Brooke Lea Foster

I read as fast as my poor vision allows me but I really did enjoy it. Having lived through the 1960' s, it brought back many memories and I did not find anything out of place in this historical fiction book. I have never been to Martha's Vineyard but I appreciated the beach and town settings.

The main character, Heddy Winsome, is from a very poor and underprivileged family. Naive, she had learns for herself that money does not buy happiness. But than that for me it was the discovery of self show more superiority maintained by the very rich. I do not think that she was prepared for that just I was not when my family moved from one neighborhood to another when I was twelve. I felt like In a different world. The family that she is the nanny project a fake kindness and deep selfishness. The marriage of her employers seething with hared could turmoil ready to erupt at any moment,
Their children were suffering from the lack of genuine parental love.

All the characters have deeply hiddeb secrets, including Heddie, her mother, her employers, the lone movie star on the island, and the men that Heddy dated.

Holding close to their secrets, the characters were thinking that they were protecting themselves, or getting ready to exact revenge from a wrongdoing but in fact they were being held prisoner by their own secrets.

I enjoyed reading this tale of deeply flawed characters. I particularly liked the advice that the movie star gave Heddy about men and do not ever think I will ever forget her spiel about the kind of watch that a man wears being key to his personal traits.

I received an Advance Reader's edition copy of this book from the Publisher as a win from FirstReads but that in no way made a difference in my thoughts or feelings in this review. show less

Everleigh is on track to the life she is expected to have. College educated and beautiful, Lee grew up in the Plaza, her wealthy parents’ happiness shattered by her mother’s mental illness. She finds her bliss as an amateur photographer. She has already gone through one fiancé’ when she meets the man who, she hopes, is a perfect match for her, a man who will please her parents. He is handsome and charming, the son of a Detroit automaker family.

Lee accepts Roland’s proposal, allowing show more him sexual access, and is planning their wedding when he announces he has turned the Long Island family vacation home he inherited into a hotel. It’s not Lee’s dream life, but she rallies from her disappointment to support him. The night after the hotel’s grand opening party, the rich and famous in attendance, the hotel burns down.

Over the summer of 1957, Lee struggles with the heavy burden of female acquiescence to a man’s control. The country club life bores her. Lee becomes a galley assistant to a female photographer from the artist colony, hoping to hone her skill with the camera. Roland is occupied with rebuilding the hotel, using Lee’s trust fund money and taking on partners.

The police investigates the fire, sure it is arson. Could the fire have been set by one of their friends, an old enemy, a hotel staff member, or one of Roland’s past flames? As Lee reassesses her friendships and her husband’s new associates, she discovers that Roland is not the man she thought he was. Still determined to go through with her marriage, even as Roland begins to spiral away from her, she also must contend with the attraction that is emerging between her and the local doctor–who also races cars.

On Gin Lane is a great summer read, well written, with interesting characters, a compelling plot line with a mystery and a twist, and a happy resolution. The development of Lee’s independence will resonate with contemporary readers. But what I enjoyed most of all was Lee’s development as an artist.

Art isn’t something you do. It’s something you are.

from On Gin Lane by Brooke Lea Foster
Lee longs for a life with meaning. Her best friend is content to marry and have children and spend summers at the beach. Lee has been drawn to photography all her life. When she learns that the legendary female photographer Starling Meade is at the local artist colony, she turns up at her door to meet her. Starling has the life that Lee secretly wants to have.

To be an artist, a woman must be willing to give up everything. Starling lost her husband and daughter to pursue her art. When Lee takes a job with Starling at her gallery, preparing for Starling’s show, she meets with rejection from Roland, and apparently her parents. “Creation could feel like an obsession,” Lee thinks, and she knows she will be forced to chose between Roland and her art.

Readers of historical fiction and women’s fiction will enjoy this novel. The historic New York setting, city and in Montauk, is exotic and exciting. And, readers with an interest in women in the arts will appreciate this story.

I received an ARC from Book Club Favorites at Simon & Schuster. My review is fair and unbiased. show less

The Short of It:

Everything you want in a summer read, a slow-burn romance, a Martha’s Vineyard setting, a 1960’s backdrop of money and glamour but also a tiny bit of deception to keep you interested.

The Rest of It:

I went into this read with an open mind and it surprised me in a lot of ways. It wasn’t a straight-up beach read, as you’ve come to expect from a cover like the one above. Summer Darlings offered quite a bit more and kept me interested very early on.

After losing her show more scholarship at Wellesley, Heddy must find a way to earn her tuition money quickly and the easiest way to do that is to be a nanny for one of the wealthiest families on the island. Heddy is great with children but the lifestyle is a stretch for her. She has never been surrounded by so much wealth and opulence, nor has she any experience with how social circles work.

At first she is envious of her boss. She seems to have everything, a beautiful home, an attractive husband but no matter how much money you have, things are never as perfect as they seem. Between the other inhabitants of the island and her keen observations, there is definitely trouble in paradise.

I really loved that this story had a little bit of everything. It had all the glitter and glamour you’d expect from the island rich, but there is a bit of darkness too and honestly, it caught me by surprise. Heddy is young and impressionable but she doesn’t always make good choices, which surprised me given her upbringing. Nonetheless, I found it to be a great summer read and a good kick-off to summer reading. Have you read it?

For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter. show less

Don’t let the lighthearted cover fool you. This book is full of complicated family issues…mother/daughter, sisters, parents.

Its 1968, Mom Virgie is a political wife trying to bring awareness to the women’s movement all the while supporting her husband’s aspirations and being a mom to three girls. She walks a fine line between all. Fast forward to 1975, youngest girl Betsy is home. She is reeling from a difficult year and returns home after learning Virgie needs to sell their beloved show more summer home.

This book explores so many difficult topics (abortion, infidelity, double standards, equality). Family secrets are revealed and so many questions are answered. I loved the character development of each woman as an individual and as a family unit. Each women coming to terms with their past and present. The ending was tied up a little too neatly, but I still found this enjoyable read that had more depth than I expected. Martha’s Vineyard is the setting for this novel and is center for everything this family holds dear. Ms. Brooks has written a beautiful novel touching on the secrets, healing and the love and support of family. I look forward to reading this author again.

Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion. show less