The Summer Wind- Mary Alice Monroe

I won this book from a first reads, goodreads giveaway. Receiving this book for free has in no way influenced my opinion. This is a new author for me and I have not read the first book in this series. Although, now I'm thinking I should get the story on Delphine the dolphin. I'm thinking that with most trilogy stories, one book will be based mostly on one of the girls. This book was about Dora. She is staying at Sea Breeze with her step-sisters and grandmother. She is at the start of a divorce,...more I won this book from a first reads, goodreads giveaway. Receiving this book for free has in no way influenced my opinion. This is a new author for me and I have not read the first book in this series. Although, now I'm thinking I should get the story on Delphine the dolphin. I'm thinking that with most trilogy stories, one book will be based mostly on one of the girls. This book was about Dora. She is staying at Sea Breeze with her step-sisters and grandmother. She is at the start of a divorce, renovating to sell their home, and dealing with her autistic sons depression from the incident with the dolphin. She ends up collapsing under the stress and is diagnosed with "broken heart syndrome." She then realizes that things have to change and starts taking steps to do so. She had really wanted to make her marriage work and was willing to give it a go, until she understands that Cal wants nothing to do with their son. He finds him difficult and doesn't want to deal with it. This is her moment of clarity that things are over between them. While she is out walking she runs into her first love. Of course, you can figure out that they will rekindle that old flame. All the while, her sisters and her are trying to make get to know each other better. Carson takes her son to a dolphin camp in Florida so he can get over his depression about Delphine. In that time, Harper and Dora really connect and finally break through and form a bond. This is a really sweet story. I really want to read the next book to see how all the things tie up. I'm really curious about what Carson is going to do. Sometimes when things feel like they are unbearable and your life is in ruins, it is the time that you learn who you really are. I really liked all the characters and how they were each at such different points in their lives. They all seem to be at a standstill at the beginning of summer. You can see how they are starting to figure out what they want and need. I wish I had a summer vacation home! This book really made me want to go to the beach. HAHA. I also like that Nate was a big part of this story. She went into detail about his Asperger's and you can feel how hard it would be for Dora. Something I didn't like about this was the ending. Someone so important dies and it's kind of just washed over. I feel like she went from mourning to pure happiness in 60 seconds. I don't know, maybe we will get more in the third book. Overall, I liked this book and would read more from this author. I will be reading the next book.