Rich people behaving badly - what is not to love?
I especially loved the setting of Fire Island in this book, which the author vividly creates.
At the start of the book a body is found. The story then goes back several months to the start of the summer season where we meet all the wealthy New Yorkers who have holiday homes on Fire Island. Their lives have been intertwined for years but are their marriages as secure as they appear. What will happen when the handsome new tennis coach appears?
It has to be said, not many of these characters are likeable but that is never an issue for me in a book. A great summer beach read, which you will love if you enjoyed Big Little Lies.

A story about rich Americans spending their summer in the small beach town of Salcombe.

It begins with a body being discovered and then the remainder of the story leads up to that discovery, revealing lots of juicy secrets along the way!

This is told through numerous characters points of view, which was confusing for the first few chapters but once I got a grip of who everyone was, I got into the story. It has a desperate housewives kinda feel with the rich drama and juicy secrets.

This would be a good summer read, easy reading, enjoyable and entertaining!

I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of this, it’s out 8 June!

Sordid secrets and plenty of bonking makes this the PERFECT summer read. Whether it’s in your garden, on the sofa or by the pool, you will want to devour this sexy book in one gulp. I loved it.

Unfortunately, I got 25% into this book and stopped reading. I couldn't keep track of the characters, some of whom had their own chapters for no reason, and didn't care what happened to any of them. I enjoyed reading about the location itself, and the ways in which generations of locals interacted with each other and how those relationships changed as people moved away and married and came back, but this wasn't enough to hold my interest.

I LOVED this book and for some reason wasn't sure I would. I'm always a bit put off a book that's sold as a 'great beach read' but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this.

A brilliant story of privileged new yorkers and their summer vacations where their summer town and its tight community, and its obsession with fashion, tennis and wealth that kept me glued to the pages. Great characters and thoroughly entertaining.

I am afraid that this book had too many characters, none of them very likable, and it was a turn off for me .Not the sort of book I thought it would be, sorry.

Some go to the Hamptons, others Summer at Fire Island. This story is about one summer in Salcombe, a small town on the aforementioned Island. And the shenanigans that ensue...
We start with a body, found by a child. Face down just off the boardwalk. Now, admittedly, the boardwalk is quite raised and a tad on the perilous side but... accident or something more sinister? Well, you'll have to read the book to find that out...!
What really makes this book is the eclectic characters. Mostly super-rich and, well you know what usually goes hand in hand there - arrogance and superiority - but put a bunch of like-minded that sort together - sparks may not just fly but also turn into explosions. Add in a poor (in comparison) tennis coach who spots an angle, both monetarily and romantically, and a super-competitive tennis tournament. Sprinkle with the odd clique. Season with other affairs. Add a side of gossip and rumour.
And... just grab the popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the ride!
Oh and also laugh at some of the humour interspersed throughout!
Which is exactly what I did. And it was fun!
There are a lot of characters in this book and they are all introduced mostly en masse, so to get ahead of myself I did write me a cast list. Which did mean that I was pulled out of the book as I stopped to make a note. But, as I said, en masse, which meant that that task was over quick. And it was effective. The mere act of writing them cemented them in my head so it wasn't long at all before I didn't need to refer to it any more.
Now... these are NOT my people. I really don't like the sort of people in this book. But I do love reading about them. Especially when they get their comeuppance. When they fall. I also love secrets, lies and duplicitous behaviour and you get that in spades here. So much that I actually forgot there was a dead body at the start of the book.
I am not sure this book is going to blow the sock off everyone. It's a light read - an easy read. One that I actually read in the garden, on my hammock, in the sun. So I guess, a beach read. Not too much thinking required (once the characters are set). But a worthy distraction from real life which I guess is the reason that most people read in the first place.
And... blow me down, it's a debut book. And I only just found that out when I went to check out her back catalogue. Well... she's definitely one to watch to see what she serves up next time... (Did you see what I did there - serves, tennis, big theme in this book... I'll get my hat).
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A fun and gossipy look into the lives of the very wealthy on holiday. With intrigue and mystery and an affair or two to keep you glued to this book like a society lady to her Prosecco.
A fun, holiday romp with just enough mystery to keep you having fun and engaged in each character’s story.

"Bad Summer People" by Emma Rosenblum presents a thought-provoking examination of affluent vacationers. The book delves into the lives of these privileged individuals, exposing their flaws, excesses, and personal struggles.

The title perfectly encapsulates the essence of the story, as the characters portrayed in "Bad Summer People" are indeed unlikable. Rosenblum skillfully explores the dynamics of privilege, inviting readers to reflect on its implications and consequences.

The juxtaposition of bad things happening to bad people adds an ironic twist to the narrative, keeping readers engaged throughout. Rosenblum's writing style is solid, featuring vivid descriptions and settings that transport readers into the world of luxury vacations.

While it may be challenging to connect with and sympathize with the characters, their interactions and the unfolding events provide a captivating exploration of human nature. "Bad Summer People" successfully evokes strong emotions and encourages introspection.

In conclusion, "Bad Summer People" is a thought-provoking book that delves into the complexities of privilege and human nature. With its unlikable cast and engaging storyline, it deserves a four-star rating.

Bad Summer People is an irresistible melodrama with a large cast of rich people behaving badly: think White Lotus but on Fire Island instead of Hawai’i. Perfect for fans of Lianne Moriarty, as it nails that combination of vaguely soap-y interpersonal relationships and thriller. I enjoyed it immensely while disliking virtually every character: an ideal summer holiday read.

This is a great debut, and an excellent summer thriller. Set in a fictional upscale resort, called Salcombe, the book follows a group of people who spend their summers hanging out, playing tennis and escaping from their rich, entitled lives. It’s just a shame that their troubles follow them on holiday.
Nobody in the whole book is a likeable person, they are all sleeping with people they shouldn’t, or being mean, or using their job as a tennis coach for nefarious purposes, but they are characters you love to hate. It’s a real page turner. My biggest regret is that I had to read it in rainy Wiltshire, UK, rather than by a lovely pool somewhere.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Gossip ( think Rabbit by Chas and Dave ) the book is rammed full of it, the tale takes you to Fire Island in the Summer, a place where all the NY wealthy go to relax, play tennis, be naughty and gossip, and gossip more ….the characters are a dream, overbearing pedantic yet knowing all older ladies, waspish social climbers and rambunctious successful men, deliciously described and wonderfully written about
And there’s a death, one of them goes too far and pays for it and it causes chaos in amongst the already chaos of affairs, indiscretions and funny competitive and hilarious tennis tournaments that are taken as seriously as Wimbledon
Have I mentioned gossip and two facedness ? Well there’s lots and no one is to be trusted
They are a posh yet rum lot on Fire Island and in Eurovision week where my mind is Eurovision 24/7 it would take a good old read for me to waver from that, this did it and was unthreateningly wonderful
A Copacabana of a book ( it was fab )

An enjoyable story about the rich families who spend their summers in Salcome, Fire Island….drinking, partying, gossiping, playing tennis and having affairs. Despite this book being full of really unlikeable characters, I enjoyed the way the chapters unfolded, each chapter being told from the perspective of a different character. You really want these despicable characters to get what they deserve but, as is often the case for rich and powerful people, you suspect that it might not be the case. This would make an enjoyable mini series and was a great read!

Glossy and gossipy, and sometimes that’s what you need. I loved the chorus of voices. Read in a day.

Only criticism would be it’s slow to actually get going, but I enjoyed hanging with the characters while waiting for more to happen.

This is very different from my usual genres and because of that it was relatively enjoyable - full of totally unlikeable rich people, bitchiness and gossip. Salcombe on Fire Island is the place where the rich set have their second homes and all gather for summer months to meet up again with families that they only see during that period. I won't say they are meeting up with friends because the close scrutiny that the women pay to new facelifts and procedures as well as the scandal that they can pick up demonstrates that this is almost a toxic environment - they hate each other behind their backs but cosy up to each other socially. Lauren and Jen, with their respective husbands Jason and Sam, are the queens of Salcombe. Add Rachel, who is the singleton and chief stirrer and a new and very handsome tennis coach, a tennis tournament that these women take as seriously as the US Open or Wimbledon and you have a recipe for spicy summer cocktail. The opening chapter presents us with a body and the rest of the book takes us back to the start of the summer. As we follow all of these residents during the heat of the summer we have sex, scandal, affairs, secrets and we are left to guess which character will end up being the body found in chapter one. This is not a psychological thriller, but it does have a few twists and turns. This is a book that would make a perfect TV series.

I expected this to be a thriller from the synopsis but it was very much just a neighbourhood drama and the dead body is a bit of an afterthought. I don’t have to like characters to enjoy a book but there were way too many people to keep track of and they were all too alike.

Thank you to netgalley for providing an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My mother taught me, that if you have nothing nice to say, you should keep your mouth firmly closed. . I found Bad Summer People to be confusing and hard to read. Not for me but others may like this book.

Four couples, two single people, one summer and an infinite amount of secrets.
The prize for the most aptly names book just might go to Bad Summer People….all of the characters, minus one bartender, are awful people. Yet, I was totally entertained by this book from start to finish. I loved the gossipy style of story telling and the scandalous secrets each character had. It had Desperate Housewives on vacation vibes. I felt like I was among them at the yacht club, judging them as I sipped my cocktail. Plus although tennis is a major part of the plot, it didn’t feel like tennis overload like #carriesoto did. I enjoyed the twists and I was sad to finish it.

Would I recommend it? Yes, I found it a light hearted, entertaining summer read.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

With a large cast of very unlikeable characters, this is a book for people who enjoy the thrill of gossiping about people with more money than ethics. No one comes out of this story well, except the children and the nannies. It’s really not my type of book, but I guess I can see its appeal. It was confusing trying to separate the characters out at the beginning as the women are all merely appendages. Sorry, but not for me.

I enjoyed this escapist tale of rich New Yorkers spending their summer at their holiday community. Seen through the eyes of the characters, the toxic story of adultery, gossip, competition and malicious jealousy had me gripped from the start. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.