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Tuesday, June 26, 2018

The Summer Sail - Wendy Francis

The Summer Sail by Wendy Francis

First Paragraph(s):

Abby slid the invitation into the envelope.  It was a lovely invitation, on sturdy cream card stock with blue script and a jaunty little boat sailing across the top.  She knew it was silly to have ordered special cards in this day and age when everything got sent electronically, but a twentieth wedding anniversary seemed to demand a certain amount of decorum.  And it was the perfect reason to celebrate.  Every year, she and her two college roommates tried to meet up for a reunion somewhere in the States, but this year, she wanted to propose something different: a cruise, an island getaway to Bermuda.  What could be more idyllic?
     She sealed the envelopes, affixed the stamps, and addressed them in her loopy handwriting, one to Ms. Lee Minor in Charleston, South Carolina, and the other to Ms. Caroline Canton in New York.  Abby smiled at the thought of her roommates' spotting the invitation in a sea of advertisements and magazines in their mailboxes.  It was good to try something different every so often, and as she'd said to her husband, Sam, when first pitching the idea, If not now, then when?

My Thoughts:

The Summer Sail is the first book I've read by Wendy Francis and, truthfully, it's a little outside the type of book that I tend to read as a general rule.  However, as you might have noticed from my recent 'Bookish Nostalgia' post, I do read some 'women's friendship' books and thoroughly enjoy them when I'm in the mood.  Lately, I've been in the mood.

First of all, I am very much not a person who takes an ocean cruise.  I can barely be on a boat at all.  Motion sickness is a problem for me.  I did enjoy reading this story of three college roommates and 'forever' friends who take a cruise from Boston to Bermuda in order to celebrate the 20th wedding anniversary of one of them.  Abby, Caroline, and Lee have stayed close and each of them comes to this trip with issues they are dealing with.  Some of the issues are more serious than others, but all deserve some thought by the worrier.  I liked all the characters and also liked the descriptions of not only the cruise, but their time in Bermuda.  A charming book that was perfect for the beginning of summer. 

Blurb:

Three college roommates are celebrating a twentieth wedding anniversary by taking a cruise to Bermuda. As the ship pulls away from the pier, everyone is looking forward to lounging by the pool, sipping sunset cocktails, and reminiscing. Abby, the mother hen of the group, will be celebrating her wedding anniversary in style, even as she and her husband keep a secret from the group. Ambitious career woman Caroline happily anticipates several stress-free days away from her magazine job with her boyfriend, Javier, who may or may not be finally inspired to propose. And single mom Lee (annoyingly gorgeous and irresistibly popular in college) hopes she’ll win back the affections of her formerly sweet daughter Lacey, who after her first year in college, has inexplicably become a little bit of a monster.

As the balmy pink shores of Bermuda come into view, tensions simmer, and old jealousies flare, sending the temperature from soothing to scorching in this engrossing tale of three best friends on a vacation they won’t soon forget—but not for the reasons they expect.

22 comments:

  1. Sometimes this is exactly the kind of book you need. I tend to go for Katie Fforde or Jenny Colgan, although they're not really 'women's friendship' books as such, but the result is the same: a book to relax with. I used to read Debbie McComber and got out of the habit, must get back into it. Even folk like us do not 'always' require death and mutilation. ;-)

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    1. No, sometimes it's good to have a little change. And cruising 'virtually' is fine with me. Ha!

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  2. I love cruises (and have been on many), so the cover immediately grabbed me. After reading the synopsis, this is a book I'd like to try.

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  3. I've never been on a cruise, but I like the idea of "women's friendship" books.

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    1. I like those friendship books now and then as well. Sometimes there are secrets and sometimes it's just love and talking about old times. :-)

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  4. I've only been on a cruise once... a long weekend that was so completely relaxing, I felt like I'd been away for a month! I enjoy women's friendship books from time to time. The cover is enticing, too. Might be a fun summer read for me!

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    1. The cover is nice. Definitely gives the right vibe for the book.

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  5. A cruise is low on my priority list because I get motion sickness too. But I know folks who love it! And my parents went to Bermuda on a cruise back in the day, and shared lovely photos.

    The women's friendship angle is always a comfortable read. Thanks for not labeling this in certain genres that we used in the past, and you know what I'm referring to :)

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    1. No, I don't like those labels. This was a fun book, sweet in spots, but not too overly sweet.

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  6. When I first read the blurb for this book, I thought it didn't sound like something you normally read! :) I'm not sure if it's one for me, but I do enjoy those "friendship" type of books every now and then. And the cruise setting might be fun to read about. I haven't been on a big cruise, but I loved my little river cruise through Germany!

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    1. You did have a great time on that river cruise didn't you? I have some other friends who recently returned from one of those - sounded a lot like the route you and your Mom took.

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  7. I am like you when it comes to these types of books. I usually enjoy them when I pick them up but I hardly ever pick them up. This one does sound pretty good though. An invitation to cruise with friends. Sounds like something is being set-up but look at the fun cover.

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    1. Well, you know when there are old friends, there might be secrets, but that's not a bad thing here.

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  8. Great review Kay - like you I read these types of novels rarely but often find I do enjoy them when I feel in that type of mood.

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    1. Yes, I'm finding that I like a bit 'change it up' in between all my crime and mystery. Ha!

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  9. This really does sound like a great summer read. I like stories about friendships, too.

    I also get really seasick!

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    1. Yes, Dramamine is my friend, but then I'm really sleepy. LOL

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  10. I would love to take a cruise with a few other women. Sounds like a goo book for me.

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    1. The women in this book had a good time. I bet you'd have a great time too, Vicki!

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  11. LOL. I'm no good on a boat either! I always end up sick, even when I take Dramamine. If I'm on the water, it will be on a jet ski :)

    I do like these kinds of books occasionally, so I'll have to check this one out next time I'm hankering for some women's fiction.

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    1. You'd probably like this one, Susan. It's a nice in-between book.

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Thanks for stopping by! I am so happy to hear your thoughts and will respond as soon as I can. Happy Reading!