March 13, 2023
Uplifting moments of friendship, family, and self-discovery provide charming texture to this breezily straightforward queer romance from Morrissey (A Thousand Miles). A year after Garland Moore’s husband gave her divorce papers for Valentine’s Day, she accepts an invitation to an adults’ week at a summer camp in Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. There, she encounters a man she never thought she’d see again: the handsome stranger she literally ran into in the airport on the way to her honeymoon, their encounter sparking a cozy vision of an alternate future for herself. Could this be her chance to make that vision a reality? Maybe, but her best camp experiences keep happening with his sister, Stevie, instead, forcing Garland to reevaluate things she thought she knew about herself. Though Garland and Stevie face bumps in the road, the obstacles are easily overcome, and the lack of drama is refreshing despite its occasional improbability: both women’s exes make plays to get them back but are utterly reasonable in the face of newfound rejection. The mild implausibility is more than made up for by the story’s pleasantness; everyday suffering (particularly that faced by the LGBTQ community) exists only as a haze in the background. The result is an ideal vacation read. Agent: Taylor Haggerty, Root Literary.
June 10, 2024
Newly divorced Garland Moore once believed in magic, signs from the universe, and fate. Now, as she's headed to an adult summer camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains to regroup, she's unsure what she believes. All she knows is that love will never happen for her again. At Camp Carl Cove with her sister Dara, Garland runs into Mason, a man she connected with on her long-ago honeymoon. At that time, Garland had visions of herself with Mason, which she takes to mean that they are destined for each other. But, between summer camp activities, she finds that she's really drawn to Mason's sister Stevie, who is outgoing, outdoorsy, and fun. If Garland can learn to trust herself again, this summer love might last forever. Morrissey's (A Thousand Miles) latest is a nostalgic and hilarious throwback to carefree summers, color wars, and s'mores. Jeremy Carlisle Parker perfectly captures the giddiness of summer-camp love, voicing Garland as she grows in confidence and falls head over heels for vibrant Stevie. Listeners will enjoy watching Garland discover herself, a found family, and the freedom to love. VERDICT This fluffy queer romance delights. A perfect addition to any audio romance collection.--Elyssa Everling
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.