Review: One Perfect Summer

Have you taken an online DNA test? What did it tell you? For the three women in Brenda Novak's One Perfect Summer, their tests told them they had two half-sisters they had never known about. Talk about a shocker and one that's perfect for a novel.

Here's the synopsis:

When Serenity Alston swabbed her cheek for 23andMe, she joked about uncovering some dark ancestral scandal. The last thing she expected was to discover two half sisters she didn't know existed. Suddenly, everything about her loving family is drawn into question. And meeting these newfound sisters might be the only way to get answers.

Serenity has always found solace at her family's Lake Tahoe cabin, so what better place for the three women to dig into the mystery that has shaken the foundation each of them was raised on? With Reagan navigating romantic politics at her New York City advertising firm, and Lorelei staring down the collapse of her marriage, all three women are converging at a crossroads in their lives. Before the summer is over, they'll have to confront the paths they walked to get there and determine how to move forward when everything they previously thought to be true was a lie.

But any future is easier to face with family by your side.

I liked that Novak started the novel after the women had already found out about each other and had been in touch. Not only that, but were on their way to spend a week together. It firmly placed the story and gave enough background for the reader to know how each of them was likely feeling without the novel getting too bogged down to start. 

The story was full of drama without veering into over-dramatic territory. There were light-hearted moments that helped keep the story from being too heavy. Novak has a knack for really letting the reader into the character so you can understand everyone's motivations - even if you don't agree with them.

What was also so, so lovely was that each woman pretty much immediately welcomed the others into her life. They made decisions based on how their bond as sisters could grow and put a lot of effort into discovering how to make their new sisterly relationships even better. They knew it was a bizarre situation but also knew how important it was to make time for the others and get to know each other.

One Perfect Summer was a delightful read that I think everyone could use right now. Brenda Novak told an entertaining story about three very different women, each battling their own issues while trying to figure out how two new half-sisters fit into their lives. 

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Harlequin, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*