The Darlings

by Hannah McKinnon

On a secluded stretch of Cape Cod, a wedding is being planned at a beloved beach house—only for a long kept secret to emerge that hurtles both the wedding and the family off course, in this fresh, lyrical new novel from the acclaimed author of the “charming and warmhearted” ( PopSugar ) The Summer House.

At age ninety-two, Tish Darling is the matriarch and protector of what’s left of the Darling family fortune, including the decades-old beach house, Riptide. Located on the crook of Cape Cod, it’s a place she once loved but has not returned to in decades, since a tragic family accident one perfect summer day. Still, she is determined to keep Riptide in the family. Even if that means going back there on the cusp of her granddaughter’s wedding. Even if it means revealing someone else’s truth.

Her daughter-in-law Cora has her own complicated feelings surrounding Tish’s return as well as doubts about her place within the Darling family. After all, Cora came into the family carrying a secret that her husband promised to keep for her forever. Tish’s sudden return to Riptide may force everything they’ve worked so hard to protect out into the light.

Meanwhile, Cora’s eldest daughter, Andi isn’t exactly looking forward to her little sister’s wedding so soon after her own divorce. To make matters worse, her ex has arrived on the Cape with his insufferable new girlfriend. Andi has no idea how she’ll be able to survive this family reunion…until she bumps into an old friend from the past. A friend who may just offer her a second chance.

As the three distinct generations of Darling women arrive at Riptide, they have no idea that this summer will forever change them. One old secret, kept with the best of intentions, threatens to not only divide the family, but shatter each member’s sense of who they really are. Can the ties that bind survive, when the history you’ve always been told turns out to be untrue?

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Summer, Summer Reads, Womens Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary

320 pages, Paperback

First published May 2, 2023

About the author

Author 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

Reviews

[Delaney · Rating 2 out of 5]

It felt like this book went a whole lot of nowhere. There wasn’t anything that surprised me, or felt like much of a mystery. It was a story of a family and their dynamics…which weren’t all that interesting. All the secrets are revealed within the first couple chapters and then we just deal with the aftermath. I kept waiting for something to HAPPEN and then it didn’t. The synopsis for this book makes it sound so intriguing and scandalous and I personally didn’t find that to be accurate. That said I did read this in one day, so it’s decently written. Just not overly entertaining.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

[Kristy Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part delectable family drama, part testament to the various ways in which love blooms, Hannah McKinnon’s THE DARLINGS is an absolute treasure of a novel . . . Slip this one in your beach bag and share a copy with a friend.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Darling family gathers for youngest daughter Sydney's wedding, but receive the shock of their lives when reticent matriarch Tish Darling shows up and gifts Sydney the deed to Riptide, the family's beloved Cape Cod family home. She also reveals a horrible secret that will devastate the entire family, including her son, Charley; daughter-in-law Cora; and their elder twins, Andi and Hugh.

I love Hannah McKinnon's books so much; they are such an enjoyable escape. THE DARLINGS is a great family saga about past secrets and what happiness really means. McKinnon always excels at delving into her characters, showing us various POVs and their motivations. So many Darlings are doing what they feel is right--even if they may appear awful at times. I loved how we learned about Tish's past and how all her choices cascaded from so many early events. The relationships here are tangled and intertwined, but nuanced.

It seems like the trope of an elderly woman returning to her beach home to remember her past life or loves is done often (alas, didn't seem to happen with my family!). There is only so much that can be done with such a story, but I still found this tale quite engaging. Does it tread a lot of new ground? Perhaps not, but it's moving and interesting, with a lovely beach setting. It did end a little abruptly though--I would not mind seeing the Darlings again sometime. 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4 here.

I received a copy of this book from Atria/Emily Bestler Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.

[Scottsdale Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Darling Family, Charley and Cora and their grown children, twins Andi and Hugo along with the youngest sister Sydney, are spending time at their Cape Cod home. Sydney is getting married in two weeks and things are quite busy. Andi, newly divorced, arrives with her teen daughter and Hugo and his husband Martin are there as well. Charley’s mother, Tish, has not spent time in the house since her husband died. She arrives and upends the family when she reveals a long-held secret that will affect all of them.

This is a novel of family, what it is, what it means, how to keep it. There are secrets, resentments, regrets and misunderstandings, but at the end, family is everything. Laugh out loud funny at times, heartbreaking at others, it is a realistic and believable tale of what one family goes through to stay together. Set on beautiful Cape cod with descriptions of the beach, town and ocean, it is a read that pulls you in and keeps you till the end. - Jennifer C.

[Melany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one! The summer vibes and feels were lovely. Quite a bit of family drama but also cool to see the interesting ways of how love happens. I enjoyed this read and it kept me yearning for more! Loved it and the ending was wrapped up neatly.

I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

[Dallas Strawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Darlings” is your typical big crazy cast of characters family wedding book, where the grandma has a secret and she comes to the family to divide them when she spills the beans….and then you know what happens…..

It was okay, I didn’t hate it or love it, I just felt like I had read it and seen the story in movies many many times because it wasn’t extraordinarily original, and the writing was kind of plain. But. It was an easy read, and for someone looking for a nice escapist Cape Cod book this May while waiting on the new releases from Elin Hilderbrand and Kristy Woodson Harvey coming later in the summer, this will do the job.

Thanks to Atria for sending me an advance copy.

[Lo · Rating 2 out of 5]

This hooked me in the beginning but once the “family secret” was out it dragged literally until the last quarter of the book. The unlikeable grandma figure’s grudges made absolutely no sense given the context. Youngest daughter Sydney’s decisions were illogical; she was low key insufferable — so selfish, and the “I’m the baby I live in the shadows” troupe didn’t hold up given everything. The sibling dynamics were so superficial in general. I think Andi was the only likable one for me. Had higher expecting for this one, disappointed it fell flat :/

[Світлана · Rating 5 out of 5]

Поставила пʼять балів, але це десь 4,5. В цілому мені сподобалась книга, я люблю сімейні драми

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Darlings is my first time reading a novel by Hannah McKinnon, and boy does she know how to write a family drama! There is a touch of romance in the book as well, but it is mostly about the Darling family and the drama, drama, drama that ensues when secrets finally start to spill out. There are multiple viewpoints as well as snippets from the past through Tish's POV. That ended up getting a little confusing for me since I was listening to the audio and the thing that signified those switches was a page break, but once I got the hang of what was going on I was fine. I would say this is a mostly serious story, but it is infused with plenty of humor as well, so there were certain parts that had me laughing out loud. I really enjoyed all of the characters, and the 3 different character viewpoints were more than enough for me.

Sara Sheckells is the narrator for the audiobook, and I have to admit that I loved her voice and overall narration. I do think this would have benefited from a full cast though, and the 3 female POVs ended up blending together a bit for me. Sheckells didn't really use any distinctions in her voice between the 3, so if I didn't know which viewpoint I was in by the chapter heading, I may not have been able to tell the difference at all. The real standouts by character are Andi going through a divorce and Tish being the matriarch of the family, but then Cora kind of just blended into the background for me. I had a hard time keeping the family straight at times, and I don't know if that is just a me thing, or the fact I listened instead of reading, or the author's writing style. Either way, I did really enjoy this one and the dash of romance that went with it. If you are a fan of family dramas with juicy secrets, I would definitely recommend The Darlings.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

Riptide, the name of the darling family cottage on the beach where our drama unfolds. The whole Darling family is present for Sydney, the youngest daughters wedding when Grandma Tish drops a family bomb about the inheritance of the house and releases a huge family secret. Will they recover? How will they cope? Tons of information, descriptive writing for sure, slightly overly developed characters and just a bunch of family history. Enjoyed the story for the most part. Did find myself just ready for the end about 70% in. Great beach read for sure.

Thanks to Goodreads for the giveaway win for my copy!! All opinions are my own!

[Anita Weisheit · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing happens. There is literally no plot. The characters are flat and boring, the big secret isn't really that big of a deal, there is just a bunch of talking, and the big wedding they keep talking about is rushed through in the last chapter. The author tries like crazy to make Tish a sympathetic character but she's just a bitter old woman who wasted her life pining for the past. Would make a dreadful movie so hopefully no one tries to turn it into one. I gave it two stars because for some reason i cared enough to see how it ended.

[Lauren Vermilyea · Rating 2 out of 5]

SO. SLOW. AND. REPETITIVE.

[Chapters of Chase · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Darlings || Atria Books {partner}
Genre: Fiction
Trope: Family Drama
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 5.2.2023
Star Rating: ☆☆☆.5

"That's the trouble with family; you could put miles and miles between you, but they always knew your favorite hiding places."

The Darlings will make for the perfect beach read, as it's light but full of enough drama to keep you interested! Who doesn't love a good story about the unraveling of family secrets?

I loved how this book started - it gave me all the Gilmore Girls meets Peachtree Bluff (Kristy Woodson Harvey) feels and had me eagerly flipping the pages as I learned more and more about the Darling family.

Hannah McKinnon puts together an entertaining mix of characters, but I might suggest a character map at first because there are a lot of people to become acquainted with! But, once you figure out who is who, it's easy to keep up with the various shenanigans each person is getting into.

Unfortunately, it felt like an entirely different author wrote the book's second half. As the reader, we are kept out of family meetings and left to imagine what transpired behind closed doors, even though we had previously been privy to everything happening between the Darling family. The ending wrapped up too quickly with open plot points and unresolved conflict, which was disappointing as I had hoped for a different outcome.

There's also the issue of me strongly disliking one of the Darling children due to her immaturity and greediness when it comes to a family home (this might hit a little too close for me, which is why I am holding a grudge against this character).

🤩 Fun mix of characters
🤫 Big family secret
🗣️ Three character perspectives
😑 Too much unresolved conflict

I recommend reading The Darlings if you enjoy character-driven books surrounding family secrets!



______


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[elf.boooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Скільки схвальних відгуків від українських читачів, але все ж, я приєднуюсь до тих людей, котрі на Goodreads ставлять цій історії 3 та 4⭐️

Я не буду «Дарлінґів» сварити, вважаю це взагалі недоречним, вона написана добре, легко, читається максимально швидко. Просто для мене це було нудно.

Ознайомившись із анотацією, я чекала щось схоже на романи Емілі Генрі: в нас буде мати-одиначка, котра із своєю донькою приїжджає в сімейний будиночок на березі, аби відсвяткувати весілля сестри. Але ми маємо повноцінну сімейну сагу, котра розпочинається з того, що бабуся нареченої розкриває одну таємницю, від якої і буде далі повний хаос.

Що мене бентежило:
• в книзі було розкрито лише декілька ліній (а їх там багацько);
• суцільна неповага людей по відношенню один до одного, пошук вигоди;
• рідні люди готові перегризати один одному горлянку за шматок спадку – це взагалі ррррр😾;
• пусті діалоги: героїня сказала, що не має ніяких планів, але кожному герою потрібно повторити одне і те ж запитання і висловити своє невдоволення;
• не надто реалістичні події.

Окремо хочу відзначити лицемірство майже кожного героя і на це можна було б закрити очі, але зважаючи на всі факти вище – це неможливо. Це не буде тоді життєствердною історією.

[Mary Jackson _TheMaryReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by McKinnon and I will say it 's not going to be my last. I really enjoyed it if with all the family drama going on. And it ended on a high note.
If you have not read this author before I would recommend checking her out.

[R L HERSKOWITZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good summer beach read.
Typical family issues.
Enjoyable.

I wish to thank Hannah McKinnon, the author, for choosing me to receive a personalized signed copy of this book during a giveaway on First Chapter Fun (FCF). Even though I won, it did not influence my rating of this book.
I hope everyone had a safe, adventurous and wonderful summer filled with many books and family/friend time.

[Olivia O'Malley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the characters but they could have been more flushed out. The plot wasn’t great and it didn’t feel resolved at the end of the book. The author also repeated a lot of the same thoughts over and over again.

[Ksenija · Rating 5 out of 5]

Чудова книга, про взаємини у сім'ї, любов та пам'ять.

[Vlada · Rating 3 out of 5]

«Хаос іноді має такий ефект: якщо він не розділяє вас, то іноді згуртовує».

Весілля, літній будинок, одна велика сім'я та таємниця, яка змінила все. Життя має одну цікаву властивість - воно змінюється, коли того найменше очікуєш. Воно ставить всі твої дії під сумніви і змушує змінитися, хочеш ти того чи ні.

Енді жила щасливо, аж поки чоловік не залишив сім'ю заради іншої і тепер вони ділять опіку над донькою-підліткою. Жінка має знову віднайти справжню себе, навчитися заново посміхатися і бути щасливою.

Кора зібрала всю свою сім'ю в літньому будиночку перед весіллям молодшої доньки. Вона щаслива, що троє її дітей і їх сім'ї знову разом під одним дахом. Допоки не приходить її свекруха, Тіш, і не викриває найбільшу таємницю.

Тіш має поважний вік - 90 років і мету - захистити будинок, який обожнював її чоловік. Вона не дивиться ні на почуття свого сина, ні на його родину.

Історію розповідають три жінки і ми можемо спостерігати за ситуацією з різних сторін і це дає можливість більше зрозуміти героїв.
Гадаю, що в цій історії кожен знайде щось своє. Непорозуміння з родичами, тягар минулого, спогади про першу закоханість, ностальгію за літніми пригодами, втрату та другий шанс на життя.

Цю історію мені важко оцінити, бо герої мені не були близькими, я їх не розуміла, не співчувала їм. Також немає відчуття завершеності, в мене залишилось більше питань, ніж на початку. Але вона легко і швидко читалась. Було цікаво, чим все ж таки закінчиться дана історія і хто ж з Кайдашів, пардон, Дарлінґів залишиться з будинком і щасливий)

Дуже захотілось відвідати мальовничий мис Кейп-Код, поселитись в пляжному будиночку і насолоджуватись останнім місяцем літа з коктейлем та устрицями 🍹🌊

[Farah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into The Darlings thinking it was going to be a thriller but was pleasantly surprised to find it was more of a family drama. It's been a while since I've read about a dysfunctional family and this one had all the issues! I read the first half of this book in one setting, not wanting to put it down but at 1am and an early start the next morning, I resigned myself to finishing the remainder the next day, else I could have easily read this in one sitting. Entertaining, easy to read and with multiple POV's, I'm glad to have read this one. Congratulations to Hannah McKinnon for another fantastic novel!

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[lovemyshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Darlings is a family drama that pulled me in quickly and held me close until the end. The characters were so well- developed, I was invested in their futures. The plot was not at all unique. A woman and her family gather for the youngest daughter’s wedding, but are visited by the estranged mother-in-law. Upon her surprise visit, she tells a shocking secret that had been kept for years and it rocks the family’s world. I enjoyed getting to know the Darlings, especially Tish. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall this was a a cute/fun summer story about a family with a secret that gets exposed during their summer family trip. I expected more drama and twists, there really wasn’t any. There were a few good and interesting parts, but felt like the plot was lacking and it was very repetitive.

[Kris Klimisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, from start to finish! It gave me chills the last 20 pages or so, and was a relatively quick, easy read. Highly recommend 🙂👏

[Jennica Makenzie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book has potential and I know I’ve missed all the good parts but I can’t finish it I’m incredibly bored

[Адріана Павлич-Гресько · Rating 4 out of 5]

Хороша і дуже літня історія про родину

[Erinn Rogowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

This was a very predictable yet satisfying read for summer.

[Tracey Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read a lot of books like this but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this one. It was a book with a family secret that threatens to break up the family during a summer on Cape Cod. It was a fun, easy read with good characters. Grab it for the beach!

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun beach read, especially if you’re a fan of Elin Hilderbrand. The Darling family meets up in Cape Cod to celebrate the youngest daughter’s wedding. But family drama happens when the grandmother arrives and spills family secrets. The author did a great job describing Cape Cod and the family. I’m definitely going to be giving this another read this summer on the beach!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book!

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good family drama read.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
A sweet, multi-generational family drama about what happens when a long-held secret is brought to light. The novel examines what family means.