’t tell Alicia what happened, nor can she attend their wedding. So when a job opportunity presents itself at her old summer camp, Gigi decides to run away. Who says you can’t go back in time or can you?
What I Liked:
*One S'more Summer is the perfect book for light summer reading. What screams summer more than summer camp? I loved the setting of the book. It was fun to remember some of my own experiences at summer camp while reading this book.
*Surprisingly, this book has some depth as it is all about Gigi's journey of self discovery and finding herself after her careers crashes and burns, she loses her two best friends, and she finds herself adrift. I liked how Gigi got back on her feet, and how she not only helped herself but those around her. She learns so much about herself, and I liked her journey. I was happy to see that she made positive choices and that she didn’t fall back into the same old ruts. I even appreciate that she worked through her relationships with both of her parents.
*There is a light romance in this one, and I thought it was just right. It starts out completely antagonistic as Gigi butts heads with the boy’s head counselor. Then as time goes on, the two develop a friendship that moves into something more as they open up, learn to trust and help each other hurdle over their pasts. I liked that the relationship was positive, and that it was about maturing and getting over the past. I thought it was well done. Don’t expect heat and passion, it is a quieter, simpler romance.
*I loved some of the secondary characters. Gigi’s best friend, Jamie, a fellow designer, who is gay, and has an affinity for Gone with the Wind. I loved how Jamie always had Gigi's back and how he came to her rescue several times, he had her best interest at heart, unlike Joshua and Alicia. I also enjoyed the campers. Hannah, the insecure thirteen year old, who scores the lead in the play was so sweet and cute. I also loved Grace, the girl who was struggling with her self esteem and surprised that a popular boy liked her. Gordy, the head of the camp, was a riot. I loved his antics. I wished that I could have gone to a camp like this one.
*This book is so fun. It screams summer with its setting and all the shenanigans of summer camp. I loved the camp competitions and the pranks and all that. If you have ever been to summer camp, this book is a fun way to relive your youth.
And The Not So Much:
The ending was a bit open ended, which didn’t bother me because I felt like Gigi, Perry and Jamie *were on the right path after their summer of self discovery. Then I was disappointed when I read the synopsis for the second book which was included at the end. The next book is set to release December 2017, and it takes place four years after this one. The synopsis is full of spoilers, and I can say I am not at all happy to read what is in store. I am not sure whether I will go on or not, which is a shame because I did enjoy this one. It put on a damper on this read.
*I couldn’t stand Joshua and Alicia. They were supposedly Gigi’s best friends, but I saw them as nothing more than users. They both constantly counted on Gigi to sort out their relationship problems and be the glue that held them together. I couldn’t believe the way Alicia acted toward Gigi. *She was the one who ran away, she had no business reacting that way. I certainly wouldn’t want best friends like that.
*Even though I liked the romance, I thought it moved from the antagonistic stage to love a little too quickly, it almost didn’t feel believable to me. I don’t know, the relationship was lacking some depth, and I felt cheated at the end.

One S’more Summer is a lighthearted, fun read perfect for summer. I adored the camp setting, and I liked that this book was about self discovery and change. The romance is light and easy as well. I was disappointed to learn what is store for the characters in the next book, I am not sure if I want to continue, which is a shame because this book was such a fun summery read.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

...more

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Nov 17, 2017 Coco.V marked it as to-read

Shelves: freebie

FREE on Amazon today (11/17/2017)!

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Jun 08, 2017 Lisa Mandina rated it really liked it

4.5 stars. This was an extremely sweet story, perfect for a summer read! I'll admit, I am a HUGE fan of S'mores, and I love all things that are s'mores flavored. In fact, I am still quite miffed with Dairy Queen for discontinuing their s'more flavored Blizzard treats, especially after that extremely catchy commercial the summer they brought them out. Anyway, even though I've never been to a summer camp myself, I enjoy stories about them because I like the look into what they might have been like ...more

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May 31, 2017 Fiona Leung rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed, netgalley, highly-rated, kindle

One S'more Summer by Beth Merlin is the first book I've read by this author and I was pleasantly entertained throughout the book. Gigi has encountered some setbacks in her career and to add salt to her wounds, her best friend is marrying the one guy she's ever been in love with. Gigi decided to run away from her life and enlisted herself as a counselor at the summer camp she used to go when she was a kid. But while she was there, memories came flooding back of her, her best friend, and the love ...more

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Jul 05, 2019 Jamie Puleo rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This was a perfect read by the pool book. Gigi is headed back to the summer camp of her youth, but this time as head counselor. Personal and professional troubles have overtaken her life, and she hopes a summer away from real life will give her the clarity she is looking for. Lighthearted, fun read for the summer. I’ll definitely keep reading this series.

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May 16, 2017 Mash rated it it was amazing

If you want a good beach read look no further than One S'more Summer. The author creates what I call a movie in your head with such deep and rich storytelling that I couldn't put it down.

The main character is complex, realistic and someone that you will pull for. Though I never went to camp, the "scenes" at camp make me feel like I did.

For a debut novel, the author gets it right her first time out. Can't wait for books two and three!!! ...more

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Jun 08, 2017 Ann rated it liked it

When I read the blurb for this book I thought it might be a teen, young adult novel but it's not. It's about a woman who has messed up here career and friendships and is escaping to the one place she always felt happy, Camp Chinooka. It seems fate had a hand in sending her a newsletter just as her life was falling apart. Set over a summer, Gigi learns that she needs to accept responsibility for her life and make the changes needed to return to New York City and her life. Very open ended with boo ...more

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May 17, 2017 Hannah L (Reviewer) rated it it was ok

Shelves: ya-contemporary, ya-romance

Hiding from the troubles of her life... mainly how she is in love with her best friends soon to be husband... and how she cheated with him... Gigi goes to her childhood camp to be a cabin leader. While there she runs into the sexy, sassy and moody male cabin leader, Perry. As the tension flares between them, she learns how to move one and how to love someone who is not her best friends man.
I did not like this novel. I had a weak, underdeveloped plot and I has major plot holes it overlooks. Let ...more

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Dec 02, 2017 Jill Jemmett rated it really liked it

This book is a great romantic comedy.

I really liked the way that the plot had many layers. Gigi told her story at camp, while also reflecting on her relationship with Joshua and her career as a designer. There was also drama with her family, so many aspects of life were explored.

The different age groups were represented well. Even though Gigi is 27, she interacts with many teens at camp. So there was a lot of adolescent drama (sneaking off, meeting boys) to go along with Gigi's own problems.

Thou ...more

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Jun 06, 2017 Cheryl Whitty rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: interesting, romance, contemporary, very-emotional, emotional

One S’more Summer is story Georgica Gigi Goldstein who has been in love with Joshua her best friend’s fiancee since they all met at summer camp years before. When Alicia went to England for a year and broke off her relationship Joshua. Gigi and Joshua started a secret relationship, which promptly finished when Alicia came back. The wedding is getting closer and Gigi being heartbroken, and after losing her creative spark she is fired from her job. Feeling a need to escape Gigi decides to take a j ...more

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Aug 17, 2019 Samantha rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, contemporary, chick-lit, 2019-popsugar-challenge, 2019-read

3.5 stars rounded up.

This was a cute summer romance. Gigi is a 27 year-old who lives in Manhattan and was working as a fashion designer before being fired. She's also in love with her best friend's fiance and with their wedding coming up in a few months, she decides to escape for the summer - to the summer camp she went to as a child, but this time as a counselor. Gigi spends the summer competing with her rival camp counselor, Perry, until sparks start to fly between them. Gigi realizes that sh ...more

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May 30, 2019 SANDYE rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: romance

Enjoyable. Entertaining. Heartwarming.

Georgica is hired to be head counselor for a summer camp she attended as a younger teen for several summers. She goes there looking to escape a painful emotional situation at home. Little does she know how one painfully long, sadly short summer will change her life.

A very well-written story with likeable characters, funny moments, firsts, lasts, New relationships, old friendships, camp, love, and of course campfire s'mores! ...more

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Feb 11, 2018 Jamie McDivitt rated it liked it

This was an easy read and a cute book. Gigi is struggling with decisions she has made and goes back to her childhood summer camp to work as a counselor and escape.
This would make a good beach read.

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May 22, 2018 Daniela Bernaldo rated it it was amazing

Shelves: i-own, favorite-s

I really liked it, it was a short, beautiful and well written story that was able to gain my full attention. It was missing some narrative and a few words here and there, but it was still a good book. When I was done, not even 10 minutes had pass before I starter the second one.

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Feb 05, 2019 N.N. Light rated it it was amazing

I really loved this book. It totally reminded me of when I was a teenager. Highly recommend!

My Rating: 5 stars

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May 08, 2019 kimreadsandreads rated it liked it

Shelves: on-kindle

Simple, predictable, but a nice read that had me wishing I was at summer camp.

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May 25, 2019 Debbi Rosenblum rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Obsessed. I have now read all three campfire books. I loved camp and I loved these stories. Is this going to become a classic? No, but Beth Merlin’s style is fun and highly addicting. Perfect beach read!

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Jun 27, 2019 E rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A Kindle freebie that helped me pass the time on the treadmill. Fun, light reading, but probably won't read the second in the series. ...more

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Nov 11, 2019 Sara rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Quick cute read. Makes me wish I went to summer camp.

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Mar 11, 2019 Helen Dunn rated it liked it

Perfect for what it is: a fluffy wholesome romance but nothing more than that.

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May 06, 2017 Renae McKenzie rated it it was ok

Shelves: read-in-2017, new-adult

I really wanted to love this novel, as the synopsis gave me vibes of the Something Borrowed film that I absolutely love. But Merlin made it very difficult for me to do so.

Gigi is basically just running away from her problems the entire novel, and I know that she ever really faces them. She just seems to swap one method for another. Pining after Joshua? Pours self into work. Feeling crappy about dating BFF's boyfriend while they were broken up, and as a result ending up effecting work and gettin I really wanted to love this novel, as the synopsis gave me vibes of the Something Borrowed film that I absolutely love. But Merlin made it very difficult for me to do so.

Gigi is basically just running away from her problems the entire novel, and I know that she ever really faces them. She just seems to swap one method for another. Pining after Joshua? Pours self into work. Feeling crappy about dating BFF's boyfriend while they were broken up, and as a result ending up effecting work and getting fired? Run off to be a counsellor at the camp where it all started. Want to get over Joshua because he is marrying you best friend? Fall for another counsellor at the camp. AND after all that, lets not even end up together at the end of the novel? *rage quit*

The main internal conflict that Gigi deals with is the betrayal of her supposed BFF, Alicia. I say supposed because I never really any evidence of this. They barely talk. They barely see each other. They keep major parts of their lives from one another. Really, if anyone is her best friend, it's Jamie. She tells him everything. He does favours for Gigi at the drop of a hat. At best I think we can call Alicia Gigi's oldest friend. Also, I don't really see how there was any betrayal in the first place since, a) Alicia and Joshua were broken up when they got together, and b) technically, Gigi saw him first. If anything, it's Joshua that is the major douche canoe here. He was perfectly happy with Gigi, then he just drops her the minute Alicia wants to get back together. THEN he continues to string her along. UGH. I do not like Joshua.

Also, the time line jumps all over the place, so I found it difficult to order events in my head.

Probably the only thing that prevented One S'More Summer from getting a 1 star rating from me is that I genuinely enjoyed the camp related stuff. The activities, interactions with the kids, the rivalry between cabin groups. It was fun and witty, and a joy to read.

I supposed this book isn't too terrible if you don't mind no character growth, and having the little story progression that was made dropped at the end. I guess maybe the story progression and character growth happens in the squeal? To bad the likelihood of me reading that is slim to none.

Want more of my reviews? Check out my blog, Rolling with the Moments. ...more

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Jun 08, 2017 Paloma rated it really liked it · review of another edition

One S’more Summer was a great light-hearted read that is perfect for summer time reading or that long family road trip. This is a debut novel by Beth Merlin and she did not disappoint. The title alone is what drew me in and piqued my interest in this book. What I thought was going to be another summer romance story turned out to be so much more upon reading this book.

The main character, Gigi is having the worst luck possible. Recently fired from her amazing job and finding out that her first lo One S’more Summer was a great light-hearted read that is perfect for summer time reading or that long family road trip. This is a debut novel by Beth Merlin and she did not disappoint. The title alone is what drew me in and piqued my interest in this book. What I thought was going to be another summer romance story turned out to be so much more upon reading this book.

The main character, Gigi is having the worst luck possible. Recently fired from her amazing job and finding out that her first love (Joshua) is getting married to her best friend (Alicia) she makes a decision to run away from it all. Gigi thinks the perfect place to go for the summer is Camp Chinooka, to clear her mind. Little does she know being a camp counselor to teenage girls and getting distracted by a hot British counselor named Perry was on her to-do list. Her favorite place as a kid/teen was camp and where she met her two best friends Joshua and Alicia. Everywhere she turns reminds her of happier times with Josh and Alicia, maybe camp was not such a great idea after all.

Gigi was such a fun and relatable character, by the end of the book I was very happy she had most of her personal issues resolved. As for Perry, he was funny, a gentleman and I do love how he would give Gigi a hard time ever so often. The flirting between these two was so cute! We also find out that Perry has a personal matter of his own and when he shares that moment with Gigi it was sad and touching. I cannot forget all of the teenage girls Gigi had to live with for 8 weeks! They were a hoot. Always playing tricks on camp counselors and trying to push the boundaries. Gigi managed to keep the girls in check and I loved that about her.

This book made me reminisce of when I attended summer camp, all of the cute boys you set your eyes on and pine for over the summer only never to see them again. And then of course the adult side where you try and run away from your problems but in the end running away usually leads you to confronting them. Things might not always work out the way you want them to, but sometimes that is a blessing in disguise. If you are looking for a quick summer read look no further. One S’more Summer is the perfect fit.
...more

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May 20, 2018 Petra rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: form-novel, period-contemporary, fiction, written-in-2010s, chick-lit, 2-star, summer-stories, kindle-freebies, unrealized-breaths, read-in-2018

Fired from her fancy designer job in NYC and with her personal life in shambles, Gigi (real name: Georgica) applies for, and gets, a counselor job at Camp Chinooka, the place she spent many happy summers as a child/tween. Is she just escaping her problems or will she have to face them? Since books generally need plots, I think you know the answer.

Oyy.

I'd been looking for a summer camp book, so when I stumbled onto One S'More Summer, it seemed like serendipity. I was SO there for it... until I ac Fired from her fancy designer job in NYC and with her personal life in shambles, Gigi (real name: Georgica) applies for, and gets, a counselor job at Camp Chinooka, the place she spent many happy summers as a child/tween. Is she just escaping her problems or will she have to face them? Since books generally need plots, I think you know the answer.

Oyy.

I'd been looking for a summer camp book, so when I stumbled onto One S'More Summer, it seemed like serendipity. I was SO there for it... until I actually started reading it.

First of all, a good portion of the book, especially at the beginning, are flashbacks/explanations as to how Gigi ended up where she did. Which, ok, I guess we needed those to figure out what's going on, but I was here for the camp experience, damn it, not another chick-lit about a NYC-er's (loss of a) high-flyer life.

Then there was Gigi's relationship with Perry, another counselor, which, for the most part, consisted of her being offended at everything he said and being nasty to him in return. And, look, I'm ALL for slap-slap-kiss relationships (Beatrice/Benedick, House/Cuddy, Elizabeth/Darcy, you name it), but this was all just so damn unmotivated. Nothing Perry did ever warranted the kind of reactions he got from Gigi, and she came across all the more badly for it.

To add to all that, most of the book just fell... flat. It was written decently enough, so I can't quite put my finger on why, but it seemed to tell rather than show most of the time. For example, Gigi kept telling everyone who'll listen about how affected she is by spending the summer at the same camp she, Alicia and Josh used to attend (which... if you're trying to run away from people, why go to the place you shared exclusively with them?!), but you don't really see her experience this. Past events are mentioned matter-of-factly and present events don't really connect to them. Most of the events/subplots are like that. Described well enough, but no ~~sloppy joes~~ meat.

All in all just... unsatisfactory.

Minor annoyance in the grand scheme of things: the insistence on calling the other guy 'Joshua'. So pretentious. ...more

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May 24, 2020 Mandy Silman-Herbert rated it did not like it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 22, 2017 Jennie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This was a quick and fun read that brought back my own summer camp memories. There were several grammatical errors that distracted from the story. Example: you don't walk PASSED something, you walk PAST it.
Hopefully the author has a better editor for the sequel. I do look forward to seeing where Gigi's story goes next. ...more

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About Beth Merlin

Beth Merlin

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Beth is a native New Yorker who loves rom-coms, Broadway, and a good maxi dress. She was introduced to her husband through a friend she met at sleepaway camp and considers the eight summers she spent there to be the most formative of her life. One S’more Summer is Beth's debut novel. ...more