Still Summer

Jacquelyn Mitchard
Grand Central Publishing (2007)
ISBN 9780446578769
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (6/07)


The Godmothers, Tracy, Olivia and Holly, were twenty-five years older, but still had the strong bond they had developed in school.  Olivia, a wealthy countess, was mourning the loss of her husband.  At her suggestion, the trio plus Tracy’s nineteen-year-old daughter decided to go on a vacation to “paradise.”  After all what could be more peaceful and relaxing then a cruise on a luxury yacht in the Caribbean? They hired two crewmembers and began a voyage that would change lives forever.  What began as an adventure into paradise swiftly turned into a life-threatening nightmare.  The women found themselves in a situation where they were battling pirates, lack of basic essentials and nature.  Most importantly, they must battle their own weaknesses.

Fans of Jacquelyn Mitchard have come to expect female characters that are easy to relate to; never one to disappoint her readers, she has diligently perfected her craft.  From the moment I saw “Still Summer” I knew I had to read it!  The cover promised a peaceful, tranquil sea with a sailboat floating lazily on placid waters.  I knew it was just a tease as life in Mitchard’s books is never peaceful, nor tranquil.  She grabs the readers early in her books and takes them on the most harrowing voyages they can ever experience.  Her characters are real; Tracy and Cammie are a mother and daughter struggling to find their place in each other’s life as their roles begin to change.  Wealthy and selfish, Olivia is mourning the death of her husband.  Holly is courageous.  While most of us will never battle a pirate, we do battle the shifting roles and our own failings.  These are women people can relate too.  “Still Summer,” by Jacquelyn Mitchard, is sure to be on the bestseller list.  I highly recommend this one to fans of fiction.

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