I devoured the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books and was sad to close the final volume earlier this year. I also really enjoyed the movie (of course it did feature BCG tv faves Alexis Bledel and America Ferrarra). Anyway, as you can imagine, I was excited to learn that Ann Brashares was writing her first book for "grown ups." The Last Summer (of You and Me) tells the story of sisters Alice and Riley, in their mid 20s, figuring out what to do with their lives and how their life-long friend Paul fits in with those plans. The three have spent every summer together on Fire Island and the nostalgia for the island is palpable, reminding me fondly of my own summer share there. Paul and Riley are best friends with the younger Alice always tagging along and looking up, with increasing admiration, to them both, especially Paul. Paul and Alice finally act on their feelings in this fateful summer, and they all must confront a development that will change their relationships, and lives, forever.
It was so nice to see Brashares explore the biological sister relationship, as opposed to the best friends-as-sisters-scenario from the pants books, since it is a much more fraught one, given that it's not a relationship that we choose, but is often one of the closest bonds we ever have. Highly recommended as a great summer beach read and for book clubs. Here is the reading guide.
