Down with the Shipmans

by Meg Mitchell Moore

From the bestselling author of Mansion Beach, a summery drama following three sisters who return to their childhood home, each with their own secret, perfect for readers of Sandwich and Pineapple Street.

It’s the week after Fourth of July, and the Shipman sisters are returning to their picturesque summer home on the New Hampshire coast for what they believe is a family reunion, the first without their late mother. However, their tranquil setting quickly becomes a stage for drama when their father, Calvin, drops the bombshell news that he plans to sell the cherished beach house.

Mae, the youngest daughter, who has a newfound penchant for attracting trouble, is distraught, already dealing with her own emotional scars and a problematic rescue dog. Natalie, the middle sister and social media darling known for her seemingly idyllic life as a tradwife, is equally anxious, especially since her flawless public image is on the verge of imploding. Meanwhile, Jordan, the eldest, a high-powered crisis communications expert, is ready to be rid of the house so she can tend to her own professional disaster.

As old memories are stirred up and the sisters navigate both the packing of the house and their personal crises, the arrival of Calvin’s new wife pushes Jordan, Natalie, and Mae to decide how far they’re willing to go to preserve the Shipman bond.

A delicious summer read that explores the enduring power of family and sister connections, Down with the Shipmans is a humorous, heartfelt reminder that home is not a place, but the people who love you, no matter how imperfectly.

Genres: Fiction, Summer, Summer Reads, Contemporary, Family, Book Club, Adult

320 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication June 2, 2026

About the author

Meg Mitchell Moore is the author of eight novels. Her ninth, MANSION BEACH, will be published in May 2025. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and whichever of her three high school- and college-aged daughters is home, as well two golden retrievers who shed a lot and don't read at all.

Reviews

[Meagan (Meagansbookclub) · Rating 4 out of 5]

So fun! Throw this one in your beach bag!! Perfect for summer reading.

[Martina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the gifted ARC and Libro.fm for the gifted ALC!

This one was a solid summer read, full of family drama, beachy vibes, and easy to just throw on and listen to. I did this one immersively and the narrator did a really great job. It was easy to listen to and kept me engaged, which definitely helped.

My only struggle was the structure. The chapters were pretty long and with the multiple POVs switching, it took me a bit to keep track of who was who at times. Once I got into it more it was easier, but it did throw me off in the beginning.

I liked how it focused on grief and family relationships without feeling too heavy. It still had that lighter, summery feel while dealing with deeper topics, which I appreciated. Overall, this was a good mix of family drama and beach read. Not perfect, but still an enjoyable listen/read.

[Michelle San Antonio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to live next door to the Shipmans! I am in love with this family, these characters, and this story. The Shipman sisters return to their childhood beach house for what they think is a family reunion, only to find out that their father is planning to sell the house. Complicating things further is the arrival of their father’s new wife, who happens to have been their deceased mother’s hospice nurse, and whom the sisters have not exactly welcomed warmly into the family. Over the course of the week, the sisters – Jordan, Natalie, and Mae – try to come to terms with losing the house that holds so many cherished memories, while dealing with their own personal and relationship issues, and at the same time are forced to reckon with their grief over their mother’s loss, which has been brought into sharp focus with the impending house sale. There’s messy family drama, chaos, and secrets, but above all, there’s the strength of family bonds and sisterhood. A heartfelt and very emotionally satisfying summer read.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely adore this book. It was right up my alley!

If you are a fan of Elin Hilderbrand’s novels like I am, you will love this book no doubt.

I love a good family story, and I especially love it when it is set on a beach!

The setting was wonderful, which makes this the perfect summer read. I loved sitting outside in the sun with the gorgeous weather, reading about these people’s lives.

This story had so much heart. There was drama, sadness, sweet moments, funny moments, and lots of family bonding.

I don’t have sisters so I couldn’t completely relate to everything, especially because I never fight with my brother and these sisters definitely fought at times! But the family bonding and love was there!

Each character was so distinct and I enjoyed all of them. I liked Natalie the least, but only because I would never want her lifestyle, so I had a really hard time connecting with her. Her kids had personality to them and weren’t just there like so many other novels, which I appreciated. Mae was a cool character but kind of all over the place. I loved her love of dogs. Jordan spoke to me the most because I related to her so much being the eldest daughter. She is definitely more put together than me, but all of her other thoughts and worries were things that I have thought about too.

Even Calvin and Kara were really interesting characters. It was cool to see how they affected the plot.

Some things kind of ended abruptly or not everything was answered, but that is okay because that wasn’t the main part of the story to me. The point of it was the family learning to live with their grief and learning how to accept things that they may not be okay with.

Not that it ruined the book for me but one thing I didn’t like was Jordan and Simone reconnecting. Simone seemed like such a cool person and I am glad she could lend an ear to the family when they needed it, but I could not forgive her for the cheating, and I hated that even up until the end Simone acted like it was no big deal. It is a big deal. And some people may not be upset about it, but Jordan was and she should have respected that. I am glad it didn’t really go anywhere. I just didn’t think it needed to be in there. It would have been fine if they just mentioned Jordan’s ex Audrey and left it at that. The reason for them breaking up had more use to the plot than what Simone did. Especially if she never really felt sorry for doing it.

Otherwise I loved everything about this book! I will definitely read more by this author.

[Leisa Back Porch Pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨I have found the ideal beach read for 2026. This book is everything I want from a contemporary family drama, and it’s written with warmth, emotional honesty and so much heart. I was laughing out loud at some moments and reaching for my Kleenex the next.

✨At its core, this is a character-driven novel that explores sisterhood, grief, family dynamics, and parenthood in a way that feels genuine and grounded. The multiple points of view and sharp, clever dialogue kept me turning the pages. I truly couldn’t put this one down.

✨By the end, I did not want to say goodbye to the Shipmans. I just love them, and I’m ready to rent the beach house next door.

✨Be sure and grab this one for your beach bag. The nostalgic summer vibe is everything.

🌿Read if you like:
✨Summer coastal New England settings
✨Sisterhood stories
✨Family dynamics
✨Beach reads
✨Dogs 🐾

[Johnette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everything works out in the end. Maybe not the way you want or thought it would but eventually it will work out. This book does exactly that. I felt it was a little bland but it was a nice break from murder mysteries.

[Anna Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

After “Vacationland” became one of my favorite summer reads, when I saw Meg Mitchell Moore was coming out with another beachy New England story - not to mention one with three sisters, while I’m pregnant with my third daughter! - I couldn’t add it to my TBR fast enough. And it didn’t disappoint! I found myself addicted to the Shipman’s drama. Three millennial sisters coming together for a final beach weekend in their childhood vacation home, coming to terms with all that emotionally entails and still grieving their mother, it’s ripe for a spectrum of human emotions and dynamics. As I’ve come to find with Moore’s books, the beach may be the setting, but the story has too much heart to it to fall solely in the soggy paperback beach read category. In that way the story reminded me of Elin Hilderbrand’s work, and it didn’t surprise me to find via the acknowledgements that she was instrumental to Moore as a mentor. Kara, in particular, felt like a character Elin would have written - she’s not your usual “stepmom,” and it’s always fun to surprise the reader with a layered individual when you were expecting something totally different!

The big wins in this story: the sibling dynamics, the emotional range, the strength of family bonds and sisterhood, and the collision of different paths women take in life (the “trad wife,” the corporate girlie, the one who’s still on a journey to find herself). Bonus points for Natalie (the “trad wife”), as there is also a trad wife Natalie in “Yesteryear,” making a solid transition for a complimentary read! I digress. One of my favorite takeaways is this idea that even as close as you may be with your nuclear family, there are so many layers to the life of a parent or sibling, you never stop getting to know them even in later life stages. And I think that’s a really beautiful thing to unpack.

The stumbling points: for me the ending felt like a bit of a deus ex machina. Emotionally everything felt satisfying but I did trip over how abrupt it all felt, perhaps heavier foreshadowing earlier on could have helped.

At its core, though, I loved how distinct each of the sisters were, and I had a lot of fun picturing my girls as adults one day and dreaming up which characters they might each align with. It was fun to learn that Moore is a mom of three daughters as well! It’s a great summer read with a lot of heart, very worthy of your summer TBR!

[Lauren S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

the shipman sisters have been summoned back to their late mother's beach house by their father. no zooming in. no telephone calls. get yourself there on X date. it's like the holy grail of a family meeting. after their mother died two years ago, the sisters have been spread across the country doing their own thing while navigating their own grief. jordan, the oldest, is working as a crisis communications specialist in NYC. natalie, the middle sibling, is pushing her tradwife narrative on social media at the farm she owns with her husband. mae, the baby, seems to be floundering the hardest...can't make rent, works in the gig economy with zero stability, and is now living out of her car.

when they convene back in rye, NH, things are only going to get more difficult. spend seven days with the shipman family as they navigate new additions, differing opinions on major life choices, and opening up with honest accounts from the last two years. in the end, no one has their life together, after all!

i really enjoyed the NH seacoast setting for a nice change of scenery. i appreciate meg mitchell moore highlighting the coastal areas of new england in her works! i liked how the three sisters opened up to each other and then with other members of the family by the end of the book, particularly when it comes to their grief experiences. grief is not linear and the three sisters represented that really well. the plot line of the sale of the family home can easily be extrapolated to other things (big or small) that are not just houses...family cars, family vacation rental locations, the restaurant selection for dinner that night, who keeps grandma's diamond ring...everyone has their reasons why something should and should not happen. how do we reconcile that in real life?
i wasn't as much of a fan of the last 15% of the book as i was of the rest. there is an event that takes place that i thought was almost an "easy way out", which helped things tie up nicely. the likelihood of that in real life is so low, it was hard not to feel off about it after the rest of the book was quite raw and real.
overall, a great summer read for those who love a focus on coastal new england, family ties, sibling drama, work difficulties, and a cast of really cute kids!

thank you to william morrow for providing this book for review consideration via netgalley. all opinions are my own.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything is unraveling—grief, secrets, perfectly curated lives—and somehow this beach read had me staring off into space like… wow, okay, that hit a little too close to home. Down with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore pulled me right into a family dynamic that felt so real it almost felt like I shouldn’t be there. Published by William Morrow—huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted ARC.

This is one of those stories that sounds simple on paper—three sisters, Jordan, Natalie, and Mae, head back to their childhood beach house—but it’s really about everything they’ve been avoiding. Jordan is the oldest, the fixer, the one who has it together… until you realize she really doesn’t. Natalie’s built this beautiful, picture-perfect life online, but behind the scenes it’s a lot messier than she lets on. And Mae, the youngest, is just trying to figure life out while carrying more than she probably should be.

Then their dad casually drops the news that he’s selling the house. And not just any house—the house. The one tied to their mom, their childhood, all of it. And you can feel the shift immediately. It’s not loud or dramatic in a flashy way, but it’s heavy. Old tension, old grief, things left unsaid… it all starts bubbling up.

What I really loved is how natural everything felt. The conversations, the tension, even the little moments of humor—it all felt like real siblings who love each other but also know exactly how to push each other’s buttons. And the grief? It’s not overdone. It just… sits there, in the background, shaping everything in quiet ways.

“Home isn’t a place you keep—it’s the people you refuse to let go of.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆

If you like character-driven stories where it’s more about the people than the plot, this is absolutely your kind of read. It’s emotional without being overwhelming, messy in a very real way, and one of those books that kind of sneaks up on you.

I definitely found myself getting attached to these sisters—frustrated with them, rooting for them, all of it. And by the end, I wasn’t ready to leave their world.

So tell me—would you hold on to the house no matter what, or let it go and keep the memories instead?

#DownWithTheShipmans #MegMitchellMoore #NetGalley #BookReview #BeachRead #WomensFiction #FamilyDrama #SummerReads #Bookstagram #ARCReader #EmotionalReads #Sisterhood #CozyReads

[Renae · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ Down With The Shipman’s follows sisters Jordan, Natalie, and Mae as they continue to navigate the quiet, lingering grief of losing their mother two years prior. When their father abruptly summons them to their late mother’s beach house—insisting on their presence despite their separate, carefully constructed lives across the country—they arrive carrying not just luggage, but emotional distance and unresolved history.

Each sister is sharply drawn and distinct. Jordan, the eldest, thrives as a high-powered crisis manager in New York, accustomed to controlling chaos everywhere except within her own family. Natalie has reinvented herself as a viral internet personality, curating an idyllic farm life and capitalizing on the “TradWife” aesthetic, though cracks beneath the surface hint at deeper tensions. Mae, the youngest, drifts at the margins—penniless, recently homeless, and working as a dog trainer in Boulder—still searching for stability and a sense of belonging.

What none of them anticipate is their father’s announcement: he plans to sell the beach house, the last tangible piece of their mother. The decision lands like a betrayal, and suspicion quickly turns toward his new wife—their mother’s former hospice nurse—who becomes an easy focal point for their anger and grief.

At its core, the novel is an exploration of sisterhood in adulthood—how shared history can both bind and divide, and how grief evolves over time. Through alternating perspectives, the story skillfully weaves past and present, revealing long-held resentments, misunderstandings, and moments of tenderness that feel both authentic and earned.

While the pacing begins slowly, taking time to establish each sister’s world, it gradually gains momentum as tensions rise and emotional truths surface. By the end, the narrative settles into something warm and quietly satisfying, offering not neat resolution, but a sense of growth and reconnection.

Ultimately, Down With The Shipman’s is a reflective, character-driven summer read—one that balances lightness with emotional depth, and reminds us that family relationships, much like grief itself, are rarely simple but often worth the effort to mend.

Many thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC!

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Shipman girls, Jordan, Natalie, and Mae (now women in their late twenties and thirties), are summoned to the family’s New Hampshire beach house by their father, Calvin. No ifs, ands, or buts, Calvin wants everyone together for what the girls think will be a summer week of family bonding, the first time back since their mother’s passing two years prior. The daughters arrive not only with physical baggage but also emotional baggage, each dealing with their own personal situations, secrets, and possible major life changes while still grieving the loss of their mother. When they’re together, Calvin announces he is selling the house, and that sets off a chain reaction of anger, accusations, and fresh heartbreak.

This is the first book I’ve read by Meg Mitchell Moore, and I was immediately drawn in to the family dynamic (including how the “girls” deal with one another, as well as with their father and their father’s new wife, who was formerly their mother’s hospice nurse). I also really enjoyed the well-written and multi-dimensional characters, the beautifully described New England beach setting, the rapid fire and realistic dialogue, humor (thanks in large part to Natalie’s three children), and how each girl still deals with, and apparently never outgrows, the family dynamic of being “the eldest, the middle, and the baby.” I also liked how each family member, including Calvin, had dealt with, and continues to deal with, losing their wife and mother, a reminder that everyone grieves in their own way, and there’s no timeline or “how-to” guide.

However, for nearly three-quarters of the book, I found the three annoying and insufferable! I’m glad I stuck with it, because ultimately, what shone through was the love this family has for one another, especially when life keeps pummeling them. As Calvin says, “A house is just a structure. Family is not a structure. Family is people.” Like the “bones” of the home that had weathered so much, the bonds of this family still held. Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Samantha (WLABB) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calvin summoned the Shipman girls for a week of family bonding at the beach house. This would be their first time back since their mother's death. The first time back to HER house without her, and emotions flair when they discover this will be their last visit before their father puts the house on the market.

Once again, Meg Mitchell Moore takes me back to the beach with this emotionally satisfying story of a family navigating grief. It may have been two years since their mother's death, but the the wound of that loss was still wide open for every member of this family. Being back in this place they so closely identify with their mother was tough enough, but having to say goodbye to her house, and in essence, to her again, was a whole other challenge. In addition, each Shipman sister had a personal issue they were grappling with on their own. This resulted in a high level of emotions, but best of all, it brought the family closer as they shared their burdens and supported each other.

The drama unfolded at a perfect pace that pulled me in and never let go. I was so invested in each and every character's story and how it would be resolved. I had to keep flipping the pages! This story was told with so much charm, wit, warmth, and humor that I could not help but fall in love with this family.

Overall, I had an incredible time with the Shipmans as they said goodbye to a big part of their lives. They may have closed a chapter of their history, but this time together resulted in changes for everyone involved while bringing them closer to each other.

*ARC provided by publisher

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[Beth Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Calvin Shipman calls his three daughters to their summer home two years after their mother has passed away. When they get there, he tells them that he’s selling the house and they need to help get the house to market. The daughters are bitter that their father has recently remarried to their mother’s hospice nurse Kara. Will they put old resentments to rest and work together on the family project?

🩷 I thought the three sisters were created well and are very distinct from one another. Sure, they might be a bit trope-y with the oldest being an overachiever, the youngest being down on her luck without direction, and the middle sister being attention-seeking. But each is struggling with something a bit different, and they are relatable (but take this from someone who doesn’t have sisters).
🩷 The youngest sister Mae is a rescue dog trainer. I thought the dog training was well-incorporated into the novel, so much so that there are lots of tips if you’re training your own dog.
🩷 New Hampshire beach setting

⛔️ The middle sister Natalie is a tradwife influencer just like the main character Natalie in YESTERYEAR. I know it’s just a bizarre coincidence, but it makes me think these books have cross-pollinated in some way and that it’s the SAME Natalie from that book. (I did read YESTERYEAR three months ago. I didn’t think it would stick to me so strongly.)
⛔️ The father Calvin felt elusive to me and didn’t feel he had a strong arc.

I thought the sister characters were well-drawn, but this is a light, beach-y, mostly predictable read. Going into the epilogue, I thought I knew what was going to happen with the family house, so I was a bit surprised that it went in a different direction.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an Advance Reader Copy. My review is completely my own.

It publishes June 2, 2026.

[Loring · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt incredibly lucky to secure a pre-release copy of Down with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore. While some simplify Meg Mitchell Moore’s work as "beach reads," that label fails to capture the nuanced characters, engrossing plots, and wonderful character arcs she consistently produces. This story is a prime example of why she is a must-read for fans of contemporary family drama.

The plot follows the three Shipman sisters when they return to their family beach house on the New Hampshire coast—their first visit since their mother’s passing. What was meant to be a simple trip to see their father is upended when he reveals his plan to sell the home that defined their childhoods.

Naturally, the drama ensues quickly. The three sisters have distinct personalities, each hauling her own baggage and life complications into the shared space of the beach house. One sister is down on her luck, living in her car. Another is a public relations specialist in the depth of an ethical conundrum. The third is a tech executive turned trad wife on a Vermont dairy farm. While it took a few chapters for me to fully settle in with the characters, once the momentum built, I was hooked.

I found myself completely immersed, eventually staying up all night to see how the Shipman family dynamics would resolve. It was time (and lost sleep) well spent.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Alison T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jordan, Natalie and Mae are the three sisters of the Shipman family. They are summoned by their father to their New Hampshire beach home in Meg Mitchell Moore’s novel, Down with the Shipmans.
Each of the three sisters plays her role in the family by birth order. Each is still trying to process the loss of their mother who died two years prior. The sisters don’t live near each other, and you see troubling dynamics between them come to the surface when they begin to internalize the news that their dad is going to sell the beach home that has always been part of their family.
Moore’s novel is well-written. I liked the concept of this story, and there was plenty of family drama when the three grown sisters return home and come to terms with their father’s news. How the sisters relate to each other as adults with their own lives and responsibilities is the crux of this story.
Each of the three sisters’ characters was well-developed and I felt like I got to know each one. I did find that all the sisters were self-centered when their father was going through his own hard time. I am sure this was by the author’s design. I may have liked the book more if there was a little bit more empathy for the dad throughout the story. But overall, this is a good beach read.
3.5* rounded up to 4*
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This stunning family drama set on the New Hampshire beach follows three sisters summoned back to their familial summer beach house in NH by their father, with little details as to why. Jordan, the oldest and a crisis comms specialists from NYC, Natalie, the middle and a trad wife influencer from a cattle farm in VT, and Mae, the youngest and a gig economy employee between apartments in CO, make their way to the family beach house, where they had not been since their mother recently passed of cancer.

They learn that their father plans to sell the home, they are all irate. They are all also angry that their father invited his new much-younger wife, who also happens to be their mother’s hospice nurse. Each sister is also working through their own personal challenges, like dealing with a toxic boss, social media scandal and finding their way as an adult.

The individual story lines of the sisters were engaging as well as the unsettled familial drama around their mother’s passing and their father’s remarriage. The interactions between the sisters are so authentic. If Meg Mitchell Moore writes a sequel, I would be excited to read it!

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know summer is coming when Meg Mitchell Moore has a new release. She is firmly on my “beach bag” list, and Down with the Shipmans did not disappoint.
The story follows three sisters, Jordan, Natalie, and Mae, who are called back to their family beach house on the New Hampshire coast by their father. What they think is a simple reunion quickly turns into something much bigger when he announces he plans to sell the house that has been in their family for years. As they spend the week together packing up memories, each sister is also dealing with her own personal mess, and tensions rise even more with the presence of their father’s new wife.
I loved the relationship between the three sisters. It felt messy and real, but at the core there is still that bond that keeps pulling them back together. I also always love a beach setting, and this one delivered all the summer vibes.
This checks all the boxes for a great beach read. Family drama, secrets, a little humor, and just enough heart to balance it all out. It is the kind of book you can easily fly through while sitting by the water.
4 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

In “Down with the Shipmans,” three sisters, Jordan, Natalia and Mae, are summoned by their widowed father, Calvin, to the New Hampshire beach house owned by their late mother’s family. When they are all assembled at the house, Calvin announces to the sisters’ consternation that he is selling the house at the end of the week. In addition to this bomb shell and grappling with the death of their mother from cancer two years before, they are also dealing with a new stepmother, the hospice nurse who cared for their dying mother in her last months. Each sister also has their own private worries that are consuming them as they face the sale of their mother’s house.

With her usual blend of a beautiful beach locale, multi dimensional characters and realistic dialog, Meg Mitchell Moore plunges the reader into the middle of the sisters’ chaotic, messy lives, as they deal with their mutual and individual anxieties. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a character driven novel where the characters find their own inner strength with help from each other.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me an ARC of the book in exchange for my honest review.

[Tiffany Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Women's fiction/family drama set on the coast of New England in Rye, New Hampshire. Summoned back to their family summer home by their father, The Shipman sisters haven't spent any significant time here since their mother died a few years prior. Jordan, the eldest, practical and a problem solver, Natalie, always the middle, documenting her "tradwife" farm life family to the comments of millions on social media, and Mae, the baby at 29 years old, flailing through life and barely making it. When they learn why their dad has called them home, the problems and failures of their current lives seem to be compounded by the idea of losing something they hold so dear.

I liked it. The nostalgia of remembering your youth and what seemed to be simpler times compared to your current situation always makes for good reading. Sibling dynamics, family bonds, loss of a parent, aging of the remaining parent, second loves, and finding your footing when things get tough are all themes explored. The only thing I didn't love was not having the POV's separated a bit more. They all just kind of got lumped into each chapter which was divided by day in a week's stay.

[Christina Magulick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! It was the perfect weekend read - entertaining and instantly transporting you to summer at the beach (which was much appreciated during my read in the middle of winter!). The author does a brilliant job of developing characters through dialogue and multi-POV, with characters that were all different, but realistic in their challenges and their relationship (sometimes complicated) as sisters. She delicately demonstrated manifestation and impact of grief over the loss of their mother, as well as processing and working to move forward both as an individual and as a family. The structure of the book was easy to follow - broken naturally into sections by day of the week over a weeklong vacation, and made it easy to finish quickly. Readers that enjoy Elin Hilderbrand's style of writing will really enjoy the style of writing and setting of this book as well. Overall, a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read. I was fortunate to receive an ARC copy of this book through Ms. Mitchell Moore and NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

[A Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Down with the Shipmans is another fabulous summer/beach read by Meg Mitchell Moore. I absolutely loved this book. Moore's ability to write from the heart about family and relationships gets better with each new book.

The story follows the three Shipman sisters who reunite at their childhood summer home at the request of their father. Each is carrying their own baggage and turmoil. All are still mourning the death of their mother two years ago. When they learn the real reason for this summons, they lash out at each other. Each must take a step back and reevaluate the person they have become and learn to be the person they really want to be, for each other, but most importantly for themselves.

I really enjoyed each sister's different story and how different they were from each other. The is a deeply emotional story, with well depicted characters. Though the sisters weren't as close as they once were, the bond is still strong and the love is clear. If you love domestic fiction you will definitely want to read this.

Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for the advanced copy

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 sisters are called by their father. To come to their beach house on the East Coast. One last time, the sisters are spread out, each living their own life, it's a baby of the family is out of sorts living in colorado, the middle sister it's starting to build her social media empire. Running a dairy farm in new hampshire, and our older sister is a crisis handler in new york city- their father has called them to tell them their beloved beach house is being sold- they do not wanna let go because it was their mothers who passed away two years prior and they're still holding anger and resentment against their father.Because he remarried, and each sister is holding secrets.In dealing with things in their lives that they don't want to share .... This book is about family. It's about secrets, it's about grieving. It's about sharing, it's about not wanting to burden others. This is a really good book. I enjoyed it a lot. I think anybody who enjoy's a good family drama book will love this one

Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read and loved Meg Mitchell Moore’s Mansion Beach last year and was thrilled to get an early copy of Down With The Shipman’s. This is a family drama about three sisters who have lost their mother to cancer two years ago. Their father has remarried a much younger woman who was their mom’s hospice nurse. They are called to the family beach house in NH that was on their mom’s side for generations by their father and this follows their week there. Each sister is unique and dealing with her own struggles. I really enjoyed the character development in this book. Everyone was very human but you still rooted for them. The nuggets of wisdom were wonderful. The writing was just like Elin Hilderbrand’s. I also liked the way the book was formatted with each chapter being a day of their week together. This book wanted me to visit the NH sea coast! I think this will be a hit this summer! Many thanks to the publisher William
Morrow, author and netgalley for the eARC.

[Ali Bunke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Down With the Shipmans by Meg More is an entertaining story that feels just right for a summer read. It takes place at the family’s summer home on the New Hampshire coast, where a planned reunion quickly turns into a mix of tension and emotion. The Shipman sisters, Mae, Natalie, and Jordan, find out their father, Calvin, is planning to sell their beloved beach house, and each of them is already dealing with personal issues that rise to the surface once the news hits. The story blends humor with heartfelt moments as the sisters come together with their father, working through old grief over their mother’s death and the changes happening in their family. It’s a warm, satisfying read with distinct, well‑written characters and a nice balance of family drama, connection, and the reminder of how complicated and important the people in your life can be.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

[Janet Fiorentino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meg Mitchell Moore’s Down With the Shipmans is a sharp, heartfelt story about sisterhood, grief, and the messy business of figuring out who you are. When sisters Jordan, Natalie, and Mae are “summoned” to their family beach house by their father, Calvin, they learn he plans to sell it—the last remaining link to their late mother, Theresa. Each sister arrives carrying secrets she’d rather keep buried, and the weekend quickly becomes about much more than saying goodbye to a house.

Moore does what she does best: she creates vivid, unforgettable characters set against a stunning backdrop. While this may be labeled a “beach read,” it dives into deeper waters—exploring loss, homelessness, influencer culture, and identity at every stage of adulthood.

I can’t remember the last time I pulled an all-nighter to finish a book, but this one did it.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this evocative and engaging novel.

[Lethina Mirkovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d give Down with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore 4 stars. I really enjoyed this book—it pulled me in quickly and kept my attention the whole way through. The family dynamics were compelling, and I liked how each character added something unique to the story.

What stood out most to me was the storyline about the dad moving on after his wife’s death. It was handled in a thoughtful, realistic way and really made me stop and think about grief, loyalty, and what it means to move forward after such a loss. Those moments gave the book a lot of emotional depth.

At times, I found myself wanting just a bit more from certain relationships and character development, but overall, it was a strong and satisfying read.

If you enjoy character-driven stories that explore family, loss, and new beginnings, this one is definitely worth picking up when it’s released in June.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for the eARC.

[Lisa Hemming · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Seacoast of New Hampshire spans a mere 18.57 miles but it offers sun, sand and summer memories to tourists and residents alike. One of those families, the Shipmans, from Meg Mitchell Moore’s forthcoming novel, spent every summer at their home “Rye on the Rocks” which had been in their mother’s family forever. The visits became less frequent as the three sisters got older, and they all regretted not spending more time there. As their story opens, the sisters are summoned to “Rye on the Rocks" by their father who has something very important to talk to them about.

Jordan, Natalie and Mae Shipman, (in order by age) all brought their own drama to the beach along with unanswered phone calls, crying children and one, loveable dog. They had varying opinions when it came to the sale of the house because it represented the last connection they had to their late mother. Everything in the house reminded them of their mother or of an event they shared with her. It is very hard to part with treasures of the heart because never seeing them again is almost too much to bear. On top of going through the house, they ventured to the beach, lunched in Portsmouth, and had one wild night at a country & western bar that served very strong drinks. It didn’t matter how they tried to forget the inevitable, the sadness was still there, tearing them apart. What would their mother want them to do? She would be happy knowing they had loved her enough to gather on a beautiful summer day to reverently go through her collection of memories to see how much she loved them, too.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley, for this uncorrected eproof ARC of 'Down With The Shipmans' by Meg Mitchell Moore - expected release date of 06/02/2026

ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've read most of Moore's books and have always enjoy them. She's known for chick lit, beach reads full of family drama. This book also fits that bill. Her writing is solid with strong characters and typically, interesting storylines. While nothing was wrong with this book in particular I felt that the storyline was safe, similar to others I've read...Semi-estranged family finally gets together, reveals cause strife, there's drama with big emotions/feelings involved, some family members are getting along, some aren't, then something unexpected happens to bring them happily together again in the end.

[Katy O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

(free review copy) I am dedicated to reading every single book that MMM writes, and was really happy with this story of sisters and a beach house and a new-to-me beach town in NEW HAMPSHIRE! I don't think I've ever read a summery beach story set in NH! I really loved the sister dynamics and the trad wife storyline, as well as the rich family dynamics and history in their beach house. It breaks my heart to read stories of families losing their vacation gathering place or family home, but Moore did a great job of ensuring this part of the story was robust and nuanced.

If you like your summery stories with a little melancholy and family drama, definitely give this one a shot!

Note: this novel includes a grief (loss of mother in the past) storyline

Source: free digital review copy via Edelweiss

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Down With the Shipmans is the kind of book that pulls you in from the first page and doesn't let go. Meg Mitchell Moore has crafted a story that is genuinely fun to read: witty, warm, and surprisingly moving. One of the novel's greatest strengths is its cast of characters. Each one feels fully realized and distinct, and I found myself equally invested in all of them, which is no small feat. Moore has a real gift for making her characters feel like people you know, or wish you did. The multiple storylines are where the book truly shines. Moore weaves them together with a deft hand, and there's a satisfying pleasure in watching the threads connect, and it never feels forced or contrived. If you're looking for a book that's as clever as it is entertaining, Down With the Shipmans absolutely delivers. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.