THE EDGE OF SUMMER
Author: Erica George
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Pages: 320
Publishing date: June 14th, 2022
Synopsis:
Fans of Sarah Dessen and Morgan Matson will be swept away by this big-hearted novel about one girl navigating first loss and first love during her summer on Cape Cod.
Saving the whales has been Coriander Cabot and her best friend Ella’s dream since elementary school. But when tragedy strikes, Cor is left to complete the list of things they wanted to accomplish before college alone, including a marine biology internship on Cape Cod.
Cor’s summer of healing and new beginnings turns complicated when she meets Mannix, a local lifeguard who completely takes her breath away. But she knows whatever she has with Mannix might not last, and that her focus should be on rescuing the humpback whales from entanglement. As the tide changes, Cor finds herself distracted and struggling with her priorities.
Can she follow her heart and keep her promise to the whales and her best friend?
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indigo | IndieBound
Author Info:
Erica George is a writer of young adult fiction. She is a graduate of The College of New Jersey with degrees in both English and education, and is currently an MFA student at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She resides in scenic northern New Jersey, but spends her summers soaking up the salty sea air on Cape Cod.
Many themes in Erica’s writing rotate around environmental activism and helping young people find their voice. When she’s not writing, you can find her exploring river towns, whale watching, or engrossed in quality British drama with her dog at her side.
Author Links: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours, Netgalley and the author for providing me with a free digital copy to read. This in no way, has influenced my thoughts on the book. You can check out the other posts on the tour here.
Author Interview:
Q: Hi there Erica! I am so happy to have you here with us! Before we begin, do share some interesting facts about yourself with us!
Ans: Hello, and thank you so much for having me! Hm, an interesting fact about me. Once, I hosted a wolf in my living room, and he sat in my lap for an entire afternoon! He was very sweet and gentle 🙂
Q: Honestly, this book taught me a lot about whales, everything was so beautifully written… What inspired you to write about whales?
Ans: I’ve always loved whales since I was a little girl, so I knew that eventually I would write a book that focused on a main character who was determined to help do her part to save them. Because I also spend my summers on Cape Cod, I’m able to go out on whale watches and witness these amazing animals in their natural environment. There’s literally nothing more humbling.
Q: The names in the book are very interesting! How did you come up with them?
Ans: Hah, thank you! For Coriander, I knew I wanted her to have a natural name, but something that I could shorten so that it didn’t sound so far-fetched. Coriander felt right, and it’s stuck with her ever since. And truthfully, I didn’t come up with the name Mannix, one of my critique partners did when we were brainstorming together years ago. But once she said it, I loved it!
Q: The diversity in the novel was amazing! What was your experience writing these characters, and who was your favourite to write?
Ans: This story takes place on Cape Cod, but mainly in Provincetown, and Provincetown is an amazingly diverse and accepting place. I wanted to make sure that my characters reflected the real people who call this place home, even if it’s just for the summer. My favorite character to write was Uncle Jack! I grew up with a gay uncle, and he’s one of my favorite people on the planet, so I wanted to gift that kind of relationship to Cor, as well.
Q: I’ll be honest with you- the cover of the novel called out to me and I knew I had to sign up to read it! What was the design process like?
Ans: Oh my gosh, yes! Isn’t the cover amazing? It literally brought me to tears when I first saw it. It was designed by Karina Granda, and illustrated by Dion MBD (who was my dream illustrator, and I’m so lucky he created a cover for me!). I got to see the initial sketches for the cover, gave some feedback, and ultimately what my team first came up with, we went with. It came out so beautifully.
Q: Lastly, what message do you want readers to take away from the novel?
Ans: I think what Cor grapples with in many aspects of her life is recognizing how her actions, even the smallest ones, can have an effect on others, be they whales or humans. I think Fraction and Mannix come into her life to help her understand that we all could learn to live a little more gently. So I hope people take that from this book! I also hope that they walk away learning a little bit more about whales and what these amazing animals struggle with. It’s within our power to end their suffering if we choose to.
That was such a beautiful interview, right guys?
Are you interested in whales as well? Will you pick up this book too? Let me know in the comments!
Whispering Stories 