I was a huge fan of Christina Clancy's debut The Second Home, so saying I was excited for Shoulder Season would be an understatement. I loved the fact it is set in Wisconsin as was her previous book, and I especially loved that it was about a Playboy resort which I had no idea even existed there. Sherri is a very frustrating character and makes a lot of stupid decisions while she is a bunny, but you also can't help but feel for her. I could never have imagined what being a bunny would be like, and I loved the glimpse I got of it in this novel. It sounds like such a demeaning experience, and it really is no wonder that Sherri started drowning her sorrows in drugs and alcohol. It all starts with Sherri losing her parents, and her coping mechanisms especially while working at the Playboy resort, are not the greatest. This is definitely historical fiction mixed with a coming-of-age tale and although I struggled with her character, it was worth it to watch her grow up and learn.

I really enjoyed the experience of listening to this on audio, and the audiobook is narrated by Karissa Vacker. She did a great job as Sherri and I really liked listening to her voice, plus she knew exactly when to infuse emotions into her speech. This was a really quick read that I finished in 2 days, and it was really hard for me to put down. There is a huge tragedy that happens later in the book which shapes the rest of Sherri's life, and I didn't see it coming at all. The end also completely surprised me, and I can't believe I didn't figure out what was going on. Overall, this was a very dramatic novel and one that will stick with me for a long time. It feels like it could easily be a true story which is something I always appreciate, and it also has some light foreshadowing that I don't see much anymore but that I love. Clancy's writing style is very readable and compelling, and I can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve for her next novel!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really wanted to read this book because of its Lake Geneva connection, as I spent a lot of time there. Parts of the story I liked and found interesting but the whole “bunny” thing didn’t really appeal to me.

Enjoyable read, the Playboy club always seemed to be a dream job when I was young growing up in the 80s, I mean who didn't want to wear the bunny ears and tail? I liked the pace of the writing but if I'm honest I was so annoyed by Sherri's actions throughout. I know she was young but she was just so naive and irresponsible, that she drove me crazy. I don't know that this one is for everyone but I liked it.

I enjoyed Christina Clancy’s first novel and was excited when seeing she had a second coming out. This book did not disappoint. Such an interesting story! I was completely entranced by the world of life as a playboy bunny and Sherri’s story within the resort and life afterwords.

This book was great!! A great trip and view into the 1980's lifestyle and what it was like in those times to be a playboy bunny. Sherri was a 19 year old girl when her mother passed away. She was shy and very reserved young girl until her best friend brought her along to audition to be a "bunny". Sheri lands the job and was never the same. She experiences life like she never had before and starts to find herself. This book takes you on a journey of sex, love, and drugs and what it was like to be a beautiful woman in the 80's. Truly recommend if you are feeling nostalgic.

I absolutely adore this novel! Sherri, a young teenage girl in Wisconsin, gets a job working as a playboy Bunny in the club in her town. Rich in vivid detail, you learn all about Bumny etiquette. The novel follows Sherri as she falls in love with both the wrong and right men. A gem of a novel.

This one was a miss for me. I found it to be a slow burn and it didn't grab my attention immediately. It could have been when I read it, but it just wasn't for me.

Despite some good reviews from folks I trust, this novel of a small town girl taking a job as a bunny at the Playboy resort just didn’t work for me. I was going into it with a lot of high hopes, as I have actually stayed at the resort at the center of the story (now The Grand Geneva), and my mom worked for Playboy’s Chicago offices back in the 70s (first in data entry, then in purchasing, ahem!) and, yes, she met Hef on occasion. I was hoping to love it and recommend it to her. Alas.
It was just one of those books that felt as if someone were describing a story, rather than putting me into the story - a lot of tell, and no show. Even foreshadowing was announced, rather than implied with the writing, which is a peeve of mine: Little did she know! This is a pivotal moment! Make note! Then big swaths of time go by in the second half of the book in order to come to an ending that was a big slap in the face for the main character that just left me kinda sad.
I also found it weird that it was set in the 80s. There weren’t many markings of the time, except for a concert at Alpine Valley (which I have also frequented!), and I felt as if this was a missed opportunity. Maybe it is because I recently finished an excellent and immersive book set in the 80s where the author wrote multifaceted characters while supplying me with every scent, sound, taste and feel of the time and place. (Malibu Rising, obvi.)
Again, this one just did not work for me, but I believe that there’s an audience for every book! The fun tidbits and all of the idiosyncratic rules about working as a playboy bunny ALONE made this book worthwhile. So, definitely pick this up if that sounds entertaining and you want to read a book that does not demand too much of you as a reader this summer.

A nostalgic trip to the early eighties with a look behind the curtain of the glamour and glitz of what it truly meant to be a Playboy Bunny. The author obviously has a special place in their heart for rural Wisconsin and did a wonderful job of making the setting not only a backdrop, but a wonderful character as well. Protagonist Sherri Taylor was so naïve and curious. Exploring her foray into adulthood was liking watching a car crash. Poor girl couldn't catch a break if she tried. At times her trials and tribulations were hard to get through. The last portion of the book, as she is looking back at her short time spent at the Bunny Ranch pulled all the emotional heartstrings I was hoping for.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Christina Clancy for the digital review copy.

Immediately, when I saw that this book took place in the 80's, and was about the life of a Playboy Bunny, I was intrigued to read it. I love anything that takes place in the 1980's, and who doesn't wonder what the life of a Playboy Bunny is like? I loved following Sherri, through all of her bad decisions and adventurous/risque Bunny lifestyle. Sometimes, though I wanted to just shake her and tell her to wake up, though, and that got rather annoying. But overall, I really enjoyed this book, and didn't expect the emotional ending. I am glad I took a chance on this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC!

I’ve read both of Clancy’s novels and highly recommend both for their rich characters and strong sense of place. SHOULDER SEASON truly transported me to a different time and place—the playboy resort of 1981 Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and environs. I enjoyed seeing Sherri’s exploration and evolution as she morphed from small town girl to Playboy bunny to independent woman. My mom loved this book also, which I consider very high praise indeed!

Another quick read. Shoulder Season is about a woman who reinvents herself after her parents die. Sherri doesn’t think much of herself, but when she’s recruited as a Playboy bunny, her confidence shifts and suddenly she’s living life as a desirable and (very nearly) savvy woman of the world. Things get complicated, though, as she navigates this new world of partying and romance. Her choices may seem like fun now, but they will have consequences for years to come.

Nothing earth-shattering here, but I enjoyed this coming of age story—especially because it centers on the kinda crazy lives of Playboy bunnies. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Being from the Midwest, the concept of the book grabbed me right away. Who wouldn't want to spend some time reading a book set at a Playboy resort in Wisconsin? To me, it seemed like a perfect vacation read. Unfortunately, I may have been expecting too much. I assumed it was going to be a fluffy read but it had so much going on that I kept shaking my head at the terrible choices the main character was making. New plot points were thrown in left and right and it was just too much. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the main character and the book was an interesting story that went from the Playboy Resort in Wisconsin in the early 80s to current time. This book was a quick read and would make a great vacation book.

If you enjoyed Daisy Jones and the Six you would like this book.

Oh my gosh why did I wait so long to read this one! I enjoyed it so much and literally couldn't put it down — finished it in one day. I absolutely loved Sherri (in spite of all her flaws). Her relationships — both romantic and with her friends — felt so real to me. It's an ultimate coming of age story that was an absolute joy to read. I loved that the modern-day Sherri bookends the novel because I really loved getting to see how everyone panned out! No spoilers but I'm mad about the Arthur storyline ends up but see how it was needed.

OH and there were a couple factual inaccuracies in the part of the book that takes place in Houston (my hometown) but I'm going to pretend they all got fixed in the final copy! :)

3.75 bunny stars

This one is an insider’s peek into a Playboy Resort in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and the life of one woman who was part of the resort. I didn’t even realize there were once several of these “family” resorts all over the country. We follow Sherri from the interview through her year at the resort and much of her life.

It was fascinating to read about the training these women had to go through and I’m glad that some things have changed with how women are treated. As you might expect, there were weigh-ins, tight costumes, diet pills, other drugs, and rules about men not touching them. There were celebrity parties that were over the top!

Sherri struggles in the romance department and it takes an effort to shake off her past as a bunny. Finding a “legitimate” job afterwards is hard too with all the perceptions seeing her Playboy past on her resume.

I did enjoy the descriptions of the beautiful Wisconsin setting and when Sherri returns to her hometown at the end. I like this author’s writing style and have enjoyed her earlier book too!

Shoulder Season is an enjoyable read that focuses on good girl Sherri, who decides to go along with a friend to an interview at the Playboy resort and ends up getting a job. Sherri is pretty naive and that leads her to get into some bad situations with men. This book also focuses on some of the female friendships she develops in this less then typical environment. There will be times when you will want to tell her to grow up and others when you will want to give her a hug. There are some twists both painful and positive which are this more than I expected. Thanks to netgalley for the chance to review this book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my copy. Sex, drugs, without the rock ‘n’ roll is what life is all about for Sherri Taylor. When she is suddenly thrust into this unknown world, she learns how strong ambition can be. This story is a realistic depiction of what happens when naivety is tarnished and misogyny wins out. . ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

You know a book is well written and developed when it makes you feel … even if those feelings are frustration, disappointment, and enraged. That is how Sherri made me feel for most of the book. She is 19 years old when both her parents pass away and she is searching purpose and a way to survive. She gets a job at the Playboy Resort in Lake Geneva, WI and what ensues is a fast-paced life with many selfish decisions, a love triangle, and a rough journey to self discovery. Ultimately, my heart broke for Sherri and her struggle, but she certainly brought on a lot of her own grief. This historical fiction takes the reader to the early 1980’s with copious sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Buckle up, this book is a hell of a journey.

Shoulder Season was a great novel about a young woman, becoming a Playboy Bunny, struggling, making some bad choices, and pulling it together. Was fast, interesting and wonderful. Thank you NetGalley for the copy for review, all opinions are my own.