Praise
The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott is an Indie Next List Notable!
Praise from Authors
“I have read Little Women at least a dozen times, but Kelly O’Connor McNees has given me a gift I will not soon forget. Louisa May Alcott is no longer simply an icon to me but a real woman, in all her complexity, one who lived life in spite of exploitation and the expectations of her day, never giving up on her dream. Her story is as relevant today as when Alcott bravely made her way. I can’t wait to give copies of this novel to all of my friends.”
— Cassandra King, author of The Sunday Wife
and The Same Sweet Girls
“Richly imagined and gracefully told, McNees’ captivating story will delight anyone who loved Alcott’s feisty heroine Jo March.”
— Judith Hendricks, author of Bread Alone
and The Laws of Harmony
“A superb, thoughtful, and deliciously paced book that will hook lovers of history and Alcott alike. I enjoyed it tremendously.”
— Terry Gamble, author of The Water Dancers
and Good Family
“Mixing fact drawn from Little Women author Louisa May Alcott’s letters and journals with a longing to understand how Alcott — who is thought never to have been in love — could have written so movingly about it, Kelly O’Connor McNees delivers a wonderfully imagined, lively novel of first love herself. Louisa emerges as a spunky, honest heroine torn between her own personal love affair and the need to create more enduring stories that might console readers and lovers for generations to come.”
— Meg Waite Clayton, author of The Wednesday Sisters
“… rich detail, a compelling narrative, and a voice true to Alcott herself. I truly couldn’t put this book down. One of my fave reads for 2010 … ”
— Lara Zielin, author of Donut Days
Praise from Booksellers
“I took a galley of The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott with me to the beach this past week … I absolutely ADORED and LOVED it. I really felt as if I was reading Louisa May Alcott’s true thoughts and words. It is an outstanding book.”
— Diane, Little Shop of Stories
Decatur, GA
“I don’t think I can find the words for how very much I loved this book … It is at once very familiar and very new, and every page was riveting for me–I lost a lot of sleep to this book.”
— Jackie Blem, Tattered Cover
Denver, CO
“As someone who owns her mother’s copy of Little Women and has read it dozens of times over the years, I could not wait to read this book … The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott adds a bittersweet romantic interlude to Alcott’s mostly solitary life.”
— Sharon Nagel, Boswell Book Company
Milwaukee, WI
“I adore this book! For anyone who was entranced with Little Women, this book is sure to delight.”
— Kristin Bates, McLean and Eakin Booksellers
Petoskey, MI
“McNees deftly tells the fictional story of a summer the Alcott family spent in rural New Hampshire that changed young Louisa forever. A tale of love and loss that is a ‘must read’ for the generations of women who cherish their dog-eared copies of Little Women.”
— Sam Droke-Dickinson, Aaron’s Books
Lititz, PA
“Vivid and engaging, this is a moving debut novel of love, loss, and literature.”
— The Strand
New York City
Praise on the Web
“This book really breathes life into the character of Louisa May Alcott … A great summer read.”
— Book Group Buzz
(Booklist Blogs)
“Even if readers have never read Little Women, they will enjoy this historical novel—a compelling, heart-wrenching story about the difficult choices women face. It resonates with themes that are as timely today as they were in Alcott’s day.”
— BookPage
” … relax and enjoy The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott and its wonderful imagining; it is a story true to the spirit of the Alcotts and the times.”
“I was pleasantly pleased with Kelly O’Connor McNees’ debut novel; it is a breezy, gentle read, perfect for this warmer weather.”
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