Camp Firelight has welcomed eager campers every summer for several generations, but now the well has dried up, and the site is slated to close for good. Already heartbroken over the loss of her lifelong partner, retired camp director Ethel reaches out to nearby alumnae for help in preparing the cherished place to sell. Her plea touches several former campers facing times of great flux in their own lives. Laura fears her empty-nest marriage is at risk, Shannon is considering a midlife career change, and Ruby is wracked by guilt for an act of betrayal committed years before. Together once again at their beloved childhood camp, the women begin reclaiming the optimism of their youth. When they find a terrified runaway hiding in the campgrounds, they turn their energy from personal rejuvenation to outward altruism, setting out to help her and maybe preserve the camp, too. There are no surprises here, just a predictable, heartwarming story about bonds between girlfriends and love of all kinds. A good choice for a light, feel-good summer read.--Ophoff, Cortney Copyright 2014 Booklist

Up in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, Camp Firelight has hosted generations of girls, but now, lack of well water has forced the camp to close. Come to say one last goodbye, the camp's longtime director Ethel puts out the request to her former Firelight Girls to help her clean and close the buildings. Several of the girls, including Ethel's old bunkmate Ruby, heed the call. A betrayal by Ruby led to half a century of silence between Ruby and Ethel and now Ruby has returned to reconcile. Firmly in her 40s, high school teacher Shannon takes this time to reevaluate her life. Laura faces an empty nest and a husband she is not sure she loves anymore. Joining the group is 15-year-old Amber, who's been hiding out in the cabins to avoid her drug-addicted mother's various boyfriends, and who finds a sense of safety and caring with these Firelight Girls. VERDICT McLaren's (How I Came To Sparkle Again; The Church of the Dog) novel presents a sweet, touching view of the evolution of love and friendships. For readers who enjoy Kristin Hannah or Luanne Rice.-Joy Gunn, Paseo Verde Lib., Henderson, NV (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

When the Firelight Girls' summer camp is about to be closed, a few of its former campers return to the best memories of their childhood.Ethel doesn't relish the job, but someone has to clean up Camp Firelight to ready it for sale. The camp, on a lake in Washington, has felt like home for most of her life: first as a camper there in 1940; then as a counselor in the 1950s, where she met her life partner, Haddie; and later as its director until her retirement to a cabin only a canoe ride away. Haddie has passed away (though she's not entirely goneEthel drew a face on her urn and attached a yarn wig), and it seems Ethel's whole life is collapsing. She emails camp alumni to help clear out, and those who come bring both memories and problems. First to arrive is Ruby, Ethel's bosom buddy until family pressure (because of Ethel and Haddie's relationship) forced her to shun her friend. Now she's looking for forgiveness. Shannon and Laura arrive, both in their 40s and at a crossroadsLaura is considering divorcing her husband, and Shannon has just given up on her teaching career. Unbeknownst to everyone, 15-year-old Amber is hiding in one of the cabins, having run away from a dangerous home life. Much of the novel is given to flashbacks to a time in the four women's lives that felt powerful and boundless. Now, as adults, they wonder how they can regain that resilience. The camp works as a balm to Amber, who, after she's discovered, is nurtured for the first time in years. Somehow things turn out surprisingly well; everyone chalks it up to the magic of the camp, though it could be an authorial desire for happy endings. A likable, if somewhat predictable, tale of female friendship and resiliency. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.