The Summer List: A Novel

Amy Mason Doan

Jun 2018 · Harlequin

About this ebook

“Cleverly blends a coming-of-age tale, the story of a long-simmering mystery, and a thoughtful study of relationships between childhood friends.” —Publishers Weekly

Named a Best Book of Summer by PopSugar, Coastal Living, Family Circle, and The Globe & Mail

Laura and Casey were once inseparable: floating on their backs in the sunlit lake, dreaming about the future under starry skies, teaming up for the wild scavenger hunts in their California lakeside town. Until one summer night, when a shocking betrayal sent Laura running through the pines, down the dock, and into a new life, leaving Casey and a first love in her wake.

Now, after seventeen years, Laura is pulled home and into a reunion with Casey she can’t resist—one last scavenger hunt. With a twist: this time, the clues lead to the settings of their most cherished summer memories. From glistening Jade Cove to the vintage skating rink, each step they take becomes a bittersweet reminder of the friendship they once shared. But just as the game brings Laura and Casey back together, the clues unravel a stunning secret that threatens to tear them apart . . .

From the author of Summer Hours and Lady Sunshine, The Summer List is about losing and recapturing the person who understands you best—and the unbreakable bonds of girlhood.

“A sparkling debut novel filled with nostalgia that will make you long for your childhood friends and carefree summer days.” —PopSugar

“A vivid sense of place and characters as real as your high school besties . . . sure to please fans of Kristin Hannah and Elin Hilderbrand.” —Library Journal

“A lovely debut . . . exploring themes of motherhood, daughterhood, and first love with tenderness and humor. The writing is fresh and charming.” —Booklist (starred review)

“With lovable characters and a scenic small town, Doan’s pleasant mix of mystery and high school nostalgia will please readers who grew up with the novels of Judy Blume.” —Publishers Weekly

“An ideal summer read . . . compelling.” —The Oregonian

Ratings and reviews

Told in a series of flashbacks, the friendship between Laura and Casey at the outset – and the descriptions, moments and emotions conjured up are purely delightful and engaging. From the tentative connections and worries about feeling “stupid” or “weird” to the solid sense that these two would withstand everything as they spent their time together constantly, even dipping slightly into the ‘forbidden zone’ as one set of parents were less enamored with their connection than the other. The bond between them felt impenetrable: as if they would always be connected, through all the changes as people grow or move away: this was not something to worry about with Laura and Casey. Little insight is given into the rift between them throughout the early phases of the book: we are given all of the feelings that are easy to remember, bringing us into their friendship as a 3rd observer: quietly wanting those feelings and acceptance. But, then somehow things went pear shaped. The second half of the book lost most of the lightness and joy that appeared in the first, and even the plot seemed to slow and drag – perhaps weighted down with time and growth, but while it didn’t entirely lose the enjoyment of the first half, it felt almost as if there was an effort made to bring the story a more adult feel, and the writing started to feel more like a rework of an idea that wasn’t quite fitting, in an effort to make it all work together. I do feel like this story, from initial inception to a rather sweet conclusion fell off sharply in my enjoyment from beginning to end. I was sad to see this – for Doan’s writing and ability to capture a moment and wring all of the exuberance and feelings out of it are stellar – they just weren’t consistently applied in this story For the first half – this is certainly a book well worth your time, and an author worth checking out. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

loved it

About the author

AMY MASON DOAN is the author of The Summer List, Summer Hours, and Lady Sunshine. She earned a BA in English from UC Berkeley and an MA in journalism from Stanford University, and has written for The Oregonian, San Francisco Chronicle, and Forbes, among other publications. She grew up in Danville, California, and now lives in Portland, Oregon, with her family.