Enchanted August

A Novel

By: Brenda Bowen

Narrated by: Sierra Boggess

Hopewell Cottage Little Lost Island, Maine. Old, pretty cottage to rent on a small island. Springwater, blueberries, sea glass. August.

So reads an ad on Lottie Wilkes’ and Rose Arbuthnot’s children’s preschool bulletin board.

When the mothers arrive on the island, they are transformed by the salt air; the breathtaking views; the long, lazy days; and the happy routine of lobster, corn, and cocktails on the wraparound porch. By the time of the late-August blue moon, real life and its complications have finally fallen far, far away. For on this idyllic island they gradually begin to open up: To one another and to the possibilities of lives quite different from the ones they’ve been leading. Change can’t be that hard, can it?

With a cast of endearingly imperfect characters - including indie movie star Caroline Dester and an elderly Beverly Fisher, who is recovering from heartbreaking loss - and set against the beauty of a gorgeous New England summer, Enchanted August is a sparkling summer debut that brilliantly updates the beloved classic The Enchanted April in a novel of love and reawakening that is simply irresistible.

©2015 Brenda Bowen (P)2015 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“A charming, thoroughly engrossing novel that’s the next best thing to being there.” (People Magazine)

"Enchanted August is a true charmer of a novel, written with humor, sensitivity, and a huge amount of heart. I fell in love with the glorious Maine setting and with the quirky and endearing characters who find themselves thrown together there. It’s a perfect summer read - for any time of the year." (Will Schwalbe, author of the New York Times best seller The End of Your Life Book Club)

"Enchanted August is as lovely and salty as an afternoon on an island in Maine. Brenda Bowen writes with humor and with love about the spell cast on the unsuspecting by a cottage by the sea. And her endearing characters wind up, at summer’s end, with something even more precious than lobster: a second chance." (Jennifer Finney Boylan, author of She’s Not There)

Boring

I kept waiting for some kind of really interesting drama or conflict and it was boring. The characters were not interesting. The narrator’s voice was high, especially when reading the kids parts, and underscored the syrupy story.

Not your typical fairy tale ending.

The characters were very different from each other and would never have met each other in real life. Caroline seemed a little too nice for an actor but a good complement for Robert. Rose's disappointment is closest to real life. Great summer read which is why our book club chose it.

Such a fun book!

Loved it! So realistic - yet upbeat and endearing. I wish I had another story just like this to look forward to!

Shallow and Cheesy

I have over 150 titles in my Audible collection and I have never given a book a single star before. This story is incredibly hokey, filled with shallow poorly developed characters and a boring story line. I sped up the narration just to get through it quicker. Don't waste a credit on this book.