The Last Summer (Of You and Me) - Ann Brashares

The Last Summer (Of You and Me)

By Ann Brashares

  • Release Date: 2007-06-05
  • Genre: Literary Fiction
4.5 Score: 4.5 (From 120 Ratings)

Description

From the New York Times-bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Ann Brashares comes her first adult novel

In the town of Waterby on Fire Island, the rhythms and rituals of summer are sacrosanct: the ceremonial arrivals and departures by ferry; yacht club dinners with terrible food and breathtaking views; the virtual decree against shoes; and the generational parade of sandy, sun-bleached kids, running, swimming, squealing, and coming of age on the beach.

Set against this vivid backdrop, The Last Summer (of You and Me) is the enchanting, heartrending story of a beach-community friendship triangle and summertime romance among three young adults for whom summer and this place have meant everything. Sisters Riley and Alice, now in their twenties, have been returning to their parents’ modest beach house every summer for their entire lives. Petite, tenacious Riley is a tomboy and a lifeguard, always ready for a midnight swim, a gale-force sail, or a barefoot sprint down the beach. Beautiful Alice is lithe, gentle, a reader and a thinker, and worshipful of her older sister. And every summer growing up, in the big house that overshadowed their humble one, there was Paul, a friend as important to both girls as the place itself, who has now finally returned to the island after three years away. But his return marks a season of tremendous change, and when a simmering attraction, a serious illness, and a deep secret all collide, the three friends are launched into an unfamiliar adult world, a world from which their summer haven can no longer protect them.

Ann Brashares has won millions of fans with her blockbuster series, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, in which she so powerfully captured the emotional complexities of female friendship and young love. With The Last Summer (of You and Me), she moves on to introduce a new set of characters and adult relationships just as true, endearing, and unforgettable. With warmth, humor, and wisdom, Brashares makes us feel the excruciating joys and pangs of love—both platonic and romantic. She reminds us of the strength and sting of friendship, the great ache of loss, and the complicated weight of family loyalty. Thoughtful, lyrical, and tremendously moving, The Last Summer (of You and Me is a deeply felt celebration of summer and nostalgia for youth.

Reviews

  • My Favorite by Ann Brashares

    5
    By CourtneyRenee95
    This is my favorite book by Ann Brashares. It was the perfect beach book. It was believable and the characters were likable, all while still not becoming too light of a read like so many other beach books. The chosen conflict is a lot deeper than what I'm used to reading in Hilderbrand's books, but Brashares does an excellent job of having her characters deal with the issue in a realistic way. I wish I could erase my memory of this book just so I could read this one and fall in love with it all over again. I would recommend this to any of my friends. I wish Brashares would write more "beachy" novels like this. I'm tempted to read her newest book, The Here and Now, because I loved this book so much, but I'm afraid I'll be disappointed since that novel is supposed to be futuristic and the reason I loved this one because of its realistic aesthetic.
  • Love

    5
    By nigh10gale
    One of my all time favorite books
  • Touching

    5
    By Sandal love
    The story itself is a really touching story. It's filled with love, sacrifice and sorry. I immediately fell in love with the story - the characters were nice. The only issue I had was the flow and writing. Sometimes it bounced around too much, was a little too wordy and I don't think it flowed between characters and scenes nicely made it difficult to follow at times. Overall I really liked this book.
  • Fantastic book!

    5
    By Redhead224
    I am not someone who rereads books because I know exactly what will happen. However this book was so good that I've reread it twice so far and plan to reread it again soon. It is the perfect book to sit and read on a beautiful day at the beach.
  • Heartfelt story

    5
    By Dkl1102
    A must read for any women with a sister. It's a bond like no other and Ann Brashares hits every emotion that comes with the kind of friendships the three main characters have. I've read the book multiple times throughout many years and each time I'm still engaged and don't want to put it down.
  • Excellent book!!

    5
    By jpatel19
    I loved this book so much, a definite must read!

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