The premise of this book sounded really good, and for most of the book I enjoyed it. The ending, however, requires a bit of a shift of disbelief and I just didn't care for it. I left the book with more questions than I had when I started. For a debut, the writing was very strong and the imagery was well done.

Thanks to the Book Club Cookbook program, St. Martin’s Publishing Group, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own. #ASummertoRemember #NetGalley

This was a totally engaging book from the start, where 30-year-old Frankie runs a Hollywood-based memorabilia shop, which her late mother, Maeve, opened years ago. Receiving a package from Maeve's boyfriend, Frankie hopes the photo and letters enclosed will reveal the name of Frankie's father, whose identity she has never known.

Using the old photo of her mother and famous movie stars Glory Cartwright and Mitch Beckett at a Cape Cod film festival as a clue, Frankie travels to the coastal town in search of her father. She meets people who knew her mother as a young woman, as well as connecting with an attractive man - and sparks fly.

Author Erika Montgomery includes quotes from well-known Hollywood movies at the beginning of each chapter, in addition to sprinkling references to movies and stars from the 1970s and 1980s throughout the novel. The Hollywood allusions of romance, dreams and happy endings are juxtaposed with the actualities of family secrets, betrayals, and sad memories.

Throughout this novel of mystery and romance Frankie searches for her real father as she inadvertently uncovers the secrets of her mother, movie stars Glory and Mitch, and others who knew Maeve during her time on Cape Cod. The well-written and imaginative story is a captivating read and kept me turning the pages.

I have to share two complaints: the title A Summer to Remember was just too corny and doesn't do the book justice. I also didn't like the cover - both it and the title seem to promise a chick-lit story, and this is so much more than that. I highly recommend this memorable novel of friendship, family, and finding how the past unlocks the present.

A Summer to Remember is a love story. Yes, it’s Frankie and Gabe meeting and falling in love. But it’s also Russ and Louise finding their love again after so many years together. And it’s a mother’s love story to their children. And it’s all set against the backdrop of the movies, which I loved.

A Summer to Remember is an easy read. I read most of it in one day. It’s a great beach read. The story is told in flashbacks to the 80s, my favorite time.

Thank you to #netgalley and @stmartinspress for the advanced e-copy of #asummertoremember

A Summer to Remember should definitely be a part of your summer 2021 reading! Initially set in Hollywood, main character Frankie finds mysterious pictures and letters connected to her recently deceased mother. Frankie never knew her father and these memorabilia spark a sudden interest in Frankie to discover the missing pieces of her past. Following the clues, Frankie finds herself in Cape Cod. Author Erika Montgomery tells a beautiful story set on the picturesque backdrop of the East Coast. I loved the mysterious Hollywood details surrounding the pictures and letters, which kept me engaged throughout. Frankie is a likeable character and her development, grieving process and growth were a delight to experience. I had the pleasure of reading this book along the coast in North Carolina and it was such a treat!

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book for its strong main character, fun setting (Cape Cod), intriguing storyline, and a touch of romance.

When Frankie Simon's mother, Maeve, her only relative and best friend, dies Frankie is stunned to discover
Maeve had a close relationship with one of Hollywood’s power couples in her youth.

Frankie goes in search of details of her mother’s past, as well as the identity of Frankie’s father.

But Frankie’s questions stir up uncomfortable emotions in the people who knew her mother and may uncover a 30-year-old secret.

The story goes back and forth between the present day, and the 1980s when Frankie’s mother was young. The second timeline is told by a woman who knew Maeve then.

Both this woman and Frankie are at a crossroads, trying to figure out what’s next in their lives.

The ending is very satisfying for the characters, AND the readers.

A Summer to Remember is a book to remember! I really enjoyed this book and Erika's writing. I will definitely be reading more from her.

I really enjoyed this book. I usually read mysteries and this one had just enough mystery that it really appealed to me. The book was well-paced with interesting characters. It was very easy to read but very hard to put down.

It's a perfect summer read!

Perfect summer read and can’t wait to read more from Erika Montgomery.

Frankie actually leaves Hollywood in this story. 😉 Heading to the East coast to deliver letters she found after her mother’s death. She finds that her mother had a life before Frankie’s birth she never knew about. Making friends, forging relationships, and uncovering secrets, this will definitely be a summer Frankie remembers.

This was such an enjoyable read, and the audio was great as well. I was hooked from the beginning and loved how Montgomery wove the past and the present together as Frankie tried to figure out her history. It flowed seamlessly and was just the right length and the right amount of drama / romance for this story. I loved it and thought it was overall very well done.

This was my first read of Montgomery’s and she is firmly on my list of authors for summer books to read.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the advanced digital galley to review.

I think this is the perfect book if you love old Hollywood (or Hollywood in general I would assume) it was filled with references to old movies and past-times.

And you take the journey with Frankie to find out who her father is after her Mom passes away. Of course, it is filled with family secrets! 

I think this is a good summer read to just forget about life for a while.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC.

This book is available now!

This lovely book, which is set between the past and the present, is a delightful debut for Erika Montgomery. A strong cast of characters, a story that kept me fully engaged and all in a picturesque setting. As Frankie starts to uncover her mother’s story, the people with a connection to her have their own secrets.

This book is a perfect summer beach read. What can I say? I enjoyed the Hollywood memorabilia elements to it. The glamor of the lifestyle. Glory's story was fascinating to me and her relationship with her husband Mitch. There were so many elements there to process. And of course, our protagonist Frankie. It was enjoyable watching her love story blossom with Gabe. Louise and Russ's relationship was fun to watch unfold. This book is just a perfect read when you need a break from reality. It's got relationship drama, romance and some interesting women characters.

Good book, with likeable characters. I felt like there were parts that were fairly predictable, but the story was enjoyable that the predictability didn't affect my desire to keep hearing the character's stories.

Loved a Summer to Remember! I can't believe it was a debut. I will definitely be looking for future releases from Erika Montgomery.

I did not finish this book. The storyline was too slow for me and did not keep my attention. I wasn’t captivated but anything that pulled me in.

A Summer to Remember is a beautiful light story of Frankie. Working at the celebrity memorabilia shop that was left for her after her mother’s death. Mysteriously unopened letters and a photo are sent to her from an unknown sender. This takes her down the path of who am I and who is my father. I beautiful story of loss love, redemption, and new beginnings.

This book kept my attention and it was a perfect summer read. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this book.

Frankie is devastated by the death of her mother. The two not only had a close personal relationship, but they also worked together selling Hollywood memorabilia. She feels lost and isn’t sure if she can pay the increase in rent. When a surprise package leads her to Cape Cod, she discovers answers to the questions she has always asked, sprinkled with tidbits the never knew to wonder about.

This book is very well written and does not appear to come from a novice. The writing is tight. The characters are personable, and their inner turmoil make them real in the reader’s mind. It alternates between now and early in Frankie’s mother’s life. The characters are primarily the same in both narrations, so it is a smooth read. I enjoyed Frankie’s personality and perseverance.

This is a recommended read. It is very enjoyable as a beach read or for a rainy day.


I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

Frankie Simon's life is simple but fine. She's the struggling owner of a movie memorabilia shop in Hollywood. Although it's getting harder to keep open, the shop is her connection to her late mother and the only family she ever had. So when a she receives a package containing a photo of her mother as a young woman with the late starlet Glory Cartwright and her husband, Frankie upends her world in search of answers. Frankie's journey will unravel long held secrets, create new bonds of friendship, and ignite passions.

A beautifully woven novel with the beach feel of Cape Cod and many references to Old Hollywood. I happen to have an affinity for both. This is both a romantic story of two people you want to be together and a tale of two marriages; one both in retrospect and in current times, the other solely in retrospect. The feel of salty air in your hair, the early stirrings of a relationship, the danger of fame, the damage of secrets. The ocean, pristine beaches, the allure of boats and clapboard houses that are quintessential Cape Cod. I was also fond of the way the author inserted famous lines from classic films at the beginning of several chapters. 4.5⭐️ out of 5⭐️ Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the complimentary copy of this book. My opinions are solely my own. #asummertoremember #erikamontgomery #bookstagrammer #bookreviewer #netgalley #stmartinspress #booksandmrdarcy #goodreads #withhernosestuckinabook❤️📚

This was the first book I read this summer and it was perfect! Great story, unique plot, very well-written. Frankie lives in Hollywood and still mourns the loss of her mother, Maeve, who recently passed away. The movie memorabilia shop her mother started keeps Frankie well until her landlord, and ex-boyfriend raises the rent. She receives a package lawyer who found a sealed envelope addressed to her mother. Eager to learn more about Maeve's mysterious past, and possibly learn the identity of her father (something Maeve never shared with her), Frankie opens the package to find two envelopes addressed to Mitch and Gabe, and a picture of her mother with famous movie star Mitch Beckett at the Stardust Film Festival. Unable to make a decision about the shop, Frankie heads east to this year's Stardust Film Festival to deliver the letters in person and hopefully find out more about her mother and father, A quick internet search provides piles of information about the famous Hollywood couple, Glory Cartwright and Mitch Beckett and their adopted son, Gabe. Both adults passed away and Gabe is now about her age, having been raised by good family friends Louise and Russ Chandler. As Frankie reaches Harpswich, Massachusetts, the home of the Stardust Film Festival, she's immersed in the atmosphere of old Hollywood and meets the handsome, irritable Gabe and the Chandlers who are dealing with their own issues. As long-hidden secrets come to light, Frankie learns more about her mother, and her father then she ever imagined possible.
This was such an enjoyable book to read. It has something for everyone and provides a great escape for the summer. I appreciate the chance to read an ARC from Net Galley and hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!