The Forever Summer

Jamie Brenner

Hardcover

List Price: 26.00*
* Individual store prices may vary.

Other Editions of This Title:
Digital Audiobook (4/24/2017)
Paperback (4/10/2018)
Mass Market (6/25/2019)
Compact Disc (4/25/2017)
Compact Disc (4/25/2017)

Description

When a DNA test reveals long-buried secrets, three generations of women reunite on Cape Cod for the homecoming of a lifetime.

Marin Bishop has always played by the rules, and it's paid off: at twenty-eight she has a handsome fiancée, a prestigious Manhattan legal career, and the hard-won admiration of her father. But one moment of weakness leaves Marin unemployed and alone, all in a single day. Then a woman claiming to be Marin's half-sister shows up, and it's all Marin can do not to break down completely. Seeking escape, Marin agrees to a road trip to meet the grandmother she never knew she had. As the summer unfolds at her grandmother's quaint beachside B&B, it becomes clear that the truth of her half-sister is just the beginning of revelations that will change Marin's life forever. The Forever Summer is a delicious page-turner and a provocative exploration of what happens when our notions of love, truth, and family are put to the ultimate test.

Full of delicious descriptions of coastal New England and richly imagined characters, The Forever Summer is an emotional, hot-topic page-turner and a summer must-read


Praise For The Forever Summer…

"A captivating tale of family secrets and strong women."
—People Magazine

"Soap-opera twists and turns are tempered with the believable goodness of the characters, the messiness of their journeys, and just a hint of unpredictability as events unfold....Engaging and not too fluffy, an excellent choice for summer vacation reading."
—Kirkus Review

"Tuck this soap opera into your beach bag....A light take on life's big questions."
—Good Housekeeping

"Just when Marin's engagement and career start unraveling, an at-home genetic test confuses things even more-and clues her in to a family she never knew she had."
—Cosmopolitan

"Summer book lovers: start your engines and put this at the top of your Beach Reads list."
—Barnes & Noble Reads

"An engaging and emotional read with characters who stay with you, this is a good fit for fans of Elin Hilderbrand, beach reads, and women's stories."
—Booklist

"A gem....The perfect read to get you in a summer state of mind"
—Popsugar

"It's an emotional rollercoaster ride that will have you addicted and wanting to read more. This book is truly the perfect literary escape for any season."
—Redbook

"A satisfying, quick read about family, relationships, forgiveness and discovering strength after loss. Brenner's rich narrative descriptions of Provincetown and its cast of characters has added the Massachusetts town to my list of travel destinations."
—Fort Worth Star Telegram

"Full of delicious descriptions of coastal New England and richly imagined characters, The Forever Summer is an emotional, hot-topic page-turner and a summer must-read."—BookBub

"[it] had me racing through the pages".
—Brief Take

"THE FOREVER SUMMERsweeps you away with a page turning story that will stay with you long after the sun sets on the beach. Ms. Brenner is a glorious storyteller. She has created a world, richly described and inhabited by a modern, intergenerational family of women who are strong yet flawed. Secrets revealed, love lost and found, and the abiding strength of family fill these pages with a particular wisdom and humor. Put your feet up, sip a cocktail and let Jamie Brenner surprise and delight you with the first great read of summer."—Adriana Trigiani, author of All the Stars in the Heavens

"In THE FOREVER SUMMER, Jamie Brenner has created a witty and memorable tale of love lost and found, secrets hidden and revealed, and the family ties that transcend everything. Whether fans of Brenner's terrific debut The Wedding Sisters or lucky first-time recipients of her amazing talents, readers of Elin Hildebrand and Jane Green should reach for this moving and atmospheric story."—Pam Jenoff, author of The Diplomat's Wife and The Orphan's Tale

"Like finding sea glass in the sand, Brenner's tale of a family drawn together by blood ties but hobbled by secrets captivates. She brings the quirky beach community of Provincetown to delicious life, while the final chapters left me rapt and choking back tears."
—Fiona Davis, author of The Dollhouse

"THE FOREVER SUMMER paints a poignant portrait of a family in turmoil, striving to make peace with the past and forge forward into the future. Brenner is a natural storyteller with a gift for creating true-to-life characters. You'll definitely want to curl up with this one!"
—Emily Liebert, author of Some Women and You Knew Me When

"With THE FOREVER SUMMER, Brenner has established herself as a must-read summer author. I fell in love with the untraditional families coming together in charming Provincetown and the secrets that ultimately made them stronger. A vacation read that's as essential as sunblock!"
—Karin Tanabe, author of The Gilded Years

"Taking us from trendy New York City to breezy Provincetown, Massachusetts, Jamie Brenner's THE FOREVER SUMMER is more than just a light beach read. Brenner draws readers in immediately with newly discovered relatives, broken engagements and hidden affairs, but her story satisfies because of the unexpected ways in which she allows her characters to explore their own identities. There are no stock characters here, but multidimensional individuals, surprising in both diversity and depth. Brenner's writing is crisp and smart. Her strength lies in the masterful way she layers secrets and sentiment in order to create a truly original summer story."
—Lynda Loigman, author of The Two-Family House

"I loved THE FOREVER SUMMER by Jamie Brenner. This irresistible story is much like summer itself; you won't want it to end. Fans of Elin Hilderbrand are sure to fall in love with Jamie Brenner's THE FOREVER SUMMER."
—Brenda Janowitz, author of The Dinner Party

"Two women on very different paths come together in the most unlikely of circumstances, both tentatively exploring the boundaries of their newfound bond in Jamie Brenner's THE FOREVER SUMMER. Love and relationships are tested in this charming tale of sisterhood and resilience set against the beautiful backdrop of a Cape Cod summer."
—Zoe Fishman, author of Inheriting Edith

"This celebration of family in all its traditional and modern varieties is such a pleasure to read that you'll want to make a reservation at the Beach Rose Inn, where happiness and redemption are discovered among the twists and thorns of life."
—Nancy Thayer, author of Secrets in Summer

"Filled with memorable characters and with a plot that doesn't let up, THE FOREVER SUMMER is a beautiful exploration of the meaning of family and the many facets of love-a perfect summer read."
—Anita Hughes, author of Santorini Sunsets

"If beach reads are supposed to transport you so you forget mundane issues, this does the trick."
—NewJersey.com

Little, Brown and Company, 9780316394871, 368pp.

Publication Date: April 25, 2017



About the Author

Jamie Brenner's previous novels include Drawing Home, The Husband Hour and The Forever Summer. She lives in New York City with her husband and two teenage daughters.


Conversation Starters from ReadingGroupChoices.com

1. In the beginning of The Forever Summer, Marin feels her life is falling apart and looks for escape in a spontaneous road trip with her mother and half-sister. Is it sometimes okay to escape your problems? How did Marin’s decision to run away shape her family by the end of the summer?


2. What role does truth versus secrets play in this story? Is the truth always better, or does it depend on the circumstance? Is it understandable that Blythe kept the truth from her daughter?


3. In what ways does the intimate, seaside Provincetown shape the family reunion? How might the story have been different in another setting?


4. Would Blythe’s marriage to Kip have been better or worse if she hadn’t met Nick Cabral? If her transgression did ultimately save her marriage, does the ends justify the means?


5. Blythe loves gardening because “there is a solution for everything.” Over the course of the summer, the women find solutions to life’s challenges. What are some examples of their resiliency?


6. Amelia takes great pride in her Portuguese cooking, telling Rachel that food connects us to the past. What role does food play in this story? In families in general?


7. Amelia’s daughter is threatened by the arrival of new family members, particularly when it comes to the future of the ancestral home. Does she have a right to feel this way?


8. Forgiveness is a major theme in The Forever Summer. Does Blythe deserve Marin’s forgiveness? Her husband’s? Does Amelia deserve her daughter’s forgiveness?


9. Was Kelly’s decision at the end selfish or selfless?


10. Considering the increasing popularity of DNA testing and non-traditional family relationships, what does The Forever Summer say about the families we make versus the biological relations we are born with? Is nature or nurture more important? And what does it mean to be a family (a parent, a sibling, or grandparent) in this evolving definition of family?