The High Season

By Judy Blundell

Book Overview

"A mesmerizing, head-spinning--and sometimes madcap-hilarious--take of have and have-nots."--People (Book of the Week)

"In the smart, breezy, sweet spot between Meg Wolitzer and Elin Hilderbrand."--Entertainment Weekly

No matter what the world throws her way, at least Ruthie Beamish has the house. Located by the sea in a quiet Long Island village, the house is her nest egg--the retirement account shared with her ex-husband, Mike, and the college fund for their teenage daughter, Jem. The catch? To afford the house, Ruthie must let it go during the best part of the year.

It's Memorial Day weekend and the start of what Jem calls "the summer bummer" the family's annual exodus to make way for renters. This year, the Hamptons set has arrived. Adeline Clay is elegant and connected--and will never need to worry about money. Before long, she demonstrates an uncanny ability to help herself to Ruthie's life. Is Adeline just being her fabulous self, or is she out to take what she wants?

When an eccentric billionaire, his wayward daughter, a coterie of social climbers, and Ruthie's old flame are thrown into the mix, the entire town finds itself on the verge of tumultuous change. But as Ruthie loses her grasp on her job, her home, and her family, she discovers a new talent for pushing back. By the end of one unhinged, unforgettable summer, nothing will be the same--least of all Ruthie.

Praise for The High Season

"Blundell knows the territory. . . . Her account of Ruthie's coming to grips with a career, a daughter and a community in flux is as touching as it is convincing."--The Wall Street Journal

"A huge page-turner . . . so compelling . . . a classic beach read, but very smart, very intelligently written."--Us Weekly, Emily Giffin's Summer Reading Recommendations

"An acid-laced domestic drama set during one golden summer on the moneyed, beachy North Fork of Long Island."--The New York Times

"Judy Blundell wields words like an oyster knife in this shimmering story of art, money, and celebrity."--Helen Simonson, New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Before the War

"A wry, often hilarious story of a woman trying to keep it together when everything is going so, so wrong."--Real Simple

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0525508716
• ISBN13: 9780525508717
• Release Date: May 2018
• Publisher: Random House
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.1" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Enjoyable; too many characters

I really enjoyed this book. Easy beach read and the characters were relatable. Everyone was connected in some way and everyone had secrets. I gave it 4 stars only because of the amount of characters being so many. At times it was difficult to keep track of everyone.

Summer Read of the Rich and Entitled

Thank you to Bookish First and Random House for this book in exchange for an honest review. I would honestly rate this book between 2 and 3 Stars, but that’s still not an option on goodreads even in 2018. The High Season by Judy Blundell was a read I thought would be completely up my alley. It slightly missed the mark. There were many characters to follow— almost too many. So some characters were extremely developed and others became background pieces that would just pop up every now and again. While I felt for Ruthie, I found myself wondering about some of her choices. Especially her one to plan anything with Lucas, who was despicable and just awful. While I am rating it “lower”, I do think there will be people who enjoy this book. I think I was just expecting something a little different.