Got that summertime sadness? Boardwalk Summer might just be the best option for when those end-of-summer blues hit.š“š
Ready to be swept off your feet with some carefree west-coast romanticism? š„° Then you have to check out this review of the Boardwalk Summer book!
Filled with some heartbreak and a tiny bit of romance, the story will grip you from start to finish, leaving you speechless and wondering how everything will work out.Ā
Hereās The Review of the Boardwalk Summer Book
A ā5-star read that will pull you in and have you flipping page after page, wanting to know more!Ā
The story bounces between the year 1940 and the year 2007. Violet Harcourt won the California Beauty pageant in 1940, leading her to participate in the Miss America pageant. She was over the moon, thinking this would lead to her becoming an actress in Hollywood. But when her husband got the news of her winning, Violet saw a change in how her husband acted towards her. š«„Ā
This gave Violet only two choices: stay and be a housewife or chase her dream of becoming a star. Which will she choose? š±
As the story goes on, in 2007, we discover Marisol Cruzāa single mom working at Jupiter CafĆ© as a waitress. She gets an unexpected chance to showcase her grandfatherās story of being a famous beach boardwalk performer at the Centennial Celebration.
She then discovers his lifelong secret: knowing beauty pageant winner Violet Harcourt. Their stories come together in a heartwarming blend of heartbreak and courage that brings the past to the future, shining the light on all the secrets. But will this be a good thing until the end? š
Bouncing Back From Past To Present
The past didnāt matter now, only the future.
I have read the Boardwalk Summer book many times and love everything about it! š The first time I read this story, I remember being bothered by the back-and-forth between past and present, but if you give it a chance, as I did, youāll see how the past and present weave into each other beautifully, which I believe the author did well.Ā
It takes great skill to do that and tell the story in such a way that makes you smile and feel hopeful for both Marisol and Violet. What I love the most is the ending (but donāt worry, I donāt want to give away any spoilers), which will have you smiling and crying at the same time. š„¹
For some, just like I was when I first read this book, the bouncing between the past and present can sometimes throw you off or frustrate you in a way that would stop you from wanting to read it. But in the end, itās totally worth it!
At first, you donāt see the ending until things start coming together. But before the reveal of whatās to come, you find yourself turning page after page, secretly hoping for the best-case scenario.Ā
I love how both Marisol and Violet are relatable characters. š„°
You have Violet, who loves her waitressing job and riding her bike with her best friend, Evelyn. Violet is known as the girl who loves to have fun and dreams, but she also goes through some pretty rough times that make her realize the courage needed in hopes of having a better life.Ā
Marisol is a single mom who always tries her best. She loves history and dreams of someday working at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History. We also discover how her heart aches whenever she sees her old textbooks sitting on the bookshelf, never to be opened again within the first couple of chapters. š
Like any of us, she thinks about how she would have made different decisions than the ones she made. The book takes us back to a piece in her past of how poor decision-making led to her getting off track with what she had planned for herself. š®āšØ Luckily, we discover how she grows as a character throughout the story.Ā
A broken heart could heal, and love made a family.
I would suggest paying attention to the character names and the chapter’s year; I didnāt pay attention to these the first time I read it because I was too busy focusing on how the story would connect and play out. So keep that in mind when you read Boardwalk Summer; it will ease the timeline jumps for you.Ā
Something else I found helpful was keeping a journal next to me and writing any essential details about both main characters. It really helps you fully embrace the story and love each main character. You can also use the Bookly App to note down all the character names and details you encounter along the story to keep track of it, mostly if you struggle with intricate timelines. š
Trigger warningsĀ Ā
ā ļø If youāre triggered by reading anything about domestic abuse, I definitely would not recommend you read theĀ Boardwalk Summer book. I know this subject can be difficult or triggering to read for some, so just putting it out there.Ā
Boardwalk Summer Book: The Perfect Summer Read
I gave this book a ā5-star rating because I love how the author shares her research on what inspired her to write this story. Itās all written at the very back of the book.Ā
I also love how Meredith Jaeger could weave Violet and Marisolās stories together. As I mentioned, it takes a lot of skill, time, and patience to get the story to come out as beautifully as it did.Ā
You can tell that a lot of love went into this book. šĀ
I would recommend Boardwalk Summer to young adult readers who love a tiny bit of hopeful romance, as I like to call it. š¤ Itās the perfect read for someone who loves a thrilling page-turning story that makes you want answers as fast as new questions arise.Ā
This book review was written by our Bookly Pro Reader, Martiemary. š
Book Synopsis
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