Girls of Summer: A Novel

by Nancy Thayer

One life-changing summer on Nantucket brings about exhilarating revelations for a single mother and her two grown children in this sensational novel from New York Times bestselling author Nancy Thayer.

Lisa Hawley is perfectly satisfied living on her own. Having fully recovered from a brutal divorce nearly two decades earlier, she has successfully raised her kids, Juliet and Theo, seeing them off to college and beyond. As the owner of a popular boutique on Nantucket, she’s built a fulfilling life for herself on the island where she grew up. With her beloved house in desperate need of repair, Lisa calls on Mack Whitney, a friendly—and very handsome—local contractor and fellow single parent, to do the work. The two begin to grow close, and Lisa is stunned to realize that she might be willing to open up again after all . . . despite the fact that Mack is ten years her junior.

Juliet and Theo worry that Mack will only break their mother’s heart—and they can’t bear to see her hurt again. Both stuck in ruts of their own, they each hope that a summer on Nantucket will provide them with the clarity they’ve been searching for. When handsome entrepreneur Ryder Hastings moves to the island to expand his environmental nonprofit, Juliet, an MIT-educated web designer, feels an immediate attraction, one her rocky love life history pushes her to deny at first. Meanwhile, free spirit Theo finds his California bliss comes to a brutal halt when a surfing injury forces him back to the East Coast. Upon his return, he has eyes only for Mack’s daughter, Beth, to whom he is bound by an unspeakable tragedy from high school. Can they overcome their past?

As the season unfolds, a storm threatens to shatter the peace of the golden island, forcing Lisa, Juliet, and Theo to decide whether their summer romances are destined for something more profound. Nancy Thayer dazzles again in this delightful tale of family, a reminder that sometimes, finding our way back home can bring us unexpected gifts.

• ISBN10: 1524798754
• ISBN13: 9781524798758
• Publish Date: 26 May 2020
• Publish Status: Remaindered
• Out of Print: 8 February 2022
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Random House USA Inc
• Imprint: Ballantine Books Inc.
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 304
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9781524798758

Reviews

[pagesbycyndy]

 

Set in picturesque Nantucket this book had all the elements to pull me in and keep me engaged in this story of, love at any age and second chances.

We meet a young idealistic Lisa who is a Nantucket native and off to college where she is swept off her feet and married before the ink has a chance to dry on her college diploma. From the outside Lisa's marriage looks perfect, two children a beautiful Nantucket house and a very successful husband but all is not perfect in Lisa's world. Lisa soon finds herself single and immerses herself in her own world of raising her children. With the nudge of a thoughtful friend Lisa starts a career in an exclusive clothing boutique on the island and soon with her children off on their own this becomes her very successful business and her sole focus.

When Lisa decides to renovate her aging but beautiful house she reconnects with contractor  Mack Whitney, single, hunky and ten years her junior. Sparks fly and soon they are dating.  Lisa's children Juliet and Theo both arrive on Nantucket, discontent with their own relationships and choices in life.  The three of them soon find their lives and relationships intertwining in ways that they never thought possible. This all makes for an interesting story of young love, first love and second chance romance.

Nancy Thayer, with her knowledge of Nantucket, has penned a wonderful summer read that will take you away to the island and it's beautiful surroundings and beaches. Pull up a beach chair and enjoy!

This review was originally posted on Cindy’s Book Stacks