Girls of Summer (Girls of Summer #5)

This 5th book in a truly epic series leads us to the happiest wildest deepest celebration of victory I have ever seen in fiction. It begins with a thoughtful Jamie getting her first apartment-by-herself and hosting Emma in Portland. Along the way, we see the trauma that remains in Jamie, and we watch the unfolding of the Supreme Court decision making gay marriage legal in all fifty states, celebrated by all the team members at one of the hotels along their journey. We see the hardship of life as a professional female athelete, under a male dominated FIFA umbrella in a world that undervalues womens sports. Most of all we see individuals, mostly teammates but also coaches and family members, facing hardships but staying focused on moving forward. At the center, we see these amazing characters, Jamie and Emma, rising to the absolute top of their dreams after years of discipline, work and sacrifice. We see their love growing even deeper, their trust and understanding. I love these five books, and this one is a crowning achievement, a victory for the soccer team and also for the author, Kate Christie.