Readers may be surprised/intrigued to learn that best selling author of women’s fiction, Viola Shipman, is actually the pen name of a male author. He has a keen eye and ear for the kinds of stories that readers of this genre very much enjoy and this title is no exception.

I loved the way in which sewing is entwined in this story. Each chapter has a sewing term at the top. This connects with the protagonist’s mother having been a seamstress. When Miss Mabel tragically dies (of Covid), her daughter Sutton travels to Michigan. She hopes that this will help her to learn more about her mother, a woman who did not like talking about herself or her family. How will two Bs-buttons and a character named Bonnie add to Sutton’s understanding? Will life in Michigan offer what she needs?

This is an involving and well told story. I recommend it. Readers will root for Sutton and hope for a happy ending.

Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

Viola Shipman knows how to pull you in and you never want to leave. This story pulls at your heart. And always the right ending. I loved it. I was provided a copy by Netgalley but the opinions are mine.

This was my first book by Viola Shipman, and I’m not real sure what to think. It was well written with beautiful prose and a straight forward story with a satisfactory ending. It was extremely predictable from about a third of the way in. The biggest mystery is WHEN the author is actually going to reveal what you already know from reading what's been presented so far. It seems to drag on for a couple of hundred pages, I guess, laying down more clues, but the reader didn’t really need any more hints. All in all, not something I feel like I would really pick up again - the story just didn't click for me.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. Viola Shipman is one of my favorite authors. This book creates a tie as my favorite novel by Shipman (with The Heirloom Garden). The Edge of Summer is a story of family secrets, forgiveness, friendship, love... all set in Michigan (and the Ozarks). This book is very current with an underlying Covid 19 impact. I adored Sutton and the trail she blazed trying to uncover the truth of her extended family after her mother passed away. This trail takes her from the Ozarks to Western Michigan. I love the locations; the prose Shipman uses to describe them takes you right there with Sutton. The button (and sewing) theme is original and I believe will resonate with many readers- my mother also has a pretty good size button collection occupying many tins and jars. The way Shipman writes about the role of buttons in Sutton's life connected with me and made me feel at home in the story. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone. You won't be disappointed! And I can't wait to read more by Shipman in the future.

Once again, Shipman has crafted an engaging story that kept me rapt to Sutton's experience.
Covid is present in this book so it is very timely and rings true in so many aspects. Shipman is a master at relationship driven books and this one is no exception. Full of heart, readers will adore this one.

I love books by Viola Shipman and I'm constantly amazed that a man can write such wonderful family novels. This book is set during the Covid crisis and it's affected Sutton Douglas more than most. She loses her beloved mother and her career. When she discovers that her mother lied to her about the past and their family she is determined to find out what happened. She finds clues to her mom's home town and moves there. She is embraced by the town, especially the town dowager who wants Sutton to design her a summer wardrobe. She soon discovers that a few people remember her mother and she is shocked to find she still has family. A wonderful story with many happy and sad moments that make it hard to lay this book down.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. What a beautiful, well-written book with fascinating characters and a great storyline.

I was not familiar with Viola Shipman's previous works so I was not sure what to expect.

Growing up in the Ozarks, the only daughter of a single mother, Sutton Douglass is staggering from fear of losing her mother during the early months of the Covid-19 outbreak. Miss Mabel is a new resident of a local nursing home and Sutton can only visit her mom through the window of her room. When Miss Mabel does pass away, Sutton is lost and doesn't know what to do with her life.

Miss Mabel had always been intensely private about her life before Sutton. Sutton had always asked her mother about their family history but Miss Mabel never divulged any details. While staying at her mom's Sutton finds some clues that thinks her family history might be linked to a small resort town in Michigan. On a whim, Sutton packs up and heads to the small town to try to piece together her history.

Shipman does a great job describing the area and the people. I found the relationship between Tug and Sutton to be sweet and well written.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another entertaining book from this prolific author. Sutton’s mother dies suddenly in the beginning of the book. She believes her mother was the only family she had as this was what she was always told and her mother was very secretive about her past. After some digging Sutton discovers she may have family in Michigan. What are the secrets of her mother’s past? As with this author’s other books this is beautifully written, heartfelt, and charming and the setting was perfect!

I don’t know if you have read yet, but if you enjoy women’s fiction, then you really should. She is an auto buy author for me and my mom. In fact, after reading one of Shipman’s previous books, Clover Girls, I pre-ordered The Edge of Summer for my mother’s birthday.

The Edge of Summer is an emotional look at the past few years and a journey through their repercussions. I was actually surprised by how personally insightful I found the book. Judging from the cover, I didn’t realize how deep we would dive into the psychological ramifications of Covid-19, but Viola Shipman tackles this hard topic with grace.

That’s not to say the book is overly heavy. It has very serious moments, to be sure, but overall it feels more like a woman finding herself after losing her way a bit. She reconnects with the woman she was while trying to live as the woman is she post-pandemic. I found myself nodding so many times as Sutton grappled with her many challenges.

I fell in love with the fashion and the small, resort town atmosphere of The Edge of Summer. Between the buttons, fabrics, and designs, my imagination absolutely soared.

Conclusion
The Edge of Summer is an emotional journey of grief and discovery sewn into the fabric of a fictional summer read.

This is a beautifully-written, emotionally-resonant novel about a daughter dealing with the death of her mother and looking to find out about her mother's past and her own place in the world.

Synopsis: Sutton Douglas is trying to recover from the tragedies of covid, including the death of her mother when she visits a resort town in Michigan to discover secrets her mother kept hidden.

My thoughts: This was a covid heavy start, which could be triggering to some people and I went in not expecting that at all.

I enjoyed the passion for buttons and sewing that Suttons mom passed down to her, and that Sutton was able to create a fun career in fashion out of this talent. The snippets of sewing terms were a fun add in to help the non-sewing reader tie the notions in to the plot.

The setting was very atmospheric and made me want to go visit a small town where everyone knows everyone.

Read if you’re a sucker for:
* Crafting especially sewing
* Collecting
* Mystery and romance
* Small towns
* Family secrets

Viola Shipman never disappoints. This was the quintessential, perfect summer read. A wonderful story of family, secrets and finding home.

The Edge of Summer is an ode to family, finding our own strength, and coming home—and it’s a timely reminder that it’s the little things that always matter most in life.

I was transported to Lake Michigan reading this book! I love the themes of family and the beautifully described settings in Viola Shipman's books.

I listened to The Edge of Summer and loved the narrator! It's just over 12 hours on audiobook and I really enjoy listening to Viola Shipman books!

The Edge of Summer revolves around Sutton’s search for clues into her family history after the covid-related death of her mother. She ends up in a quaint small town on the shores of Lake Michigan which Shipman crafts with such picturesque detail that of course you’ll want to stay there. This novel reads with the typical nostalgic sentimentality that characterizes Viola’s works. One of the main characters is irredeemable but you'll just have to see how all the pieces come together - not quite like I expected. Also, Tug is so beautifully patient and kind - loved how he was crafted

Viola Shipman books are like comfort food for me. They are so warm and cozy, invoking feelings of warmth and love. It’s like a big, warm hug from your grandmas in her kitchen. They just straight up make me feel GOOD. I enjoyed this latest book and soaked up every minute of it. The plot moves a bit slow in places and the ending predictable. BUT the writing is excellent as always and the characters delightful. I loved venturing into Shipmans writing for that warm Grandma hug.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for my copy of The Edge of Summer by Viola Shipman in exchange for an honest review. It published July 12, 2022.
This book pulled me right out of my reading slump! The descriptions of the shores of Lake Michigan had me looking up Air BnB’s and plane tickets to imagine actually getting to see for myself!
I found the storytelling, mystery, and writing to be on par with Shipman’s other works. However, I think the whole looking back to the pandemic device was a little overdone and got too repetitive, bordering on eye-roll inducing. Maybe I’m just not ready for that part of history to make it into books and movies?
Overall this was a sweet book about a woman trying to learn from her past in a gorgeous location. Definitely give it a read!

‘The Edge of Summer’, is my second Viola Shipman novel, and he is definitely becoming one of my favorite authors. My favorite line from this book is “How many sunrises do we get?”. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the Ozarks and the resort town of Douglas in Michigan.

THE EDGE OF SUMMER is another winner from Viola Shipman/ Wade Rouse!

The writing is assured and yet feels fresh and new. Sutton is an engaging character with an understandable curiosity about her past. The setting details are wonderfully evocative and I especially enjoyed the sewing and buttons references, which are woven seamlessly throughout the narrative. As the story progressed, it was delightful to engage further with the small town and get to know its residents better, right along with Sutton.

The romance angle is very sweet and I also sympathized with Sutton's questions about where to go next with her life and career.

Everything wraps up nicely and the ending feels very satisfying.

Who knew I would love a book about buttons SO SO SO SO much??? Not me, that's who. This was another HUGE win from Viola Shipman - easily an auto-buy author for me.

I don't know what it is about Shipman's writing style but reading her books for me is like getting a giant hug every time! Her newest is no exception and I was absolutely absorbed in the Michigan lake town vibes as Sutton returns to her mother's roots trying to learn more about her past in the wake of her death.

Shipman's characters are always so layered and REAL for me and Sutton in particular had my whole heart right from the beginning. A middle-aged woman who loses her mother during the pandemic, Sutton digs into her mother's mysterious past trying to uncover a connection she always felt was missing. Along the way she befriends Bonnie, a rich matriarch with a secrets of her own. A designer by trade, Sutton had been laid off during the pandemic and decides to strike off on her own. With Bonnie's patronage and a new romantic interest, Sutton finds much to keep her tied to the Michigan beach town.

Full of interesting historical facts, compelling characters, a sweet mid-life romance and incredibly memorable characters, this story grabbed me from the start and I didn't want it to end. Highly, highly recommended if you're looking for the perfect un-putdownable summer beach read with the perfect amount of family drama. Much thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I will forever be a Viola Shipman fan and if you aren't yet you are missing out!!