A Summer Affair

BOOK: A Summer Affair

AUTHOR: Elin Hilderbrand

GRADE: C-

An ending can save or kill a book. In this case, the ending kills the already limited merit of “A Summer Affair” by leaving all the loose ends just hanging there with no conclusion. A technique that was surely intended to leave the reader deep in thought manages to elicit disappointment and aggravation instead. Hildebrand would have done well to tie up all her loose ends in any fashion – to leave the reader with a sense of conclusion (no matter how unfulfilling).

After reading a number of high brow tomes, my brain felt like it needed a little silly fluff to rest on. Hence: “A Summer Affair.” Being a self-proclaimed book snob, this is not one of the many genres I find myself drawn to and unfortunately my judgments were confirmed with this read. The main problem – as I see it – is Hildebrand’s attempt to incorporate far too many plot lines into one tale. At the hands of a more skilled writer this may well have produced a richly filled multi-dimensional read – Hildebrand is not that writer however and the book just flounders. The few and far between amusing chapters can not save this sinker.

My recommendation: skip it entirely. You’re not missing anything.