Wednesday, April 22, 2020

One Perfect Summer - Fiction Review

Goodreads:  One Perfect Summer by Brenda Novak

Rating:  Really Liked It!
Source: Publisher

Description:  When Serenity Alston swabbed her cheek for 23andMe, she joked about uncovering some dark ancestral scandal. The last thing she expected was to discover two half sisters she didn't know existed. Suddenly, everything about her loving family is drawn into question. And meeting these newfound sisters might be the only way to get answers.
Serenity has always found solace at her family's Lake Tahoe cabin, so what better place for the three women to dig into the mystery that has shaken the foundation each of them was raised on? With Reagan navigating romantic politics at her New York City advertising firm, and Lorelei staring down the collapse of her marriage, all three women are converging at a crossroads in their lives. Before the summer is over, they'll have to confront the paths they walked to get there and determine how to move forward when everything they previously thought to be true was a lie.

But any future is easier to face with family by your side.

Genre: Fiction

Why I Picked This Book:  The blurb was too good to resist.  I actually know someone who had this happen to them and it was crazy to watch it all come out.  As well I'm a sucker for any book even vaguely connected with genealogy.

My Impression:  If you are looking for a total escapist read that will suck you in and distract you for a bit then this is one you might want to pick up.  I've had a complicated relationship with Brenda Novak - I always like her writing but sometimes her characters or her story lines have a bit too much ick for me.  I feel like the stars aligned for this one.  Not only was Novak's fast paced pull you in writing present but I liked the characters and the plot had me hooked.

The three sisters have PROBLEMS.  Like really dreadful no easy answer problems.  Each has their own personal decisions to make and consequences to face as well as figuring out who they are to each other and just how they're related.  The latter mystery did fall to the side quite a bit as the sisters got to know each other but I was perfectly okay with that as I was just as invested in the sisters' relationship as I was with figuring out how they were connected.  The ending isn't all nicely wrapped up with a bow but it was satisfying and I was sad to see the last of the characters.

This was  a book I read curled up in the living room with all kinds of stuff happening around me because I just wanted to read a little more.  And it was a book I finished about 1AM because I just wanted to see how it ended!  It was a welcome bit of distraction and an enjoyable read.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  I would definitely pick up another book featuring this character and I'll be on the lookout for more of this author's standalone fiction titles.

Would I Recommend this Book?  Definitely!  If you enjoy fiction that focuses on friendships and family then I think you would enjoy this one.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

12 comments:

  1. This sounds exactly like the kind of book I want to read at the moment; sisters, secrets, problems! Adding to my tbr.

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  2. This sounds really good! I'm going to go look for it right now!

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  3. Hmmm, a maybe with this one for me but it defintely sounds intriguing.

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  4. Okay! SOLD! I waver on Brenda Novak too, but ... this one seems to have all the things I too enjoy so going to make sure now I put it on my TBR.

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  5. And thank you, I have just picked this up on NetGalley!! Checked to see if I had been sent a widget and YES but I had ignored it!!

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  6. This sounds fantastic! I have read a few books by Novak and have enjoyed them. I do want to read more of her work and this sounds like a great one to pick up.

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  7. I love the cover and have this on my wish list for when the mood hits!

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  8. You had me at the sisters and the Lake Tahoe cabin. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. That blurb calls to me. I have this on my wish list. I'm glad it was so good and that it kept you reading until 1AM. Nice review!

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  10. I have this one to read. It looks great.

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  11. I like books in which characters find about unknown family. This sounds really good--especially since it kept you up so late!

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