A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams

I just finished my first must read beach book of the year. I was asked to review this new publication and I could not put it down. This is one that you definitely need on your spring break/summer reading list! Check out this new book:

A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN-13: 978-0425270035

Overview:
Lily Dane has returned to Seaview, Rhode Island, where her family has summered for generations. It’s an escape not only from New York’s social scene but from a heartbreak that still haunts her. Here, among the seaside community that has embraced her since childhood, she finds comfort in the familiar rituals of summer.

But this summer is different. Budgie and Nick Greenwald—Lily’s former best friend and former fiancé—have arrived here too, and Seaview’s elite are abuzz. Under Budgie’s glamorous influence, Lily is seduced into a complicated web of renewed friendship and dangerous longing. But as a cataclysmic hurricane churns north through the Atlantic, and uneasy secrets slowly reveal themselves, Lily and Nick will confront an emotional storm that will change their worlds forever…

My Thoughts:
I knew that this was going to be a good read from the first few pages just the way to story was crafted. 2 college girls; one the beauty that is obviously in charge and the other a quieter shadow.

I was excited to see that the time frame of this book was set in the early to late 1930’s – a time when women were coming into their own. This the story of two best friends and their romance with their favorite men within a seven year span of time. The author does a great job with the storyline by splitting each chapter into different time frames. You start at the beginning in 1931 and the next chapter is a bit of what is happening currently, 7 years later. She continues this back and forth right up until the last few chapters where time merges together. The story is so fluid that going back and forth in time is effortless and seamless.

The story is told from Lily’s point of view. The author expertly crafts this story into an easy read that is interesting with snippets of foreshadowing. What you think is the truth is not always what it seems. She even had me guessing in spots.

The author does a great job sucking you into a time warp! I had to read this in one sitting because I just had to know what was going to happen! While you can expect the story to go a certain direction, the author always has a twist that you do not expect.

This is the perfect light romance book with a bit of drama, mystery and intrigue for the beachy vacation get away. You can almost smell the salt and the sand all the while pretending you are back in time when the US was struggling financially, in between wars and women were expected to be ladies… of some sort. I Loved this book and I think you will too!

Disclaimer: Chris has personally reviewed the product listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review but did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ.