Camp Firelight has welcomed eager campers every summer for several generations, but now the well has dried up, and the site is slated to close for good. Already heartbroken over the loss of her lifelong partner, retired camp director Ethel reaches out to nearby alumnae for help in preparing the cherished place to sell. Her plea touches several former campers facing times of great flux in their own lives. Laura fears her empty-nest marriage is at risk, Shannon is considering a midlife career change, and Ruby is wracked by guilt for an act of betrayal committed years before. Together once again at their beloved childhood camp, the women begin reclaiming the optimism of their youth. When they find a terrified runaway hiding in the campgrounds, they turn their energy from personal rejuvenation to outward altruism, setting out to help her and maybe preserve the camp, too. There are no surprises here, just a predictable, heartwarming story about bonds between girlfriends and love of all kinds. ~(Booklist Reviews)
Sweet Salt Air by Barbara Delinsky
Two old friends, troubled by present crises and past mistakes, reunite on an island off the coast of Maine. It's been 10 years since Nicole, a food blogger, has seen her best friend, Charlotte. Now, Nicole is at her parents' summer home on Quinnipeague Island, publishing contract in hand, preparing to write a cookbook on local cuisine. She is also there to ready the place to sell after her father's sudden passing. When Nicole summons Charlotte to Quinnipeague to help with the book, Charlotte has reservations due to a secret she has harbored for years: Shortly before Nicole's wedding, she had a drunken one-night stand with Julian. A pregnancy resulted; the child was given up for adoption. Sharing the seaside house while Julian is away, Charlotte and Nicole bond once more over the challenges of wresting recipes from the crusty islanders and over best-selling beach read Salt. ~ (Kirkus Reviews)
The Girls of Mischief Bay by Susan Mallery
Nicole Lord wants to be a good wife, but there's a difference between being supportive and supporting her husband, who quit his job to write a screenplay she's never seen. He won't even help take care of their son, leaving Nicole to run the house and work full-time. Sacrificing a personal life for her career is how Shannon Rigg became a VP at her firm, but she wonders now whether she made the right choice. An exciting new relationship with a great guy convinces her that it might not be too lateuntil he drops a bombshell that has her questioning whether she really can have it all. Although Pam Eiland adores her husband, she feels restless now that the kids are grown. Finding sexy new ways to surprise him brings the heat and humor back to their marriage, but when unexpected change turns her life upside down, she'll have to redefine herself. Again. Through romance and heartbreak, laughter and tears, the girls of Mischief Bay will discover that life is richer with friends at your side. ~(Publisher Summary)
