tags: Amazon First Reads, soap opera 
from GoodReads
2009. Lindsey and Georgie have high hopes for their summer on Martha’s Vineyard. In the wake of the recession, ambitious college graduate Lindsey accepts a job as a nanny for an influential family who may help her land a position in Boston’s exclusive art world. Georgie, the eldest child in that family, is nearly fifteen and eager to find herself, dreaming of independence and yearning for first love.
Over the course of that formative summer, the two young women develop a close bond. Then, one night by the lighthouse, a shocking act occurs that ensnares them both in the throes of a terrible secret. Their budding friendship is shattered, and neither one can speak of what happened that night for ten long years.
Until now. Lindsey and Georgie must confront the past after all this time. Their quest for justice will require costly sacrifices, but it also might give them the closure they need to move on. All they know for sure is that when the truth is revealed, their lives will be forever changed once again.
From a fresh voice in fiction, this poignant and timely novel explores the strength and nuance of female friendship, the cost of ambition, and the courage it takes to speak the truth.
Why does Amazon publish badly written novels? I know, they are free for Amazon Prime subscribers but do they have to be horrible? The book is as fresh as a stale 1980s soap opera script, stiff and unnatural, and mostly based on contrivance.
2009: The 22 years old girl Lindsey couldn't land a job appropriate for her major in college and has no choice but to accept a job as a nanny to a family with a 14 year old girl and 5 year old boy. They will be staying at their summer house in Martha's Vineyard for the summer break. The mother doesn't work so why do they need a nanny? There won't be a story then if she's capable of looking after 2 children.
The author tried to underscore the difference in status between the rich and people like Lindsey, making the rich spoiled brats and just plain abhorrent. And all the men are sex maniacs except for one townie. Townie! Didn't I say this is like a 1980s soap? It doesn't help that Lindsey has humongous breasts and the author reminds the reader that she is a walking cantaloupes on a human body. She mentions them at least once in every chapter lest you forget. Oh, for Pete's sake!
Spoilers
On to the story. On Lindsey's first day/night at MV, she meets a former schoolmate who never paid any attention to her at college, because rich kids don't play with poor kids. *Sigh* Yet, this girl invites her to a beach party the same night she arrives, Lindsey promptly does an act of vandalism on a car because the non-friend who is now a friend says so. Contrivance. On her way back to her employers' house, her borrowed bike gets a flat tire and Mr. Townie offers her a ride. The guy is of the poor variety, drives an old truck, and does menial job. But he's handsome and buff, and oh so dreamy. Why doesn't he have a girlfriend?!?! Townie is the rival of the rich boy whose car Lindsey vandalized and Richie, his name is Brian, retaliates by trashing Townie's truck. She doesn't tell Townie it was she who did the deed even after she starts dating the guy. Richie has the hots for Lindsey although he is dating her non-friend friend. He's a lecher, you see, even at the age of 24. They start young according to the author. These rich people are horrid! Lindsey doesn't want Brian to know about the car because she wants a job in the art gallery owned by his parents. Ambition first before anything else for our girl. She must have really bad grades.
The 14 year old girl Georgie has no friends. They all abandon her after school term ended but no valid reason was given by the author. They are all in the same circle of rich people and she doesn't recall anything she has done for them to drop her so suddenly. One lame reason is that she is not ready sexually and they don't want to be with her if she's not game. What the heck! So Georgie is feeling alone and decides to work at a cafe but finds out her mother got her the job and her co-workers are only faking being nice to her. She has a major crush on Brian and is determined to make him her boyfriend. And Brian, because he has no scruples, wants to take advantage but when he was about to kiss Georgie in front of her house, they are interrupted by the nanny. It is her job after all to look after the teenager. She is repelled by Brian but oddly she goes with him to the beach, drinks alcohol with him, and gets raped. Georgie hears and sees everything but she doesn't talk to Lindsey about it thinking she might be mistaken. Dumb girl. Dumber Lindsey because she accepts the job at the art gallery of rapist's parents. She moves to Boston after the summer job, sharing an apartment with Brian's girlfriend, the non-friend friend. *hard eye roll*
2019: Both girls are now 10 years older. Georgie's parents are divorced because the father is also an adulterer and debauched. Georgie and Lindsey never get in touch the whole ten years. Lindsey stays friends with the abominable couple who never marry after more than 10 years of being together. Suddenly, Georgie is remembering [contrivance] Lindsey's cries asking Brian to stop, stop, stop raping her. She vows to expose Brian. But why wait 10 long years and she doesn't seem to wonder why Lindsey still lives with the girlfriend of her rapist and still works at his art gallery? MeToo gone wrong, very very wrong. Lindsey's ambition and job security come first. In the end, Brian was prosecuted and found guilty but what is the point of the book? Nothing. Nada. Zero.
Not recommended.
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