The Forever Summer Hardcover – April 25, 2017

Here’s my call — Jamie Brenner’s latest novel THE FOREVER SUMMER is going to be THE book of summer. The unputdownable novel is a provocative tale that not only tugs at the heart, but also penetrates much deeper—uncovering those issues that affect all of us—parenthood, motherhood, marriage, and the consequences of forbidden love and passion. The results of a DNA test reveal buried secrets, as three generations of women reunite on Cape Cod only to find out that truth not only frees but also tends to unravel life as we know it. I laughed, I cried, I cheered for Brenner’s mosaic of characters who are trying both together and separately to come to terms with their secret pasts and uncertain futures. Brenner is gifted when it comes to her spot-on portrayal of women—with all of our beauty and all of our flaws. She holds nothing back. Truth be told, the author had me at the get-go. I had read her first novel THE WEDDING SISTERS in one sitting, and The Forever Summer just as fast. And here’s the real magic … I truly miss her characters, thinking about them, caring about them, days after I closed the book.

I have been reading for a very long time but do not know when I have enjoyed a book more. While I read it on my kindle, I ordered a paperback to share with family and friends. While I have not been to Provincetown in a great many years, this book took me right back to Commercial Street. This brought tears to my eyes a number of times and as I got closer to the end I read slower and slower. Truly this is one of the BEST books I have ever read!

The Forever Summer"Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive." And deceive they did and it was a tangled mess. There were two half sisters, as well as a mother (with a guilty secret), grandmother, lovers, more guilt and anger. Only one character remained cheerful throughout and it was almost like too much sugar in your coffee. How did it all start, with a matching DNA between half sisters. One was from a sperm donor while the other was the result of an affair. Oh the secrets, kept for years and then let loose in a perfect blend of soap opera angst. But unlike soap operas that go on for years, this did have an ending...perfectly resolved, of courseNot my typical type of novel, but good for an easy read, for those of you who appreciate soap opera themes, this is for you!

There are few authors who bring characters to life on the page more than Jamie Brenner, and The Forever Summer is Brenner at her best. Even with a large cast of characters, the author fleshes each one out brilliantly. Highly recommended.

As others have written, it is a light summer read. I didn't find it all that enjoyable nor did I really like any of the characters. How everything turned out was very predictable. The mother came across as a snooping busy body. The two granddaughters weren't very likable either - played too many 'games' with the men in their life - and all three women were overly dramatic. I didn't hate the book but it isn't one I would pass on or recommend to friends and family. I forced myself to finish and skimmed about the last 40 pages just to finish it.

What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon! The characters are so relatable and the story so genuine. I cheered for the characters, laughed through tears and was truly sad when I found myself on the last page. This is a perfect summer read.

This book repeatedly showed up on my recommendations. I finally bought it and read it in a day, it was hard to put down. What is family? That is the underlying theme of the book (some reviewers call it a romance, I'm not so sure I would agree with that.). Marin is a successful NYC attorney, she is engaged and the pride of her parents, Bylthe and Kip. One of her accounts is a DNA testing company, and she decides to send a DNA test off herself. She has an affair with another attorney, a major no-no in the firm, and they are both fired. Their affair was also publicly outed in Page 6. As she is going through all this, Rachel contacts her, she has always known that her flighty, hippy mom used a sperm donor but she wanted to find family. According to the DNA test, Rachel and Marin are sisters and they have a grandma named Amelia, who runs a B&B on Providence. At first, Marin wants nothing to do with Rachel, but agrees to meet as Rachel is traveling through to visit Amelia. Marin, realizing her life is falling appart in NYC, decides spontaneously to go along, and is shocked to find her mom (Blythe) is also going. Marin and Blythe are at odds and not really speaking.As they spend time together, Marin and Rachel start to bond. Amelia and Kelly are welcoming, loving, and wonderful. The entire town is close knit and accepting.As the summer progresses, Marin, Rachel, Amelia, Blythe, and even Kelly go through journeys of what it means to love and be loved, what is family, and self-examination : do they actually like the paths they are on? This book made me laugh out loud several times, and it made me ugly cry too. It is a fantastic read and I highly recommend it. I will definitely be looking for more by this author.

I did not enjoy this book at all. What kind of mother has sex with her daughter's friend and is walked in on by her son?? Disgusting! And she's distressed because her two children don't want to have anything to do with her ... no, really? But it's all ok because she divorces her husband and marries this girl. The book is chock full of infidelities and adulterous relations that end in pregnancies. Finally chucked it about 3/4's through.

Loved it

3.5 starsMy third Jamie Brenner read (The Husband Hour and Drawing Home are the other two) features four women who have their hands full as they navigate family secrets, mother-daughter relationships and complications in love during a summer in Provincetown.In a nutshell, New York attorney, Marin is contacted by a California woman named Rachel who claims they're half-sisters due to a DNA search. Rachel's mother, Fran used a sperm donor to conceive Rachel. Although reluctant to accept these results, Marin believes that her parents might not have told her they had trouble conceiving out of embarrassment. When Rachel shows up in the city and says she's going to meet their grandmother, Amelia, Marin is pretty flabbergasted, but thinks that this may give her some clarity after recent changes in her personal and professional life. Adding to the road trip is Marin's mother, Blythe who is struggling to find a way to reveal secrets she has buried for thirty years.I think Kelly and Amelia were my favorite storyline as they welcome Amelia's guests into their home and their lives. Their storyline was what kept me reading. On the other hand, how Marin and Rachel acted was very strange behavior for women of 30 and 22 to act. As for Blythe, I was back and forth on how I felt about her and her reluctance to just deal with the facts.Overall, I did read this book in one sitting and it's partially due to the overwhelming majority of soap opera dramatics that goes hand in hand with this story.Goodreads review published 16/11/19

Very good feeling read once I was able to keep all the people straight..first time reading her books,will Read more

I enjoyed this book. It took my mind off a stressful day. I liked the characters and the story of their separate lives that have come together.