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Summer Harbor: A Novel

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Returning with her teenage son to Hawke's Cove, where she spent her childhood summers and fell in love with old friend Grainger Egan, Kiley Harris wonders if she should admit to Grainger that she made a mistake when she left him for another man and that her son is also his child.

352 pages, Hardcover

First published July 27, 2003

2 people are currently reading
188 people want to read

About the author

Susan Wilson

22 books572 followers
Born in Providence, RI, raised in Middlefield (Rockfall) Connecticut. Post High School Education, Middlesex Community College, Middletown, CT and Eastern Connecticut State University, Willimantic, CT.
Married, two grown daughters and a granddaughter and two grandsons - plus four step grands.
Lives in Oak Bluffs, MA, on Martha's Vineyard.

Those are the stats. I am a novelist, ten published, one in progress. I frequently contribute to the on-line magazine, Stay Thirsty.

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Community Reviews

5 stars
47 (16%)
4 stars
96 (33%)
3 stars
113 (39%)
2 stars
22 (7%)
1 star
10 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
Profile Image for Angie Gazdziak.
276 reviews1 follower
August 10, 2018
Ugh. I asked the librarian for a recommendation. I said I disliked romance, sci-fi, and most fantasy. She suggested this, and it is not so subtly a romance novel. Characters are poorly developed and driven by one motivating factor. There is a "big reveal" regarding one character that you can figure out at the beginning. Everyone is hung up on "THAT SUMMER" and no one has moved on. Arrested development, much? Every character speaks exactly the same way, and they all have extensive vocabularies for people who are supposed to be young or "uneducated" or what have you.

It’s a quick read, but not one I’d recommend. If you like romance novels or books that don’t make you think, go right ahead.
761 reviews2 followers
May 23, 2021
Nineteen years ago Mack, Grainger and Kiley were the best of friends, sharing each summer at Hawk's Cove. Their closeness lead to hurt when both boys decided they were in love with Kiley. Now it's the present and Kiley's 18 year old (hmmm...) son wants to know who his father is and what drove his mother away from Hawk's Cove ever since?
1,508 reviews2 followers
June 19, 2022
I was a little disappointed in this book. This was one of those 'oh this happened and we will all go our own ways and never confront our feelings or finish things up' type of books. Some folks might just love it, and maybe in times gone by I would have as well. But it didn't have the depth I'd like to see in a really good novel, and the pace was pretty slow for my taste.
96 reviews
January 28, 2019
This story was slow moving and so predictable. I almost gave up on it, but scanned the last pages just to put an end to it.
1 review
April 22, 2021
great book for people who are always thinking about events that have happened in their childhood that they want to forget, but due to unforeseen circumstances can't.
Profile Image for Alyn.
332 reviews
November 13, 2007
story is about three childhood friends: mack, grainger and kiley. things changed the summer they grew up. she loved mack and grainger but each in a different way. one a lover and one a beloved. this love destroyed their friendship, she left the summer house never to come back, pregnant, without knowing the father of her child.

fast forward, eighteen years, Kiley goes back to sell the family summer house. Will, her son tries to open old wounds and stir up old memories....tries to find his father and put his feeling of longing to rest.

i won't spoil the story of telling you who will's father was, it is for you to find out.

a book of tragedy, love, guilt, friendship, family and a whole lot more.

Profile Image for Heidi.
188 reviews
February 18, 2009
This book was too cookie-cutter. You knew what was going to happen in the end at the beginning of the book. The conversations were weird and choppy and it took the first 150 pages to get thru one day and then 200 pages to finish up 3 more weeks. Also, the main character's son was way too tapped into his feelings. Ick.
Profile Image for Jodi.
424 reviews
August 3, 2011
What a heartwarming book of love, sadness, and redemption. It mixes kids coming of age with the adults they have become. It explores their mistakes, and how it shaped who they were. Another wonderful book by Susan Wilson.
Profile Image for Karen Benson.
580 reviews28 followers
January 4, 2008
A great beach read about three childhood friends and how their lives innertwined when the girl returns to the old family beach house after many years.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
142 reviews1 follower
May 23, 2012
It was predictable. I pretty much read it because I wanted a light read and this was it. I'm not big into books like this and wouldn't have been a pick of mine to read. I got it as a wedding gift.
82 reviews
October 1, 2008


An involved and rewarding story about friendship, love, family relationships and continuity.

Very nicely written with intense feelings.
928 reviews16 followers
February 28, 2009
Nothing spectacular. No surprises to keep your interest.

The ending had 3 options. I'm not sure if I would have chosen the book's ending, but, then again, maybe I would have.
460 reviews
February 4, 2012
Romantic little chick lit book. Easy read and nothing memorable but not sorry I read it.
Profile Image for Angela.
6 reviews2 followers
June 27, 2012
I thought it was pretty good. A little confusing at times when she did the memory recaps. But other than that a good book.
Profile Image for Vanessa.
3 reviews3 followers
January 10, 2013
This book reminds me of some Nick Sparks books , was a nice holiday read .
681 reviews8 followers
June 30, 2014
Very good book that shows you how to bury the past. Face it & life does go on. Recommend reading this
Profile Image for Aleksandra.
27 reviews
September 19, 2016
Waste of time, nothing new, nothing surprising. A lot of drama, cheesy drama to be honest. Everything was easy to predict and horribly impossible to happen in real life.
Profile Image for Star Merrill.
362 reviews1 follower
January 6, 2017
I was rooting for Grainger, not knowing what actually happened to Mack. Lots of Angst in this one. I wanted to brain the heroine.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews

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