Title: The Summer Wind
Author: Mary Alice Monroe
Published: June 17, 2014 by Gallery books
Pages: 384
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3.5/5
Goodreads
It’s midsummer and Eudora, nicknamed Dora, is staying at Sea Breeze, the family’s ancestral home on Sullivan’s Island. For years, Dora has played the role of the perfect wife and mother in a loveless marriage. Now her husband filed for divorce, her child is diagnosed with autism, and her house is on the market. Dora’s facade collapses under the weight of her grief and she suffers “broken heart syndrome.” Mamaw and the girls rally around Dora—but it’s up to Dora to heal herself as she spends the summer prowling the beach, discovering the secrets of the island and her heart. This is a summer of discovery for all the women of Sea Breeze. Carson returns from Florida to face life-changing decisions, Lucille confronts a health scare, and an unexpected visitor has Harper reconsidering her life’s direction.
When tropical storm winds batter the island, the women must band together and weather the tempest—both the one outside their windows and the raging sea of emotions within each of them. They must learn again what it means to be a sister. It is up to Mamaw to keep the light burning at Sea Breeze to guide the girls through the lies, the threats, and the rocky waters of indecision to home.
My review:
This book is the second in the Lowcountry summer trilogy, following The Summer Girls (which I reviewed here). While each book encompasses all three of the stepsisters, they each have their own book that is more heavily devoted to them. This book was Dora's, and I enjoyed it much more than the first book. I still don't care for the sister Carson (who was the main character in the first book), but while her story was still present, this one was more about Dora and her struggle to regain control over her life, and learn to love herself again. Of course we still had grandmother Meemaw, who is a delight, and sister Harper (who will be the focus of the third book). I really liked the character of Dora, and I thought the author did a good job of making you feel for her, but not invoking pity. Instead, you were rooting for her to recognize what a great person she is. I was a bit annoyed with the love interest, I don't know why these books always have to have one. I didn't have anything against the character, but I sometimes wish a character could just stand on her own without someone swooping in. I knocked off a star for this, for me it makes a great book into a bit of a cookie cutter mold.
A great middle book to a series that I am anxious to see how it all ends. A definite beach read with all the fabulous beach descriptions.
I enjoyed your review. I loved this series. The second book focusing on Dora was probably my favorite. The author does a good job at making you 'feel' for her'.
I definitely liked this one better than the first. I'm hoping to finish the final book before the end of summer. Thanks for stopping by!
I'm listening to this trilogy on audiobook and enjoying it, I think it is certainly one series where each book does not stand alone, its more like one long story.
I agree, if you started with the second or third book you would be able to read it, but I think it would lose something along the way. I'm hoping to finish the third book before the end of summer.