The Edge of Summer: A Novel by Viola Shipman

 

(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

Bestselling author Viola Shipman delights with this captivating summertime escape set along the sparkling shores of Lake Michigan, where a woman searches for clues to her secretive mother's past.

Devastated by the sudden death of her mother—a quiet, loving and intensely private Southern seamstress called Miss Mabel, who overflowed with pearls of Ozarks wisdom but never spoke of her own family—Sutton Douglas makes the impulsive decision to pack up and head north to the Michigan resort town where she believes she’ll find answers to the lifelong questions she’s had about not only her mother’s past but also her own place in the world.

Recalling Miss Mabel’s sewing notions that were her childhood toys, Sutton buys a collection of buttons at an estate sale from Bonnie Lyons, the imposing matriarch of the lakeside community. Propelled by a handful of trinkets left behind by her mother and glimpses into the history of the magical lakeshore town, Sutton becomes tantalized by the possibility that Bonnie is the grandmother she never knew. But is she? As Sutton cautiously befriends Bonnie and is taken into her confidence, she begins to uncover the secrets about her family that Miss Mabel so carefully hid, and about the role that Sutton herself unwittingly played in it all.

my thoughts:

Love, love, love. What a wonderful story! I absolutely LOVED The Edge of Summer by Viola Shipman. 

Sutton and her mom were a dynamic duo. They lived in the Ozarks and were poor. All of Sutton's family died in a fire, or so her mom told her. However, once her mom passes away, Sutton finds herself filled with questions. She wants to learn more about her family, her mom, and her self. So, she sets off to the resort town in Michigan, that her mom mentioned in a letter.  Sutton is convinced this is the place that will finally help her find out the truth about her family and their past. Once there, she meets a woman named Bonnie.  Soon, Sutton is spending time with Bonnie and beginning to wonder if this woman could be her grandmother. Seems, that the longer Sutton spends in town, the more questions she has. The only question is, will she like the answers she discovers?

Oh, what a terrific book! The Edge of Summer was fantastic! The writing was addictive, the characters were unforgettable, and the story itself was unputdownable. I just loved this book to bits! I would happily recommend it to anyone and everyone looking for their next great read - check it out!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!