Good story about two sisters who survived a traumatic event as teenagers and how it continues to affect their lives. The story is told from Ava and Madi's points of view, supplemented by that of Luke, who was also a participant in the event that changed all their lives.

The story opens with Ava. She moved away from Emerald Creek, married a man she adores, and made a career as a middle school English teacher. But haunted by the events of that long-ago summer, she writes about it as part of her therapy. She later expands her writing into her master's thesis and eventually into a bestselling book. However, the book's publication strains Ava's marriage as she had never shared many of those experiences with her husband, Cullen. Hurt by what he feels is her lack of trust, Cullen uses an archaeological dig to distance them while he deals with his feelings. Ava is devastated by his departure and plans to spend the summer in Emerald Creek with her grandmother. She also hopes to mend the rift with her sister, Madi, caused by the book's publication.

Madi has tried to put the events of that summer behind her despite the physical and mental scars. She followed her dream of helping animals, first by becoming a vet tech and now by opening the Emerald Creek Animal Rescue, a no-kill shelter. She's not happy about Ava's book. Madi doesn't understand why Ava brings up those terrible memories and worries about how people will look at her now. Her friendship and working relationship with Luke is vital to her, as he never treats her as though she were broken. Her feelings for Luke are stronger than friendship, but because his father died while protecting Madi and Ava, she doesn't believe anything can come of them.

Luke is an all-around nice guy. A widower with a teenage daughter, he is also the town veterinarian. He volunteers his services to Madi's shelter. I loved how well he understood Madi and her fears and didn't treat her differently than anyone else. He doesn't expect the chemistry that flares between them and hesitates to pursue it because he doesn't want to ruin their friendship.

A lot is going on in this book, but the central theme is the relationship between Madi and Ava. Madi is so angry at Ava's publication of their ordeal that she can barely stand to be in the same room with her. She doesn't understand why everyone is so interested in what happened and hates feeling like the center of attention. I got a little frustrated with her refusal to read the book and maybe get an idea of its appeal. I wanted to lock the two in a room until they talked everything out. It doesn't help that Ava also keeps a secret that could further affect their relationship. Their relationship is a roller coaster of ups and downs as each gains a little empathy with the other's feelings. A crisis at the end is a make-or-break point.

We also have a rocky relationship between Ava and Cullen. I understood Cullen's hurt at Ava's keeping the details of her past from him. But I could also see Ava's need to be seen for herself, not as a product of her past. Through it all, there was no question about their love for each other; it was mainly a matter of restoring trust. An unexpected event boosts their efforts, but will it be enough? Their story was heartbreaking, heartwarming, and emotional.

The development of the relationship between Madi and Luke was a slow growing one. They've been friends since that devastating day fifteen years ago. We see plenty of camaraderie and ease with each other as they work with the animals and during their other interactions. But two years after the death of his wife, Luke suddenly discovers his feelings for Madi have changed. There were a couple of heated kisses that they backed away from before realizing their feelings for each other were reciprocated. I loved the final push that brought them together.

The epilogue was terrific.

I sadly had to DNF this one at 43%. I really wanted it to work out, but I struggled with there being a lot of unnecessary repetitiveness and I found it to be slow. The writing just didn't feel natural to me. I hope it works for others.

A moving and emotional story on surviving a traumatic event in their early years and how each sister tried to over come it in their personal lives. Ava has written a memoir and has hit the best seller list and has returned home hoping to reconcile with sister, Madison. Madison has just opened a no kill shelter, with the help of local veterinarian, Luke. Madison has always had a secret crush on Luke but they have a past history.

This is an engaging story that I had a hard time putting down. Not a light story but I did shed a few happy and sad tears throughout the story. A story not to be missed. I read this book in one day!

A story that tugs at the heart when two sisters will relive their painful past when the world reads their story.

Madison Howell has just published her thesis sharing with the world her painful childhood, family drama, and events that up until now have been shared with only a few.

A time to reflect and learn the truth about what really happened all those years ago.

RaeAnne Thayne's latest novel, 15 Summers Later, is clear proof that you can't judge a book by its cover. The cover looks like a light summer beach read, but this novel is anything but. Instead, it's an angsty, serious novel about two sisters, whose father went survivalist after his wife's death and moved them into a highly bizarre, restricted and demented cult camp at Ghost Lake, from which they eventually managed to escape, after Ava, the eldest sister was forced to marry a man 30 years her senior--her younger sister, Madison, would most likely have been the next unwilling bride. It's most definitely a 5-star read.

Madi, who was shot in the head and leg during their escape, and still has the scars and infirmities to show for it, grew up with a dream, to open a no-kill shelter, become a licensed vet, and due to her injuries and recovery process, settled for becoming a vet tech, working with a kind, handsome veterinarian, Luke, as his assistant, but her dream of a no-kill shelter never died.

Ava however, told the story of the trauma they experienced in a novel, Ghost Lake, which became a huge bestseller and a huge bone of contention between the two sisters. Madi didn't want their ordeal and escape from the cult to become public knowledge, followed by nosy reporters wanting to interview her, and making her stand out in their small community, when she'd rather be left alone to move on with her life. Told in alternating narration, we get an inside look at all of these wonderfully developed characters.

And yes, there's a slow-burn, sweet romance here too, but at its heart, this is a novel about sisterly love, dealing with the past, moving on, and finally, after 15 summers, a reconciliation. It's an excellent, emotional read, and I highly recommend it.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

It was not what I was expecting. It felt like a hallmark or lifetime movie. If that is your thing, you'd probably like it. It just wasn't for me.

Madison and Ava have lived through hell. I liked that their history was revealed slowly throughout the book. The beginning of each chapter tells a story that leads to the rest of the book.

The cover of this book screams beach read, but I would call it more of a family drama, women’s fiction book. This is not a light book to read. There are many heavy topics talked about. The book is full of heartbreak, family drama, and a lot of trauma.

This is the first book that I have read by this author. I could not put it down. At one point in the story, you will be laughing, and then be crying. I found it to be a story that was dealing with the past heart ache and the help from the neighbors of the girls grandmother. A story of hardship and coming together through that hardship.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher and am leaving a review by my own choice.

15 Summers Later- a standalone

Publication: 6-18-24, Read 6-18-24

Format: e-Book, 353 pages

Source: Thanks to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for this ARC🩷 ! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Setting: Emerald Creek, Idaho

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fic

Tropes: multiple POVs, sisterhood, family drama, h has disability, best friend's brother, friends to lovers, 2nd chances

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Synopsis/Plot Summary: Two teenage sisters are pulled into their father's madness, and faced a horrific past. Now fifteen years later, Ava and Madison Howell try to reconnect after Ava moved away . Ava is a married, published, author of "Ghost Lake," and Madi is a vet tech at a clinic working with Dr. Luke Gentry-her secret crush. She also has a passion project that she's starting-a sanctuary animal shelter . Things unravel when they are forced to face the past and reconcile their futures.

Flashbacks: Going back 15 years to what really happened to the sisters.

AUTHOR OVERVIEW: RaeAnne Thayne-new to me author

PERSONAL OVERVIEW

Overall Rating: 4/4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Do You Recommend This Book: yes

Will You Re-read This Book: maybe

Would You Read More Books by this Author: yes

COMMENTS/NOTES: I was emotionally invested in Ava and Madi from the start and felt bad for what happened. Their present lives are uprooted by Ava's memoir that ends up a bestseller. Ava's marriage was in peril, and Madi believed her secret crush would ever consider her. It is a slow build to what happened to them on the mountains, and now we see how they have been affected.

It was intriguing to read the combined past and present in 15 Sumners Later by RaeAnne Thayne. The characters have so much depth that it felt like I knew them. This was especially true of Ava and Madi.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!

15 years after the worst experience of their lives, Ava publishes a book detailing the story of that awful summer for her and her sister Madison. Publishing her book caused more scars to open than she thought would. But could Ava's book also cause some healing for everyone?

15 Summers takes place in a small town following 2 sisters and they try to navigate some normalcy after tragic events and published for the whole world to know. I really loved the characters and the small town feel of the book. There were some dark topics covered in this book and navigated very well. This book was very beautifully written and I really enjoyed it! 3.5⭐️

15 Summers Later was a beautifully written story line, but also so heartbreaking. The trauma that the two sisters endured growing up, was awful and how they both survived is simply amazing. I would definitely recommend this book to others

I received and ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

“Every choice has consequences, ripple effects that expanded out to impact others, whether intended or not.”

Overall, I really loved this book. The pacing was perfect (for me). This book felt realistic, which can be hard to do when balancing cult survivor/romance/literary fiction/family relationships/trauma storylines. (Sometimes people can start jumping-the-shark, if you know what I mean). It was funny and heartbreaking and beautiful and thought provoking.

Plot Thoughts: I really enjoyed the plot overall, and how despite this being a character driven novel, there were still other things going on to help keep the novel moving forward - without distracting from the true premise of the story. For example - Madi’s animal sanctuary was one of my favorite things to read about! It was important to Madi’s character development, it was a lighthearted relief from some of the heavier topics, it provided a segue for some romance, it ended up coming more into play later….but it didn’t take away from the seriousness of the overall story. Chefs kiss!

Character Thoughts: These characters were strong and resilient yet imperfect and struggling. It was truly a push/pull throughout the novel. I loved that it portrayed growth, development, grief, and healing as a non-linear experience. Some days you feel like you’re one step forward, some days you feel like you’re two steps back.

One more quote that I truly love and will carry with me during tough times as a slice of advice…. “When you don’t know what to do, just do the next right thing.” As someone who frequently feels overwhelmed (even with seemingly small decisions), I think this will help shift my perspective and break things down into smaller decisions, rather than getting intimidated by the big picture.

👍🏻Would recommend! (Please check trigger warnings though!)

I love RaeAnne! And 15 Summers Later by RaeAnne Thayne was such an incredible read!
I adored Ava and Madi’s story. The characters are engaging and enjoyable.
I really enjoyed this story. It was sweet, full of forgiveness, secrets, family, community and more.
This authors writing is always captivating. She never disappoints.
And now I’m onto her other upcoming title The December Market.

Thank You NetGalley and Canary Street Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

15 Summers Later BY RaeAnne Thayne
15 summers ago, everything changed…

Ava Howell seemed to have it all. She moved away from Emerald Creek, Idaho, married the love of her life and published a bestselling memoir. But she never expected that her husband would feel so betrayed by a secret from her past—the truth of what happened to her and her sister all those years ago—that he’d walk away. Now Ava is back home and trying to move on with the only person who can truly understand…

Following years of healing, Madison Howell is finally happy. After college she built a no-kill shelter where she works with animals every day, and she’s in love with the town veterinarian, Dr. Luke Gentry. But she can’t ever bring herself to tell him. Years ago, his dad died protecting Madi and her sister, so how could he ever love her back?

With the truth laid bare, and the past that Ava and Madison have worked so hard to leave behind threatening everything they have built for themselves, the Howell sisters’ reunion is bittersweet. And as Ava and Madi attempt to remedy the rifts in their lives and reconcile their futures, they must face the demons of their past together.
This is Ava and Madison Howell's story.
This is Dr. Luke Gentry's story.
Madison Howell IS THE FULL TIME DIRECTOR OF Emerald Creek Animal Rescue.
Eugene Prutt's generosity left his 20 acre farm to Emerald Creek Animal Rescue.
Dr. Luke Gentry take care of the Animal s.
Ava Howell wrote the book called Ghost Lake.
the story of two sisters who have a very difficult childhood,
15 Summers Later BY Rae Anne Thayne is a 3 star book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

This is at its heart a book about two sisters repairing their own relationship and dealing with the long term aftermath of their personal tragedy. There is romance here, sure, but really the book is about overcoming so much within their own lives and together. I wouldn't call this a light, beachy read as the cover suggests - the book is heavy with trauma and its long-lasting impacts. My main difficulty was the flow from chapter to chapter and the point of view changes. There wasn't a great flow and it was just very jarring going from the state of mind of one to the other since it was very much opposing in many ways. There were portions that felt a little repetitive as well. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

I knew there would be some potentially hard topics going in based on the description but this wasn’t what I was expecting. So many books lately give off beach read vibes based on their covers but hide some traumatic stories inside and this is one of them. The writing and the story weren’t bad, but maybe it’s a case of the wrong time for this book for me as I’ve read a lot like it lately and it’s been too much.

This is not the book I thought I was getting - and it was so much better.

Ava and her younger sister experienced a horrendous experience 15 years before. Neither of them has talked about it to any extent. However they are both still dealing with the scars that were left. Ava has emotional and mental scars. Madi has those and physical disabilities that she works on daily to overcome.

Ava wrote their experiences but never planned to publish. But her book is a huge success. Madi is furious to have had her traumatic experience exposed to the world. She hasn't read the book and she has no intention to read it.

Now 15 years later, they are forced to revisit those terrible months - and the impact on their lives today. It's the story about how the sisters fell apart and how they worked their way back together again.

The book is full of angst, yet touching, and uplifting. Although its not a light summer read, I think you'll want to talk to your friends about it while you're reading it - and especially when you've finished.

Fifteen summers after Ava and her younger sister Madi escaped a traumatic situation in the mountains of Idaho, they're farther apart than ever. As a way to cope with her past, Ava wrote her memoir of her experiences, never expecting that it would become the bestselling sensation all over the country. It has blown up her relationship with her husband and her sister and she can't escape the fallout as fans hound her for questions and autographs.
Madi has a constant reminder of her traumatic past with the disabilities she deals with every day. She doesn't need everyone in town pitying her and asking questions about her sister's book. Especially her boss and friend who was there that day to help save her. She and her sister are the reason his father died that day, but Luke has never been anything less than a kind friend. Can she help wanting the impossible by wishing he could be hers?
This was an emotional story of healing, hope, forgiveness, second chances, and romance. I liked Madi's parts of the story with her animal rescue and the sweet romance between her and Luke, the town vet. But Ava's story was just so heartbreaking and real with her broken marriage and other events I won't mention for spoilers. I felt really connected with the characters in this book and everything they were going through.
Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing through Netgalley for the advance copy of this book. The opinions in this review are my own and given voluntarily.

15 SUMMERS LATER –RaeAnne Thayne
Canary Street Press
ISBN: 978-1335009333
June 18, 2024
Contemporary Fiction

Emerald Creek, Idaho – Present Day

Fifteen years ago, two teenage sisters, Ava and Madison Howell, were rescued from an anti-government cult, though their rescue resulted in the death of their father and one of their rescuers. Madi wishes to leave the past in her rearview mirror, while Ava has done the unthinkable in her sister’s eyes. Ava has written a book about their experience, and it has become a national bestseller. The sisters were already estranged, and the book’s success has only widened the gap between them. Madi is a veterinarian’s assistant for her good friend, Dr. Luke Gentry, a widower with a teenage daughter. Meanwhile, Madi is about to quit her job and work full-time at the animal rescue refuge she has opened. Getting it this far has been helped by a recent anonymous donation. Then Ava arrives from Portland. Let’s just say Madi is not welcoming her sister with open arms.

Ava’s marriage is in shambles after her husband read the book, he felt like she held back some of the dark secrets about what happened to her and Madi. The girls’ father had joined the cult after the death of their mother and brought his daughters with him. The girls were treated like chattels, even to the point of being forced to marry men thirty years older than them. They finally escaped and spent days and nights on the run in the mountains, until they stumbled into a camp occupied by Luke, his father, and others. Luke’s father was killed during the rescue, as was the girls’ father. Even after all these years, especially for Madi, it’s hard to talk publicly about what happened. The book reopens all the old wounds. Can the sisters heal and move on with their lives…finally?

15 SUMMERS LATER is an intense and intriguing tale about the aftermath of being a part of a cult. You will find yourself pulled into the drama and emotion as Madi makes it clear to Ava and others that she doesn’t want to talk about the past, while everywhere she goes, someone mentions the book to her. The arrival of Ava only intensifies the interest in the long-ago story. Ava wrote it for a bit of therapy and didn’t intend to submit it to a publisher. A trusted friend did it for her and it was a hit with publishers. It may even become a movie. Ava understands Madi’s pain but feels her sister can’t ignore the past because tackling it would help her heal, much like she did while writing the book. Meanwhile, Ava wonders if she has lost her husband. He is at a nearby dinosaur dig, ironically near the same lake where Ava and Madi were held. Is her return to Emerald Creek also a way for her to be close to her husband? Can her marriage be saved?

Madi has worked closely with Luke, and she considers him to be someone she can rely on. He is protective of her and helps her out at the animal rescue. Deep down, Luke is attracted to Madi, though she hasn’t indicated to him that she returns the feelings. He doesn’t make a move because as a single father, he doesn’t feel like he is available. But with Madi needing him more now that Ava is back in town, will they grow closer? Close enough to realize their growing feelings for each other? Meanwhile, Madi and Ava soon begin to thaw their relationship. Will they again build that special friendship that is there between sisters? Will they have love or a broken heart by the end?

A perfect read for your next summer vacation, don’t miss how the sisters’ lives begin to change in 15 SUMMERS LATER.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today