Review: Kismet by Becky Chalsen
Thank you Dutton Books for my copy! All thoughts are my own.
I will admit that this book wasn’t on my radar at all until I saw my friend post about it. When I learned it was set on Fire Island, I immediately requested a copy! I love a good beach house setting and went to Point O’Woods on Fire Island many times growing up. I have to say that the setting was my favorite part of this book and I think it will be a perfect Summer read for anyone who wants a nice balance between character discovery, emotional journeys, and beachy vibes.
It’s definitely more on the contemporary side and even though there is a happy ending, I wouldn’t classify this as a Romance. I’ll have to double check if the publisher does but as primarily a Romance reader, I still really enjoyed it! It was fast paced and kept me reading.
Synopsis:
“A sun-soaked debut about love, sisterhood, and destiny, set in the glorious beach town of Kismet, Fire Island . . . Can Amy’s marriage survive Jo’s wedding?
For as long as anyone can remember, it has been Amy, Jo, and Ben. Amy and Jo, the inseparable Sharp twins who couldn’t be more different; and Ben, Amy’s childhood sweetheart turned husband.
But as this year’s Fourth of July weekend approaches, something feels off. Jo’s whirlwind engagement and wedding ceremony now eclipses the twins’ long-awaited thirtieth birthday. Recent arguments between Amy and Ben have left their marriage feeling more like make-believe than ever-after. And as the family beach town transforms for Jo’s wedding weekend, Amy’s trusted trio will be tested by the most unexpected hurdle yet: the arrival of a handsome, mysterious newcomer in a best man suit. One with a strikingly familiar face. A face that Amy had planned to never see again.
This holiday weekend, even the strongest SPF won’t protect the Sharp twins from all the secrets about to take center stage.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Setting—The setting is the star. I could so clearly picture the weathered beach house, big waves, and sticky humidity.
The Unexpected Aspects—This book really took me for an emotional ride. I was really moved by Amy’s journey and I loved how unapologetic I felt about that. Life is messy and we all make mistakes.
The Internal Dialogue—Amy’s journey in this book is messy and imperfect. I really appreciated how honest it was. I know a lot of people don’t like their characters to have flaws, but I find it to be much more humanizing and never know who will identify with it.
What Didn’t Work:
Lack of Resolution—This is probably because I’m mainly a romance reader, but I really would have liked a but more resolution with Ben. But it’s also a “slice of life” type novel, where we only get these characters for a week, so I do understand the reasoning.
Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 0/5 Overall Rating: 4/5
Content Warnings:
miscarriage, pregnancy loss, infidelity, divorce