Down with the Shipmans

by Meg Mitchell Moore

“Meg Mitchell Moore is my own go-to for beach reading, and Down With the Shipmans is a pure delight. It’s a family drama with three sisters, some very charismatic dogs, and a glorious setting. What sets Meg’s books apart is her writing. It’s quick-witted and self-aware and filled with specificity in all the best ways. I’m very picky with what I recommend, especially in this genre. I promise you will LOVE this—and all of Meg’s other books as well.” —Elin Hilderbrand

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, Audiobook, Family, Beach Reads

317 pages, Kindle Edition

First published 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

[Brady Lockerby · Rating 3 out of 5]

the shipman sisters are back at their family beach house for a week in the summer while navigating the loss of their mom, potentially losing the house that means so much to them, and all of the stress of their personal lives. cute & quick summer read! listened on audio and helped me knock out all of my sunday chores 🕺

[Teres · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was hoping this could replace my annual summer beach read now that Elin Hilderbrand has stepped away from her Nantucket series.

Yeah, no.

Someone recently suggested I give Kristy Woodson Harvey's Southern coastal series a try. Any other suggestions, friends?

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

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

[JanB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished this weeks ago, I enjoyed it quite a bit, but I’m very behind in reviews
RTC

[Adi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun beach read for me!!! If you grew up with sisters I think you'll find this as relatable as l did. Loved the little New England Easter eggs (the Kowloon mention IYKYK), the summer vibes, the chaotic family energy!. And the audio was great too!!

Thank you to William Morrow for the gifted copy and Libro.fm for the gifted audiobook!

[Shantha (ShanthasBookEra) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mae, Natalie, and Jordan Shipman return to their summer beach house on the coast of New Hampshire for a week following the Fourth of July. They are shocked when their newly remarried father announces he is selling the beach house.

This is the perfect summertime family drama and believe me, these sisters spill the tea! This contemporary fiction does have a bit of humor but is more family saga than "beach read". I think it is perfect for those who want a summer read set on the beach that explores a few themes other than romance.

The audiobook performance by Eva Kaminsky is perfect and she brings all the juicy summer vacation drama to life.

Many thanks to Libro.fm and Meg Mitchell Moore for the gifted advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.

[Courtney Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

[3.5☆]

Ever since Elin Hilderbrand exited the summer circuit, there’s been a Nantucket sized hole in my summer TBR and heart. Thankfully, Meg Mitchell Moore tends to help fill it with her own beachy domestic stories, and 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗽𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀 is a prime example of that!

The Shipman sisters –Mae, Natalie, and Jordan– are on their way to reunite at their family’s beloved summer home. Each sister is facing her own life crises in adulthood. All are still grieving the loss of their matriarch from a few years earlier. Harboring conflicted feelings over the father’s recent remarriage (to their mother’s younger caretaker, no less), emotions and tensions rise even higher at their father’s news upon arrival.

Moore captures the beauty of a home that’s held so many precious memories for a family as well as the reminder that home is more than just a house; it’s the people around you who love you unconditionally. The Shipman family are a delightful representation of the messiness and endurance of family.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗽𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀 is what I look for in a summer read: beachy, funny, and entertaining with charming characters and a heartfelt story.


🎙️ Eva Kaminsky gives an excellent solo performance. She adeptly shifts from character to character while expressing the nuances and emotions with vivid clarity.

✨ Thank you to Libro FM for the ALC!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filled with family drama, it's a wonderful story of the bonds of sisters. Along with dealing with the grief of losing their mother, they are also coming to terms with the potential sale of the family beach house that holds so many fond memories. Ultimately, though, they each recognize that supporting their father and one another is what's most important.

[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.

[sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

✨ Rating: 3.5⭐️
🫧 Vibes: one last hurrah
🎶 Song: hold my hand - lady gaga
📚 Would I recommend? sure, why not!
💬 tldr thoughts: a decent read but nothing to rave about

In the package:
📦 family drama
📦 secrets
📦 grief and healing

Plot: The Shipmans' sisters return to their New Hampshire coast cottage for what they think is a family reunion but turns out their father is planning to sell the cottage. As old memories are stirred up and the sisters navigate both the packing of the house and their personal crises, they are reminded that home is not a place, but the people who love you.

Thoughts: This was a messy family drama book! I had a good time reading it but it wasn't anything incredible. The characters are flawed and I didn't really enjoy how much lying everyone was doing. I did think the ending was sweet and this is a pretty decent summer read if you're looking to expand your summer tbr! It's a quick and easy read.

Thank you William Morrow for the physical copy!

✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s something about a big messy family drama set in a dreamy coastal summer house that just works every single time for me, and Down with the Shipmans absolutely delivered. This was the kind of summer read that feels tailor made for poolside afternoons — entertaining, emotional, funny, layered, and full of complicated family dynamics that keep you completely invested. The New Hampshire beach house setting was perfect, giving the story that nostalgic, windswept coastal energy that makes you want to pack a tote bag and disappear to the shore for a week. It’s warm and readable in the best way, but it also has real emotional depth underneath all the family chaos.

What I loved most was how relatable the Shipman sisters felt. Since they’re all in such different stages of life, there’s truly something here for every reader to connect with. The story balances grief, humor, resentment, love, and sisterhood so naturally, especially as the family continues navigating the loss of their mother while dealing with the possible sale of the house that holds so many memories. Each sister brings her own baggage, struggles, and perspective to the story, which made the family dynamic feel rich and authentic rather than one note.

Meg Mitchell Moore does such a great job writing character driven stories that still feel incredibly bingeable. This has the heart and emotional weight of a deeper family drama while still being the exact kind of compulsively readable beach read you want during summer. If you love stories about sisters, complicated relationships, family tension, personal reinvention, and emotionally messy but lovable characters, this one is absolutely worth adding to your summer TBR.

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars - It was fine. A bit unoriginal and there wasn't a lot that made me invested in their family.

[Mikaela Lennberg (lennberglibrary) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to this all in one go on a road trip. It was a fun entertaining read that made my drive go by quickly. Was surprised a trad wife influencer was involved. Why is that the book theme for 2026 😅 also the first day of the book was July 5th so it felt like a very well timed read. It also kept reminding me of the summer I turned pretty with them trying to save the beach house. 😆

[KellyJ1028 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this book blind & I'm so glad I did. It's not your typical summer romance but it's so much better. It's about family, relationships, death of a parent, and the messiness of life. If you get a chance to read this one- do it!

[Kelly's Bookish World · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

Down With the Shipmans is my first read from author Meg Mitchell Moore. I listened to the ALC and Eva Kaminsky did a good job of narrating all of the characters.

Synopsis:
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.

Overall I ended up enjoying the book, but two of the sisters weren't very empathetic towards their father for moving on with his life. None of them were nice about the sale of the house. This made it hard for me to root for them. Thankfully there was some overall growth in the characters as they reconnected with each other and processed their grief. The children and the dogs brought some laughter and fun to the book and the New Hampshire beach setting was divine.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced digital copy of the audiobook.

[Mostly Bookish Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐

​Summer reading is really taking off for me, and Down With The Shipmans continues that momentum perfectly.

​In this novel, the three Shipman sisters are summoned back to their family beach house on the New Hampshire coast. Mae, Natalie, and Jordan are not only spread across the country, but all of them are at personal crossroads and dealing with very different states of mind. As they pack up the house, we peel back the layers of their familial relationships and discover the underlying tensions of why they are all back together. For anyone who has dealt with the death of a parent, the emotional core of this story will be deeply relatable.

​While I struggled slightly to get the character depth for each individual sister that I was looking for, the overall pacing and the story itself were incredibly enjoyable. Meg Mitchell Moore delivers a witty, emotional, and breezy domestic drama. This would make a perfect beach read! I will definitely continue to read whatever this author writes.

[Bridget · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent summer read, but probably my least favorite book from this author. In a head to head comparison of summer beach / sister stories, The May House (also released this year) was better.

[Angie Miale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely devoured this book. And when I say I read it in one sitting, I mean I literally sat down on the couch, opened to page one, and did not move until I reached the final page.

Set around a beloved beach house in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, this story follows the three Shipman sisters as they return home at their father’s request two years after the loss of their mother. Their grief looks different for each of them, and their family dynamics get even more complicated when their father introduces his much younger new wife.

What I loved most is that this is technically a family drama, but it never feels heavy or mean-spirited. Meg Mitchell Moore somehow takes grief, complicated family relationships, and big life transitions and turns them into something warm, funny, and incredibly comforting. The dialogue is sharp, the characters feel wonderfully real, and every relationship feels authentic.

Jordan, Natalie, and May are all so different, but I found myself invested in each of their stories. As an only child, I’ve always been fascinated by adult sibling relationships, and this book captures all the love, frustration, loyalty, and history that comes with them. The family beach house becomes almost a character itself—a symbol of everything they’re trying to hold onto and everything they’re afraid to lose.

And can we talk about the dogs? 🐶❤️ Because Leo and Cinnamon completely stole my heart.

This is one of those books that feels like summer in novel form: beach houses, family secrets, witty banter, lovable characters, and just enough emotional depth to make it stick with you after the final page.

If you’re already counting down the days until your next Elin Hilderbrand beach read or love the heart and humor of Annabel Monaghan, put this one on your list immediately.

☀️ QOTD: If your family had a vacation home full of memories, would you want to keep it forever or sell it and move on?

I think this one has major “throw it in your beach bag and lose an afternoon” energy. 🌊📚🐾

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5)

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

DONE/DNF:
I got to page 60ish and couldn't keep reading. I'm starting to think these beach reads are not for me. It started OK. The youngest, Mae, is a bit funny. I'm thinking a cozy family weekend. Something about this...I couldn't connect to the characters...they didn't feel real to me. Plus, the middle child was a tradwife named Natalie and I just read Yesteryear with a tradwife named Natalie. GRR! I was bored...like OK? Your losing your second home OH NOOO. IDK. It wasn't terrible. The writing was OK. I just didn't care. Next!

MY INITIAL ASSESSMENT:
Yes: A book I borrowed from the library to try before I buy (tired buying hundreds books and hating half)

I read first ch or more -first 10-100 pages skim around at times. I read many of my GR friend’s reviews. This is what I did and didn’t like:

but borrow
I like this book and want to read it but i do not want to buy the physical book I will either borrow it again from library or get it on kindle/audible

Very nice cover & I love WMP

This reads like an easy beachy family drama! I’m going to just borrow it though from my library.

This

[Beth Given · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shipman sisters have gone their separate ways: the oldest, Jordan, lives in the city with a demanding job; Natalie is a married mother working a dairy farm, a social media darling; and May has moved out west but is struggling financially after a breakup. When their dad Calvin invites them to spend a week in their New England summer beach house, they gather for the first time since their mom's funeral.

Well this was delightful! I loved this character-driven novel and the ways these sisters interacted with one another. Even though this book's major theme is the grief of losing the matriarch of the family, the tone was breezy; it was such a good representation of the way the death of a parent can change us and yet how we keep growing and rebuilding. I laughed out loud a few times (the goofy coffee mugs never got old!); this book had both humor and heart. These sisters felt real to me and I'm a little sad to leave them behind.

The perfect summer read! I'm going to have to check out more by this author; I loved her writing!


LGBTQ representation: one sister is lesbian

Little profanity (but not none).
No spice.


Thanks to libro.fm for the ALC!

[Elisa Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Down with the Shipmans is the kind of family drama that feels made for a beach chair.

When the three Shipman sisters return to their beloved New Hampshire summer home, they expect a family reunion. Instead, their father announces plans to sell the beach house that has long been the center of their family history. As old wounds resurface and each sister faces her own secrets and personal challenges, the week becomes a heartfelt exploration of family, change, and what truly makes a place feel like home.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The family dynamics felt authentic, the coastal setting was easy to sink into, and the story delivered the perfect blend of humor, heart, and summer drama. Fans of Elin Hilderbrand and character-driven beach reads will find a lot to love here.

I both read and listened to Down with the Shipmans, and I thought the audiobook was a great complement to the story. The narration helped bring each sister’s personality to life and made it easy to stay invested in their individual journeys. One note for fellow tandem readers: the chapters are fairly long, so it wasn’t always the easiest book to switch back and forth between audio and print, but I enjoyed both formats.

Thank you to William Morrow and Libro.fm for the gifted copies.

[Brandice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Down With the Shipmans is a family drama where three adult sisters are summoned by their father, Calvin, to the family beach house in New Hampshire for a week. Upon arriving, they find out he’s selling the house soon and his new wife, Kara, will be joining them shortly.

The Shipman sisters, Jordan, Natalie, and Mae, couldn’t be more different from each other. They’re all dealing with their own challenges, at work and in their homes, and grieving the loss of their mom. They have mixed feelings about the sale of the house and about Kara.

I really enjoyed Down With the Shipmans which delivers a great blend of summer, beach vibes and family drama. Each sister brought a different perspective and I liked them, along with Calvin. I appreciated the ending of this story too.

[Haley Sparks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meg Mitchell Moore is usually a pretty stable and solid summer author for me. Her books are beachy and frothy and fun and usually set in/around New Hampshire, which I love as someone who was born and raised there.

Unfortunately, this one just did not work for me. I was not invested in the storyline, could not get myself to care about the characters, and kept waiting for something to “happen.” Usually her books really entertain me, but this one never captured my attention and when this was over, I was like, …that’s it? In theory the story is good, but in execution, I was just bored. I’ll definitely keep reading her work though!

Also, if I had a nickel for every time I read a book this year about a tradwife influencer named Natalie, I'd have two nickels. Which isn’t much but weird that it’s happened twice.

[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.

[Shannon (The Book Club Mom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can always rely on Meg Mitchell Moore for a fun, and easy, breezy summer read time and time again. I’ve read a good handful of her novels, and her latest, DOWN WITH THE SHIPMANS just might be one of my very faves. Check out this quick synopsis:

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.

I will admit that it took me a little bit to get into this one and get the sisters straight, but once I figured them all out, I was hooked. This novel has the perfect blend of drama, humor, family dynamics, and summer vibes. I loved getting to know these sisters, their individual struggles and predicaments, along with how they all come together as a family unit in the end.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Family drama and dynamics
- Sisterhood and sibling relationships
- New Hampshire coast setting
- Beach town vibes
- Reflections on loss and grief
- Flawed and realistic characters
- Witty banter and sharp dialogue
- Father-daughter relationships

Overall, I found DOWN WITH THE SHIPMANS quite entertaining and heartfelt. If you’ve enjoyed the author’s work in the past, I think you’ll appreciate this one as well. It’s available now and it gets 4/5 stars from me! Throw it in your beach bag ASAP!

[Carly Howe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Down with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore follows the three Shipman sisters as they gather at their beloved family beach house for one last time. Their dad announces he is going to sell the beach house and the story sifts through the emotions of a week of the process of getting ready for this sale. The sisters all lead complicated lives individually and the family has a complicated interpersonal dynamic as well. This story is well written and the characters are well developed. One of the sisters is fostering a dog, Leo, who I fell in love with. I enjoyed this story and was happy it came to a satisfactory conclusion. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

[Amy Brown (amylikestoreadalot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author writes fun beach books-set on real beaches, and this one, set on the Nee Hampshire coast, deals with family drama when their father requests the three Shipman daughters come visit together at the family beach house. Sisterly bonds, beach time, trad wives, lovable dogs, grief over losing a parent, this book packs a lot in and it works well. Enjoyed.

[Jaymie Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice summertime family drama, filled with themes of forgiveness, loss, and rebuilding. This is a perfect example of a house being a "home" and how important home is to family. It read like a movie, and kept me hooked throughout. Thank you William Morrow for the chance to read this story in exchange for my thoughts!

[Christine Savukinas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love summer beach reads! Living in New England, summer is much too short. I start reading beach reads early in the spring g to make summer feel longer - it works for me!
Meg Mitchell Moore is one of the authors I always look forward to reading in the spring/summer. Her books are always about families near or in coastal towns and they are very readable! In this one three sisters come home to their family beach house on Rye, NH at the request of their fairly recently widowed father. There’s some drama and some family bonding. I really enjoyed it!
Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow Publishing for the digital ARC!

[Melissa Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75