Cover Image: Secrets in Summer

Secrets in Summer

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Member Reviews

Very good beach read. Nancy Thayer afficionados will just love the mixture of characters and humor.

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I enjoy reading Nancy Thayer books. She has a good story in this book that will be a perfect summer read. Set in Nantucket she captures the culture of a tourist center from the year round resident point of view. Having lived for many years in this setting I could identify with Darcy and her friends. Darcy is a librarian in this small community that swells to a big town in summer. She and Nash are dating and when the summer renter arrive they become immersed in their drama and lives. Well written and interesting folks this is an enjoyable read for all ages. I liked the friendship that developed between Darcy, Mimi and Willow.

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This was a great read to prepare me for summer. The setting was amazing and I loved the story. I definitely recommend it.

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Darcy is a very likable character that you can see yourself in. She is every woman at some point in life. I especially enjoyed the relationship between Darcy, Mimi, Willow and Susan. I think this will make a wonderful summer beach read!

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Terrific beach read! Thayer does a great job of creating compelling and believable characters in a wonderful setting - Nantucket Island. The neighbors are interesting - providing several whom I really enjoyed, and a couple (Boyz and Clive...) that were not so nice but made for an intriguing story. Definite must read for fans of Robyn Carr, Luann Rice and Debbie Macomber.

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Nancy Thayer is the Queen of the Nantucket Beach Read. This is the fifth of Thayer's books I have read and I enjoyed it very much. She is very skilled at creating a main character that is not only well developed, but that the reader wants to befriend. "Secrets in Summer" is a book about friendship and about love. It is about making peace with the past and letting it go, so you can lead a healthy present and work toward your dreams for the future. It was both a quick and an enjoyable read, and I would recommend this book to others.

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Always enjoys books by Nancy Thayer. This once was no exception - meets the requirement for a great summer beach read.

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I loved this latest from Nancy Thayer. It’s a summer of living in the center of three families that all intersect for Darcy Cotterill. Her ex-husband and family live behind her, a young family lives on one side and an aging woman and her virile grandson live on the other side. Darcy hears and sees things she’d rather not and feels forced to intervene where she honestly does not want to be involved. Through it all, Darcy learns so much about herself and what she really wants. The characters are interesting and thoughtful. It is a very enjoyable read.

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I liked it once I got into it, but felt like it was very repetitive at the beginning. The story was engaging, and I liked that she demonstrated how bonds can be formed even in unconventional family situations. I thought Boyz was a bit over the top, and his overbearing character got a little tiresome. Overall I think it's a nice addition to Nancy Thayer's Nantucket stories.

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This read like a list in a diary, Monday I did this, Tuesday this happened and so on. Pretty shallow, and while I think she was trying to add details to draw in the reader it it just came across as useless information.

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I wanted to like this book. I really did. I have loved all of Nancy Thayer's book. They are the perfect beach read and always make me want to go to Nantucket. Sadly, this book was just ok.

Darcy is a librarian who is surrounded by summer neighbors. Throughout the book Darcy learns more about each of her neighbors and the secrets they keep. One of these neighbors just happens to be her ex husband Boyz and his new family. Darcy struggles to find a balance of minding her own business and becoming friends with Susan, Mimi, and Willow. She also struggles with her own relationship problems with Nash, her unofficial boyfriend.

The main problem I had with this book is there seemed to be too much forced drama. Between her ex husband living behind her, affairs, drugs, and relationship problems, it was too much. Darcy was also a hard character to connect with. I loved how she wasn't a typical main character but she was very indecisive and would not speak up for herself. I found myself rolling my eyes or saying "oh come on!" a few times throughout the book.

Overall I'd rate the book 3 stars. I loved the setting and it is a great book to get you in the mood for warm weather and the beach!

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I received this book from NetGalley free of charge in exchange for my honest review of the book.

I've read several other books by Nancy Thayer and have enjoyed them. This one was no exception.

A fun, easy to read book that drew you in from the first page. Darcy, is a sweet woman, who despite her best intentions to not get involved with the summer people, is drawn to her elderly neighbor, a young mom with three rambunctious boys and her ex-husband's 14 year old step daughter. She has an undefined relationship with Nash, a carpenter,who has his own secrets.

As always, the secrets work themselves out and everyone's lives move on after summer is over. All with happy endings.

I did kind of keep waiting to see if Logan would turn up again later in the book. I think it would have gave the book a little extra twist..

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I was torn between 3 and 4 stars since the book is really a good beach or vacation read, but lacking some depth. Thayer's setting is always beautiful Nantucket, the main character is a children's librarian with a complicated love life, so why didn't I love it? I felt Darcy was not a strong woman, but dependent on her relationships with her ex, her new love interest Nash, and neighbor for the summer, Clive. I do recommend as a light read.

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4.5 stars
Nancy Thayer's books =summer to me. How lucky was I to receive an ARC (from netgalley) to read in the middle of the winter? Darcy is a year round resident of Nantucket and is happy with her life as a librarian and the man in her life, Nash and her relationships with her summer neighbors. Much to her dismay, one of her neighbors happens to be her ex-husband and his wife- the woman he left Darcy for- and their teenage daughter. A story of friendships and relationships and totally enjoyable read. Highly recommend for Nancy Thayer fans.

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A decent beach read. I think anyone who enjoys Cape Cod or Nantucket themed stories will enjoy this fast reading book. Darcy, the pretty, young librarian stars in this novel surrounded by "summer people". Many lives twist and turn, some of the characters don't fully develop. Lots of gossip - dive in and enjoy!

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Darcy has inherited her Grandmothers house in Nantucket, a quiet town except when the summer people show up and the population swells. Darcy tries not to get too involved with the summer people but this doesn't work out too well for her this year. Her ex, Boyz, has moved in behind her and she can see into his yard. Before she knows I she is involved with his step daughter. Boyz is convinced she wants him back, even tho Darcy has a boyfriend.

This is a great beach read. There are a lot of interesting characters that all interacted with each other, but Darcy is the main focus of the story. You feel like you are experiencing a small town summer at the beach through the authors words. I wish Darcy had stood up for herself more and not allowed herself to be pushed around by the men in her life. She came across as very needy. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

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Secrets of summer
By Nancy Thayer


This beachy read begins with Darcy Cotterill a children's librarian, and permanent resident of Nantucket.

Summer vacationers invade her tranquil neighborhood. She surprisingly finds her ex husband and his wife and her teenaged daughter willow living next door, a elderly woman and her grandson down the street, and a young mother and her rambunctious boys completeing the mix of vacationers.

She is faced with making decisions about a new love, adulterous neighbors, and troubled wayward teenagers.

This was my first Nancy Thayer read. It made me long for sand, sun and surf...and of course romance. Great from the beginning to the very end !
4 stars.

 I received this ARC through Netgalley and its publisher for a honest review.

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Finally putting your past behind you, and letting your future unfold. Darby's childhood wasn't the best but she knew she was loved. After her divorce from a man she really didn't love and married too quickly, and too young, she moved to Nantucket. Taking ownership of the house her grandmother had left her and securing a job at the library she was finally set. How lucky can one get! At thirty years old, Darcy was starting to live the life she wanted, putting her Master's degree in library science to good use. She made friends, dated a few men, and made a few renovations to her new home. Now what? Summer people came by the drives, including her ex husband and family in the rental next door. Complications ensue. On the other side, an elderly woman and her handsome grandson. It gets interesting.
I'd say 3.5 sunny beach stars for good story!

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I received this novel from Netgalley in return of an honest review.

Secrets in Summer is one of my favorite Nancy Thayer books. It was a perfect beach/escape read. I needed a book for a two day trip (to the Cape coincidentally) and knew this would be the perfect choice. Darcy has a little more sass than the typical Thayer character (which I was a big fan of), but she is still a good girl at heart. I can usually guess how a Nancy Thayer book will end, but I have to say that this one surprised me! The only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars is because I wish Darcy stood up to the men in her life a little more strongly, but that's just a personal preference. Recommended for people looking for a great romantic beach read that may not end up the way you expect!

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Everytime I read a book by Nancy Thayer I want to jump on the ferry and go to Nantucket! In her latest book, islander Darcy prepares for another summer of temporary neighbors. To her dismay, the first neighbor to show up is her cheating ex husband, his wife and her daughter. Then she meets her elderly neighbor and her charming grandson. Finally, a harried mother, her husband and three rambunctious sons arrive. Darcy finds herself getting involved with all of the new residents, even her ex's family.
I enjoyed the way the relationships unfolded in the book. All four households become involved with each other-not always in a good way. Darcy also has to decide where her heart lies when she has interest from one of the new residents along with her ongoing relationship with a local carpenter. What starts out as a disaster with her ex as a neighbor becomes a chance for Darcy to get closure with that part of her life.
As always, the stories of island life make the reader long to be part of it all. Another excellent book from a favorite author!

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