Item: The Girls of Summer
Rating: 3.50
Author: quirkycat

by Katie Bishop

'Dark, timely and thought-provoking. It's a must-read' THE SUN

'Visceral and raw. Buy it' GLAMOUR

'Reminiscent of HBO's hit The White Lotus... The obvious read-alike is My Dark Vanessa' BOOKLIST

'Packs an incredible punch' THE TIMES

'It's set to be a big summer hit' The Independent

An idyllic island. An all-consuming romance. The best summer of your life . . .

But what if everything you remember was a lie?

**********

Rachel has loved Alistair since she was seventeen.

Even though she hasn't seen him for sixteen years and she's now married to someone else.
Even though she was a teenager when they met.
Even though he is almost twenty years older than her.

Now in her thirties, Rachel has never been able to forget their golden summer together on a remote, sun-trapped Greek island. But as dark and deeply suppressed memories rise to the surface, Rachel begins to understand that Alistair - and the enigmatic, wealthy man he worked for - controlled much more than she ever realized.

Rachel has never once considered herself a victim - until now.

**********

For fans of GIRL A, MY DARK VANESSA and LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE, The Girls of Summer is a bold compulsive exploration of sex, power and consent, and what happens when we revisit the past with rose-tinted glasses.

'Beautifully written, transportive, and thought-provoking' LUCY CLARKE, author of THE CASTAWAYS

'A mesmerising, unsettling and gripping debut' CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD, author of RUN TIME

'Thought-provoking, timely' SARAH TURNER, author of STEPPING UP

***********

Readers are talking about THE GIRLS OF SUMMER:

* 'In the age of #MeToo, this book is one that will ring true with so many people'

* 'Beautifully written with a tense, emotive plot that will be relatable to so many women'

* 'An excellent debut. Raw, real, and gut-wrenchingly familiar'

* 'Wow wow wow! I am still thinking about it, it's one of those stories that stays with you'

Book Summary:

You know how first loves go. They hit you hard and fast. Sometimes you move on; sometimes, you don't. The latter is true for Rachel. She's loved Alistar for going on fifteen years now. Even marrying somebody else didn't help her get over that love.

The more Rachel delves into the love of her past, the more she realizes that things are not as idyllic as she once thought. Was this whirlwind affair really her own choice? And if so, how have so many others followed her same steps?

My Review:

Ooph. The Girls of Summer hits hard. Rachel's story often feels too real, which some readers will likely adore – while others will feel repelled. So keep that in mind before picking up The Girls of Summer.

The author (Katie Bishop) described The Girls of Summer as exploring the "gray area of consent." If that was her goal – she nailed it. Make of that what you will, but this book will certainly make you stop and think - for better or worse.
The Girls of Summer is a memorable, if slightly dark read. I think knowing that this could (and has) happen in real life made it darker for me. As such, I'm not sure that this book is suited for all readers.

Highlights:
Coming of Age
Thriller

Trigger Warnings:
Age Gap
#MeToo elements

Thanks to StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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The Girls of Summer

by Katie Bishop

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on Jul 3, 2023

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