Postcards from Last Summer

From the moment I started POSTCARDS I was captivated by the world created by the author. The cover copy does not do this novel justice. There's an element of wondrous escape to be immersed in this book, along with the recognition that these women experience events and rites of passage that are achingly familiar to all of us. Not to give away the plot, it's the dynamic among these female characters that is so real and entrancing. I felt like I knew these girls. By the end of the story they were like childhood friends. Fortunately, all ends well, but not before I misted over at the sad turn of events once or twice. I'm holding onto my copy of POSTCARDS but have bought three for my longtime friends. It's a great book to give someone going through one of life's tight squeezes, as well as a nice gift for friends who simply enjoy entertainment. Sort of a prime-time take on BEACHES. If you have the time to get hooked on a good read, I recommend POSTCARDS FROM LAST SUMMER.

Roz Bailey's book is a fun romp into the past of four best friends, who at times are not best friends at all. Lyndsay starts her book off with a book within a book. She's pushing thirty and back in The Hamptons, pregnant, at her own book signing. The movie Now and Then released in 1996 with Demi Moore and Rosie O'Donnel is similar to this book, except for the fact that Darcy, Elle, Tara and Lindsay's perspectives from the late 1990s are all interwoven into one storyline. But both the aforementioned movie and Postcards From Last Summer display the kindness, beauty, and sometimes anger that all froth to the top in close-knit friendships. These are friendships with girls who have become women and how those friendships affected their lives. One girl is the wealthiest and loses it all, drops out of college and gets pregnant. Another didn't know she was wealthy and finds this out after her parent's death. Another pursues her initial dream of becoming an attorney. All the while Lyndsay has been labeled the narrator of their lives. Angst, love, rejection, boys, and learning how to grow up bind these four friends together. They've known one another since they were six or seven and played on the beautiful beaches of The Hamptons their entire life. Lyndsay's family is the one that has been at The Hamptons the longest, her parents own her grandmother's home, which they'd never be able to afford in 1990 dollars. Yet, everyone seems to swing like a pendulum around Darcy, who is attractive, petite, monied and destined for greatness until her dreams come shattering down upon her. All her friends rally to support her during this time, which is a testament to the strong bond female friendship holds. Armchair Interviews says: Chick lit with a twist. Current events are woven through the book and The Hamptons are stunningly portrayed, both which make the book more than chick lit.