The View from Here

May 8, 2020

The Goodwin family is expecting another carefree summer by the Connecticut lake where they all grew up and now live. Unfortunately, the summer months prove more challenging than anticipated. Perry, the oldest sibling, is about to have his need for order and control tested when his teenage daughter, Emma, starts to act out. Phoebe, the middle child, has begun renovating her dream house by the lake and runs into unforeseen repairs that threaten her budget and strain her marriage. And the youngest, Jake, has finally found the woman of his dreams after returning to his hometown, but it remains to be seen if he's mature enough to settle down. When a boating accident leaves three of the family members hospitalized and the cause of the accident becomes shrouded in secrecy, familial ties are stretched to the limit. Only time will tell if, when the truth comes out, those ties will break or grow stronger. VERDICT McKinnon's (Sailing Lessons) relatable scenarios and vivid characters combine to create a beach read that doesn't skimp on family drama. For the author's many fans and readers of Luanne Rice and Mary Kay Andrews.--Karen Core, Detroit P.L.

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2020
It was supposed to be another gorgeous Connecticut summer on the lake. The Goodwins are a close-knit family, and their childhood dynamics have remained strong well into adulthood. Perry's the high-achieving oldest, Jake's the fun-loving youngest, and middle child Phoebe just wants everyone to get along. Perry and Phoebe now have families of their own, and everyone's surprised to hear that Jake is serious about his latest girlfriend, Olivia. As the Goodwin family welcomes Olivia and her five-year-old daughter, Luci, into the fold, each sibling experiences a crisis that threatens to tear the family apart. Fans of J. Courtney Sullivan's Maine (2011), Cristina Alger's The Darlings (2012), and Jonathan Tropper's This is Where I Leave You (2009) will relish the slow-simmering chaos and long-standing resentments of this reserved New England family. McKinnon (Sailing Lessons, 2018) allows select Goodwin family members to narrate, imbuing each chapter with their quirks and biases. A warm-hearted yet clear-eyed look into what brings people together and what tears them apart, this makes a delightful case for shaking off childhood roles.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)