The Summer Sail - by Wendy Francis (Paperback)

About the Book

"Three college roommates are celebrating a twentieth wedding anniversary by taking a cruise to Bermuda. As the ship pulls away from the pier, everyone is looking forward to lounging by the pool, sipping sunset cocktails, and reminiscing ... As the balmy pink shores of Bermuda come into view, tensions simmer, and old jealousies flare, sending the temperature from soothing to scorching in this engrossing tale of three best friends on a vacation they won't soon forget--but not for the reasons they expect"--Amazon.com.

Book Synopsis

"A great summer read for fans of Jennifer Weiner and Emily Giffin." (Library Journal)

A trio of college friends who reunite aboard a cruise ship experience an unforgettable vacation in this compelling novel from the author of The Summer of Good Intentions, which was hailed as "everything a summer read should be" by Elin Hilderbrand.

Three college roommates are celebrating a twentieth wedding anniversary by taking a cruise to Bermuda. As the ship pulls away from the pier, everyone is looking forward to lounging by the pool, sipping sunset cocktails, and reminiscing. Abby, the mother hen of the group, will be celebrating her wedding anniversary in style, even as she and her husband keep a secret from the group. Ambitious career woman Caroline happily anticipates several stress-free days away from her magazine job with her boyfriend, Javier, who may or may not be finally inspired to propose. And single mom Lee (annoyingly gorgeous and irresistibly popular in college) hopes she'll win back the affections of her formerly sweet daughter Lacey, who after her first year in college, has inexplicably become a little bit of a monster.

As the balmy pink shores of Bermuda come into view, tensions simmer, and old jealousies flare, sending the temperature from soothing to scorching in this engrossing tale of three best friends on a vacation they won't soon forget--but not for the reasons they expect.

Review Quotes

Praise for Wendy Francis's previous works

"A fantastic escapist read in every sense with a fabulous setting, smooth writing, likable characters and dilemmas that just about anyone could relate to."-- "tarheelreader.com"

"A fantastic family story, with the relationship among the three sisters particularly strong and relatable. They face a family crisis with their aging father and it is a heartrending novel."-- "Auburn Citizen"

"A lovely summer read. Wendy Francis deftly explores the bonds of sisterhood and the complexity of family relationships."--Wendy Wax, USA Today bestselling author

"A very fast read that had me reminiscing about my own forever friends." -- "Bookfan"

"A wonderful book about friends and sisterhood." -- "Linda's Book Obsession"

"An especially memorable, enjoyable read about family ties and the highs and lows of relationships between couples."-- "The Edge"

"Every reader longs for the kind of female friendships Francis has created in The Summer Sail. Her words whisk us off to sunny skies and sandy beaches, but when the holiday ends, we are left with more to think about than when we began. Hope and heart fill these fast-turning pages."--Lynda Cohen Loigman, author of The Two-Family House

"Everything a good beach read should be. . . light, witty, juicy, and with the right touch of mystery. Chock full of details that help the reader slip away. . . on the cruise to Bermuda." -- "whatjenreads.com"

"Francis illustrates with charm and insight the drama and love of friendship and sisterhood, realistically portrayed through relatable and likable characters. A great summer read for fans of Jennifer Weiner and Emily Giffin."-- "Library Journal"

"Francis weaves a tale of love, loss and repair, offering comforting themes and lessons about avoiding the mistakes of our parents."-- "The Improper Bostonian"

"The setting of this enjoyable novel is enticing, and the tone is breezy. A sure bet for your summer beach-reads list. Recommend this one to fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Anne Rivers Siddons."-- "Booklist"

"Wendy Francis brings the seaside retreat vibrantly to life and the idyllic setting perfectly balances the characters' weightier issues. The characters are brilliantly developed. . . . A warm and inviting story with a close-knit family whose love is strengthened by crisis."-- "Book Reviews and More by Kathy"

"Wendy Francis has created both a family and a story I did not want to leave. These three sisters on a summer vacation display the strong ties that can both hurt and heal a family. Filled with the sweet briny air of Cape Cod, this extraordinary tale shows that, together, we can weather all the seasons of life."--Patti Callahan Henry, author of The Stories We Tell

"What could be more fun than a summer cruise with old friends, along with all their hopes, fears, and extra pounds, not to mention husbands, children, and the one who can't commit--yet. A thoroughly entertaining summer read!" --Shelley Noble, author of The Beach at Painter's Cove

"You are headed to Cape Cod even if you don't leave your front porch. . . . Watch as the family drama unfolds with lots of laughter, heartache, and healing."-- "The Sun Chronicle"

"10 Novels to Gift Mom This Mother's Day."-- "women.com"

About the Author

Wendy Francis is the author of five novels: Summertime Guests, Bad Behavior, The Summer Sail, The Summer of Good Intentions, and Three Good Things. She is a former book editor whose work has appeared in Good Housekeeping, The Washington Post, Redbook, Yahoo Parenting, Salon, HuffPost, and WBUR's Cognoscenti. She lives outside of Boston with her husband and son.