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"Some people stay all summer long on the idyllic island of Belle Isle, North Carolina. Some people come only for the weekends-and it's something they look forward to all week long. When Riley Griggs is waiting for her husband to arrive at the ferry one Friday afternoon, she is instead served with papers informing her that her island home is being foreclosed. To make matters worse, her husband is nowhere to be found. She turns to her island friends for help and support, but each of them has their own secrets and the clock is ticking as the mystery deepens. Cocktail parties and crab boil aside, Riley must find a way to investigate the secrets of Belle Island, the husband she might not really know, and the summer that could change everything"--… (more)
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As soon as they step foot on the island, things begin to fall apart. When Wendall’s body washes up on the island the next morning things turn to chaos. Riley soon finds out the man she was married to was barely more than a con artist. His death makes her see that she had long given up control and that she let her husband run and ruin her life.
The Weekenders is a look at a wealthy and, supposedly, happy family, whose money cannot shield them from life’s problems. They are a family imprisoned by their secrets and by always working to deceive each other, they allow themselves to be deceived.
It was a little weird to read about a woman in 2016 that had absolutely no control over her life. She seemed a little naïve and unrealistic. As I read, I struggled to believe that she was a former journalist for a successful morning show, yet she let her husband keep her in the complete dark about her own finances. However, I also know that women can make bad decisions when it comes to men, so it was sort of understandable.
Mostly, reading it was like gawking at a car accident or watching a gossip news show. Humans cannot help but to be interested in the drama of other human’s lives, especially the lives of those we think have it easier than us. Therefore, it was interesting to watch as this wealthy family fell apart, then worked to rebuild themselves.
It was a light and easy read. It is billed as a summer beach read and that’s what it is, breezy. Mary Kay Andrews is an established writer, with several New York Times bestsellers and she knows how to write for entertainment. The Weekenders is not going to make you contemplate the meaning of life, however, it will make you laugh. It is a good companion for traveling or laid back afternoons with sangria and sunshine.
The plot is tissue paper thin. You have met all of the characters before. BUT – the plot hangs together, the characters are likeable, there is no “bad language,” the sex isn’t raunchy, it is well written and there is sufficient humor and pathos to make an
For the genre, this author knows how to entertain and does it well. Altogether this is a fun book that doesn’t insult the intelligence of readers who will read and then look forward to MKA”s next book.
4 of 5 stars
Riley Griggs' family is one of the oldest on Belle
The Weekenders is a little bit heavier in tone than previous releases. There's murder, family problems, health concerns, financial woes and lots of secrets. But all of that is accompanied by Mary Kay's trademark romance and overall 'chick lit' feel.
I liked Riley as a character and empathized with her plight. A wee bit of me was angry with her for not being a bit more proactive when it came to her own finances. No chick lit romance is complete without some push/pull, yes/no, back and forth before - well, you know. Loved the love interest in this book. And of course there needs to be a best friend sidekick, who's a little brash, but who would do anything for her bestie. And Parrish is all that. Daughter Maggy is a handful - and Andrews depicts that teen 'tude very well. The rest of the supporting cast is just as well drawn and explores other social and family issues.
That murder? Well, there's lots of suspects to choose from - and whodunit wasn't quite who I expected it to be at all!
Mary Kay's settings always leave me wishing I lived there. And Belle Isle was no exception - descriptions of weathered wood, whitewashed walls and the sound of waves sounds absolutely perfect to me.
The Weekenders was an engaging, entertaining, satisfying escapist read to start off my summer. (Pack drinks and snacks in in your bag too - it's a delicious 450+ pages.)
I want to thank St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a review of my own opinion.
Like these books as they portray real life of today's women's struggles and goals and accomplishments.
Wendell had first started dating her during high school and he promised her a lot. He has a hard time of making them complete.
Riley heading to Belle Island with
She realizes her daughter is growing up so fast, she'll be a teen soon. Wendell is working lots more hours and he spends lots of money on handbags for Riley and other expensive things for his daughter.
Full Moon party sounds like a blast. Although I vacationed and lived on an island I didn't go to the parties as there was more drinking and smoking than what I wanted to partake.
Chapters alternate from the past to the present so we can get more clear picture of Riley and Wendell during their teen years.
Hard getting used to all the female friends and all their kids at the first. She's served on the deck of the ferry-he is asking for a divorce!
When the girls arrive at the house they notice a foreclosure on the front door. Their remote controls won't work now....they have nowhere to go but her parents house... Sheriff shows up she hopes to clear up the locked doors but that's not the news he's there to tell her!
Lots of questions ....Why had her husband emptied all bank accounts even her $6 million trust from her family...Wendell had helped her drunk brother with many events and they were entwined in the family development business...
Book also follow Nat, the ferry captain among other jobs. love how he looks after Riley and Maggie. Riley hopes the family can help with finances but there are so many that hold secrets from one another.
Lots of twists, great book of mysteries, secrets, bit of romance, sex and family holdings and dwelling into it all.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Retired journalist Riley is already furious at her husband for not fulfilling his promise with their daughter to meet them at the ferry for start of summer, when they were supposed to go to Belle Isle, where the family always spent the season, and tell
The narration is in third person but mostly from Riley's point of view. I found that a good main character. Even though she probably had everything while growing up and was surely spoiled by her crappy husband to make up (and cover up) for all else, she's down to earth and never got on my nerves. In truth, all characters felt the same. I mean, not always down to earth but real enough given their backgrounds and not hard to like. Maggy did get to me sometimes, then again that was her purpose in life being 12.
At the same time, this was one book hard to classify. It is undoubtedly women's fiction but I couldn't tag it as a romance because it is pretty much in the background, and drama sounded too heavy for such a lighthearted story. I should say I always almost put it as a mystery because that was what really made me turn the pages at the speed of light.
Despite also being the wrong genre for the general mood, and the "big revelation" being far from big point the author wanted to make, as a mystery novel would require, the mystery had me puzzled in a good way. Think of Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies. Well, The Weekenders is much more of a romance than Moriarty's works are, but it still vaguely resembles. We have a family drama going on and behind it one big puzzle for you to solve and find the culprit. And in this book, anyone had a good motive to do the deed. Unfortunately, Andrews doesn't have the thrill Moriarty brings, her style would be more to a sweeter side, I'd say.
Why not grade it higher? First, this was long. Too long. Had I noticed the length, I wouldn't have "wished" for it on Netgalley. Also, even though entertaining, it's probably close to forgettable. Andrews got very close to earning the one-of-a-kind points but I feel the story still lacked. It's a nice read for the beach, not much else.
Nonetheless, compared to those in the same category as this authors, she does stick out. I appreciate her main characters and how, even on the verge of losing all, they take matter in their own hands instead of being saved by Mr. Right, in a subtle, not "men suck and I'm the best" way. If you find yourself with some extra time for a nice story, this is the one.
3.5.
We meet Riley's family, her mother Evelyn, her Aunt Roo, and her brother Billy. Billy is married to Scott and has always been a bit of an outsider. He is a musician and an alcoholic. The family is basically living off trust funds that were left by Riley's father and grandfather. When she finds out that she is broke, she is not sure what to do. Maggy is a bit much even with what she is going through. She says some terrible things to her mother that should not have been tolerated, I don't care if her father just died. Thankfully, she changes by the end of the story. Billy is a typical alcoholic some of the time. He knows it, but doesn't seem to have the willpower to end it. He is usually pretty good around his niece, but as the story progresses, he seems to not care anymore. Nate Milas, an old friend of Riley's seems to be a saint. He is patient and understanding and puts up with a lot of crap. I don't know how he does it, but seems to win the family over, even though he did not come from "old money". This was one of the most dysfunctional families I have read about in a long time. I was glad to see the bright spots in their relationships. Riley's friend Parrish was a hoot. She did not want to get involved in Riley's schemes, but usually was convinced. She stuck by her side like a loyal friend should and pulled her butt out of the fire a few times.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. The beginning was a bit slow for me, but once I got into it, I flew through it, if only to find out who actually killed Wendell and why. If you enjoy family drama geared to women, this is a book for you.
While not her best work (that has to go to "Hissy Fit"), it's not a bad summer read -- a romance / mystery / family drama with well-drawn characters and many situations to keep the reader guessing.
When Riley Griggs arrives at her