The Girls of August--A Lazy Day Read

The Girls of August by Anne Rivers Siddons
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An easy read, I completed it in one day. The girls of August are the four wives of doctors. They met each other when they were the girlfriends of medical residents. As they married they set aside a week in August each year when they chose a house somewhere on the Oceanside or Gulf Coast and had a ladies' vacation. Three years ago, one of them, Melinda, the second wife of Teddy is killed in an auto accident in which Teddy is the driver. Barbara, Rachel and Maddy, who is telling the story, never cared much for Teddy's first wife, Cornelia, but they all adored Melinda. After her death they just couldn't seem to want to get together anymore and so their friendships, as often happens over time, diminish to Christmas cards and emails etc.

Now, however, Teddy has remarried--to Baby, a twenty something beauty. She has a home on Tiger Island and the girls of August are, once more, going to spend time--this time two weeks--together with this newcomer. The Island has nothing on it but the house and, on the other side, a small Gullah community. As one can imagine, life with a girl young enough to be their daughter is interesting for both sides. And, as happens when friends of twenty plus years get together the conversations tend to include memories not shared by Baby.

There are no surprises in this book. Any of the personal problems each of these women have are easy to see coming. Hints of what will be revealed are quite blatant and the characters responses to the revelations are as low keyed as the reader's. As a result, though probably meant to be moving, the developments left me flat and unmoved. No elation, no sorrow, no surprise.

This was a Goodreads giveaway read for review purposes

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