Goodreads Description- Set against the beautiful backdrop of Cape Cod, "The Gin & Chowder Club" is an eloquent, tender story of friendship, longing, and the enduring power of love...The friendship between the Coleman and Shepherd families is as old and comfortable as the neighbouring houses they occupy each summer on Cape Cod. Samuel and Sarah Coleman love those warm months by the water; the evenings spent on their porch, enjoying gin and tonics, good conversation and homemade clam chowder. Here they've watched their sons, Isaac and Asa, grow into fine young men, and watched, too, as Nate Shepherd, aching with grief at the loss of his first wife, finally found love again with the much younger Noelle. But beyond the surface of these idyllic gatherings, the growing attraction between Noelle and handsome, college-bound Asa threatens to upend everything. In spite of her guilt and misgivings, Noelle is drawn into a reckless secret affair with far-reaching consequences. And over the course of one bittersweet, unforgettable summer, Asa will learn more than he ever expected about love - the joys and heartache it awakens in us, the lengths we'll go to keep it, and the countless ways it can change our lives forever...As I began this book, I definitely had preconceived notions that the book would be about two sets of couples who regularly meet for dinner on Cape Cod and much of the story would revolve around those dinners. I didn't expect the story to focus on the affair between the college age son, Asa, of Samuel and Sarah Coleman and Noelle, the second wife of the Coleman's close family friend Nate whose first wife died of cancer several years earlier. I think because I had such preconceived ideas that I was pretty disappointed as to where the book went plotwise.I thought both Asa and Noelle were pretty petty and selfish to deceive Nate and their families for their tryst. They both were reckless with their behavior and then when they couldn't see each other they were often whiny and depressed. I was especially annoyed with Asa. Everything about him annoyed me. He was jealous of Nate and actually angry that Nate got to have Noelle instead of him. Hello....Nate was older and MARRIED to Noelle. Asa had no claim to her. And the fact that he let his obsession with Noelle ruin his freshman year of college was really immature. I just couldn't stand Asa and his actions. He just needed to get over her and move on. He was in college...surely there were girls that he could have found if he hadn't have been so obsessed with Noelle. Then tragedy after tragedy happened and Asa was angry with and blamed God. He was just so selfish. He didn't think how others felt during these awful times. Ultimately this book was a tragedy but did have a good outcome that brought Asa out of his selfish funk. I have read other books by this author but this just wasn't up to par when compared to her other books. 3 stars. When I picked up this book and started to read it I felt a sort of calmness, the kind of calm that happens when you get that first breath of salt air when you’re heading for a getaway to the shore. Know what I mean? The beginning of this book is the calm before the storm. The story of two families whose bonds span generations now share something more, builds to a very stormy crescendo. A forbidden first love. A loss deep and painful. A test of faith. Set on Cape Cod, this story is told from the perspective of Asa Coleman, a sensitive aspiring poet set to embark on his first year of college. He falls in love for the first time with Noelle, the wife of his father’s best friend. The absolute torture that Asa feels over this love is palpable. The consequences of Asa’s choices are both tragic and healing. Remember this book when you’re looking for something to read at the beach this Summer.
What do You think about The Gin And Chowder Club (2000)?
I liked it. It was a little different and on one of my favorite places!! Loved the cover.
—DiskoROCK
The ending of the book made up for some of the drawn out middle of the story.
—Allie
loved this book and can't wait to read more of Nan's writings.
—Robbie
