East Coast Girls

April 1, 2020

Hannah, Blue, Renee, and Maya were the best of friends during their turbulent youth and created a family unit with one another. Their happiest memories were of their bucolic summers spent in Montauk, NY, going to the beach, chasing boys, and dreaming of a bright future. Then the unthinkable happens and one terrifying night alters everything. The four friends have never been able to mend the destruction that was wreaked on themselves or their friendship. Twelve years later, faced with the realization that their idyllic summer cottage is about to be sold, they come together for one last chance at reunification. Their shared trauma is hard to lay to rest, and the tragedy that befell them more than a decade ago still holds them hostage in distinct ways. VERDICT Kletter's (The First Time She Drowned) storytelling skill is evidenced in her superb pacing as she reveals what happened that fateful night. Told by alternating narrators and weaving between past and present, this is tailor-made for book clubs, and for those looking for character-driven plots with a female ensemble. [See Prepub Alert, 11/11/19.]--Amy Nolan, St. Joseph, MI

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2020
Best friends Hannah, Maya, Blue, and Renee filled in the gaps for one another left by their inattentive, neglectful, or toxic families. A horrific, tragic event the summer after high school graduation destroyed the relationship between Renee and the rest of the women, and none of them was left unchanged. Twelve years later, Maya convinces Hannah and Blue to join her for a weekend in Montauk, where they spent their childhood summers. From the beginning, it's clear this trip won't be anything like those in their memories. A reunion is in the works, but it may not be the one Maya hoped for, as each woman will have to confront fears and secrets if they have any chance of restoring their friendship. Alternating narrators divulge masterfully drawn characters who feel like family, causing feelings of both sympathy and frustration. Pitch-perfect pacing and language reveals all the right pieces at just the right moments and the idyllic Montauk setting is skillfully depicted. Kletter will be an author to watch for fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Emily Giffin.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)