A summer idyll for a close-knit group of friends in an coastal town in Massachusetts is disturbed by the arrival of budding author, Caroline. To make matters worse she falls in love with the easy-going nature lover Van. The group dynamics change and they all have to adapt to a more mature way of living. Sharp wit and very believable people made this a joy to read. I had the feeling I was drawn into the juicy gossip as a member of the group.
Van's friends hugged Caroline hello, barely touching shoulders since they were all half naked in their swimsuits. Bailey looked like a fertility goddess, her rounded belly golden, her green bikini tied in loops at her hips and neck.
'I’m so glad you could make it,' said Augusta. 'We've been doing this same trip forever and it'll be fun to have someone new in the mix.'
She was wearing tortoiseshell sunglasses, and Caroline couldn't quite see her eyes, but there was something in her voice that let her know this wasn't really a welcome, that Augusta, in her prim and Old Yankee way, was informing Caroline that she had intruded on a sacred ritual, that she was no more welcome than a mailman dropping off a letter and then staying for dinner.
'Do you feel like paddling?' asked Van quietly. 'We could just go unpack our suitcases and settle in?' He was so sweet, always trying to make sure she was comfortable.
'POLO,' Caroline deadpanned, pasting a grin on her face and hefting a paddle awkwardly in her hand. Had she ever before held a paddle? She felt like she should be jousting or competing in one of the lesser-known Squid Games.
