Tansy works as a guidance counselor at the local university having given up her career in a band after the death of one of her bandmates. A friend from 18 years earlier shows up and demands that Tansy help this friend's daughter escape her abusive relationship. Tansy "owes" this friend due to an incident that occurred almost twenty years ago. Pulled into this family's drama, Tansy tries to keep her life together and not fall in to the danger of abuse and narcissism that this family seems to come with. There's a battle of wits as the plot slowly builds, but there's no real big climax or anything really shocking, and while I understand where Gehrman decided to with the ending, it felt like an easy out to wrap everything up. I didn't really enjoy the characters, but the narrator was delightful so it was an easy story to listen to. If you like slow-burns, you'll probably like this, but there isn't a lot of deep thought going on here.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Tansy, an academic counselor, has been blindsided by the return of her best friend from twenty years ago, Selene, who she has consciously distanced herself from. Selene shows up to call in a favor she believe Tansy owes her from all those years ago from an event that happened to make Tansy an accessory to a crime.
The ask is for Tansy to use her professional position to meet with Selene’s daughter, Jupiter, and try to convince her to get out of her abusive relationship.
This story was a slow burn for me, especially in the beginning. There were a lot of relationships that may have added to the backstory of Tansy’s past, but didn’t add much value to the present, particularly her previous relationship with her ex-band make and boyfriend Marius.
What I really enjoyed was Selene’s character as a tough, direct, new age and unstable woman who seems to want to travel and try news things at every turn. Loyalty is what she desires the most. In fact I loved to hate her character and my fascination with her personality.
I also found myself invested in the outcome of Jupiter’s relationship situation.
There was also a little bit of romance in the story between Tansy and Selene’s brother, Zach, who also works at the college and has his own rollercoaster of a past with his sister. Though Tansy wants to keep her boundaries with Selene she seems to be getting more and more involved with her family. This relationship may seem unnecessary for some readers, but I thought it added another layer to the story.
If you can get past this being a slow burn and do not mind all the different subplots, I think you will enjoy the book. There were a few things that really surprised me at I time when I was feeling nothing else would. It really took to the last quarter of the book for everything to really come together in full view giving the reader an even deeper understanding of each character.
The audio narration was good and provided every character with their own distinct voice. I have no complaints with it at all.
Finally, I love the name Tansy! I would rate this book a somewhere between a 3.5 to 4 stars. A solid read

Tansy and Selene were friends twenty years ago and then all of a sudden Selene shows up at Tansy's office to ask a favor. Selene told Tansy that she owes her and wants her to speak with her daughter. Tansy gets entangled in Selene's family.

I really enjoyed the dynamic of the relationship between Tansy, Selene and Jupiter. I enjoyed the unraveling of the story between all of the parties.

This story at times came across as far fetched and not plausible. Lots of schemes, twists, and surprises. It wasn't the best, but still intriguing enough to want to finish the book.

This one dragged for a good portion of the book before it picked up. I was expecting an enthralling thriller and got a slow, slow burn mystery. The narrator did a great job and did well taking on multiple characters. I did not like the explicit sex scene at all. It got a lot better towards the end as the plot twist unfolded and the story wrapped up.

Tansy and Selene were a mismatched pair of best friends. After a horrible incident during a harvest moon party, their friendship was never the same and they haven’t spoken since. Twenty years later, Selene shows up on the doorstep of Tansy’s office stating that she owes her for what she did twenty years ago. She demands Tansy help her daughter Jupiter because Selene fears that she is in involved in an abusive relationship. No one would know better than Tansy how to help her.

Tansy agrees and finds herself caught in the middle of major dysfunctional family drama as she deals with the secrets she believed were long buried. When push comes to shove who will Tansy protect?

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book was weird. It came across more as a romance than a thriller. It is filled with descriptions of unnecessary things. Yes, we all know nachos have hot cheese. Thanks for that insight into the story. It revolves around a person hiding from a past action she didn’t even do. It was all over the place.

The Summer We Buried by Jody Gehrman is a well rounded psychology thriller. The writer has crafted very distinct characters whose motives and behavior, often not condoned, are understood as the riveting story progresses at a calm easy to follow pace.

Twenty years ago Tansy was mesmerized by the older fearless Selena. She was the opposite of the reserved Tansy. The night before Tansy leaves for college Selena saves her from disaster but at a cost. Tansy leaves and never looks back. Now Selena is in Tansy's office blackmailing her to help her save her daughter from an abusive boyfriend.

Though there is deceit, death and deadly violence there was a calmness to this thriller. The author put normal people in bad situations. Sometimes I disagreed with their actions but understood them. A big part of this easy to enjoy twisty thriller is the soft serene voice of narrator Emily Ellet who has the uncanny ability to make us hear the tension in everyone's voices without being loud and shrill. A perfect listen for thriller fans.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Dreamscape Media via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a good thriller with characters that were well written and that you wanted to root for. It is a thriller but also it is a family and friendship story. I liked that certain things did not happen at all the way I expected them to. I don't want to give anything away, certain things bond people even if they haven't seen each other in years and when things happen again you have to remember that friendship and help in any way you can, and that is what Tansy does.


Narration by Emily Ellet was well done everyone had their own voice and she brought the emotions through!

This was a new to me author and narrator and I liked them both and would seek out more works by both!

4 stars

I will be buying this one for the library and I look forward to recommending it to my patrons!

I loved this book SO much!

The writing is beautiful and immersive. You can just feel and smell Summer while reading ☀️

It’s a slow burn mystery, with an underlying tension throughout. I didn’t mind it being a slow burn, it’s kind of like lazily floating on a tube down a river on a hot day. I was truly sad when it was over.
It’s one of my favorite books that I have read in a while!
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When Tansy and Selene were friends 20 years ago, they committed a terrible crime. No one knows what happened except them.

Afterwards, Tansy cut Selene out of her life, but has struggled with the weight of the secret for all these years.

Then, one day, Selene shows up, demanding something from Tansy. If Tansy refuses, Selene will tell their secret 👀
___________________________________

I both read and listened to this one on audio. It’s good either way, but if you have a chance to listen it on audio, DO IT! @emilyellet is my new favorite narrator, she made the story come alive! ✨

I can’t say enough how much I loved this book! Highly recommend!! ☀️

The Summer We Buried grabbed my attention and kept me on the edge of my seat especially at the end where some twists and turns that I didn't expect happened!

In this Thriller, we follow Tansy, a 38 year old guidance councelor as an old friend comes back in her life. Selene is looking for a favor in order to keep their secret of what they did a few years back. We don't know at first what it is only that somebody died. So when Selene asks Tansy to make sure her daughter breaks up with her abusive boyfriend, Tansy doesn't really want to risk it. She'll try to appease Selene by finding out first if the boyfriend in question really is abusive. She will grow fond of the daughter who confides in her more and more.

However, Tansy doesn't have anything to lose and will do anything to protect her daughter, which can be a bit dangerous...

Overall, this was a really good thriller. I would read more from this author if the occasion arrise.

(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

I just couldn't get into this mystery/thriller. Neither the characters or the story were able to grab my interest. I kept hoping the story would get better but not even the great narrator or the tragic circumstances of that 'summer we buried' could keep me into it. Ending up DNF'ing at 40%. Perhaps this is just a book you need to be in the mood for. It was too dark for my tastes. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review an advance copy.

CW: rape

One of the nice things about listening to an audio book is that you don’t have to stop listening while doing shores. Real important with a book that you don’t want to stop reading.
The narrator made the story more engaging and gives a real feel for the various complex characters. In the story we hear about the lasting effects of rape, spousal abuse, manipulation of friends and family,
How quilt or a sense of protecting can get us to do things which seem unthinkable under normal circumstances
How the story ended couldn’t be better. This is a terrific psychological suspense novel.

I was fortunate to get an advanced reader's copy of the audio version of this book.
First, the story. Really interesting and well done. Told in the present day, but with flashbacks to "the summer" they tried to put behind them, you know something terrible happened, but Gehrman takes her time getting there. She does a great job building suspense and tension between the characters now as well as back then. Really good mystery/thriller.
Then, the audio. Emily Ellet does a great job. Her voice was smooth and consistent. Her ability to alter her voice per character was spot on without seeming fake. She had great pacing and really used her tone to build the suspense.

Tansy just had a surprise visitor. A blast from her dark past. Selene. Selene has come to collect on a debt from years ago. She wants Tansy to help with her daughter, Jupiter. Jupiter has cut all ties to Selene because she is in an abusive relationship. Tansy is not really equipped to help in this situation. But, because of their cryptic past, she decides she must do something!

There are a lot of moving parts to this tale. But, it is a bit contrived…maybe that’s not exactly the word I am looking for. I knew what was coming, there were no real surprises. Plus, I expected more out of Selene. She is the “crazy” one. As a reader, I expected a bit more drama from her.

The narrator, Emily Ellet, really kept the story moving for me. I just expected more dramatic sequences. But, I did love the characters, especially Jupiter. I felt for her situation and her growing up years were no piece of cake!

Need a good mystery…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I was excited to get this audiobook from NetGalley as an advance read for an honest review! This was my first Jody Gehrman book and I really enjoyed it. I like the narrator for the audio book a lot. I thought her voice was calming and it helped me focus on the story. This book wasn’t as fast paced as a lot of thrillers but it kept me engaged throughout and made me want to know more! It has a unique plot and keeps you guessing and a bittersweet ending. I would definitely recommend this book! Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscapes audio for this opportunity!

THE SUMMER WE BURIED is my third book (Watch Me and The Girls Weekend) by the talented author Jody Gehrman —a gripping, chilling psychological thriller and one of my favorites of hers.

Tansy Elliot is a guidance counselor at the Valley of the Moon University in Sonoma, CA. Tansy has a secretive life in the evenings, and not even her live-in boyfriend has any idea about her past.

Twenty years earlier, when she was just a teen, a horrific traumatic experience that she keeps hidden involving an older girl which was problematic and alluring. She has never dealt with the trauma.

However, her past comes to life when enigmatic Selene Rathbone shows up in her office - the only person who knows about the horrific crime. Not a person she wants to see.

Selene's daughter is in an abusive relationship and there is a restraining order. Her daughter, Jupiter is a student at the university. The abusive boyfriend, Colton Blake is dangerous.

Tansy does not want to get involved but agrees to have a conversation with her to see if she can find out about any abuse. Serene was older than Tansy and controlling and she appears to be still pulling the strings. She does not follow rules and has led a dangerous life.

Serene's brother, Zach (professor) gets involved with Serene and a romantic relationship develops. They both have to deal with Serene and now Jupiter's complicated life. He warns her against falling into Serene's trap again, but then Serene knows too much and could run Tansy's life.

No matter Serene's background, she is a fierce mother bear and wants to protect her daughter, leading us to the finale which I thought wrapped up nicely.

The author writes of complex characters and highly charged topics. Mental health, domestic, abusive, and toxic relationships, bullying, obsession, friendship, and motherhood. For fans of domestic suspense.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Emily Ellet and she delivered an engaging performance for all the character voices.

A special thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an advanced audiobook copy.

Blog Review Posted @ www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Pub Date: 08 March 2022

Audiobook Review
Book: The Summer We Buried
Author: Jody Gehrman
Narrator: Emily Ellet

Synopsis:
Twenty years ago, Tansy and Selene were best friends; however a gruesome incident, their friendship broke apart.
Now, years later, Tansy is working as a college guidance counselor. Selene blows back into her life, blackmailing Tansy into intervening with Selene’s daughter Jupiter relationship, convinced her boyfriend is abusive.

Review:
This is a slow burn suspense novel, with a love story on the side, told from the point of view of Tansy. The plot was a bit predictable, but I still wanted to listen to what happened next, and was surprised by the ending. The characters were flawed but each had characteristics that were likable. I look forward to reading more books by the author.

Thank you to NetGalley and DreamScape Media for the ALC.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media for gifting me both a digital and audiobook ARC of the latest mystery by Jody Gehrman - 4 stars!

Tansy and Selene were great friends twenty years ago, but guilt about an incident that happened then caused Tansy to sever the friendship. But now Selene is back and is telling Tansy that she owes her for covering up what happened all those years ago. Selene is worried about her daughter, Jupiter, and her current relationship. Tansy is a guidance counselor at the school Jupiter attends and Selene wants Tansy to break them up. But getting involved with the Rathbone family again will cause Tansy to relive all those memories.

This was a good character study of people dealing with abuse, trauma and mental illness. You really felt for these characters, the situations they were in, and what they would do for those they care about. That's not to say that those situations were handled the right way, but you can definitely understand the motivating factors. An entertaining mystery that was wonderfully narrated by Emily Ellet.

Tansy has not seen her ex-BFF in over 18 years when suddenly she shows up in a manic state requesting Tansy help her daughter who happens to go to school when she is a counselor. Selene is convinced her daughter, Jupiter, is in an abusive relationship. Selene also brings up what happened 18 years ago as blackmail if she doesn't help. Add in Selene's younger brother also is a professor at the college and is hot as sin and he and Tansy have an insta-lust going on. So much happening in this book with so many twists and turns and secrets and lies. Keep them all straight because BAM you don't want to miss the ending.

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this advance listener copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really liked this book. It had a unique plot. It was a little far fetched, but if you can suspend some disbelief, it's worth it.

Tansy and Selene were best friends once upon a time. One night, something unthinkable happens which changes Tansy's life forever. Fast forward almost twenty years and Selene reappears in Tansy's life looking for a favor. After that, a very complex story of lies and secrets unfolds.

I'm going to go ahead and recommend skipping the audiobook and read the print version. I was not a fan of the narrator at all. I wish I would have read this one instead of listening to it. All in all, this was a solid 3.5 stars. I'd recommend it to friends.