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Lowcountry Summer #3
The Summer's End
In the powerful and heartwarming conclusion to her bestselling Lowcountry Summer trilogy, "New York Times" bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe brings her readers back to the charm and sultry beauty of Sullivan s Island, South Carolina, to reveal how the pull of family bonds and true love is as strong and steady as the tides.
It is summer s end, and Sea Breeze, the family s beloved estate on Sullivan s Island, must be sold. It is an emotional time of transition as Mamaw and the three sisters each must face loss and find a new place in the world.
Harper, the youngest sister, arrives at Sea Breeze intending to stay only a weekend. But a rift with her wealthy, influential mother leaves her without direction or a home. During this remarkable summer, free from her mother s tyranny and with the help of her half-sisters, Harper discovers her talents and independent spirit. But summer is ending, and the fate of Sea Breeze hinges on her courage to decide the course of her own life. To do so she must release her insecurities and recognize her newfound strengths. Harper must accept love fully into her life the love of Mamaw, Carson, and Dora, the love of Sea Breeze and the lowcountry, and most of all, the love of a wounded warrior who has claimed her heart."
It is summer s end, and Sea Breeze, the family s beloved estate on Sullivan s Island, must be sold. It is an emotional time of transition as Mamaw and the three sisters each must face loss and find a new place in the world.
Harper, the youngest sister, arrives at Sea Breeze intending to stay only a weekend. But a rift with her wealthy, influential mother leaves her without direction or a home. During this remarkable summer, free from her mother s tyranny and with the help of her half-sisters, Harper discovers her talents and independent spirit. But summer is ending, and the fate of Sea Breeze hinges on her courage to decide the course of her own life. To do so she must release her insecurities and recognize her newfound strengths. Harper must accept love fully into her life the love of Mamaw, Carson, and Dora, the love of Sea Breeze and the lowcountry, and most of all, the love of a wounded warrior who has claimed her heart."
432 pages, Paperback
First published May 19, 2015
About the author
Mary Alice Monroe
71 books5,003 followersMary Alice Monroe is the New York Times bestselling author of 27 books, including The Summer of Lost and Found, the latest installment of her beloved Beach House series.
Monroe has also published children’s books which complement the environmental themes she is known for in her adult novels. Monroe’s middle grade series, written with Angela May, The Islanders, debuted #2 on the New York Times Best Sellers List in 2021. The second book in the series, Search for Treasure, debuted #3 on the New York Times Best Sellers List.
Nearly eight million copies of her books have been published worldwide.
Mary Alice has earned numerous accolades and awards including induction into the South Carolina Academy of Authors’ Hall of Fame; South Carolina Center for the Book Award for Writing; the South Carolina Award for Literary Excellence; the SW Florida Author of Distinction Award; the RT Lifetime Achievement Award; the International Book Award for Green Fiction; the Henry Bergh Award for Children’s Fiction; and her novel A Lowcountry Christmas won the prestigious Southern Prize for Fiction.
Mary Alice is also the co-founder of the popular weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction.
The Beach House is a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, starring Andie McDowell. Several of her novels are optioned for film.
Mary Alice has championed the fragility of the earth’s wild habitat. The coastal southern landscape in particular is a strong and important focus of many of her novels. For her writing, Monroe immerses herself in academic research, works with wildlife experts, and does hands-on volunteering with animals. She then uses the knowledge and experiences to craft captivating stories that identify important parallels between nature and human nature. Sea turtles, bottlenose dolphins, monarch butterflies, shorebirds are among the species she has worked with and woven into her novels.
Mary Alice is also an active conservationist and serves on several boards including the South Carolina Aquarium board emeritus, the Pat Conroy Literary Center Honorary Board, and the Leatherback Trust, which she received the Leatherback Trust Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. She is especially proud to be a state-certified volunteer with the Island Turtle Team for more than twenty years.
Mary Alice splits her time between her home on the South Carolina coast and her home in the North Carolina mountains. When she’s not writing a novel, she is with her family or busy working with wildlife somewhere in the world.
Monroe has also published children’s books which complement the environmental themes she is known for in her adult novels. Monroe’s middle grade series, written with Angela May, The Islanders, debuted #2 on the New York Times Best Sellers List in 2021. The second book in the series, Search for Treasure, debuted #3 on the New York Times Best Sellers List.
Nearly eight million copies of her books have been published worldwide.
Mary Alice has earned numerous accolades and awards including induction into the South Carolina Academy of Authors’ Hall of Fame; South Carolina Center for the Book Award for Writing; the South Carolina Award for Literary Excellence; the SW Florida Author of Distinction Award; the RT Lifetime Achievement Award; the International Book Award for Green Fiction; the Henry Bergh Award for Children’s Fiction; and her novel A Lowcountry Christmas won the prestigious Southern Prize for Fiction.
Mary Alice is also the co-founder of the popular weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction.
The Beach House is a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, starring Andie McDowell. Several of her novels are optioned for film.
Mary Alice has championed the fragility of the earth’s wild habitat. The coastal southern landscape in particular is a strong and important focus of many of her novels. For her writing, Monroe immerses herself in academic research, works with wildlife experts, and does hands-on volunteering with animals. She then uses the knowledge and experiences to craft captivating stories that identify important parallels between nature and human nature. Sea turtles, bottlenose dolphins, monarch butterflies, shorebirds are among the species she has worked with and woven into her novels.
Mary Alice is also an active conservationist and serves on several boards including the South Carolina Aquarium board emeritus, the Pat Conroy Literary Center Honorary Board, and the Leatherback Trust, which she received the Leatherback Trust Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. She is especially proud to be a state-certified volunteer with the Island Turtle Team for more than twenty years.
Mary Alice splits her time between her home on the South Carolina coast and her home in the North Carolina mountains. When she’s not writing a novel, she is with her family or busy working with wildlife somewhere in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 757 reviews
September 4, 2015
I read the three books in this series because I wanted to. Now with that being said, I must ask myself what exactly it is in these books that captured the imagination. A grandmother and her three granddaughters are steaming up the pages with romances, broken marriages, lost jobs, insecurities, Aspergers, injured dolphins and enough southern pretentiousness for those readers thriving on snobbishness, class distinctions and southern charm. Clearly not my kind of scenario in reading. Predictable, no surprises, nothing new.
Yet, I enjoyed the normalcy of the series. Normal people with normal lives, who battle it out in love and life. The three half sisters have their grandmother and each other as support system. It becomes a game changer for them all when the three sisters is invited to stay at Sea Breeze for the summer. None of them had any support in the challenges facing them prior to their arrival on the island. Their grandmother had one last chance to teach them the secrets of survival in a cruel world without family.
The power of friendship and family bonding is a vital element in the story stretched out over three books.
Been there, done that. It was okay. A chic-lit thrill. Well written and good for the soul. The chic-lit soul :-)
Yet, I enjoyed the normalcy of the series. Normal people with normal lives, who battle it out in love and life. The three half sisters have their grandmother and each other as support system. It becomes a game changer for them all when the three sisters is invited to stay at Sea Breeze for the summer. None of them had any support in the challenges facing them prior to their arrival on the island. Their grandmother had one last chance to teach them the secrets of survival in a cruel world without family.
The power of friendship and family bonding is a vital element in the story stretched out over three books.
Been there, done that. It was okay. A chic-lit thrill. Well written and good for the soul. The chic-lit soul :-)
May 11, 2015
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.
I absolutely loved this book. I love many of MAM's books, with this series my favorite. This book may possibly be my favorite of the bunch... Each character got their own turn to shine with their storyline, and then it all wove together. I loved that Mamaw got out of the house...went fishing, has the start of a little romance. The beloved cast of characters are interesting, funny, and flawed. They love one another, they argue, they make up. Like all families. The writing was great and I found the ending to be quite satisfying. Looking forward to a next one..? Yes, please :)
This book had everything neccesary for a good summer read.
And it made me wistfully wish I had paid more attention on our family trips out to the Jersey Shore. Not in a fine old family home like the Sea Breeze, but in an assortment of cheap bungalow rentals, back when a family could rent one out for $100.00 a week (this was waaay before "The Jersey Shore".) We'd go crabbing off the dock, swim in the bay or make the drive out to the ocean. Sit with our legs dangling in the water, early morning walks in the sand...things we took for granted and now long for.This book took me back there, it was a wonderful journey back to the lowcountry.
I absolutely loved this book. I love many of MAM's books, with this series my favorite. This book may possibly be my favorite of the bunch... Each character got their own turn to shine with their storyline, and then it all wove together. I loved that Mamaw got out of the house...went fishing, has the start of a little romance. The beloved cast of characters are interesting, funny, and flawed. They love one another, they argue, they make up. Like all families. The writing was great and I found the ending to be quite satisfying. Looking forward to a next one..? Yes, please :)
This book had everything neccesary for a good summer read.
And it made me wistfully wish I had paid more attention on our family trips out to the Jersey Shore. Not in a fine old family home like the Sea Breeze, but in an assortment of cheap bungalow rentals, back when a family could rent one out for $100.00 a week (this was waaay before "The Jersey Shore".) We'd go crabbing off the dock, swim in the bay or make the drive out to the ocean. Sit with our legs dangling in the water, early morning walks in the sand...things we took for granted and now long for.This book took me back there, it was a wonderful journey back to the lowcountry.
April 5, 2015
I really enjoyed this return to Sea Breeze in the final part of the Low Country Summer series. It was like catching up with familiar friends in a beautiful setting. Who wouldn't want to spend the summer in Sullivan's Island.
The three 'sisters' are building on their relationships as they spend the summer with their grandmother. There are the sorts of spats that you would expect, jealousies simmering beneath the surface. They share a father but their early lives with their own mothers or grandmothers gave them very different starts in life. They each think the others had easier journies- but they are working through those differences.
The romances are still building and you feel a part of them getting to know new partners.
Mawmaw is still the lynch pin that hold them all together and they seek her advice and approval. She is having to sell the family home at the end of the summer to live in a retirement village to save money. As the summer starts to reach it's conclusion they all realise just how devastating it's going to be to give up such a huge part of their childhood history.
I just loved the characters. They are so well drawn that you feel you could pop in for a visit and immediately settle down with a glass of iced tea and start sharing confidences with Mawmaw and the 'girls'. Even though this is the end of the trilogy I would LOVE to return for a follow up one day.
The three 'sisters' are building on their relationships as they spend the summer with their grandmother. There are the sorts of spats that you would expect, jealousies simmering beneath the surface. They share a father but their early lives with their own mothers or grandmothers gave them very different starts in life. They each think the others had easier journies- but they are working through those differences.
The romances are still building and you feel a part of them getting to know new partners.
Mawmaw is still the lynch pin that hold them all together and they seek her advice and approval. She is having to sell the family home at the end of the summer to live in a retirement village to save money. As the summer starts to reach it's conclusion they all realise just how devastating it's going to be to give up such a huge part of their childhood history.
I just loved the characters. They are so well drawn that you feel you could pop in for a visit and immediately settle down with a glass of iced tea and start sharing confidences with Mawmaw and the 'girls'. Even though this is the end of the trilogy I would LOVE to return for a follow up one day.
June 15, 2022
I loved this book. Set in the low country of South Carolina, it’s a journey back to family vacations in the South. The Summer’s End has every element necessary for a good summer read. Every character is loveable and has his or her got own time to shine with their storyline. And then Mary Alice Monroe weaves it all together into an endearing story, including family drama, marine life conservation and PTSD issues Yes, there’s romance, even for Mamaw, the family matriarch. We’re never too old, I guess. Like all families, this group argues and makes up over and over. It’s a heart-drawing respite from these hectic days and just the healing tonic I needed.
May 20, 2015
A special thank you to Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
THE SUMMER’S END (Lowcountry Summer #3) a powerful trilogy by Mary Alice Monroe, as she brings her much loved reunion of three half-sisters at the SC Lowcountry’s Sea Breeze, driven by matriarch Mamaw to a heartwarming conclusion, with much growth, wisdom, experience—with love, affection, and family bonds, derived from their summer visit.
In THE SUMMER GIRLS (Lowcountry Summer #1) we met three-half sisters (Carson, Harper, and Dora), as they find their way back to one another with the help of their loving and aging grandmother, Mamaw and side kick Lucille, the housekeeper.
The one link is the deceased son/father Parker, an alcoholic whose actions still affect the lives of all today. Mamaw is about to sale the home and move into an assisted living, and she informs all the girls if they do not come home for the summer, she will cut them out of her will. She hopes she can talk them in to returning full time to the south and to their roots.
Brilliantly intertwined with real subjects of autism (Nate), alcoholism, enabling, abandonment, environmental issues, and the lovable and intriguing dolphins. A story of forgiveness, after years of secrets, silence, and enabling.
In THE SUMMER WIND (Lowcountry Summer #2), we dig deeper into the emotional lives and challenges of the three grown step-sisters, from different walks of life, a grandmother, a wise housekeeper, and a charismatic dolphin who touches the lives of a troubled boy with autism, and his aunt.
Guilt and healing are the constant themes of this poignant story, their experiences, their lives and the courageous Dolphin. A powerful theme of humans and animals – sharing a connection is evident throughout each of the books demonstrating a reminder of the importance of protecting animals, and the environment.
THE SUMMERS END (Lowcountry Summer #3) brings a mixture of sadness and joy, tying up all loose ends, and reinvention. Lucille, Mamaw’s dear friend has passed on, and now Mamaw is lost without her. Everything was discussed with Lucille usually over a game of gin rummy. She knows Lucille would not like her mourning as her mission is ending, having brought the girls to the island to get to know one another,and embrace their roots. She has more work to do.
It has been a tumultuous summer of change and growth, ups and downs, joys and heartaches. The girls had rediscovered the sisterly love they shared as children when they played together on Sullivan’s Island. Yet much had to be done and she is running out of time. Summer’s End is fast approaching and soon her girls would be leaving. She too would be leaving Sea Breeze moving to a retirement home when the house was sold.
Everyone has to find their way in life, their purpose, their destiny. Who would buy the house and now they would have no place to gather. Would Sea Breeze be sold to strangers? Where would the girls live? Will Harper change her mind about returning to New York? How would Mamaw say goodbye?
Dora’s divorce is pending, Carlson pregnant, and Harper completely adrift. Harper has suffered from a controlling mother, wanting her to remain in New York, not in SC. However, Harper has been keeping a secret of her own - her writing and of course there is the love interest, Taylor McClellan the man who befriended Nate and Carson at the Dolphin Research Center in Florida.
Harper pursued a career as an editor in New York, discovering she had a talent in assisting others with their stories, and putting them onto a page. Her book. Her sisters thought she was taking the summer off to lounge. She cannot tell anyone, after all her father never finished a book, a family joke. Everyone would have opinions so she wanted to keep it to herself.
Carson has worries now that she is a single mother, pregnant with no place to live and how to take care of her soon to be baby. Lucille always told her to trust her instincts. She will not run again. And then there is Blake. He loves the low country, his family, his dog, dolphins, and her which frightens her.
Dora the mother of son Nate has learned to let him live a little, and not be so strict and allowing him more fun –growing from the over protective and controlling mother she was when she first arrived on the island. He would soon go from homeschooling to a classroom, a private school that specialized in bright children with special needs, like his Aspergers. Of course, there is Devlin her ex-boyfriend we loved from the previous books, and he has an offer.
Little did they know Mamaw, had been watching them carefully all summer since they were young girls, especially this summer. They shared their problems, struggles, their hopes and dreams with each other, together under the southern stars. The beginning of a new era a place where there would be joy again and possibly Parker had been wise after all in naming his daughters after great literary figures, giving them something to live up to. In her book, her granddaughters are her heroines.
Over cocktails, games of canasta, parties, memories, grandmothers, old friends and new friends, porch swings, evening summer strolls and seaside summer days; a family, southern heritage, a home, rich with character and history, love and laughter in beautiful Sullivan’s Island, SC where dreams do come true. Mamaw may even have a new love interest at age eighty, and some surprises, and we get to revisit with a touching reunion with Delphine, the much loved dolphin once again. (Readers will enjoy the way the summer ends).
With all Mary Alice Monroe’s stories she is a master at skillfully weaving into her narrative, significant environmental topics, blending them into the lives of her flawed characters---as they mature, learn, and find healing and acceptance from life’s lessons and experiences.
Each book is unique with richly developed characters, connected to nature, ones you will not soon forget, even after the story ends. If you have not read Mary Alice Monroe, you are missing a rare treat as one of my favorite authors of the south for many years. Each can be read as a standalone; however, recommend reading them all!
Judith D. Collins Must Read Books
THE SUMMER’S END (Lowcountry Summer #3) a powerful trilogy by Mary Alice Monroe, as she brings her much loved reunion of three half-sisters at the SC Lowcountry’s Sea Breeze, driven by matriarch Mamaw to a heartwarming conclusion, with much growth, wisdom, experience—with love, affection, and family bonds, derived from their summer visit.
In THE SUMMER GIRLS (Lowcountry Summer #1) we met three-half sisters (Carson, Harper, and Dora), as they find their way back to one another with the help of their loving and aging grandmother, Mamaw and side kick Lucille, the housekeeper.
The one link is the deceased son/father Parker, an alcoholic whose actions still affect the lives of all today. Mamaw is about to sale the home and move into an assisted living, and she informs all the girls if they do not come home for the summer, she will cut them out of her will. She hopes she can talk them in to returning full time to the south and to their roots.
Brilliantly intertwined with real subjects of autism (Nate), alcoholism, enabling, abandonment, environmental issues, and the lovable and intriguing dolphins. A story of forgiveness, after years of secrets, silence, and enabling.
In THE SUMMER WIND (Lowcountry Summer #2), we dig deeper into the emotional lives and challenges of the three grown step-sisters, from different walks of life, a grandmother, a wise housekeeper, and a charismatic dolphin who touches the lives of a troubled boy with autism, and his aunt.
Guilt and healing are the constant themes of this poignant story, their experiences, their lives and the courageous Dolphin. A powerful theme of humans and animals – sharing a connection is evident throughout each of the books demonstrating a reminder of the importance of protecting animals, and the environment.
THE SUMMERS END (Lowcountry Summer #3) brings a mixture of sadness and joy, tying up all loose ends, and reinvention. Lucille, Mamaw’s dear friend has passed on, and now Mamaw is lost without her. Everything was discussed with Lucille usually over a game of gin rummy. She knows Lucille would not like her mourning as her mission is ending, having brought the girls to the island to get to know one another,and embrace their roots. She has more work to do.
It has been a tumultuous summer of change and growth, ups and downs, joys and heartaches. The girls had rediscovered the sisterly love they shared as children when they played together on Sullivan’s Island. Yet much had to be done and she is running out of time. Summer’s End is fast approaching and soon her girls would be leaving. She too would be leaving Sea Breeze moving to a retirement home when the house was sold.
Everyone has to find their way in life, their purpose, their destiny. Who would buy the house and now they would have no place to gather. Would Sea Breeze be sold to strangers? Where would the girls live? Will Harper change her mind about returning to New York? How would Mamaw say goodbye?
Dora’s divorce is pending, Carlson pregnant, and Harper completely adrift. Harper has suffered from a controlling mother, wanting her to remain in New York, not in SC. However, Harper has been keeping a secret of her own - her writing and of course there is the love interest, Taylor McClellan the man who befriended Nate and Carson at the Dolphin Research Center in Florida.
Harper pursued a career as an editor in New York, discovering she had a talent in assisting others with their stories, and putting them onto a page. Her book. Her sisters thought she was taking the summer off to lounge. She cannot tell anyone, after all her father never finished a book, a family joke. Everyone would have opinions so she wanted to keep it to herself.
Carson has worries now that she is a single mother, pregnant with no place to live and how to take care of her soon to be baby. Lucille always told her to trust her instincts. She will not run again. And then there is Blake. He loves the low country, his family, his dog, dolphins, and her which frightens her.
Dora the mother of son Nate has learned to let him live a little, and not be so strict and allowing him more fun –growing from the over protective and controlling mother she was when she first arrived on the island. He would soon go from homeschooling to a classroom, a private school that specialized in bright children with special needs, like his Aspergers. Of course, there is Devlin her ex-boyfriend we loved from the previous books, and he has an offer.
Little did they know Mamaw, had been watching them carefully all summer since they were young girls, especially this summer. They shared their problems, struggles, their hopes and dreams with each other, together under the southern stars. The beginning of a new era a place where there would be joy again and possibly Parker had been wise after all in naming his daughters after great literary figures, giving them something to live up to. In her book, her granddaughters are her heroines.
Over cocktails, games of canasta, parties, memories, grandmothers, old friends and new friends, porch swings, evening summer strolls and seaside summer days; a family, southern heritage, a home, rich with character and history, love and laughter in beautiful Sullivan’s Island, SC where dreams do come true. Mamaw may even have a new love interest at age eighty, and some surprises, and we get to revisit with a touching reunion with Delphine, the much loved dolphin once again. (Readers will enjoy the way the summer ends).
With all Mary Alice Monroe’s stories she is a master at skillfully weaving into her narrative, significant environmental topics, blending them into the lives of her flawed characters---as they mature, learn, and find healing and acceptance from life’s lessons and experiences.
Each book is unique with richly developed characters, connected to nature, ones you will not soon forget, even after the story ends. If you have not read Mary Alice Monroe, you are missing a rare treat as one of my favorite authors of the south for many years. Each can be read as a standalone; however, recommend reading them all!
Judith D. Collins Must Read Books
July 13, 2015
I read the previous books in the Lowcountry summer series.
I really wish that I had enjoyed this book in the series as much as I did the other two.
The third book in the series focuses on Harper, the younger of the half sisters who have been coming to Sea Breeze on Sullivan's Island since they were young girls. Brought together by their grandmother, Mamaw, for one last summer together before her grandmother sells Sea Breeze allows Harper to get out from under her mother's thumb for the summer.
So just like with the previous books, although this is ostensibly Harper's book, Ms. Monroe also rotates to the other two characters from the first and second book, Carson and Dora.
Please note that this review will contain spoilers about books one and two. If you have not read those books, please skip over this review.
So I realize for the most part when it comes to romance books I need to have a connection to the hero or heroine otherwise I am just rolling my eyes the whole time and wishing for the end. I have to see the chemistry between the two people since inside I am just a gooey marshmallow and do want to believe in finding the one and that good things happen to good people. I don't like a lot of what I consider dumb drama in my romance books such as secret pregnancies/hidden kids/insta-love, adultery/adults not talking about their issues which causes 'misunderstandings', love triangles, or the now popular love rectangles.
But above else I can't stand it if the romance book I am reading is boring. And this one was really boring.
Harper we know has a rich mother/grandparents and was working as an assistant to her mother who treated her badly. Mocking, dismissive, and being passive aggressive is definitely something you want in a boss and a mother.
So Harper going to Sea Breeze for the summer is actually a good thing. She needed to be away from her controlling mother and see that she could stand on her own two feet. Instead, we get Harper secretly writing a book about herself and her sisters (with names/events changed) to see if she could do what her father could never do, finish a book.
While at Sea Breeze, Taylor, a man that Carson met in the last book who had a crush and was very much into her, arrives at Sea Breeze. Harper lays eyes on him and we have insta-love.
I just shook my head. There is maybe a twinge of jealous by Harper since of course she thinks Taylor would be into Carson. Instead of using this to at least create some sort of tension in this book, any romance notions between Carson and Taylor are pretty much done away with in like five seconds though there was enough there in the last book to make me think that Ms. Monroe was setting up a love triangle between Carson and her ex, Blake. Heck, I would have welcomed a love triangle, or rectangle in this case since as I said though I usually hate those tropes in romance books, this book was boring.
So pretty early on you have all of the sisters with their romantic partners or in Carson's case pseudo romantic partners since she and Blake are still whatever. And we have Harper working with Taylor to upgrade the kitchen at Sea Breeze and do other parts of the house in order to get it ready to sell. And though Taylor has the appeal of oatmeal with no milk or sugar added, Harper keeps thinking about him and they kiss and I kind of fell asleep at that point.
My other complaint besides being bored while reading, is that though this is Harper's story most of the book is really about Carson and her issues. I used to really like this character in book one and thought she needed to get her shit together a lot more in book two since she was impulsive and careless with other people. In book three I was 100 percent over her. Going into book three readers know that Carson is pregnant by Blake. She is 'confused' though and their relationship is not addressed in any way shape or form though you have random characters saying things like I definitely see them acting closer and they are talking and flirting (yes that is totally the same thing as being in a healthy, mature, adult relationship). Instead we literally have scenes with Carson and Blake together talking about Delphine the dolphin that Carson befriended that had to be saved by Blake. I have never hated a dolphin this much in my life. All you need to know is that Carson acts like a jerk throughout this entire book pretty much. There is only one time when I did feel sympathy for this character, but a chapter or so later I was right back to being annoyed by her.
Dora is doing better in her relationship with Devlin. She puts her son Nate first, and though she plans on staying on Sullivan's Island, does not do the easy thing and decide to jump into marriage with Devlin. I actually liked Dora throughout this book since she seems to be the only character that changed based on events in books one and two and she realizes that she needs to be single for a while and not rush right into to have another man that she needs to depend on like she did with her ex. Unfortunately we get very little scenes with Dora and I wish that more had been added to balance the blandness of the romance between Harper and Taylor and the whole you just want to sit her down and read her behind for about an hour Carson.
Of course when Sea Breeze is about to be sold we have the girls catching a clue and realizing that oh crap, that thing for months that Mamaw said was going to have to happen is happening.
I am not going to lie. I thought for sure that Ms. Monroe was leaning to a different ending which though would have made me laugh at the absurdity of it, would still have been better than the paint by numbers ending we got.
I just wish that there had been some sort of tension in this book. Harper and her mother really don't count since we have just have them talking to each other on the phone and her mother being insulting via phone or email to her. It would have been better to have her mother actually come there and have it out with Harper once an for all so Harper could say all the things that she wanted to say. And it would have been good for Harper's mother to have it out with Mamaw since Harper's mother is still carrying around a lot of resentment towards the enabling that Mamaw did with regards to Harper's father. This was brought up a lot in book one, and a little in book two, but I think that the ball was kind of dropped a lot in book three.
I really wish that I had enjoyed this book in the series as much as I did the other two.
The third book in the series focuses on Harper, the younger of the half sisters who have been coming to Sea Breeze on Sullivan's Island since they were young girls. Brought together by their grandmother, Mamaw, for one last summer together before her grandmother sells Sea Breeze allows Harper to get out from under her mother's thumb for the summer.
So just like with the previous books, although this is ostensibly Harper's book, Ms. Monroe also rotates to the other two characters from the first and second book, Carson and Dora.
Please note that this review will contain spoilers about books one and two. If you have not read those books, please skip over this review.
So I realize for the most part when it comes to romance books I need to have a connection to the hero or heroine otherwise I am just rolling my eyes the whole time and wishing for the end. I have to see the chemistry between the two people since inside I am just a gooey marshmallow and do want to believe in finding the one and that good things happen to good people. I don't like a lot of what I consider dumb drama in my romance books such as secret pregnancies/hidden kids/insta-love, adultery/adults not talking about their issues which causes 'misunderstandings', love triangles, or the now popular love rectangles.
But above else I can't stand it if the romance book I am reading is boring. And this one was really boring.
Harper we know has a rich mother/grandparents and was working as an assistant to her mother who treated her badly. Mocking, dismissive, and being passive aggressive is definitely something you want in a boss and a mother.
So Harper going to Sea Breeze for the summer is actually a good thing. She needed to be away from her controlling mother and see that she could stand on her own two feet. Instead, we get Harper secretly writing a book about herself and her sisters (with names/events changed) to see if she could do what her father could never do, finish a book.
While at Sea Breeze, Taylor, a man that Carson met in the last book who had a crush and was very much into her, arrives at Sea Breeze. Harper lays eyes on him and we have insta-love.
I just shook my head. There is maybe a twinge of jealous by Harper since of course she thinks Taylor would be into Carson. Instead of using this to at least create some sort of tension in this book, any romance notions between Carson and Taylor are pretty much done away with in like five seconds though there was enough there in the last book to make me think that Ms. Monroe was setting up a love triangle between Carson and her ex, Blake. Heck, I would have welcomed a love triangle, or rectangle in this case since as I said though I usually hate those tropes in romance books, this book was boring.
So pretty early on you have all of the sisters with their romantic partners or in Carson's case pseudo romantic partners since she and Blake are still whatever. And we have Harper working with Taylor to upgrade the kitchen at Sea Breeze and do other parts of the house in order to get it ready to sell. And though Taylor has the appeal of oatmeal with no milk or sugar added, Harper keeps thinking about him and they kiss and I kind of fell asleep at that point.
My other complaint besides being bored while reading, is that though this is Harper's story most of the book is really about Carson and her issues. I used to really like this character in book one and thought she needed to get her shit together a lot more in book two since she was impulsive and careless with other people. In book three I was 100 percent over her. Going into book three readers know that Carson is pregnant by Blake. She is 'confused' though and their relationship is not addressed in any way shape or form though you have random characters saying things like I definitely see them acting closer and they are talking and flirting (yes that is totally the same thing as being in a healthy, mature, adult relationship). Instead we literally have scenes with Carson and Blake together talking about Delphine the dolphin that Carson befriended that had to be saved by Blake. I have never hated a dolphin this much in my life. All you need to know is that Carson acts like a jerk throughout this entire book pretty much. There is only one time when I did feel sympathy for this character, but a chapter or so later I was right back to being annoyed by her.
Dora is doing better in her relationship with Devlin. She puts her son Nate first, and though she plans on staying on Sullivan's Island, does not do the easy thing and decide to jump into marriage with Devlin. I actually liked Dora throughout this book since she seems to be the only character that changed based on events in books one and two and she realizes that she needs to be single for a while and not rush right into to have another man that she needs to depend on like she did with her ex. Unfortunately we get very little scenes with Dora and I wish that more had been added to balance the blandness of the romance between Harper and Taylor and the whole you just want to sit her down and read her behind for about an hour Carson.
Of course when Sea Breeze is about to be sold we have the girls catching a clue and realizing that oh crap, that thing for months that Mamaw said was going to have to happen is happening.
I am not going to lie. I thought for sure that Ms. Monroe was leaning to a different ending which though would have made me laugh at the absurdity of it, would still have been better than the paint by numbers ending we got.
I just wish that there had been some sort of tension in this book. Harper and her mother really don't count since we have just have them talking to each other on the phone and her mother being insulting via phone or email to her. It would have been better to have her mother actually come there and have it out with Harper once an for all so Harper could say all the things that she wanted to say. And it would have been good for Harper's mother to have it out with Mamaw since Harper's mother is still carrying around a lot of resentment towards the enabling that Mamaw did with regards to Harper's father. This was brought up a lot in book one, and a little in book two, but I think that the ball was kind of dropped a lot in book three.
April 30, 2015
I first read a Mary Alice Monroe book, The Beach House, after seeing her at an author luncheon (The Moveable Feast) in Murrells Inlet, S.C. in 2002. After listening to her inspirational and interesting talk and devouring The Beach House, I became her biggest fan! Since then I have happily attended each of her Moveable Feast luncheons and have purchased and read all of her books.
The Summer's End, the last book in the Summer Girls trilogy, is the continuing story of a grandmother, Mamaw and her estranged granddaughters (three half sisters named Carson, Dora, and Harper)who are spending one last summer at Mamaw's beach house, Sea Breeze in Sullivan's Island, South Carolina. Mamaw is now 80 years old and feels that she can no longer afford or maintain Sea Breeze so she plans to sell it and move to assisted living. Mamaw's biggest fear is that the girls will never see each other again after she dies. Each book in the trilogy has focused on a different sister's story and her personal and career issues. Mamaw attempts to provide unconditional love along with "tough love" advice to each girl in hopes of leading her in the right direction. In the Summer's End, the focus is on Harper and her struggle to find her destiny away from her controlling and manipulative mother who is also her employer. Mary Alice Monroe's storytelling and character development is excellent, and I felt as if I was one of Mamaw's Summer Girls.
If you have never read a MAM book do yourself a favor and read one! You'll become a Mary Alice Monroe fan, too!
The Summer's End, the last book in the Summer Girls trilogy, is the continuing story of a grandmother, Mamaw and her estranged granddaughters (three half sisters named Carson, Dora, and Harper)who are spending one last summer at Mamaw's beach house, Sea Breeze in Sullivan's Island, South Carolina. Mamaw is now 80 years old and feels that she can no longer afford or maintain Sea Breeze so she plans to sell it and move to assisted living. Mamaw's biggest fear is that the girls will never see each other again after she dies. Each book in the trilogy has focused on a different sister's story and her personal and career issues. Mamaw attempts to provide unconditional love along with "tough love" advice to each girl in hopes of leading her in the right direction. In the Summer's End, the focus is on Harper and her struggle to find her destiny away from her controlling and manipulative mother who is also her employer. Mary Alice Monroe's storytelling and character development is excellent, and I felt as if I was one of Mamaw's Summer Girls.
If you have never read a MAM book do yourself a favor and read one! You'll become a Mary Alice Monroe fan, too!
May 18, 2019
Half-sisters Dora, Carson, and Harper visit Mamaw on Sullivan's Island to celebrate her birthday and end up spending the summer at critical times for each of them. Dora is in the midst of a divorce and dealing with providing for her special needs son. Carson, a recovering alcoholic, needs to find a job. She's become very involved with an injured dolphin undergoing rehabilitation with an eye to returning it to its habitat. Harper's mother berates and manipulates her, but Harper quits her job as her mother's editorial assistant with no plans for the future. She does, however, have a trust fund. Mamaw plans to sell the house at the end of the season. The house has been a refuge for all the half-sisters. They all hate to see it leave the family's end, but they aren't sure what can be done to stop the inevitable. All three women also find a man who provides the support they need at this time in their lives. It's a wonderful "beach read," set in one of my favorite travel destinations--the greater Charleston area. I listened to the audio version read by the author herself! She did a great job.
March 17, 2022
Loved it! The 3rd book in a trilogy. You will laugh, cry, and fall in love with Mamaw and her 3 granddaughters. Great beach read😃
April 28, 2015
As everyone knows all good things come to an end, as does our seasons with the passing of the summer into fall. So begins the final book of Mary Alice Monroe’s Lowland series called The Summer’s End. We are again on Sullivan’s Island with Mawmaw and her granddaughters Dora, Harper, and Carson. Everyone knows that this is the last summer together at Sea Breeze.
We are drawn into the lives of the three granddaughters with the rediscovery of their hopes, dreams and struggles to move on. It is a difficult time, but as they figure out the next moves, you realize that Sea Breeze is yet a house, but the love they have is forever. This is the lesson that Mawmaw wants them to learn and to have. The Summer’s End is mostly the story of Harper and what she is doing next. She too has a decision to make with going back into her mother’s narcissistic world or to forge her own path.
Mary Alice Monroe’s book makes the low country come alive, as if it is another character in the book. Her glowing descriptions of the land and its inhabitants bring you right down on the docks. With the description comes the knowledge that times are changing and the way of life with the people is changing as well. It is more difficult to survive the old ways and the need to reform of our understanding of conservation.
I really enjoyed this series of books. I love the characters, the settings and the love they discover. The Summer’s End is a wonderful end to this series. Not everything is too tidy, but the characters have all grown and learned. Let’s face it I really love the writing of Mary Alice Monroe. It is really too bad, I couldn’t read this while out on the beach with a sweet tea.
We are drawn into the lives of the three granddaughters with the rediscovery of their hopes, dreams and struggles to move on. It is a difficult time, but as they figure out the next moves, you realize that Sea Breeze is yet a house, but the love they have is forever. This is the lesson that Mawmaw wants them to learn and to have. The Summer’s End is mostly the story of Harper and what she is doing next. She too has a decision to make with going back into her mother’s narcissistic world or to forge her own path.
Mary Alice Monroe’s book makes the low country come alive, as if it is another character in the book. Her glowing descriptions of the land and its inhabitants bring you right down on the docks. With the description comes the knowledge that times are changing and the way of life with the people is changing as well. It is more difficult to survive the old ways and the need to reform of our understanding of conservation.
I really enjoyed this series of books. I love the characters, the settings and the love they discover. The Summer’s End is a wonderful end to this series. Not everything is too tidy, but the characters have all grown and learned. Let’s face it I really love the writing of Mary Alice Monroe. It is really too bad, I couldn’t read this while out on the beach with a sweet tea.
Read
May 19, 2015 Welcome back to Sea Breeze, Mamaw's home on Sullivan's Island, S.C., where the much beloved Mamaw is reunited with her granddaughters for their final summer together. Mary Alice Monroe once again takes us on a wonderfully heartfelt and powerful journey in The Summer's End, the third and final book of her Lowcountry Summer Trilogy. Monroe's writing is filled with life lessons for her readers, and this series is without exception.
Known for their intelligence, a bottle-nosed dolphin named Delphine, teaches us about her environment and the threats to wildlife, their importance to our ecological system, and our role in environmental sustainability.
Sea Breeze has and will always be the safe haven for Mamaw and her wonderful girls, Eudora (Dora), Carson and Harper. Sea Breeze, their little piece of heaven, envelopes the past along with recreating hope for a better future, with an all-for-one and one-for-all mindset amongst them. As Monroe reminds us readers "It's not the house that makes a home. It's the people", think of -'Sea Breeze'- as "a lifeboat" in an ocean of emotional energy.
Monroe's ability to engage her readers with her spellbinding brilliance is truly a blessing to us all. The Summer's End concludes this series on a perfect note, making Monroe, not just another good author, but a great author!
Known for their intelligence, a bottle-nosed dolphin named Delphine, teaches us about her environment and the threats to wildlife, their importance to our ecological system, and our role in environmental sustainability.
Sea Breeze has and will always be the safe haven for Mamaw and her wonderful girls, Eudora (Dora), Carson and Harper. Sea Breeze, their little piece of heaven, envelopes the past along with recreating hope for a better future, with an all-for-one and one-for-all mindset amongst them. As Monroe reminds us readers "It's not the house that makes a home. It's the people", think of -'Sea Breeze'- as "a lifeboat" in an ocean of emotional energy.
Monroe's ability to engage her readers with her spellbinding brilliance is truly a blessing to us all. The Summer's End concludes this series on a perfect note, making Monroe, not just another good author, but a great author!
May 3, 2015
A wonderful conclusion to the Summer Trilogy, centering on Mamaw and her 3 granddaughters, who are half-sisters. They have not been together for many years, and Mamaw wants them to join her for the summer in her beach house in low country SC one last time before she moves into a rest home. The stories we have been following in the earlier books wrap up nicely in this one.
Mary Alice Monroe excels at character development, which draws us into the narrative. For example, we don’t see Dora as just another aging southern belle who is getting a divorce, but as the mother of a special needs child, and as a woman who has accepted being marginalized for too long. There is romance here too—I especially liked that the romance was not limited to the younger women in the novel. Delphine the dolphin’s story is here, too, and it comes to a satisfying conclusion.
This novel really transported me to a place I’ve never been—the South Carolina beach—and I could envision myself sitting on the porch drinking sweet tea and relaxing with Mamaw and the girls. Evocative and excellent writing, multi-faceted characters, and a relaxing summer at the beach— highly recommended!
Mary Alice Monroe excels at character development, which draws us into the narrative. For example, we don’t see Dora as just another aging southern belle who is getting a divorce, but as the mother of a special needs child, and as a woman who has accepted being marginalized for too long. There is romance here too—I especially liked that the romance was not limited to the younger women in the novel. Delphine the dolphin’s story is here, too, and it comes to a satisfying conclusion.
This novel really transported me to a place I’ve never been—the South Carolina beach—and I could envision myself sitting on the porch drinking sweet tea and relaxing with Mamaw and the girls. Evocative and excellent writing, multi-faceted characters, and a relaxing summer at the beach— highly recommended!
May 19, 2015
This is the conclusion to the Lowcountry Summer Trilogy. While reading this series you will fall in love with the beautiful landscape of Sullivans Island and the Atlantic ocean in the lowcountry. The sisters (Carson, Dora and Harper) and Mamaw are winding down the summer at Sea Breeze, the family home. This is Harper's story. The girls have helped and supported each other as they have grown closer and became more than just sisters. They have returned to the family home at the request of their grandmother to celebrate her birthday and then invited to stay for the summer. She must decide what she wants to do with her life and learn to acknowledge her strengths and follow her dreams. She is swept off her feet by a handsome Marine. It is an emotional and a transitional time for everyone as the beloved family home is prepared for sale and each sister must decide what's next for them.
April 27, 2015
I don't know how Mary Alice Monroe continues to create such good books, but this one was the perfect ending to the Lowcountry Summer trilogy. She seamlessly weaves family drama, romance, marine life conservation and PTSD issues into a wonderful story set in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. So many times while reading this book, I was reminded of my childhood as I too called my grandmother "Mamaw". I don't give 5 star reviews often, but this book deserves it plus some. I really tried to draw this one out, not wanting it to end but I ended up devouring it because I could not put it down. I highly recommend all of Mary Alice's books and anxiously await her next one. I was provided an ARC from NetGalley.
May 16, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed reading "The Summer's End" (The third book in "The Summer Girls" Trilogy) because, like my own novels, it focuses on the value of connectedness. It emphasizes the importance of creating, nurturing and preserving human connections--the kind that are face to face and hug to hug. Mary Alice Monroe has created a fascinating character, Mamaw, who demonstrates the power of one wise person who is determined to preserve continuity in her family. The novel is full of romances for the reader to enjoy, as well as the specific story of the youngest granddaughter, Harper's growth into independence. Still...it remains the story of Mamaw and the triumph of her maternal love. I highly recommend the novel; you would not want to miss knowing Mamaw!
March 19, 2021
The final book of Monroe's Lowcountry Summer Trilogy fills in the remainder of the story of the three Muir half sisters as summer comes to the end. All of the girls living at Sea Breeze have life-changing decisions to make as summer comes to a close. Harper finds her purpose, Dora looks ahead, Carson accepts herself, and Mamaw finds life again in this well-written, plot-packed conclusion to their stories. The author does a great job of rounding out the series and tying up loose ends of seemingly real life characters you have cared for since book one. Again, this is a wonderful beach read and series that I recommend all of the time! I definitely recommend reading the first two books of the series before this book. The characters and the setting are easy to fall in love with, making you wish that you lived in Sea Breeze too.
Find it today: https://ent.sharelibraries.info/clien...
Ashley C. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL
Find it today: https://ent.sharelibraries.info/clien...
Ashley C. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL
April 11, 2018
What a lovely end to this trilogy. Each book has focused on one of the three sisters, this last one focusing on Harper Muir-James. It was marvelous watching her character grow from an insecure young adult to a confident woman ready to stand her ground. And the inclusion of Taylor, USMC, was excellent. Again, this is not profound literature; if I had wanted that, I would have chosen to read something else. This is just a wonderful story about family and life along the intercoastal waterway in South Carolina.
Go Cards! L1C4!!
Go Cards! L1C4!!
March 30, 2015
This is a fitting end to Mary Alice Monroe’s Sullivan Island trilogy. Having read the other two books in the series, I was eagerly awaiting this one. This book proved to be every bit as good as the other two. Now that summer is almost over, Mawmaw, Harper, Carson and Dora, have realized that their beloved family home, Sea Breeze will be sold. Mawmaw, the girls’ aging grandmother, has concluded the family home Sea Breeze, must be sold because she can no longer afford its upkeep. Each of the three girls, Harper, Carson and Dora came to the island with different hope s, aspirations and conflicting emotions. Harper had just left her job working for her narcissist, unloving mother. Carson had left her job in the film industry after career ending actins while on a drinking bender and was battling her own drinking demons. Dora was picking up the pieces after her marriage ended and trying to figure out what life will hold for her and her son, who has Aspergers syndrome. This is the do or die time for the three girls It is also a sad time for all four in Sea Breeze, especially for Mawmaw, since the death of her best friend and housekeeper Lucille (in the last book). This book covers the last weeks of their lives at Sea Breeze, how each copes with the impending sale, how they cope with Lucille’s absence, and how each one ties up the loose ends that now make up so much of their lives. In particular, this book focuses on Harper, who has some big decisions to make as well as some interesting growing up to do now that she is finally free of her domineering mother and can learn to accept and lover her sisters and to accept the fact that she is capable of loving and loving life to the fullest. However, I want to point out that all four main characters, not just Harper, learn this as the book progresses.
This is a book I read almost in one sitting. I knew the sisters and their beloved grandmother from the other books, but the reader can also easily read this as a stand-alone book, and catch up on the rest of the story later, if he/she wishes. As I read, I was transported to the Low Country once again, to its enchanting culture and setting. The author definitely has a fabulous way of bringing the area and its subtle nuances of culture and life out to the reader. In addition, though I had read the other books and was familiar with the characters, the author did such a superb job in developing them in this book, I again felt was part of their larger family and looking in at their daily life and routines from a close distance. In this book, I found it fascinating to watch how Harper and Carson each approached love interests in their own different but endearing way. Both girls finally are forced to look at themselves in the new light of an adult, separate from their immediate family and face all the wonderful facts and nuances of love right in the face. This is the story of Harper, in particular, and her newly met love, a former marine coping with his own set of problems in dealing with life. Together they learn when and how to rely one each other for support and love, and relying on anyone else because each has been burned in different ways in their own pasts is difficult, but they manage to overcome the obstacles.
I would give this book more than five stars if I could. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the author or who is looking for a fantastic read about a fabulous area of the country while still enjoying a good story. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.
This is a book I read almost in one sitting. I knew the sisters and their beloved grandmother from the other books, but the reader can also easily read this as a stand-alone book, and catch up on the rest of the story later, if he/she wishes. As I read, I was transported to the Low Country once again, to its enchanting culture and setting. The author definitely has a fabulous way of bringing the area and its subtle nuances of culture and life out to the reader. In addition, though I had read the other books and was familiar with the characters, the author did such a superb job in developing them in this book, I again felt was part of their larger family and looking in at their daily life and routines from a close distance. In this book, I found it fascinating to watch how Harper and Carson each approached love interests in their own different but endearing way. Both girls finally are forced to look at themselves in the new light of an adult, separate from their immediate family and face all the wonderful facts and nuances of love right in the face. This is the story of Harper, in particular, and her newly met love, a former marine coping with his own set of problems in dealing with life. Together they learn when and how to rely one each other for support and love, and relying on anyone else because each has been burned in different ways in their own pasts is difficult, but they manage to overcome the obstacles.
I would give this book more than five stars if I could. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the author or who is looking for a fantastic read about a fabulous area of the country while still enjoying a good story. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.
April 27, 2015
** I received an e-copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.
I have been eagerly anticipating a return to Sea Breeze which is the final chapter in the Low Country Summer Trilogy. I love Mary Alice Monroe and always feel a connection and kinship with her characters. This trilogy has been my favorite. Her writing and storytelling makes you feel like you are right there on Sullivans Island and Sea Breeze.
Carson, Dora, and Harper are still at Sea Breeze wrapping up their summer in which they were spending precious time with Mawmaw and rebuilding their relationships with one another. As summer is winding down the girls realize that Sea Breeze will have to be sold and their safe haven will no longer be a party of their lives. They are each continuing on a journey to discover themselves and truly find out who they are and where they belong. The death of beloved housekeeper Lucille in the last book still hovers over all of them, especially Mawmaw and there is a sense of sadness that this is all coming to end. The girls and their relationship with their grandmother is so touching for me given how close I was to my beloved grandmother. I treasure all the summers and trips I spent with her and I miss her everyday.
Mawmaw is still the glue that holds them all together even as they individually deal with new love, loss, and major decisions. This books focuses the most on Harper and her journey to discover who she really is and not who her overbearing and controlling mother wants her to be.
As the sale of the house nears, they all realize the devastation of losing this home that has been such a huge part of their childhood and their lives. But as Mary Alice Monroe reminds us, "It's not the house that makes a home. It's the people".
I adore these characters, they are so different, yet all tied together through Mawmaw and Sea Breeze. Mary Alice Monroe makes you feel like you are a part of the family and you feel like you are sitting on the porch at Sea Breeze enjoying a glass of MawMaw’s special sweet tea! I love the descriptive writing that paints this beautiful picture of the low country. You can almost hear the ocean and smell the shrimp cooking! Even though this book wraps up most of the loose ends for the The Summer Girls, I hope to see these amazing ladies in another book somewhere down the road. Thanks to Mary Alice Monroe for another wonderful story. I feel a little lost now that I am done. But I will tuck this away and read again over the summer while I am sitting somewhere with my toes in the sand.
I have been eagerly anticipating a return to Sea Breeze which is the final chapter in the Low Country Summer Trilogy. I love Mary Alice Monroe and always feel a connection and kinship with her characters. This trilogy has been my favorite. Her writing and storytelling makes you feel like you are right there on Sullivans Island and Sea Breeze.
Carson, Dora, and Harper are still at Sea Breeze wrapping up their summer in which they were spending precious time with Mawmaw and rebuilding their relationships with one another. As summer is winding down the girls realize that Sea Breeze will have to be sold and their safe haven will no longer be a party of their lives. They are each continuing on a journey to discover themselves and truly find out who they are and where they belong. The death of beloved housekeeper Lucille in the last book still hovers over all of them, especially Mawmaw and there is a sense of sadness that this is all coming to end. The girls and their relationship with their grandmother is so touching for me given how close I was to my beloved grandmother. I treasure all the summers and trips I spent with her and I miss her everyday.
Mawmaw is still the glue that holds them all together even as they individually deal with new love, loss, and major decisions. This books focuses the most on Harper and her journey to discover who she really is and not who her overbearing and controlling mother wants her to be.
As the sale of the house nears, they all realize the devastation of losing this home that has been such a huge part of their childhood and their lives. But as Mary Alice Monroe reminds us, "It's not the house that makes a home. It's the people".
I adore these characters, they are so different, yet all tied together through Mawmaw and Sea Breeze. Mary Alice Monroe makes you feel like you are a part of the family and you feel like you are sitting on the porch at Sea Breeze enjoying a glass of MawMaw’s special sweet tea! I love the descriptive writing that paints this beautiful picture of the low country. You can almost hear the ocean and smell the shrimp cooking! Even though this book wraps up most of the loose ends for the The Summer Girls, I hope to see these amazing ladies in another book somewhere down the road. Thanks to Mary Alice Monroe for another wonderful story. I feel a little lost now that I am done. But I will tuck this away and read again over the summer while I am sitting somewhere with my toes in the sand.
May 8, 2022
I've been reading this book slowly, taking my time. I enjoyed the Lowcountry Summer trilogy. Each book has its stand out moments and each are fun, warm, and homey — all delicious beach reads. The third book in the trilogy is more about the youngest sister, Harper Muir-James. The first two center around middle sister, Carson. When the trilogy begins, Marietta Muir is trying to recreate summers of the past, hoping to reunite her granddaughters. Eudora, the eldest sister, is busy with her young son and going through a divorce. Carson is adrift and desperately seeking herself. Harper is the baby sis, raised in New York by a controlling, manipulative mother. The sister's have the same father but different mothers. Their connection has always been Mamaw, Sea Breeze, and Lowcountry summers.
The Muir sisters are spending one last summer with Mamaw at Sea Breeze. Change is upon all of the women —decisions and choices being the theme here. As a whole, I adored the trilogy. The first book was my favorite...the one that sucked me in. I could see myself being friends with all of the Muir women. One of my all-time favorite places is the Lowcountry, so I'm a pushover for books that take place in this beautiful setting. I liked Summer's End but it was my least fave. There were a few moments of cheese, but that's okay. Overall, I connected with the story. It was entertaining and fun and certainly a great ending to an interesting trilogy. Or so I thought. While browsing Mary Alice Monroe's website, I happily discovered that there will be a fourth installment. I don't want to give anything away so I've kept this review simple and vague. If you're looking for a fun beach read, I would recommend picking up any of Mary Alice Monroe's Lowcountry Summer Trilogy books. You won't be disappointed and you'll definitely fall in love with the Lowcountry yourself. I'd give this rating a 3 and 1/2 stars. It didn't quite earn the fourth star but I've kindly rounded up due to the lack of half star ratings on Goodreads. However, put the three books together as a whole...four stars!
I received a DRC from NetGalley but I also bought my own copy. I wanted to share the Lowcountry Summer Trilogy with my mom and daughter.
The Muir sisters are spending one last summer with Mamaw at Sea Breeze. Change is upon all of the women —decisions and choices being the theme here. As a whole, I adored the trilogy. The first book was my favorite...the one that sucked me in. I could see myself being friends with all of the Muir women. One of my all-time favorite places is the Lowcountry, so I'm a pushover for books that take place in this beautiful setting. I liked Summer's End but it was my least fave. There were a few moments of cheese, but that's okay. Overall, I connected with the story. It was entertaining and fun and certainly a great ending to an interesting trilogy. Or so I thought. While browsing Mary Alice Monroe's website, I happily discovered that there will be a fourth installment. I don't want to give anything away so I've kept this review simple and vague. If you're looking for a fun beach read, I would recommend picking up any of Mary Alice Monroe's Lowcountry Summer Trilogy books. You won't be disappointed and you'll definitely fall in love with the Lowcountry yourself. I'd give this rating a 3 and 1/2 stars. It didn't quite earn the fourth star but I've kindly rounded up due to the lack of half star ratings on Goodreads. However, put the three books together as a whole...four stars!
I received a DRC from NetGalley but I also bought my own copy. I wanted to share the Lowcountry Summer Trilogy with my mom and daughter.
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May 10, 2015Thank you to Mary Alice Monroe and Gallery books for my copy of Summer’s End in exchange for an honest review. I am excited to share the final chapter in the Summer Girls series. A giveaway is also included. See the rafflecopter below for details.
Synopsis:
The summer is slowly coming to the end for the Summer Girls. Mamaw will soon be moving into the retirement home. Dora will be moving forward with Nate into a new home and relationship. Carson is back on Sullivan’s island after going to Florida to care for the dolphin Delphine. How will her summer really finish? Will she be able to move forward? Then there is Harper who is dreading the idea of going back to New York. Her plans change once she has met Tyler McClellan. Will she finally be able to stand up to her mother? What about her special summer project?
My Thoughts:
I loved the first novel in the Summer Girls series! I definitely was not disappointed with the last novel in the series. Or is this the last? This series focuses on the lives of the three daughters Dora, Carson, and Harper. This book specifically features Harper’s character and her development. The plot specifically focuses on what happens with Harper’s character and how it impacts the others in the novel.
This novel once again is set in the Sullivan’s island. The rich detail of the characters brings a story that readers will enjoy.
Synopsis:
The summer is slowly coming to the end for the Summer Girls. Mamaw will soon be moving into the retirement home. Dora will be moving forward with Nate into a new home and relationship. Carson is back on Sullivan’s island after going to Florida to care for the dolphin Delphine. How will her summer really finish? Will she be able to move forward? Then there is Harper who is dreading the idea of going back to New York. Her plans change once she has met Tyler McClellan. Will she finally be able to stand up to her mother? What about her special summer project?
My Thoughts:
I loved the first novel in the Summer Girls series! I definitely was not disappointed with the last novel in the series. Or is this the last? This series focuses on the lives of the three daughters Dora, Carson, and Harper. This book specifically features Harper’s character and her development. The plot specifically focuses on what happens with Harper’s character and how it impacts the others in the novel.
This novel once again is set in the Sullivan’s island. The rich detail of the characters brings a story that readers will enjoy.
April 24, 2015
I received an ARC from the publisher, Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Mary Alice Monroe does not disappoint with "The Summer's End", Book 3 in the Lowcountry Series. Mamaw invited her 3 granddaughter's to her beach house for one final summer. Mamaw will be putting her home on the market at the end of the summer and move to a senior citizens community. Dora, Harper and Collins, are three sisters with different mothers and haven't seen much of each other for a long time. Mamaw is hoping that the 3 of them will rediscover the closeness they once had during their summers spent with her as children.
In "The Summer's End" Dora has found love in an old flame and has made a life for herself and her son. Collins is dealing with a surprise pregnancy and fears for her future. Harper is unsure where she belongs or what she wants to do with her life and spends a lot of time in her room writing a book.
I just love the lives of these 3 women. They have everyday cares, worries, and live normal lives as best as they can.
I will admit to wondering if I will see another book featuring these 3 women.
Mary Alice Monroe does not disappoint with "The Summer's End", Book 3 in the Lowcountry Series. Mamaw invited her 3 granddaughter's to her beach house for one final summer. Mamaw will be putting her home on the market at the end of the summer and move to a senior citizens community. Dora, Harper and Collins, are three sisters with different mothers and haven't seen much of each other for a long time. Mamaw is hoping that the 3 of them will rediscover the closeness they once had during their summers spent with her as children.
In "The Summer's End" Dora has found love in an old flame and has made a life for herself and her son. Collins is dealing with a surprise pregnancy and fears for her future. Harper is unsure where she belongs or what she wants to do with her life and spends a lot of time in her room writing a book.
I just love the lives of these 3 women. They have everyday cares, worries, and live normal lives as best as they can.
I will admit to wondering if I will see another book featuring these 3 women.
May 12, 2015
Re-awaken your senses with the sights and sounds of Sullivans Island, a gem across the bridge from Charleston. It is a beautiful paradise of an island and Mary Alice Monroe captures your heart as well as your free spirit in this third installment of the Lowcountry Summer Trilogy. Harper, Carson, and Dora are at summer's end. They have become reacquainted at Sea Breeze over the summer at their Mamaw's home, Sea Breeze, after having been separated for many years. As step-sisters who share the same father, they find that each of them are trying to find their own way. This is Harper's story, but Mamaw, Carson, and Dora are equally involved in their own right. The myriad colors of the sunrises and sunsets, the sound of the waves and palm fronds, the feel of the pluff mud, and the sights of the lowcountry are brought to life through this author's eloquent words. I highly recommend this and every other book that she has written. What a treasure! [I received this ARC from the author through NetGalley.]
April 29, 2015
Reading the third book in the Low Country Summer trilogy was like sitting down with old friends to catch up on what was going on in their lives. The characters had been so well drawn in the first books, that I felt like I knew them personally.Book 1 -The Summer Girls was Carson's story, Book 2 - The Summer Wind was Dora's story and the final book in the trilogy was Harper's story. The three half sisters were all pulled together by their paternal grandmother Mamaw who owned Sea Breeze house on Sullivan's Island where they are spending the summer before she sells the house to move into a nursing home. In this final book of the trilogy, we see Harper get out from under the thumb of her demanding mother and learn to be an independent and loving woman. Its a fantastic book and would be a great book to read at the beach because you can almost hear the ocean in the background as you read it. This book wraps up almost all of the loose ends of the novel but it would be so wonderful to meet these old friends again in another book. Please....
May 17, 2015
The perfect ending to one of my favorite series. Mary Alice Monroe simply doesn't write anything but fantastic books populated with characters I carry in my heart and mind even as I read my next book.
The Summers End is everything I want final book in a trilogy to be. It ties up all storylines and leaves you completely satisfied. I adored Mamaw and Lucille's relationship and watching Mamaw grieve was heart wrenching.
In Summers End we get to watch Harper truly find herself and step out from her Mothers shadow. Who knew our city slicker would be the sister to truly find a kinship to Sea Breeze?
Mary Alice Monroe has hit the trifecta with this series. Each book got better than the next and I for one am sorry it's over.
I can however take solace in the fact that there is no doubt Monroe's next book will also have characters I can fall in love with and I will undoubtedly learn more about the wildlife she so staunchly supports.
Thank you Netgalley and Gallery books for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Summers End is everything I want final book in a trilogy to be. It ties up all storylines and leaves you completely satisfied. I adored Mamaw and Lucille's relationship and watching Mamaw grieve was heart wrenching.
In Summers End we get to watch Harper truly find herself and step out from her Mothers shadow. Who knew our city slicker would be the sister to truly find a kinship to Sea Breeze?
Mary Alice Monroe has hit the trifecta with this series. Each book got better than the next and I for one am sorry it's over.
I can however take solace in the fact that there is no doubt Monroe's next book will also have characters I can fall in love with and I will undoubtedly learn more about the wildlife she so staunchly supports.
Thank you Netgalley and Gallery books for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2015
I'm going to miss these characters.
This book is the third in the trilogy. This wraps up the stories of Mamaw, Dora, Carson and Harper.
Each book focuses on one sister as the main character but each tells the story of all of them.
This book focuses on Harper, the youngest sister.
I liked her character the best of the three sisters, throughout each book. She's the kindest I'd say and sometimes others take advantage of her kindness.
The characters are well written enough that they feel like real people. I found myself getting irritated with Carson. But that just reminds me of how real they all seem.
I'm going to miss the characters a lot, especially the sweet hearted grandmother Mamaw, but I'm completely happy with the way the story ends.
This book is the third in the trilogy. This wraps up the stories of Mamaw, Dora, Carson and Harper.
Each book focuses on one sister as the main character but each tells the story of all of them.
This book focuses on Harper, the youngest sister.
I liked her character the best of the three sisters, throughout each book. She's the kindest I'd say and sometimes others take advantage of her kindness.
The characters are well written enough that they feel like real people. I found myself getting irritated with Carson. But that just reminds me of how real they all seem.
I'm going to miss the characters a lot, especially the sweet hearted grandmother Mamaw, but I'm completely happy with the way the story ends.
April 19, 2015
Given To Me For An Honest Review
The Summer's End (Lowcountry Summer Book 3) by Mary Alice Monroe is a page turner and it's a real good one. It's a simple fun read about sisters coming together and all ending well. As you read the story, you'll feel as though you are being drawn in and are being invited to share a glass of sweet tea and a little talk with Mamaw and the girls. This is a great book to take to the beach to read or to read at home on a lazy rainy day. I gave this book 5 stars but wish I could give it more because it deserves more. I recommend this book to everyone. I look for more great reads from Mary Alice Monroe.
The Summer's End (Lowcountry Summer Book 3) by Mary Alice Monroe is a page turner and it's a real good one. It's a simple fun read about sisters coming together and all ending well. As you read the story, you'll feel as though you are being drawn in and are being invited to share a glass of sweet tea and a little talk with Mamaw and the girls. This is a great book to take to the beach to read or to read at home on a lazy rainy day. I gave this book 5 stars but wish I could give it more because it deserves more. I recommend this book to everyone. I look for more great reads from Mary Alice Monroe.
December 29, 2016
I love this trilogy set in the Low Country at the family home of Sea Breeze. Mamaw has succeeded in getting her three granddaughters happy and back together. Summer's End gives a very satisfying conclusion to Harper's escape from her mother's tyranny, Dora decides if divorce is the answer and a life with her new friend and Carson decides to stop running from life and enjoy her grandmother's hospitality. Sullivan's Island is a perfect setting and Mary Alice Monroe knows how to pen a riveting story with wonderful people with normal problems. You don't need to read the first two to enjoy this book but you don't want to miss them.
May 15, 2015
The Summer's End is the final book in a trilogy by Mary Alice Monroe set on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. It is a heart warming story that wraps up the end of summer for Mamaw and her “Summer Girls,” as she calls her three granddaughters. Once again, you will laugh and cry with all of them as they each work through their own issues and start to rediscover themselves and rebuild their lives. The sister's bonds and the strength of family is the major storyline and it won’t disappoint.
This book should definitely be on your summer reading list.
*I received an e-book copy of this book from NetGalley.
This book should definitely be on your summer reading list.
*I received an e-book copy of this book from NetGalley.
May 3, 2015
The Summer's end was truly a fantastic book. Once, I started reading, I just could not put it down. Just like the first two books in the series, The Summer's End felt like I was visiting old friends. Harper is the main character in this book, but Dora and Carson are also central to the novel with interesting storylines for them! I just love MawMaw and what happens with her in the book. I loved the interesting twists at the end of the book. This is truly a book that I wanted to finish in one sitting on my back porch while drinking some cold iced tea!
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