The Girls of Summer by Katie Bishop is a compelling debut with an especially gorgeous and enticing cover. This book explores our protagonist Rachel’s experience living in Greece as a young woman and the relationships that she had there. Using duel timelines, the present day in the US where Rachel is married to a good man, and the past in Greece where Rachel is falling in love with Alistair. I won’t go into more detail to avoid spoilers but overall this is a very timely book that explores consent, power, and lust.

I zoomed through this one, it was highly readable and I wanted to learn more about what was happening. I felt disappointed by the ending, it fell a little flat for me and I hoped for more exploration of the central topic but overall this was enjoyable and the perfect read this summer.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC - Girls of Summer will be out 6/6/23!

The Girls of Summer was a very slow read, one in which I didn't care for the characters. That's always a red flag for me and the pacing was another. It felt like when you're riding a hilly road on a bicycle. A lo-o-ong slow uphill, a sudden picking up of speed, and immediately another lo-o-o-ong slow stretch.

The novel is very topical, very #metoo with themes of rape, sexual exploitation, and suicide. I don't think this book is for everyone and it wasn't for me. I do think if you enjoy a slow, dual-timeline story with a lot of angst, this will do it for you.

2.5 stars rounded to 3.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publishers for an ARC. My thoughts are my own.

This book was well-written, but the MC was awful.

SPOILERS:

As a 17-year-old, this gal went to an island. While she was there, she destroyed her friendship with her former-BFF, ignored a friend who was afraid in favor of her own dalliances, yelled at anyone who told her to avoid the bar she found work at, and then sold out one of her friends. And there is oh so much more, including how she said she “didn’t want to be a victim” in the present timeline. If you were, though, it’s a simple fact and not something to avoid through a lifetime of lying. 🤦🏽‍♀️

I found it difficult to sympathize with the MC. It kind of felt like she was getting her comeuppance. She who never believed the truth, no matter how many people tried to tell her. I usually can empathize with just about anyone, but she was willfully ignorant and it hurt a LOT of people.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

A beautiful and sometimes painful read about how memories shape you, and how the destruction of those memories can upend your entire sense of self. It's so easy for teenage girls to be swept up, especially in an exotic locale, and by older men. Rachel and her friends are having the most perfect summer, on a beautiful remote Greek isle, partying and having fun. And Rachel is in love for the first time. But almost 20 years later, those memories are revisited and the dark corners revealed, and Rachel is thrown into turmoil. This is a fantastic debut.

"'That place has been my whole life. Everything I thought I knew about myself was constructed in those few months I spent within touching distance of the sea. Everything I am is because Alistair loved me.'

Rachel has been in love with Alistair for fifteen years. Even though she’s now married to someone else. Even though she was a teenager when they met. Even though he is twenty years older than her.

Rachel and Alistair’s summer love affair on a remote, sun-trapped Greek island has consumed her since she was seventeen, obliterating everything in its wake. But as Rachel becomes increasingly obsessed with reliving the events of so long ago, she reconnects with the other girls who were similarly drawn to life on the island, where the nights were long, the alcohol was free-flowing and everyone acted in ways they never would at home. And as she does so, dark and deeply suppressed secrets about her first love affair begin to rise to the surface, as well as the truth about her time working for an enigmatic and wealthy man, who controlled so much more than she could have ever realized."

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

this book can definitely be described as a cross between ‘my dark vanessa’ and the jeffrey epstein trial. and if that doesn’t tell you enough, well, I don’t know what else will. it is extremely unsettling at times, so make sure you look into trigger warnings.

the author weaves a story about a woman (but once a young girl— important to remember) so manipulated by a man that she is aching to relive her past. she simultaneously creates a FMC that is so incredibly unlikeable but will still make you want to continue reading, even if that means peeking through your fingers while you cover your face at the choices she makes, in past and present.

overall, I liked the story. it was predictable, but not in a bad way, just that once it started to unravel, I felt like I knew what was going to happen next. I felt like it was a little long, and I went into it thinking it would have more of a focus on the island vibes (hence, the title) but it definitely goes in another direction. again, not a bad thing, but if you are thinking this is a fluffy summer read, think again!!

thank you St. Martin’s Press for my eARC!

Yes, this is a slow burn at first, but wow.

I’ve read a lot of people comparing it to My Dark Vanessa, which I personally wasn’t the biggest fan of, but I absolutely loved this one. I thought it a better version of MDV. The multiple timelines were easy to follow and I found the “then” portions way more fast paced. However, I will say it took a little to remember all the character names and at times I did question who I was reading about.

There are some trigger warnings, IE rape, grooming, suicide.

All in all, better than I expected, given the reviews. Huge shoutout to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

I knew very little about this book going in, except that I loved this beautiful cover and I had to read it. Though I expected a lighter read based on the cover alone, I still found myself immersed in Rachel's story and in for a darker ride than I anticipated. I've also seen this book grouped with thriller and suspense reads and though I found it compelling and intense, in my humble reading opinion this is a well written drama with a strong psychological component but definitely NOT a thriller.

As a young woman on the cusp of adulthood, Rachel spent one unforgettable summer on a Greek island. Unsatisfied with her life in the present, her mind keeps wandering back to the memories of that summer and her first love. Will reconnecting with him help her reconnect with the person she thinks she used to be?

I really enjoyed the setting, the vibe and the writing style. Though this book deals with some heavy topics, this still ended up being a quick and enjoyable read! If you've enjoyed My Dark Vanessa and The Ingenue, you will certainly enjoy The Girls of Summer! This book is not about surprising twists and turns but still contains some dark tension building. I will definitely be keeping an eye out on Katie Bishop's next one!

Grateful to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

After the love affair with an older man 15 years ago, Rachel can't seem to shake him still. Although married, her pull to know where he is, is stronger than ever. Her obsession clouds her judgement on what his true intentions were back on that island all those years ago. This book was an interesting read. It touches on a very difficult subject of the #metoo movement. It gave me Jeffrey Epstein vibes. The island, the girls, the older men...just cringe worthy. I think the author did a great job with the impact that something like this has on young women and what it means to speak up.

This moves between past and present to tell the story of Rachel and her obsession with Alaistair, a man she met when she was a teen years ago. Rachel and her friend Caroline met Alaistair and his set on a Greek island and they did not recognize at the time- and even today Rachel is not entirely committed- that he was grooming and abusing their trust, among other things. It wasn't a pretty situation, this isn't a light read, and it's one where you might not like any of the characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Not for me but others might enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Katie Bishop for an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback and review.

Rachel and her friend Caroline are able to go to Greece without parents their senior year of high school. The pair end up on a party island where drinking and partying are the norm. Rachel falls for a man named Alistair even though he is 20 years older than her. 16 years later Rachel still dreams of her first love despite being married to Tom. We travel with Rachel back and forth in time as she remembers the summer she found herself in love for the first time.

I DNF'd around 50%. I tried this as an audiobook as well thinking it would grab my interest a little more as I am an audio-visual person. Unfortunately it did not. Just to give as a trigger warning there is rape. Which I do not like in books as a means of character progression. I felt it was unnecessary. I gave up then and there. If you don't mind triggers feel free to check this book out. It just was not for me personally.

🌅Did not wow me😐

3-3.5🌟stars
I just found this novel too long; it expended too many pages to get to what actually happened to British teen Rachel Evans and the other girls who were on the island and fell under the patronage of a manipulative wealthy man and his factotum.

I could see the good bones of the plot and it had timely social relevance, but I felt it was weighed down by the vague and slow way the story meandered its way to the point. And too often the story diverted to scenes that I did not think advanced the main plot, like Rachel's visit to her mother's; rambles around London; visits with the in-laws, and a day trip to the beach with Jules.

Also, for me, the main character was not someone I could sympathize with, either in her teen "then" party days on the island or in her "now" unraveling London life.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

I probably should have read the Booklist review that lists My Dark Vanessa as a readalike of this book before starting, because I was expecting a light summer romance, with a grown woman looking back fondly on her summer in Greece. While I was not expecting the deeply disturbing story that I found within the pages of Katie Bishop's debut novel. That said, I liked it a lot...if you can actually say that about a story that makes you really uncomfortable.

The descriptions of the island are breathtaking, making me want to hop on a plane and explore a Greek island immediately. I really like the format of the novel, too, with chapters alternating between the present day and 'Then' when Rachel is 17-going-on-18 and basking in her summer partying and falling in love with Alistair, a man around twice her age.

What made me uncomfortable was the sense of impending doom that the story of that summer imparted. I didn't like what I saw developing, and the author did a great job of building the suspense surrounding Rachel's memory of events. Rachel herself is an unlikable character, her naivete as a teen, and her dishonesty with her husband in the present really grated on me as I read. I was also disgusted with the obvious grooming that was taking place, and with the girls' seeming inability to see what was happening.

The Girls of Summer was a compelling read, I found myself reading compulsively to finish even as I wanted to throw it across the room in disgust at times.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC of The Girls of Summer by Katie Bishop. The opinions in this review are my own.

Advanced Book Review! Thank you @netgalley & @stmartinspress for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
“Joining a post #MeToo discourse, The Girls of Summer grapples with themes of power, sex and consent, as it explores the complicated nature of memory and trauma – and what it takes to reframe, and reclaim, your own story.”
Written in dual timelines of “then” and “now”, The Girls of Summer is narrated, and it felt very narrative by Rachel (great name), who spent a summer on a remote Greek island at age 17 and is now living in London at 34, with her husband, but that summer is still haunting.
At first, it reminded me of Mamma Mia – a group of friends travel to a Greek island and one of them decides to stay. However, it quickly became clear that it’s not the same at all, that it’s a much darker story about the girls on the island who were taken advantage of.
Unfortunately, Rachel couldn’t get past what she saw as a real romance with an older man, or see her time on the island for what it actually was. I found this a bit frustrating and repetitive. Knowing who she was at the start of the novel, it was surprising that Rachel ended up in this situation, but I guess that’s kind of the point of the book – that it could happen to anyone.
Rachel’s whole life was consumed by this summer, and although this does become more understandable the more you read, it takes a while for the full story to start coming out and it took me a while to get into it. I also read reviews about a twist coming closer to the end, but to be honest, it wasn’t as big or surprising as I had hoped.
I this this is an important topic and I think Katie Bishop does a good job in her debut novel of digging into this world and how this experience can affect someone many years later.
I don’t want to give anything away but if you’re going to read this one and are worried about certain topics, be sure to look up the trigger warnings first.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's press and the author for a electronic ARC of The Girls of Summer.
Anticipated release date: June 6, 2023

This book was definitely not what I expected from the description. The book starts off with two friends traveling before starting their college studies. When Rachel and her friend first get to an island of Greece it seems like it could be a typical summer for the two. That quickly changes.

The book is told in two points of time, Then and Now. The MC Rachel is not very likeable in either of the story lines, but especially in the now. She is so hurtful to her loved ones.

This book gives off strong Epstein island vibes. Some of it was very hard to read. I kept thinking open your eyes Rachel! She thought she was in "love" though and that theme carried throughout the entire book.

The book is well written and I read it pretty quick. There was definitely enough twists through the whole book.

The Girls of Summer is not a light read, but I did really enjoy it. The dual timeline kept the pace moving for me, and I found that I appreciated both the past and present narration equally. My heart broke for Rachel and the other girls in the story, and I really appreciated the growth I saw in Rachel by the end of the book. The ending was very satisfying to me, though it was hard to get there due to the heavy subject matter of the story.

This was an absorbing cautionary tale set against a glittering summer on a Greek island.
The opening drew me in, loved how it all unfolded with perfect pacing, and tension scattered through expertly; always just enough to keep you turning the page. This book deals with a lot of incredibly dark issues but I thought they were handled so well; nothing was forced or written in without a specific reason. Rachel’s narrative is complex and the way it is split between the present day and that teenage summer is perfect for her to reassess the people and events from her past. Highly recommend.

This book is difficult. The writing is good, the story is slow. The story is dual timeline, the past where our MC believes she is in love with a much older man. And the present where our MC thinks she is still stuck on this man and her realization that he is a predator. As the reader, we know this guy is terrible as soon as we meet him. We don't go on the same journey as the main character, so I was just left not feeling quite right reading this.

The Girls of Summer by Katie Bishop #thirtyfourthbookof2023 #arc

CW: alcohol abuse, drug abuse, sexual assault, adultery, abortion

From NetGalley: Joining a post #MeToo discourse, The Girls of Summer grapples with themes of power, sex, and consent, as it explores the complicated nature of memory and trauma––and what it takes to reframe, and reclaim, your own story.


This book does not fit into my reader wheelhouse, and I knew that going in. It seemed to me that it would have lots of descriptions and thought processing, and it does. The description of this book as plot driven is misleading. It was simply uninteresting to me, and weirdly enough, the general plot line was familiar to me, as though I’ve read something similar years ago. The book is tense and hazy and not the sort of thing I want to read. I’m sure there is an audience for this book, but it’s not what I wanted to read at this moment.

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the advance copy. (Pub date 6/6/23)

I know what The Girls of Summer was trying to be. I don’t think it worked for me. So many things were overly written and they added nothing to the plot. The younger version of Rachel was just naive while the older version was just unlikable. Literally in the first present day chapter she complains about her husband being too compliant and making her go somewhere she doesn’t want to go. Then she leaves him to find a gross old guy who was never in any way someone anyone should be looking for. These books written as if love, romance, and even lust, have to be these all consuming things that make you act stupid are really kind of part of the problem this book tries to address.

2.5 out of 5 stars.

The story revolves around Rachel and flips between past and present. Ranging from her teens years on holiday with her best friend Caroline to present day, the story unravels drug and alcohol use, assault, mention of abortion, cheating, falling for a much older man, grooming…the list goes on. It also reveals the death of one of the summer friends and what may have led to it.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I didn’t hate it completely, but the cheating, grooming, and assault were too much for me. I say grooming because that is what I feel Alistair did with Rachel.

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.