This was a fast read, very well written. Chapters changed point-of-view, which was different than most stories but not confusing or jumbled. It was a good, family-oriented story with ups and downs like any real family. Everyone had their own issues they were dealing with and hiding from each other, but like all families, they find out the truth and come together in the end. Great for any fan of cozy family stories, like Debbie Macomber's books. I would recommend this for anyone who wants a good light-hearted story to read. ( )

Un bel polpettone con un bel po' di luoghi comuni e qualche spunto di riflessione

Tre sorelle ormai adulte e con famiglia o carriera continuano a ritrovarsi nella casa delle vacanze di famiglia a Cape Cod
Le vacanze sono sacre e si vorrebbe siano come sempre sono state: felici, rilassanti e spensierate. Ma le cose cambiano: i figli crescono, i matrimoni si logorano, la salute impensierisce... d'altronde persino l'anziana coppia capostipite ha divorziato da quasi due anni: lei sembra ringiovanire con un nuovo compagno mentre lui è sempre più infelice e appannato.
Gli eventi precipitano e sebbene qualcosa sia rimediabile, per altre c'è solo da prendere atto di cambiamenti irreversibili.

Il titolo pare una furbata per farlo sembrare un thriller o qualcosa di scabroso ma è solo il pietoso indice dello stato disperato dell'editoria italiana (titolo originale: The summer of good intentions)

Il luogo: non sono una che ha la fissa dell'Ammmmerega e difatti non ci sono mai stata. Ma Cape Cod mi attira proprio

4.5 stars.

In The Summer of Good Intentions by Wendy Francis, the Herington family's annual trip to their summer cottage on Cape Cod is rife with tension and minor discord. Unlike years past, the family vacation is anything but relaxing as each member is faced with challenges that play out during the month long visit.

Oldest daughter Maggie McNeil is looking forward the chance to unwind and escape from her hectic life. This über organized mom of three is more than ready to leave behind the hustle and bustle of busy days and enjoy a relaxing month at the beach with her extended family. She has managed to schedule everyone's visits and figure out sleeping arrangements and now it is time for her to let her husband, Mac, lend a hand with kids while she hangs out with the rest of the family. But the first hint of trouble arrives when her mom, Gloria, arrives at the summer house early which puts her visiting at the same time as her father Arthur, whom Gloria divorced eighteen months earlier after nearly 46 years of marriage.

Jess, Maggie's twin sister, is next to arrive with her husband, Tim, and their two young kids. Although she is excited about the upcoming visit with her family, she is dreading spending extended time with Tim. Their marriage has hit a very rough patch and the two are barely speaking to each other. Their relationship has disintegrated to the point that Jess can barely stand to look at him and her flirtation with a neighbor has come very close to crossing the line into infidelity. The time away from their normal routine is just what Jess needs to rediscover the man she fell in love with, but will Tim forgive her if she admits her attraction to another man?

Youngest sister Virgie has a successful career in journalism but she is definitely feeling the stress from her demanding job. She is also in a new relationship with a wonderful man but since he so different from her previous boyfriends, she is a little unsure what comes next for them. She has also been experiencing a few troubling health issues but the symptoms are so vague she finds them easy to ignore. However, a fainting spell lands Virgie in the ER and the diagnosis becomes a crossroads for her.

The sisters' dad, Arthur, has been floundering since his divorce from Gloria. He is still deeply in love with her and although he maintains his normal daily routine, he is having troubling finishing his latest novel. He still enjoys his volunteer position at a local library but he has picked up a rather strange habit that is vaguely troubling to his daughters. However it is Arthur's lapses in memory that everyone finds most disconcerting but is his forgetfulness just a natural part of aging?

Written in alternating points of view, The Summer of Good Intentions is a poignant and heartwarming novel with a realistic storyline. Wendy Francis brings the seaside retreat vibrantly to life and the idyllic setting perfectly balances the characters' weightier issues. The characters are brilliantly developed, likable and although each are facing life altering situations, the plot is delightfully free of angst. A warm and inviting story with a close-knit family whose bonds are strengthened by crisis. ( )

Advance reader copy. Easy reading chick lit. Would be great at the beach or by the pool. Look for it this summer! ( )

First off, the book was riddled with typographical errors, which is a huge turn-off for me. Even beyond that, the book was a bit sophomoric and predictable. A tragic turn of events makes people analyze their lives and discover that what they wanted, needed, etc...is right in front of them all along...blah, blah, blah. The only difference is that this is the case with not just one person, but four. All told, if you're looking for a quick and easy summer beach read, this is your book. if you're looking for anything substantive, keep looking.