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Narrated by Cassandra Campbell
Mary Alice MonroeUnabridged — 11 hours, 27 minutes
Narrated by Cassandra Campbell
Mary Alice MonroeUnabridged — 11 hours, 27 minutes
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From the New York Times best-selling author of the Beach House series comes a heartwarming and evocative novel about the bonds and new beginnings that are born from natural disasters and how, even during the worst of circumstances — or perhaps because of them — you discover what is most important in life.
Late August is a beautiful time on the Southern coast — the peach trees are ripe, the ocean is warm, and the sweet tea is icy. A perfect time to enjoy the rocking chairs on the porch. But beneath the calm surface bubbles a threat: It's also the beginning of peak hurricane season.
When a sudden storm threatens the coasts of Florida and South Carolina, an eclectic group of evacuees flee for the farm of their friends Grace and Charles Phillips in North Carolina: the Phillips' daughter, Moira, and her rescue dogs; famed equestrian Javier Angel de la Cruz; makeup artist Hannah McLain; horse breeder Gerda Klug and her daughter, Elise; and island resident Cara Rutledge. They bring with them only the few treasured possessions they can carry. Strangers to all but the Phillips, they must ride out the storm together.
During the course of one of the most challenging weeks of their lives, relationships are put to the test as the evacuees are forced to confront the unresolved issues they have with themselves and with each other. But as the storm passes, they realize that what really matters wasn't what they brought with them to the mountains but what they'll take with them once they leave.
With Mary Alice Monroe's “usual resplendent storytelling” (Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times best-selling author), The Summer Guests is a poignant and compelling story of self-discovery, love, and redemption.
Foreword by Kaneb Bellissimo
"It's a wonderful book about family and friendship, love of others and learning to love yourself and self-discovery of goals for the future. Mary Alice has done it again and provided her readers with a book full of unforgettable characters and a fantastic storyline."
"Authentic, generous, and heartfelt!"
A "favorite beach read of 2019"
"Fast-paced and fluid, with heartache as well as joy make this a most enjoyable read."
"Mary Alice Monroe writes gorgeously, with authority and tenderness, about the natural world and its power to inspire, transport, and to heal."
"The Summer Guests is the story of mothers and daughters, a love story or two, and the mystical connection that happens between a rider and a horse."
"You might pick up her books for escapism, but you'll be more environmentally aware by its end."
"A whirlwind of fascinating personal storylines propels soul searching, forgiveness, and second chances."
"This is a poignant and compelling story of self-discovery, love and redemption."
Following the dramatic arc of the hurricane’s progress, from buildup to landfall to dispersal, The Summer Guests escalates to a satisfying resolution. Loyal readers will recognize Monroe’s signature love of animals, while fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Wendy Wax will enjoy the picturesque setting and heartwarmingly intertwined character arcs.
The Summer Guests in an intimate and wise novel about what matters most in our lives. Mary Alice Monroe writes with great wit and wisdom about what happens when both human nature and the natural world collide. A fierce hurricane bears down on the southeastern coast sending five people evacuating to one friend’s farm in the North Carolina mountains. As the storm gathers force so do the emotions, confrontations and decisions of the summer guests. In the end, they will each leave as altered as the coast they escaped. Mary Alice Monroe writes a story that will make you both feel and understand—a rare combination. Transformational and poignant, this page-turner is your summer’s must-read!
"Narrator Cassandra Campbell provides listeners with a full range of accents, emotions, and inflections for characters who span the globe in this audiobook about horses, family, and friendship. In North Carolina in 2018 during a hurricane, guests and their horses converge in the hills to escape the storm. While there, emotions run high, secrets are revealed, and lives are altered in unexpected and unplanned ways. Campbell captures the atmosphere with her nuanced voice. Whether a character is from Germany, South America, or North Carolina, Campbell's accents let the listener know who is talking at any given time. The story is rich with information about horses, competition, and unspoken expectations. Campbell's deft narration is an enjoyable listen."
Following the dramatic arc of the hurricane’s progress, from buildup to landfall to dispersal, The Summer Guests escalates to a satisfying resolution. Loyal readers will recognize Monroe’s signature love of animals, while fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Wendy Wax will enjoy the picturesque setting and heartwarmingly intertwined character arcs.
Narrator Cassandra Campbell provides listeners with a full range of accents, emotions, and inflections for characters who span the globe in this audiobook about horses, family, and friendship. In North Carolina in 2018 during a hurricane, guests and their horses converge in the hills to escape the storm. While there, emotions run high, secrets are revealed, and lives are altered in unexpected and unplanned ways. Campbell captures the atmosphere with her nuanced voice. Whether a character is from Germany, South America, or North Carolina, Campbell’s accents let the listener know who is talking at any given time. The story is rich with information about horses, competition, and unspoken expectations. Campbell’s deft narration is an enjoyable listen. B.E.S. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
| BN ID: | 2940171179717 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Simon & Schuster |
| Publication date: | 06/11/2019 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
Chapter One
August 15, 2018, 7:15 a.m.
Isle of Palms, South Carolina
Tropical Storm Noelle intensifies into a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean
Cara Rutledge rubbed her arms and looked out over the Atlantic Ocean. The mercurial sea rolled in and out in its metronome fashion, reflecting the blue-gray color of the sky. The beach was nearly empty, the vast expanse of sand scarred only by her footprints. All seemed calm. Even the golden panicles of the sea oats hung still in the pensive air. Yet she sensed a heightened tension coiling under the calm façade of the water, like some great beast rippling, lying in wait to pounce.
Cara shivered, though it wasn’t cold. She was a tall, slender woman accustomed to daily walks along the beach with her daughter, Hope. She’d spent her childhood on this beach, and had returned as an adult to make the quaint beach house, Primrose Cottage, her home. From May until October she was on the Island Turtle Team, like her mother before her. After a lifetime living beside the ocean, she felt attuned to the moods of her old friend. And today, something felt off.
The sun was shining, but thin streaks of clouds stretched from the sea toward land, eerie fingers reaching out from the incoming storm.
Cara inhaled the salty air and placed her hand against her chest. There was an unusual heaviness in the air. A moistness that tasted of rain. She was no stranger to summer storms, or the havoc they could wreak. She also knew that she was unusually skittish when it came to storms. Cara had lived through too many hurricanes not to be on guard. And yet, she didn’t want to panic. There was a wave out in the Atlantic the meteorologists were keeping an eye on, but it was August, the height of the hurricane season. There were a lot of storms that lost steam or changed direction long before they neared landfall.
She was leaving the island this afternoon to visit the mountains of North Carolina with David Wyatt and his family. It would be a welcome change of pace with the lush green foliage, cooler air, and hiking. She might even get some horseback riding in. She exhaled slowly. Yes, she thought with relief. She was working herself up over nothing. Whatever storm was coming would likely blow in and out by the time she returned. And, she thought with a hint of a smile on her face, she was bringing along with her the one thing she treasured most in the world—her daughter, Hope.
Cara turned her back on the ocean and, swinging her arms, began her trek across the beach toward home.
