*Bummer Camp* by Ann Garvin is a charming, funny, and heartwarming story about family, second chances, and embracing life’s chaos. Cat McCarthy, trying to move on from her family’s rundown theater camp, is pulled back into the drama when her irresponsible sister, Ginger, hands control to a dubious couple who nearly bankrupt it. As Cat and Ginger scramble to save the camp, they rediscover the importance of family and shared memories. With lovable characters and a perfect blend of humor and heart, *Bummer Camp* is an entertaining and feel-good read. I absolutely loved this book! Everything Ms. Garvin writes is sheer gold! A must read!!!!

3.5 ⭐️

This was such a quirky book, I honestly don’t really know how to rate it. On the one hand, I loved the insane cast of characters. From naive Ginger to edibles baker Wynn to grumpy Gary to constantly shirtless Shirtless…the characters were charming and funny and eccentric. I never knew what to expect out of them from one page to the next, and that made the book a delight. On the other hand, the premise was just so ridiculous; the ending made it feel like a children’s mystery chapter book where they apprehend the caper who stole the candy jar. So yeah…I guess 3.5 stars?

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What a cute story about two sisters with your typical sisterly dynamic… one is a screw up and the other responsible. The responsible one has issues with boundaries, is bossy, can be a jerk. Is always fixing or responding to problems of the fun, chill, irresponsible sister. Is this about my family? Because I’m the no chill, bossy, crabby one who always feels like I can’t screw up because then what would happen to us all?!? Ok… this isn’t about me!

Cat begrudgingly returns to her family home on Summer Camp - a place she thought she left behind and was leaving her sister Ginger to manage - when it appears Ginger has created quite the mess and those legal papers may not have left Cat as free and clear of financial ties to the Camp as intended. Cat quickly feels the old pull to be responsible for her sister, her nephew, her family home, and the merry band of misfits running the camp. It’s bad, she’s pregnant, and she struggles internally with finding a healthy balance.

I thought this was a very cute and quick read. My only issue was the romance was… quick? Odd? Unlikely? All of the above, but not enough to impact my rating.

Thank you to Netgalley (and Amazon First Reads) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story has so many layers. Its a tale of sisterhood, of finding friendship in the most unexpected places, finding your home. Cat receives a frantic call requesting her help immediately at Summer Camp, the failing family run business she walked away from. Filled with too many characters to go into detail of each one. Cat didn't know what was missing from her life until she rediscovers her connection to Summer Camp and puts on a gala, Summer Camp-style not to be forgetten!

This seemed to be the summer of 'summer camp' books so I was excited to read this one. It was a fun lighthearted read - though it took time to like the MC. Some of the plot lines didn't fully develop - and didn't contribute to the story - so it was a bit confusing. But all in all a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Bummer camp is about two sisters trying to save their family's summer camp. sweet, quick read.. I read in two afternoons.

My biggest complaint here is the number of loose ends and plot arcs that went absolutely nowhere. This story could’ve easily been written with only a couple of characters as the focus, but instead, many characters were highlighted only to end up feeling underdeveloped.

This was a quick, lighthearted story. I didn’t really ever connect with the sisters at all but the story was good enough to continue reading.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC to read and review.

Bummer Camp was a lighthearted, easy read. I’m a sucker for nostalgia, and this hit the spot for me. The story wasn’t overly complicated, it was a great plot with likable characters. A really great escape!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Bummer Camp was a recent read that surprised me! Thanks to the author, Lake Union Publishing, NetGalley and Uplit Reads for my early copy.
I finished this book outside at a new beer hall and the Adirondack chairs were arranged in a circle, almost as if they were around a campfire 🏕️
As someone who grew up attending summer camp and then worked at summer camp for many years, I can't pass up a camp-related book, and Bummer Camp was different from other camp books - in a really fun way! I spent a summer working at an awesome summer camp in rural Wisconsin, which I kept picturing while reading this book which is set in Wisconsin.
Bummer Camp follows two sisters trying to save their family's summer camp (named Summer Camp) after a failed motivational speaker tried to take it over. I really enjoyed the story line and the characters, and I wasn't sure what was going to happen until close to the end. I had only read the author's previous release I Thought You Said This Would Work in 2021, so I'm excited to dive into more of her backlist after finishing this one. I don't think you have to be a summer camp person to enjoy this, but if you are, I think you'll definitely enjoy it!

Very sweet, charming and fun. Lovely easy breezy read. I enjoyed the sister dynamic of the older sis always coming in to fix things for the lil sister. I enjoy a good camp atmosphere.

This was an endearing, laugh out loud story full of quirky & loveable (if a bit strange) characters. The story was about so much more than a floundering camp and its owners. It's about redemption, how we see ourselves vs how our family sees us and how misunderstanding something can distort your narrative of the past. I love following this author on social media & am glad I finally got to read one of her books, looking forward to reading more!

Ann Garvin's writing style never fails to entertain me in it's relatability, wit, and charm. I enjoyed the relationship foibles between the sisters as they learned to work together to save the camp and became friends. I loved the character of "Shirtless" and the secondary characters each added their own uniqueness to the story. I listened to the audiobook and Andi Arndt did a fantastic job bringing this novel to life.

This one had all the summer camp vibes and there were a lot of funny moments but I just couldn’t connect with the characters and it took a while to get into.

I was not a fan of the MC which made it hard from the beginning but I liked the fun camp characters!

Made me want to watch the Wizard of Oz!

It's a light and fun read about rediscovering the importance of family and belonging. I, personally, felt that the book was incredibly slow-paced and that things were becoming repetitive. It's a shame that the premise of the book and the cast of interesting characters were not fully fleshed out, as they had sooooo much potential. Overall, I still found it to be a fun story to read.

3.5⭐️

Bummer Camp was not in fact a bummer, but rather a fun, light-hearted, if occasionally outlandish read. Perfect for when you have the urge to fulfill a bit of summer camp nostalgia without having to leave your home. It was a bit uneven at times, with one character in particular taking some bizarre turns, but it was still a quick and entertaining read for a sunny afternoon.

Thank you Ann Garvin, Lake Union Publishing, Brilliance Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Such a great novel. You can relate to the characters and there is a great plot. Also, the chapter titles were great. You don't see titles for chapters that often anymore

LOVED the cover

This was a fun ride! Bummer Camp by Ann Garvin was filled with all the quirky lovable characters. I was not a kid who attended sleep away summer camp so I am certain this book will hit home even more for folks who did. I did however, day dream about what summer camp would be like. Parent Trap vibes?!

This book was about found family and home being truly where your heart is. Cat rushes back to the last place she ever wanted to go, the camp run by her family. She was certain she had washed her hands of this place but when her nephew, nickname “shirtless” sounded the alarm, she knew she had to go. Upon arrival, Cat is beyond frustrated by the state of things. Her sister Ginger is as scattered as always and truly things are in disarray. However, as Cat tries to save her financial situation from ruin, she starts to see the camp through the eyes of those going there and it’s not at all what she expected.

The book was a little drawn out for me. I found Cat to be way too whiny at times, but nonetheless, I enjoyed this read. The characters from the main sisters to the cook at the camp were all memorable and you found yourself really rooting for them.

I had high hopes for this book, because I really like Ann Garvin as an author and a person, I have happy summer camp memories, and I was in the mood for a fun read. Unfortunately, I just didn't connect with it and the humour fell flat for me.

That said, humour is incredibly subjective, and I hope many others will connect. It was still a 3-star read for me because of Ann's obvious skill and talent, and I'm looking forward to her next book.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Bummer Camp in advance of publication in exchange for an honest review.

If you are looking for a nostalgic read to take you back to your childhood, then this book is for you. Bummer Camp focuses on two sisters who were raised at a camp, because their parents owned the camp. It was a musical theater camp. Now one of the sisters is in charge of the camp and things are not going well. In fact, the camp is struggling/dying. And the people brought in to help are making the situation worse. This book has a cast of characters that will make you laugh and feel furious at the same time.

Thank you so much to Uplit Reads for including me on this tour and gifting me a copy!