The May House: A Novel

by Jillian Cantor

Three adult sisters inherit a beach house from their grandmother on the condition they return every May to spend one week together, earthing family secrets, unrequited love, and the deep bonds of sisterhood in this shimmering new novel from the USA TODAY bestselling author of The Fiction Writer and Beautiful Little Fools.

No matter what’s going on in the May sisters’ lives, the one thing they can rely upon is seeing each other for one week each year, while staying at their grandmother’s beachside home in gorgeous Coronado. As adults, Julia, Emily, and Nora aren’t particularly close, spread out across the country and busy with careers, relationships, and the minutia of life, but their promise to Grandma Vera keeps them anchored together, if only for one week every May.

One year Julia, the oldest and most dependable sister, doesn’t show. And suddenly Nora and Emily start to question how much they truly know about their sister’s life. Told in alternating points of view, spanning from their time together with Grandma Vera as kids into their adult lives, The May House explores how a decades-long family secret has unknowingly shaped each sister and, ultimately, how it brings them closer together.

Funny, poignant, and brimming with heart, The May House is an irresistible story about the special bond between sisters and figuring out what matters most in life, in all its ups and downs.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Adult

368 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication May 12, 2026

About the author

Jillian Cantor is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of fifteen novels for teens and adults, which have been chosen for LibraryReads, Indie Next, Amazon Best of the Month, and have been translated into 15 languages. Born and raised in a suburb of Philadelphia, Cantor currently lives in Arizona with her husband and two sons.

Reviews

[Christine M in Texas (stamperlady50) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The May House
By: Jillian Cantor
Pub Date: May 12, 2025
Publisher: Atria Books

If you have followed me any length of time you know I am a huge fan of Cantor and her books. I was elated to get approved for her latest book.

This novel follows three sisters who inherit a beach house from their grandmother. They grew up spending time at the beach house next door to a young man who looks forward to their visits every year.

Coronado is beautiful and they look forward to going to the beach house each year with their families even after their grandmother Vera’s health declined. Julia, Emily and Nora’s life’s change as they grown older as life happens, but they promise each other they will return to reconnect each year.
Told in alternating points of year and spanning their lives this novel will tug at your heart and really makes think and remember what is truly important in life. Always listen to your heart and be there for the ones you love.

Her writing is beautiful and this story is heartwarming. Be sure and read the author notes. Off to pre-order to add to the rest of my books by Cantor.

[Sue Fernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three sisters grow up without their mom, but their maternal grandma makes sure they have one week with her at her Coronado cottage.
When their grandma passes, she leaves the cottage to them, but with a condition: The girls must continue to meet one week at the end of May to carry on the tradition.
Time has a way of moving things forward, whether you want them to or not. Each one brings a bit of something to their dynamic...Julia, the oldest, is the glue. She makes sure it happens every year, complete with lists and a whole to do list.
One constant is their neighbor Nate.
One year Julia not only doesn't show up, but she seems to be missing. As they try to unravel where she might be, they realize that one week a year doesn't make for true close relationships.
This book was everything I'd hoped, and more. I read long into the night, and I'm paying for it today...but I highly recommend that you read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #TheMayHouse #JillianCantor #AtriaBooks

[Kate Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

The May House took me on such a journey, given that we see these three sisters facing life from early childhood up until their forties and early fifties. I picked up this novel expecting a story of sisterhood and a beloved beach home, and it definitely delivers on that promise, but it feels like the book offers so much more than that.

The way the author weaves in historical events and milestones throughout made it such a unique family saga. I felt for all three sisters as well as Grandma Vera and next-door neighbor Nate. I mourned with them over their familial losses and cheered for them to discover their own happiness.

No character in the story is faultless, but they’re trying, drawn together each May to the house left to them by their beloved grandmother. I enjoyed the way the timeline hopped around, taking us from the present day and back to various points in each sister’s life. It was an amazing forty-year journey that I didn’t want to put down.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC of this novel!

[Wendy Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Net Galley and Atria books for my advanced copy. I’ve loved all of Cantor’s books I’ve read so far and so happy to continue.
A quietly emotional, character-driven novel that explores grief, love, and the lasting impact of choice. Jillian Cantor weaves together the stories of Julia, Nora, and Emily through a well-balanced dual timeline that unfolds naturally and with purpose. Each woman feels distinct and fully realized, and the connections between their lives emerge with subtle emotional power. While the pacing slows slightly at times, the strong character development and thoughtful structure make this a rewarding and reflective read.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED THIS thanks @huddy

[Alicia Webster · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise was promising. But the execution faltered about two chapters in. This book reads less like a book, and more like a soap opera or a screen play for a movie-of-the-week. And there is nothing wrong with that, as soap operas have entertainment value and so do made-for-tv movies. So maybe if I had gone into reading this novel expecting fluff, I would not have been disappointed when that was what I found. As a reviewer, I have some rules that have to be met vis a vis fiction. If it is fantastical fiction that takes place on Planet Gorak, for example, then the rules are suspended. I can't have any expectations of either rhyme or reason in otherworldly realms. However, in stories that are meant to take place on planet earth, my inviolate rule is that at least one of the characters has to be likable OR so interesting that I am willing to make allowances for his or her tarnished moral compass. Unfortunately, neither qualification was met her. The three May sisters, their Grandmother Vera, their childhood friend, Nate, and every last one of their assorted friends and family members, were not people that I would wish to know, or interact with, in any capacity, in the real world. Or in the quasi-fictional world of Coronado, for that matter. This was not the book for me, alas, but those who like a light summer read a la Jackie Collins, or perhaps a Harlequin-style romance, might find that The May House works for them. **This ARC was provided to me by NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

[Sarah Pitcher-hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The May House was a lovely read; this story of the three May sisters and their annual tradition of meeting at their grandmother's house for a week in May certainly pulled at my heartstrings. Jillian Cantor did an excellent job developing all three May sisters - Julia, Nora, and Emily, as well as the character of Nate, the "guy next door." The story is told from their different viewpoints and jumps around in time so that you start with their most recent trip to the May House, where something is not quite right - don't want to give it away - and then go back in time to when they were younger and watch them grow up. If you have sisters, or really just siblings, and have laughed, cried, and yelled with and at them, you will love this story. One of the last lines will stay with me for a while: "Life is just seasons. You and I are going to walk into summer together, hand in hand." Go, get this book, spend a few days reading it, and enjoy! Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Madae · Rating 5 out of 5]

As children Julia, Emily, and Nora May spend a week each year in May with their Grandma Vera. The sisters live with their father in Chicago. Their mother passed away after giving birth to Nora. The girls are close with their maternal grandmother, Vera, and cherish the week they spend with her each year. The tradition continues as adults, though the sisters aren't close. The story is told from all three sisters' point of view and spans from childhood through 2019. The story alternates between the sisters individual lives and their week at the May House. One year, Julie, the oldest, organized Type A sister, fails to show up leading Emily and Beth to search for her. I was captivated by this story at the beginning and couldn't put this book down. The May House is a heartfelt story of how sibling relationships can be complicated, yet unbreakable.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books, for this ARC!

[Andrea K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have long been a fan of Jillian Cantor novels. The May House takes her writing to new levels of fabulous. Consider The May House equivalent to an Elin Hilderbrand or Mary Kay Andrews novel with a touch of Danielle Steel thrown in!

Cantor weaves a loving grandmother and father with three granddaughters/daughters and their subsequent lives from childhood to adulthood. Each character's path is both well thought out and surprising. The love affairs in the book are both magical and realistic with prose like "I'm tired of missing you."

Other quotes I loved, "Julia loved things that had neat beginnings and endings. Perfect bookends. She enjoyed the finality, the clarity, the completeness."

"When Nora felt stressed, she sometimes felt like she left her body and imagined her life as a scene."

Thank you Atria books for the early copy. All opinions and gushing are my own.

[Shawna Briseno · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is a sister? To the May girls, it’s someone who has always been there. Someone who has gone through the same devastation of losing your mother, your beloved grandmother, and eventually your father. Then a sister becomes the only blood family you have left. But even though they meet at the same time and place every year for their beach vacation, each sister is keeping secrets from the other. Out of shame, out of fear, out of self-doubt. Only when they’re completely honest with each other can their lives truly heal. Spanning the course of decades and told from alternating perspectives, this is a story of growing up and discovering your true self while nurturing your relationships with those you love.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would a great read in the summer, especially if you love books about sisters. There’s a dual timeline that goes from when the sisters are young to their ~50s. Each sister has their own romance and story, all different. In books with sisters, there is usually I like and one I dislike and I really disliked Nora. Having a long affair with a married man with a child and showing zero remorse? Trying to get with the first guy her sister loved and dated (when she was younger and older)? I liked her romance, but I couldn’t stand her. There is a lot of cheating in this.

My biggest issue is there was a lot going on, so some things never got explored. Otherwise, I had fun with this!

thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Lee Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story follows Julia, Emily, and Nora May who grow up spending one week every May with their Grandma Vera at the May House in Coronado. They look forward to every minute with Vera as their mother died while giving birth to Nora. Before her passing, Grandma Vera makes the sisters promise continue the tradition of spending that week together at the May House. In 2019 Julia does not show up for their annual week together. Told from each sister's perspective from childhood to 2019 the story weaves their lives and the secrets they keep from one another. This book explores the bonds of sibling relationships and a secret that will bring them closer together.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

[Lauria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The May House is a tender and sweet story between three sisters. I found myself enthralled by their journeys spanning across many years and felt like I was truly there for each phase. My only gripe (and maybe more of a personal note) reading this book in quick succession left my head spinning with all the year changes. I found myself getting confused on if we were back in time, or in present day and what had or hadn’t happened yet. Part of that felt scattered, but perhaps intentionally, as life is rarely a straight line.
#netgalley #ARC #review

[Sarah Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The May House
By Jillian Cantor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley & Atria Books for this eARC!

Julie, Emily, and Nora inherit a beach house in Coronado after agreeing with their Grandma Vera to return in May each year for a week, as they did as children, to be together. Told through different timelines, the story reflects on years past at Coronado up until present when one sister doesn’t arrive to the beach house on time. A beautiful story of sisterhood.

I really enjoyed this - I wish I’d been sitting in a beach chair listening to the waves while flipping through this one! The setting just made for the perfect beach read. I felt like I knew the whole family by the end - I felt each sister’s struggle and got to watch as they grew through the dual POV/timeline. It had a little taste of everything - romance, family ties, and a pretty giant twist!

The May House by Jillian Cantor will be published on May 12, 2026 by Atria Books!

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Atria Books for the early read on this wonderful book! I won this book here on Goodreads and have to say that makes me very lucky. This book is about the lives of 3 sisters and a trip they take together each year. I absolutely loved this story! I have 2 sisters and we do a yearly trip also and many parts made me think about that and our lives. This book will definitely give you the feels for your sisters and miss them more than you do. It also, gives you a look into the lives they are living when not together but didn't really share that with each other. Wonderful, heartfelt and will be on my bookshelf so I can read again at a later date!

[Julie]

I will read anything by Jillian Cantor,... I do that to alot of authors :)

It was nice, having sisters being there for each other at least once a year for a week. That is something that i wish i had, this family unity. Dont get me wrong, they dont share everything and could be more present for each other in their own ways but it all came down to a common goal.

I did not like the back and forth timeline. I had to go back to see what year i was in. It was really jumpy and confusing. But thing worked out.

Thank NetGalley for this ARC.

[Jamie Rutland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this book. My mother was one of 3 sisters and reading this story reminded me of them, all of whom have passed away.

The sisters' grandmother understood their less than enjoyable upbringing and made sure they came to May House to enjoy the summers. They now meet every year at the house to share details of their lives and come together as sisters. I love the details in the book and the emotions that come to the surface when this year is different than the others.

I recommend this book.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read The May House. This is a story of life & family and all the goods and bads that come along with that. Ms. Cantor writes characters so genuine, so deep and so well. The May House will grab your heart and not let go. Ms. Cantor is one of my favorite authors because she creates worlds, not just stories.

[Tam📖 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoy Jillian Cantor’s books and this is no exception! This is her first beach read book and would be perfect book to capture the summer season. I really enjoyed the three sisters! I had a feeling about the plot twist and I was correct! 👙🌊☀️⛱️🏖️

[Kaitlyn Vaden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only January and I've found a great one!!! Thank you to Goodreads and the author team for the book!! I got a bit involved and irritable towards the end because I was so invested but I ended up okay🤣. I absolutely LOVED the characters and their development and absolutely loved the descriptions of the area! Not too much, it let me imagine... Definitely a fan of this one.

[Alecia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was perfect for my rainy, cold weekend! Grab a coffee and a cozy blanket and get to reading!

Thank you to Jillian Cantor and Goodreads Giveaway for the early copy!

[Rachael Westbrook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read that would be perfect for the beach!

[Kindall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very close to being a 5 star read! I loved this book and even after reading it I am still thinking of the characters. This would be a perfect spring/summer read.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the ARC of the ARC.