Sisters of Summer's End

May 6, 2019
Foster’s second Summer Resort novel (after Cooper’s Charm) emphasizes the transformative power of female friendship and true love while whisking readers to an idyllic vacation hideaway. Divorced single mother Joy Lee is proud of her work as the recreation director of the Cooper’s Charm RV Resort. Disowned by her family, fearful of further rejection, and eager to protect her son, Joy finds grounding in a friendship with Maris Kennedy, the owner of the Summer’s End camp store. With Maris’s gentle prodding, Joy decides to take a risk on romance with Royce Nakirk, the new owner of the local drive-in, who has come to Woodbine, Ohio, to escape a recent loss. Maris grew up in poverty and values her security too much to risk a romance, especially one with free-spirited handyman Daron Hardy. But Daron’s persistence and Joy’s encouragement soon have Maris experiencing all the passion her life has been missing. The romantic tropes feel careworn and the treatment of class is simplistic, but the central friendship provides a fresh emotional focus. Foster’s fans will savor this. Agent: Steve Axelrod, Axelrod Agency.

Starred review from May 15, 2019
Foster follows Cooper's Charm (2018) with another romance that takes place at a lakeside resort, a heartwarming and perfectly paced story featuring recreation director and single mom Joy Lee. Once-burned, never-again" divorc�e Joy keeps herself distant from everyone except her five-year-old son. Disowned by her wealthy family when she became pregnant, she had to quickly learn to be self-sufficient. A blossoming friendship with coworker Maris opens her to the possibilities of connecting with others, including the hot new owner of the nearby drive-in. Maris, who grew up poor, has sworn off romance to focus on her priority of stability and dedication to her job running the camp store and caf�. But watching Joy slowly fall in love encourages her to finally give a chance to the man who has been pursuing her for years. Foster dramatizes relationships romantic, platonic, and familial, all of which are incredibly well developed and ring true. What really makes this romance shine is the friendship between Joy and Maris as they grow from acquaintances to chosen sisters. The support and encouragement they give each other is beautiful. A standout story of friends, lovers, and even a very cute puppy.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

June 1, 2019

Fiercely self-sufficient and totally devoted to raising her five-year-old son, Jack, Joy Lee has no time for men. She loves her job as recreation director at Cooper's Charm RV Resort and with its eclectic mix of down-to-earth people, especially her best-friend-in-the-making camp store manager Maris Kennedy, the resort is the perfect place to raise a little boy. But Joy didn't count on Royce Nakirk, the town's new drive-in owner, turning her life upside down--and she definitely didn't plan to fall in love. Maris, as driven and as self-sufficient as Joy, didn't plan to find love either, but when she and Joy challenge each other to take a risk, the results are far more rewarding than either had expected. VERDICT Two women with unsettling backgrounds bond as sisters-of-the-heart in a sexy, heartwarming, down-home tale that features two captivating love stories, along with some critical backstory issues. A funny and engaging addition to the series that skillfully walks the line between romance and women's fiction. Foster (Driven to Distraction) lives in central Ohio.

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.