August Book Club Pick: All the Summers In Between
Is August more than halfway over? Yes. Are we still doing an August book club pick? Also yes.
Summer always seems to fly by, and somehow this month got away from me a little more than usual. To be honest, I still haven’t finished last month’s book, but I’m working on it, so if you’re behind on your reading too, you’re in good company.
I couldn’t let August end without squeezing in one more summer read, though, and All the Summers In Between by Brooke Lea Foster feels like the perfect choice.
About All the Summers In Between
Set in the Hamptons across two summers ten years apart, All the Summers In Between follows Thea and Margot, two unlikely friends who first meet during the summer of 1967.
Margot is wealthy, impulsive, and spending the summer in the Hamptons, while Thea is a hardworking local girl. Despite their differences, the two quickly become close friends.
Then one devastating August night changes everything. After that, they don’t see each other again for ten years, until Margot unexpectedly reappears in Thea’s life in 1977 asking for help, and carrying secrets that could force both women to finally confront what happened in the past.
The story moves between the two timelines as their friendship, choices, marriages, secrets, and complicated history slowly come together.
Why I Chose This Book for August
If we’re going to sneak in a late-August book club pick, it might as well be a book that feels like it’s made for the end of summer. If you have time for another beach day or weekend away, this is the book to take with you. Or, if you’re just hanging out at home planning for back to school, this book is perfect for the moments you get to yourself.
I loved the idea of one last summer story before we start reaching for cozy fall reads. Between the Hamptons setting, two pivotal summers, an old friendship, and a mystery from the past, this sounds like exactly the kind of book I want to read while hanging onto the last few weeks of summer.
It also sounds like there will be plenty to talk about when we’re finished, especially when it comes to friendship, loyalty, trust, and whether some relationships are really meant to follow us into the next chapter of our lives.
Book Club Discussion Questions for All the Summers In Between
Once you finish All the Summers In Between, use these All the Summers In Between book club questions to keep the conversation going. Whether you’re reading along with the Mom Wife Wine Book Club, discussing it with friends, or just thinking through the story on your own, these questions dig into the friendship, secrets, choices, and complicated relationships at the center of the book.
- What were your first impressions of Thea and Margot? Did those impressions change as the story went on?
- Why do you think Thea and Margot became so close despite how different their lives were?
- How did the differences in their backgrounds affect their friendship?
- What did you think of the book moving between 1967 and 1977? Did you prefer one timeline over the other?
- How did knowing that something significant happened in the summer of 1967 affect the way you read the earlier chapters?
- Do you think Thea and Margot were equally responsible for the way their friendship ended? Why or why not?
- How much do you think guilt influenced the decisions each woman made over the following ten years?
- Were there any secrets or revelations that surprised you?
- Which character did you sympathize with the most?
- Were there moments when you were frustrated with Thea or Margot? What would you have done differently?
- How did marriage, motherhood, and expectations for women during the 1960s and 1970s shape the characters’ choices?
- Do you think Thea and Margot truly understood each other when they were younger, or did they each have an idealized version of the other?
- What role did loyalty play throughout the story? Were there times when loyalty became harmful instead of helpful?
- Do you think some friendships can survive years apart and major betrayals, or are there things a relationship simply can’t come back from?
- How did the Hamptons setting affect the story? Could you picture the book taking place somewhere else?
- What did you think about the way the truth about the past was eventually revealed?
- Were you satisfied with the ending?
- Do you think Thea and Margot ultimately forgave each other?
- What do you think each woman learned about herself by the end of the book?
- If you could ask the author one question about the story or characters, what would it be?
Whether you’re discussing the book with friends or just answering a few of these questions in your head as you read, I’d love to know what you think when you finish.
Read Along With Me With This August Book Club Pick
So, better late than never, our August book club pick is All the Summers In Between by Brooke Lea Foster. Grab a copy, pour yourself one last summery drink, and read along with me as we close out the season.
If you’re still finishing last month’s book, too? No judgment here. Clearly, neither one of us is alone.
