The author's passion shines through in this book. It was well written and explored some intriguing themes, even though, I didn’t connect with it like I wanted to. It has great potential to appeal to other readers and I encourage others to try it out! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

This is a beautifully written historical novel. I loved the friendships and settings so so much. I will definitely pick up more of this authors work in the future.

This was my first Brooke Lea Foster book and it won’t be my last! I’ll admit the first thing that drew me to this book was the cover, but I’m glad I picked it to read! I loved all of the characters and the contrast between our main girl characters. I felt the plot could have developed a bit more but I’ll definitely pick up more from this author

If you're going to write historical fiction, the story should feel rooted in that time period. I didn't feel like Foster achieved that with this book set in the 60s and 70s.
Overall, it was fine. Forgettable. Big sisters have trauma, female friendship is complicated. We all know this.

I’ve been contemplating the title of this book, All the Summers in Between, because this book is about the two summers on either end of the in between, the summers of 1977 and a more modern summer, maybe modern day. In the summer of 1977 Margot and Thea became unlikely friends. Thea lived in the Hamptons year round, while Margot summered there, with her wealthy family. She brought a life to Thea, that was unfamiliar and exciting. Thea thought it was a sister-like forever friendship until Margot left her devastated. In current day, Margot shows up unexpectedly, causing her to remember that original summer and their friendship.

Like my bookclub, all of the music and movie names were fun. There is also a mystery element. If you have triggers, you might want to check them for this book.

I just finished this book and wow I’m at a loss of words! This was just a beautifully written story that brought so many emotions.
This book is set in 1967 and 1977. Thea and Margot become friends over a lost dog , when Thea tries to find the owner and she knocks on Margot’s door. Margot is the wealthy kid with parents that she prefers to not be around and the feeling goes both ways. Thea has lost her mother and is struggling to find her way, she has filled the role of sister and parent to her younger sister Cara, they live with her stepfather and she feels lost. Thea gets Margot a job at the record store where she works, they spend most of their time together at Margot’s mansion. Margot shows Thea a world she has never seen before. After a tragic event one night their friendship ends and Thea and Margot head in opposite directions. After not seeing each-other for ten years, Margot arrives at her door and is in some trouble and asks Margot for help to hide her. Thea is reluctant to help her out. Thea is married now and has a child to think about . As they spends the summer together with Margot hiding. Thea begins to wonder is Margot telling the truth. This book had so many levels you can see how they both carried burdens, that they needed the other to lift them up, making their friendship necessary for each of them at that time in their lives. There are also themes of female friendship, gender roles, financial differences, with a bit of mystery. I love how Thea questioned her role of being a mother and giving up her dreams of certain aspirations. Which we have all done. It was such a great book going into my top books of the year!

I love the 60's and 70's era of the setting in this story. It was a coming-of-age story about two friends who were torn about by a secret. This was not a light read. The main characters in this novel had a very complicated friendship. This was a very slow-paced book but was very enjoyable.
I would recommend this book especially to readers who enjoy the era's this took place.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for this ARC.

Pick this up for duel timeline, 70s historical fiction, 70s era music, Long Island summers, and female friendship.

Skip for toxic friendships and if you're looking for a light beach read. This is quite heavy and introspective.

I don’t read much historical fiction, but I love a 60s/70s setting, so this book was a perfect fit for me. Add in that it’s set in Long Island and I was sold. I loved the coming of age take and will definitely read more by Brooke now.

All The Summers in Between alternates between 1967 and 1977. Thea and Margot met by chance in 1967. They were both young adults. Thea grew up in a working-class family near a wealthy part of Long Island. Margot’s family had money and a summer home on Long Island. Thea and Margot quickly bonded. They made plans for their future. They were going to move to California and have a wonderful life. Things fell apart late in the summer with an incident at Margot’s summer house. The California trip didn’t happen. Thea and Margot lost touch. Thea married and stayed on Long Island. Ten years later, Margot shows up at her house. Over the course of several days, Thea has to deal with unresolved feelings from that summer and her satisfaction (or not) with her life now. In all honesty, I wanted to read this book because it was “historical fiction”. I am younger than the characters but did grow up in this time period. The idea of this time period being “historical fiction” makes me laugh. It didn’t feel to me like a representation of the 60’s or the 70’s. I wanted to like it more than I did. I received a complementary copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Gallery Books for an ARC of this book.

I love Historical fiction and saw that this book was about two friends set in 1967 and 1977. IT sounds like something I really would like to read, so I requested it and started reading it.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The authors writing style didn't keep me engaged, and the characters fell flat for me. They we really not likeable characters in my opinion (one was bossy and the other let her friend walk all over her and went along with whatever Margot asked), and I really didn't care about how they were going to get themselves out of their dilemma.

Overall I was really disappointed in this book.

Set against the backdrop of the 1960s and 70s, this saga masterfully delves into the dynamics of friendship and the contrasts between locals and visitors during summer vacations. The story paints a vivid picture of the era, capturing both the charm of the times and the subtle tensions that arise from different backgrounds. The blend of heartfelt camaraderie and underlying mystery adds layers of intrigue and depth, making the narrative both engaging and thought-provoking. By highlighting how, despite our outward differences, we all share common experiences and emotions, the story resonates deeply and offers a powerful reminder of our shared humanity. This richly woven tale is a compelling exploration of connections and contrasts, and it’s sure to leave a lasting impression on readers.

Summer 1967:
Thea is struggling to stay afloat taking care of her sister and stepfather in their small, rundown home in the Hamptons. Margot is spending the summer in her family's sprawling summer house, with very little parental supervision. While unlikely friends, Thea & Margot hit it off, opening eachothers eyes to how the other half lives...until one tragic night fractures their friendship.

Summer 1977:
Thea is living in the Hamptons with her husband and daughter when Margot appears on her dock after disappearing without a word ten years prior. Thea wants to help her troubled friend, but she has a family of her own to think of now...can she really risk getting pulled back into the drama that seems to follow Margot wherever she goes?

Content warning: pregnancy loss, fertility concerns, sexual harassment/assault, grief/loss.

I really enjoyed Thea & Margot's relationship, as lopsided and toxic as it sometimes was. We all have versions of ourselves that we wish we had worked on and this is no different. With healthier role models, I think they could have been really good for each other. But I also recognize that I was really caught up in the "what could have beens" of this story.

Definitely not a light summer beach read, but a worthwhile look into the complexities of friendship, marriage, parenting, and coming of age. Many thanks to Gallery Books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Genre: Historical/Women’s Fiction
Publisher: Gallery Books
Pub. Date: June 4, 2024

“All the Summers In Between” is a story centering on a dysfunctional female relationship. The narrative is presented in two time periods, both in the Hamptons, during the summer of 1967 and 1977. In the 1960s, the Hamptons on Long Island was a vacation playground for the elite, but still, it was just home for the residents. In 1967, Thea, a local adolescent struggling to keep her sister and Stepdad afloat, meets Margot. Margot is the daughter of affluent parents with a vacation estate within walking distance of Thea’s run-down home. There’s a clear and unfair distinction between the classes, where the wealthiest live in close proximity to the poorest. (If anyone else likes old black-and-white movies, think the 1937 movie “Dead End” starring the Dead End Kids. (If interested, google it). A criminal incident forced Margo to leave the island in 1967. Then, after ten years of silence, in 1977, she showed up unannounced, and once again, Thea’s world was turned upside down. After reading about one unbelievable thriller after another, I started to skim. Still, I enjoyed the setting and recommend this novel as a good beach-read contender among the other ones out there.

Brooke Lea Foster's books remind me of those written by Beatriz Willis with the vibrant and rich historical settings, and Foster's latest delivered another unique backdrop of her novel centering on the Hamptons in the 1960s and 1970s. The first 2/3s of the book read somewhat slowly for me as there was a lot of buildup to what happened in the main character's past that was affecting the parallel storyline taking place in the present. I did not feel that the characters were as well-developed as they could have been. Nevertheless the last 1/3 of the book really picked up and kept me guessing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 stars. Overall, it was worth reading if you could get through the first half of the book and the slow pacing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Loved this one! Great and fun read. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for my ARC.

When Thea lost her mother, she felt obligated to put aside her own needs and stay for her little sister, Cara. At the same time, she met Margot, a young woman with an outsized personality, wealthy and a summer occupant of Thea’s town. Their story was told set in 1967, alternating with 1977, ten years later, as Thea is now married with a daughter, but slowly realizing she has fallen into a housewife role, giving up her dreams of being an artist. When Margot reappears in her life after ten years and after they both shared a memory they would never forget, Thea begins to question herself. The story was intense at times, with a mystery at the heart of it which explains a lot about Thea’s and Margot’s relationship. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

When I read the synopsis for All the Summers in Between, I was immediately intrigued. I love a good dual timeline and I thought the timelines would be really interesting. I thought this would be a good beach read, and unfortunately, it wasn’t what I expected. The writing style didn’t keep my interest and the characters fell a little flat. Sadly, I seem to be one of the few that didn’t care for this book. Thank you to Gallery publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much to @booksparks @BrookeLeaFoster @GalleryBooks and @simon.audio for the gifted book and ALC/ARC!

🩵 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 🩵
This was another great book to read for the 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙎𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙨 𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚!

This is a story of female friendship in the 1960s/1970s. It takes place during one summer in the 60s and another summer in the 70s, 10 years later.

Thea is our main character, and she is a young adult trying to come into her own, while also taking care of her younger sister and stepdad. She meets Margot, whose world is completely different from her own. Margot comes from an affluent family, who seems to not care what she does. Margot is very self-absorbed, and pulls Thea into her orbit so that they can enjoy the world as Margot sees it.

We see this story unfold from Thea’s
POV during the initial summer she met Margot, and then 10 years later when Thea is married with a child, and Margot suddenly reappears in her life after no contact since that summer. Margot needs help, and against her better instincts, Thea keeps a secret and tries to help Margot however she can.

We see a dark secret from the past get unearthed between these two, and Thea’s daily struggles in her life come to the surface more with Margot around.

Margot’s selfishness annoyed me a lot, because Thea was so good and trusting as a friend to her. Their friendship displayed lopsidedness in Margot benefiting more from it than Thea. I wanted to shake Thea a bit from the choices she makes with Margot back in her life, but ultimately, I think Margot was the one with a lot less substance in her life than Thea, and that’s why she constantly wants to bring Thea into her orbit when she’s in need.

🎧 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
🤍 Historical Fiction
🤍 Female Friendships
🤍 Dark Secrets
🤍 Complicated Family Dynamics

A terrific slow burn friendship story that examines the ways that our friendships evolve and change as what we need and want evolves and changes.

I came to this mostly for the summery, beachy vibes, and I was really pleasantly surprised by what a wonderfully told and well-drawn story it turned out to be.

Thea and Margot are old friends who have fallen out of touch, both haunted by a shared tragic event that they both must carry and keep secret. When circumstances throw them back together later after both of their lives have dramatically changed, questions arise about how much loyalty you owe to an old friend or to someone who once showed you the ultimate loyalty, and about how to reckon with the idea that sometimes good people do bad things for good reasons.

The dual timeline worked really well in this book, and I loved how well-rendered the characters were. The relationship between Thea and Margot is of course paramount to the story, but I also loved the roles cast for the secondary characters. Thea’s relationships with Dale as well as Felix were also really well composed.

I think the ending is critical for a story like this, and I loved that loyalty wins out of guilt and sanctimony. Rarely do books like this achieve an ending that feels like both what you want and what *should* happen, but this one absolutely nailed it.

In all, a lovely summer read with a bit more heft to it than your average beach read.