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I usually enjoy Anita Shreve's somewhat slick but very skillfully written novels, but I feel "Body Surfing" is one of her weakest, basically because the various romantic entanglements of Sydney, the main protagonist, seem unbelievable and the ultimate plot twist is a severe disappointment. However, the descriptions of summer spent on the New Hampshire seacoast are authentic and unfailingly lovely. Shreve also has a keen eye and ear for social conventions and interactions. (SR 2007)