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Summer Beach #1
Summer on the Bluffs
Emmy Award winner, renowned lawyer and journalist, and View cohost Sunny Hostin makes her literary debut with this dazzling novel about a life-changing summer along the beaches of Martha's Vineyard.
Welcome to Oak Bluffs, the most exclusive black beach community in the country. Known for its gingerbread Victorian-style houses and modern architectural marvels, this picturesque town hugging the sea is a mecca for the crème de la crème of black society—where Michelle and Barack Obama vacation and Meghan Markle has shopped for a house for her mom. Black people have lived in this pretty slip of the Vineyard since the 1600s and began buying property in the 1800s, making this posh town the embodiment of “old money.”
Every summer, Esperenza “Perry” Soto, a beautiful and talented Afro-Latina lawyer, escapes the fetid heat of New York City for the gorgeous weather, cool water, and stunning views Oak Bluffs offers. Sharing a cottage on the beach, owned by her “Ama”, with her husband and two god sisters, Perry is looking forward to trading meetings and clients for days of languor and fun.
When Memorial Day arrives and the season begins, some of the nation’s wealthiest, most powerful, and famous from the worlds of politics, art, and entertainment meet to swim, dance, party, and chill. While a few can’t leave work behind, others indulge in a different kind of business affair.
But this summer on the Bluffs is different. Ama is moving to the south of France to reunite with her college sweetheart. She is going to give the house to one of her goddaughters and she has invited all three of them to spend the summer with her the way they did when they were kids. Each of the women want the house desperately. Each is grappling with a secret that they fear will make them lose Ama’s approval and the house. . . .
RUNNING TIME ➜ 10hrs.
©2020 Sunny Hostin (P)2020 HarperAudio
Welcome to Oak Bluffs, the most exclusive black beach community in the country. Known for its gingerbread Victorian-style houses and modern architectural marvels, this picturesque town hugging the sea is a mecca for the crème de la crème of black society—where Michelle and Barack Obama vacation and Meghan Markle has shopped for a house for her mom. Black people have lived in this pretty slip of the Vineyard since the 1600s and began buying property in the 1800s, making this posh town the embodiment of “old money.”
Every summer, Esperenza “Perry” Soto, a beautiful and talented Afro-Latina lawyer, escapes the fetid heat of New York City for the gorgeous weather, cool water, and stunning views Oak Bluffs offers. Sharing a cottage on the beach, owned by her “Ama”, with her husband and two god sisters, Perry is looking forward to trading meetings and clients for days of languor and fun.
When Memorial Day arrives and the season begins, some of the nation’s wealthiest, most powerful, and famous from the worlds of politics, art, and entertainment meet to swim, dance, party, and chill. While a few can’t leave work behind, others indulge in a different kind of business affair.
But this summer on the Bluffs is different. Ama is moving to the south of France to reunite with her college sweetheart. She is going to give the house to one of her goddaughters and she has invited all three of them to spend the summer with her the way they did when they were kids. Each of the women want the house desperately. Each is grappling with a secret that they fear will make them lose Ama’s approval and the house. . . .
RUNNING TIME ➜ 10hrs.
©2020 Sunny Hostin (P)2020 HarperAudio
Audible Audio
First published May 4, 2021
1986 people are currently reading
28810 people want to read
About the author
Sunny Hostin
4 books767 followersSunny Hostin is the 3x Emmy Award-winning legal journalist, New York Times bestselling author, and co-host of The View. On May 4, Hostin released her debut novel, "Summer on the Bluffs" (William Morrow), which skyrocketed to #11 on The New York Times Bestseller List, the first book in her "Summer" trilogy. Last fall, Hostin released her memoir, “I Am These Truths: A Memoir of Identity, Justice, and Living Between Worlds,” with HarperOne. Hostin has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes Woman, Essence, Newsweek, The New York Post, Latina, and Ebony. A sought-after public speaker, she has delivered a TEDxTalk called “A Possibility Model” and spoken at and moderated panels for the U.C. Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, Corporate Counsel Women of Color, and the National Bar Association, and served as a witness at the Federal Judiciary’s Congressional Hearing for the Public’s Right of Access to the Courts. Hostin lives with her husband and two children in New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,441 reviews
April 19, 2021
It's not possible to read any book about Oak Bluffs and not think of Dorothy West's The Wedding or the movie The Inkwell or the Obamas. When you hear about Martha's Vineyard you think of an overly white, extremely upper class of people. We don't typically get stories of wealthy black people in fiction, at least not in this kind of fiction. It's refreshing.
Sunny Hostin invites readers to a world of wealth and class in the form of Amelia Vaux Tanner. I really like that Hostin doesn't overtly name drop, but she does drop artist names and brands that you definitely want to bookmark so you can go back and look them up later. The secrets that Ama is keeping took me back to 80s dramatic sagas like Lace or the Thornbirds. Like I knew something was coming but I never figured out what was coming, so I gasped as each secret was revealed.
How hooked was I? When I started reading the book today, I was about a quarter ways through and didn't turn on the TV or my computer until I was done four hours later. I loved the characters, I loved their backstories. I do wish she'd delved a little deeper into some relationships, but overall I just really enjoyed this book.
Sunny Hostin invites readers to a world of wealth and class in the form of Amelia Vaux Tanner. I really like that Hostin doesn't overtly name drop, but she does drop artist names and brands that you definitely want to bookmark so you can go back and look them up later. The secrets that Ama is keeping took me back to 80s dramatic sagas like Lace or the Thornbirds. Like I knew something was coming but I never figured out what was coming, so I gasped as each secret was revealed.
How hooked was I? When I started reading the book today, I was about a quarter ways through and didn't turn on the TV or my computer until I was done four hours later. I loved the characters, I loved their backstories. I do wish she'd delved a little deeper into some relationships, but overall I just really enjoyed this book.
May 13, 2020
I was chosen to receive this book by entering a goodreads drawing.
Summer on the Bluffs was not for me. I found the book to be a bit shallow with a lot of name dropping. There was too much focus on wealth and lists of successful artists, musicians, writers and their works and not enough emphasis on character and story development. I was tempted to put the book aside but I persevered. I am glad I did because the last 100 pages finally became an interesting story.
Summer on the Bluffs was not for me. I found the book to be a bit shallow with a lot of name dropping. There was too much focus on wealth and lists of successful artists, musicians, writers and their works and not enough emphasis on character and story development. I was tempted to put the book aside but I persevered. I am glad I did because the last 100 pages finally became an interesting story.
September 27, 2024
Summer on the Bluffs was everything I was looking for and more in a summer read. It is jam packed with summer vibes, romance, drama, and family secrets. Thank you to my friend and colleague, Jill, for the recommendation.
The beginning feels like the coming together of a made family, and setting the scene for many loving and fun filled summers on Martha’s Vineyard. The middle is when things take a turn and the drama is unleashed in the lives of all the characters. The end takes everything to the next level when family secrets are revealed.
I loved the characters and their development. I loved the ending and epilogue. What I loved most was the information about Black culture woven into the story in a seamless way that didn’t jar the narrative, but added to it. I learned about many artists and musicians I was unaware of. We see the reality of interracial dating before “Loving Day” (when Supreme Court ruled interracial marriages were legal). We learn about the Black community on Martha’s Vineyard. This is my third book this summer mentioning “colorism”. This quote really resonated with me.
“She and Omar used to discuss colorism and how it might affect the girls. But they always felt, hoped, that it was a remnant of another era that would come to its own inevitable demise. They thought that, like the whites-only signs of their youth, colorism would eventually disappear from their lives. But Ama realized that thinking had been naive. Segregation didn’t just disappear, it was marched out of the nation. Colorism wouldn’t just disappear either.”
Summer on the Bluffs has something for everyone. I greatly enjoyed my time “on the Bluffs” and strongly recommend this book. I definitely plan on reading the next two books in the series.
The beginning feels like the coming together of a made family, and setting the scene for many loving and fun filled summers on Martha’s Vineyard. The middle is when things take a turn and the drama is unleashed in the lives of all the characters. The end takes everything to the next level when family secrets are revealed.
I loved the characters and their development. I loved the ending and epilogue. What I loved most was the information about Black culture woven into the story in a seamless way that didn’t jar the narrative, but added to it. I learned about many artists and musicians I was unaware of. We see the reality of interracial dating before “Loving Day” (when Supreme Court ruled interracial marriages were legal). We learn about the Black community on Martha’s Vineyard. This is my third book this summer mentioning “colorism”. This quote really resonated with me.
“She and Omar used to discuss colorism and how it might affect the girls. But they always felt, hoped, that it was a remnant of another era that would come to its own inevitable demise. They thought that, like the whites-only signs of their youth, colorism would eventually disappear from their lives. But Ama realized that thinking had been naive. Segregation didn’t just disappear, it was marched out of the nation. Colorism wouldn’t just disappear either.”
Summer on the Bluffs has something for everyone. I greatly enjoyed my time “on the Bluffs” and strongly recommend this book. I definitely plan on reading the next two books in the series.
June 16, 2021
Not really a summer beach reader but it's Sunny Hostin and how could i not read her book. It started out really good but half way towards the end, the story and the characters ran a little flat. I'm hoping for a comeback with book 2 and if nothing else maybe the tv series will be better.
Kudos to you Sunny, a New York best seller!!
Kudos to you Sunny, a New York best seller!!
May 28, 2021
3.5 Martha’s Vineyard Stars
Another book set on Martha’s Vineyard! Specifically, Oak Bluffs, an exclusive black beach community. This one features the ultra-successful couple Ama and Omar and we learn about their successful New York lives and summers and weekends spent at the beach.
Ama and Omar have quasi-adopted three girls and they’ve helped pay for their education and brought them to Oak Bluffs for summers. We learn the stories of each of the girls and how they are finding their own identities. There are romances for each of them, some easier than others!
Now Omar has died and Ama brings the girls together for one last summer at the beach house, determined to gift the house to one of them. She explains to each girl about why they were chosen and the secrets that threaten to tear their non-traditional family apart.
There is a bit of a back-and-forth timeline and lots of characters in this one. It was definitely a peek into the world of the wealthy. I think this would make a good beach read!
Thank you to Harper Collins/William Morrow and NetGalley for the copy of this one to read.
Another book set on Martha’s Vineyard! Specifically, Oak Bluffs, an exclusive black beach community. This one features the ultra-successful couple Ama and Omar and we learn about their successful New York lives and summers and weekends spent at the beach.
Ama and Omar have quasi-adopted three girls and they’ve helped pay for their education and brought them to Oak Bluffs for summers. We learn the stories of each of the girls and how they are finding their own identities. There are romances for each of them, some easier than others!
Now Omar has died and Ama brings the girls together for one last summer at the beach house, determined to gift the house to one of them. She explains to each girl about why they were chosen and the secrets that threaten to tear their non-traditional family apart.
There is a bit of a back-and-forth timeline and lots of characters in this one. It was definitely a peek into the world of the wealthy. I think this would make a good beach read!
Thank you to Harper Collins/William Morrow and NetGalley for the copy of this one to read.
May 25, 2025
This book moved fast through time, or at least through Ama's time. It slowed down a bit when the three goddaughters got older. I thought it was going to be a story about Ama, but she ended up being a secondary character.
I loved this book because it stared racism in the face while still breaking the stereotypes and putting Black women in places where they should have always belonged, despite the "harmless pranks" Ama had to face, as an example. I hope the representation of all the people in the book (Black, women, queer, and LatinX) are adequate, or at the very least, a good start.
It was also a good book because the stories in between, that of each of the goddaughter's, was bonded with sisterhood and a deliberate love from Ama and Omar. Each of their identity conflicts were girded by Ama and Omar so that when the time came for the women to learn the truths of their parentage, they were strong enough to handle it, hard as it was. They were also able to hold each other up, as sisters should.
Ama was a great character in herself, even though she ended up being a supporting cast member. She lived life on her terms, for her own dreams, and even in her retirement age and as a widow, she's still living that way. She serves on boards, has enough influence with executives to get one of her goddaughters to work offline every summer for the entire summer, has a sizzling romance, and continues to jet set worldwide. She is what everyone aspires to, but she got there with grit and integrity. She's my hero!
Really looking forward to the next book in the series.
I loved this book because it stared racism in the face while still breaking the stereotypes and putting Black women in places where they should have always belonged, despite the "harmless pranks" Ama had to face, as an example. I hope the representation of all the people in the book (Black, women, queer, and LatinX) are adequate, or at the very least, a good start.
It was also a good book because the stories in between, that of each of the goddaughter's, was bonded with sisterhood and a deliberate love from Ama and Omar. Each of their identity conflicts were girded by Ama and Omar so that when the time came for the women to learn the truths of their parentage, they were strong enough to handle it, hard as it was. They were also able to hold each other up, as sisters should.
Ama was a great character in herself, even though she ended up being a supporting cast member. She lived life on her terms, for her own dreams, and even in her retirement age and as a widow, she's still living that way. She serves on boards, has enough influence with executives to get one of her goddaughters to work offline every summer for the entire summer, has a sizzling romance, and continues to jet set worldwide. She is what everyone aspires to, but she got there with grit and integrity. She's my hero!
Really looking forward to the next book in the series.
May 18, 2021
The setting is amazing; love the love story of Omar and Ama....the rest...meh.
The secrets were interesting but the execution fell flat.
I found this book a bit boring.
The secrets were interesting but the execution fell flat.
I found this book a bit boring.
August 6, 2021
3.5 stars
I enjoyed the story's premise and appreciated Hostin's smooth and readable writing, this would be a good choice for vacation/long weekend reading. I picked this up with the intention of just reading a few pages last week and ended up finishing it the next day. The characters are all interesting, but like most books that have multiple point of views there were perspectives that I wish I had gotten more from. it appears that this is going to be a series, so maybe the following books will focus on the other women that have been brought together as a family.
Hostin touches on colorism in this story but does it so lightly that it didn't feel adequately addressed. I also wasn't a fan of how Olivia's (the only dark skinned woman in the group) relationship with a white man played out. Especially since I didn't really like the personality that he was given. I also don't generally like cheating in a story even when it's not a romance and that's an issue for another of the featured women.
Although, there were some issues that kept me from loving this one, I will continue the series. Hostin's writing kept me engaged even through events/tropes that I don't typically enjoy.
I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Where you can find me:
•(♥).•*Monica Is Reading*•.(♥)•
Twitter: @monicaisreading
Instagram: @readermonica
Goodreads Group: The Black Bookcase
I enjoyed the story's premise and appreciated Hostin's smooth and readable writing, this would be a good choice for vacation/long weekend reading. I picked this up with the intention of just reading a few pages last week and ended up finishing it the next day. The characters are all interesting, but like most books that have multiple point of views there were perspectives that I wish I had gotten more from. it appears that this is going to be a series, so maybe the following books will focus on the other women that have been brought together as a family.
Hostin touches on colorism in this story but does it so lightly that it didn't feel adequately addressed. I also wasn't a fan of how Olivia's (the only dark skinned woman in the group) relationship with a white man played out. Especially since I didn't really like the personality that he was given. I also don't generally like cheating in a story even when it's not a romance and that's an issue for another of the featured women.
Although, there were some issues that kept me from loving this one, I will continue the series. Hostin's writing kept me engaged even through events/tropes that I don't typically enjoy.
I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Where you can find me:
•(♥).•*Monica Is Reading*•.(♥)•
Twitter: @monicaisreading
Instagram: @readermonica
Goodreads Group: The Black Bookcase
May 26, 2021
I listened to the audiobook and I really enjoyed this one. The narrator was very good. Not too slow and had just the right tone to fit each other the women.
This is a multigenerational look into the lives of 4 women who are each at a crossroads in their lives as they meet back together for a summer in Martha's vineyard. Off Bluffs is known for being a summer home destination for the Black and wealthy and Ama lives a very prestigious life. Previously a force on Wall Street she's ready to move on after her husband's death. So she's decided to give away her island home to one of her three goddaughters. Each of these women come from very different backgrounds and it was interesting to see how each had a different relationship with Ama and her late husband Omar. Each are navigating their own relationship woes though some are more messy than others. I wasn't expecting the twists towards the end at all. This was a light and easy read that kept me entertained.
I received a free audiobook from Harper Audio in exchange for an honest review.
This is a multigenerational look into the lives of 4 women who are each at a crossroads in their lives as they meet back together for a summer in Martha's vineyard. Off Bluffs is known for being a summer home destination for the Black and wealthy and Ama lives a very prestigious life. Previously a force on Wall Street she's ready to move on after her husband's death. So she's decided to give away her island home to one of her three goddaughters. Each of these women come from very different backgrounds and it was interesting to see how each had a different relationship with Ama and her late husband Omar. Each are navigating their own relationship woes though some are more messy than others. I wasn't expecting the twists towards the end at all. This was a light and easy read that kept me entertained.
I received a free audiobook from Harper Audio in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2021
I made it 150 pages and can’t do the rest. I really enjoyed what I read of the storyline but it was very back and forth that it was hard to keep up. I also wasn’t a fan of the name dropping and racist comments.
June 16, 2020
I was delighted to receive my ARC of Sunny Hostin's Summer on the Bluff for a number of reasons. The history of Oak Bluffs as an African American community has always fascinated me, and I have always respected Sunny Hostin as a co-host on The View. Thus, it was with great disappointment that I read the book.
Superficial in content, filled with name dropping, and lean on realistic character development, it's just another throw-away beach read. I can't imagine what limited audience this book would appeal to. I'm only sorry I didn't read the book earlier because I would have urged Harper Collins not to publish it, particularly at this time in history when so many African Americans are suffering. The people in this book are unsympathetic to those of any race. What a waste of 385 pages. It's unfortunate that the advance the company paid to Hostin and the printing costs couldn't have been donated to an organization that supports Black Lives Matter.
Superficial in content, filled with name dropping, and lean on realistic character development, it's just another throw-away beach read. I can't imagine what limited audience this book would appeal to. I'm only sorry I didn't read the book earlier because I would have urged Harper Collins not to publish it, particularly at this time in history when so many African Americans are suffering. The people in this book are unsympathetic to those of any race. What a waste of 385 pages. It's unfortunate that the advance the company paid to Hostin and the printing costs couldn't have been donated to an organization that supports Black Lives Matter.
April 14, 2023
First of all I love Sunny Hostin, I love her on the view and when she fights with that gross Meghan McCain..
Okay, back to the book, wow I really enjoyed it and it had to do allot with when you hear about Martha's Vineyard you think of an overly white, extremely upper class of people. We don't typically get stories of wealthy black people in fiction, at least not in this kind of fiction. It's refreshing.
Was it the best book of 2021? Nope. I really enjoyed reading a beach read that dealt with people of color who were living in Martha's Vineyard, and it just made me smile.
Okay, back to the book, wow I really enjoyed it and it had to do allot with when you hear about Martha's Vineyard you think of an overly white, extremely upper class of people. We don't typically get stories of wealthy black people in fiction, at least not in this kind of fiction. It's refreshing.
Was it the best book of 2021? Nope. I really enjoyed reading a beach read that dealt with people of color who were living in Martha's Vineyard, and it just made me smile.
May 6, 2021
I saw this author on Good Morning American and she spoke about this book it sounded like the perfect summer read. It was not😫! As well spoken as she is her writing is is exact opposite. I truly blame her editors. The concept was original: the first black woman who received a seat on the Wall Street stock market.. This was discussed in two sentences and then we fast forward to her in present time very wealthy. There were three goddaughters who were also the focus of the book. There was no character history just fun facts thrown in randomly throughout the book. There was more detailed given to food and description of the home’s bedrooms . A lot of name dropping which I find annoying. Overall a disappointing read.
September 20, 2021
*4.5 stars*
Amelia Vaux Tanner lives the perfect life. She lives in a a Black town full of wealth, she retired with a name for herself, and she has three Goddaughters that she loves as her own. She is envied and emulated. Everyone has secrets though.
This is a multi-generational contemporary fiction. We get to know young Amelia and her grown Goddaughters. I loved getting to know each of them. Amelia's story was my favorite.
Amelia Vaux Tanner lives the perfect life. She lives in a a Black town full of wealth, she retired with a name for herself, and she has three Goddaughters that she loves as her own. She is envied and emulated. Everyone has secrets though.
This is a multi-generational contemporary fiction. We get to know young Amelia and her grown Goddaughters. I loved getting to know each of them. Amelia's story was my favorite.
June 20, 2021
2.5 for meh.
This book had a lot of problems, the first being how pedestrian the writing was. It read like, well a first time author who really likes a good dependent clause. I found it needed a good editor. My second issue was how clear it was a middle aged woman was trying to write "cool" younger female characters. It read as trying too hard. And I am sorry, Gen Z didn't make up TTYL. Not even close. Now I am guilty of using lingo that is a little young for me, so there is space for that, just not 200+ pages of space. There was a lot of world building, but it felt awkward. Yes, we needed to learn about each woman, but it was cumbersome, especially for a multi-book series.
Problems with the story have been discussed in other reviews. This book is dripping with wealth and privilege and for the normal folk among us, folks not adopted by wealthy up and comers, we just don't know all the lingo. And honestly, I didn't need to know what every character was wearing. But that speaks to the world Hostin inhabits and it isn't the same as mine. It is clear Hostin loves Oak Bluffs and some of the descriptions are a result of that love -- and I do love a good love story about a place, but the name dropping really served no purpose except for a small population of people. And then there is Ama. She is supposedly this savior of a woman who has the wisdom of age, but not one of the three girls actually takes a problem to her. And finally, the twist for each character? A little too much and too saccharine all at the same time. Again, multiple books. Slow down!
I can accept that I am not necessarily the target audience for this book. I found some of the cutting remarks about non-Black characters to be unnecessary and beneath the author. The book had potential and I think the story itself and the characters are good. Hostin just needed to develop the story more. Edit, refine, and maybe focus a bit more on the elements people read summer books to find.
This just didn't live up to the promise of being a good guilty pleasure poolside read.
This book had a lot of problems, the first being how pedestrian the writing was. It read like, well a first time author who really likes a good dependent clause. I found it needed a good editor. My second issue was how clear it was a middle aged woman was trying to write "cool" younger female characters. It read as trying too hard. And I am sorry, Gen Z didn't make up TTYL. Not even close. Now I am guilty of using lingo that is a little young for me, so there is space for that, just not 200+ pages of space. There was a lot of world building, but it felt awkward. Yes, we needed to learn about each woman, but it was cumbersome, especially for a multi-book series.
Problems with the story have been discussed in other reviews. This book is dripping with wealth and privilege and for the normal folk among us, folks not adopted by wealthy up and comers, we just don't know all the lingo. And honestly, I didn't need to know what every character was wearing. But that speaks to the world Hostin inhabits and it isn't the same as mine. It is clear Hostin loves Oak Bluffs and some of the descriptions are a result of that love -- and I do love a good love story about a place, but the name dropping really served no purpose except for a small population of people. And then there is Ama. She is supposedly this savior of a woman who has the wisdom of age, but not one of the three girls actually takes a problem to her. And finally, the twist for each character? A little too much and too saccharine all at the same time. Again, multiple books. Slow down!
I can accept that I am not necessarily the target audience for this book. I found some of the cutting remarks about non-Black characters to be unnecessary and beneath the author. The book had potential and I think the story itself and the characters are good. Hostin just needed to develop the story more. Edit, refine, and maybe focus a bit more on the elements people read summer books to find.
This just didn't live up to the promise of being a good guilty pleasure poolside read.
July 2, 2021
First, the title and the cover are misleading. This is not a fun beach read. I did not like this book from the beginning and it did not get any better for me. The payoff was supposed to be the big reveal in the end, but even that was limp. Too much of the book was about material stuff, rich people being rich, designer clothing, celebrity acquaintances, trips to France, the lifestyles of the very rich and famous. I would have been okay with a beach read about rich women. However, since they are Black rich people there are some references to Black history and culture are tossed in. Then it turns into a dysfunctional family drama with old secrets and new misunderstandings. None of these plots is fully developed before suddenly being resolved for a happy ending. It would have been interesting to know how they worked things out, not just skip to the epilogue for the ever after. The main focus kept shifting between characters and in the end it seemed to be the house on Martha's Vineyard. This book was a hot mess of everything the author ever thought about; throw every idea in there. The story, like the characters, lacked discipline. It was hard to believe these women could succeed at anything especially before the age of 30. Worst, the big reveal hardly seemed worth all the build-up. Plus, in an attempt to make to the characters cool I guess, there are references to pop culture and entertainment that are dated already. There are so many things wrong with this book. Why were the girl's parents so agreeable to the arrangement? Why did the girls as adults never ask questions? Why did they feel entitled to the house? Skip it. OMG, is there a second book coming?? Skip it too.
May 6, 2020
Contemporary literature is a fairly new genre for me. I love the portrayal of life and growth that comes from a read like this. Each character is battling their own inner demons and what I love most is that this isn’t just a happy fairy tale ending. It is life. It is up and downs, fights and make-ups, struggles and victories.
This novel looks at the life of Ama, her rise as a successful African American woman and the decisions she made that affected the lives of those around her. Ama and her husband Omar have lived a wonderful life and during that life they had three god daughters brought into their lives. Ama decides that her infamous house on Oak Bluffs will be inherited by one of her three god daughters. But who will inherit this childhood home? All of the females in this novel have a fiery inner strength. They come from backgrounds of oppression, loss and struggle. Learning about each of their childhoods, how they were connected to Ama and each of the secrets they held kept me intrigued throughout the story.
I did enjoy this novel with its uplifting feel but outside of the unique connections each god daughter had with Ama and Omar there wasn’t a lot that made this completely stand out for me. Some areas in the beginning do drag and the climaxes at the end left me feeling rushed instead of satisfied. Don’t let that dissuade you. This would make for a great beach read, especially for the underlying themes.
Thank you to the Book Club Girls, HarperLux and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel for an honest and unbiased opinion.
This novel looks at the life of Ama, her rise as a successful African American woman and the decisions she made that affected the lives of those around her. Ama and her husband Omar have lived a wonderful life and during that life they had three god daughters brought into their lives. Ama decides that her infamous house on Oak Bluffs will be inherited by one of her three god daughters. But who will inherit this childhood home? All of the females in this novel have a fiery inner strength. They come from backgrounds of oppression, loss and struggle. Learning about each of their childhoods, how they were connected to Ama and each of the secrets they held kept me intrigued throughout the story.
I did enjoy this novel with its uplifting feel but outside of the unique connections each god daughter had with Ama and Omar there wasn’t a lot that made this completely stand out for me. Some areas in the beginning do drag and the climaxes at the end left me feeling rushed instead of satisfied. Don’t let that dissuade you. This would make for a great beach read, especially for the underlying themes.
Thank you to the Book Club Girls, HarperLux and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel for an honest and unbiased opinion.
August 1, 2021
A summer beach read set on Martha's Vineyard beautiful Oak Bluff's -- I could not wait to open the cover and start reading. I was ready for the descriptions to begin of the island itself. But it just didn't happen. It's a beach read -- place me on the beach looking out at the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.
How can I argue with a New York Times listed novel. The overall story was good. The description of the setting of the novel was nonexistent. The experience of the ride on the ferry itself to Martha's Vineyard -- would at least take up a paragraph -- the smells -- the sights -- the experience. Ama falls in love with the Vineyard -- why?. There wasn't a flow to the novel -- it jumped from present to past without warning. The present was also out of sequence. And if you are from New Orleans -- it will never be red rice and beans -- it could have been a typo but it should have been caught.
One of my biggest problems with the novel -- is the constant name dropping -- and the constant name brand dropping. Not sure if there were sponsors who helped with finances -- but it felt like a reading billboard.
How can I argue with a New York Times listed novel. The overall story was good. The description of the setting of the novel was nonexistent. The experience of the ride on the ferry itself to Martha's Vineyard -- would at least take up a paragraph -- the smells -- the sights -- the experience. Ama falls in love with the Vineyard -- why?. There wasn't a flow to the novel -- it jumped from present to past without warning. The present was also out of sequence. And if you are from New Orleans -- it will never be red rice and beans -- it could have been a typo but it should have been caught.
One of my biggest problems with the novel -- is the constant name dropping -- and the constant name brand dropping. Not sure if there were sponsors who helped with finances -- but it felt like a reading billboard.
August 3, 2024
4.5⭐️
The PERFECT summer read. My only regret is that I didn’t have a beach trip planned. I would have loved to read this near the water.
The glimpse of music, art, and culture was perfect. Just enough to peak my interest and leave me wanting to do more research on my own time. Ama’s past is such a beautiful mess. The found family appears picturesque at first but the way it was deconstructed?! Shooketh 👀
I would for sure watch this as a television series. It kinda gave me Greenleaf vibes (minus the church) The lux messiness of it all! I can’t decide if I want to read book 2 now or save it for my next beach trip. ☀️🌊🏝️
The PERFECT summer read. My only regret is that I didn’t have a beach trip planned. I would have loved to read this near the water.
The glimpse of music, art, and culture was perfect. Just enough to peak my interest and leave me wanting to do more research on my own time. Ama’s past is such a beautiful mess. The found family appears picturesque at first but the way it was deconstructed?! Shooketh 👀
I would for sure watch this as a television series. It kinda gave me Greenleaf vibes (minus the church) The lux messiness of it all! I can’t decide if I want to read book 2 now or save it for my next beach trip. ☀️🌊🏝️
January 18, 2021
Summer on the Bluffs by Sunny Hostin is a work of audio art! I loved digging into this story and was captivated by the way Hostin wove each character's story together. Move over Elin Hilderbrand, there's a new Queen of the Martha's Vineyard set books. January LaVoy has a beautiful voice and it was enchanting. When I finished the last section I wished there was more to listen to. Summer on the Bluffs will be a classic for many years to come and will be one of the hottest books of 2021. There's love, romance, mystery and intrigue with the beautiful Vineyard setting. Hostin also dives into deeper topics in a way lesser authors may shy away from. This book not only transported me, but encouraged discussion and challenged me in the way only the best books can.
Summer on the Bluffs follows Ama Vaux Tanner and her three goddaughters: Perry, Olivia and Billie. Ama and her husband Omar built a beautiful life together between Manhattan and Oak Bluffs in Martha's Vineyard and opened their hearts to three goddaughters they would host every summer. This summer is different though, Omar has passed and the little girls are all grown up. Ama asks them to spend one last summer on the island and reveals she'll give one of the girls the house she and Omar built to painstaking perfection. Summer on the Bluffs chronicles that summer, but dives much deeper into the past. To moments that shaped each girl and to the way Ama and Omar fell in love and built their impressive careers. I enjoyed this book immensely.
Summer on the Bluffs follows Ama Vaux Tanner and her three goddaughters: Perry, Olivia and Billie. Ama and her husband Omar built a beautiful life together between Manhattan and Oak Bluffs in Martha's Vineyard and opened their hearts to three goddaughters they would host every summer. This summer is different though, Omar has passed and the little girls are all grown up. Ama asks them to spend one last summer on the island and reveals she'll give one of the girls the house she and Omar built to painstaking perfection. Summer on the Bluffs chronicles that summer, but dives much deeper into the past. To moments that shaped each girl and to the way Ama and Omar fell in love and built their impressive careers. I enjoyed this book immensely.
May 9, 2021
Damon could kiss the roundest, BLACKEST part of— yeah, anyway. This was a delightful read! Loved it.
November 20, 2022
3.8 stars
9hrs 30min./8 CDs
This unabridged audio book was expertly performed by January LaVoy. Her voice was easy to listen to and also easy to distinguish between the different characters. I would like to listen to more books narrated by January LaVoy.
Summer on the Bluffs is the first book I have read/listened to by "best selling author" Sunny Hostin. The setting was Oak Bluffs, an exclusive Black beach community in Martha's Vineyard and the main characters led interesting and diverse lives. I particularly liked Ama and Omar's story.
Initially I was intrigued by the three goddaughters, but I started to lose interest near the end of the book. I would listen to more books written by this author and read by January LaVoy.
3.8 stars
9hrs 30min./8 CDs
This unabridged audio book was expertly performed by January LaVoy. Her voice was easy to listen to and also easy to distinguish between the different characters. I would like to listen to more books narrated by January LaVoy.
Summer on the Bluffs is the first book I have read/listened to by "best selling author" Sunny Hostin. The setting was Oak Bluffs, an exclusive Black beach community in Martha's Vineyard and the main characters led interesting and diverse lives. I particularly liked Ama and Omar's story.
Initially I was intrigued by the three goddaughters, but I started to lose interest near the end of the book. I would listen to more books written by this author and read by January LaVoy.
3.8 stars
April 4, 2020
Summer on the Bluffs by Sunny Hostin is a great, refreshing, heartwarming book about heart, love, relationships, family, and secrets.
This is an excellent book that centers around Ama and Omar and their wonderful life and summer house together in Martha’s Vineyard. The reader then gets to see a mystery unfold in the “adoption” of three goddaughters: Perry, Olivia, and Billie. We learn of their relationships with each girl, and with each other.
Fast forward to current day, all the girls are brought to the summer house one more time to find out which one may inherit the gem will Ama takes the next step as a widow into staying abroad with her new love interest.
We learn all the girls have their own secrets as well as Ama and the late Omar. Will the unearthing of long-buried secrets bring the women together, or push them a apart?
A great, relaxing read with a great ending. I loved the female characters. They were real, flawed, like able, strong, and fierce.
This looks to be the beginning of a new series. I look forward to additional books if they are as amazing as this read.
5/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow/HarperCollins Publishers for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.
This is an excellent book that centers around Ama and Omar and their wonderful life and summer house together in Martha’s Vineyard. The reader then gets to see a mystery unfold in the “adoption” of three goddaughters: Perry, Olivia, and Billie. We learn of their relationships with each girl, and with each other.
Fast forward to current day, all the girls are brought to the summer house one more time to find out which one may inherit the gem will Ama takes the next step as a widow into staying abroad with her new love interest.
We learn all the girls have their own secrets as well as Ama and the late Omar. Will the unearthing of long-buried secrets bring the women together, or push them a apart?
A great, relaxing read with a great ending. I loved the female characters. They were real, flawed, like able, strong, and fierce.
This looks to be the beginning of a new series. I look forward to additional books if they are as amazing as this read.
5/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow/HarperCollins Publishers for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.
Want to read
May 29, 2021This normally is my kind of book. It was given to me by the publisher for an honest review. It did sound interesting in the description. I got this from Netgalley. I did not know who the author was. When I saw the actual cover with the name and host I was like "Oh way to try to get sales"
The characters were just OK. I did NOT feel the "hurt". I think working hard, the background was sort of ok. The scenery and descriptions were not accurate. I spent a lot of time in Hyannis Port and Martha's Vineyard myself - this was a big miss for me.
There was another aspect that seriously put me off. I won't go into it, but now that I do know a little about the author, or so called author, I am correct in my feelings. Labeling "the most exclusive black beach" was sick and very unappealing
I read an awful lot of books, on average 2-3 a week so I may be wrong but this felt like a few other books. To me, it felt like they used this woman's name to sell books and someone else wrote most of it.
I really do NOT recommend this read. If you want to throw away $14.99 go ahead. The publishers need to reexamine their prices.
The characters were just OK. I did NOT feel the "hurt". I think working hard, the background was sort of ok. The scenery and descriptions were not accurate. I spent a lot of time in Hyannis Port and Martha's Vineyard myself - this was a big miss for me.
There was another aspect that seriously put me off. I won't go into it, but now that I do know a little about the author, or so called author, I am correct in my feelings. Labeling "the most exclusive black beach" was sick and very unappealing
I read an awful lot of books, on average 2-3 a week so I may be wrong but this felt like a few other books. To me, it felt like they used this woman's name to sell books and someone else wrote most of it.
I really do NOT recommend this read. If you want to throw away $14.99 go ahead. The publishers need to reexamine their prices.
June 28, 2021
I was excited to learn I had won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway, and read it soon after receiving it. But reviewing it has taken much longer, at least in part because I couldn't decide what to say. I really like and respect Sunny Hostin as a TV journalist on The View, and feel she has depth and insight into issues, and is quite articulate. And in reading this book I see that she also has skill as a writer. But I had trouble with the characters, and with the story. Set in Oak Bluffs, the story tells of a wealthy black family. The central character is Amelia (Ama) Tanner, who has been widowed but left with a hefty fortune as both she and her late husband were quite successful in their careers. Having no children themselves, the Tanners had become godparents to three young black girls, now young women themselves, from three different families. Ama has a close relationship with each girl, and has paid for them to obtain excellent educations. And one of the young women will be inheriting Ama's primary home on Oak Bluffs. What bothered me about the story:
There is a lot of name dropping, of designers, famous people, jewelers, artists, etc.
There is a lot of romance, as each young woman struggles with relationships, which was
okay, but not what I was expecting
There is little depth to the characters, and I would have liked to see more depth to the
story as well.
All that being said, I think Ms. Hostin has great potential as an author, as she develops her craft and learns how to enrich her characters and story. I would probably read other future works by her.
There is a lot of name dropping, of designers, famous people, jewelers, artists, etc.
There is a lot of romance, as each young woman struggles with relationships, which was
okay, but not what I was expecting
There is little depth to the characters, and I would have liked to see more depth to the
story as well.
All that being said, I think Ms. Hostin has great potential as an author, as she develops her craft and learns how to enrich her characters and story. I would probably read other future works by her.
June 16, 2020
This was a deeply moving story of an upper crust black family on Martha's Vineyard. Ama and Omar had no children but they have three goddaughters. Now, the three goddaughters gather at their home in Martha's Vineyard. Each one eager to see who Ama will leave the house to. All of them have hidden secrets they carry, including Ama. This was a moving and suspenseful story of family and secrets. I love stories like this and especially the setting on Martha's Vineyard. I really enjoyed this. There is alot to this story.
Dawnny-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte Book Club
Hudson Valley NY
Mahogany Media Review
Dawnny-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte Book Club
Hudson Valley NY
Mahogany Media Review
July 26, 2021
I couldn't finish this book. Got to about page 100 and just couldn't take any more. I expected so much more from Sunny Hostin. This book is about 4 smart, educated women who seem to be ruled by their libidos and their their teenage emotions. I finally put this book down and have started reading "Susan, Lina, Nina and Cokie", a non-fiction book about the "founding mothers of NPR". Women who used their education and brains to change the face of male-dominated broadcasting. Thanks Sunny, but I prefer to read about women I can respect.
May 1, 2020
I love the cover and the description of the cottage! This has a lot going on - female/ family relationships, the characters are like able and definitely relatable. They all have secrets and it’s interesting how it all played out. This is a good debut, it’s entertaining and a quick read. Thanks to Book Club Girl, William Morrow, and NetGalley for an ebook ARC. This is my honest review.
April 7, 2020
I was really excited about reading this book but I didn’t enjoy it as I expected. I found the characters difficult to relate to. The setting is lovely but I didn’t feel drawn in.
So, this was disappointing, but a decent beach read.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.
So, this was disappointing, but a decent beach read.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.
June 6, 2022
I don't get it--unless I missed something, they barely spent time at the house. I feel like the book summary doesn't line up with the story.
Also, it was utterly boring.
Also, it was utterly boring.
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