What do you think?
Rate this book
Summerland
A warm June evening, a local tradition: the students of Nantucket High have gathered for a bonfire on the beach. What begins as a graduation night celebration ends in tragedy after a horrible car crash leaves the driver, Penny Alistair, dead, and her twin brother in a coma. The other passengers, Penny's boyfriend, Jake, and her friend Demeter, are physically unhurt--but the emotional damage is overwhelming. Questions linger about what happened before Penny took the wheel.
As summer unfolds, startling truths are revealed about the survivors and their parents--secrets kept, promises broken, hearts betrayed. Elin Hilderbrand explores the power of community, family, and honesty, and proves that even from the ashes of sorrow new love can take flight.
As summer unfolds, startling truths are revealed about the survivors and their parents--secrets kept, promises broken, hearts betrayed. Elin Hilderbrand explores the power of community, family, and honesty, and proves that even from the ashes of sorrow new love can take flight.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
2255 people are currently reading
27093 people want to read
About the author
Elin Hilderbrand
88 books60k followersElin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa.
Facebook.com/ElinHilderbrand
Pinterest.com/ElinHilderbrand
Facebook.com/ElinHilderbrand
Pinterest.com/ElinHilderbrand
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,279 reviews
August 20, 2013
Oh my god, BOO.
Can I give this less than one star? Until about halfway through, I felt as though this deserved a solid, resounding "meh"...but oh my god, it got so much worse.
I came across the audio version of this book on my Overdrive app, looking for something to check out from my local library to get me through a few evenings worth of cooking and cleaning and then the following days of driving to and from work. I chose quickly, and I wasn't expecting a masterful piece of literature. I'd never read any of Elin Hilderbrand's books but they are constantly popping up on Amazon and Goodreads. I figured, what the hell. I enjoy having stories read to me while I cook and clean and drive so this fit the bill well. Whatever.
Okay, so the story begins in a somewhat trite manner - summer on Nantucket, children, coming of age, firsts, blah blah blah. Then - tragedy strikes!! A girl dies, her twin brother almost killed, two other kids injured. What follows is the narration from all the characters involved about trying to piece together what could have caused Penny to drive herself to her death - almost claiming the lives of her brother, boyfriend, and friend at the same time.
So, here's my problem. Does it make me a terrible person to hate a dead girl? If so, count me among the terrible people because OH MY GOD, shut the fuck up with your whining Penny. This girl is too fragile to even be alive so in a fit of rage over something someone told her on the night of graduation she decides to END IT ALL but wait - there's more - she does so with OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CAR. So, let me get this straight. Because you can't handle OMGLIFEANDALLTHEFEELINGS, you're going to almost kill your brother, and injure two other people? Is that right, Penny? You couldn't have downed a handful of pills on your own, you had to almost KILL OTHER PEOPLE because you were enraged?
Ugh. So the whole book people are all: "Oh Penny, why oh why did you do what you did?" And I'm like...hold up. She ALMOST KILLED HER BROTHER and no one is pissed about how selfish this is? If I had to hear from her enabling mother, Zoey, one more time: "Penny's heart is/was made of the finest bone china" I was going to drive my own self off a dune somewhere. Really? She was just too sensitive and delicate to even live life? Should have checked her ass into a psych ward somewhere.
Then there's Demeter who is so banal and pathetic I can't even waste too much time on her. Budding alcoholic, doesn't want to accept blame for essentially causing the accident, used sensitive piece of private information about Penny's mother as "social currency" (LOLWUT) to basically manipulate Penny into liking her and talking to her when instead - SPOILER ALERT - it just shatters Penny's bone china heart into too many pieces and she has to KILL HERSELF. I mean really. REALLY ELIN????
Among the other insipid, predictable characters there's Ava. Oh, poor Ava. Penny's boyfriend's mother who is still heartbroken over her dead son who died of SIDS 4 years earlier. Oh, and Ava's husband is totes banging Penny's mom and Ava like, can't even function as a normal human being because she's too sad about her deceased baby and then, the kicker, she's SO ANGRY at her husband because he was *GASP* at work the night the baby died of SIDS. Yes, folks, SIDS. The completely baffling and inexplicable syndrome in which a baby just dies for no good reason but THIS BITCH ruins her whole marriage/her sons life being angry because her husband was at work that same night. I just cannot even.
I could go on and on but this was already disjointed enough. It boils down to this: BORING BORING PREDICTABLE AND BORING. Plus, it was like 239472394 pages too long. The author repeated "but....Penny was dead. She was dead" over and over and OVER AND OVER again for what, dramatic emphasis? WE KNOW SHE'S DEAD. If I had a dollar for every time someone was all: "but wait, Penny was dead" or "but she would never sing again. She was dead" I'd quit this and every other job I may possibly ever have because HELLO MILLIONAIRE. Waste of time. Unless you like reading predictable stories about affluent white kids doing the exact same shit you did when you were a teenager. *Yawn* I've heard this story before, like a hundred times.
Can I give this less than one star? Until about halfway through, I felt as though this deserved a solid, resounding "meh"...but oh my god, it got so much worse.
I came across the audio version of this book on my Overdrive app, looking for something to check out from my local library to get me through a few evenings worth of cooking and cleaning and then the following days of driving to and from work. I chose quickly, and I wasn't expecting a masterful piece of literature. I'd never read any of Elin Hilderbrand's books but they are constantly popping up on Amazon and Goodreads. I figured, what the hell. I enjoy having stories read to me while I cook and clean and drive so this fit the bill well. Whatever.
Okay, so the story begins in a somewhat trite manner - summer on Nantucket, children, coming of age, firsts, blah blah blah. Then - tragedy strikes!! A girl dies, her twin brother almost killed, two other kids injured. What follows is the narration from all the characters involved about trying to piece together what could have caused Penny to drive herself to her death - almost claiming the lives of her brother, boyfriend, and friend at the same time.
So, here's my problem. Does it make me a terrible person to hate a dead girl? If so, count me among the terrible people because OH MY GOD, shut the fuck up with your whining Penny. This girl is too fragile to even be alive so in a fit of rage over something someone told her on the night of graduation she decides to END IT ALL but wait - there's more - she does so with OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CAR. So, let me get this straight. Because you can't handle OMGLIFEANDALLTHEFEELINGS, you're going to almost kill your brother, and injure two other people? Is that right, Penny? You couldn't have downed a handful of pills on your own, you had to almost KILL OTHER PEOPLE because you were enraged?
Ugh. So the whole book people are all: "Oh Penny, why oh why did you do what you did?" And I'm like...hold up. She ALMOST KILLED HER BROTHER and no one is pissed about how selfish this is? If I had to hear from her enabling mother, Zoey, one more time: "Penny's heart is/was made of the finest bone china" I was going to drive my own self off a dune somewhere. Really? She was just too sensitive and delicate to even live life? Should have checked her ass into a psych ward somewhere.
Then there's Demeter who is so banal and pathetic I can't even waste too much time on her. Budding alcoholic, doesn't want to accept blame for essentially causing the accident, used sensitive piece of private information about Penny's mother as "social currency" (LOLWUT) to basically manipulate Penny into liking her and talking to her when instead - SPOILER ALERT - it just shatters Penny's bone china heart into too many pieces and she has to KILL HERSELF. I mean really. REALLY ELIN????
Among the other insipid, predictable characters there's Ava. Oh, poor Ava. Penny's boyfriend's mother who is still heartbroken over her dead son who died of SIDS 4 years earlier. Oh, and Ava's husband is totes banging Penny's mom and Ava like, can't even function as a normal human being because she's too sad about her deceased baby and then, the kicker, she's SO ANGRY at her husband because he was *GASP* at work the night the baby died of SIDS. Yes, folks, SIDS. The completely baffling and inexplicable syndrome in which a baby just dies for no good reason but THIS BITCH ruins her whole marriage/her sons life being angry because her husband was at work that same night. I just cannot even.
I could go on and on but this was already disjointed enough. It boils down to this: BORING BORING PREDICTABLE AND BORING. Plus, it was like 239472394 pages too long. The author repeated "but....Penny was dead. She was dead" over and over and OVER AND OVER again for what, dramatic emphasis? WE KNOW SHE'S DEAD. If I had a dollar for every time someone was all: "but wait, Penny was dead" or "but she would never sing again. She was dead" I'd quit this and every other job I may possibly ever have because HELLO MILLIONAIRE. Waste of time. Unless you like reading predictable stories about affluent white kids doing the exact same shit you did when you were a teenager. *Yawn* I've heard this story before, like a hundred times.
August 1, 2016
Oy I felt like this book started and ended without moving in any direction. I kept waiting for something to happen-- anything!! My first Hilderbrand book, and I won't be picking up another anytime soon. It starts with a car accident and how the different families on Nantucket Island deal with the aftermath. This should leave SO much material for story lines and character depth, but alas, it doesn't! The characters are annoying and sad, but when I realized I was closing in on the end, I almost threw it against the wall because still NOTHING has happened. The only redeeming character/story line in this book is Demeter's. Demeter (who came up with this name?) struggles with alcohol abuse and in turn has a problem with weight and stealing. Her perfect parents so eager to overlook the obvious had me screaming out loud. I felt that I kept reading because I had to know what pushed Penny over the edge and what ended up coming out was enough for me to sigh heavily and roll my eyes.
I think this book just made me annoyed and angry. I have a really hard time giving out 1 star reviews, so will leave this at 2 stars even though it was NOT ok.
I think this book just made me annoyed and angry. I have a really hard time giving out 1 star reviews, so will leave this at 2 stars even though it was NOT ok.
February 22, 2022
The evening of the high school graduation in Nantucket is a time for celebration. But the night ends tragically when sweet, talented Penny Alistair, a rising high school senior, takes the wheel of a Jeep containing her sports-phenom brother Hobby, her friend Demeter, and her boyfriend Jake.
Penny seemingly purposely crashes the Jeep, killing herself and horribly injuring Hobby, while leaving Jake and Demeter physically unscathed.
What did Demeter tell Penny that set off this event?
That's the central mystery in this character driven story. Hildebrand presents a realistic picture of troubled families in a small community. We see adultery, unresolved grief, teens in crisis, young love, lax mothering, mental illness and more.
I didn't find the climax very believable or satisfying but all in all the book contains a touching portrayal of how the people of a community try to deal with a tragedy of this magnitude.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
November 19, 2025
Catching up…
It is always fun for me when donations appear at my Little Free Library Shed. Especially getting a sense of what the neighborhood favorite authors are. And, certainly this author is one. So, hearing recently that she is “retiring” from writing it really has readers up in arms. In a June 2024 interview with Elle Magazine, the author shared…
“If I do write another Nantucket summer novel, and I might, it's going to be on my own time frame, and I want to be free to do other things, and write about other things, and so I very consciously use the word 'retirement. ' My intentions are pure, in that I am retiring for the sake of my career.’”
So, there you have it. Whatever, she means.
In re-visiting this story, clearly an older one, published in 2012, this wasn’t her typical beach read. Usually, Hilderbrand concentrates on women’s contemporary fiction with a light, romantic tone. But this story had complex characters, dealing with teenage death, and the survivors, post-accident and their parents and how they handled it.
Obviously, there is tragedy within this story, the weightiness of it, the emotional toll this incident plays on families, and, the consequences. There is also a side-story about a SIDS death and the grief and strain of that experience on family.
As, traumatic as all this sounds, Hildebrand writes with compassion and grace, developing multi-faceted characters that feel real.
It is always fun for me when donations appear at my Little Free Library Shed. Especially getting a sense of what the neighborhood favorite authors are. And, certainly this author is one. So, hearing recently that she is “retiring” from writing it really has readers up in arms. In a June 2024 interview with Elle Magazine, the author shared…
“If I do write another Nantucket summer novel, and I might, it's going to be on my own time frame, and I want to be free to do other things, and write about other things, and so I very consciously use the word 'retirement. ' My intentions are pure, in that I am retiring for the sake of my career.’”
So, there you have it. Whatever, she means.
In re-visiting this story, clearly an older one, published in 2012, this wasn’t her typical beach read. Usually, Hilderbrand concentrates on women’s contemporary fiction with a light, romantic tone. But this story had complex characters, dealing with teenage death, and the survivors, post-accident and their parents and how they handled it.
Obviously, there is tragedy within this story, the weightiness of it, the emotional toll this incident plays on families, and, the consequences. There is also a side-story about a SIDS death and the grief and strain of that experience on family.
As, traumatic as all this sounds, Hildebrand writes with compassion and grace, developing multi-faceted characters that feel real.
June 29, 2012
When you see someone on the beach with a beverage in her hand, chances are she’s not reading War and Peace or Crime and Punishment. Summer is a time for what is commonly called “chick lit.” However, no matter how mindless you want your book to be, some of it can be just plain awful. Very few books that take place in the summer and are geared towards women can be considered quality books. Elin Hilderbrand is one of those authors who writes these types of novels…books where you can do your “mind escaping” but completely enjoy the story along the way. Hilderbrand’s latest, Summerland, will take your breath away.
We begin the night of Nantucket’s high school graduation. Sitting in the audience are the main cast of characters...Zoe, mother of twins and an established caterer; Hobby, one of her twins; Jordan, the head of the local newspaper; and Jake, Jordan’s son. Penny (Zoe’s daughter, Hobby’s twin sister, and Jake’s girlfriend) is on stage singing the National Anthem with the voice of an angel. Later that night, a tragedy occurs that affects the life of every Nantucket resident.
Characters take turns playing the narrator in Summerland, which is very effective at allowing the reader to see the plot from different angles. Your heart aches for each and every one of them as they deal in their own way with the unimaginable tragedy. This is the best type of novel…the type that you can’t wait to see the ending, but you also don’t want it to end. Both Summerland and last year’s Silver Girl were beautiful reads, and I can’t wait to delve further into Hilderbrand’s past books.
MY RATING - 5
See this review on 1776books.net...
http://1776books.blogspot.com/2012/06...
We begin the night of Nantucket’s high school graduation. Sitting in the audience are the main cast of characters...Zoe, mother of twins and an established caterer; Hobby, one of her twins; Jordan, the head of the local newspaper; and Jake, Jordan’s son. Penny (Zoe’s daughter, Hobby’s twin sister, and Jake’s girlfriend) is on stage singing the National Anthem with the voice of an angel. Later that night, a tragedy occurs that affects the life of every Nantucket resident.
Characters take turns playing the narrator in Summerland, which is very effective at allowing the reader to see the plot from different angles. Your heart aches for each and every one of them as they deal in their own way with the unimaginable tragedy. This is the best type of novel…the type that you can’t wait to see the ending, but you also don’t want it to end. Both Summerland and last year’s Silver Girl were beautiful reads, and I can’t wait to delve further into Hilderbrand’s past books.
MY RATING - 5
See this review on 1776books.net...
http://1776books.blogspot.com/2012/06...
October 20, 2022
Hmmm. This is definitely an interesting one to review, as I finished it with very mixed thoughts. I went in thinking it was gonna be a murder mystery in an exotic setting and it most definitely was NOT. Reading it was definitely a 50-50 experience- there were things I liked, things I really didn’t. So yeah, definitely a mixed bag.
Summerland is basically set on the island of Nantucket, which is definitely very summery and beachy (which definitely gave cool summer vibes, I must admit). But then the peace of the island is shattered when Penelope Alastair crashes her car, an accident that leaves her dead and her twin brother Hobson in a coma. After that, Summerland is basically about what happens to the community after the car and the various people the accident affects.
As I said earlier, I definitely had a very mixed experience with this book. Since I’m still kinda struggling to organise my thoughts, I’m gonna put my likes and dislikes in a list to make it seem a little less chaotic.
Starting with what I liked:
✅ The writing style: I actually really like Elin Hilderbrand’s writing style! It was super smooth and polished and made me want to keep reading even when I was getting kinda bored. It definitely read like a book from an experienced author, which it is. I did have some problems with the way the story was told, but I did enjoy the writing overall! 🙂👍
✅ Some of the themes: I did enjoy the themes on grief and how the book showed how something like that could affect a whole community. It was definitely interesting reading about that, especially as the book had lots of different POVs. So yeah, that aspect was enjoyable.
✅ The ending: the ending was definitely one of the stronger parts of the book. I think it wrapped everything up very well and ended the book on a strong note after having a bit of a messy plot. It had hopeful notes while not being too unrealistic. I really liked that!!
Now, onto what I didn’t like:
❌ The plot: The plot was definitely one of the weakest parts of Summerland imo. It was just incredibly MESSY. I feel like it rambled on and on in circles, seemingly without direction, which left me feeling seriously irritated. The book delved so deep into the characters’ backstories and what had happened before the accident that there wasn’t any focus on the ACTUAL accident. We were in the past most of the time and I honestly sometimes forgot that Penny was dead at all. I thought she was still alive sometimes!! I understand that these backstories were needed for the point the author wanted to make with the story, but there’s a way to do that while still keeping the focus on the main storyline. (Just look at Six of Crows!!) So yeah, that SERIOUSLY irritated me 😤😤
❌ The characters: I’m sorry, but I didn’t like ANY of the characters. Some of them were interesting, yes, but none of them were likeable. I never connected to any of them and either found them forgettable, dull, or annoying. There were also far too many of them!! I mean, I don’t mind having a wide cast of side characters, but most of the ones who actually got mentioned a lot had POVs and were considered ‘main characters’. There were at least 6 characters with POVs!! Having that POVs only works if it’s well-executed and I’m sorry, but this really wasn’t well-executed 😬😬
❌ The cheating trope: I also really didn’t like how there was SO MUCH cheating in this book and it wasn’t addressed at all!! Like, cheating is WRONG and just sweeping it aside and not letting the characters acknowledge it was wrong just wasn’t right. I also just hate the cheating trope in general and having it in here didn’t help me like the book.
Overall, Summerland was definitely an interesting read that I ultimately finished feeling okay about. There were things that seriously irritated me, but good things as well! I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I’d known what I was getting into (i.e. NOT a murder mystery), but it was still decent enough. I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend it, but I’d still consider reading more from this author in the future.
~ 3 stars
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wow, I have no idea how this this managed to be interesting and boring at the same time 😳😳🤨🤨 Mixed feelings on this one.... RTC!
Summerland is basically set on the island of Nantucket, which is definitely very summery and beachy (which definitely gave cool summer vibes, I must admit). But then the peace of the island is shattered when Penelope Alastair crashes her car, an accident that leaves her dead and her twin brother Hobson in a coma. After that, Summerland is basically about what happens to the community after the car and the various people the accident affects.
As I said earlier, I definitely had a very mixed experience with this book. Since I’m still kinda struggling to organise my thoughts, I’m gonna put my likes and dislikes in a list to make it seem a little less chaotic.
Starting with what I liked:
✅ The writing style: I actually really like Elin Hilderbrand’s writing style! It was super smooth and polished and made me want to keep reading even when I was getting kinda bored. It definitely read like a book from an experienced author, which it is. I did have some problems with the way the story was told, but I did enjoy the writing overall! 🙂👍
✅ Some of the themes: I did enjoy the themes on grief and how the book showed how something like that could affect a whole community. It was definitely interesting reading about that, especially as the book had lots of different POVs. So yeah, that aspect was enjoyable.
✅ The ending: the ending was definitely one of the stronger parts of the book. I think it wrapped everything up very well and ended the book on a strong note after having a bit of a messy plot. It had hopeful notes while not being too unrealistic. I really liked that!!
Now, onto what I didn’t like:
❌ The plot: The plot was definitely one of the weakest parts of Summerland imo. It was just incredibly MESSY. I feel like it rambled on and on in circles, seemingly without direction, which left me feeling seriously irritated. The book delved so deep into the characters’ backstories and what had happened before the accident that there wasn’t any focus on the ACTUAL accident. We were in the past most of the time and I honestly sometimes forgot that Penny was dead at all. I thought she was still alive sometimes!! I understand that these backstories were needed for the point the author wanted to make with the story, but there’s a way to do that while still keeping the focus on the main storyline. (Just look at Six of Crows!!) So yeah, that SERIOUSLY irritated me 😤😤
❌ The characters: I’m sorry, but I didn’t like ANY of the characters. Some of them were interesting, yes, but none of them were likeable. I never connected to any of them and either found them forgettable, dull, or annoying. There were also far too many of them!! I mean, I don’t mind having a wide cast of side characters, but most of the ones who actually got mentioned a lot had POVs and were considered ‘main characters’. There were at least 6 characters with POVs!! Having that POVs only works if it’s well-executed and I’m sorry, but this really wasn’t well-executed 😬😬
❌ The cheating trope: I also really didn’t like how there was SO MUCH cheating in this book and it wasn’t addressed at all!! Like, cheating is WRONG and just sweeping it aside and not letting the characters acknowledge it was wrong just wasn’t right. I also just hate the cheating trope in general and having it in here didn’t help me like the book.
Overall, Summerland was definitely an interesting read that I ultimately finished feeling okay about. There were things that seriously irritated me, but good things as well! I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I’d known what I was getting into (i.e. NOT a murder mystery), but it was still decent enough. I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend it, but I’d still consider reading more from this author in the future.
~ 3 stars
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wow, I have no idea how this this managed to be interesting and boring at the same time 😳😳🤨🤨 Mixed feelings on this one.... RTC!
May 3, 2025
Summerland by Elin Hilderbrand. Nothing says summer like family drama on Nantucket. Somehow Elin Hilderbrand writes family drama and romance in a way I actually enjoy it. Sometimes they are a bit cheesy, but this one is a real drama that can happen to any family anywhere in a world of teenagers.
July 6, 2012
This book details the aftermath of a car crash in which one of four teens riding in the car is killed. The book spends its time having the three survivors and their parents coping with the next phase in their lives and trying to determine why Penny, the driver of the car, deliberately crashed the car. The story is told from everyone's various viewpoints, but the reader never really gets to know these characters because they spend the whole book feeling guilty for whatever part they believe they played in the crash. Or they spend their time living in denial. There is no depth to these characters or the story. They are all swimming in stagnant water until the big reveal in the end, which was a letdown. Which is too bad, because the story had potential. I wanted to learn more about Jake, Penny's boyfriend, and Hobby, her twin brother. I mostly skimmed over Demeter's sections as I grew tired of her downward spiral. Which might not have been the case had the author given her more dimension.
This might have been a good YA novel if the author had taken the time to give the characters something to do besides hope that they were not the cause of the accident. I did not completely hate this book, but I would not recommend it to anyone I know.
This might have been a good YA novel if the author had taken the time to give the characters something to do besides hope that they were not the cause of the accident. I did not completely hate this book, but I would not recommend it to anyone I know.
June 29, 2025
i feel like this took me forever!! i read the last 200 pages today just so i could finish it. i wanted to be done so bad. it was so boring and i could not connect with a single one of the characters. i don’t even know why i bought this in the first place. i’m never a fan of these types of books. nothing happened. it wasn’t a mystery. it wasn’t a character study. no quotes i felt like underlining. i didn’t like any of the characters for some reason. and this wasn’t sad. at all.
i learned from this that i need to stop purchasing books at the thrift store without reading the summary first. i am still planning to read her other popular books, hopefully those will be better.
i learned from this that i need to stop purchasing books at the thrift store without reading the summary first. i am still planning to read her other popular books, hopefully those will be better.
July 13, 2012
I have read every book by Elin Hilderbrand and this is definitely one of my least favorite. I normally love all of her books, but this one just wasn't that great for these reasons:
1. The title is misleading; this is not a light, summery beach read. This is a depressing and serious story, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just wasn't that enjoyable to read.
2. There were a few too many POVs, and some of the characters weren't developed that great.
3. I don't think it's realistic that all the storylines wrapped up so easily and neatly at the end, especially considering how heavy some of the issues were. You don't just get over/get past some of those issues in a few months.
4. This is my biggest gripe with this book -- I absolutely cannot stand it when authors use the wrong 'voice' for their characters, or when the characters use words or 'speak' in a way that doesn't fit. For example, a British author writing about American characters, yet making those American characters speak in 'Brit-speak'. That seemed to be happening in this book, and it's something I've NEVER seen in any other Hilderbrand book. It actually seemed like Elin Hilderbrand didn't write this book, or that she co-wrote it, or that she was just toying with writing in a completely different style. So many times in the book, words and phrases were used that an American would absolutely not use, but a British or Australian author might. Here are some examples:
"Hobby was daft when it came to females"
(Tell me what 17 year old American kid would use the word "daft"? None.)
"Somehow Demeter got hold of the info..."
(An American would say "got ahold of", not "got hold of")
"...allowed herself to couple with such an artless boor"
(HUH? What American teenage boy would use the word "couple", or "artless boor"????)
"I was a blind, stupid cow"
(The word "cow" used in this context is definitely British and not American)
I know that Hilderbrand set part of this story in Australia, and one of the characters is Australian, so it would be acceptable if any of these examples above were spoken by that character -- but they were not. All of the examples were from Hobby or Jake or some other American teenage character, so it sounded very disingenuine and frankly it annoyed me.
All in all, this was just an okay book -- I won't be recommending it to any of my friends, although I will still read every book Hilderbrand comes out with. I guess all of them can't be hits, right?
1. The title is misleading; this is not a light, summery beach read. This is a depressing and serious story, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just wasn't that enjoyable to read.
2. There were a few too many POVs, and some of the characters weren't developed that great.
3. I don't think it's realistic that all the storylines wrapped up so easily and neatly at the end, especially considering how heavy some of the issues were. You don't just get over/get past some of those issues in a few months.
4. This is my biggest gripe with this book -- I absolutely cannot stand it when authors use the wrong 'voice' for their characters, or when the characters use words or 'speak' in a way that doesn't fit. For example, a British author writing about American characters, yet making those American characters speak in 'Brit-speak'. That seemed to be happening in this book, and it's something I've NEVER seen in any other Hilderbrand book. It actually seemed like Elin Hilderbrand didn't write this book, or that she co-wrote it, or that she was just toying with writing in a completely different style. So many times in the book, words and phrases were used that an American would absolutely not use, but a British or Australian author might. Here are some examples:
"Hobby was daft when it came to females"
(Tell me what 17 year old American kid would use the word "daft"? None.)
"Somehow Demeter got hold of the info..."
(An American would say "got ahold of", not "got hold of")
"...allowed herself to couple with such an artless boor"
(HUH? What American teenage boy would use the word "couple", or "artless boor"????)
"I was a blind, stupid cow"
(The word "cow" used in this context is definitely British and not American)
I know that Hilderbrand set part of this story in Australia, and one of the characters is Australian, so it would be acceptable if any of these examples above were spoken by that character -- but they were not. All of the examples were from Hobby or Jake or some other American teenage character, so it sounded very disingenuine and frankly it annoyed me.
All in all, this was just an okay book -- I won't be recommending it to any of my friends, although I will still read every book Hilderbrand comes out with. I guess all of them can't be hits, right?
June 1, 2025
What a deep and emotional read. It takes place in the summer on Nantucket but it is not a light and airy summer beach read. This packed a punch. I enjoyed the story and the characters and the way Elin Hilderbrand always weaves such a beautiful web of story telling a lot of difficult topics. I was also a fan of the different points of view between the characters so we can get every characters story and perspective.
As summer begins on Nantucket tragedy strikes. Four teenagers including a young couple in love, her twin brother, and another classmate who’s their friend are all in a terrible car accident. As the aftermath of the accident comes to light so does a lot of secrets. The members of the vehicle all have secrets they want to cover up that trickle down all the way to their parents, classmates, and each other.
If you’re looking for a deep and emotional read that touches upon a number of difficult topics this one is for you. Make sure to check trigger warnings.
As summer begins on Nantucket tragedy strikes. Four teenagers including a young couple in love, her twin brother, and another classmate who’s their friend are all in a terrible car accident. As the aftermath of the accident comes to light so does a lot of secrets. The members of the vehicle all have secrets they want to cover up that trickle down all the way to their parents, classmates, and each other.
If you’re looking for a deep and emotional read that touches upon a number of difficult topics this one is for you. Make sure to check trigger warnings.
November 10, 2019
It's high school graduation on Nantucket. But this usual time of celebration turns to tragedy when--on graduation night--a terrible car crashes kills one local student, Penny Alistair, and leaves her twin brother, Hobson, in a coma. Penny's boyfriend, Jake, and her friend, Demeter, are not hurt, at least physically. But the crash shakes the island and leaves everyone wondering exactly what happened. Why was Penny driving Jake's Jeep that night? What caused her to drive so quickly and recklessly?
I enjoy every Elin Hilderbrand book I read, and I liked this one, though it wasn't one of my all-time favorites. I didn't find myself greatly attached to any one character, or really pulled deeply into the plot. Honestly, while many of Hilderbrand's books have a dark or sad side, this one was really depressing at times, even though there was a layer of hope as well. It hit very close to home, as I am a mother of twins, so maybe that was part of it. I was a little heartbroken, and my heart went out to Zoe, the mother of Penny and Alistair.
As with all Hilderbrand books, the story is interesting, and she weaves a detailed and intricate tale of island life. There's more than just an accident, with intersecting webs of characters. I liked the parallels and ties between the high school children and their parents. It was an engaging story, with a lot of serious subjects.
I'm glad I read this one, but if you're just starting out with Hilderbrand, there are other books I'd recommend first. 3+ stars.
I received my copy of this book through one of my favorite websites, Paperbackswap.com, where you can swap copies of all your favorite books (hardcover, paperback, and more).
Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ PaperBackSwap ~ Smashbomb
I enjoy every Elin Hilderbrand book I read, and I liked this one, though it wasn't one of my all-time favorites. I didn't find myself greatly attached to any one character, or really pulled deeply into the plot. Honestly, while many of Hilderbrand's books have a dark or sad side, this one was really depressing at times, even though there was a layer of hope as well. It hit very close to home, as I am a mother of twins, so maybe that was part of it. I was a little heartbroken, and my heart went out to Zoe, the mother of Penny and Alistair.
As with all Hilderbrand books, the story is interesting, and she weaves a detailed and intricate tale of island life. There's more than just an accident, with intersecting webs of characters. I liked the parallels and ties between the high school children and their parents. It was an engaging story, with a lot of serious subjects.
I'm glad I read this one, but if you're just starting out with Hilderbrand, there are other books I'd recommend first. 3+ stars.
I received my copy of this book through one of my favorite websites, Paperbackswap.com, where you can swap copies of all your favorite books (hardcover, paperback, and more).
Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ PaperBackSwap ~ Smashbomb
June 26, 2012
MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT
In an isolated part of the country, Nantucket seems like paradise to most outsiders and the families that live there year round agree. This story about four teens in an accident that leaves one dead, one injured and the other two safe is just the beginning of a mystery in the island community of Nantucket and what is really is revealed will make you wonder if any community is safe from angst. The secrets that come to light make this whole community reel with their revelations.
Penny and Hobby are twins, each with their own spectacular gifts and while their father has died before their birth, their mother, Zoe, has carved out a life for them trying to give them everything possible in order to succeed. Penny's boyfriend, Jake comes from a well established island family and his father runs the local newspaper. Jake's parents, Jordan and Ava have their own devastating secrets that are coming to light after the death of their youngest from SIDS. Demeter, overweight and lonely, has given up trying to fit in and while she comes from a wealthy home, there isn't much love for her that she can feel. Her parents, politician and car dealer, Al, and Lynne, who runs a title business from home, seem remote and clueless to Demeter.
As the story unfolds through flashbacks and different points of view from each character, we learn exactly what happened the night of the accident and the aftermath. There is an affair uncovered, an alcohol problem revealed, teenage romances abound and depression. Of course it is like the car accident that happens in the first chapter, you don't want to look, but you can't help but look and try to figure out what happened. This book was one of those that you can't put down. I read this very quickly and I think it was one of my favorite reads from Hilderbrand. She was a very popular choice in our book group and there is so much to discuss because of the many layers in her work.
I think this story should also appeal to older teens because of the youth angle. I have read many young adult books recently that cover similar topics such as alcohol abuse, trying to fit in and the pressure of teens in society today. This is a very realistic take on these situations and the consequences of both the teen and the parents involved. The way the story is revealed in also a plus since you get both the parents and teens viewpoints. This is another perfect summer read from Elin Hilderbrand.
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT
In an isolated part of the country, Nantucket seems like paradise to most outsiders and the families that live there year round agree. This story about four teens in an accident that leaves one dead, one injured and the other two safe is just the beginning of a mystery in the island community of Nantucket and what is really is revealed will make you wonder if any community is safe from angst. The secrets that come to light make this whole community reel with their revelations.
Penny and Hobby are twins, each with their own spectacular gifts and while their father has died before their birth, their mother, Zoe, has carved out a life for them trying to give them everything possible in order to succeed. Penny's boyfriend, Jake comes from a well established island family and his father runs the local newspaper. Jake's parents, Jordan and Ava have their own devastating secrets that are coming to light after the death of their youngest from SIDS. Demeter, overweight and lonely, has given up trying to fit in and while she comes from a wealthy home, there isn't much love for her that she can feel. Her parents, politician and car dealer, Al, and Lynne, who runs a title business from home, seem remote and clueless to Demeter.
As the story unfolds through flashbacks and different points of view from each character, we learn exactly what happened the night of the accident and the aftermath. There is an affair uncovered, an alcohol problem revealed, teenage romances abound and depression. Of course it is like the car accident that happens in the first chapter, you don't want to look, but you can't help but look and try to figure out what happened. This book was one of those that you can't put down. I read this very quickly and I think it was one of my favorite reads from Hilderbrand. She was a very popular choice in our book group and there is so much to discuss because of the many layers in her work.
I think this story should also appeal to older teens because of the youth angle. I have read many young adult books recently that cover similar topics such as alcohol abuse, trying to fit in and the pressure of teens in society today. This is a very realistic take on these situations and the consequences of both the teen and the parents involved. The way the story is revealed in also a plus since you get both the parents and teens viewpoints. This is another perfect summer read from Elin Hilderbrand.
December 17, 2020
Enjoyable read to escape the cold night. The story is a compelling one about family, friendship, and the vast secretive events that occur in people’s lives. It was intriguing to read the entwining stories of the three families over the years and also how multi-dimensional the characters were. That is something I have come to love about Elin Hilderbrand, her character development is superb! The plot will pull you in but the characters are where readers get hooked.
February 10, 2013
Eh. While Elin Hilderbrand is still a fantastic writer, and I still stayed up way too late to finish this book, I think the Nantucket thing is running its course. Having read all her books, I feel that bits and pieces were taken from past books to create this one. Main female character a chef? See The Blue Bistro. Adulterous love affair? See A Summer Affair. Unplanned teen pregnancy? See Summer People.
In addition, I'm getting a bit tired of the elements that always find their way into every Hilderbrand novel - the main characters like to drink Sancerre, constant mentions of The Chicken Box, Polpis Road, Bartlett's Farm, etc.
I also found the plot a little too reminiscent of Night Road by Kristin Hannah. Now, could my review of the book have gone up if I had read it on the beach, with my toes in sand instead of huddled up in a blanket watching the snow fly? Very possibly.
Will I still read the next Hilderbrand book? Yes. But I hope she steps up her game next time.
In addition, I'm getting a bit tired of the elements that always find their way into every Hilderbrand novel - the main characters like to drink Sancerre, constant mentions of The Chicken Box, Polpis Road, Bartlett's Farm, etc.
I also found the plot a little too reminiscent of Night Road by Kristin Hannah. Now, could my review of the book have gone up if I had read it on the beach, with my toes in sand instead of huddled up in a blanket watching the snow fly? Very possibly.
Will I still read the next Hilderbrand book? Yes. But I hope she steps up her game next time.
January 25, 2019
3.5 stars
This book is a character driven plot about how a fatal car accident impacts the survivors and families of the kids involved. I was expecting more of a plot driven story so didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. However, despite my disappointment, the author does a fantastic job of carving out each character and their perceived role in causing/their reaction to the accident. Definitely some moments in which I teared up. More of a thoughtful book rather than a gripping book.
This book is a character driven plot about how a fatal car accident impacts the survivors and families of the kids involved. I was expecting more of a plot driven story so didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. However, despite my disappointment, the author does a fantastic job of carving out each character and their perceived role in causing/their reaction to the accident. Definitely some moments in which I teared up. More of a thoughtful book rather than a gripping book.
July 24, 2013
I started reading this book about two months ago while traveling and got 18 pages in before I started dozing off on the plane. I hadn't had much time to continue reading until recently, so I started over (whole 18 pages!) and it was hard to put the book down. I finished in less than a day.
That being said, Summerland is a great read especially for the summertime. However, it's not SO mindless that you find yourself immediately forgetting the story you just read. This one did leave me with some lingering thoughts to ponder and several cliffhanger questions, which I rather enjoyed.
Overall, I found the characters to be developed, intriguing, and relatable (i.e. I could identify the Zoe, Hobby, Ava, etc. in my own life). What really had me impressed with this book was that as I read, I kept thinking to myself, "None of this would ever happen, it's not believable, it's too dramatic, it's too simple, etc." But the actual truth of the matter is that it could happen and it does. I think the overarching theme of this book doesn't necessarily have to do with the fate of any specific character, but rather the vitality of Nantucket as a whole - that's why when Hilderbrand is switching perspectives between characters, sometimes it actually takes on the eyes of the Nantucket community. That town, as with any small "fish bowl" town, is it's own character. This concept was the most thought-provoking for me and I found it be an exceptional addition to the story.
This was the first novel I read by Hilderbrand and I would like to read more. I would highly recommend this book!
That being said, Summerland is a great read especially for the summertime. However, it's not SO mindless that you find yourself immediately forgetting the story you just read. This one did leave me with some lingering thoughts to ponder and several cliffhanger questions, which I rather enjoyed.
Overall, I found the characters to be developed, intriguing, and relatable (i.e. I could identify the Zoe, Hobby, Ava, etc. in my own life). What really had me impressed with this book was that as I read, I kept thinking to myself, "None of this would ever happen, it's not believable, it's too dramatic, it's too simple, etc." But the actual truth of the matter is that it could happen and it does. I think the overarching theme of this book doesn't necessarily have to do with the fate of any specific character, but rather the vitality of Nantucket as a whole - that's why when Hilderbrand is switching perspectives between characters, sometimes it actually takes on the eyes of the Nantucket community. That town, as with any small "fish bowl" town, is it's own character. This concept was the most thought-provoking for me and I found it be an exceptional addition to the story.
This was the first novel I read by Hilderbrand and I would like to read more. I would highly recommend this book!
May 3, 2015
When I saw the cover of this book and read the title, I expected a great beach read--something light and hopeful. What I found in Summerland was really the opposite of that. Okay, so it does have some hope, I suppose, but readers have to really look for it.
The book focuses on a summer in the life of four Nantucket teens. The moment that brings them all together is a tragic car accident that kills one of the teens, Penny. The accident, along with Penny's death, throws the remaining three teens--as well as their parents--into turmoil. Penny's brother, a star athlete, is left with a broken body. Her boyfriend, Jake, is haunted by what he thinks may have led Penny to act rashly and crash the car. Their friend Demeter is left to blame herself for what she thinks she caused.
As if the drama of the teens themselves isn't enough, Summerland goes a step deeper and explores the complicated relationships of the parents of all four teens. While they're all friends on the surface, what lies beneath is perhaps even more complicated than the accident itself.
While I appreciated getting an early copy of this book as a Goodreads ARC, this wasn't what I expected. Hilderbrand seemed to want to write a book about the people of Nantucket--not the tourists--to show that they really do have lives beyond the sun and fun. In that, she succeeded. That said, this book could have been set just about anywhere, and it would have been the same. The characters spend the majority of the book wondering what made Penny do what she did, but when we find out, it felt like a let down--no surprise and certainly not something worth such extreme action. I found myself thinking, "That's it? I read all of this for just that?" This was a decent book, but I found myself searching for something more.
The book focuses on a summer in the life of four Nantucket teens. The moment that brings them all together is a tragic car accident that kills one of the teens, Penny. The accident, along with Penny's death, throws the remaining three teens--as well as their parents--into turmoil. Penny's brother, a star athlete, is left with a broken body. Her boyfriend, Jake, is haunted by what he thinks may have led Penny to act rashly and crash the car. Their friend Demeter is left to blame herself for what she thinks she caused.
As if the drama of the teens themselves isn't enough, Summerland goes a step deeper and explores the complicated relationships of the parents of all four teens. While they're all friends on the surface, what lies beneath is perhaps even more complicated than the accident itself.
While I appreciated getting an early copy of this book as a Goodreads ARC, this wasn't what I expected. Hilderbrand seemed to want to write a book about the people of Nantucket--not the tourists--to show that they really do have lives beyond the sun and fun. In that, she succeeded. That said, this book could have been set just about anywhere, and it would have been the same. The characters spend the majority of the book wondering what made Penny do what she did, but when we find out, it felt like a let down--no surprise and certainly not something worth such extreme action. I found myself thinking, "That's it? I read all of this for just that?" This was a decent book, but I found myself searching for something more.
February 11, 2017
SOAP OPERA
OH DEMON ALCOHOL
So out of my comfort zone but I actually really enjoyed it. The author was able to make me care about all of the characters and I wanted all of them to have positive resolutions. Only downfall-author needs a thesaurus to learn synonyms for "said"
2017 Reading Challenge: season in the title
OH DEMON ALCOHOL
So out of my comfort zone but I actually really enjoyed it. The author was able to make me care about all of the characters and I wanted all of them to have positive resolutions. Only downfall-author needs a thesaurus to learn synonyms for "said"
2017 Reading Challenge: season in the title
June 7, 2020
Very familiar story but always enjoy hearing about life on Nantucket. Slow moving and told from multiple POV. Overall enjoyed listening to this an audio.
January 10, 2024
oh y'all...
i don't even know what to say or do here. i've heard SO much about this author and it's not that Summerland was bad but i thought it was going to be AH-MAZING. everyone talks about her in almost reverent tones so... maybe my expectations were too high?
so let's start with the good, i enjoyed the clever and subtle way of tackling a myriad of weighty life issues that occur during this book. this may be where the first disappointment occurred if i'm being honest. so, everyone lauds this author as "the summer read" which i associate with light and fluffy, the book is freaking called Summerland! and this sucker - spoiler alert - is a bit of a downer. not a total downer but still. so i'm expecting a light, possibly fluffy, completely sun soaked read (another spoiler alert: i didn't read the blurb) and within what felt like a handful of minutes there's a tragic accident with a teen dying.
the fallout from this tragedy naturally reverberates through the remainder of the book. it's told from multiple perspectives (even Nantucket itself has a perspective) and everyone is impacted in some way. as the perspectives unfurl, it becomes clear that everyone has what could be construed as "a secret" but in reality is just humans being human. sure, sometimes it's long-winded but she really captures the flawed nature that is inherently human.
the conclusion is a happy one which i appreciated and i really really felt like i had taken a trip to Nantucket when it was finished so i understand the summer read thing but i still wish the whole thing had been more captivating or something. undoubtedly, i will try something else by this author and, like i said, i didn't hate this but if anyone's in a twist, my opinions are my own. ymmv.
one final note: no complaints about the narrator; she was aces.
i don't even know what to say or do here. i've heard SO much about this author and it's not that Summerland was bad but i thought it was going to be AH-MAZING. everyone talks about her in almost reverent tones so... maybe my expectations were too high?
so let's start with the good, i enjoyed the clever and subtle way of tackling a myriad of weighty life issues that occur during this book. this may be where the first disappointment occurred if i'm being honest. so, everyone lauds this author as "the summer read" which i associate with light and fluffy, the book is freaking called Summerland! and this sucker - spoiler alert - is a bit of a downer. not a total downer but still. so i'm expecting a light, possibly fluffy, completely sun soaked read (another spoiler alert: i didn't read the blurb) and within what felt like a handful of minutes there's a tragic accident with a teen dying.
the fallout from this tragedy naturally reverberates through the remainder of the book. it's told from multiple perspectives (even Nantucket itself has a perspective) and everyone is impacted in some way. as the perspectives unfurl, it becomes clear that everyone has what could be construed as "a secret" but in reality is just humans being human. sure, sometimes it's long-winded but she really captures the flawed nature that is inherently human.
the conclusion is a happy one which i appreciated and i really really felt like i had taken a trip to Nantucket when it was finished so i understand the summer read thing but i still wish the whole thing had been more captivating or something. undoubtedly, i will try something else by this author and, like i said, i didn't hate this but if anyone's in a twist, my opinions are my own. ymmv.
one final note: no complaints about the narrator; she was aces.
August 2, 2016
3.5 Stars
A decent story but WOW was that cover misleading. This is not a breezy, summery, beach read. This is a hard novel about teenagers, drinking, a fatal car accident, and how the choices we make can significantly alter other people's lives, even destroy them. The only reason this is called Summerland is because it takes place in Nantucket.
Not a bad story, but I def would not categorize this as a chick lit, or a beach read. It's packed with some emotional punch.
A decent story but WOW was that cover misleading. This is not a breezy, summery, beach read. This is a hard novel about teenagers, drinking, a fatal car accident, and how the choices we make can significantly alter other people's lives, even destroy them. The only reason this is called Summerland is because it takes place in Nantucket.
Not a bad story, but I def would not categorize this as a chick lit, or a beach read. It's packed with some emotional punch.
June 25, 2012
So glad to be done with this; I only finished it because it was Elin Hilderbrand...but it was just not that good. It was boring- same thing over and over from the various characters viewpoints....I just wanted to finish it and move on. Not her best by far....
September 9, 2017
Rating: 2.5/5
***Minor spoilers***
What happened that night in the car? Coming home one night from a party, a girl named Penny drove off of a cliff with 3 others in the car - her twin, Hobby, her boyfriend, Jake, and a friend, Demeter. It was impossible for it to have been an accident due to the speed, so why did she do it? Why would she kill herself and nearly kill all her passengers? The remainder of this book is spent trying to answer this question - what happened to Penny? What pushed her over the edge? As the book goes on, everyone's families are affected, and the characters dwell on how they may have caused the accident.
I wasn't a big fan of this book. It was good at times, boring at times, but mostly it was just okay. I found it interesting enough at first, but it quickly became tiring and repetitive. You're introduced to a bunch of characters and their thoughts and family life, their relationships to other characters in the book, and the effect the accident had on them. This was all fine and good, until things started going nowhere. The same information is given to us again and again in different ways, but nothing about their life really changes. There were also so many different characters who were in some way relevant to the story, so it was hard to keep track of.
Speaking of the characters, I didn't really like any of them. I could empathize with some of them and appreciate some of them, but didn't really feel that much about them. Despite the book having delved into their lives pretty well, something was missing. We were given lots of information but not enough emotion. As the book goes on and on, you wonder if the question of what happened and why will ever be answered. When I finally reached that conclusion, I felt baffled. That was what I was waiting for? It just wasn't enough.
Overall, this book had its ups and downs, but I think in all it was slightly below average. The book felt like it was running in the same spot for most of it. It would make it seem like stuff was happening, but it really wasn't at all. I found a lot of the characters annoying, and for the ones I didn't, they still weren't that enjoyable. While it wasn't a terrible read, I don't think I would recommend it.
***Minor spoilers***
What happened that night in the car? Coming home one night from a party, a girl named Penny drove off of a cliff with 3 others in the car - her twin, Hobby, her boyfriend, Jake, and a friend, Demeter. It was impossible for it to have been an accident due to the speed, so why did she do it? Why would she kill herself and nearly kill all her passengers? The remainder of this book is spent trying to answer this question - what happened to Penny? What pushed her over the edge? As the book goes on, everyone's families are affected, and the characters dwell on how they may have caused the accident.
I wasn't a big fan of this book. It was good at times, boring at times, but mostly it was just okay. I found it interesting enough at first, but it quickly became tiring and repetitive. You're introduced to a bunch of characters and their thoughts and family life, their relationships to other characters in the book, and the effect the accident had on them. This was all fine and good, until things started going nowhere. The same information is given to us again and again in different ways, but nothing about their life really changes. There were also so many different characters who were in some way relevant to the story, so it was hard to keep track of.
Speaking of the characters, I didn't really like any of them. I could empathize with some of them and appreciate some of them, but didn't really feel that much about them. Despite the book having delved into their lives pretty well, something was missing. We were given lots of information but not enough emotion. As the book goes on and on, you wonder if the question of what happened and why will ever be answered. When I finally reached that conclusion, I felt baffled. That was what I was waiting for? It just wasn't enough.
Overall, this book had its ups and downs, but I think in all it was slightly below average. The book felt like it was running in the same spot for most of it. It would make it seem like stuff was happening, but it really wasn't at all. I found a lot of the characters annoying, and for the ones I didn't, they still weren't that enjoyable. While it wasn't a terrible read, I don't think I would recommend it.
July 27, 2012
"A warm June evening, a local tradition: the students of Nantucket High have gathered for a bonfire on the beach. But what begins as a graduation night celebration ends in tragedy after a horrible car crash leaves the driver of the car, Penny Alistair, dead, and her twin brother in a coma. The other passengers, Penny's boyfriend Jake and her friend Demeter, are physically unhurt - but the emotional damage is overwhelming, and questions linger about what happened before Penny took the wheel. As summer unfolds, startling truths are revealed about the survivors and their parents - secrets kept, promises broken, hearts betrayed. Elin Hilderbrand explores the power of community, family, and honesty, and proves that even from the ashes of sorrow, new love can still take flight.
I have read all Hilderbrand's books; however this one was more like Jodi Picoult's subject matter; very heavy and a bit morbid - troubled teens. Wish Elin would write about something other than Nantucket and venture out from this one setting for all her books. Not one of my favorites."
I have read all Hilderbrand's books; however this one was more like Jodi Picoult's subject matter; very heavy and a bit morbid - troubled teens. Wish Elin would write about something other than Nantucket and venture out from this one setting for all her books. Not one of my favorites."
August 28, 2012
I dislike books that hinge on a secret that is only being kept a secret as a way of moving forward the plot. Nothing will happen if someone finds out the secret. Sometimes, the secret is told to one character at the beginning of the book and they take drastic action, and then we are left to wonder what the secret could be for the entire book, only to find out it's just kind of a middling secret that is upsetting to the characters, but NOT TO THE READER. The secret must be upsetting to the reader as well.
This is one of those books. I actually liked great parts of it, but the secret story line was just really dumb. Now that I know what the secret is, I think the book would have been much better served by telling us the secret at the beginning and working through the fallout. The content of the secret is actually super interesting, though it is a dumb secret!
That's all.
This is one of those books. I actually liked great parts of it, but the secret story line was just really dumb. Now that I know what the secret is, I think the book would have been much better served by telling us the secret at the beginning and working through the fallout. The content of the secret is actually super interesting, though it is a dumb secret!
That's all.
July 25, 2019
This is the first Elin Hilderbrand book I've read and I enjoyed it very much. She really pulled me into the lives of these characters and made it very hard to put down until I was done reading.
June 27, 2013
This was the first book I've read by this author. The book centers around 3 families on Nantucket following a tragic suicide car wreck that killed one girl, left her brother in a coma, and the other 2 passengers unscathed.
The book is told through the eyes of the 4 teenagers in the car, as well as their parents, who are also friends. I felt the characters were developed enough, and I didn't mind the various points of view. However, I found them to all be quite unlikeable and it seems like none of them ever suffered any consequences for their actions, nor do they ever really grow or learn anything.
But the real problem with the book is there is no plot. Penny flips out and drives off a cliff with 3 others in the car. There were warning signs that she was depressed, but doing that takes an extreme level of mental illness. Most of the book you are wanting to know why Penny did it and what news she had just found out. I found the reasoning that set her off to be pretty unbelieveable. **Spoiler*** Certainly she might flip out upon hearing the news that her mother was sleeping with her boyfriend's married father, but really, driving off a cliff with 3 other people in the car? Not believeable.
I also was very annoyed with the liberal leaning tones of the book and the call about Obama.
The book is told through the eyes of the 4 teenagers in the car, as well as their parents, who are also friends. I felt the characters were developed enough, and I didn't mind the various points of view. However, I found them to all be quite unlikeable and it seems like none of them ever suffered any consequences for their actions, nor do they ever really grow or learn anything.
But the real problem with the book is there is no plot. Penny flips out and drives off a cliff with 3 others in the car. There were warning signs that she was depressed, but doing that takes an extreme level of mental illness. Most of the book you are wanting to know why Penny did it and what news she had just found out. I found the reasoning that set her off to be pretty unbelieveable. **Spoiler*** Certainly she might flip out upon hearing the news that her mother was sleeping with her boyfriend's married father, but really, driving off a cliff with 3 other people in the car? Not believeable.
I also was very annoyed with the liberal leaning tones of the book and the call about Obama.
July 31, 2015
So the title of this may be a bit misleading. This is definitely NOT "chick lit," or light reading, or fluff, or what I normally think of as "summer beach reading." This book captivated me from the very first chapter and kept me interested and held in suspense throughout its almost 400 pages. The characters are most certainly flawed, some of the issues are heavy, but there is an edge of hope throughout the book that kept me reading on. This was my first book by Elin Hilderbrand and now I have picked up several more. The cover of my book says something about "summer reading with heart," and I would have to agree. There is much hope and healing in this book.
February 18, 2024
This was a sad, moving tale not the light, feel good read the cover conveys. It‘s told in multi POVS about four teenage friends involved in an auto accident and the death of one of them. As the story unfolds you see how everyone is coping with the death and their parents learn a lot about themselves and their children. This book is fiction, but it makes you stop and think. It was hard to read this book at times as this is a lot of parents’ worst nightmare. Despite being slow at times with a jumping timelime, I liked my first Elin Hilderbrand book and plan to read more of her books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,279 reviews