It's the summer of 1967 and twenty-year-old Thea is dealing with the loss of her mother. She lives year ‘round in East Hampton, New York with her stepfather and young sister, who she feels responsible for. Having given up her college studies, Thea hopes to attend art school one day. Thea meets Margot, a wealthy young woman her age whose parents own one of the largest homes in the area. The two end up working together in the local music store. Thea is exposed to a world of parties, fashionable clothes and more. An intense friendship develops which is ripped apart by a tragic event they vow to keep secret. Ten years later, Margot appears at the home of the now married Thea and is seeking a place to hide out. Margot’s husband Willy is in trouble, and she is on the run. None of it makes full sense to Thea but she decides to help Margot and keep everything from her husband Felix. As the women spend more time together, Thea’s feelings of living an unfulfilled life rise to the surface. But by helping Margot, is Thea putting everything she has at risk?
All the Summers in Between by Brooke Lea Foster is an interesting study of friendship. When Thea and Margot became friends, the relationship was unbalanced with Thea gaining confidence and new experiences from the more worldly Margot. In 1977, the tables are turned, and Margot now needs Thea. The Hamptons setting was well done. The 1960s musical references were spot on. Foster shows how society was changing during the 1960s and 1970s while women were still expected to have homemaker be their primary role. The title, however, is a bit of a misnomer as we do not get the details of the women’s lives during the summers between their years of separation. It was an enjoyable read.
Many thanks to Gallery Books for the advance.
Rated 3.75 out of 5 stars.
Historical Fiction.
Publication Date: June 4, 2024.
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