“The Summer Wives is an exquisitely rendered novel that tackles two of my favorite topics: love and money. The glorious setting and drama are enriched by Williams’s signature vintage touch. It’s at the top of my picks for the beach this summer.”
—Elin Hilderbrand, author of The Perfect Couple
New York Times bestselling author Beatriz Williams brings us the blockbuster novel of the season—an … bestselling author Beatriz Williams brings us the blockbuster novel of the season—an electrifying postwar fable of love, class, power, and redemption set among the inhabitants of an island off the New England coast . . .
In the summer of 1951, Miranda Schuyler arrives on elite, secretive Winthrop Island as a schoolgirl from the margins of high society, still reeling from the loss of her father in the Second World War. When her beautiful mother marries Hugh Fisher, whose summer house on Winthrop overlooks the famous lighthouse, Miranda’s catapulted into a heady new world of pedigrees and cocktails, status and swimming pools. Isobel Fisher, Miranda’s new stepsister—all long legs and world-weary bravado, engaged to a wealthy Island scion—is eager to draw Miranda into the arcane customs of Winthrop society.
But beneath the island’s patrician surface, there are really two clans: the summer families with their steadfast ways and quiet obsessions, and the working class of Portuguese fishermen and domestic workers who earn their living on the water and in the laundries of the summer houses. Uneasy among Isobel’s privileged friends, Miranda finds herself drawn to Joseph Vargas, whose father keeps the lighthouse with his mysterious wife. In summer, Joseph helps his father in the lobster boats, but in the autumn he returns to Brown University, where he’s determined to make something of himself. Since childhood, Joseph’s enjoyed an intense, complex friendship with Isobel Fisher, and as the summer winds to its end, Miranda’s caught in a catastrophe that will shatter Winthrop’s hard-won tranquility and banish Miranda from the island for nearly two decades.
Now, in the landmark summer of 1969, Miranda returns at last, as a renowned Shakespearean actress hiding a terrible heartbreak. On its surface, the Island remains the same—determined to keep the outside world from its shores, fiercely loyal to those who belong. But the formerly powerful Fisher family is a shadow of itself, and Joseph Vargas has recently escaped the prison where he was incarcerated for the murder of Miranda’s stepfather eighteen years earlier. What’s more, Miranda herself is no longer a naïve teenager, and she begins a fierce, inexorable quest for justice for the man she once loved . . . even if it means uncovering every last one of the secrets that bind together the families of Winthrop Island.
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I absolutely loved this book! To learn about the lobster industry in New England so many years ago as well as the various classes of people was eye-opening. Ms. Williams can weave a story like no other. She is obviously quite bright and intuitive. This book was a real page turner for me and I’m now reading/devouring all of her books.
I loved this book from the start. The reader is thrown back in time from present day to the 1930’s to 50’s to 60’s in a story set on an exclusive island off Connecticut. Miranda & Joseph, Isobel & Clay & Hugh– are among a unique set of characters that weave into each other’s lives in very unique ways, with a little murder intrigue, and lots of romance, too. The plot looks at cultural and social differences and stereotypes, judgements, issues of class where the old money very rich live alongside the Portuguese working class who fish and support the rich’s lifestyles. But in the end, Ms. Williams, with her in-depth and poignant look into both classes and their worlds, flips them around to make you wonder who really is rich and in which ways, and what really brings happiness and what lengths people will go to to get it. Lots of plot twists in a gorgeous fictional island setting make this a perfect summer read to take you away even if you stay home!
Interesting characters.
Preposterous plot & awful writing
Absorbing beach read
Love anything by this talented author!
This book keeps your interest. I liked, or disliked, the characters very much.
Keeping up appearances and social barriers between people on a summer vacationing island. Almost like girl falls in love with boy from wrong side of tracks only to find everyone has been secretly crossing the tracks for years. All of this leads to terrible results. Good, quick read.
I listened to the audio version of this story, and it was pretty racked with tragic circumstances between multi-cultural generations of the rich and not-so-rich. Ultimately the ending was satisfying, and i enjoyed the story.
A bit slow at first but once you dive into the characters you will be hooked. This is a tragic love story with a wonderful background.
Slow and boring
I love Beatriz Williams!! Her writing is so enjoyable and easy to read. Summer Wives was right on target. Interesting, fun, kind of kept you guessing. The main character, Miranda, was not as likable as some of Williams’ other protagonists, but I still liked her and was invested in her story. I really enjoyed this book!
I usually love her books but this was not her best.
The plot and setting were good but the story-telling could have been better. The story jumps around during 1930, 1951 and 1969 on an island off Martha’s Vineyard. In the first time period, a young woman falls in love with a man who is engaged to be married. In the next time period, another young woman – the main character – is staying with her mother on the island when a tragedy occurs, which sets the tone for the mystery. In the last time period, the protagonist returns to the island and slowly, the mystery unravels to clarify the events and reveal how the consequences of those events affected the lives of the people involved.
Not what I expected. Waited months to get the book from the library, and maybe I should have read more of the reviews while waiting. I did not expect a soap opera type story, but that’s what I got. This was definitely not my cup of tea.
I disliked this book totally..I read it completely . It was a disjointed book..not much plot..and boring. I was really surprised.
Loved this book
The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams is my first book read by the author. I totally enjoyed this book and will be reading more of her books in the future. I did have a little trouble with the back and forth between the time periods. This book has it all drama, romance, murder and mystery. It was very well written and a page turner. I enjoyed the story, the time periods the well-developed characters. I wish there was a list of all the characters names it did get confusing to try to follow them all. All in all this was a fantastic book and I recommend it as a good summer read.
I generally enjoy Beatriz Williams’ books, but this one drove me crazy with all the flashback sequences. There simply was no continuity. A big disappointment.
The Summer Wives is a deeply riveting saga of love, secrets, and a small island divided between the haves and have nots. The story unfolds gradually, along three different timelines. Each chapter is another revelation as secrets are unveiled, compelling readers to keep turning pages until the very end. Readers will be transported to Winthrop Island and each time period…the 1930’s, 1950’s and 1960’s are authentic and genuine. The family dynamics in this book are complicated and unique to life on this island, a place where there is a distinction between the classes that is reflected in the actions of the characters. This book is filled with passion and heartbreak, agonizing choices and so many lies and secrets.