The Summer of Songbirds by Kristy Woodson Harvey

First Line✏️”The first day of Camp Holly Springs is like shaking a bottle of soda and taking off the cap: an overflowing, effervescent explosion of sweet, delicious chaos.”

First off, thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own.

Four Women: June, Daphne, Lanier & Mary Stuart. Songbirds.

Thirty years ago June purchased Camp Holly Springs, a summer camp for girls. Now June is about to lose it all due to finances. June’s niece Daphne met her two best friends Lanier and Mary Stuart at Camp Holly Springs and shares fond memories with them. From young anxious campers, to camp counselors to adulthood. Now grown, they take turns helping with each others “hard things”. Broken hearts, pregnancy and addiction. When they learn the fate of Camp Holly Springs the trio springs into action to help save the camp and are confronted with more than one relationship from the past.

Guys. PUT THIS IN YOUR BEACH BAG ASAP. Im not kidding. I loved this book so so much and it will definitely be a comfort read for me in the future. Love, friendship, laughs…it has it all. It’s 5 starts from me. Go grab this one now!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Goodreads Average Rating: 4.48/5
PUB Date: July 11, 2023

* 368 pages
* Womens Fiction/Romance
* Alternating POV
* Hopeful/Lighthearted
* Infidelity

**Some of these triggers may contain spoilers**

*****
*****

⚠️ Triggers/Warnings ⚠️

* Addiction
* Car Accident
* Alcohol Abuse
* Drug Abuse
* Death of Parent
* Toxic Childhood

June bought the summer camp that generations of women in her family had gone to and loved, and successfully ran it for over 20 years. But after COVID, it was hard to bounce back and she’s not sure she can keep it open much longer. Her niece Daphne and Daphne’s two best friends Lanier and Mary Stuart met on their first day of camp and remained lifelong best friends. Camp Holly Springs changed each of their lives, built their confidence, was their safe space, and so much more during the many summers they spent there. Together, they are determined to help save this place that means so much to each of them.

Kristy Woodson Harvey creates beautiful stories that really draw you in. The almost 30 year friendship between Daphne, Lanier, and Mary Stuart was so beautiful and special. I loved their bond and especially loved their hard things emails. It was beautiful to see how they created a family of their own within each other. Separately, each of the main characters had a beautiful journey as they were each at a turning point in their lives, and I loved seeing how that played out.

In the author’s note and on the book's blurb, it is mentioned that this book is “a love letter to the places and people who make us who we are” and that is so true. This story really captures that feeling of the special place that changes your life and the people who are part of that life changing moment that you will never forget, and the confidence it builds in you. In that sense, it took me back to my special, life-changing place, which wasn’t summer camp but my study abroad experience in England. It was amazing how beautifully this book brought out those feelings of nostalgia and gratitude in me. I simply adored this book and how it made me feel.

Thank you @BookClubFavorites #BookClubFavorites for the gifted copy.

Thank you to @uplitreads, @kristywharvey, and @gallerybooks for my #gifted copy! 💕 This one is out on July 11th, so still plenty of time to get your preorder in!

I first fell in love with KWH’s writing with the Peachtree Bluff series. I still recommend this one all the time! Since then I’ve been able to read and review her other new releases. There is something so refreshing and effortless about her writing that I love. The Summer of Songbirds was no different!

This was the perfect summer read! Here’s what I loved -

💕 Multiple POVs

💕 Found family and the BEST friendships

💕 The sweetest romance - hellllllo Huff 😍

💕 Summer camp setting

💕 As with alllll of KWH’s books - the character growth was so good from start to finish

4 ⭐️

I have looked forward to this release since the moment Kristy announced it was available for pre-order, which, yes, I did pre-order it immediately.

The Summer of Songbirds is hands down, my favorite summer read for 2023. I can't possibly recommend this one enough! Please add this to your beach bag, pool bag, or your TBR immediately!!

One minute, I was laughing. The next minute, I was sobbing. This book shattered my heart and put it back together again multiple times.

It's a beautiful story of lifetime friendships between three little girls formed while at camp Holly Springs. Now, they're women in the real world with real problems, heartbreaks, and joyous occasions! They find out in the midst of all that life is throwing at them that the camp is in trouble and may have to be sold!

This story is a journey. It's reminiscent of childhood years and all the years in between. All the bad decisions we make as young kids and the ramifications of those decisions. It's also about doing what is right and good, owning mistakes & moving forward.

I just can't possibly put all my thoughts into words, but this one is truly special. Well done, Kristy Woodson Harvey. I loved every word of this story.

Thank you, Netgalley & Gallery Books, for this e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I've read a few books by this author, but this one now sits at the top of my list. It's the perfect summer read!

There's nothing quite like a book about long standing friendships and found family and this one gives you both.

The main gals are Daphne, Lanier and Mary Stuart who meet at age 6 at Camp Holly Springs. They become fast friends and their friendship runs deep. They continue going to camp, and even work as counselors in their teens.

Decades later, they remain best friends. There have been speed bumps, and fights and issues. But the friendship is still there. My favorite thing is how they help each other with "hard things".

Daphne is a lawyer and a single mom with a young son, Lanier is about to get married in the not too distant future, and Mary Stuart's wedding is about to happen.

They decide to have a bachelorette party just the three of them at camp, which is owned by Daphne's Aunt June. They face a lot of memories, and one faces their first love. During this trip they find out that the camp is in trouble financially and may have to close. And they rally together to try to stop that from happening.

This book will make you feel all the feels.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Yet another winner from KWH! This one is my favorite book of the year so for, and it's my all-time second favorite from this author. Kristy is, hands down, the queen of women's fiction for me.

This book took me on a whirlwind of a ride. It's a story of friendship, family (both by blood and chosen), love lost, loss in general, parenting, and finding your way through it all in adulthood. I knew by the second or third chapter that this book was going to take me on a journey I wasn't sure I was going to survive.

The writing in this book is on point. As I am writing this review, I can still picture scenes from the book in my head. Kristy does a phenomenal job with imagery without overdoing it. She puts you right into the story without being overly wordy and descriptive.

I fell in love with each character as they were introduced. I felt all their pain and joys from start to finish. I got to a point where I didn't want to finish the book because I didn't want it to end.

Overall, I think I might say that I highly recommend this book.

I am here with THE book of the summer. Sleepaway camp, forever friends and a wedding scream summer to me and I got all the summer vibes from this one.

Three girls at age 6 meet at sleepaway camp. Over twenty years later, Daphne, Lanier and Mary Stuart are still the best of friends,navigating all of life's ups and down. They had this amazing pact to do each other's "hard things" which I thought was pure genius. What is hard for us may be no big deal for someone else. I'm currently looking for people to do some hard things for me🕵🏻‍♂️

I only found Kristy Woodson Harvey about 2 years ago after joining bookstagram. She is a pure delight and writes the sweetest stories but her last 2 books (this one and The Wedding Veil) have really elevated her writing. She creates such complex stories with characters who have so much depth.

Camp✅
Friendship✅
Family✅
Romance✅

Perfection ❤️❤️❤️

The Summer of Songbirds
Author Kristy Woodson Harvey
Available now!

Thank you, @uplitreads, @kristywharvey, and @gallerybooks, for my #gifted copy! This is my first read by Kristy, and I loved it!

The Summer or Songbirds is filled with summer camp nostalgia, lifelong friendships, first loves, real- life challenges, character growth and development, and nothing but amazing women loving, supporting, and raising each other up. It felt so good to read a novel that had so many genuinely wonderful characters who gave the best versions of themselves to each other, which allowed for growth, respect, and discovery within them all. We all should be so lucky to have a Mary Stuart in our lives!

Camp Holly Springs is a magical summer have that June More created for her niece, Daphne, and so many other young girls to experience childhood's blissful connections, friendships, and to make lasting summer memories. But now, June is in financial trouble and may be forced to sell their beloved Camp Holly Springs.

Daphne and her two best friends, Lanier and Mary Stuart, forever "songbirds," are determined to figure out how to save the camp. Despite many personal :hard things"; secrets, substance abuse, and more - the three eventually face their struggles together and allow for their inner beauty, their bonds, and their futures to unfold in the most satisfying ways.

The Summer of Songbirds is an absolute summer must- read!

4.5 stars!

⛵️The Summer of Songbirds - Kristy Woodson Harvey

5 ⭐️- OMG what a sweet, lovable, nostalgic story. It has summer fun, family relationships and struggles, friendship and found family, and so much more. I grew up going to “the lake” and this book felt like home. I too have a bestie that I’ve had since I was 6 (Hi Laur!) that feels more like a sister and I felt the characters were easy to identify with. As predicted, this book now holds a special place in my heart.

Four women come together to save a summer camp that changed their lives while also discovering themselves in the process. June Moore bought Camp Holly Springs 30 years ago amid some traumatic life events. Now, June is in danger of losing the camp she knows and loves. Her niece, Daphne, met her two best friends, Lanier and Mary Stuart, at this camp when they were 6. They grew up helping each other with life’s “hard things” - heartbreak, substance abuse, unplanned pregnancy and familial struggles. When big secrets are brought to light at the campfire, will the girls be able to work together to discover themselves, solve hard problems, and save their beloved camp?

I loved this book. Plain and simple. It was such a heartbreaking yet heartfelt story of self discovery, self love, defining the word “family,” and so many nostalgic stories. It has changing POVs and some past and present timeline moments that help keep you invested in the characters lives. If you’re looking for a summer, easy, lovable book, this is it. Definitely recommend. I am so grateful to Kristy Woodson Harvey for writing this book and to NetGally and Gallery Books for the ARC copy. This one’s out now so definitely go read it before summer ends!

The Summer of Songbirds has been at the top of my list to read since Kristy announced the book! And it was just as dreamy as she described. I love books about

Daphne thinks of Camp Holly Springs as some of the best time of her life. She has a rough upbringing and this camp is one of her only happy memories. Her aunt June bought the camp when she also needed something to ground her. She’s been running it successfully for over 20 years, but it’s been hard to rebound after the pandemic.

Daphne met her two best friends in their songbird year and they have remained friends for over 25 years. They help each other in many ways and they know all each others secrets. After the girls find out the camp is in danger of closing, they spark a campaign to raise funds. They work together well, but they still have their lives to lead. They are also following their heart and trying to make careers. It’s hard when you are trying to do the right thing when it might hurt one of your best friends.

This is the perfect book for the summer time. It reminds you of the freedom of school and being a kid. When hanging out with your friends was the most important activity and just having fun was the goal. I grew up on a lake and went swimming my every single day. I remember riding my bike to my friends and getting ice cream from the truck together. Kristy has such a way of writing it feels like you are another camper with the girls. It’s an absolute must read.

Thank you to @uplitreads @gallerybooks and Kristy for my gifted ARC, finished copy, and fun swag from Camp KWH! Songbirds is out today!

5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Summer of the Songbirds is such a fun book! I admit that it took me a little bit to get into the story, but after a couple of chapters, I couldn't put the book down. I was reminded of my own summers at camp, and I was fully invested in whether or not the plan to save Camp Holly Springs would be a success.

The main characters were fully fleshed out, with completely different personalities, so it was easy to keep track of them. I liked that we got to see many different sides to the same story WITHOUT it being two sides of a romance. An inexperienced author would have confused the reader with three points of view, but Harvey masterfully juggled the storylines while making sure the reader can see troubling issues from multiple angles. When Lanier's fiance Bryce starts acting strangely, the reader has already seen from Daphne's perspective what's going on. We see Daphne's internal struggle between being a loyal friend to Lanier, and attorney-client privilege that she owes Bryce.

There was, of course, an element of predictability involved. You put two exes (from long ago) together in a novel like this -- especially when one is starting to see cracks in her "perfect" relationship, and the other is still hung up on the first -- there are bound to be sparks. But I still thoroughly enjoyed the journey, and there were still quite a few surprises along the way.

The blurb from Emily Henry on the front cover of this book summed it up perfectly:

“𝑷𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒃𝒂𝒈 𝒊𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚.”

I honestly couldn’t have said it better myself. The Summer of Songbirds truly is the perfect summer read! The summer vibes and nostalgia are endless! It’s the perfect mix of juicy drama, family dynamics, female friendship, and a dash of romance. The characters are all dynamic, the plot is steady, and the summer camp setting will take you back to your childhood.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Summer camp
- Friendship fiction
- Second chance romance
- Multiple perspectives & timelines
- Friends becoming family
- Warm, wholesome, and feel-good reads

I’ve read a small handful of Kristy’s novels, and this one is by far my very favorite. It’s best enjoyed at the beach, lake, or pool! The cover screams SUMMER, and the inside most certainly delivers. The Summer of Songbirds is out TODAY, so please listen to Emily Henry and put it in your beach bag immediately!

Another perfect summer read from Kristy Woodson Harvey. The Summer of Songbirds will have you wishing you were at summer camp with your best friends. I loved the elements of female friendship, found family and second chance romance. If you are already a KWH fan I think this one will give you similar vibes to the Peachtree Bluff series. I also enjoyed the subtle cross over mentions to Under The Southern Sky. Thank you to NetGalley at the publisher for an advanced copy.

The Summer of Songbirds is an homage to summer camp memories, childhood joys and forever friendships. The setting is Camp Holly Springs where three little girls, now three young women, have returned to relive their childhood summers and try to save the beloved camp from developers.
Kristy Woodson Harvey tells the story from four points of view. The three campers who are now grown: Daphne-a lawyer, Lanier-a bookstore owner, Mary Stuart- a master at public relations and the Camp Holly Springs owner, Daphne’s Aunt June. KWH’s vivid descriptions of the camp, cabins, dining hall and all the daily activities will rekindle readers’ memories of campouts, talent shows, friendship bracelets, and stories around the campfire. Friendship dilemmas now involve career crossroads, trouble with a fiancé, a wedding rendezvous with an Ex, and family secrets between friends. KWH creates anticipation, disappointment, and finally hope surrounding each character. Her prose includes a poignant analogy that the river is like humans, carrying secrets, scars, joy, and hope. Added is the wisdom that we can’t control the wind, but we can adjust the sails. Readers are reminded of joy and sadness; You cannot have one without the other. This is “a book to lose yourself in, then find yourself again.” Welcome to Camp Holly Springs and The Summer of Songbirds. As Kristy Woodson Harvey says, “It’s always summer somewhere!”

Loved everything about this novel! Thank you to the author, NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital copy..

Absolutely loved this atmospheric summer camp novel by Kristy Woodson Harvey. The Summer of Songbirds is an ode to summer, to lifelong friendship, to friends who feel like family, and to places that make your heart soart...in this case, Camp Holly Springs. Three women who have been best friends since they met their very first year at summer camp are now dealing with some situations where they need each other more than ever. Add in some second chance romance and drama, and you are in for a real literary treat. I loved the way each of the women's stories are weaved together. I will definitely be picking up some of Harvey's backlist. Loved, loved, loved this story!

Thank you for the gifted copy! This was my first book by this author and it won’t be my last. Songbirds is perfect for a summer beach read! It follows three friends who met as summer camp as they were growing up. Their lives have all changed, they are older, they are working through adult problems, and the summer camp is now in trouble.

w h a t i l o v e d :
+ strong female friendships
+ found family
+ summer camp nostalgia
+ heartwarming moments
+ messy romance
+ second chances
+ heartbreaking choices

This book deals with some heavy issues, but it never felt overwhelming to me and remained a lighter read. I liked some of the characters more than others, but it worked well in the story. I would definitely recommend this book for a summer read!

June Moore is at risk of losing her beloved Camp Holly Springs after running it for the past thirty years. June’s niece, Daphne, and her two best friends, Lanier and Mary Stuart, started attending this camp for girls when they were 6 years old, and are now determined to help June save her camp. Meanwhile, Daphne and Lanier are both confronted with relationships from their pasts, so they must juggle figuring out their personal lives, while still prioritizing saving Camp Holly Springs.

This was a beautiful story of the bond of female friendship, built over a decades-long relationship. The story is full of camp nostalgia, memories, and “hard things” the women helped one another with over the years. While romance is an aspect of the story, this is first and foremost a book about friendship, and I loved that. Three of the four women serve as the novel’s POVs, and I appreciated their different perspectives and challenges they were battling. This was another wonderful book from Kristy Woodson Harvey, and I would definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for my gifted e-ARC, and UplitReads, Gallery Books, and Kristy Woodson Harvey for my gifted ARC + finished copies!

This is a fantastic book, beautifully written, and I was sorry it had to end. It’s women’s fiction at its finest, with romances included.

It’s set at a summer camp for girls where the three girls (Daphne, Lanier, and Mary Stuart) first met and made lifelong friendships. Now, they’re grown up and the camp needs money to survive.

There’s so much more to the book, of course. Their individual stories of hardships, first loves, and broken hearts are well told, but it’s the friendship that keeps them together and helps them to grow. I’m a little envious I never had this kind of ride or die friends since childhood!

I can’t say enough good things about this book, you have to read it.
5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

A stunning story of the power of life long friends, and the challenge in seeing each other and ourselves for who we are, not who we once were.

For fans of Harvey's "Peach Tree Bluff" series, this book will be your new favorite!