kazalicious's review
2.0
Current thoughts: If you never have had the perspective of viewing the world from Money, this book will fix that for you. The every day concerns and how they interact in the world is lain out in a yawn and a wince. If you're interested in people living those stories and how they connect with the everyday person, this book is for you.
Ending thoughts: I switched from audiobook to print and that helped to sort out the plot around page 145. While I don't think this is a world shattering story in characters, plot or twists it was better than I first anticipated.
Ending thoughts: I switched from audiobook to print and that helped to sort out the plot around page 145. While I don't think this is a world shattering story in characters, plot or twists it was better than I first anticipated.
sblyon's review
4.0
This multi-decade story is so interestingly intertwined.
Men with money who think they can do no wrong, whose heritage dictates that they are above the law, and whose words of devotion are meaningless. Hugh Fisher is just one such man whose family spends their summers on the exclusive Winthrop Island off the coast of Staten Island. As a young man, he makes promises to the local girl he falls for that he never intends to keep. 18 years later he finds himself in love again (his 2nd wife) and they each have daughters close in age who become close throughout the summer, Miranda & Isabelle. But what happens when all their lives intersect and the consequences of their actions will impact the next 18 years.
Men with money who think they can do no wrong, whose heritage dictates that they are above the law, and whose words of devotion are meaningless. Hugh Fisher is just one such man whose family spends their summers on the exclusive Winthrop Island off the coast of Staten Island. As a young man, he makes promises to the local girl he falls for that he never intends to keep. 18 years later he finds himself in love again (his 2nd wife) and they each have daughters close in age who become close throughout the summer, Miranda & Isabelle. But what happens when all their lives intersect and the consequences of their actions will impact the next 18 years.
ornery_librarian's review
2.0
This felt like it dragged on and on and on. So much was unnecessary I didn't love having three different time zones and the whole story felt like it could do with 150 less pages. You can guess the "twists" this book will take from early on and then it takes forever for them to finally come to light. Not great.
kaylasbookishlife's review
5.0
Ooh this was another fantastic summer drama on the East Coast. Beatriz Williams’ books are always packed full of generational secrets that come back to haunt characters even decades later. It’s very addicting and I always finish these books in two days or less.
Miranda is not a native of Winthrop Island. Her mother marries into one of the summer families that spend their holiday being catered on by the local Portuguese working class families. Miranda is confused by the strict social divide between the two groups but she has only just begun to find out the secrets that loom on that New England Island.
Doesn’t that sound so intriguing? And it is trust me! This was such a great book I wish I read it on a beach!
I love books like this! I’m all for a fast-paced novel with secret romances and even deeper family secrets just lurking around the corner. And while I enjoy some women’s fiction in our present day period, there is something about having it set just a few decades earlier that makes it so much better!
Miranda is not a native of Winthrop Island. Her mother marries into one of the summer families that spend their holiday being catered on by the local Portuguese working class families. Miranda is confused by the strict social divide between the two groups but she has only just begun to find out the secrets that loom on that New England Island.
Doesn’t that sound so intriguing? And it is trust me! This was such a great book I wish I read it on a beach!
I love books like this! I’m all for a fast-paced novel with secret romances and even deeper family secrets just lurking around the corner. And while I enjoy some women’s fiction in our present day period, there is something about having it set just a few decades earlier that makes it so much better!
allierourke's review against another edition
2.0
At the end of the day this one was just OK. I was looking for a light summer read and at the beginning I thought this was going to give me the fun soap opera vibes that I wanted. However all of the reveals were just way too predictable (which I think could have been avoided by eliminating one of the perspectives/time periods from the narrative altogether). I also need to note that even as someone who doesn't mind reading some smutty-smut, the sex scenes in here were frankly embarrassing and cringy to read (again the perspective that I think should have been cut was the main offender here so it would have been a win-win to have that eliminated).
michellekmartin's review
5.0
This book absolutely sucked me in - it was the perfect read for the summer. Mystery, intrigue, love, desire, death! It has it all. And it's set in a coastal NY town. This was my first Beatriz Williams and I absolutely loved it.
jenkinsaj's review against another edition
2.0
I couldn't finish this one. Stopped at 80%. So close, but didn't want to invest another minute...
mltd54's review
4.0
I’ve read a couple by Williams and this was not my favorite. I felt like the characters were disjointed and if she used the word “rododendron” again I think I would have shut the book.
The over all story was very intriguing but I did have a difficult time keeping up with all of the different lineages. The dialogue and relationship between the characters seems brash and without depth.
The over all story was very intriguing but I did have a difficult time keeping up with all of the different lineages. The dialogue and relationship between the characters seems brash and without depth.