The Summer Girls by Mary Alice Munro.

   I took a break from my quarantine work challenge and read this book for my themed book club discussion.  Our theme was weather, so this was a bit of a stretch, but it was exactly what I needed.  I'm looking to escape my current reality, not read about a different type of perfect storm.

Anyone who knows me knows that my favorite beach is in South Carolina.  I love the low country - the sweet tea, the slow pace, the drawl of the locals.  I love it.  I miss it.   So this book brought me right back there in my mind, definitely in a good way.

This is the story about three half sisters who have grown apart and a grandmother desperate to reunite them.  Mamaw is celebrating her 80th birthday and she invites her summer girls for one last summer before they have to sell their beloved family home, SeaBreeze.

Dora has been struggling with dealing with her impeding divorce,  how to handle her autistic son, Nate, and how she has lost herself over the years.   The youngest sister, Hannah,  has spent her time with her mother's family in New York.  She's lost her way and her self respect.  And finally Carson ( the sister that this book in the series is about) is jobless, homeless and looking for a fresh start.  A momentous run in with a shark and a wild dolphin turn her world around.

How could I not love a book with a dolphin as a character?  I also really enjoyed reading about Mamaw and Dora's son, Nate.   This book was full of colorful characters - as expected.  It was a great escape to one of my favorite places.  I don't think I will carry on with the series, but who knows?  If the quarantine goes on long enough, I just might.   I gave it four stars.