Author: Christina Clancy
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press/Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: July 6, 2021
Book Description: A dazzling portrait of a young woman coming into her own, the youthful allure of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, and what we lose—and gain—when we leave home.
ONCE IN A LIFETIME, YOU CAN HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE
The small town of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin is an unlikely location for a Playboy Resort, and nineteen-year old Sherri Taylor is an unlikely bunny. Growing up in neighboring East Troy, Sherri plays the organ at the local church and has never felt comfortable in her own skin. But when her parents die in quick succession, she leaves the only home she’s ever known for the chance to be part of a glamorous slice of history. In the winter of 1981, in a costume two sizes too small, her toes pinched by stilettos, Sherri joins the daughters of dairy farmers and factory workers for the defining experience of her life.
Living in the “bunny hutch”—Playboy’s version of a college dorm—Sherri gets her education in the joys of sisterhood, the thrill of financial independence, the magic of first love, and the heady effects of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. But as spring gives way to summer, Sherri finds herself caught in a romantic triangle—and the tragedy that ensues will haunt her for the next forty years.
From the Midwestern prairie to the California desert, from Wisconsin lakes to the Pacific Ocean, this is a story of what happens when small town life is sprinkled with stardust, and what we lose—and gain—when we leave home. With a heroine to root for and a narrative to get lost in, Christina Clancy’s Shoulder Season is a sexy, evocative tale, drenched in longing and desire, that captures a fleeting moment in American history with nostalgia and heart.
Rating: 4 Stars
Review: A coming of age story set at the Playboy Resort in the early 1980s. Sherri is lost, she just lost her mother and father very close together. When her best friend asks her to go on a job interview to the Playboy Resort in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, she decides to go, just to spend time with her friend. Unbeknownst to her, she receives an offer, while her friend does not.
Quickly Sherri’s life turns into a world of glamour, partying and drug use. She meets men, who fly her to locations. When she meets Arthur, Sherri catches a glimpse of her future. While trying to mange Arthur and this wild lifestyle, an incident happens that will haunt her for the rest of her life.
This was such a fun read. Sherri entered the story, lost, not knowing what to turn to. She quickly grows into a strong confident woman that you get to follow for the next 40 years. I really enjoyed this story a lot. This is a perfect beach read for anybody looking for a little glamour.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Macmillan Audio for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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