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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
At first I thought this would just be like a dark version of Mamma Mia, and there were definitely some similarities. But, this was an incredibly difficult book to read. It was clear from the beginning that something was deeply wrong. The author did an incredible job playing out the plot how the main character sees it, and then once all is revealed adding in the missing details. Despite the story being played out from the main characters perspective, you still see where things are going wrong. It’s a very scary story because it’s so real. It has happened, it’s happening right now, and it’ll happen again in the future. I think the author dealt with this sensitive subject matter in the best way she could.
dark
tense
medium-paced
At the age of seventeen, Rachel Evans and her friend Caroline decide to spend the summer months before her final year at school vacationing in the Greek islands. A chance meeting with Alistair an older man under the employ of an affluent businessman, marks the beginning of a torrid affair, with Rachel over the moon with the attention she is receiving from Alistair. Rachel and the other girls she befriends on the island, spend their days working in the bar Alistair manages, attending parties at the mansion of his employer and Rachel begins to dream of a future with Alistair. But the summer ends in tragedy and scandal, with Alistair abandoning her and leaving Rachel shattered.
Rachel, now in her thirties and never having gotten over Alistair, visits the island with her husband Tom where she meets one of the girls from that summer who stayed on, it triggers a sequence of events that has Rachel revisiting the past, trying to determine the truth behind what really happened that summer and dealing with the shocking revelations that come to the surface.
The Girls of Summer by Katie Bishop is an intense read that ventures into dark territory. The pace is on the slower side in the first half of the novel as the narrative moves between past and present detailing both Kate’s state of mind in the present day and the events from that fateful summer. The author is unflinching as she touches upon sensitive topics such as predatory behavior, grooming, and sexual exploitation of vulnerable young women. The author does a wonderful job of setting the scene with vivid descriptions of the island and the upbeat vibe of the young vacationers. Seventeen-year-old Rachel, naïve and easily manipulated and the smooth-talking Alistair and with his shady dealings are well-fleshed-out characters though the present-day timeline with mature Rachel and her cluelessness is not convincing and much of what transpires in her life in the present day is difficult to justify. A seventeen-year-old dazzled by an older man and romantic dreams is believable and the long–lasting effects of trauma and betrayal are believable. But adult Rachel’s reactions, her unwillingness more than inability, to see what truly happened all those years ago for what it truly was and her subsequent actions were difficult to digest beyond a point. As the narrative progresses, I found myself unable to sympathize with Rachel and there really isn’t much mystery or suspense that holds the plot together. Overall, I really can’t call this a thriller. The premise of this novel isn’t quite original, and for those who follow the headlines for crimes of this nature, nothing will really surprise you as the story moves toward the ultimate reveal. I will say that the author has promise and I would be eager to read more from her in the future.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Rachel, now in her thirties and never having gotten over Alistair, visits the island with her husband Tom where she meets one of the girls from that summer who stayed on, it triggers a sequence of events that has Rachel revisiting the past, trying to determine the truth behind what really happened that summer and dealing with the shocking revelations that come to the surface.
The Girls of Summer by Katie Bishop is an intense read that ventures into dark territory. The pace is on the slower side in the first half of the novel as the narrative moves between past and present detailing both Kate’s state of mind in the present day and the events from that fateful summer. The author is unflinching as she touches upon sensitive topics such as predatory behavior, grooming, and sexual exploitation of vulnerable young women. The author does a wonderful job of setting the scene with vivid descriptions of the island and the upbeat vibe of the young vacationers. Seventeen-year-old Rachel, naïve and easily manipulated and the smooth-talking Alistair and with his shady dealings are well-fleshed-out characters though the present-day timeline with mature Rachel and her cluelessness is not convincing and much of what transpires in her life in the present day is difficult to justify. A seventeen-year-old dazzled by an older man and romantic dreams is believable and the long–lasting effects of trauma and betrayal are believable. But adult Rachel’s reactions, her unwillingness more than inability, to see what truly happened all those years ago for what it truly was and her subsequent actions were difficult to digest beyond a point. As the narrative progresses, I found myself unable to sympathize with Rachel and there really isn’t much mystery or suspense that holds the plot together. Overall, I really can’t call this a thriller. The premise of this novel isn’t quite original, and for those who follow the headlines for crimes of this nature, nothing will really surprise you as the story moves toward the ultimate reveal. I will say that the author has promise and I would be eager to read more from her in the future.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Rachel’s memories of Greece are bitter sweet. She loved and lost Alistair on the Island. Even though she was a teen and he was 20 years older than her, she still can’t let the memories of what they had go, not even for the man she married… all she can do is reminisce…
It was an ordinary Greek summer, the summer before school starts back for her final year of school. Alistair made her feel seen and desired. Something she never had before… His hold is so strong that when he offers for her to stay on the island and not go back to England, she jumps at the chance. Having to keep their relationship a secret from his boss, Rachel gets pulled into situations she isn’t ready for. Situations where teens girls are filled full of alcohol at parties filled with older men and the suicide of someone she cared for.
Going back to Greece with her new husband opens up a can of worms she isn’t prepared for because what actually happened with Alistair on the island isn’t the reality of what really went down.
YIKES. This book is yikes. The title screams beach read… The cover of Greece screams beach read. When you assume these things and don’t read the synopsis…. You find yourself on one heck of a tailspin and you won’t want to come up for air.
This book covers some pretty hot topics and again, TW…..
Suicide, abortion, rape, grooming, drugs
I’m not a fan of trigger warnings but I felt this book might be a bit much for some people. Alistair is the epitome of a groomer and as someone who was groomed by an older man, he made me angry. This happens more than you think and this book shows you what can happen and frequently does. The plot was well done and the fact Rachel had no clue she had basically been trafficked goes to show how little we know about the subject and naive Rachel truly was.
I did think the character development was quite where I would have liked it to be. There wasn’t much depth, even with Rachel it still felt a little one dimensional but I felt the storyline compensated enough for that. It was a page turner and for anyone not put off by the triggers and love women’s fiction, you will definitely enjoy it.
4 stars. Definitely an entertaining read. Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for my gifted copy
It was an ordinary Greek summer, the summer before school starts back for her final year of school. Alistair made her feel seen and desired. Something she never had before… His hold is so strong that when he offers for her to stay on the island and not go back to England, she jumps at the chance. Having to keep their relationship a secret from his boss, Rachel gets pulled into situations she isn’t ready for. Situations where teens girls are filled full of alcohol at parties filled with older men and the suicide of someone she cared for.
Going back to Greece with her new husband opens up a can of worms she isn’t prepared for because what actually happened with Alistair on the island isn’t the reality of what really went down.
YIKES. This book is yikes. The title screams beach read… The cover of Greece screams beach read. When you assume these things and don’t read the synopsis…. You find yourself on one heck of a tailspin and you won’t want to come up for air.
This book covers some pretty hot topics and again, TW…..
Suicide, abortion, rape, grooming, drugs
I’m not a fan of trigger warnings but I felt this book might be a bit much for some people. Alistair is the epitome of a groomer and as someone who was groomed by an older man, he made me angry. This happens more than you think and this book shows you what can happen and frequently does. The plot was well done and the fact Rachel had no clue she had basically been trafficked goes to show how little we know about the subject and naive Rachel truly was.
I did think the character development was quite where I would have liked it to be. There wasn’t much depth, even with Rachel it still felt a little one dimensional but I felt the storyline compensated enough for that. It was a page turner and for anyone not put off by the triggers and love women’s fiction, you will definitely enjoy it.
4 stars. Definitely an entertaining read. Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for my gifted copy
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you @macmillan.audio @stmartinspress @netgalley for a copy of this book. I had a few issues with the story that made it a 2 star for me.
- the idea of a 17 year old traveling a summer in Greece by herself
- non-consensual sex
- manipulation of young women by much older men
- Rachel's behavior as an adult and how see treated her husband Tim
I did enjoy how all the author described that summer in Greece and can see how these young adults were so drawn to the lifestyle. Listening to the author's note also made sense as to why the story was written as it was and upped a star.
- the idea of a 17 year old traveling a summer in Greece by herself
- non-consensual sex
- manipulation of young women by much older men
- Rachel's behavior as an adult and how see treated her husband Tim
I did enjoy how all the author described that summer in Greece and can see how these young adults were so drawn to the lifestyle. Listening to the author's note also made sense as to why the story was written as it was and upped a star.
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
You may be mistaken in thinking this is a light summer read from the cover but it is a much darker read and I really enjoyed it.
The story is told in two timelines of then and now. I was keen to learn what happened back in Greece when Rachel was 17. I was invested in Rachel’s story right from the start.
I found myself getting a bit frustrated with Rachel at times, in both timelines but I did have to remind myself that her younger self was just 17!!
I was amazed that this was a debut. I liked the author’s writing style. I’ll definitely be looking out for further books from Katie Bishop.
Thank you to Random Things Tours and the publisher for having me on the tour and for my gifted ebook.
A digital copy of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. The opinions are my own and freely given.
This book is told from Rachel's POV, THEN AND NOW.
Then Rachel was a 17-year-old on trip with her best friend Caroline. She goes to in island in Greece, and when Caroline goes home, she stays. Now is 16-years later, and she still can't forget the time she spent on the island or the man she fell in love with.
However, Alistair was a 30-year-old who along with his boss, exploited these "island girls".
The description of the island is beautiful, but that is where my positives end. There was too much in this book that I couldn't stand behind. Rachel (now) willingly went seeking Alistair out and had an affair with him, while her husband was laid up with a broken leg. Rachel (then) was drinking, doing drugs and exploited at parties, along with all the other girls that worked at the bar. This book was not for me. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.
This book is told from Rachel's POV, THEN AND NOW.
Then Rachel was a 17-year-old on trip with her best friend Caroline. She goes to in island in Greece, and when Caroline goes home, she stays. Now is 16-years later, and she still can't forget the time she spent on the island or the man she fell in love with.
However, Alistair was a 30-year-old who along with his boss, exploited these "island girls".
The description of the island is beautiful, but that is where my positives end. There was too much in this book that I couldn't stand behind. Rachel (now) willingly went seeking Alistair out and had an affair with him, while her husband was laid up with a broken leg. Rachel (then) was drinking, doing drugs and exploited at parties, along with all the other girls that worked at the bar. This book was not for me. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.