Songs of Summer

Rosen (Seven Summer Weekends) weaves the compelling narrative of an adoptee’s quest to find her birth mother. Maggie May Wheeler has known she was adopted since she was nine. Now an adult and mourning the deaths of her adoptive parents, she is at a crossroads when her best friend, Jason, proposes marriage. Determined to uncover her past before committing to her future, Maggie’s search for her biological family leads her to Fire Island. There, she unexpectedly witnesses her birth mother in a heated altercation, prompting her to reconsider her decision to reach out. She also meets Matt, her birth mother’s neighbor, who offers to keep her secret while she discreetly observes her mother and extended family. Matt eventually invites Maggie as his date to a wedding where her birth mother is maid of honor, serving both her covert mission and his desire to deflect familial matchmaking attempts, but their burgeoning connection challenges Maggie’s relationship with Jason. Rosen’s novel is narrated from multiple perspectives, infusing lightness into Maggie’s profound familial exploration. The chapters are named after song titles, and the book is accompanied by a Spotify playlist.