No Home Like Nantucket

Sweet Island Inn #1

by Grace Palmer

Nantucket was her paradise—until reality came barging in.

Mae Benson was happy—a beloved wife, beloved mother, beloved neighbor. But even she wasn’t ready for the tragedy looming around the corner.

The accident that claims her husband’s life rocks the whole family. And it’s not the only thing stirring up trouble.

Mae’s oldest, Eliza, is facing an unexpected pregnancy with a fiancé she no longer wants to be with.
Her daughter Holly is caught in a marriage on the rocks.
Headstrong daughter Sara is reeling in the throes of a forbidden workplace romance.
And her youngest son, Brent, is drowning in sorrow and guilt after his father’s passing.

Take a trip to Nantucket’s Sweet Island Inn and follow along as Mae Benson and her children face the hardest summer of their lives.

Love, loss, heartbreak, hope—it’s all here and more. Can Mae find a way to bring herself and her family to the light at the end of the tunnel? Or will her grief be too much to overcome?

Find out in NO HOME LIKE NANTUCKET.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Family, Womens Fiction

304 pages, ebook

Published March 9, 2020

About the author

Grace Palmer grew up in the Northeast but moved down south to Charleston, South Carolina to escape the brutal winters. Her and her husband run an Airbnb on the beach and have 2 sassy cats, Mickey and Mousy, who boss around a golden retriever named Taco.

She writes feel good romances that are clean, wholesome, and inspirational. Cozy up by your fireplace or lounge out on the beach and settle in because her books are un-putdownable.

Follow her on Amazon and at fb.com/authorgracepalmer

Reviews

[Sirilee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate it when a book is not a complete story but more like a TV series ... to be continued next week. The writing is not bad, plot is quite OK but little slow - especially in the beginning when the description already told us that an accident was going to happen. Once we got into the lives of the characters - bang - the book ends and everything is left up in the air.
I will not buy the next and the next and the next “episode” just to figure out what happened to the people in the first book. Not worth it. You want to write a family saga : do it in one volume, cut out unnecessary pieces and repetitions. Make it complete.
Look at Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Wrath” or Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls” or many other works of lesser authors: they did not divide the story into three or four separate books. It was told from A to Z.
I’ve read some of these “series books” that do happen in the same place but each is a story of different people. Some seconday characters are those from previous books. I’m not that enthusiastic of this trend either but it is still better than cutting the story abruptly before any clear conclusion what happened to the protagonists.
Consequently 2 stars. Maybe worth just 1 star.

[Grace Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been writing my whole life, and yet I’ve never had an experience as profoundly personal, tragic, heartbreaking, and heartwarming (not to mention confusing!) as writing No Home Like Nantucket. With this being my debut novel, I of course wanted it to be perfect. But as I dove into the world of Nantucket’s Sweet Island Inn, I discovered that the book itself was about imperfection. It was about falling down and getting back up, over and over again, over the course of one’s lifetime. As Mae Benson and her children were learning how to pick up the pieces of their lives, I myself was learning the exact same thing.

Every single one of us has faced heartbreaking times. It’s almost guaranteed that we’ll face them again before our time is up. As you read the story of the Benson family, I hope you start to realize the same things that they do (and that I did): there is power in our families, in our homes, in our loves; that those we lose remain forever in our hearts; and last, that a leap of faith is the hardest jump of all. But, ultimately, it’s the only jump worth making.

With love,
Grace Palmer

[Janet Quigley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very disappointed in the way the book just stops mid stream in the stories of the characters. To get any closure you need to order future books. I won't be pursuing any future books. I enjoy books that carry forward the town and characters but don't leave multiple cliff hangers on the main characters.

[Severine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incomplete!!

The story was going really well (or I should say storylines on each of the Benson family members) but then it came to a screeching halt. NOPE, I will not be getting book 2. Their stories will have to remain unread.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This takes place between spring and autumn. Most of the story takes place on Nantucket, but some of the story is also on mainland Massachusetts and New York City. The story follows Mae and her four children-Eliza, Holly, Sara, and Brent-as they move forward from Henry's death. There is a lot of drama in this story. Brent has the hardest time of all the main characters. The story involves loss, forgiveness, love, fear, alcoholism, and a love triangle. The ending is left open, and I am looking forward to reading the next book.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rated 3.5 Stars

I enjoyed this book as a cozy read while I’m spending all my time at home. I just didn’t feel the story had any meat to it. Yes, things did happen, and all apparently in one day. But the plot felt contrived for maximum tear jerk and I didn’t really feel for the characters.

I was surprised that Eliza seemed to feel so blasé about her pregnancy. She did go home for a while after discovering her condition but all she seemed to think about was getting back to her high-stress, A-type job. That didn’t strike me as what a woman who was about to be a single mother would be absorbed with. What was she going to do with her infant when she put on her pantyhose and stilettos and went to back to 14-hour days at the office?

Sara, on the other hand, was really considering starting a relationship with a man who lied to and used her for a weekend tryst, then told his girlfriend (right in front of Sara) that she threw herself at him. Really? How stupid are you? Oh, he’s rich and handsome so that makes it OK.

Forget Brent, the bratty man-child who drowns himself in the bottom of a bottle when anything goes wrong. A short, sharp slap would solve some of his problems.

With better characters and more realistic situations I could have been tempted to continue with this series.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story

An interesting story with intertwined stories of a mom and four adult children dealing with a shared loss and other life issues. I was frustrated to find it ended without resolution, which I hadn't realized would be the case. Seems to be a trilogy plus an additional story.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. An easy read, this book included loss, love and family drama. I enjoyed getting to know the Benson family from Nantucket in this book. Like Elin Hildebrand, Palmer depicts Nantucket as a charming island that can be a respite from the rest of the world as well as a wonderful, community oriented place to live. Also like Hildebrand, Palmer created characters and settings that I look forward to revisiting in future books.

[Joni Hynson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Partial book

I liked the storyline, characters, but one of those you have to buy the whole series to finish the story

[Vicki Bishop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable.

[January · Rating 2 out of 5]

No Home Like Nantucket by Grace Palmer
292-page Kindle Ebook
Sweet Island Inn #1

Genre: Adult Fiction, Women's Fiction > Chick Lit; Romance > Contemporary Romance; Family

Featuring: Mailing List Info, Book List, Spoiler Outline, Nantucket, Massachusetts; Multiple POVs, Family - Seniors and Adult Children, Relationship Woes, Death, Time Jumps, Depression, More Spoilers For The Next Book - No Beach Like Nantucket, Next Book Preview 6 pages; Book Preview - The Vineyard Sisters: Wayfarer Inn #1 - 8 pages including a outline spoiler

Rating as a movie: PG-15 for adult content including drug use.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️½

My thoughts: 🔖Page 3 Ch. 1 Mae - I haven't even started yet. Thank goodness Kindle opens on the first page of the story. I doubled back for information, and when I started to read the story, I realized there was no Part 1 or Spring, which I passed on my way to the cover page. For another outline introduction, I stopped mid the first paragraph because it wasn't what I had read before. Thank you, Kindle. I was saved, something about a daughter, but I averted my eyes. Why are these authors trying to outline the entire story before you read the book? I don't need or want a breakdown of what's going to happen. 😒
🔖112 Ch. 18 Sara - This story is so predictable, I saw it coming a mile away, although I was a little surprised. I'm glad I skipped that spoiler opening or I would be bored out of my mine. This story is similar to Nantucket by Pamela Kelley, she likes spoiler outlines too, but while Kelley uses a lot of sugar, this is just bland drama. I'm going to finish but I don't think I'll continue.

This story was very predictable, but not in a good way. The characters were bland and one-dimensional; they made ridiculous choices and then complained about the consequences. I could check off all of the ways this book contained hackneyed storylines and other books did them better, with more details, but I don't want to give spoilers. The story isn't good hook-wise but has the nerve to jump around which allows even more of a disconnect. Too much unnecessary drama and it's lame to boot. I understand a series ending on a cliffhanger but this story doesn't do that it just stops, with no cliffhanger or anything. So, if this book is already borderline boring and you don't even give me some big event that you are alluding to being resolved in the next book why would I want to read the next book? That's all I'm saying.

Recommend to others?: Nope. Usually, I don't say this, but this was wack.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love a good feel good story. Family comes together and each work through issues while supporting each other as family's do. Interesting characters and entertaining story make for a readable book. Would recommend!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lois White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book

Great book that kept you turning the page. Good for a beach read. Leaves you wanting and needing to read book 2.

[Mary Holkup · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast easy read with a touching story. On to the next is the series.

[Albert · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good story, I liked how the characters were described. The family went thru so much but I like how they put themselves together and cannot wait to start book 2 later today

[Gail]

This was a book on family dynamics following a traffic death and how each person reacted to it. I thought it was unrealistic for the sister-in-law to reach out to the wife at her husband’s funeral & ask that she take over running the inn. Nobody with any sense at all would think to do such a thing. One of the daughters sent her kids off to camp for five weeks. I can’t imagine the cost to afford such a luxury. Maybe they were well off. Other than those two things, I enjoyed the book and looking forward to the next one.

[reader 1085 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. I enjoyed this book, got involved in all the characters' lives, my heart breaking for Mae and then the book ends. Just like that. No leads, no solutions. I was really enjoying this book. Lovely setting, good characters. It would have been good if just some loose ends got tied up

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Linda McElvenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Captivating story which is part of a series. However it ended abruptly leaving the reader hanging. I would have preferred this story wrapped up before moving in to the next one. I would like to read more.

[Buena D Burnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

No real end

This book one of series doesn’t end. It makes you go to book 2 to pull things together. Therefore I refuse to read book 2. Who knows if it will end since there are 4 books in the series.

[Pauline Stokes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nantucket

I truly loved this book until the ending, which left me hanging and if I want to see the outcome of all the characters I must buy another book. Certainly not my favorite outcome!

[Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book ended rather abruptly so now I have to read the second in the series.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugh

Good read but it doesn’t end. Even if a sequel was planned, the book should have more of an ending.

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Writing was terrible. The story was not riveting, and the characters were one dimensional.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweeping Family Drama

I’ll admit that I am a sucker for good family drama. This particular novel has drama in spades! We start by meeting the parents, still happily married after 41 years. The author does the gentlest information dump I've seen in this first chapter; as the mother wakes up, she ponders her children and her marriage. Interestingly, the book is written from the multiple viewpoints of the mother and the children, so we get to see this family drama unfold from several perspectives. An overarching sad incident colors everyone's point of view, but the children in particular have their own dramas (as well as the larger one) that they are going through at this point in their lives. The book follows this family through three seasons. I found myself quite enraptured by the story, and I didn't want to put it down. I will admit that I was disappointed at the end of the book. The author made no mention in the book description that this book ends on a cliffhanger. Personally, as a reader, I really like to know that before I invest my time and my emotions in reading a book. For me, the book ended abruptly, as if the author just said, “I'm going to call it done here.” This made it so that the plot felt like it had no true novel shape; the end needs to be an ending of sorts. Even with sequential books in a series, there should be a certain natural plotline arc where at least some things are wrapped up or are happy for now with a tease about how things may go wrong again in the future. I don't like it when a fiction book just seems to stop without it seeming to have some fashion of a natural end as I see that as a good inherent structure. That said, I am looking forward to the release of book 2 and definitely want to see what is happening with this family next.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

No Home like Nantucket: A Sweet Island Inn Book 1 is by Grace Palmer. The story and the series is based on Nantucket Island and around the Benson Family.
Mae Benson was bustling around as always. Henry called her a hummingbird after her flitting around. She was just happy that Henry was going fishing with their youngest, Brent. When the two of them went together, good things always happened. However, with Henry being gone, she could get so much more done. Holly and her family would be in that afternoon. Her entire family would be back under one roof again.
Eliza, the eldest, worked for Goldman Sacs along with her boyfriend. However, when she found him sniffing cocaine, she lost it. She wasn’t staying around someone who did drugs. Especially since that morning, she found out she was pregnant. It was a good thing she was going home.
Sara, had fulfilled her dream of working for an exceptional chef; but she had a crush on her boss. He invited her to go to an event where he was receiving an award. She took it as his interest in her until she came face to face with his girlfriend. She hadn’t planned on going home; but she desperately needed a break.
Holly and Pete were headed to Nantucket; but Holly wasn’t sure about Pete. He had been working long hours which messed with their family life. When she had called to see if there was anything she could do, she found out he had left early. What was going on?
Then Brent brought the news to his Mother that Henry was dead. He felt guilty for not stopping his Dad and making him come in. Can he ever forgive himself?

[Rebecca Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book to escape the quarantine pandemic of this coronavirus time...i.e. No Home Like Nantucket by Grace Palmer! There are so many emotions executed in this storyline that kept me entertained. The reality of a family losing their loved one, an unexpected pregnancy, romance galore, a marriage in the skids, and a tragedy unforeseen.
Life on Nantucket for the Benson family gives us all insight into the happenings of running an inn, fisherman's excursions, and life on an island with family drama. The mother, Mae, runs the inn after losing her husband of 41 years from a boating accident. Brent, the son, who has a hard time after his father dies as he blames himself for the accident. Elisa, a daughter, who finds herself with an unexpected pregnancy. Sara, a daughter, who helps her mom at the inn and has a budding romance with Russell, acquaintance from her childhood. Holly, a daughter, who comes home after leaving her children at a summer camp to reflect on her own life with her husband, Pete.
I thoroughly enjoyed No Home Like Nantucket even though this book has a cliffhanger ending, and I will surely be reading No Beach Like Nantucket, and No Wedding Like Nantucket! This is my voluntary review and honest opinion of an advanced reader copy of this book by Grace Palmer!

[Debbie Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family Saga That Hooks You

To be a series set in Nantucket, I was expecting one similar to the dozens ( it seems) of other books now set in Nantucket. many of the others have a similar format— middle aged woman left on her own when husband dies/ leaves her yet all turns out great. However, this one differs from all those others.

The Benson family is introduced, including the father who we know from reading summaries will die, but in this book, we live through this with the family. We have a background in each member of the family, how they react to their dad’s death, and what follows in the coming months.what differs here is that you get no closure on the characters. The author did a good job of introducing each family member and some events but you really do not know what will happen. Where many serial books stand alone and I might say, “ I would like to know what happens,” in the one, I really do want to know.

In one sense, the story lines jump around but I believe the author is setting us up for the next book. What I wonder is, will each of the coming books focus on one character or will each subsequent book contain multiple stories? I do look forward to reading more.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌊One New England family living through tragedy and change: romantic and heartwarming🤗🤗

⚓🚢💕
I think I am going to love this series! This introduction to the Benson family of Nantucket Island is chockful of great subplots related to the lives and loves of Henry and Mae and their four adult children. Every subplot drew me in, and Henry and Mae's forty year marriage/love story set the backdrop for Eliza, Sara, Brent and Holly's stories.

🌅As the seasons and the relaxed island life give the family time to recover from tragedy, there's also reconnection between siblings, new chances at romance and some difficult choices to make about whither their future paths goest.

The family saga only begins with this book, and most of the subplots have a story yet to be resolved by the book's end. I am not usually a reader who enjoys stories with cliffhanger endings, but with No Home Like Nantucket I will make an exception. I loved the heartwarming family supportiveness and can't wait for the next Sweet Island Inn volume to appear!

[Carole Jarvis · Rating 3 out of 5]

"No Home Like Nantucket" by Grace Palmer combines two of my favorite elements - a New England setting and the women's fiction genre. I've actually visited Nantucket twice and the author's visual storytelling drew me into a favorite setting. The characters and family relationship drama were conveyed well - a Mom and her four grown children struggling as they go through a shared loss. Palmer's writing flows smoothly as she takes us back and forth between the family members, conveying just the right amount of emotions and background. The story held my attention throughout.

There were a couple of things I didn't care for, however. I loved that the story was basically clean, but there was the occasional use of profanity that I wish had been omitted. Secondly, the narrative comes to a rather abrupt ending. I know that, as the first of a three- or four-book series, much more will be developed. But I wish that at least one storyline had concluded happily, rather than everything being continued. It was still a very good story that I enjoyed overall.

[Anonymous 5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written story with so much emotion and depth, that I became invested in the story from the beginning and could not put it down. I love family stories and it was wonderful seeing how the family comes together and supports each other while dealing with their issues. I lost my dad, too, many years ago, and I could easily put myself in Brent's place and feel for myself all the emotions Ms. Palmer was trying to portray through her writing. All the characters were strong and endearing and full of great personalities and depth, with realistic and relatable qualities. Ms. Palmer is truly a talented writer and I am so glad I picked up her book. If you are looking for a heartwarming, sweet, family read you definitely don't want to miss this book. I'm really looking forward to the next one!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.