Just an okay read for me. I couldn't really connect with any of the characters and the story seemed a bit predictable. I did enjoy the narrator however, as i alternated between the ebook and the audiobook. To be fair, I don't read much romance, so I might not be the target audience for this book.

I enjoyed this book! It was a bit slow to start but the setting of Summer Camp and their quest to put on a gala to save the camp hooked me. I really enjoyed all of the supporting characters and how they added some zany energy to the story. While I wish Cat and Ginger's relationship and the resolution of their conflict had been fleshed out a bit more, I enjoyed the ending and hearing what happened to all of the characters. This book also had some great twists at the end that kept me on my toes. A good, enjoyable read for sure!

Sisters….gotta love them! Cat is pregnant, thanks to a one night stand, receives an SOS to bail her sister out at the family camp. She rushes to help because that’s what she does. But she gets more than she bargained for.

I love sister stories so had to grab this. I appreciated the Sister dynamics, but found Cat so annoying! I just couldn’t like her, even at the end. This was a mash up of totally quirky characters, some more lovable than others, although I struggled with so many characters and their story lines. I enjoyed the references to The Wizard of Oz and how it all came together. This was definitely a slow burn for me, picking up half way thru but the ending fell flat. I was hoping for more laughs from this. Although this book wasn’t totally for me, I will definitely give this author another try.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this book. This is my honest opinion.

Cute story centered around a family-owned summer camp. One sister has devotedly cared for the camp, another is called back in a bit of an emergency and returns with mixed emotions. Can it succeed as a summer camp for kids, or should they expand and include adults in the fun?

This book is very character driven and the camp is its own character. It delves into relationships, from romantic to friendship to family. I love stories that explore the relationship and dynamics between sisters and how siblings can react so differently to things that happen. I was very frustrated with the sisters, however, and their inability to be honest with each other. Their relationship had so many issues.

There’s a little mystery and a little romance here. The word that keeps coming to mind is “cozy”. Bummer Camp just gives that small town feel, with quirky characters and a unique setting. Its a lighter book. It's not really going to address anything on a deeper level, which is totally fine. Its probably great for people who enjoy things like Hallmark movies.

This was 3 stars for me. The romance wasn't developed at all. There was no chemistry between the characters. It was extremely slow paced for most of the book. Things picked up in the end and I enjoyed the resolution of everything.

*Bummer Camp* by Ann Garvin is a charming, funny, and heartwarming story about family, second chances, and embracing life’s chaos. Cat McCarthy, trying to move on from her family’s rundown theater camp, is pulled back into the drama when her irresponsible sister, Ginger, hands control to a dubious couple who nearly bankrupt it. As Cat and Ginger scramble to save the camp, they rediscover the importance of family and shared memories. With lovable characters and a perfect blend of humor and heart, *Bummer Camp* is an entertaining and feel-good read. I absolutely loved this book! Everything Ms. Garvin writes is sheer gold! A must read!!!!

3.5 ⭐️

This was such a quirky book, I honestly don’t really know how to rate it. On the one hand, I loved the insane cast of characters. From naive Ginger to edibles baker Wynn to grumpy Gary to constantly shirtless Shirtless…the characters were charming and funny and eccentric. I never knew what to expect out of them from one page to the next, and that made the book a delight. On the other hand, the premise was just so ridiculous; the ending made it feel like a children’s mystery chapter book where they apprehend the caper who stole the candy jar. So yeah…I guess 3.5 stars?

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What a cute story about two sisters with your typical sisterly dynamic… one is a screw up and the other responsible. The responsible one has issues with boundaries, is bossy, can be a jerk. Is always fixing or responding to problems of the fun, chill, irresponsible sister. Is this about my family? Because I’m the no chill, bossy, crabby one who always feels like I can’t screw up because then what would happen to us all?!? Ok… this isn’t about me!

Cat begrudgingly returns to her family home on Summer Camp - a place she thought she left behind and was leaving her sister Ginger to manage - when it appears Ginger has created quite the mess and those legal papers may not have left Cat as free and clear of financial ties to the Camp as intended. Cat quickly feels the old pull to be responsible for her sister, her nephew, her family home, and the merry band of misfits running the camp. It’s bad, she’s pregnant, and she struggles internally with finding a healthy balance.

I thought this was a very cute and quick read. My only issue was the romance was… quick? Odd? Unlikely? All of the above, but not enough to impact my rating.

Thank you to Netgalley (and Amazon First Reads) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story has so many layers. Its a tale of sisterhood, of finding friendship in the most unexpected places, finding your home. Cat receives a frantic call requesting her help immediately at Summer Camp, the failing family run business she walked away from. Filled with too many characters to go into detail of each one. Cat didn't know what was missing from her life until she rediscovers her connection to Summer Camp and puts on a gala, Summer Camp-style not to be forgetten!

This seemed to be the summer of 'summer camp' books so I was excited to read this one. It was a fun lighthearted read - though it took time to like the MC. Some of the plot lines didn't fully develop - and didn't contribute to the story - so it was a bit confusing. But all in all a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Bummer camp is about two sisters trying to save their family's summer camp. sweet, quick read.. I read in two afternoons.

My biggest complaint here is the number of loose ends and plot arcs that went absolutely nowhere. This story could’ve easily been written with only a couple of characters as the focus, but instead, many characters were highlighted only to end up feeling underdeveloped.

This was a quick, lighthearted story. I didn’t really ever connect with the sisters at all but the story was good enough to continue reading.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC to read and review.

Bummer Camp was a lighthearted, easy read. I’m a sucker for nostalgia, and this hit the spot for me. The story wasn’t overly complicated, it was a great plot with likable characters. A really great escape!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Bummer Camp was a recent read that surprised me! Thanks to the author, Lake Union Publishing, NetGalley and Uplit Reads for my early copy.
I finished this book outside at a new beer hall and the Adirondack chairs were arranged in a circle, almost as if they were around a campfire 🏕️
As someone who grew up attending summer camp and then worked at summer camp for many years, I can't pass up a camp-related book, and Bummer Camp was different from other camp books - in a really fun way! I spent a summer working at an awesome summer camp in rural Wisconsin, which I kept picturing while reading this book which is set in Wisconsin.
Bummer Camp follows two sisters trying to save their family's summer camp (named Summer Camp) after a failed motivational speaker tried to take it over. I really enjoyed the story line and the characters, and I wasn't sure what was going to happen until close to the end. I had only read the author's previous release I Thought You Said This Would Work in 2021, so I'm excited to dive into more of her backlist after finishing this one. I don't think you have to be a summer camp person to enjoy this, but if you are, I think you'll definitely enjoy it!

Very sweet, charming and fun. Lovely easy breezy read. I enjoyed the sister dynamic of the older sis always coming in to fix things for the lil sister. I enjoy a good camp atmosphere.

This was an endearing, laugh out loud story full of quirky & loveable (if a bit strange) characters. The story was about so much more than a floundering camp and its owners. It's about redemption, how we see ourselves vs how our family sees us and how misunderstanding something can distort your narrative of the past. I love following this author on social media & am glad I finally got to read one of her books, looking forward to reading more!

Ann Garvin's writing style never fails to entertain me in it's relatability, wit, and charm. I enjoyed the relationship foibles between the sisters as they learned to work together to save the camp and became friends. I loved the character of "Shirtless" and the secondary characters each added their own uniqueness to the story. I listened to the audiobook and Andi Arndt did a fantastic job bringing this novel to life.

This one had all the summer camp vibes and there were a lot of funny moments but I just couldn’t connect with the characters and it took a while to get into.

I was not a fan of the MC which made it hard from the beginning but I liked the fun camp characters!

Made me want to watch the Wizard of Oz!

It's a light and fun read about rediscovering the importance of family and belonging. I, personally, felt that the book was incredibly slow-paced and that things were becoming repetitive. It's a shame that the premise of the book and the cast of interesting characters were not fully fleshed out, as they had sooooo much potential. Overall, I still found it to be a fun story to read.