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Summer People
A love that can't be stopped.
A secret that will change everything...
Marriages end with a whisper, not a bang. Not an argument, which is after all about passion, waves crashing on a shore, but with the small pockets of coldness that an argument creates. It's like islands. They don't sink like Atlantis. They wear away, little by little, until all you've got left is a single rock and a light. A warning to safer travellers to stay away.
The last time Vee left the shores of Unity Island, she thought she'd left forever. But this summer, she's returning with her charming husband, Mike.
Vee's unexpected arrival, this time as one of the wealthy 'summer people', sets the small island community alight with gossip. What's more, her childhood best friend, Sterling, is furious that she's come back - Vee abandoned him when he needed her most.
And then Vee meets Rachel, Sterling's wife, and a spark is ignited within her that she can't extinguish. And as summer turns to autumn, long-buried secrets emerge that will cause a storm greater than any of them could ever have imagined.
But when autumn comes, who will sail away with the tide and who will choose to stay behind on the island...?
A secret that will change everything...
Marriages end with a whisper, not a bang. Not an argument, which is after all about passion, waves crashing on a shore, but with the small pockets of coldness that an argument creates. It's like islands. They don't sink like Atlantis. They wear away, little by little, until all you've got left is a single rock and a light. A warning to safer travellers to stay away.
The last time Vee left the shores of Unity Island, she thought she'd left forever. But this summer, she's returning with her charming husband, Mike.
Vee's unexpected arrival, this time as one of the wealthy 'summer people', sets the small island community alight with gossip. What's more, her childhood best friend, Sterling, is furious that she's come back - Vee abandoned him when he needed her most.
And then Vee meets Rachel, Sterling's wife, and a spark is ignited within her that she can't extinguish. And as summer turns to autumn, long-buried secrets emerge that will cause a storm greater than any of them could ever have imagined.
But when autumn comes, who will sail away with the tide and who will choose to stay behind on the island...?
344 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 4, 2022
About the author
Julie Cohen
62 books572 followersJulie Cohen (also writing as Julie Mae Cohen) is an award-winning, bestselling author and a popular teacher of creative writing. She was born in Maine in the USA, and currently lives in the UK with her family and a terrier of dubious origin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
September 24, 2022
Misleadingass cover yo. I mean? It's not that it's not written in the blurb and i know I'm not supposed to judge books by covers but I DO and i thought it was going to be a summer book but BOY was i wrong.
This was so so dark and for what? cool a Sapphic Affair that destroyed everyone i liked that? I guess? But all the main characters were utter (for lack of better wording) dick bags, i hated everyone (well everyone except mike because homeboy is kind of pathetic) but yes everyone kind of sucks.
All in all the word and story building were so good i just HATED the characters and could barely feel for them, sorry?
This was so so dark and for what? cool a Sapphic Affair that destroyed everyone i liked that? I guess? But all the main characters were utter (for lack of better wording) dick bags, i hated everyone (well everyone except mike because homeboy is kind of pathetic) but yes everyone kind of sucks.
All in all the word and story building were so good i just HATED the characters and could barely feel for them, sorry?
April 18, 2023
mike no merecia que le pasara todo eso. lo lamento, amamos a las mujeres pero odiamos el engaño
July 19, 2022
Summer People are what the small Island of Unity, off the Maine coast, call the many visitors who come to holiday for the summer months, and how most make their living. The inhabitants are a very close knit group who have been there for generations - each passing their properties down through the generations as it is too expensive for most to buy there.
When Vee and her mother left Unity, many years ago, she thought that would be the last time she saw the Island. She changed her life around and became a lawyer, and married Mike - a very handsome and charming man with way too much family money. As their marriage begins to struggle, Mike decides to surprise Vee by booking a very expensive villa on Unity, and becoming one of the Summer People.
Vee agrees with some trepidation. She isn't sure how she will be welcomed back by the Islanders - especially Sterling, her once best friend and his family who are still living on Unity and running the family store. How will Sterling, who felt abandoned just when he needed her most, react to seeing Vee again - and his wife Rachel.
Sterling and Rachel are having their own marriage problems, and soon the interactions between the two couples cause shock waves which threaten to divide the Island and destroy two marriages.
I absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down. The characters were so believable, as was Unity Island, that I felt part of the narrative and wanted to go and visit them all. A beautiful story of love, conflict, secrets and lies which will keep you intrigued until the end.
When Vee and her mother left Unity, many years ago, she thought that would be the last time she saw the Island. She changed her life around and became a lawyer, and married Mike - a very handsome and charming man with way too much family money. As their marriage begins to struggle, Mike decides to surprise Vee by booking a very expensive villa on Unity, and becoming one of the Summer People.
Vee agrees with some trepidation. She isn't sure how she will be welcomed back by the Islanders - especially Sterling, her once best friend and his family who are still living on Unity and running the family store. How will Sterling, who felt abandoned just when he needed her most, react to seeing Vee again - and his wife Rachel.
Sterling and Rachel are having their own marriage problems, and soon the interactions between the two couples cause shock waves which threaten to divide the Island and destroy two marriages.
I absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down. The characters were so believable, as was Unity Island, that I felt part of the narrative and wanted to go and visit them all. A beautiful story of love, conflict, secrets and lies which will keep you intrigued until the end.
January 14, 2024
3.5 stars. I won’t lie, I did enjoy this book. It kept me reading and the writing was good, on the whole. That said, I felt a few things were a bit off. Like the relationship between Vee and Sterling. I know there was a lot of water under the bridge but, even so, they didn’t seem remotely like friends, let alone best friends. Their ‘friendship’ is only really a sideline anyway and much less integral to the story than I thought it was going to be. To be honest, the author could’ve just scratched that part altogether as it’s not really relevant. Vee could have just fallen in love with any woman on the island and the story would pretty much have stayed the same. I also found all four characters to be pretty unlikable. I think my favourite person was actually Mike, which is saying something. Sterling kept being described as a ‘good guy’ but I really saw no evidence of that whatsoever. Vee was completely self-absorbed and shallow and Rachel seemed a bit vacuous. The fact they both suddenly discover they’re lesbians is also a bit weird. Does that happen in reality ?? I don’t know, so maybe. Overall, it was an interesting story that went in a completely different direction to the one I thought it was going in, so kudos has got to be given for that at least.
November 13, 2023
Reading this Book was a waste of Time
January 8, 2024
I loved the setting of this book, and the storyline was lovely. The last quarter of the book did run out of steam though, and it felt very disjointed to the rest of the book. I also couldn’t stand Sterling, and his POV chapters were insufferable to read. Nevertheless, I would recommend this to sweet, small town romance lovers.
July 19, 2022
Summer People are what the small Island of Unity, off the Maine coast, call the many visitors who come to holiday for the summer months, and how most make their living. The inhabitants are a very close knit group who have been there for generations - each passing their properties down through the generations as it is too expensive for most to buy there.
When Vee and her mother left Unity, many years ago, she thought that would be the last time she saw the Island. She changed her life around and became a lawyer, and married Mike - a very handsome and charming man with way too much family money. As their marriage begins to struggle, Mike decides to surprise Vee by booking a very expensive villa on Unity, and becoming one of the Summer People.
Vee agrees with some trepidation. She isn't sure how she will be welcomed back by the Islanders - especially Sterling, her once best friend and his family who are still living on Unity and running the family store. How will Sterling, who felt abandoned just when he needed her most, react to seeing Vee again - and his wife Rachel.
Sterling and Rachel are having their own marriage problems, and soon the interactions between the two couples cause shock waves which threaten to divide the Island and destroy two marriages.
I absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down. The characters were so believable, as was Unity Island, that I felt part of the narrative and wanted to go and visit them all. A beautiful story of love, conflict, secrets and lies which will keep you intrigued until the end.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
When Vee and her mother left Unity, many years ago, she thought that would be the last time she saw the Island. She changed her life around and became a lawyer, and married Mike - a very handsome and charming man with way too much family money. As their marriage begins to struggle, Mike decides to surprise Vee by booking a very expensive villa on Unity, and becoming one of the Summer People.
Vee agrees with some trepidation. She isn't sure how she will be welcomed back by the Islanders - especially Sterling, her once best friend and his family who are still living on Unity and running the family store. How will Sterling, who felt abandoned just when he needed her most, react to seeing Vee again - and his wife Rachel.
Sterling and Rachel are having their own marriage problems, and soon the interactions between the two couples cause shock waves which threaten to divide the Island and destroy two marriages.
I absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down. The characters were so believable, as was Unity Island, that I felt part of the narrative and wanted to go and visit them all. A beautiful story of love, conflict, secrets and lies which will keep you intrigued until the end.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
March 20, 2024
Unfortunately I just found the book boring, I couldn’t connect to any of the characters and quite frankly I was not rooting for Vee and Rachel at all. I don’t feel like I really felt their spark or connection. I would of rather Mike and Vee worked out as Mike was my least disliked character out of them all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2025
Essays and exams struck me down mid-read so was a bit of a slow crawl, but overall pretty good!!
Ending was a tad rushed, but otherwise it was light and entertaining. Bit cheesy but hey, we all need a bit of that. Plus, love a late-in-life coming out story!!
Anyhow, glad to have it behind me and get on to the next!
Also, sincere apologies to my local library for the fees incurred in the time it took me to read this lol
Ending was a tad rushed, but otherwise it was light and entertaining. Bit cheesy but hey, we all need a bit of that. Plus, love a late-in-life coming out story!!
Anyhow, glad to have it behind me and get on to the next!
Also, sincere apologies to my local library for the fees incurred in the time it took me to read this lol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2025
Got bored about halfway through. Goes in a very predictable direction with a lot of filler.
The romantic storyline felt very out of the blue and was worked in simply because it was what the author wanted, not because it fit the actual flow of the book. Not one I’d particularly recommend.
The romantic storyline felt very out of the blue and was worked in simply because it was what the author wanted, not because it fit the actual flow of the book. Not one I’d particularly recommend.
August 9, 2025
Wow this sucked. Terrible characters, unrealistic dialogue and a romanticising of affairs.
June 3, 2026
Why are we normalising an affair ??????
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2025
3.75?
March 19, 2025
decent writing, awful characters, couldn’t relate at all. they’re all so shallow and self absorbed. BUT I loved the idea and depiction of unity island, felt like i was right there. probably the only time i’ve rooted for the male characters in a book. overall good writing, average plot.
October 19, 2023
What if everyone is living a lie? For your own good or for someone else's. An array of projection of feelings on the ones around you. Understandable, if you have been hiding who you really are for most of your life. You hyperfocus on something else to get yourself distracted, which leads to a bunch of irritable and insecure adults trapped on an island.
Summer People is a portrayal of the same story through multiple lenses. The emotional and behavioural responses attest to the temptation of hiding behind a lie, despite everyone's unique personality. Nonetheless, this book hints that, in the end, we are all better off coming clean.
Summer People is a portrayal of the same story through multiple lenses. The emotional and behavioural responses attest to the temptation of hiding behind a lie, despite everyone's unique personality. Nonetheless, this book hints that, in the end, we are all better off coming clean.
July 3, 2024
2.5 stars
Good but not great, really nothing to write home about. I enjoyed the sapphic storyline but didn’t really like any of the characters apart from Vee slightly. I liked the way the island was described but a lot of it was samey. The ending was ok in some ways but it didn’t make all that much sense.
The cover doesn’t represent the book imo, and i definitely wouldn’t call it a ‘poolside page turner’. Wouldn’t really recommend
Good but not great, really nothing to write home about. I enjoyed the sapphic storyline but didn’t really like any of the characters apart from Vee slightly. I liked the way the island was described but a lot of it was samey. The ending was ok in some ways but it didn’t make all that much sense.
The cover doesn’t represent the book imo, and i definitely wouldn’t call it a ‘poolside page turner’. Wouldn’t really recommend
July 8, 2025
2⭐
This review might contain spoilers⚠️
(Dutch)
Ik heb bijna 10 maanden gedaan over dit boek. De enige reden dat ik het heb uitgelezen was omdat ik het eerst niet kon vinden op Goodreads. Niet via de titel, niet via de auteur. Ik was op pagina 89 gestopt augustus '24. Ik ben het gestart in augustus op het strand. Het boek was heel saai toen en was me echt 2 weken aan het forceren voor die 90 p. Ik ging het eigenlijk DNFen, maar toen ondekte ik die scanmethode op Goodreads. Zo heb ik het dus gevonden. Ik ben niet iemand die heel snel dingen DNFed. Zo ben ik er terug aan begonnen. Ik heb het daarna uitgelezen in een 24h-readathon. Dit gaf mij wat extra moed.
Er was amper een plot, maar ook amper romance. Je zag het plot aankomen van ver. Ik vond het wat raar dat de 2 (getrouwde met een andere man) vrouwen pas jaren na hun huwelijk erachter komen dat ze bi/lesbisch zijn. Ik heb daar niets tegen, maar ik vond het wat laat. Ik vond de sfeerschepping wel goed. Zo een eiland waar iedereen elkaar kent, afgelegen ligt,... Ik zou bijvoorbeeld wel een boek lezen waarbij er een moord of zoiets gebeurt op dat eiland. Een beetje de vibe van agggtm erbij.
Ik hoop dat deze review een beetje nuttig was.
Laat me weten wat je ervan vond en nog veel leesplezier!📚
This review might contain spoilers⚠️
(Dutch)
Ik heb bijna 10 maanden gedaan over dit boek. De enige reden dat ik het heb uitgelezen was omdat ik het eerst niet kon vinden op Goodreads. Niet via de titel, niet via de auteur. Ik was op pagina 89 gestopt augustus '24. Ik ben het gestart in augustus op het strand. Het boek was heel saai toen en was me echt 2 weken aan het forceren voor die 90 p. Ik ging het eigenlijk DNFen, maar toen ondekte ik die scanmethode op Goodreads. Zo heb ik het dus gevonden. Ik ben niet iemand die heel snel dingen DNFed. Zo ben ik er terug aan begonnen. Ik heb het daarna uitgelezen in een 24h-readathon. Dit gaf mij wat extra moed.
Er was amper een plot, maar ook amper romance. Je zag het plot aankomen van ver. Ik vond het wat raar dat de 2 (getrouwde met een andere man) vrouwen pas jaren na hun huwelijk erachter komen dat ze bi/lesbisch zijn. Ik heb daar niets tegen, maar ik vond het wat laat. Ik vond de sfeerschepping wel goed. Zo een eiland waar iedereen elkaar kent, afgelegen ligt,... Ik zou bijvoorbeeld wel een boek lezen waarbij er een moord of zoiets gebeurt op dat eiland. Een beetje de vibe van agggtm erbij.
Ik hoop dat deze review een beetje nuttig was.
Laat me weten wat je ervan vond en nog veel leesplezier!📚
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2022
You live and breathe island life alongside the characters in Julie's latest novel. (Even though Unity is a made up island! It feels very real...) The story is about four characters in particular, two who knew each other growing up on the island but have been estranged for a long time, and revolves around what happens when they meet again, and meet each others spouses. I feel like I don't want to say too much about the story - better that you discover it yourself as you read. But it's about love, and who you might find yourself falling in love with. It's about knowing who you are, or perhaps discovering who you could be, as well as being about secrets and lies. Whilst I felt caught up in the main characters' stories, I actually think my favourite character was one of the smaller side characters - Sterling's mum, Brenda. I would love to spend an hour chatting in the garden with Brenda! And I think that's part of what Julie does so well - she creates people I believe in, and I feel like I know them by the end of the book.
With thanks to Net Galley for my copy.
With thanks to Net Galley for my copy.
August 7, 2022
Julie.Cohen is a versatile and creative writer and I have always enjoyed her novels. Summer People didn’t disappoint. Set on a small weather beaten island off the coast of Maine USA, initially during the summer months and then after the tourists have left. I could absolutely picture the landscape, the houses, the shop, and the characters who live there. Julie Cohen has a way with words that makes me want to saviour everyone of them:
The book is a love story between two women, both of whom have demons they want to escape and husbands they love, but not as much as they love each other: Their story is told with sensitivity and honesty that was believable and touching.
Definitely recommend this - a fab holiday read.
The book is a love story between two women, both of whom have demons they want to escape and husbands they love, but not as much as they love each other: Their story is told with sensitivity and honesty that was believable and touching.
Definitely recommend this - a fab holiday read.
July 23, 2022
For a very summery cover this novel is far from summer vibes. It was very serious so it is very misleading.
FYI This novel contains the following sensitive topics: Cheating, death of parents, infertility, drinking issues.
Four main characters and their relationships with each other so please remind me why is this novel anticipated as a happy read?
There was just so much negativity within this novel especially with the cheating and so forth and I just did not feel too comfortable reading it.
FYI This novel contains the following sensitive topics: Cheating, death of parents, infertility, drinking issues.
Four main characters and their relationships with each other so please remind me why is this novel anticipated as a happy read?
There was just so much negativity within this novel especially with the cheating and so forth and I just did not feel too comfortable reading it.
August 24, 2022
I don’t really know what to say about this book. I suppose I found it a bit of a disappointment. I really enjoyed this authors other books especially ‘Spirited’ but this one I found a little … Well, I don’t really know. To be honest with you, all the main character seemed to do is have sex or fantasise about it, I’m no prude but I really don’t want to read about it in a novel every other page. I guess I was always left waiting for something else to happen. Sorry but this book is just not for me.
(I ended up giving it 3 stars because I felt mean giving it only 2 )
(I ended up giving it 3 stars because I felt mean giving it only 2 )
February 28, 2024
I agree with a lot of other reviews here, the cover is so misleading, and the blurb doesn't entirely convey what the story is. That being said, I did enjoy reading the book, but I also felt like there just wasn't much to it.
The four characters are all a bit meh, weirdly Mike ended up being my favourite. Vee was just so self absorbed and selfish, Rachel is completely lost and kind of boring, and Sterling is mentioned to be a nice guy but is kind of just a loser?
I enjoyed the writing style, which I think is why I enjoyed the overall book, but the storyline was definitely lacking.
2 ⭐️⭐️
The four characters are all a bit meh, weirdly Mike ended up being my favourite. Vee was just so self absorbed and selfish, Rachel is completely lost and kind of boring, and Sterling is mentioned to be a nice guy but is kind of just a loser?
I enjoyed the writing style, which I think is why I enjoyed the overall book, but the storyline was definitely lacking.
2 ⭐️⭐️
September 6, 2024
May contain spoilers
This is the first book I’ve read by this author so it’s always tricky to branch out. It was bought as a present so not one that I chose. It took a a few chapters for me to get into it but it really gripped me.
………….
The characters were well written and I loved it. I wanted to see the relationships develop.
This was just a really lovely book. I will be sad to say goodbye to the characters and will struggle to start my next book.
It’s not entirely unpredictable but it’s well written and makes you want to feel cosy and to keep reading.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author so it’s always tricky to branch out. It was bought as a present so not one that I chose. It took a a few chapters for me to get into it but it really gripped me.
………….
The characters were well written and I loved it. I wanted to see the relationships develop.
This was just a really lovely book. I will be sad to say goodbye to the characters and will struggle to start my next book.
It’s not entirely unpredictable but it’s well written and makes you want to feel cosy and to keep reading.
February 3, 2024
2.6 but I refuse to round up to 3
This felt like a waste of time. All 4 protagonists were insufferable, selfish children posed as adults. The plot was completely wild and depressing, and the big secret that is teased throughout was so disappointing and predictable.
The best part about it was Unity (the island). I would like to see that sort of setting/close knit community in a completely different book.
This felt like a waste of time. All 4 protagonists were insufferable, selfish children posed as adults. The plot was completely wild and depressing, and the big secret that is teased throughout was so disappointing and predictable.
The best part about it was Unity (the island). I would like to see that sort of setting/close knit community in a completely different book.
July 14, 2025
this was wildly disappointing.
the writing was mid and i especially had an issue with the dialogue. it just did not read realistically. i could not believe that all these people were truly saying the things they were saying.
plus all four main characters were wildly unlikable, in a way that went beyond the author wanting to make them unlikable. especially sterling, mygod i did not like him at all….he was always described as a “good guy” but he just came off as naive and not at all understanding of his wife. the fact that vee had to tell him to ask his wife about her day(!!) and to care about her feelings(!!) is crazy.
then, i expected to love the whole lesbian affair of it all, but besides some mild sexual tension, i could not buy that vee and rachel were in love with each other. everything had such little impact…the whole story felt flattened.
and the pacing was odd too. we’d spent so many pages on the build up to the affair, and then once the affair started we barely saw them together. wasn’t the whole point that we start rooting for them to stay together and dump their husbands?? how can we do that if we don’t see them happy together?? plus if you don’t show them happy, then we’re not invested and there’s no tension. i could tell the other shoe was gonna drop from the moment they started having sex. honestly it would've worked so much better if we genuinely believed they would last, only for the author to pull the proverbial rug from under our feet...
i did also guess the big secret. i knew it would be an affair. and i knew it would involve sterling’s dad and vee’s mom. did i possibly, wrongly think he was her dad? yeah. but still. you could smell it a mile away.
anyway, this book is probably worth more than the 1 star im giving it, but it just made me so angry cause the potential was there (i could seeee the potential) and it just was not realized.
the writing was mid and i especially had an issue with the dialogue. it just did not read realistically. i could not believe that all these people were truly saying the things they were saying.
plus all four main characters were wildly unlikable, in a way that went beyond the author wanting to make them unlikable. especially sterling, mygod i did not like him at all….he was always described as a “good guy” but he just came off as naive and not at all understanding of his wife. the fact that vee had to tell him to ask his wife about her day(!!) and to care about her feelings(!!) is crazy.
then, i expected to love the whole lesbian affair of it all, but besides some mild sexual tension, i could not buy that vee and rachel were in love with each other. everything had such little impact…the whole story felt flattened.
and the pacing was odd too. we’d spent so many pages on the build up to the affair, and then once the affair started we barely saw them together. wasn’t the whole point that we start rooting for them to stay together and dump their husbands?? how can we do that if we don’t see them happy together?? plus if you don’t show them happy, then we’re not invested and there’s no tension. i could tell the other shoe was gonna drop from the moment they started having sex. honestly it would've worked so much better if we genuinely believed they would last, only for the author to pull the proverbial rug from under our feet...
i did also guess the big secret. i knew it would be an affair. and i knew it would involve sterling’s dad and vee’s mom. did i possibly, wrongly think he was her dad? yeah. but still. you could smell it a mile away.
anyway, this book is probably worth more than the 1 star im giving it, but it just made me so angry cause the potential was there (i could seeee the potential) and it just was not realized.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2022
I waited just about two weeks, two difficult weeks, to get this book from the UK because I was adamant that I had to read this book. I read the synopsis and immediately felt like I would love this, so it makes me sad that I was kind of disappointed.
When Vee and Rachel meet, I could feel the immediate spark between them. So I was let down by the way the plot worked out. I will admit that I may have talked this book up to myself and you’re almost always never gonna meet expectations. The idea of the scandal was what initially drew me in and there was absolutely a scandal. I read reviews that this book was too dark or there was too much sex but I highly disagree. I wanted more of both of those things. Vee and Rachel didn’t even get together until over halfway into the book. As always, I give my books a heat rating and I’d give this one a solid 🌶️🌶️ and a half chilis for heat.
The writing, style and technique, was beautiful. I enjoyed the way this book read and I can understand why Julie Cohen is a bestselling author. The ending for me was not what I wanted, but it was better than what some other authors would have given us.
Overall I thought the writing was experienced truly, it was great writing. I just personally felt that this book was advertised and talked up so much and I don’t think it lived up to the hype. My final take on it would be to give it a chance, I always say to read a book once.
When Vee and Rachel meet, I could feel the immediate spark between them. So I was let down by the way the plot worked out. I will admit that I may have talked this book up to myself and you’re almost always never gonna meet expectations. The idea of the scandal was what initially drew me in and there was absolutely a scandal. I read reviews that this book was too dark or there was too much sex but I highly disagree. I wanted more of both of those things. Vee and Rachel didn’t even get together until over halfway into the book. As always, I give my books a heat rating and I’d give this one a solid 🌶️🌶️ and a half chilis for heat.
The writing, style and technique, was beautiful. I enjoyed the way this book read and I can understand why Julie Cohen is a bestselling author. The ending for me was not what I wanted, but it was better than what some other authors would have given us.
Overall I thought the writing was experienced truly, it was great writing. I just personally felt that this book was advertised and talked up so much and I don’t think it lived up to the hype. My final take on it would be to give it a chance, I always say to read a book once.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2022
Summer People is set on Unity island off the coast of Maine. The title applies to people who come to stay on the island during the summer months between American Independence Day in July and Labour Day in September.
The story is told from four points of view: Vee, who grew up on the island and left with her mother suddenly after her grandfather died; Sterling, her closest childhood friend who owns and runs the only store on the island, just like his father before him; Rachel, Sterling's wife, considered an outsider by the native islanders and Mike, Vee's charming and wealthy husband.
Sterling has never forgiven Vee for leaving Unity at a time when he needed her the most but is drawn into socialising with her and Mike. When he and Rachel arrive at the luxurious home Vee and Mike are renting, their wives are struck by a coup de foudre. So begins a romance between the two women. Their husbands suspect nothing.
Early on a secret is hinted at, to be revealed at the end. I guessed what this was and felt it added nothing to the narrative. It was if someone had suggested to the writer that books with a secret at their heart sell well and it was added as an afterthought. Other than that the writing flowed well and I felt sympathy for both the male characters. Summer People will appeal to readers who enjoy romantic novels, especially ones that focus on gay relationships.
The story is told from four points of view: Vee, who grew up on the island and left with her mother suddenly after her grandfather died; Sterling, her closest childhood friend who owns and runs the only store on the island, just like his father before him; Rachel, Sterling's wife, considered an outsider by the native islanders and Mike, Vee's charming and wealthy husband.
Sterling has never forgiven Vee for leaving Unity at a time when he needed her the most but is drawn into socialising with her and Mike. When he and Rachel arrive at the luxurious home Vee and Mike are renting, their wives are struck by a coup de foudre. So begins a romance between the two women. Their husbands suspect nothing.
Early on a secret is hinted at, to be revealed at the end. I guessed what this was and felt it added nothing to the narrative. It was if someone had suggested to the writer that books with a secret at their heart sell well and it was added as an afterthought. Other than that the writing flowed well and I felt sympathy for both the male characters. Summer People will appeal to readers who enjoy romantic novels, especially ones that focus on gay relationships.
January 29, 2026
I cannot believe I read a book about a lesbian affair...and then had the nerve to rate it 3 stars.
I'm torn on how to rate this book, because I really enjoyed the style. The writing was good and the different perspectives definitely kept me interested...however,
How can the 'main conflict' causing someone to abandon their WHOLE life (including their best friend) revolve around the discomfort of an affair...to then have that SAME CHARACTER have an affair and use words such as "I didn't want to hurt you" (to her husband she was cheating on) and "We aren't doing anything wrong" (to the affair-ee who is also her ex-bffs WIFE!!!!!!!!)
I honestly felt so bad for both Mike and Sterling at the end, who were literally only both trying to make their wives happy, who both attempted to pass the blame of the affair onto their loving husbands??? Also wdym that the two women get together in the end and get to live happily, while Sterling's WHOLE world has essentially been false. Also why did Brenda not care more that her DIL was an absolute straight up cheater, because I think I'd be a dead girl walking if I did that to my boyfriend and I wouldn't ever want to show my face again.
Also, Vee just proves that once a cheater, always a cheater.
Honestly deserves -3 stars for the rage I felt towards the end of the novel, but man, Julie sure knows how to write a good book.
I'm torn on how to rate this book, because I really enjoyed the style. The writing was good and the different perspectives definitely kept me interested...however,
How can the 'main conflict' causing someone to abandon their WHOLE life (including their best friend) revolve around the discomfort of an affair...to then have that SAME CHARACTER have an affair and use words such as "I didn't want to hurt you" (to her husband she was cheating on) and "We aren't doing anything wrong" (to the affair-ee who is also her ex-bffs WIFE!!!!!!!!)
I honestly felt so bad for both Mike and Sterling at the end, who were literally only both trying to make their wives happy, who both attempted to pass the blame of the affair onto their loving husbands??? Also wdym that the two women get together in the end and get to live happily, while Sterling's WHOLE world has essentially been false. Also why did Brenda not care more that her DIL was an absolute straight up cheater, because I think I'd be a dead girl walking if I did that to my boyfriend and I wouldn't ever want to show my face again.
Also, Vee just proves that once a cheater, always a cheater.
Honestly deserves -3 stars for the rage I felt towards the end of the novel, but man, Julie sure knows how to write a good book.
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October 29, 2022I do not know what stars mean to me anymore tbh. This was...a really messy read that was mostly enjoyable. A lot of the book felt unintentional where characters would monologue about an issue and it'd keep coming up and repeating itself. None of the relationships actually felt well developed which was surprising since they were the main fulcrum of the entire story. Mike was annoying to me as a character and the whole thinky bits about money and what it represented felt extremely shallow. Sterling was confusing. I get that his entire life was built on a lie but the pressure he felt seemed so misconstrued, it was infuriating to read him going through the same thought process over and over again. I think it would've been a lot more enjoyable if it wasn't as long as it was.
July 1, 2022
Summer people is about two marriages and, almost equally, about life on Unity Island. Julie Cohen captures the claustrophobic nature of living in an tiny, enclosed community as well as the sense of belonging that comes with it.
Vee and Mike are a golden couple. 'Summer people' who visit the island and bring with them valuable tourist income. Except Vee isn't a summer person, not really. She grew up on the island, running wild with her best friend Sterling. But she left to make a new life for herself and Sterling has never forgiven her for what she did.
Sterling's wife, Rachel, doesn't feel like she fits in on the island. She loves Sterling, but feels like she's not enough.
As always, Julie Cohen does a brilliant job of getting under the skin of these characters. Summer people is immersive and compelling. I started reading on the train and when I got to my destination, I felt like I was resurfacing from being deep under water. It's been a long time since I was so immersed in a story. I enjoyed this story a lot. Ideal summer holiday reading.
I got a free copy from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
Vee and Mike are a golden couple. 'Summer people' who visit the island and bring with them valuable tourist income. Except Vee isn't a summer person, not really. She grew up on the island, running wild with her best friend Sterling. But she left to make a new life for herself and Sterling has never forgiven her for what she did.
Sterling's wife, Rachel, doesn't feel like she fits in on the island. She loves Sterling, but feels like she's not enough.
As always, Julie Cohen does a brilliant job of getting under the skin of these characters. Summer people is immersive and compelling. I started reading on the train and when I got to my destination, I felt like I was resurfacing from being deep under water. It's been a long time since I was so immersed in a story. I enjoyed this story a lot. Ideal summer holiday reading.
I got a free copy from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
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