Salzige Sommerküsse: Verliebt auf Nantucket

Nantucket #1

by Leila Howland

SOMMER, SAND UND SALZIGE KÜSSE

Am Strand in Jay Logans Armen – für Cricket hätte es der perfekte Sommer werden sollen. Aber als ihre beste Freundin sie vom Familienurlaub auslädt, zerplatzt Crickets Traum. Anstatt mit ihren Freunden auf Partys zu gehen, heuert sie als Zimmermädchen in einer Pension an. Doch letztlich sind es die völlig unerwarteten Dinge – allem voran eine verbotene Liebe und ein lang gehütetes Geheimnis – die diesen Sommer unvergesslich machen.

Ich sah auf, er war so nah. "Du bist so...", flüsterte er mir ins Ohr. Ich schloss die Augen. Seine Wimpern strichen wie Schmetterlinge über meine Haut. "So was?" Mein Herz hämmerte wie verrückt. Er schien den Satz nicht mit Worten beenden zu können. Stattdessen zog der die nassen Ruder ins Boot, schlang seine Arme um mich und küsste mich wieder.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Summer, Fiction, Summer Reads, Realistic Fiction

341 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 7, 2013

About the author

Leila Howland grew up in Providence, Rhode Island. A graduate of Georgetown University, Leila spent five years acting in New York where she was a company member of the award-winning Flea Theater in Tribeca. She is the author of the YA novels Nantucket Blue, for which she was named a Publisher’s Weekly Flying Start author, Nantucket Red, and Hello, Sunshine, as well as the Silver Sisters middle grade series and the upcoming Rapunzel and the Lost Lagoon. Leila now lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nantucket Blue was more than I was expecting. I looked at that amazing cover and thought: light summer read, fun and flirty romance, lazy days at the beach. Sign me up! This was more. It was a story about defining your identity, best friends, family, loss, and first loves.

Cricket Thompson has been best friends with Jules since eighth grade. Cricket loves Jules and her family almost in a hero worship sort of way. So when tragedy strikes Jules’ family, Cricket wants to be there with her, comforting and consoling her. Cricket’s plan of spending the summer with Jules in their vacation home in Nantucket is upset by this tragedy, but Cricket doesn’t give up. The thought of spending the summer home alone with her mother, and away from Jules is more than she can take, so she makes her own way out there, taking a job as a chamber maid to do so.

This summer is shaping up to be completely different from what Cricket expected, because Jules is less than thrilled with Cricket’s appearance. Lonely from Jules’ rejection, Cricket finds solace in Jules’ younger brother, Zack, spending more and more time with him. Their mutual attraction leaves Cricket breathless and excited unlike any other boy before, but it also stirs up feelings of guilt over what Jules would think. Cricket is sure she would disapprove.

I didn’t expect to love this story as much as I did. I connected with Cricket right off the bat so her journey felt completely personal to me. I was so ticked off with Jules’ treatment of Cricket, I COULDN’T STAND HER!! I don’t care if she suffered loss, I don’t think that gave her license to be such a colossal witch!! But at the same time I’m almost glad that Jules treated Cricket the way she did. This forced her to wake up and realize she held value and merit all on her own, without Jules. She made new friends, spent time alone with Zack, got insight on her mother, and landed an internship; all things that probably wouldn’t have happened had she stayed friends with Jules. I do think Jules got off pretty lightly, but I don’t think things would’ve ever been the same between those two, even if Jules was more repentant. Sometimes it’s better to cut your losses and move on.

Now onto the romance! Cricket crushes on one boy in the beginning, but things in life never go according to plan. Zack is someone Cricket knows really well, but the attraction when it clicked took her by surprise. It’s not something she would’ve chosen, because he’s younger than her, but this worked!! I loved it when she’d realized that Zack was flirting with her or when he sent her heart racing just by looking at him! The romance left me warm and zinging along. Just lovely! *sigh*

The boat drifted and his hands did, too, back to my legs, up my arms and neck. We kissed. We drifted and kissed and drifted and kissed as the sky flashed and clapped and bloomed and broke.*

There was a little bit of an unfolding mystery with Cricket’s mother’s past. Discovering that her mother was an actual teenager with desires and thoughts much like hers had Cricket cringing and yet captivated at the same time. It had me cracking up! I have to give a “thumbs down” to Cricket’s father. Some definite groveling is in order, and I certainly don’t think Cricket owes any apology to him!

I’m impressed with Leila Howard’s debut novel! Her prose was beautiful and touching without being overly flowery. Her characters felt real and relatable, and I could almost taste the salt air of Nantucket, right along with Cricket, from her descriptions. I’ll definitely be on the watch for her next novel!

*Quotes taken from an uncorrected proof and may change in the final copy.

A copy was provided by Disney Hyperion in exchange for an honest review.

You can read this review and more at The Readers Den.

[Arlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leila Howland’s debut novel Nantucket Blue is a perfect summer read that will likely be a hit for YA contemporary readers and fans of such author as Sarah Dessen and Stephanie Perkins. I enjoyed this light and full-of-heart story that was filled with lifelong experiences and lasting friendships. Having read it from cover to cover in two short days, it was clearly a book that resonated with my taste because of the relatable characters and solid writing.

Cricket Thompson is a star athlete on the lacrosse team for Rosewood School for Girls. She’s done a great job of staying in the safe zone of the social ladder by working hard, making conservative moves, and not calling negative attention to herself. Everyone knows the perils of high school where one mistake can be your demise. So when school lets out and the opportunity to spend the summer in Nantucket slips through her fingers after tragedy strikes her best friend’s family, she take matters into her owns hands and lands a job cleaning rooms in a Nantucket Hotel as a means for making her way to this perfect summer hot spot. While in Nantucket, Cricket makes a few mistakes that jeopardize some of her friendships and threatens to taint her reputation. Realizing that the perfect Nantucket summer is not quite her reality, she must face her mistakes and make the most of her experience.

Overall I have to say that I really came to like Cricket. I admired her tenacity of taking matters into her own hands and not letting opportunities pass her by. She made some harsh mistakes, but overall, I admired how she handled herself throughout the book. There were some unresolved issues where her father was concerned and a small part of me wanted to see some closure or resolution there. However, I feel Howland handled this part of the story perfectly because it showed that you can’t resolve everything in a few short summer months.

I also enjoyed the Emily Dickenson journal entries that Cricket’s mom wrote in the book. Those were hilarious!! It really shared a whole other side of Cricket’s mom, which I loved. I just can’t imagine reading about my mom’s crushes and firsts. I would absolutely crawl into my own skin, so to experience that vicariously through Cricket was both funny as hell and cringe-worthy in the best way possible.

As far as the romance of the book, I enjoyed it because it was steady and believable. What made it heartfelt was whom Cricket ended up falling for, which was the highly unlikely choice but in the end proved to be a perfect match for her. Zack complimented Cricket’s character in the best way possible. I loved his character a ton. I appreciated how he handled his “forbidden” relationship with Cricket being the younger brother of her best friend. I rooted them on from the beginning and I applauded the way they handled their relationship. Zack was extremely mature for his age, and it clearly showed with how he handled the tragedy that occurred in his family. I wanted their relationship to work out because there was a strong sense of friendship holding it together. Well done!

Cricket’s best friend Jules really surprised me. I wanted to excuse her awful behavior toward Cricket based on the fact that the girl lost her mom, but no. In the end, I concluded that Jules was just downright mean and vicious. It got to a point where I wanted Cricket to accept the fact that she needed to move on where her bestie was concerned. Jules did not deserve the friendship that Cricket so badly wanted to offer. Walking away was the best option and I wanted Cricket to come to terms with that.

Overall, this is a book about friendship, family and hard life lessons. It shares insight into growing up and learning to cope with your mistakes all the while trying to handle them with grace. With a wonderful Nantucket backdrop, Howland’s debut novel is a perfect summer read.

[Danny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read full Review at Bewitched Bookworms

Summer in Nantucket

Cricket was excited when her best friend Jules invited her to spend the summer with her family. But when tragedy comes to Jules family, Cricked is not welcome anymore. But Cricked dreamed about Nantucket for so long that she’s determined to stay there on her own!

This summer turns out to be completely different!



Cricket – my girl with the beautiful heart!

I loved loved LOOOOVED Cricket! She was beautifully real and such an incredible genuine character. When Jules her best friends turns away from away because she s full of grief, Cricket is not giving up on her even though Jules hurts he badly. But Cricket is just a wonderful soft hearted and loyal friend that I fell deeply in love with her.

Even more, Cricket finds herself in some awkward moments, but all those moments just felt so real, like it could have been us not having always the perfect retort or behaving utterly girls and then being embarrassed afterwards.



Family, Friendship and Romance

Nantucket Blue had the perfect combination of family, friendship and romance beautifully melted together for this perfect summer read. The romance was also something absolutely outstanding in my point of view. It was slow, but the chemistry was unmistakable and there were also some sizzling moments! Also, the romance absolutely surprised me and dealed with something not many authors dare to address! I loved this so freaking much and just like all the rest of the book, also the romance felt wonderfully genuine.

[Sera · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, this could have been so much better if only we would have read about the relationship developing between Cricket and Zack. But like, we only got 'Oh I saw Zack he was very handsome at the beach' and then 'I think I'm really liking him' to 'Oh, I love him' but we didn't get to see why she was falling for him like there were basically none of their interactions so this was a let down.

Okay this review is a mess i'm sorry its 1am and that's all i have to say for now

[Karla Mae (Reads and Thoughts) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everyone's life has love and death and drama and hope and fear…

A summer spent in Nantucket should be filled with fun strolls at the beaches, parties and snagging the attention of her long time crush - that's what Cricket was looking forward to. But she spends her summer there working in an inn folding and washing sheets with her best friend not talking to her acting up that their years of friendship didn’t exist and that she didn’t even know her.

Cricket is a very genuine character with a good heart and she’s a really catchy and great story teller. She’s friendly, generous, and adventurous and definitely goes for what she really wanted. I admire her loyalty to the friendship that she has with Jules even after all the turmoil and the bitchy-ness that happened between the two of them. Cricket is good yes, but I really didn’t like her extreme dependency and attachment to Jules and her family. I get it that when her own family falls down Jules and her family was there for her but seriously, though they welcome you as their own family there are still limitations - limitations that maybe Cricket forgot to see. Plus, she enables Jules to act bitchy and humiliate her to some people and it’s not really good. Another thing is that she thinks too much of what other people might think about her and what she do - I may like that characteristics at times but I prefer characters who don’t give a shit about what anyone else thinks. I mean if you’re doing the right thing why should you guard what you’re doing? It's your own life and you may do anything as you please just as long as it does not involve the ruination of other people.

But! There is a big but in there even after my rant about Cricket’s not so good characteristics; I admire her for growing up and developing. She came to Nantucket as a bit childish and just goes with what she wanted and goes with the flow but she came out of there matured and carrying a lot of lessons about life and love and friendship and I really do admire her for that. She's still the same Cricket but different in some areas.

Jules "the-so-called-friend" was a tough character. I started reading this having the impression she would be the one to stand by Cricket through stuffs knowing that Cricket’s state of life was on the edge of nowhere but no she didn’t because she succumb into her own misery and lost and started to act up badly. I was also expecting for things between her and Cricket to get better in the end but also it didn’t. I'm really trying my best to understand her and it seems that she also wanted to take Cricket back to be her friend but I just can’t solve her puzzle. Her sudden transformation causes her friendship with Cricket to seriously fall down and it was really a waste of one great friendship.

Liz, Gavin and George makes this summer more bearable for Cricket. These three have different personalities but they all get along with Cricket and even help her get occupied for most of her stay. They did help her learn things and open up her mind to other.

I was honestly surprised by the romance on the story. I really didn’t expect the love interest to be who it is so I was beyond surprised. I didn’t hate the love interest but I'm also not much invested to it. I’m not rooting for anyone for Cricket in the story so I think the love interest will do plus they’re cute. (It’s just that I really don’t go for younger guys.)

Despite some of my frustrations, Nantucket Blue is still worth the read. It was fluffy, summery engaging read that you would enjoy no matter what age group you belong in. Oh and because of this Nantucket is now listed on one of my most coveted places to visit in the near future. :)

Thanks to Disney Book Group and Netgalley for providing an advance copy for review.

[Nobonita - The Bengali Nomad · Rating 4 out of 5]

For this review and more visit my blog Daydreaming Bookworm

Original Rating: 3.5 Stars

**I received an Advanced Reading Copy of this book from Disney Hyperion in exchange for an honest review.**

A bittersweet( and maybe a bit scandalous) contemporary about a girl's summer in Nantucket which doesn't turn out exactly the way she wanted it to,Nantucket Blue might be a good read to pack with you while going on vacation.

What I liked the most about this book is that the love triangle wasn't all that deep.Deep love triangles just frustrate me a lot.Sure,this might sound like your typical boy likes girl,girl likes boy back but boy is completely off-limits sort of story,but it doesn't stop there.Nantucket Blue also shows that even when you mess up pretty badly and hope for your life to be over,you eventually get over it and move on.

It took me a while to actually accept the story from Cricket's P.O.V,as at first she just seemed like someone who only cared about herself and her perfect summer in Nantucket.But after I read through the entire book,only then did I realise that she may have had her flaws,but at least she had the courage to admit them.In this case though,I found Zack to be a lot more admirable character than Cricket herself.Though it was a bit hard trying to ship them together at the beginning.Her best friend Jules,on the other hand,was a tough character to deal with.One of my favourite characters throughout the story was George.I feel that he played an important role in keeping Cricket's mind off things,at the same time giving her a good experience to take with her to college.

Even though the story did waver a bit in the middle,it had a promising conclusion.Fans of Meg Cabot,Judy Blume and Jenny Han would probably enjoy this debut more than others.I'm saying this by analysis since a friend of mine who is a huge contemporary fan borrowed this book from me earlier in May and seemed to like it a lot more.

[Stephanie Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cricket Thompson is a good girl with crush on a hot boy, a fun best friend and an opportunity to spend the summer in Nantucket with her best friend's family. When a tragedy strikes, and she is uninvited to the beach, Cricket takes matters into her own hands, and scores herself a job and a place to stay.

But things don't go exactly as she planned. The job falls through, the boy dumps her before they even get to a kiss and the best friend becomes a raging, ungrateful bitch. Oh, and she falls in love despite all this.


I expected a light summer read with this, and what I got was a lot more. This was really well written and researched- I felt like I could feel the sand between my toes and smell the scent of Marc Jacobs perfume mixed with the ocean. What I liked was the realistic aspect of this. Best friends who turn out to be not such good people, crushes on boys that you can't control, jobs that suck but the friends you make there make it bearable.

I loved the storyline and the arc with her mom. I hated Parker and I was so disappointed with Jules' behavior and treatment of Cricket, that I wanted to reach in the book and slap her across the face. Cricket lost someone she loved too, dammmit!! UGH. Though i wanted to shake Cricket for not getting the hint right away, I realized that she is a teenager and needed to make those mistakes for a reason.

But the thing is, when you read the ending to a book you can't put down and it doesn't quite satisfy that itch for character closure and then you discover there is no sequel in the works as of yet, it's very disappointing. I want another year in Nantucket with Zack and Liz and Gavin, only with Cricket on the inside of all the parties. I want more with her mom and even a groveling apology form Jules. That would be awesome.

Addendum: I fell in love with Nantucket as a result of this book. I've spent the last few hours looking for other YA books based on Nantucket and have not found one! Such a shame to not take advantage of using this beautiful place as a setting!

[Jaime Arkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been sitting on Nantucket Blue for what seems like ages. I knew I was going to read it, it was just a matter of when. What better time than in the middle of the Polar Vortex we’re having!

If you’re looking to get away from the cold and snow for a couple hours and it only costs you the price of the book, I couldn’t recommend a better read.

Cricket Thompson is offered the opportunity to spend the summer with her best friend, Jules, at their place in Nantucket and she jumps at the opportunity, but tragedy strikes Jules’ family and the invitation is revoked. Cricket is understanding but as a best friend she feels like Jules needs her now more than ever and she doesn’t want to get stuck at home babysitting for the summer. So she makes her way to the island, gets herself a job and shows up on Jules doorstep to let her know that she’s there for her whenever she needs anything.

Only, Cricket is blindsided by a different Jules in Nantucket. Suddenly she’s alone on an island where she doesn’t really know anyone, and so she has to make a decision to stick out the summer or quit and head home.

Let me just get this out of the way so that I can focus on other things…

I hated Jules. With the passion of a fiery sun I hated her. I don’t think that her behavior can be explained away by the tragedy that befalls her early on, and it didn’t make sense to me one bit. I felt like it was such a complete deviation from who they were when together when they weren’t on the island that it was almost unbelievable to me. Jules was mean and cruel and it was completely uncalled for. I get that she was hurting and didn’t know how to handle it, but maybe it’s because I’ve never had a friend turn on me so completely that way that it doesn’t make sense to me. Yes, people grow apart and move in different circles, but the thing that Jules says is the reason, to me, didn’t justify what she does to Cricket. +



Which brings me to Cricket. I adored her. I loved that she didn’t just give up on Jules, she was determined to be there for her when she worked out whatever was causing the issues between them. BUT … I wanted her to have more of a backbone about it. Nina wasn’t her mother or her ‘real’ family, but she was basically taken in by this woman when her own family wasn’t there to support her emotionally. So while she wasn’t her mother biologically, she was a huge part of her life and someone she depended on. And she lost her too. So yes, I wanted her to never let Jules in close again, and every time she hoped her phone ringing was Jules or a text was from Jules I wanted to shake her and say WHY… this girl was horrible to you and look what she’s saying about you and doing to you. Obviously I’m not a forgiving person. LOL

Okay… glad I got that out of the way.

There is quite a bit going on in the lovely Nantucket when Cricket arrives… the job she thought she had is no longer. The boy she thought she was going to get is no longer. The friend she thought she’d have is no longer. You get my drift right? So she has to quickly figure things out. Thank god for the Cranberry Inn where Liz and Gavin welcome her with open arms. With the job situation taken care of and a budding friendship with the quite funny and friendly Liz she’s on her way to enjoying her summer. The death of a local politician, finding her mother’s journal from the summer she spent on the island and family issues all combined with a summer romance make this a quick moving story.

And you can’t have a summer romance without a guy. Only the guy she ends up romancing isn’t someone anyone could have predicted. Zach is practically off-limits, or he should be, because he’s Jules’ younger brother. I loved them together… I always love romances that stem from friendship, because that’s what they are first and foremost. But of course secret romances can’t always remain a secret and this unleashes more drama between Jules and Cricket and ultimately between Cricket and Zach.

Howland did an amazing job of transporting me from my couch wrapped in blankets to the sunny beaches of Nantucket and as a setting I thought it was incredibly unique. I loved getting to know the area it was such a fun way to get immersed in the story… Nantucket felt like another character in the story.

If you’re looking for a quick read that focuses on friendships and relationships of all kinds, love and loss and finding oneself, a story that features characters you will love and hate this is definitely the book for you. There is a little ambiguity at the end about a couple of the big relationships here, BUT there is a second book, Nantucket Red, releasing soon so you’ll hopefully have all your answers there.

Fans of Sarah Dessen will definitely enjoy this!

This review can be found on my blog, Fiction Fare

[A · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nantucket Blue has all the appearance of being a promising book, one in which exploration of relationships and identity is complemented by some summery overtones. At the very least it looks as though it might work as a light summer read. To find that it worked mostly as a source of irritation instead was not exactly welcome. For any potential that was in here - and there certainly was some - it was eclipsed by too many other things that were going on.

The story centres around Cricket, who is looking forward to summer. For once, things are going to be different. Rather than stay at home babysitting she's going to be going to Nantucket, spending the holiday with her best friend, Jules, and Jules' family. Inevitably, of course, things don't work out so happily: she's in Nantucket, but the family are suffering from a recent tragedy, leaving Cricket to support herself and pass the summer without doing any of the fun stuff she was supposed to be doing with Jules.

Almost immediately I could see that Cricket and I were not going to be friends. For someone whose best friend has just suffered from a tremendous loss, she comes across as remarkably attention-seeking. It was like she couldn't help herself. There were a number of actions and decisions on her part that left me wishing I could reach into the book and shake her, forcing her to realise what she was doing, because I could see what was going to happen. Sure enough, Jules pulls away from her increasingly more. To be honest, though, for a lot of her behaviour there was no excuse. Objectively I could sympathise - in reality I didn't - but Cricket was not the only one at fault for the way Jules treated her. Her loss did not make up for that. Really this was never meant to be a successful relationship. The latter character was simply not nice, and Cricket astounded me with how whiny and selfish she could be. There were moments when I had hope, when it seemed like there was some sort of improvement, both in character and writing, but always it deflated. Everything became drama, and once again I resumed reading with rapidly devolving patience.

The drama was not constrained simply to this relationship. It managed to float into the romance side of things and the family aspect. Some of Cricket's behaviour involving boys was, again, simply not on. Moreover, the love interest did not really arouse my interest very much. He was sweet, certainly, but so what? This sounds harsh, but there was nothing that made him special. At least, not special in the sense that I could appreciate him in his role. As for the circumstances surrounding this romantic intrigue, they were all very well, but it progressed predictably. That just leaves the family angle. This, I think, was where some of the real potential lay. Cricket's family was neither happy nor united, and this part of the book gave rise to some interesting themes. Had these been taken further, Cricket and her mother would have won some of my sympathy, her father I would be more kindly disposed towards and, I suspect, there would have been a nice amount of character growth on more than one account. At one point Cricket and her mother especially genuinely seemed to be working towards some kind of strengthened relationship. I felt true disappointment on seeing that things were left at such a flat level, either being added in for no seeming purpose or, possibly worse, gratuitous dramatic impact.

In a word, this book made me tired. There was a relatively decent basis here, but it all seemed to be weighed down by drama and sigh-inducing qualities. Normally I would have gone on to the sequel, but I'm finding lately that I'm being more selective, identifying more than ever those that would just be best to let go of. And in reading the synopsis for the second book, I don't think I could take any more. So it is at this point that I'll say goodbye to the world of Nantucket Blue.

This review is also posted on my blog.

[Brittany S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somewhere around 4.25 stars. Not 4, not quite 4.5

Initial Impressions: Super cute and really quick read! I like how Cricket and her situation really felt REAL and not like "based on something that COULD happen but totally wouldn't". Loved her relationship highs and lows and how they didn't need to develop right away in the book. It took a little time to get to the romance and I really liked that.
I also enjoyed that they were still a few loose ends because hey, life is messy and things don't all get resolved in one story arc. I'd recommend it! It was definitely enjoyable.

Review originally posted on The Book Addict's Guide: NANTUCKET BLUE was the perfect, easy breezy summer read. (Well, technicalities since it’s only spring, but you know what I mean.) I felt like the book was so easy to read and it just flowed so well. The chapters were short and concise so I never felt bogged down with lengthy passages, the setting was — of course — Nantucket, so we’re dealing with a fun beach down (despite Cricket’s personal hardships), and Cricket’s narration is easy to follow.

Did it ‘wow’ me? No. But in a weird way, that was the beauty of the book. Cricket faces some serious issues with family, friendships, and relationships, but even though these big issues were present (death, divorce, sex), the way the book was put together was never an overwhelming mess of feelings for me. I still really got into Cricket’s story but the issues didn’t take over the book.

I felt like the romance kind of sneaks up on the reader in NANTUCKET BLUE and at first I was scared we weren’t going to have a romance, leading me to think, “Well what kind of contemporary is this, anyway!?” BUT it just takes a while to get there. Once it starts to develop, it’s so incredibly natural that I was glad it wasn’t forced in the beginning.
Okay, I really want to talk about this so VERY MILD SPOILER ALERT REGARDING THE ROMANCE…
I really loved how Leila Howard wasn’t afraid of the age difference and that being that Cricket was older than her love interest.
I didn’t want to talk about details since the romance doesn’t develop until later in the story so in case you want to be surprised (because it does give away hints about the romance)… There you go!

The secondary characters were also impressive to me. I felt like they really came alive in this story and every character really felt real. No one felt like a caricature of a person or that it was close but not quite believable — All of the characters really felt like real people and I really think that’s part of what made the book so easy to read. I got lost in the story and its perfect imperfections. Another thing I really liked was that not ALL of the loose ends were tied up. Don’t worry — It’s still a very neat ending and you won’t be left hanging, but we do see that life is messy and not all of the big issues can be resolved in 300 pages. I was left feeling hope for Cricket and her future but I liked that there were some things that were left out there and weren’t forced into getting resolved just to be resolved by the end of the book.

If you’re looking for a light yet serious summer contemporary romance, then this is the book for you! I’d definitely recommend it for a beachy read or for a nice, spring day!

[Jeraca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book from the library because I received the second novel for free, but realized I had to read this first.

And it was okay. Some parts really look a lot of effort to keep going. Cricket is an interesting character. One minute I like her but a few pages later she gets on my nerves. It's almost like she was reforming and changing herself to be part of the "it" crowd. But then when Jules dumped her to become the wild impulsive child, Cricket found her own way on Nantucket; made new friends, found new hobbies, found a new job, starting flirting with a boy. She is a very complex, confusing, and interesting character. Hence why I'm very conflicted about this novel.

The situation with her and Jules was frustrating, even for a reader. I understand what Jules was doing the second she started it, but it took Cricket forever to figure it out.

I think the book could have done without her mother's diary to Emily Dickensen. I didn't really care for it, though I understand that the author was trying to show a complete opposite person that Cricket has been seeing since her parent's divorce.

Even though I didn't fully enjoy this book, I am going to read the second one since I got it for free. Hopefully since I've been introduced to this setting and characters I might like it more than I did this first novel.

[Laura's Book Addiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Words were ghosts. They were what haunted me.'

Well I started reading this book last January and put it down as it wasn't pulling me in but I decided to give it another go and nearly over a year since Then I devoured it in one sitting and I'm so glad I picked it back up. Cricket has a great voice and I kinda love Zack. It would have been a five star rating but I felt like I still have questions that need answers. I need Nantucket Red now!!!!!

[Durch.Welten.Und.Zeilen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Salzige Sommerküsse von Leila Howland handelt von einer witzigen und süße Jugendliebe auf Nantucket.

Cricket und ihre beste Freundin Jules, sind unzertrennlich, aber als Jules Mutter Nina stirbt, wird alles viel komplizierter, den Jules hat immer mehr das Gefühl das Cricket sich in ihre Familie drängt und ladet sie von ihrem Urlaub, nach Nantucket wieder aus. Um ihrer besten Freundin trotzdem zur Seite stehen zu können, beschließt Cricket, sich einfach einen Job auf Nantucket zu suchen. Was allerdings nicht so klappt wie sie sich das vorgestellt hat. Kurzerhand bekommt sie dann ein Job an einen Gasthof, wo sie sich sofort mit Liz, einer der anderen Angestellten anfreundet. Als sie dann auch noch einen Job als Praktikantin bei Georg, der eine Biografie über Senator William >>Boaty<< Carmichael bekommt, scheint endlich alles glatt zu laufen, allerdings gibt’s immer noch ein Problem. Jules möchte nämlich nichts mehr mit ihr zu tun haben, und zusätzlich hat sie sich ausgerechnet in Zack, Jules Bruder, verliebt.

Cricket war mir von Anfang an sympatisch, was ich von Jules nicht wirklich behaupten kann, obwohl ich sie verstehen kann, ich habe mir auch oft gedacht, dass Cricket sich ziemlich in die Familienangelegenheiten einmischt, wie z.B bei Ninas Begräbnis.
Der Schreibstill zieht einen sofort in seinen Bann, allerdings ist mir der Schluss, immer mehr undetaillierter vorgekommen, was sehr schade war, da die Geschichte wirklich viel Potenzial hatte.

[Lauren at Live Read and Breathe Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet book about finding the importance of one's self instead of being so pre-occupied with what others think.

Cricket is one of the star High School Lacross Stars...



of an all girls school.



In typical fashion she has her own family drama, a crush on the hunk lacross player of a different co-ed school and a best friend which comes with an adopted family she adores.

All is well until her best friend Jules and her family suffer a terrible loss which causes Jules to push Cricket away and lose her adopted family and her best friend.

For Cricket she doesn't want to lose Jules or her family so she follows on her own to Nantucket but once she there reality slaps her in the face and she is left with being alone and not knowing what to do.

Jules has become someone she doesn't know and alienates her from her crush and any new friends.



In this Cricket starts to find herself with new friends, new job, new responsibilities, a forbidden lover and a new perspective on things.



She realizes that it does not matter what others think of her and that she is worthy of so much more.



This was a cute story with teenage angst and romance and the journey of finding one's true self.

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[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nantucket Blue is the perfect summer read. It’s carefree and fun, but still sad and tragic. It’s about growing up, discovering who you are, and falling in love. The setting was really charming and makes you want to escape for a perfect summer vacation.

Cricket is supposed to travel to Nantucket with her best friend Jules, but once Jules’ mom passes away unexpectedly, Jules just really needs some space. Cricket loved Jules’ mom and is devastated by her passing as well. She does everything she can think of to help Jules, and while she really goes about it the wrong way, it’s clear that she has the best of intentions.

Cricket makes sure she is on Nantucket in case Jules needs her. While she is there, she learns about herself and about being independent. Cricket really strikes out on her own that summer, and being so independent at such a young age is something I really admired.

The absolute best part about Nantucket Blue was the romance. It was sweet and innocent, and it is impossible to not hope that Cricket is able to find happiness with her love interest. While Cricket makes more than her fair share of blunders, and you sometimes have to wonder what she could possibly be thinking, I immensely enjoyed the young love story. It had me glued to the pages for hours and I know it’s one of those stories that will stay me.

Nantucket Blue is a wonderful tale of friendship and love. The Nantucket backdrop makes it the perfect summer read and will have you dying to go to the beach. Leila Howland finds the perfect balance between tragic and carefree in this not-to-be-missed contemporary.

[Steffi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once in a while I do enjoy a sweet YA stories and I love when they are set at the coast or on an island during the summer time.

Nantucket Blue follows 17-year-old Cricket who spends her summer vacation on Nantucket even though her best friend Jules uninvited her from her familys house.

The book has a nice summery setting and I loved the descriptions of Nantucket. The story itself didn't quite work for me. There were some cute bits and overall the story is enjoyable but I wasn't really captured by the story and its characters. Many things remained very superficial and also the love story left me pretty untouched.

There are some open questions to the end but I still won't read the second book in this series.

[Eli Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

feels like it’s more for a younger audience and the romance plot twist was predictable BUT the writing style was sooo good, i really enjoyed reading it. nice read for summer <3

[Charnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

For more reviews and giveaways, go to http://reviewsfromabookworm.blogspot....


Nantucket Blue turned out to be a perfect summer read, something you could devour in one day lounging in the sun. Leila Howland transported me to Nantucket, her descriptions were so vivid that I felt like I was there along with Cricket. I didn't have many expectations because I didn't know too much about the book, but it surprised me and really impressed me. I now have a new book to add to my list of perfect Summer reads; reading it made me feel like summer was already here.



The blurb hints at a devastating tragedy that Cricket's best friend Jules and her family will go through. I won't ruin it, even though you know what's coming very early on, but it did hit me pretty hard. It was one of those storylines that hit too close to home and ended up devastating me a little. But that did work to get me connected to the story almost instantly.



Cricket's friendship with Jules changes after the tragedy, partly without Cricket even realising. To a certain extent, I found that aspect of it very realistic to how someone can react in that situation. I have seen it myself and it does happen, especially the 'my pain is clearly more painful than anyone else's pain, how dare you be upset?!?'. But, Jules needed a slap after a while. She has a grace period, where it is acceptable to act like that after what you have been though. But after a while you need to realise that you need to suck it up, get on with it and stop treating everyone around you like crap.



Cricket was a character that I liked, but didn't fall in love with. I think it was just that some of the decisions that she made drove me a little crazy. But I think that was what made her a very realistic teenager, she makes mistakes and split second decisions. She also got me wondering what is with all these books lately and characters named Cricket. Is that actually a name in the US or something? I have seen quite a lot of books with characters who have that name. That's not a name, it's a bug or a really, really boring sport. It's like naming your kid Centipede or Basketball, you just don't do it.



This, to me, was a perfect beach read because you can read it in one sitting. It transports you to Nantucket and you can feel the sun on your face, smell the ocean air and almost taste the food yourself. It was a really easy read, and a little predictable too. I guessed pretty early on where the romance was going to go and with who, but I liked the romance in this.

4/5 Stars

This was a really easy read, perfect for reading in one sitting. It was a little predictable at times, but not in a bad way. The romance was really sweet and cute, and it was realistic of first love. It has made me very excited to read the sequel to this one. This is a perfect summer read. 

[BookHookup · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on The Book Hookup here .

Christina's Review:

*Disclaimer: An e-copy of this title was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. However, that did not influence this review in any way. All thoughts, quotes, and opinions will be of this version and not of the published edition.

♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: Actual rating of 3.5 stars! I went into this novel expecting a cutesy beach read despite the summary of "tragic loss" and perhaps that was my biggest mistake. Parts of this novel were light and fluffy, but on a larger scale it was dealing with all the things one girl could lose: a best friend's parent/ her fill-in mom, her best friend, a childhood crush, and faith in her own parents. Not going to lie, it was kind of depressing at time with all the things that were happening to her.

Nantucket Blue was the story of a teenage girl who had some of the worst life had to offer thrown at her, but it was also about her resilience not to let it keep her down. On top of that, she even finds a little summer romance, and doesn't love just have a way of making things feel a little better and brighter?



♥ Review: I requested this title years ago from NetGalley, but then I fell into a book slump so deep and dark, that by the time I crawled out of it, this book had been casually tossed aside in favor of new requests that I had made. Long story short, I'm trying to recover from that time a couple of years back, and I'm attempting to make good on my promise of a review that I made when requesting this book from the publisher. This title was one of those that I had hoped to jump on first because I remembered my enthusiasm for it when I originally made the request so long ago. A little fluff and angst set in a seaside tourist-y town during the height of summer? Heck yes, sign me up!

For the most part, Howland delivered on all the aspects that I had anticipated. I really liked Cricket's character, enjoyed the setting that came alive so vividly on the page, and the romance is one of my favorite tropes (best friend's sibling). All those elements? Love loved! Cricket was a relatable character whose narrative I didn't mind except for one minor thing that I'll cover later. She was so loyal, even when certain people didn't deserve it, and I like that when lesser people would have fumbled, she stood taller and walked with purpose. As for Nantucket, the author really delivered the scenery, the locale, and all its inhabitants with an efficient, yet pretty pose that made me feel like I was visiting a place I'd never seen before. It was easy to see why Cricket (and her mom through her diary entries) was so taken with the place. Lastly, there's Zack. I loved his youth and sweet boyishness, but I also adored how take-charge he was in other scenarios. While I was on-board with the idea of them as a couple, I wish the author would've given us more time with them not just making out so that when the big I love you's came, I'd be more swept up in their romance. Sadly, that wasn't the case and while I thought they were perfectly adorable together, it altogether felt rushed and like an incomplete thought.

Now, I have a few major complaints and they kind of revolve around one another. Generally, I liked the addition of the Nantucket people Cricket knew as secondary characters. I thought they were exactly what Cricket needed and I loved them for that. However, for the cast of people that she had known prior to that summer, namely her parents and her (ex) best friend, Jules, boy did I ever dislike them? We'll tackle Jules first. I can sympathize that losing a parent could drastically alter a person (in a way that I don't even want to really imagine), but for her to be so mean–a complete one hundred eighty degree shift from her former self–to her supposed best friend when she was trying to be nothing more than supportive? I just don't get it. It came across as very unbelievable to me and like, perhaps, the sole purpose was for the sake of drama in the plot, which I don't like. Secondly, there's the whole issue with her basically absentee parents. Her mom is in a weird funk after the divorce (that was YEARS ago) and her dad is blissed out with his new wife and her adoptive son, and both phone it in when it comes to taking care of her. I could get how that would help with Cricket's character growth and coming-of-age story, except all this was left somewhat unresolved in the end. So again, I feel like I have to ask, what was the purpose other than for the sake of drama or to be the catalyst to further push Cricket's agenda to get to Nantucket and away from them? I think if there had been a bigger development to this side-plot of the book (more than just her mom finally leaving the house), then I could be more okay with how her parents behaved. But my biggest issue, was Cricket said a lot of stuff in her head–explanations, rationalizing, outbursts and tantrums–but she never once vocalized them when given the opportunity. Maybe it's just that my personality dictates that I be outspoken by using my mouth instead of internalizing it or that I'm someone who believes actual communication is so important, but I just wanted her to grow a backbone. Demonstrate some of that strength she has on the lacrosse field, the same determination that had her marching to declare her love for Zack. I wanted her to tell Jules that she loves her but she's being a sucky friend. That even though her mom just died, she's done nothing but try to be there for her, and in return, Jules has done nothing but betray their years of friendship by trading it all in for being bitter and mean. I wanted her to tell her mom that she's a parent, that the time for wallowing for a failed marriage has long passed over and that she should move on already and it's time to be present. I rejoiced when she screamed at her dad, but I wish she wouldn't have stopped. I wanted her to demand that he give her the attention she deserved because she was his flesh and blood, and no replacements or new families would ever change that. I wanted all of that for her, but more than that, I wanted Cricket to want it for herself. That was one of her major character flaws that I just couldn't get past, and it definitely impacted my overall enjoyment of the book.

In conclusion, part of me really enjoyed this book, but other parts infuriated me beyond measure. Additionally, so much of this novel felt unfinished at the end, and that's probably due to this being a duology or companion set. However, after having read that her and her romantic interest in this book take a nosedive in the sequel, I don't think I'll be continuing on with it. So, I guess that just leaves me with an unsettled feeling in my chest. But again, there were parts of Nantucket Blue that I really loved, thus my slightly-better-than-three-stars rating.

♥  Teaser Quote: 

It was sinking in because I had fallen in love. This was the thing about feelings. They found each other. You let one up and the others followed.

–quote taken from the e-ARC of Nantucket Blue at 89%

♥ Rec It? Perhaps. I think it will really depends on how forgiving of a person you can be. I wanted to really love this for the cute, summery romance beach novel it could have been, but I couldn't let my distaste for a few of the secondary characters carry the momentum of my general enjoyment of this novel. Parts of it were fluff and flutters, but other parts of it felt like drama with all capital letters.

♥  A very special thanks to Disney Hyperion and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this title.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been looking for some good reads that take place during the summertime, and I kept seeing Nantucket Blue being mentioned. It sounded perfect, and I could not resist a young adult book that takes place in Nantucket. I have personally never been to Nantucket, but I have always wanted to travel there and see it for myself.

Leila Howland does a wonderful job describing the island- from the ferries, to the houses and buildings, and even the scenery and the weather. I could really envision the place in my mind (the next best thing to actually being there). It just seems so relaxing and peaceful.

Cricket was a good, all-around character. She's smart, athletic, yet she loves to goof around and have fun. I have to say, my heart really went out to Cricket. The girl really put her all into everything that she did. She worked hard in school, showed up for work and did her job as best she could, and she tried to be there for her family and friends. Even when it seemed like they did not want her around.

There were a couple of times that I had to stop reading and set my book aside, so that I could calm down some. Both of her parents had issues. I could actually understand why Cricket's mom was the way that she was, but her dad was another story. I actually texted a friend of mine because I was so mad, I was starting to cry angry tears. (I just needed to get out some of that emotion). Honestly, I was a bit bummed that this issue did not seem to get resolved, either.

Jules was another one I had an issue with. Jules. Jules. Jules. You know, I really felt bad about what happened to her and why she got upset when she did, but she had a bit of a mean streak, that Cricket did not deserve to be the recipient of. She did something to Cricket, and yet our heroine still tried to go out of her way to please Jules. And I just could not see why she felt like she had to keep her "secret" from Jules, especially since they weren't getting along.

Now, you might be thinking that after saying all of this that I didn't like the book, but I did! Nantucket Blue evoked so many emotions and feelings from me. Even anger. I like a book that makes me feel something. I completely realize that no character is perfect, and teens especially are going to make mistakes and go through bumps here and there in an effort to find independence and who they truly are. There was one thing, however, that Cricket did that I don't think I could forgive so easily (at any age!).

One of my favorite parts of the book were the notes written in the Emily Dickens book. They were so sentimental and romantic, and I kept trying to guess who they were about! The romance in Nantucket Blue was also very sweet! After I finished reading, I had to immediately begin the sequel- Nantucket Red. It's not that there was really a cliffhanger, but I just did not have a peace that everything was quite resolved at the end.

I would recommend Nantucket Blue to those looking for a good, summer read. I do want to say that even though this book is found in the teen section, I would be more inclined to recommend it for older teens, based of the language and some of the content.

[Isamlq · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

This was sweet, sad then real.

Early parts have her feeling like safe in her little nook. Happy, is what she was. While it’s not necessarily ripped out form under her, it sort of disappears. More importantly she’s at first oblivious then in denial then later clueless as to why. All they while, she’s trying to be understanding over their loss but having the most difficult time at it as she’s unable to separate their loss from hers… because that’s the way things have always been: no her, no them, but an us. ‘Till it isn’t anymore.

So, she’s caught adrift, and you’re sad for her, but wanting her to open her eyes because boundaries? This girl saw none. And it’s in failing to see these that the lead read young for a girl turning eighteen, young, a bit desperate, and unaware of boundaries. And it’s failing to see these walls that much of her heartache springs.

Discoveries of all sorts

Friend gone, mother not there, father not really there either and all the while she’s caught in this in between time of kid but not kid. Feeling disappointment but being old enough to know that time’s up and the boat’s sailed… that it’s not her turn anymore because while she’s not ‘old’ old, then he’s older now. And you kind of hear her heart break, you know?

All made even more complicated with discoveries of a version of a mother so different from the one she’d become familiar with (and even dislike). There’s this disappointment between them, from her for her mother especially. So that her being caught in the middle of kid and not kid anymore? It’s most strongly felt between them because it felt like the kid was doing the mothering and if not, it felt like it was the kid wanting to not get stuck and wanting (needing to) move on, what she thought was the grown up thing to do. It felt simply felt sad, especially when considering the predicament she’d find herself in later.

Then there were other sorts of discoveries of just how strong she could be in finding her own way, seeing things for what they were… finally owning up to wrongs done, but before the last: feeling all these things that others were capable of letting her feel:

A lot of these were sad ones, but some a sweet respite, particularly between her and a certain other. The connection made between them was familiar but not; because it’s builds on. And if at first, there was that odd and doesn’t feel right feeling going on in me, it’s a feeling that didn’t persist. Mainly because I found it truthful her learning more of that side her. There was truthfulness to how young they both read. The reluctant attraction, heart beating then suddenly racing and then throw in just a bit of that conflicted “I can’t/ we can’t” and well, see, I finished this in three hours. If that’s not sign enough of a good read, well, I have no idea what is.

[Atmika Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like 3.5 stars

Image Courtesy: Infinity and beyond

Cricket's summer started with a lot of hope. She was going to Nantucket with her best friend Jules Clayton and her family. She was finally going to be with Jay Logan, the guy she has been crushing on since forever. But life had something else planned for her.

Cricket is a great MC. She is real and relate-able. She is such a great friend. She is loyal and fights for the people she loves. She did a lot of growing up through the book. She understood that at the end of the day what matters is not what everybody else thinks about you but what you see when you look in the mirror, how you feel about yourself is the only important thing in life.

Jules was not my favorite character and I understand that that she lost her mom and that's probably the worst thing that can happen to a person but how she treated Cricket was wrong but I do get her point of view. I understand that she closed herself in and maybe felt threatened and possessive about her family but she lost a really great friend in the process.

Also, here the MC is not directly suffering a tragedy. I mean she was very close to Jules's mom, I get that, but that's still her best friend's mom and it just goes on to show that sometimes somebody else's loss can change your life. It's something different from other YA books where generally the MC loses someone and we see them overcome that loss. Maybe, if I read this story from Jules POV I would be able to understand her better and be more sympathetic towards her.

The writing is great. It flows easily and still manages to hit the right emotions. It's more than a light, fluffy read but it still has the summer feel and cuteness of first love. It will make you smile and has a great ensemble of secondary characters like George, Liz, Jay, Gavin. Zach was cute. He grew on me but I wasn't swooning over him or anything. The romance does not take over the plot. I felt that it was more a growing up story than anything else.

I liked the ending. Everything just doesn't automatically becomes okay in real life. It takes time and that's just how it is. It's a fast read. I hope you like it!

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh 👎🏻

[Rabiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.sg/20...

With summer coming up soon, reading Nantucket Blue just made me want the days to go by more quickly! With beaches and boys, you're clearly headed for a fantastic summer read.
I read this one non-stop because I thought that the plot was just fantastic. I love the multiple stories and the characters involved, and how they're all connected because of Cricket. There's of course the romance, the problems with Jules, problems with her mom and dad, working at the hotel, working as an intern– brilliant bits and pieces that come together that make it one delicious summer journey.

First off, I think the name Cricket is becoming PRETTY popular in the world of YA. I mean, I believe I've heard it a couple times before, so I think this is a trend that's going to be big (or at least, girls with insect's names).
To be honest, I didn't like her character very much. She seemed to make very rash and terrible mistakes, and then doesn't want to own up for it. She puts herself first every time and doesn't seem to think about other's feelings. It really put me on edge whenever that particular trait of hers came up.

Even though Cricket's mother isn't a prominent character in the book, her teenage version is! A lot of diary entries by Cricket's mom pops up in this book, and it's quite hilarious to see Cricket reading about her mom's romance, especially when things spice up a little. Definitely contributes to a tiny twist in this novel.
All the other characters were great: Jules I loved to hate (and then love and hate some more), Zack was just absolutely swoon-worthy, and Liz was hilarious the max with her Irish accent and relationship advice. They really helped to build up the story, especially Zack, for I'm sure whom without this story would have been pretty dry.

Nantucket Blue portrays the ups and downs of life, love and friendship. Leila Howland has written a gorgeous novel which will have you aching for summer the whole way long. Loved this book and no doubt about it, she's amazingly talented. Can't wait for what she writes next!


▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you to Shane at Itching for Books for allowing me to be apart of the Nantucket Blue blog tour, and to Jamie Baker at Disney Publishing Worldwide for providing an eGalley for review! ▪ ▪ ▪

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I have to say that I loved this cover! I love summer it is my favorite part of the year and I love summer stories. Leila Howland did an EPIC job of describing Nantucket and places surrounding it. It is beautiful and the beaches and the restaurants are a great getaway.

This story had so many things going on for it that it dealt with a few issues that at first you don't see coming but when they happen and are spoken about you go back and say wow I never saw that coming. Can you imagine having a best friend and she loses someone very close to her? You don't know how to comfort her because everything just seems so childish. All you know is that you want to be there for her and she is totally icing you out of her life. Well welcome to Cricket's world. Her best friend Jules loses someone close to her and she does a 360 degree about face with her best friend. Cricket not sure what is going on is determined to be there for her friend for the summer so she comes up with a plan to get a job in Nantucket to be close to Jules. Only when she gets there she gets a shock of a lifetime. Jules is not who she thought she was.

To make matters worse the boy that Cricket has loved since eight grade is there in Nantucket and he is interested in Cricket until something happens and he is told something that makes him second guess being with Cricket. When Cricket finds out she is devastated and can't figure out why that person told him those things. But Cricket starts hanging out with someone else she has known for a long time and cricket realizes that she is in love with this person. The only thing is the boy she has fallen for is off limits but love knows what it wants and the two of them get together. Cricket and said boy fall in love with each other and decide that no matter what anyone says they want to be together because they are in love with each other. Sometimes you can't help who you fall in love with.

This is an awesome summer read and I can't wait to buy my own copy so I can sit on the beach and read it!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Leila Howlands, debut novel Nantucket Blue was really well written. I was hooked from the very first page! It really reminded me of The Summer I Turned Pretty series by Jenny Han, which is one of my favorite series because of the romance, and the love of the beach which is also in this novel. Like any contemporary YA novel it was romantic, real, had good humor, friendship. You can really relate to the characters.

Cricket is our main character who is determined, strong and is able to hold her own. Her friendship with Jules was great at first but later in the novel after a tragedy that hits Jules family, she tries to be with her friend (Clayton Family) Cricket was very close with the family and felt the grief as well. This friendship did feel like a friendship, Jules was changing into another person and I felt that Cricket did try to reconnect with her, but she always kept her distance while losing her best friend.

Nantucket Blue was a great book to read as showing readers how described the novel is about Nantucket, which I heard is beautiful. Cricket starts working at a hotel, who she meets new friends and even a customer who tries to help achieve her goals. Liz was a great character as well as supporting Cricket through her problems who was more of a best friend that Jules. I loved the plot and felt that these characters who go through a lot of changing during one summer. With her mother's journal by her side Cricket discovers this new side of her to become her own.


Another thing I liked was the romance created in Nantucket Blue. Cricket does fall in love with the most unexpected male lead that your would suspect it a bit but at the same time root for him and this forbidden romance. Leila Howland is definitely another author to add to your list! If you loved the Summer I Turned Pretty Series, you will definitely love this new book who sets to navigate her own life, fall in love with a forbidden boy (who you will love). I will be looking forward to the next book by Leila. Also its a great summer read!! I love this cover!!

[Megan (The Book Babe) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.

The first third of Nantucket Blue kind of annoyed me. Not to say that the book itself wasn't good, because it was, but the first third was just chock full of drama. It was all about friend issues and just general brattiness. I wanted to strangle Jules, and poor Cricket had her own little annoying things going on. I wasn't even sure that I even liked Cricket at all until all that was passed.

It just took up too much space in the book, in my opinion. I admire Cricket's personality, though. She didn't let these things hold her back, and she tried really hard to be there for Jules.

Cricket herself wasn't all that awesome of a character. She was just a good one. Her actions are what made her great-- without them she's just mediocre. Thankfully, she makes some great friends on Nantucket that really broke the ice for me. Liz was so great and care free, and she made everything so light and fun! I also loved the jokes that she would make, and how she wanted to find a nice "bloke" for Cricket. She was sweet.

Mostly, my big problem with Cricket is that I just couldn't relate to her. I can't think of one thing that makes her like me, and I look for that in characters.

On another note, though, I really liked the romance. It was so sweet and innocent. I was cheering for them the whole time. Especially with the age difference thing-- I'm so proud that for once the guy was younger than the girl! It's not a dynamic that we see very often in YA, but it happens a lot in real life.

All in all, Nantucket Blue is worth a read, just for the romance dynamics. But I enjoyed it. ;)

[Princess Bookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Thoughts: Cricket, what a cool name! We are introduced to Cricket who has a mother she lives with and a father who barely knows her. He has another family now. Cricket spends most of her time with her best friend Jules' family. Jules has a mother, father, and a younger brother named Zack, the traditional family in Cricket’s mind. She eats dinner with them, even has spent Christmas with them.

When Cricket is put into a rough spot concerning her best friends family, she is shut out. Jules just can’t handle having Cricket around and Cricket just wants to be there for her. She even gets a job in Nantucket for the summer. She thinks its a good idea since Jules will be there also.

Things don’t go as planned and Cricket has to find a place to stay and a place in her heart to accept the way things are now.

Cricket also connects with a boy this summer. She falls in love with him. He gives her feelings she’s never had before even if at times they are confusing.

I won’t say much else, I don’t want to ruin this one. I really loved it. I loved the story line. I loved how Cricket had to grow up a little bit and learn more about herself. And I just love the guy she’s in love with! Whohooo!!

Overall: Loved it! Be sure to pick up this debut as soon as you can! This is one you won’t want to miss out on! I loved Cricket’s story and I will be reading more from this author when she writes another novel!

Cover: Sweet! Its super cute and super romantic. I would grab this up in a second.


What I'd Give It: 5/5 Cupcakes
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Taken From Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since her parents’ divorce, Cricket’s mom has gotten depressed and her dad’s gotten remarried. As a way to deal, Cricket's become super-close with her best friend Jules' family, and she's excited to spend the summer with them on Nantucket. But after Jules’ mom dies, Jules unceremoniously un-invites her. Following both Jules and the boy she's been crushing on, Cricket decides to go anyway and ends up with a job as a chambermaid at a quirky inn. She struggles with her broken friendship with Jules even as she falls in love for the first time, with someone totally unexpected...This is a perfect sweet, summery romance! Cricket is a totally take-charge kind of girl who makes things happen for herself and has the strength to apologize when she makes mistakes. (And I always love it when authors allow their characters to make mistakes!) She finds notes her mom wrote when she was Cricket's age about the romance she had during the summer she spent on Nantucket - and immediately starts matchmaking. Cricket’s determination to fix her friendship with Jules (who, in her grief, is a total bitch to Cricket); her interesting family dynamics; her arc of growing self-confidence; her secret romance; and her internship with a local writer all combine to make this compulsively readable and more than “just” a summer romance – but frankly, the romance is adorable, and Nantucket is a gorgeous setting, and this would make a fabulous beach read. Highly recommend! (read via NetGalley; bought)