A touching read with the poignant message that love starts within.
You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family, as the saying goes. Unfortunately, good choices and solid decision-making are two skills Kim Kincaid has yet to master. Her best friend happened by accident, her boyfriend happened by surprise, and her only family, an older sister, happens to be a goody-two-shoes with a glaringly perfect life. Kim’s job is dreary, but it pays the bills. Her boyfriend won’t even talk commitment, but he’s super cute. Her nightlife exists, but only if you count binge drinking and chain smoking at the same lame parties. Stuck in a familiar rut of inertia, this isn’t the way she imagined adulthood. “I’ve always been a dreamer, but I’ve never made a single dream real.” It may be December, but change is in the forecast with a couple of weeks of Summer penciled into Kim’s haphazard calendar. Out of sisterly obligation, Kim had hastily agreed to babysit her precocious six-year-old niece so her sister could enjoy a vacation. But as young Summer is dropped off at Kim’s door, that choice, like so many before it, is being second-guessed. With a bare cupboard and an apartment that smells more like a nightclub than a home, Kim has a lot of ground to cover to meet Summer’s basic needs. As she settles into her time with Summer, Kim is reminded of something she lost many years ago: the chance to be part of a family.
No matter how things seem on the outside, everyone struggles with something on the inside. Author Katherine Tirado-Ryen brings this reality to light in a way that is not only realistic and fresh, but is also a joy to read. From the overachieving sister to an unfazed neighbor, all the cast members possess relatable backstories that add texture to the novel. Characterization is organic and effortless as readers come to love Kim and the people in her life, flaws and all! Aided by the innocent perspective of a child, Kim’s outlook on life is altered and she finds the strength to become the author of her own story while finally coming to terms with her childhood experiences. Tired of trying to meet everyone else’s expectations, Kim finally lets loose. These cathartic moments and confrontations are some of the most impactful of the novel and may well have you exclaiming out loud, “Yes, it’s about time!” A down-to-earth story about a lovely Latina with a lot to learn about herself, Two Weeks of Summer is a touching read with the poignant message that love starts within.
