The Summer Wind (Lowcountry Summer Book 2)

I just finished the second in the series and it was fantastic. It held my interest and I’m sure I’ll binge this series!

Here’s what had driven my crazy in the first two books of this series: that Carson cared more for the dolphin than she did her own nephew! SHE was to blame for the guilt that Nate felt about the dolphin being hurt! He was a CHILD, not capable of being responsible for something like that. ESPECIALLY when adults encouraged and actually helped him set up the situation in which the dolphin was hurt. THEN NONE Of THEM, not even his mother, acknowledged the depth of what Carson had done to Nate. How cruel and twisted it was. They were more concerned about their petty jealousies and score keeping and getting even. More concerned that Carson was hurt by what her sister told her about her mother, than what they had ALL done to this child! Carson goes away to help THE DOLPHIN, instead of staying there to help her nephew, who was clearly struggling. Then Carson takes Nate to the dolphin program and seems clueless about why he feels so responsible for the earlier dolphin being hurt. IT’S BECAUSE YOU TOLD HIM HE WAS!! Screamed at an autistic child that it was his fault! Are you kidding me? It’s like the author forgets that that she WROTE that disturbing scene and tries to make Carson look like a hero, when most of it was HER fault in the first place. Agh! Having been around kids on the spectrum, this is over the top frustrating.

Their final summer at Sea Breeze on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, continues, with some new challenges for the three half-sisters.Mamaw (Marietta Muir) is firm in her support, albeit still planning to sell the summer estate.Dora is in the midst of settling the divorce issues and helping little Nate with his grief over the dolphin’s injuries earlier in the summer. A health crisis causes big changes in how she faces her life.Carson is instrumental in helping her nephew heal, by taking him to Florida to the treatment center where children and injured dolphins heal together. But her own unexpected life change leads to moments of facing her fears.Harper plants a garden and deals with her own issues. Secretly she writes on her computer, but shares nothing with the girls or her grandmother.Like the summer winds that come along toward the end of the story, with a big storm that resembles their own challenges, the three women will move a little closer to their own resolutions.I enjoyed  The Summer Wind (Lowcountry Summer Book 2)  and reconnecting with the characters. The support and advice of Mamaw and their old maid Lillian felt like the kind of true strength offered by a close family. I also loved how the author painted a picture of the lowcountry, making me feel as if I were right there with them. The story concluded without an “end” to the conflicts and challenges, but a feeling of moving in that direction. There were sad moments, but also a stronger bond between the women. I am looking forward to the final book in the trilogy. 4.5 stars.

This second in the charming Lowcountry Summer series was better than the first ("The Summer Girls"), and kept my interest from start to finish.First, let me say that I am an intense fan of Mary Alice Monroe, have read everything she has written, and look forward to every book. I felt that the first in the series was a tad slow, but this one enlarged upon the characters, gave us something to hold on to, and as always with Monroe's books, made us care about a wild species, in this case, dolphins.We first met Delphine the wild dolphin, a viable character in her own right, in "The Summer Girls." Spoiler Alert if you have not read this one: Delphine meets with a possibly fatal accident due to the carelessness of humans. Enough said. In THIS book, there is quite a lot of information about dolphin conservation and care, and I ate it up. It was secondary to the plot, but melded in beautifully, just like Monroe has melded in her stories of wild turtle conservation in so many of her previous books.Yes, Monroe has an agenda, and that is the preservation of the Low Country's creatures, beaches, environment, and charm. And yes, she preaches her message, but unlike other authors of the same ilk, she draws the reader in without lecturing or badgering. Maybe that's because she always weaves her tales around such interesting people, and this book is no exception. The main characters, five women in different stages of their lives with different problems and agendas and yet bound together by family, are well drawn and totally believable. Each has to solve a problem on her own, some very serious life-altering problems--but each has the love of the others to keep her strong.This book left me very anxious to read the last in the trilogy. I hope it appears soon!

Good story line and descriptive detail of the setting. The characters are interesting and one wants to know how things turn out for them. A nice sense of time and ageing. Very readable, ideal for a holiday.

I had never read anything by this writer, but this is the second book that I have read in this series it follows on nicely, once you start reading you don't want to put it down. I will definitely be reading more.

One of my favourite authors.Another fabulous holiday read.I'd also recommend several of the other books by Mary Alice Monroe. I particularly love the books about the loggerhead turtles and a favourite would be hard to choose.

I just loved this book as I have loved all of them. can't wait for the next one. Hope it won't be too long. To everyone that likes a really good saga, you must read this and the 1st one in the series as well. What to read next, big problem there.

Good summer reading