THE SUMMER KNOWS

In Pearsall’s novel, a single mother must come to terms with her relationship with her estranged grandmother, and with a past she left behind nearly two decades ago.

In 2012, 30-something Adrienne Harris suddenly finds herself without a job after the closure of the restaurant where she worked as head chef. As she contemplates what lies next for her and her teenage daughter, Kali, she grapples with feelings of inadequacy while facing the challenges of financial instability and single motherhood. Then she receives a late-night phone call from family friend Christopher Crane, asking her to return home to the town of Harbor Point to care for the ailing grandmother who raised her. Adrienne feels that she has little choice but to go back to the town she left, pregnant and heartbroken, at the age of 17—even though it was her grandmother who threw her out. She finds Gran in worse health than she anticipated and the house in serious disrepair, Adrienne realizes that she and Kali will be staying longer than expected. As Adrienne struggles with the idea of reconciliation, she faces the past and the secrets she’s kept, particularly surrounding the identity of Kali’s father. When Quinn Merritt, the handsome neighbor who happens to be Kali’s father, reappears unexpectedly, it creates further tension between mother and daughter. When fish-market owner Christopher offers her a career opportunity, she begins to imagine a new future. Over the course of this novel, Pearsall has woven a multifaceted story that will appeal to both teenage readers as well as adults. It effectively explores themes of loss, identity, and belonging, and skillfully employs changing seasons in a way that serves as a metaphor for the fleeting nature of relationships. The shifting narrative, which encompasses past and present-day events, gives the novel an immersive feel, as does the overall relatability of the characters. It all results in a satisfying novel that makes for an exceptional beach read.

An emotionally layered coming-of-age story of how family dynamics and secrets shape lives.