The Last Summer (of You and Me)

Infobox Book |
name = The Last Summer (of You and Me)
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Ann Brashares
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Novel
publisher = Riverhead Books
pub_date = 2007
media_type = Print (Hardback
pages = 320 pp
isbn = ISBN 978-1594489174
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"The Last Summer (of You and Me)" is a novel by Ann Brashares. Her first novel for adults, and her first outside of her acclaimed "Traveling Pants" series, was released on June 6, 2007 by Riverhead Books.

Early reviews have been mixed, with "Publishers Weekly" calling the book a "mediocre" read, ["Publisher's Weekly", 14 May 2007.] but "Library Journal" calling the novel "thoughtful," and that it will "please her innumerable fans." ["Library Journal", 1 April 2007.]

Summary

The story is set on Fire Island, outside New York City. Alice and Riley are two siblings close in age and other aspects. Both in their twenties, they have shared the same childhood friend, Paul. Alice is three years Riley's junior. Alice is the graceful, elegant one planning to go to Law school at NYU the fall semester. Riley is the athletic one who has life-guarded on the island since she was fifteen. The three mid-twenties, have spent theirs summers on the island ever since they can remember. Paul has been absent for two summers. And, this is the last summer all three could manage to be together. They're on the verge of continuing on with their adult lives. School. Jobs. Life. Alice and Paul start to have feelings outside of friendship for each other. They both realize they have always love one another, but now in a different way. Alice even goes as far to give Paul her virginity on the beach. One night when Alice and Paul are making love, the emergency alarm goes off during the middle of the night. Alice dismisses the noise as an old geezer who has a heart attack. But it is not so, the person needing helicoptered out is her own sister, Riley. It seems Riley is suffering heart disorders. Alice is overwhelm with guilt and a rush of feelings. Riley swears she can't tell Paul. When Alice returns back to the island, the unsteady relationship with Paul is even more strained when she can't tell him what is going on. Riley's heart disease worsens. And, she comes to the conclusion she does not want her heart replaced. Nor does she care about her disease. She tries desperately to ignore it. Alice is now working odd jobs to stay home with her parents and be with Riley. Meanwhile Paul is constantly thinking about Alice and his feelings towards her. He's mad at her, then he's in love with her. He even attend and old island acquaintance's wedding to see her. During the summer, the three return to the beach house once more, while Paul is trying to sell the mansion he inherited. One night back in the city, Alice returns from work to find Riley has passed. The funeral is held and Alice, Ethan, and Judy go to Fire Island to spread her ashes. Alice volunteers to tend to the beach house. The family has decided to sell it. Paul visits. His house is sold to a new family whose children Alice tends to each morning. The story ends with Alice and Paul making love one last time and leaving to Island for the first time together.

Footnotes