A great debut book from author Brooke Lea Foster. Set in the summer of the 1960s in Martha's Vineyard, this historical look back and the life of the wealthy, and those who worked for them, was an eye opening account. I really enjoyed this writing style, and the story ran smoothly. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.

This is the debut novel for Brooke Lea Foster; an exciting new voice in Historical Fiction and Women's Fiction.

Ms. Foster's debut work is a sharp, fresh take on the private and privileged world of 1960's Housewives of Martha's Vineyard.

This is Heddy's "coming of age summer". Newly hired as the nanny for 2 spoiled but neglected children, Heddy learns quickly that outward appearances are deceiving, and the wealthy set has many unacknowledged secrets and unspoken skeletons in the closet.

Rich and spoiled, the wives are catty, spiteful and jealous. They are mean girls who grew up, gossiping about their moneyed friends, and where the key to success is being on the list for the next soiree.

Heddy just wants this family to like her...maybe even see her as their daughter. Her home life isn't great. But what Heddy doesn't understand is that her "wants" will never matter, and eventually she becomes a pawn caught up in secrets... or maybe it's all part of her plan...

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and the author Ms. Brooke Lea Foster, for the opportunity to read this Advanced Readers Copy of "Summer Darlings". The opinions expressed in this review are mine alone.

The story is set in the 1960's and Heddy Winsome, raised by a single mother, received a scholarship to Wellesley is headed to Martha's Vineyard for a summer to Nanny the children of one of the most prominent families on the island. She received notice that her scholarship to the college was being revoked just as term was ending and she is hoping that if she's not accepted back to school she will find herself a wealthy husband and she will live happily ever after.

Heddy is in awe upon meeting Jean-Rose and Ted Williams but soon discovers not all is as it appears to be. As she nannies their two children 6 yr Teddy and 4 yr Anna, Heddy quickly finds herself meeting new people, possibly an eligible husband, and uncovers a dark secret. She must decide what she will do with this information and which path to take.

I loved the character of Gigi, the famous actress that takes Heddy under her wing and grooms her in ways to attract a husband. "One more thing, pussycat. You'll need this to land the mark. Copy his body language. If he runs his hand through his hair, wait a moment and do the same. If he's looking out at a passing ship, learn forward and look, too. It's this unconscious thing, but it turns men on."

Gigi didn't let society or others define her or her purpose. She knew who she was and what she wanted out of life and nothing was standing in her way. She did her best to encourage Heddy to do the same.

"Discovering who you are isn't about finding love. That's about the only real truth I know in this wretched world, and I'm still trying to learn it."

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book. I appreciated the details regarding the island around the time period and the perceptions on the wealthy. Living in today's world, I can't imagine what life must have been like for those women striving to become more.

I think this was a really good debut novel and I did enjoy Brooke Lea Foster's writing.

I loved the setting and time period! Martha's Vineyard in the summer of 1962 amongst all the jet-set rich. It's a good coming-of-age story about a college girl named, Heddy who is hired by a wealthy family to be their nanny for the summer on Martha's Vineyard. I did enjoy the story overall but there were parts that were a little slow for my liking.

I can tell the author did a lot of research about the time period and setting. I was plunged into a 1960's summer with some fun antidotes about the lifestyle, fashions and foods of the time. I really enjoyed the references to some movies and music also from that era. The only thing that puzzled me was the reference to a character calling 911 when I don't think it came into service until the later part of the 1960's. Sometimes a glaring inconsistency like that just erks me..but it really was not that big of a deal.

I do think Brook Lea Foster has demonstrated she is an entertaining and promising writer. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for kindly providing me access to this Advanced Reader Copy.

𝕊𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕣 𝔻𝕒𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 is a book set in the 60s. Our main character, Hetty is heading to Martha's Vinyard to be a nanny for one of the most wealthy families on the island.

She was raised in Brooklyn by her single mother who has struggled to get by all of Hettys life. For Hetty, this chance to work for the summer among some of the wealthiest people in the US is heaven sent.
She had been attending Wellesley wanting to become a writer or a teacher, but after losing her scholarship her future is in jeopardy.

Summer Darlings is a book filled with people that are not always as they seem. From her employers Jean Rose and Ted, to the larger than life movie star Gigi who lives next door.

She also acquires two very different love interests while on the island, one that encourages her to be who she is, try to get her scholarship back and seems to care deeplyfor her. To a young man who's parents are probably the richest on the Island, he doesn't want to be like them, but also doesn't want to upset his "Mommy ".

The way things are described in this book are amazing. You can visualize the homes, the beach, the style.

It is a very impressive debut novel by @brookeleafoster !

I definitely a suggest it and it will definitely be ranking as one of my top 10 books of 2020!

My thanks to @netgalley @gallerybooks and @brookeleafoster for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really appreciate good historical fiction and Summer Darlings captured me. The story is set in the 1960’s on Martha’s Vineyard, known for being a summer playground of the rich and famous.
Our protagonist is Heddy Winsome, a college student who has recently lost her scholarship and whose final year at Wellesley is therefore in jeopardy. Heddy has worked hard to be the first in her family to attend college, and has been raised as the only child in a single parent, financially poor family. She is on the island to care for the children of a wealthy family who appear to have the kind of life she so desires. She believes this a life-changing time in her life - will she meet a man who brings with him the lifestyle she so desires?
Heddy actually meets two men who become the romances of her summer. One has the financial security she so desires, and the other is full of charisma and charm. Heddy is confused as she feels attraction to both of these men - how can she choose just one? Along the way, she learns that money doesn’t always buy happiness and the persona of life outside of the home is often vastly different then what is actually experienced inside of it. Additionally, she learns that she needs to protect and provide for herself and not be dependent on others for what she desires in life.
The book is full of interesting characters including Gigi, a Hollywood starlet who befriends Heddy and becomes a bit of a mentor to her. The book kept me engaged throughout, had a few twists, and a surprising ending. I appreciated the theme of empowerment of women, especially given the context of the book. I recommend this book to those that enjoy historical fiction.
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for the ARC of this book in exchange for the honest review provided here.

This is a debut novel by an award winning American journalist. The story is set in the summer of 1962 on Martha's Vineyard. Heddy comes from a background of poverty and has just lost her scholarship to university. She has taken a summer job as a nanny for a wealthy family on Martha's Vineyard. With the thought that her only hope for her future now is to find a husband, she dives into life on the vineyard. As the summer passes she realizes that all is not as it seems in the lives of the privileged. I enjoyed this book, although the change of tone at the end caused me a moment of 'wait what just happened'. If you are looking for a good summer read or something to put you in the mood for summer, this is a good choice.

What a tale told!!! PICTURE IT - 1960's Martha's Vineyard, the prestige, the privilege, the parties, the beach, the scandalous personas people try to hide from the world under all the glitz and glamour and the show.... yet behind the facade, the truth behind closed doors is VERY different.

Heddy - an average, working class gal - was escaping her own life when she took the job as a Nanny for an elite & affluent family during the summer to try and forget reality. And so the story begins... This was a phenomenal debut novel that had unsuspecting twists and was written like a veteran, not a debut at all.

I cannot wait to get my eyes and hands on another Brooke Lea Foster novel and I am grateful to NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Life has never been easy for Heddy. She's never met her dad and her mom has struggled to make ends meet while working two jobs. But Heddy is a bookworm and her studying pays off with a scholarship to Wellesley. Until an unfortunate night with a boy threatens to end her scholarship and her days at school.

Thanks to Heddy's roommate she's secured a great job babysitting on Martha's Vineyard. The summer is full of promise and excitement as she meets the islands rich and famous. Heddy hopes the answers to her problems can be found on the island in the form of love or money to finish her senior year.

Heddy soon realizes money and fame don't bring happiness. Behind the smiles and parties the island folk aren't all that they appear.

At times Summer Darlings seemed predictable and then quickly it wasn't. There were lots of exciting twists and an ending that I never saw coming. I really enjoyed reading Summer Darlings. I read it March during week 1 of self-isolation and it provided a great escape to the beaches of Martha's Vineyard.