Thank you St Martin's Press for The Girls of Summer. This is a book I liked more in theory and for content/topic than I did in execution; this is just me as a reader as I found this was not a thriller as much as a thoughtful, and intense, examination of themes on consent, sexual predators, and related themes about how young women are often mistreated (and the enduring effects of such hurtful relationships). I went in looking for a summer thriller and ended up with an at times dense read. While I value the topics examined and respect the writing and content, the execution and set up for the story did not ever engage me as I wanted it to.

"Girls of Summer" by Kate Bishop is a coming-of-age novel that follows the adventures of Rachel and her best friend Caroline during a summer vacation in Greece. Despite being underage, the girls embark on a journey to explore the Greek archipelago, staying in hostels and immersing themselves in the vibrant party scene.

The novel paints a vivid picture of the carefree atmosphere and the allure of newfound freedom as Rachel and Caroline indulge in late-night parties and alcohol. However, the story takes a turn when Rachel encounters Alistair, an older businessman who captivates her with his charm and sophistication. Alistair's ability to make all the girls feel special becomes a tool he uses to his advantage, ultimately leading to life-changing consequences for Rachel.

The narrative unfolds through dual timelines, with Rachel serving as the main character. The use of this storytelling technique is effective in this particular novel, allowing readers to gain insight into Rachel's growth and the events that shape her life. However, it should be noted that some parts of the story may require reading between the lines to fully grasp the underlying themes and messages.

Overall, "Girls of Summer" offers a unique perspective on the coming-of-age experience, blending themes of youthful exploration, the consequences of making questionable choices, and the impact of encounters with older, influential individuals. Readers who appreciate atmospheric storytelling and character-driven narratives will find this book intriguing, while those seeking fast-paced excitement may find it less engaging.

A beautiful package, stunning cover, and gorgeous setting.


The story, on the other hand… was not for me. Bummer!


I was pretty excited for this book, and read 70 pages in one sitting. Then it got really unreal, infuriating, and eye-rolling.


The main character, Rachel, really pissed me off. I had to keep reminding myself that she was seventeen and people make stupid decisions when they’re seventeen. But the red flags are burning from the beginning, even for someone that age.


Also, it’s one thing to be stupid at seventeen. But at 34, she was not doing much better LOL
Talk about a person who needs professional help.


And, how real is it that a girl is seventeen, goes to Greece to spend a couple weeks with another seventeen year old friend, and then she calls home and says “well mom, actually, I’ll just stay here”. Would your mom let you? Or would your mom be like mine, fly to Greece, and drag me back home, yelling at me the whole way? LOL


You might enjoy it if you’re into slow paced stories.

The most important thing about this book is you very much need to know what this book is before you start it. It's not a thriller or an easy summer read. It's about consent and older men manipulating young women. It's very Jeffrey Epstein, but told from the perspective of someone who thinks she was in love with one of the summer's abusers.

I did know what I was going into so I appreciated the story. However, I found the main character deeply unlikeable, and I wanted more Greece, selfishly.... but honestly the older timeline could have taken place anywhere.

Okay, while I'm so thankful to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, Katie Bishop, and NetGalley, this was just not the one for me. NetGalley had made it out like this was a mystery/thriller to die for, and I just wasn't getting those vibes. There are definitely some triggering subjects such as sexual assault and domestic violence, but I couldn't stay interested in this book.

3.5 rounding up!

The Girls of Summer absolutely feels like a summer read. The Greek island setting is so well done and evocative.

You follow Rachel in two timelines- the past during her life changing summer abroad, and in the present where she is still dealing with things that happened during that summer.

In the past timeline you know as the reader that things are not right, but in Rachel’s perspective it is magical. A romance with an older man, working for the same man he is and being completely dependent on the employer for money, housing, food. Things spin out of control and Rachel is mostly oblivious, which is frustrating to read, but understandable in its own way.

This gripped me from the start, but the hold loosened about halfway through. To be honest this felt a little too wordy and dense at times. But the story and message were great and I really enjoyed the way the story wrapped up.

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Girls of Summer is a haunting tale of youth and naivete, showing that scars inflicted in our teens continue to radiate years later.

Rachel spent a summer on a Greek island at the age of 17/18, and that summer has imprinted itself in her heart and her brain. She was in a romantic affair with an older man named Alistair, who was technically her boss while she worked for an enigmatic man named Henry that no one really knew much about. A group of young women lived together and worked in the bar owned by Henry, and often groups of girls would be called upon to come work 'parties' at Henry's home. In present day, Rachel is unhappy in her marriage and has the opportunity to reconnect with Alistair, forcing that summer to be brought back to mind.

The setting on the island is like another character in this book. The isolation, the freedom, and the wild abandon that comes out for these young girls away from home for the first time all add up to make a powerful setting. We never get to know many of the other girls well, as Rachel is solely focused on Alistair while living on the island.

This is a story of psychological manipulation and of older men taking advantage of the naive young girls. What was actually happening at the house doesn't become clear until late in the book, by which time I was so incredibly frustrated with Rachel that I was ready to scream. Her character is passive, obsessive, and makes plenty of terrible decisions, and I was having trouble liking her. Once the backstory became clearer and the unbelievable manipulation was explained, it became easier to sympathize with her and understand why her mind was so twisted when it came to Alistair and the island.

There was a small twist that I didn't see coming until it was upon me, and it changed the course of the story. I remained intrigued the entire time I was reading, even if I was also frustrated with our main character!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the eARC and gifted copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was somewhat mismarketed. I had requested it under the assumption that this was a thriller. However, another reviewer had warned me that this was actually more of a literary mystery. Going in with that expectation helped me review it a bit more objectively, but I think many readers will think they're getting a suspense and be disappointed. The Girls of Summer is a slow burn type of book with then/now timelines. There are dark themes with ramifications years later. I've discovered that literary mystery is not my personal favorite in terms of genres, but I think this was solid nonetheless.

You might see three stars and think to yourself, “Oh, this book must not be that good.” In this case, I would disagree and still recommend you read it! I completed this read via audiobook. The narrator was exceptional in making me sympathize with our main character, even when she was being a naive fool. I felt SO BAD for this girl. I think I was expecting a bit more of an emotional punch from the book’s ending, however. I think there will be a lot of readers who love this book, and some readers who thought it was just okay. It was fun to read a book set in Greece for a change! If you’re looking for more heart-shattering moments, please check out Muted by Tami Charles.

Thanks NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC. I was happy to read and give back my opinion.
Rachel is on a summer vacation with her friend, exploring the Greek islands. She is seventeen and yearning for more than her gloomy life in England. Fate or misfortune brings them to a small, less populated island. There she meets Alistair, a sophisticated man, who sees "her". What happens next is a look at how young girls are exploited and taken advantage of their insecurities . Shades of Jeffrey Epstein , how a sex offender uses his power and influence.

A timely cautionary tale that I think young women should pay special attention to. If you have someone like that in your life, I would consider gifting them this book. It's not necessarily a new story, it's a tale as old as time, but we are seeing it with new eyes in this era and hopefully our girls will learn from the things we weathered. If we can pass something down to the next generation in this way, that would be great.

Rachel's husband Tom is taking her on a romantic getaway to the Greek island she inhabited for the most formative summer of her life. She was only 17.

It has the opposite effect as he intended. Instead of bringing them closer, she's flooded with memories and regrets. She dreams of recapturing the simplicity of her youth.

We soon find out that summer is not as simple and innocent as she may remember. Not long after arriving, she meets Alistair, an older man who woos her and her friends with his nice parties and work opportunities. She thinks they have something special but he disappears after that summer, leaving their torrid summer affair behind him.

As she reconnects with others from that summer, they put the puzzle pieces together and what is laid bare isn't innocent, but rather very ugly and perverted.

Rachel never got over that summer. At a crossroads in her marriage where she should be moving forward, she still chases that fleeting sense of freedom and power that only comes with youth. We only get it once. This made me feel a little long in the tooth myself.

Love, loss, betrayal, consent, grooming. Even as an adult she doesn't know what happened to her but with new times come new views and what was once buried is coming to the surface.

This was a great story. Rachel is not the most likable main character, with her coldness to her husband and her constant vibe of disarray, but that's not the point. It's not that kind of story. I think the flaws were the point and it is supposed to be somewhat uncomfortable and disturbing. You're supposed to internally scream sometimes. It's a warning and a lesson.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to listen and review. The audio narration was wonderful as well.

The Girls Of Summer is a beautifully written debut.

Rachel visits Greece the summer she’s turning 18 and decides to stay. She’s fallen in love with the beauty of the island, the freedom and of course a man. Alistair is everything she ever wanted. How can she leave?

Fast forward 16 years and she is still not over it. She has different memories than her friends from that time period and of how everything went down and ultimately turned out for her and those other girls that she formed bonds with that summer.

This is tender, somewhat dark story of what could have been. What should have been? Told in two timeline POVs both from Rachel, we slowly get
The full story here…and it’s a lot.

This is a slow burn which I tend to be more fond of than most and I really enjoyed this book. Don’t let the title fool you here, it’s a dark tale of discovery. The worst and best kind of discoveries are always those you discover about yourself.

Rachel wasn’t my favorite character and she’s def a flawed human. Somehow this did make me like her more towards the end.

I cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next! I devoured this one in a day and won’t forget it anytime soon.

Such a relevant topic also. Well done!

Thrillers that happen in beautiful locations are 100 percent my cup of tea. The Girls of Summer is a brilliant coming-of-age book about Rachel and her time on the island. Although the situation may not (hopefully) be relatable to most people, Rachel is young and naive; and many people have been there. I loved this book. I found it suspenseful but also very emotional. Thanks for the advance review copy. Katie Bishop did an excellent job and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thanks for a copy of this ARC!

Rachel is utterly in love with Alistair in an all encompassing way and you feel and see that throughout the whole story. I think this story was incredibly well done even with sensitive portions. That being said, I did feel it was a bit slow at times.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the copy of this ARC!

Rachel and her friends are having the summer of their lives: they're teenagers, they're living in Greece, and they're bartending and partying the summer away. Rachel also meets Alistair and falls desperately in love with him, but everything falls apart when one of the girls ends up dead.

In a #MeToo-movement storyline, Katie Bishop delves into the dark secrets and obsessiveness, blurred lines, power and manipulation that can happen between teenage girls and older men. I wouldn't really call this book a thriller, but more contemporary fiction with a bit of a dark and mysterious element. I enjoyed this read, but would suggest avoiding if you have any triggers relating to #MeToo,

16 year old Rachel is a teenager when she and her friend go back packing to a Greek Island. In her travels she meets handsome and older Alastair. Alastair is charismatic and entrances her and she finds herself developing feelings for him that will end up shaping her and changing her through the rest of her life.

We then find ourselves about 18 or so years later and Rachel is married to Tom, although she's never stopped thinking about Alastair and when she finds an opportunity which she is able to get in touch with him she makes a decision in which to do so.

This book is told in a dual time frame manner, both from the perspective of Rachel's teenage years and during the current time frame. You will find that this book will take you back to a time where you will find yourself remembering yourself as a teenager. The mistakes you made, your lack of confidence and ability to make good decisions, how naive you were an awkward you felt in situations. The author did an excellent job and bringing you back to that point in your life so that you were there with the lead character feeling the way she had felt during that time in her life. I found myself in her place and feeling sorry for her and empathizing for what she was going through.

Katie Bishop, the author, did a great job with character development and creating a plot that was not only character driven but driven by the location and the past and the presents. I've been to Greece many times, I'm half creek, and she's done an excellent job with the description of what a Greek island feels like, it makes me miss being there.

An excellent debut novel. Well done.

"The Girls of Summer" by Katie Bishop is a captivating and lyrical novel that takes readers on a journey to a remote Greek island. The story follows Rachel, a woman who has been in love with Alistair for fifteen years, even though she is now married to someone else. The novel delves into the complexities of love, memory, trauma, and the power dynamics of relationships.

The novel is set against the backdrop of a sun-trapped Greek island, where Rachel had a summer love affair with Alistair when she was only seventeen. The story explores how that summer consumed her and how it has affected her life since. As Rachel becomes increasingly obsessed with reliving the events of that summer, she reconnects with the other girls who were similarly drawn to life on the island.

As Rachel delves deeper into her memories, dark and deeply suppressed secrets about her first love affair begin to rise to the surface. The novel also explores the truth about Rachel's time working for an enigmatic and wealthy man, who controlled more than she could have ever realized.

"The Girls of Summer" is a post-#MeToo novel that grapples with themes of power, sex, and consent. It explores the complicated nature of memory and trauma, and what it takes to reframe and reclaim one's own story.

Overall, "The Girls of Summer" is a beautifully written and emotionally charged novel. Bishop's writing is lyrical and evocative, transporting readers to the sun-drenched Greek island and immersing them in Rachel's story.

One of the strengths of the novel is its exploration of power dynamics in relationships, particularly the dynamics of age differences and the effects of trauma. The novel is thought-provoking and challenging, and Bishop handles these sensitive topics with sensitivity and nuance.

The characters are well-drawn, and their relationships are complex and realistic. Rachel is a compelling protagonist, and her journey of self-discovery is both heartbreaking and inspiring.

The only drawback to "The Girls of Summer" is that it may not be for everyone. The novel is introspective and character-driven, and readers who prefer fast-paced plots and action may find it slow-going.

"The Girls of Summer" is a moving and thought-provoking novel that will stay with readers long after they finish reading it. It is a must-read for anyone who enjoys character-driven fiction that delves into complex themes and relationships.

I was really excited to receive this NetGalley copy for review, after hearing so much talk and hype about this book. About 1/3 of the way through I felt this book was missing something. I kept waiting for a twist or turn and sadly that didn’t happen. It felt a bit rushed and predictable to me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC! Expected publication is June 6th.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Girls of Summer by Katie Bishop. The journey that we go on with our main character Rachel spans many years of her life, and I was so rooting for her progress and transformation. We meet her younger self as a 17 year old who is traveling in Greece with her friend, and through chapters that alternate timelines, we also know present day Rachel who is in her early thirties. Present day Rachel is still attempting to come to terms with everything that happened to her during her fateful summer in Greece, as well as trying to maintain her current marriage and job. We learn the details of that summer as the book progresses.

I think that Bishop did a great job of stringing us along with her use of tension and plotting- I feel like she revealed new things to us at the perfect time. As a reader, I was almost dreading the new things I would learn of Rachel’s summer as I pieced her story together. This wasn’t necessarily an easy read- in fact some moments are quite disturbing and it’s definitely worth a look at some TWs. However, I was moved by the story Bishop created and it had a lasting impact on me! I’m excited to check out her future novels!

The Girls of Summer by Katie Bishop was full of sadness. It unfolded as if it happened in real life. So many young girls get taken advantage of and trafficked in real life. I couldn't imagine being in the young girls' shoes as they were sent to what they thought were parties for fun and entertainment. Rachel's whole life revolved around what she thought was true love to only be destroyed later on. Her life and marriage were a mess from what happened 20 years ago. I was glad she finally saw what should have been right in front of her. This was a real page turner for me even though I was reluctant to start it. I was sucked in pretty quickly as I waited to see what was going to happen when her past and present collided.