"Summer" is a novel by Edith Wharton that explores the themes of love, social expectations, and the consequences of personal choices. The story follows the protagonist, Charity Royall, a young woman from a small New England town, as she experiences a transformative summer that challenges her preconceptions about life, love, and societal norms. Wharton's keen observations and nuanced storytelling depict the complexities of human relationships in a society bound by tradition.