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The View From Here
From the acclaimed author of Sailing Lessons and the “charming gem of a novel” (Elin Hilderbrand, #1 New York Times bestselling author) Mystic Summer, an evocative and moving tale about what it means to be a family, set over the course of one unforgettable Connecticut summer.
Siblings Perry, Jack, and Phoebe Goodwin were raised on the shore of a beautiful Connecticut lake in a close-knit family. The eldest of the family, forty-two-year-old Perry has long craved order as surely as his charismatic younger brother, Jack, has avoided it. Phoebe, their baby sister, courts both. As adults the Goodwins could not be more different. Perry is as married to his career in New York as a risk analyst as Phoebe is to her college sweetheart, but both have returned to Connecticut to raise their young families. Charismatic middle child Jack, however, has spent his years living away and working odd jobs, unable to settle. The three have not spent much time together…until this summer. On the afternoon of their grandmother’s 97th nirthday party, the siblings reunite at the lake house where Jack stuns the family with a stranger on his arm and an announcement.
Olivia Cossette, daughter of a French chef, does not share the Goodwin’s traditional New England upbringing or sense of family. What she does share is parenthood, as the single mother of a little girl who does not speak. While the Goodwins struggle to welcome the newcomers over the course of the summer, a series of bad choices made by each family member finally unravels, leaving them all to question just what truly makes a family.
Can one fateful moment on a July afternoon undo a lifetime of good intentions? Only one thing is for certain—this extraordinary summer has irrevocably changed the Goodwin family and all that remains is the uncertain future.
With Hannah McKinnon’s signature “enticing and refreshing” (Nancy Thayer, New York Times bestselling author) prose, this is a warm-hearted novel that is perfect for fans of Mary Alice Monroe’s the Beach House series and the works of Elin Hilderbrand.
Siblings Perry, Jack, and Phoebe Goodwin were raised on the shore of a beautiful Connecticut lake in a close-knit family. The eldest of the family, forty-two-year-old Perry has long craved order as surely as his charismatic younger brother, Jack, has avoided it. Phoebe, their baby sister, courts both. As adults the Goodwins could not be more different. Perry is as married to his career in New York as a risk analyst as Phoebe is to her college sweetheart, but both have returned to Connecticut to raise their young families. Charismatic middle child Jack, however, has spent his years living away and working odd jobs, unable to settle. The three have not spent much time together…until this summer. On the afternoon of their grandmother’s 97th nirthday party, the siblings reunite at the lake house where Jack stuns the family with a stranger on his arm and an announcement.
Olivia Cossette, daughter of a French chef, does not share the Goodwin’s traditional New England upbringing or sense of family. What she does share is parenthood, as the single mother of a little girl who does not speak. While the Goodwins struggle to welcome the newcomers over the course of the summer, a series of bad choices made by each family member finally unravels, leaving them all to question just what truly makes a family.
Can one fateful moment on a July afternoon undo a lifetime of good intentions? Only one thing is for certain—this extraordinary summer has irrevocably changed the Goodwin family and all that remains is the uncertain future.
With Hannah McKinnon’s signature “enticing and refreshing” (Nancy Thayer, New York Times bestselling author) prose, this is a warm-hearted novel that is perfect for fans of Mary Alice Monroe’s the Beach House series and the works of Elin Hilderbrand.
400 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2020
164 people are currently reading
3199 people want to read
About the author
Hannah McKinnon
12 books632 followersAuthor of The Lake Season, Mystic Summer, The Summer House, Sailing Lessons, The View From Here and two YA titles, Franny Parker and The Properties of Water
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
December 22, 2021
The Goodwin siblings--Perry, Jack, and Phoebe--live intertwined lives. All raised on the shore of a Connecticut lake, they are close yet often resentful of each other. Workaholic Perry begrudges his carefree younger brother, while Phoebe stresses over her expensive home renovation. When Jack returns home with Olivia, his new girlfriend, along with her young daughter, who rarely speaks, their presence upends the Goodwin's closeness. Then a fateful moment changes everything.
This was exactly the book I needed at the moment. It's an easy read about a family and their many problems. It has its serious moments, including some excellent commentary on the double standard women and girls face in terms of internet shaming, but it's also simple and easy to get into. The Connecticut lake setting is atmospheric and lovely and you can lose yourself in the family's problems instead of your own. The book is told from the various point of view of the siblings, their children, and their spouses, and it's dramatic and fun and intriguing. This is an emotional read and while nothing earth shattering, it's enjoyable. 3.5 stars, rounded up.
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This was exactly the book I needed at the moment. It's an easy read about a family and their many problems. It has its serious moments, including some excellent commentary on the double standard women and girls face in terms of internet shaming, but it's also simple and easy to get into. The Connecticut lake setting is atmospheric and lovely and you can lose yourself in the family's problems instead of your own. The book is told from the various point of view of the siblings, their children, and their spouses, and it's dramatic and fun and intriguing. This is an emotional read and while nothing earth shattering, it's enjoyable. 3.5 stars, rounded up.
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January 21, 2021
This is a very character driven story, I tend to like those and I enjoyed this book. If you’re not familiar with this author but you enjoy Elin Hilderbrand, I think you’ll really enjoy this book too.
Perry, Phoebe and Jake are adult siblings. We are introduced to these characters as they attend their grandmother’s party.
Surprisingly, Grandma Elise isn’t much of a character in this book after the party.
At this party, Jake is bringing his new girlfriend Olivia. His parents say it could be serious with this one.
As adults, the siblings still have their dramas with each other and in their own lives.
Perry is the oldest. He’s the most mature. He’s a risk analyst by day and he works incredibly hard to give his family everything he thinks they need and to keep them safe. He feels like he’s done a fantastic job of that. His daughter Emma does well in school and hasn’t given her parents any trouble. He belongs to a country club, has a beautiful house and the boat of his dreams. He doesn’t get much free time, but he feels like it’s worth it to keep his family safe and cared for.
Jake is the Golden child, at least that’s what Perry thinks. Jake has lived an easy life, traveled a lot, dated pretty much whoever he wanted to, and everyone loves him. Perry is jealous of Jake’s ease though, he doesn’t like that Jake values fun over responsibility.
When Jake brings Olivia home, Perry is sure it’s a bad idea. Olivia has a young child with selective mutism. Perry is sure Jake won’t handle this well.
Phoebe has an almost perfect life. She’s married to the love of her life and best friend Rob. They have two young children. They earn enough money and Phoebe is able to stay home with the boys as she wants to.
But Phoebe feels something is missing. When her dream house goes up for sale, she talks her husband into buying it with her. But the house isn’t as perfect as it seems and it creates lots of drama that did not exist in their lives prior to buying it.
When family hosts a party for Jake and Olivia, something happens that threatens to tear the family apart.Phoebe isn’t really part of this particular drama. But it causes the issues between Perry and Jake to get explosive. It causes Olivia to potentially have second thoughts about Jake. It results in a set back for Olivia’s daughter and Perry’s daughter Emma too.
One day out on the lake just might change everything forever.
I enjoyed this book. This author does a great job of establishing her characters, then you just go along on the ride with them and wish the best for them all.
I got to read an early ebook edition from NetGalley, thank you!
Perry, Phoebe and Jake are adult siblings. We are introduced to these characters as they attend their grandmother’s party.
Surprisingly, Grandma Elise isn’t much of a character in this book after the party.
At this party, Jake is bringing his new girlfriend Olivia. His parents say it could be serious with this one.
As adults, the siblings still have their dramas with each other and in their own lives.
Perry is the oldest. He’s the most mature. He’s a risk analyst by day and he works incredibly hard to give his family everything he thinks they need and to keep them safe. He feels like he’s done a fantastic job of that. His daughter Emma does well in school and hasn’t given her parents any trouble. He belongs to a country club, has a beautiful house and the boat of his dreams. He doesn’t get much free time, but he feels like it’s worth it to keep his family safe and cared for.
Jake is the Golden child, at least that’s what Perry thinks. Jake has lived an easy life, traveled a lot, dated pretty much whoever he wanted to, and everyone loves him. Perry is jealous of Jake’s ease though, he doesn’t like that Jake values fun over responsibility.
When Jake brings Olivia home, Perry is sure it’s a bad idea. Olivia has a young child with selective mutism. Perry is sure Jake won’t handle this well.
Phoebe has an almost perfect life. She’s married to the love of her life and best friend Rob. They have two young children. They earn enough money and Phoebe is able to stay home with the boys as she wants to.
But Phoebe feels something is missing. When her dream house goes up for sale, she talks her husband into buying it with her. But the house isn’t as perfect as it seems and it creates lots of drama that did not exist in their lives prior to buying it.
When family hosts a party for Jake and Olivia, something happens that threatens to tear the family apart.Phoebe isn’t really part of this particular drama. But it causes the issues between Perry and Jake to get explosive. It causes Olivia to potentially have second thoughts about Jake. It results in a set back for Olivia’s daughter and Perry’s daughter Emma too.
One day out on the lake just might change everything forever.
I enjoyed this book. This author does a great job of establishing her characters, then you just go along on the ride with them and wish the best for them all.
I got to read an early ebook edition from NetGalley, thank you!
June 1, 2020
A dysfunctional family drama with a beautiful summer setting! This is almost like Parenthood but set on a lake. I enjoyed this book full of interesting characters! Each character has their own set of issues and as the summer unfolds, each will have to deal with their problems. All of the characters were likable and relatable. This is the perfect summer read for the beach! My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.
September 11, 2020
The Goodwin family is a tight-knit group who all live on an idyllic Connecticut lake. The eldest son, Perry, is successful and has wonderful family of his own. His daughter, Emma, is a teenager though and has started to test her boundaries. Phoebe, the middle child, has bought her dream house on the lake except it requires a ton of work. While renovating the house they are finding more and more problems and in turn, this is posing a problem within her own family. Lastly, there's the youngest child, Jake, who has always had things come easily for him, much to Perry's dismay. He is now engaged to a wonderful woman, Olivia, and his parents are thrilled. Finally, he is settling down! Olivia has a young daughter and despite the extra responsibilities (which Perry doesn't think he is ready for), Jake seems ready to take it on. The Goodwin parents decide to throw an engagement party for Jake and Olivia, and disaster quickly ensues. There's a boating accident and it leaves many questions for the Goodwin family. What caused the accident? Who is keeping secrets? This summer may change the Goodwin family forever. Hannah McKinnon's beach read, The View from Here, has a lot of family drama, a gorgeous lake setting, and memorable characters.
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
October 16, 2021
I just finished reading this family centered novel which I picked it up at my local Dollarama for $3.00. It was the first book I've ever read by this author. I found it a bit slow at first, as each chapter was about a different character and nothing seemed to tie them together. The characters were extremely well developed though and a common tragedy about halfway through pulled all of the storylines together. It was a book that really illustrated that no family is perfect and everyone is fighting a battle others know nothing about.
June 23, 2020
I loved this book. It is a great summer beach read. The characters drew me in from the beginning. The book takes you through the summer and how adult siblings navigate tragedy and come back together as a family.
July 20, 2024
This was a nice little story. Nothing earth-shattering, no violence or sex scenes, just a real, honest story about a family and their relationships. An easy read for a day by the pool.
April 5, 2020
Definitely a summer beach read. Enough meat on the bones here. Dysfunctional like most families, but all tied up in a neat bow by the end. I think each of us see ourselves in at least one character in this tale. I guess i'm Perry. Nice job Hannah. Keep 'em coming.
July 13, 2024
The View From Here was a good summer novel with a great overall message of the importance of family ties. I enjoyed the author's style of writing and hope to read more of her summer novels.
July 6, 2022
This book kept me turning the pages way to late … to good to put down….
March 4, 2020
Good book with little twist at the end
July 5, 2020
This novel, set around Candlewood Lake in Connecticut, alternates perspectives between 4 family members, each with their own issues - Perry, a workaholic obsessed with status; his sister Phoebe, caught up in a cycle of overspending on a house renovation; Olivia, the fiancée of Perry and Phoebe’s brother, who has a daughter with selective mutism; and Emma, Perry’s teenage daughter who is struggling to find her place in the social scene. I’m sorry to say this is my least favorite of Hannah McKinnon’s books - loved her first 3, her 4th was not quite as good, and while they all had family drama, with this one she has firmly left chick lit behind, abandoning any romantic elements in favor of straight family dysfunction. Not to say that authors can’t change what they write, I just kind of preferred the other ones - plus, this is at least the 4th book this year I picked up thinking it would be light, beachy/vacation-y vibes only to find that despite the setting it wasn’t. A year or so ago I was suffering from thriller fatigue, now I seem to be suffering from dysfunctional family novel fatigue. However, the characters were very vivid and the writing was good, even if everything wrapped up a little neatly in the end. I’ll definitely continue to check out what Hannah McKinnon writes in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2020
Author Hannah McKinnon wrote a wonderful heartwarming, yet filled with secrets, story. My first foray into this talented author’s work brought loads of happiness as this family drama occupied my afternoon.
The Goodwin family was supportive and friendly with 97-year-old Nana and parents and 3 siblings. But secrets abounded in their life. It took one catastrophe on a lazy summer afternoon to have the worms crawling everywhere.
This was an easy beach read where the words brought the smell of the summery winds right into my kindle. The characters were distinct with their own problems. The story went the easy way initially with the usual banter between the siblings.
The catastrophe changed the dynamics in the family and brought those secrets out one by one. That made the book quite a fun read. Short chapters with vivid characters and loads of drama within the family made it entertaining. I loved watching the scenes unfurl giving me a strange voyeuristic joy.
Overall, it was a delightful afternoon spent with kindle on bed.
The Goodwin family was supportive and friendly with 97-year-old Nana and parents and 3 siblings. But secrets abounded in their life. It took one catastrophe on a lazy summer afternoon to have the worms crawling everywhere.
This was an easy beach read where the words brought the smell of the summery winds right into my kindle. The characters were distinct with their own problems. The story went the easy way initially with the usual banter between the siblings.
The catastrophe changed the dynamics in the family and brought those secrets out one by one. That made the book quite a fun read. Short chapters with vivid characters and loads of drama within the family made it entertaining. I loved watching the scenes unfurl giving me a strange voyeuristic joy.
Overall, it was a delightful afternoon spent with kindle on bed.
February 25, 2020
Really enjoyed, likable characters, love the twist at the end!
October 8, 2020
This is the story of 3 adult children returning home for their grandmother's 97th birthday. The day is a disaster as a boating accident has the three siblings at each other's throats. Perry's teenage daughter isn't hurt but his brother, Jake breaks a leg and Jake's fiance's daughter breaks an arm. Sister Phoebe has her own problems with a mortgage way beyond due and a bank loan for renovations already overspent. When their mother wants a family dinner to heal the wounds, it backfires and erupts with some secrets spilling onto the dining room table along with the fried chicken. A good story with 3 very different characters. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
February 22, 2020
good beach read. two brothers and one sister grow through a boating accident, a social media posting and a mute daughter. characters well written, easy to identify with and ones you want to wish well.
February 20, 2020
Beautiful. Story keeps. Your. Attention
May 5, 2020
Received an ARC from Goodreads giveaway
An enticing summer read about a family whose story comes together from different viewpoints surrounding a freak boating accident. Perry, the brother who seems to have it all from the outside yet is manipulative and dry, often being brushed off by his family he tries so hard to impress. His teenage daughter, her one desire to fit in with her classmates quickly becoming her biggest flaw. The sister Phoebe, her optimism borders on delusional and where her dream world is quickly falling apart, including her home and marriage, she doesn’t seem able to grasp any of it. And finally, Olivia. The fiancé of the outgoing brother Jake, an artist and a single parent of a young daughter who is mute, she folds into the family and becomes a center point of this story. Spanning the length of a summer, the story unfolds how each family member is coping from both the accident and tensions that occurred long before that day at the lake.
Some characters got under my skin quickly, whereas others I found myself having empathy for. Overall a fun read and I found myself having a hard time putting it down. It was full of cliffhangers and left the reader speculating until the perspective cycled back in a few chapters. I think every reader can relate to either one of the characters of a dysfunctional family in some capacity.
An enticing summer read about a family whose story comes together from different viewpoints surrounding a freak boating accident. Perry, the brother who seems to have it all from the outside yet is manipulative and dry, often being brushed off by his family he tries so hard to impress. His teenage daughter, her one desire to fit in with her classmates quickly becoming her biggest flaw. The sister Phoebe, her optimism borders on delusional and where her dream world is quickly falling apart, including her home and marriage, she doesn’t seem able to grasp any of it. And finally, Olivia. The fiancé of the outgoing brother Jake, an artist and a single parent of a young daughter who is mute, she folds into the family and becomes a center point of this story. Spanning the length of a summer, the story unfolds how each family member is coping from both the accident and tensions that occurred long before that day at the lake.
Some characters got under my skin quickly, whereas others I found myself having empathy for. Overall a fun read and I found myself having a hard time putting it down. It was full of cliffhangers and left the reader speculating until the perspective cycled back in a few chapters. I think every reader can relate to either one of the characters of a dysfunctional family in some capacity.
May 29, 2020
What a wonderful book! This is the perfect beach read. A story of a family with three adult children, which the story focuses on. The tale begins with their grandmother's 97th birthday and continues with the details of each child's daily life. The focal point of the book is a boating accident that causes the two brothers, the oldest and youngest, to be at each other's throats. Perry, the eldest son, has a teenage daughter, Emma, who ends up getting injured, while baby brother Jake breaks his leg and Jake's fianceé's daughter Luci breaks her arm. Middle child Phoebe has her own problems with renovating a money pit home and renovations that are way beyond control and payments that are overdue. When their mother wants a family dinner to heal the wounds, it totally backfires and secrets are spilled onto a dining room table.
Excellent story with wonderfully deep, drawn-out characters and a nicely developed plot. I have never read a story by this author but I plan to change that situation. I would love to see his become a series!
I would like to thank Hannah McKinnon, Atria/Emily Bestler Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and exchange for a fair and honest review.
Excellent story with wonderfully deep, drawn-out characters and a nicely developed plot. I have never read a story by this author but I plan to change that situation. I would love to see his become a series!
I would like to thank Hannah McKinnon, Atria/Emily Bestler Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and exchange for a fair and honest review.
May 31, 2020
Thank you to #NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with a digital copy of this book prior to publication in exchange for an honest review. The View From Here by Hannah McKinnon is the perfect beach read with a little something extra. It is the story of three adult siblings who reunite at their childhood home for their grandmother's 97th birthday. Perry is the responsible, wants to do everything perfectly oldest son, Jake is the fun younger brother who everyone loves and Phoebe is the baby sister. Perry has the perfect country club life with his wife and daughter, Phoebe and her husband and their twin sons just moved into the home that Phoebe has dreamed of owning since she was a child and Jake has found the woman of his dreams and plans to marry. Pretty perfect. Well, things are not as they seem. Under the facade of perfection, each of these characters has their own issues to deal with and things come to a head after a boating accident. I think most readers will be identify with at least one of these characters. I really enjoyed the book and thought the author did an excellent job with the way the storyline played out for each of the characters. I look forward to more books by Hannah McKinnon and hope that she writes another book about this family.
June 15, 2020
The View from Here is a complicated story of a close-knit extended family that finds themselves having a summer none of them could have ever anticipated. Grown siblings Perry, Phoebe and Jake are all a different life stages and have always had small rifts between them. Perry suffers from being a perfectionist, from his job, his wife and his daughter. The pressure to have the best and be the best alienates him from everyone. Jake has finally found love in Olivia, and his new engagement includes being a father-figure to Oliva’s daughter Luci, who has selective mutism. Phoebe is married to her college love, has twin four years’ olds and is literally in over her head and budget on a new home. When a split second decision lands Jake, Luci and Emma (Perry’s daughter) in the hospital these siblings are all faced with new challenges, secrets and the reality of the lives they’ve created. The View from Here offers a loving story for readers. While there are many characters to follow, the challenges they face this memorable summer and throughout their lives are both relatable and endearing. The View from Here was a delightful summer read!
A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 9, 2020
I like books that allow me to escape from the day to day struggles of life - the focus of this book basically brought all that front and center. The main theme of this story was the family dynamics of 3 siblings who don't strike me as particularly close, or loving. One is a workaholic who is becoming increasingly alienated from his teenage daughter, who is struggling to be seen. His sister is the mother of twins, who is barely holding it all together through home renovations they cannot afford. The 3rd brother is the golden boy, who has struggled to grow up, amd becomes engaged to a single mother with a daughter who has selective mutism. I didn't connect with any of the main characters and I didn't find them particularly likeable. Sometimes I feel it might be better to tell the story from one character's perspective, rather than that of 5 different characters - I find it harder to connect with the characters and their storylines. This one just wasn't for me, despite enjoying previous books by this author.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
July 2, 2022
I found this book unique to due its construction. This is a family drama involving three siblings, their parents, spouses and offstring during one Connecticut summer. Emma, Olivia, Perry, and Phoebe are the protagonists and we are shown their "view from here" in their individual alternating chapters along the way. Written in third person limited, we know what the chapter's character is thinking but only get the interacting character's take in the dialog. I thought at first this might be hard to keep the story straight, but it turned out to work very well. The situations are not all that unusual: Phoebe is involved in the renovation of her dream house; Emma, Perry's daughter, is dealing with teen angst; Perry is coming to terms with his expectations in the face of certain realities about his life; Olivia a mom of a special needs daughter, engaged to one of the siblings (Jake) is navigating the novelty of a large family. There is under-age drinking, a boating accident, financial tension, sibling rivalry, and generational issues. This excellent story could have been plucked from almost any slice of a family pie and it made a good read. Highly recommend.
July 8, 2020
The View From Here is a multigenerational family saga set against the beautiful backdrop of a small town in Connecticut. This was my first Hannah McKinnon novel, and about halfway through it, I went onto Goodreads and marked all her other work as "Want to Read". One of the blurbs for this novel was written by Elin Hilderbrand, my favourite beach read author, and I felt like McKinnon's writing style appealed to me in the same way Hilderbrand's does. I loved getting to know the characters and seeing the way their minds worked. I loved the beautiful rustic setting against the water. McKinnon uses descriptions of food, drink, weather and locations to create moments and enrich the flow of the novel.
I love family dramas featuring sibling rivalry, love, betrayal and redemption and this one delivered. I would have given this novel 5 stars, the only reason I deducted about half a star, is that the completion of the plot wasn't quite as juicy as what I hoped for, but other than that, I absolutely adored it.
I love family dramas featuring sibling rivalry, love, betrayal and redemption and this one delivered. I would have given this novel 5 stars, the only reason I deducted about half a star, is that the completion of the plot wasn't quite as juicy as what I hoped for, but other than that, I absolutely adored it.
April 15, 2020
Winner of ARC. The book is laid out well and flows nicely. Chapters are by character and the book starts with Olivia and Lucy, alone with her father who is a restaurant owner. They meet Jake which opens them up to a whole new world of family and all that it entails. Jake's family is rambunctious and fun loving. Led by Great Grandma and the parents Edward and Jane. The three adult children, Perry, Jake and Phoebe with their respective families. Jake being favored in the eyes of Perry, who is seen as most successful and Phoebe still looking for her place in the world. Dreams, teenagers and family. The book revolves around many issues that the typical family might encounter and shows how on the outside all can be perfect until the moment that shows you what is most important. I would recommend this book, it would be a nice summer read.
June 17, 2020
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. This book intrigued me because there was a lot to it there was family, relationships, underage drinking, a little girl that couldn't talk other than to her mom. There were secrets, mistakes, and sometimes life is messy. Each thing going on could go in so many directions but we never knew what was going to happen until the author revealed it. Everyone has struggles, kids make mistakes and has to learn valuable lessons. What I liked most about the book is the author didn't shy away from anything, she faced it head-on. This is life and like life, you just never know what will happen or what you would do if things happened. The view from here is we got to pull back the curtain on a family and see all the goings-on. I would recommend this book. because it offers a lot of insight.
June 27, 2020
The View from Here is told from multiple POV of members of the Goodwin family who live on a lake in the Connecticut countryside. Each family member is dealing with his/her own issues and mistakes in life and in their relationships with each other. I didn't care for all of the characters, however, I did really enjoy the characters of Olivia and her daughter, Luci, a 5 year old with selective mutism. It's a bit slow to start while all the characters are introduced, but the plot picks up by the middle of the book. This is a light beach read that touches on some heavier subjects, without feeling too heavy. I'd recommend this book for fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Nancy Thayer.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 11, 2020
There are a few authors that I will always read their books in the summer and @hannahmckinnonwrites is one of them! I love how her books are always slightly different locations that the typical beach reads.
The View from Here is another family drama that takes place in the middle of Connecticut. The Goodwin family has several adult children and their families like to gather and celebrate the summer. This story mostly takes place in the aftermath of a boat crash at one of these parties. I enjoyed this book, maybe not as much as some of the author’s other works. The Goodwin family really reminded me of the Bravermans from the tv series Parenthood. There’s the responsible brother, the flighty sister and the goofy, big kid youngest brother.
My review: 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for the gifted copy.
The View from Here is another family drama that takes place in the middle of Connecticut. The Goodwin family has several adult children and their families like to gather and celebrate the summer. This story mostly takes place in the aftermath of a boat crash at one of these parties. I enjoyed this book, maybe not as much as some of the author’s other works. The Goodwin family really reminded me of the Bravermans from the tv series Parenthood. There’s the responsible brother, the flighty sister and the goofy, big kid youngest brother.
My review: 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for the gifted copy.
August 25, 2020
This book was the perfect combination of family drama and beach read! I know they say not to judge a book by its cover, but this book took me by surprise. It covered many more sensitive topics than I expected. Teens and social media, parenting, complicated family relationships, mental health- it was all there. The writing was light and easy to follow and it was a hard one to put down.
When a summer family gathering ends up as a tragic accident, all the relationships, perceived images, and unspoken truths in the family come out. As details about what really happened at the family gathering come to light, the truth about what matters most becomes clear. I loved this family drama and highly recommend it!
Thank you to Atria Books for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. You can read this and other book reviews at genthebookworm.com
When a summer family gathering ends up as a tragic accident, all the relationships, perceived images, and unspoken truths in the family come out. As details about what really happened at the family gathering come to light, the truth about what matters most becomes clear. I loved this family drama and highly recommend it!
Thank you to Atria Books for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. You can read this and other book reviews at genthebookworm.com
May 30, 2020
The View from Here so wonderfully sets the scene - summertime, a lake side community, New England family bbqs. Reading about that definitely matched the frame of mind I am in right now. However, perhaps I didn't read the synopsis closely enough because this book definitely came with way more drama and dysfunction than I had expected. The three siblings have some serious problems, as do their families making this book not what I would consider "a light summer read". That said, I did enjoy the book and the progression of the family events. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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