Just For The Summer

Rating:
Summary: ONE OF THE SLOWEST MOVING BOOKS I'VE EVER READ!
Review: How did this book ever get published? It was the most boring thing that I've read this year. The entire book is about 474 pages. Just imagine wasting all that time for nothing. I believe that this novel should be considered general fiction and nothing more. There was some romance in it, but hardly any suspense. It just went on and on. The main characters went to about a thousand dinner parties and banquets. That took up about 75 pages in all! Nothing exciting happened at all until about page 250. But don't get me wrong, Laura Van Wormer is a good writer, because I'm reading "Talk" and loving it! Just trust me, save your money on "Just For The Summer."

Brad Stonecipher

Rating:
Summary: Is this author working out of a cave or a former nun?
Review: I actually laughed in places when I read her stiff attempts at pretending to be of this century. I don't need a lot of sexy stuff to keep me hooked, just a decently plotted story (no go) and a main character I can care about. I would kill this girl if she were my houseguest. It's almost worth the slow read to see the word "golly" written about a gay liason and "down there" referencing, well...you know.

Rating:
Summary: I expected fun trash, not boring trash
Review: I don't expect much in summer paperbacks, but I could not believe how this one dragged. How can someone take a story about murder, rich movie stars on vacation, and romance and end up with something so predictable, trite and boring? None of the characters were interesting or even distinguishable. Worse of all, the writing style was so dully flat that I felt like the author was whacking me on the head with each sentence. There is such a thing as excellent, entertaining trash that evokes emotion - Nora Roberts, Olivia Goldsmith, etc. The only reponse this book evoked was the realization that I wasted an afternoon.

Rating:
Summary: Back to Manhattan after this "vacation," please!
Review: I've recently discovered Ms. Van Wormer's novels and had read four others before "Just For The Summer," which I followed with "Any Given Moment" (at last, Alexandra finds love!). Compared to her other multi-charactered studies of the worlds of publishing, broadcasting, etc., "Just..." seems to be shallow and focused on celebrity name-dropping. OK for a summer on the beach, but I hope the next books by this author take the L.I.E. back to Manhattan.

Rating:
Summary: Intrigue and passion among the rich and infamous
Review: In her early thirties and after a decade as an investment banker at a Chicago based firm, Mary Liz Scott decides it is time for a change. Having made a lot of money, she abruptly retires. She has no plans for the future though she does agree to help her godmother, Nancy Hoffman, with settling her late husband Alfred's wealthy estate. Everyone remotely connected (and some outside of the remote) to the deceased is salivating to gain a piece of the action. That summer, Mary visits East Hampton, Long Island to complete an inventory of the estate. ........ Mary meets many people that summer, especially since everyone knew Alfred and seems to be suing either his widow or his estate, Mary and Sky Preston, a summer employee at the country club, are very attracted to each other. However, court cases are not enough for someone, who kills to keep something secret. This secret from Alfred's past has been uncovered by Mary also and the killer is aware that she knows it. For Mary, banking seems to be a dip in the backyard wading pool when compared to swimming with the rich and famous in their piranha filled pools. ....... Laura Van Wormer paints a side of the rich and famous that readers will never see watching Robin Leech. JUST FOR THE SUMMER shows the dark side of the jet set through realistic characters and an interesting story line. Next stop for readers who enjoy a who-done-it in the backyard of the wealthy is Ms. Van Wormer's richly written novel. .......Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: I expected fun trash, not boring trash
Review: Just for the Summer is a great read for the beach! Saturated with celebrities and juicy tidbits about the stars, this book was a tremendously fun read. I lost myself in the frolicking of the wealthy Hamptonites, putting the book down only to refresh my margarita!

Rating:
Summary: Grab your towel & sunscreen and head for the beach!
Review: Just for the Summer is a great read for the beach! Saturated with celebrities and juicy tidbits about the stars, this book was a tremendously fun read. I lost myself in the frolicking of the wealthy Hamptonites, putting the book down only to refresh my margarita!

Rating:
Summary: The best looking forward to Van Wormer's next book
Review: The story was so in tune with the Hamptons, you find yourself in in the cottage, on the beach, also turning pages wanting to see what happens next.