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Summer People
"Things get more twisted at every turn, with enough lies and betrayals to fuel a whole season of soap operas...readers will be hooked."― Publishers Weekly on Elin Hilderbrand's Summer People
Every summer the Newton family retreats to their beloved home on Nantucket for three months of sunshine, cookouts, and bonfires on the beach. But this summer will not be like any other. When Arch Newton, a prominent New York attorney, dies in a plane crash on his way home from a business trip, his beautiful widow, Beth, can barely keep things together. Above all, though, she decides that she must continue the family tradition of going to Nantucket, and at the same time fulfill a promise that Arch made before he died.
Beth invites Marcus, the son of Arch's final and most challenging client, to spend the summer with her and her teenage twins, Winnie and Garrett, who have mixed reactions to sharing their special summer place with this stranger. Always a place of peace before, Nantucket becomes the scene of roiling emotions and turbulent passions as Marcus, Winnie, and Garrett learn about loss, first love, and betrayal. And when they stumble upon a shocking secret from Beth's past, they must keep it from destroying the family they've been trying so hard to heal
Every summer the Newton family retreats to their beloved home on Nantucket for three months of sunshine, cookouts, and bonfires on the beach. But this summer will not be like any other. When Arch Newton, a prominent New York attorney, dies in a plane crash on his way home from a business trip, his beautiful widow, Beth, can barely keep things together. Above all, though, she decides that she must continue the family tradition of going to Nantucket, and at the same time fulfill a promise that Arch made before he died.
Beth invites Marcus, the son of Arch's final and most challenging client, to spend the summer with her and her teenage twins, Winnie and Garrett, who have mixed reactions to sharing their special summer place with this stranger. Always a place of peace before, Nantucket becomes the scene of roiling emotions and turbulent passions as Marcus, Winnie, and Garrett learn about loss, first love, and betrayal. And when they stumble upon a shocking secret from Beth's past, they must keep it from destroying the family they've been trying so hard to heal
352 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2003
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25950 people want to read
About the author
Elin Hilderbrand
91 books61.2k followersElin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,585 reviews
April 29, 2025
absolutely adored this book!! can you believe this is my 22nd Elin novel?! i’ll be doing an updated ranking video soon! this one did take a bit to get going, but the way it ended was just perfection in my eyes, just like most of her books! loved the relationships between all of these characters ❤️
March 28, 2019
Summer People was disappointing. I couldn’t relate to any of the characters. I found them self-absorbed, selfish and unrelatable. If I have to say which is the character that irritated me the least, I would have to go with Marcus. He had his moments but for the most part, he was ok.
Summer People is about the Newton family. Arch Newton, the father, has recently perished in a plane crash while flying back home after a business meeting.
Beth is the mother and she has teenager twins, Winnie and Garrett. Arch was a famous lawyer. Before dying, he had taken a case where a woman had murdered two people, one of them a child. Arch was defending her pro bono. Arch had developed a friendship with the accused's teenage son, Marcus and he has invited him to Nantucket to spend the summer with his family. Then, Arch's plane crashes without any survivors.
In the aftermath, Beth decides to take her family and Marcus to Nantucket just as Arch had planned to do. All of them are overwhelmed with grief. Beth is lost without Arch and she's not sure how to deal with her own children. She knows Garret is always angry and Winnie is refusing to eat and wearing Arch's shirt every day. Also, Garrett is against bringing Marcus but Winnie is excited about befriending him. Marcus is upset that his mother has committed this horrendous crime and escaping from NYC to Nantucket with this rich family is something he welcomes. Then Dave and his two daughters, make an appearance. Dave is part of Beth's past. At first, she wants to avoid him but later on, she won't be able to do so. As the summer unfolds, Garrett is taken by Piper and he wants to spend as much time with her as he possibly can.
There were so many things I dislike about this book. Beth, Winnie, and Garrett were all self-centered. Beth likes the idea of David loving her and giving him hope, to later on, backpedaling from his advances. Then, there was Garrett's "love" for Piper and him saying he couldn't live without her until something happens and then he couldn't run away from her fast enough. Winnie whining all the time and acting like a brat. In my eyes, both children did something unforgivable and I couldn't believe Beth let it go without a bigger scene.
I had loved so many books by Elin Hilderbrand but Summer People is not one of them.
Cliffhanger: No
1/5 Fangs
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June 1, 2016
Oh dilemma, because I'm hesitating between a 3 and a 4 stars for this one. I know I’m in for a nice treat when I read a book by Elin Hilderbrand, that's for sure. I may not always like all the characters she puts on paper (as in this one), but I always thoroughly enjoy her writing style and the stories she brings, set on beautiful Nantucket. This one, centering on the Newton family, might well be the most touching I’ve read so far by this author. The parts that revealed what happened in the past were extremely vital to the story. They were heartfelt and made the story very appealing. This read kept me entertained and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.
Admittedly, (and without wanting to reveal spoilers) there were things that made my blood boil a little, like the extreme self-absorbed attitude of the twins, Garrett and Minnie, but then they are teenagers, and, in the end, they are genuinely good kids. I also had the feeling while reading that I wished the author had fleshed out a few of the characters more, especially Beth, the Mom. I didn’t like how David was portrayed. Right from the first sentences when he appeared in this story, he came across as quite selfish, and sadly, he remained rather self-centered. At times it felt that the book went over certain events occurring on the island that summer a little quickly.
By far my favorite characters were Marcus, and yes, Arch. The dynamics they created – in the past and the present - were in essence, the soul of this story.
Admittedly, (and without wanting to reveal spoilers) there were things that made my blood boil a little, like the extreme self-absorbed attitude of the twins, Garrett and Minnie, but then they are teenagers, and, in the end, they are genuinely good kids. I also had the feeling while reading that I wished the author had fleshed out a few of the characters more, especially Beth, the Mom. I didn’t like how David was portrayed. Right from the first sentences when he appeared in this story, he came across as quite selfish, and sadly, he remained rather self-centered. At times it felt that the book went over certain events occurring on the island that summer a little quickly.
By far my favorite characters were Marcus, and yes, Arch. The dynamics they created – in the past and the present - were in essence, the soul of this story.
June 15, 2008
I was actually quite disappointed with this book. This is the first by this author I've read and now I'm not sure I'll be in a hurry to read anything more.
SPOILER WARNING ~ ~ ~ ~
I cannot believe that the mother in this book didn't shred her kids for scattering her husbands ashes without her knowledge and/or consent. That is one of the worst things you could do to a person, your own parent for that matter, over a secret they felt they were entitled to know. So for me, that just didn't work. First of all, her secret was NONE of their business and for her to cave and tell them all about it shortly after discovering they scattered her husbands ashes, and then pretty much just let them off the hook for that, just doesn't make any sense to me.
I really didn't like the way things ended with her and David either.
I don't know, this book just really didn't work for me.
SPOILER WARNING ~ ~ ~ ~
I cannot believe that the mother in this book didn't shred her kids for scattering her husbands ashes without her knowledge and/or consent. That is one of the worst things you could do to a person, your own parent for that matter, over a secret they felt they were entitled to know. So for me, that just didn't work. First of all, her secret was NONE of their business and for her to cave and tell them all about it shortly after discovering they scattered her husbands ashes, and then pretty much just let them off the hook for that, just doesn't make any sense to me.
I really didn't like the way things ended with her and David either.
I don't know, this book just really didn't work for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2016
Awful, awful characters. The only tolerable one is Marcus. Beth, the mother, is quite simply an immature tease who borders on the psychotic. Her husband dies suddenly, then she teases her first love all summer even though she doesn't really love him, then decides she should move on with him because she doesn't want to be alone (but she still doesn't really love him) then is disappointed that he didn't wait for her and got back with his wife. Seriously, that happened. Garrett is a complete prick with no redeemable qualities. Winnie is a vapid teenager. They bring Marcus with them to their summer home, and because she "loves" him, then and only then does she decide to attempt to befriend "the couple of black girls in her school". Are you kidding me?! There were messy story lines that were left unresolved along with many other problems in this novel. Don't waste your time.
July 13, 2017
***SPOILERS BELOW.***
If I were Elin's editor, I would have told her "this so called plot twist? is a BUST"
Wow. The big secret is that the mom was married, twenty-five years ago, for two weeks. Years before she met her long-term spouse, years before she had children, she was married for two weeks. No entanglements, no long-term consequences, just a young girl who made a silly mistake and managed to rectify it before it got ugly. My mom was engaged before she met my father. That didn't work out. Thirty years later I'm not mad at her about it, I don't even care. It was before she knew my dad, before I was even a thought in her brain, let alone a fetus in her belly. Yet this character's kids feel so BETRAYED. They don't know their mother anymore. They take their father's ashes and scatter them without her. Her kids are hideously selfish and shameful. The plot is snooze-worthy and honestly regrettable. I feel like I wasted a day reading this. I keep reading this author's books because so many people think they are great. I hope it improves soon.
If I were Elin's editor, I would have told her "this so called plot twist? is a BUST"
Wow. The big secret is that the mom was married, twenty-five years ago, for two weeks. Years before she met her long-term spouse, years before she had children, she was married for two weeks. No entanglements, no long-term consequences, just a young girl who made a silly mistake and managed to rectify it before it got ugly. My mom was engaged before she met my father. That didn't work out. Thirty years later I'm not mad at her about it, I don't even care. It was before she knew my dad, before I was even a thought in her brain, let alone a fetus in her belly. Yet this character's kids feel so BETRAYED. They don't know their mother anymore. They take their father's ashes and scatter them without her. Her kids are hideously selfish and shameful. The plot is snooze-worthy and honestly regrettable. I feel like I wasted a day reading this. I keep reading this author's books because so many people think they are great. I hope it improves soon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2021
definitely the absolute worst elin book i’ve ever read. i truly don’t know if the characters were meant to be so deeply unlikeable or if she thought they weren’t???
there were at least 70 separate unbelievable and or deeply problematic parts, including and especially the way she writes black characters (horrifying). i’m just .................. No
there were at least 70 separate unbelievable and or deeply problematic parts, including and especially the way she writes black characters (horrifying). i’m just .................. No
July 25, 2012
I needed a summer fluff book. This book and its $4 price tag at Costco accommodated me.
It was fluffy. Once I understood the title, that there are wealthy people who spend entire summers doing nothing in their second homes on beautiful and quaint islands, I forgave the shallowness of most of the characters. It is supposed to be about seemingly shallow people albeit shallow people who are grieving for their dead spouse and father. That doesn't forgive the lack of depth Hilderbrand wrote all the other characters but I read it in a day....in the summer...and am not much worse off for it. The book did its job which was to distract me from the long list of to-dos after a few weeks of my own travels. Moving on.....
It was fluffy. Once I understood the title, that there are wealthy people who spend entire summers doing nothing in their second homes on beautiful and quaint islands, I forgave the shallowness of most of the characters. It is supposed to be about seemingly shallow people albeit shallow people who are grieving for their dead spouse and father. That doesn't forgive the lack of depth Hilderbrand wrote all the other characters but I read it in a day....in the summer...and am not much worse off for it. The book did its job which was to distract me from the long list of to-dos after a few weeks of my own travels. Moving on.....
June 14, 2023
Rating: 5 Stars!!
Review:
This was only the 4th book ive read by Elin but i have to say she's quickly becoming my favorite Contemporary Author. I way she puts real life issues into her stories makes them so much more enjoyable.
The Characters were fun and interesting to read about. Beth, Winnie, Garrett and Piper were my favorites. I didnt care much for Marcus even tho i did feel bad for what he was going through with his Mom but i felt he but his nose in where it didnt belong.
The Setting was beautifully described which made me feel like i was actually in Nantucket Massachusetts while reading, especially when the scenery was described.
Overall Another Phenomenal Contemporary Romance by Elin!! Can't wait to read more of her books in the future!!
Review:
This was only the 4th book ive read by Elin but i have to say she's quickly becoming my favorite Contemporary Author. I way she puts real life issues into her stories makes them so much more enjoyable.
The Characters were fun and interesting to read about. Beth, Winnie, Garrett and Piper were my favorites. I didnt care much for Marcus even tho i did feel bad for what he was going through with his Mom but i felt he but his nose in where it didnt belong.
The Setting was beautifully described which made me feel like i was actually in Nantucket Massachusetts while reading, especially when the scenery was described.
Overall Another Phenomenal Contemporary Romance by Elin!! Can't wait to read more of her books in the future!!
July 13, 2010
More than anything else, this book is about loss, and the different ways people grieve. You might think that would make a book depressing, but I actually found it to be optimistic and even humorous at times.
It's summer, and the wealthy, upper-East-Side Newton family is headed to their beach house on Nantucket, as they do every year. This year, however, they do it without their father, Arch, who was killed three months earlier in a plane crash. His children, twins Winnie and Garrett, have been unable to adjust to the loss of their father and are still mourning. Garrett is moody and surly, and Winnie won't eat and never takes off her father's old sweatshirt. In the car with them is Marcus, a black boy from Queens whose mother is in prison for murder and whose life is entirely different from their own. Arch was a lawyer and working to defend Marcus' mother when he died, and he had already invited Marcus to Nantucket; his wife, Beth, decides to honor his wishes and thus the unlikely group is off to spend the summer together.
Summer People isn't really about death, although the death of Arch stays with his family as they try to move on. Every character has somehow lost someone; Marcus is trying to adjust to losing his mother, and his loss seems almost greater than Winnie's and Garrett's. His mother made a conscious choice with apparently no regard for her children, while the twins at least know their father loved them to the end. Beth soon develops a friendship with David, her first love, and realizes that he's spent 20 years trying to get over losing her, without really succeeding. Even David's daughters are mourning their parents' recent divorce.
The relationships in the novel are so layered and genuine, as are the character's emotions. They all help each other grow and endure what Beth calls "the most awful summer."
It's summer, and the wealthy, upper-East-Side Newton family is headed to their beach house on Nantucket, as they do every year. This year, however, they do it without their father, Arch, who was killed three months earlier in a plane crash. His children, twins Winnie and Garrett, have been unable to adjust to the loss of their father and are still mourning. Garrett is moody and surly, and Winnie won't eat and never takes off her father's old sweatshirt. In the car with them is Marcus, a black boy from Queens whose mother is in prison for murder and whose life is entirely different from their own. Arch was a lawyer and working to defend Marcus' mother when he died, and he had already invited Marcus to Nantucket; his wife, Beth, decides to honor his wishes and thus the unlikely group is off to spend the summer together.
Summer People isn't really about death, although the death of Arch stays with his family as they try to move on. Every character has somehow lost someone; Marcus is trying to adjust to losing his mother, and his loss seems almost greater than Winnie's and Garrett's. His mother made a conscious choice with apparently no regard for her children, while the twins at least know their father loved them to the end. Beth soon develops a friendship with David, her first love, and realizes that he's spent 20 years trying to get over losing her, without really succeeding. Even David's daughters are mourning their parents' recent divorce.
The relationships in the novel are so layered and genuine, as are the character's emotions. They all help each other grow and endure what Beth calls "the most awful summer."
May 26, 2023
Great book!!
I cried a lot towards the end.
I cried a lot towards the end.
August 11, 2016
A nice light summer read. Just what I was in the mood for. Although it does address some serious topics, it doesn't dwell on them. The ending isn't what you would expect, but it is the right one. Well done.
September 10, 2009
Another new author who I have fallen in love with! I love books set in places in New England and along the water front of the East coast so Nantucket during the summer was perfect in my book for a summertime read. A little slow for me at the start, but once I got into it (and past some of the darker parts), I was hooked.
July 19, 2018
When I read The Blue Bistro I could not put it down. I was so excited to have found another great writer. So when I picked up Summer People I couldn't wait to crack it open.
Oh, dear. I found Summer People to be one of the most boring and depressing books I've read in some time. Briefly--Beth has lost her beloved, darn near perfect lawyer husband, Archer, in a plane crash. He was defending--for free--a woman who one day snapped and killed two members of her family, one a young child. Archer was returning home to NYC when his plane went down. It's now summer and Beth and her 17-year old twins, Garrett and Winnie, are heading to Beth's summer house on Nantucket. With them is Marcus, the teen son of Constance, the woman who murdered the family members. Archer had taken the young man under his wing and invited him to the summer house.
While growing up on Nantucket, Beth fell in love with a fellow islander, David. With Archer dead, David starts appearing back in Beth's life along with his two daughters. He's separated from his own wife.
What made the book boring and depressing? Archer's family mourns him, perfectly normal, but the moping gets tedious. David is pushing himself on Beth. His elder daughter and Garrett are going hot and heavy and Winnie is chasing Marcus. I felt like I was reading a YA novel. Then, Beth's kids discover a "shocking" secret about Beth (yawn...) sorry...and are so furious with her that they plan on getting revenge on her. I won't tell you the secret other to say, "Really?" Maybe it would have been shocking if the kids were 7 and not 17.
I think I sprained my eyes from rolling them so hard throughout the entire book. Listen, if you don't like grownup books with kids in them, leave this one on the shelf.
Oh, dear. I found Summer People to be one of the most boring and depressing books I've read in some time. Briefly--Beth has lost her beloved, darn near perfect lawyer husband, Archer, in a plane crash. He was defending--for free--a woman who one day snapped and killed two members of her family, one a young child. Archer was returning home to NYC when his plane went down. It's now summer and Beth and her 17-year old twins, Garrett and Winnie, are heading to Beth's summer house on Nantucket. With them is Marcus, the teen son of Constance, the woman who murdered the family members. Archer had taken the young man under his wing and invited him to the summer house.
While growing up on Nantucket, Beth fell in love with a fellow islander, David. With Archer dead, David starts appearing back in Beth's life along with his two daughters. He's separated from his own wife.
What made the book boring and depressing? Archer's family mourns him, perfectly normal, but the moping gets tedious. David is pushing himself on Beth. His elder daughter and Garrett are going hot and heavy and Winnie is chasing Marcus. I felt like I was reading a YA novel. Then, Beth's kids discover a "shocking" secret about Beth (yawn...) sorry...and are so furious with her that they plan on getting revenge on her. I won't tell you the secret other to say, "Really?" Maybe it would have been shocking if the kids were 7 and not 17.
I think I sprained my eyes from rolling them so hard throughout the entire book. Listen, if you don't like grownup books with kids in them, leave this one on the shelf.
July 18, 2010
This book could have been so much more. The characters could have been stronger and built up... knowing more about them like Marcus' mother, etc. I thought it was so stupid that the big secret that Beth had was that she was married for 2 weeks (no preganacy, no kids, no drama, nothing)... big fucking deal! And her 2 spoiled ass kids spread her husbands ashes without her... they would be dead too if I had a say in it. And then at the end Rosie decides to show herself... the author should have brought her earlier in the story to stir up some stuff. Anyway, it (the book) was a bit of a disappointment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2016
I could not bring myself to finish this book. And that is not something I often do. There was nothing in this book to draw me in. I was bored throughout reading it and after reading spoilers, decided there was no reason to finish it.
June 5, 2025
okay not my fave of her books but it was still a fun read. interesting portrayals of how different people process grief. i will say it pushed my boundaries in tolerating unlikable characters; i could forgive the teenage kids but i capital H hated david (sue me). overall enjoyed!
March 29, 2018
Elin did it again! Love anything she writes :)
December 5, 2025
2.8 - Piper sucked and honestly Arch/Marcus storyline would have been a million times better. David and Rosie in the end…. brother, not for me
November 1, 2011
I will start by saying I am a big fan of Elin Hilderbrand. This is the sixth novel I have read from this author and I think it is one of my top favorites. I have read “Barefoot”, “The Island”, “The Castaways”, “The Love Season”, and “Silver Girl”. I can honestly say that I could not put this book down. There is an ease to her writing style that pulls you in to her story and makes all the characters very relatable.
As proven in her previous books, Hilderbrand is a master at dealing with the family dynamics no matter what the issues are. In the beginning of this book we are introduced to Beth & Archer Newton and their two teenage children (twins – Winnie & Garrett). Quickly we learn Arch dies in a tragic plane crash leaving the family behind to grieve. As the Newton’s do every summer they are leaving their luxury Manhattan apartment and are head to their Nantucket summer, beach home only a few months after Arch’s death. I found this part of the story very relatable as I recently lost a loved one suddenly and I understood the feelings of loss, disappointment, & confusion that the family experiences during this first year of loss. Also accompanying the family this summer is Marcus, another 17 year old from Queens whose mother has just been convicted of murder. The recently deceased Archer Newton was defending Marcus' mother at the time of his death and, before he died, he had extended the invitation to Marcus. Beth feels it's only right to honor this invitation if for no other reason than to fulfill her dead husband's wishes.
The next few months we will see the twins exploring new relationships while Beth learns how to deal with life without her husband. Hilderbrand is great at filling her books with hot summers spent on Nantucket Island where past secrets are abound and waiting to be revealed. This book is no exception as the reader will find out family secrets throughout the chapters. While this is an "excellent" beach, vacation read, I'd recommend it anytime of the year. As her novels are enjoyable and easy reads. I also find myself wanting to visit this Nantucket Island every time I finish one of her novels. Happy Reading my friends!
As proven in her previous books, Hilderbrand is a master at dealing with the family dynamics no matter what the issues are. In the beginning of this book we are introduced to Beth & Archer Newton and their two teenage children (twins – Winnie & Garrett). Quickly we learn Arch dies in a tragic plane crash leaving the family behind to grieve. As the Newton’s do every summer they are leaving their luxury Manhattan apartment and are head to their Nantucket summer, beach home only a few months after Arch’s death. I found this part of the story very relatable as I recently lost a loved one suddenly and I understood the feelings of loss, disappointment, & confusion that the family experiences during this first year of loss. Also accompanying the family this summer is Marcus, another 17 year old from Queens whose mother has just been convicted of murder. The recently deceased Archer Newton was defending Marcus' mother at the time of his death and, before he died, he had extended the invitation to Marcus. Beth feels it's only right to honor this invitation if for no other reason than to fulfill her dead husband's wishes.
The next few months we will see the twins exploring new relationships while Beth learns how to deal with life without her husband. Hilderbrand is great at filling her books with hot summers spent on Nantucket Island where past secrets are abound and waiting to be revealed. This book is no exception as the reader will find out family secrets throughout the chapters. While this is an "excellent" beach, vacation read, I'd recommend it anytime of the year. As her novels are enjoyable and easy reads. I also find myself wanting to visit this Nantucket Island every time I finish one of her novels. Happy Reading my friends!
August 3, 2019
Not one of her better ones...but still an easy summer read.
September 6, 2021
2.5 stars. For the first half of the book, I thought this might be a 5-star read for me. There were really intricate perspectives from complex characters, and I was really drawn in. But then around the halfway point, the whole thing went out the window. The mother suddenly had a life-long secret and the kids responded to it atrociously and ridiculously, and then more plot drama kept springing up from out of nowhere. I didn’t feel like the book actually ended; I think the author just stopped writing at some point. I felt like most of the issues were unresolved and so it wasn’t a satisfying feeling to have read this. I have to admit, I feel like Hilderbrand let me down with this ending—it really wasn’t an ending; it just stopped going. It felt like a cheap/careless finish to a lot of different story lines.
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October 1, 2024Of all the Elin Hilderbrand books, this one was easily my least favorite. I have read almost all of her books and love them, but I hated every single character in this book, except for the dead dad. They all seemed to lack depth and for lack of a better explanation, I found them all annoying. I also found the end abrupt, like she got sick of her own book and just wanted to end it.
if like me, you wanted to read all of her books, I would honestly say skip this one.
if like me, you wanted to read all of her books, I would honestly say skip this one.
July 8, 2023
Every summer the Newton family travels to their Nantucket home to make new Summer memories. When Arch Newton dies, his wife Beth has to return to their home fulfilling their tradition. Inviting his client along with their family, they have no idea how to spend their summer with a stranger, never mind their mother's long lost love on the island.
March 19, 2018
Not the author's best, but pretty entertaining. I read it with a flashlight during a Nor'easter power black out.
August 17, 2025
these people are weird as hell.
September 6, 2018
Although on some level a few of the happenings towards the end of this novel could be considered big, I was, for whatever reason, expecting more explosive outcomes for these characters. Elin Hilderbrand might just not be right for me.
Beth Newton and her twins Garrett and Winnie, are headed to Nantucket per usual but this year without husband/father Arch, a lawyer, who just died in a plane crash 3 months prior. Just before his death, he'd invited his client's son to stay with them, and the family decided to honor his wish. Marcus, though only 17, just received a book contract for the story of his mother's crime killing 2 family members. His goal is to take advantage of his time beach-side to write the first 50 pages by September in order to receive the advance that he hopes will propel him through college.
Overall this is such a quiet story and I was frankly quite bored about 3/4 of the way through because I'd been hoping for more and the reveal was not enough of a shakeup. Also, the pairing off seemed so predictable though And I didn't know what to make of Marcus and caused me to further detest Winnie's flimsy character. Perhaps I'm taking issue with how the first chapters set up so many opportunities for these characters and yet none of them seemed to find any true resolution or growth.
Beth Newton and her twins Garrett and Winnie, are headed to Nantucket per usual but this year without husband/father Arch, a lawyer, who just died in a plane crash 3 months prior. Just before his death, he'd invited his client's son to stay with them, and the family decided to honor his wish. Marcus, though only 17, just received a book contract for the story of his mother's crime killing 2 family members. His goal is to take advantage of his time beach-side to write the first 50 pages by September in order to receive the advance that he hopes will propel him through college.
Overall this is such a quiet story and I was frankly quite bored about 3/4 of the way through because I'd been hoping for more and the reveal was not enough of a shakeup. Also, the pairing off seemed so predictable though And I didn't know what to make of Marcus and caused me to further detest Winnie's flimsy character. Perhaps I'm taking issue with how the first chapters set up so many opportunities for these characters and yet none of them seemed to find any true resolution or growth.
November 27, 2023
Summer People by Elin Hilderbrand
337-page Hardback
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Beach Read
Featuring: Nantucket, Massachusetts; Quadragenarian MC, Twins, Teens, Summer Vacation, June, Widow, New York City, Racism, Long Chapters, Crime, Second Chance, Mourning, Messy Drama
Rating as a movie: R for adult content
Songs for the soundtrack: "Here Comes The Sun" by The Beatles, "Red Rubber Ball" by Cyrkle, "Puff the Magic Dragon" by Peter, Paul and Mary, "Long, Long, Time" by Linda Ronstadt
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½☀️
My thoughts: 📖 Page 143 of 337 Ch. 4 - After rereading my first Elin Hilderbrand novel, The Rumor, I had a strong desire to read more. Summer People was the one book I hadn't tried yet, so I decided to start with it, plus its publication date was earlier than the 2 books I didn't finish. I was expecting it to be not as good as later books, but The Beach Club was good, so I didn't think it would be bad or anything. But after reading the first 2 pages, I realized DNF this one, too. I don't like mourning people. So far, it's a bit slow and stagnant, but I'll finish.
This was better written than The Beach Club but the story wasn't as good. It was way better than Nantucket Nights but I kinda hate that book. This is definitely not making my top 20. I didn't care for the storylines or the characters.
Recommend to others: Maybe. It's a decent story but nothing to brag about.
337-page Hardback
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Beach Read
Featuring: Nantucket, Massachusetts; Quadragenarian MC, Twins, Teens, Summer Vacation, June, Widow, New York City, Racism, Long Chapters, Crime, Second Chance, Mourning, Messy Drama
Rating as a movie: R for adult content
Songs for the soundtrack: "Here Comes The Sun" by The Beatles, "Red Rubber Ball" by Cyrkle, "Puff the Magic Dragon" by Peter, Paul and Mary, "Long, Long, Time" by Linda Ronstadt
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½☀️
My thoughts: 📖 Page 143 of 337 Ch. 4 - After rereading my first Elin Hilderbrand novel, The Rumor, I had a strong desire to read more. Summer People was the one book I hadn't tried yet, so I decided to start with it, plus its publication date was earlier than the 2 books I didn't finish. I was expecting it to be not as good as later books, but The Beach Club was good, so I didn't think it would be bad or anything. But after reading the first 2 pages, I realized DNF this one, too. I don't like mourning people. So far, it's a bit slow and stagnant, but I'll finish.
This was better written than The Beach Club but the story wasn't as good. It was way better than Nantucket Nights but I kinda hate that book. This is definitely not making my top 20. I didn't care for the storylines or the characters.
Recommend to others: Maybe. It's a decent story but nothing to brag about.
July 13, 2018
3.5 stars - easy, enjoyable summer read.
September 9, 2023
Ah, the problems of entitled rich kids. It makes for an easy beach read, though.
(We could have lost the epilogue, without doing any harm to the story.)
(We could have lost the epilogue, without doing any harm to the story.)
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