The Summer Society: A Novel (Gull’s Landing)

WOMEN'S FICTION:  A group of friends used to spend each summer at a home in Gull’s Landing as children: Sue, Diane, and sisters Bea and Sophia. Decades have passed and friendships have faded. But after the tragic loss of Sophia, the three surviving friends meet up once again at the beach home, each with secrets and their own struggles to overcome. As they seek to uncover the truth behind Sophia’s death, the struggles of their current lives are shown to have many threads connecting to that last summer they spent. Together, they must seek the truth, overcome past hurts, and learn to heal. 

“The Summer Society” is a book full of unique characters and full of potential. Each of the four women’s characters have depth and differing life experiences. With each chapter, more and more is revealed, and when it comes to the characterizations, these discoveries truly keep the reader engaged. Unfortunately, the pacing of the book is a bit on the slow side, creating a bit of a drag. There are secrets to uncover, but between four characters and chapters in modern times and flashback chapters, getting answers takes an unbearably long time. Each character grows a lot throughout the story, which on the one hand is the main factor keeping the reader enthralled, but on the other hand can add a layer of confusion as there are so many threads. Elizabeth Bromke proves that strong characterization can truly make a story. 

Shailyn Rogers