Thank you to #NetGalley, the author and the publisher.

Surf's up.

It was not a easy life for Carol who had 2 girls, Mindy and Ginger at a young age. Carol was a surfer in her 20s and was in Hawaii already married. She didn't want a life with her husband who left her and just wanted the good life as a surfer in Hawaii.

Mindy is the oldest who had a good head on her shoulders and Ginger, who was two years younger and sort of reliant on Mindy and sort of flaky I guess you can say, getting into a cult with her boyfriend and living like a vagrant. Mindy had her life as a surfer like her mom and then as an actress which she left behind in her 20s. Their mom wasn't really there for them and they lead independent lives without her. It was sort of sad really. They lost touch with each other, the girls going their separate ways like I said above and with their mother.

What an ending. ( )

I came into this novel knowing nothing about what world I was about to be dropped into. I am one that likes the story surprising me, and not knowing anything outright makes for a more enjoyable read.

From the beginning I felt the darkness mixed with the light. The imagery of the sun, sand and water was so intoxicating that I felt myself there despite never visiting California or Hawaii personally.

This is a very character-driven novel and all the characters are very well fleshed out. I am not one for spoilers but I have to get this off my chest: Tom is so abusive and disgusting!!! His character makes me cringe like no other and every time I saw his name on the page I tensed up. I felt so bad for Ginger but what she sacrificed for Tom was unimaginable to me, and I was truly shocked by her choice. There was also quite a heartbreaking twist that I was not expecting, adding more weight to an already heavy novel.

I hated all the cursing, as the Lord’s name in vain was quite excessive and very much unwanted. I also hated ending the novel with so many questions left unanswered. What happened to particular characters that were left with unfinished plots? What happened to the family? So many questions that I hate will forever remained unanswered, but sometimes that’s just how it goes. What is in my imagination is most likely better than anything that could’ve been dreamt up anyway, so I’m not mad about it, just a tad disappointed.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. I read it in one sitting and loved being immersed in a world that I truly know nothing about. The writing was strong and honestly if the cursing was omitted it would’ve been a perfect read for me.

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the publisher through NetGalley. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own. ( )

This is another wonderful read from Melanie Benjamin. I found it to be a powerful story with a strong emotional tug on the heartstrings, particularly if you are a mother or daughter. The book highlights some of the conflicts of a woman in the 50's, 60's and 70's. This was a period of change for the entire nation, but none so much as for women. These challenges are highlighted in the story of Carol and her daughters, Mindy and Ginger. They each struggled for their place in the world whether as an independent and free-spirit, a daughter trapped into adulting while still a child, or a little girl whose only desire was for love and who was willing to sacrifice herself to that end. The sport of surfing was the tie that originally connected the mother and the girls. Eventually they all go their individual ways, yet the emotional bonds that connect a family are not easy to severe.
I really enjoyed this book and the very real way the story unfolded. The author uses varying perspectives and time eras to showcase the characters and unfold the plot. It was compelling, frustrating at times, but ultimately redemptive. Real life is messy, and the Donnelly women's story certainly proves that to be true.
I recommend this book to readers who have previously enjoyed Melanie Benjamin's books. It is a unique take on historic fiction that encompasses a special era and some of the effects of the changing views of women at this time while incorporating the rise of competitive surfing for women.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title. ( )

The book opens in the 1960's in Southern California. Mindy and Ginger, the Donnelly sisters, live under the shadow of their mother, a surfer. As children, Mindy and Ginger take up surfing, trying desperately to keep their Mom from leaving. As adults, when Mindy has the opportunity to join the ranks of Hollywood stars, she jumps at it, leaving her sister behind. Ginger takes up with another surfer, obsessing over their relationship, doing drugs use, and giving up herself to keep him.

Although this was an interesting story, it had an overall nostalgic and sad feeling. The characters were well developed, but it was hard to penetrate their sadness and really get a sense of who they were. The book covered a large time period, and did a good job of transitioning through the girls lives. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars. ( )

This well written novels takes the readers back to the 1960s and the surf culture in California. Many of us remember the surfing songs by the Beach Boys that were popular in the 1960s but didn't have any real understanding of the nomadic life that many of the people involved in surfing and competitions really lived. This book is an inside look at that culture.

Carol Donelly was a well known female surfer in a time that surfing was a men's sport. She proved her abilities over and over and gained the respect of the male surfers. She got married and had two daughters - Mindy and Ginger. After her divorce, she was an absentee mother and spent many of her days at the beach, often forgetting to pick up her daughters or buy food. The two girls decided that they could make their mother pay attention to them by getting involved in surfing. It was a good plan for Mindy because she had the talent for it but Ginger was afraid of the water and had no love for surfing. The two sisters were very close growing up but when Mindy starts to win competitions, their closeness diminishes. Mindy become involved in movies and life among the rich and famous while Ginger becomes involved in the counter culture of cults and drugs and falls in love with an abusive man. As the sisters grow further apart, they both still deal with their negative feelings of self worth due to their childhoods.

Melanie did a terrific job with the setting of this novel. You could almost hear the waves and smell the salt air. She also got into a lot of things that were going on at that time - drugs, Vietnam, racism and sexism. I found it very disappointing because I didn't like any of the three main characters. Carol, the mother, should have never had children, Mindy found it too easy to leave her family behind and Ginger was a weak person who got involved with the wrong man. Even though I didn't like the characters, I felt some sympathy and understand them more by the end of the book.

The author's research is what made this book good. She taught her readers all about the surfing culture of the 60s as well as the prejudice against women and the effect that the war had on the young people. It wasn't my favorite book by this author but I am definitely happy that I read it. ( )