Very underwhelming. I love a mystery/thriller but this just felt directionless and under developed. There are many others in the genre I would recommend first.

There was a lot going on in this book. Subplots galore kept me checking a paragraph twice, trying to keep up. It was a great read, even if it wasn't too difficult to figure out the twist. Family dynamics always grab at me, making for such a great plot full of drama and growth. This was no different and in that it did not disappoint, Good, solid read.

The well-to-do Warner family has been summering on Nantucket for decades – it’s tradition, after all – but this year tragedy strikes over the 4th of July holiday. The story is told from the points of view of several characters, including different family members, the housekeeper, and the caretaker, of the imposing, timeworn beach house.

Right away you can feel the undercurrents of dysfunction in this family. It keeps you wondering what tragedy is lying in wait for these troubled people, and who among them could be responsible? They may not be the most likable bunch, but I found all of their stories compelling. Actually we’re presented with three mysteries that may or may not be connected, one decades old and two recent.

Overall I enjoyed the writing style, setting, and story (Nantucket Gothic?), though I was disappointed that there were unanswered questions in the end. I felt like two of the three mysteries weren’t truly solved – or maybe they were? Anyway, the ending was confusing, but I still feel like THE FIFTH OF JULY was a worthwhile read. (3.5 Stars)

Kelly Simmons is a deft storyteller with important things to say. The Fifth of July is domestic suspense at its best. Brimming with secrets and lies, it's sure to keep readers guessing. Highly recommended!

Thank you for giving me this book. I’m very sorry I was unable to finish it before it was archived.

Thank you for the chance to review this book, however, unfortunately, I was unable to read and review this title before it was archived.

This book is a great story, told by the different characters. I've always enjoyed books like this. It helps you better learn the different characters and how they feel or think. The many secrets and mysteries of each character and the story kept me reading until the very end.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC for my Kindle.
This story is about a family who goes to Nantucket to their family beach cottage every summer for vacation. The 5 main characters narrate the story describing past and current Nantucket family vacations making the story interesting. But I finished the book with unanswered questions which left me thinking that I might have missed the answers or the answers weren't revealed in the book. Maybe I'm missing something but (1) What really happened to Caroline when she 13 on the family vacation? (2) What/who was responsible for Tripp's death?

This book was not as lighthearted as I thought it would be. I guess when I see Nantucket, I'm thinking fun in the sun, a vacation with no worries. This book was nothing like that. This family was so dysfunctional in every way. They all walked around each other like they had corn cobs up the arse. The tension was bleeding through the pages as I swept through this story. I don't know who I felt sorry for the most.

A thoroughly broken family saga that, believe it or not, was a great escape.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. This was a great book. Highly recommend!!

This book had an interesting premise. Something horrific happens over the Fourth of July weekend to the Warner family, but the reader does not know what. The intent is for the reader to learn about this event as a variety of characters take turns sharing their side of the story.

I do not mind novels with alternating points of view, but it was difficult to find any of the characters very likeable. Hence, I felt as if I were reading simply because I felt I had to know more about the events versus wanting to know more about the characters. I also felt like there was more teasing regarding possible revelations versus the actual revelations themselves. I did think the author had a good command of the language and although I have never been to Nantucket, her descriptions made me feel as if I was right there.

This novel had a lot of potential and some solid writing, but overall, I felt something was lacking.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

I wish I could give this book five stars. I really enjoyed everything, the character perspectives, the world descriptions, the problematic relationships between the characters, and yet... The ending left me reeling for more, asking for closure. Instead of finding answers I was left with more unanswered questions. I really liked the writing and the story but unfortunately the ending left me wanting more.

The Warners spent the past three decades of summers on Nantucket Island. Every one of them knew the island inside and out; every one of them had something to lose. So any of the Warners could have been behind the accident. Do they really want to know how, why or who?

The Fifth of July is told from multiple points of view, including the Warners, the caretaker and the cleaning woman. It was nice to get different perspectives but got confusing really fast. I am not a fan of multiple first-person accounts of the same story so it lost me. By the end of the book, I wasn't even sure if it fully unraveled. This book is unfortunately a pass, bookhearts.

Happy Pub Day, Kelly Simmons! The Fifth of July is now available.

LiteraryMarie

Dysfunctional family vacations together on Nantucket when an accident occurs. What happened to mother (Caroline) when she was a teenager? Why is her father (Tripp) currently acting like a carefree teenager? Is her mother (Alice) hiding anything? What about her brother (Tom)? Are they all hiding something?

While I very much enjoyed the fast-paced writing style, I was left feeling confused, like the story hadn't been wrapped up as much as it should have been. Did I miss something? After reading other reviews, it seems I unfortunately did not. While I appreciated the point of the story ... "Sometimes the people you know best are the ones you should fear most," overall, it was too vague and left too many unanswered questions for me. Perhaps another type of reader would enjoy the indeterminate ending more than I did.

With that being said, this was my first time reading anything by this author, and since I enjoyed the writing style so much, I plan to read at least one more before making a final decision.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I could truly smell the ocean and feel the breeze on the island as I read this book.
A story told from five characters each with motives in this murder mystery, yet we never really solve the case throughout the entire book.
" We all need to watch what we say, and what we mean, and how we behave. And be careful, what we wish for when we reach for the heights."
Definitely a summer beach read!

The Fifth Of July by Kelly Simmons tells the story of the Warners, a family that travels to Nantucket every summer for the vacation owning a vacation home, This summer everything changes for the Warners! This family is full of secrets, lies and loathing of each other. I loved this book and do not want to spoil it for other who have not read it! I highly recommend this book,

This novel is told from multiple first-person perspectives about a privileged family, the Warners. It’s also told from the perspective of the caretaker, Matt, and the cleaning woman, Maggie Sue. The Warner family is not easy to like. They come together in Nantucket every summer.

We know that something bad happens over the Fourth of July holiday, and as the different characters tell their side of the story, bits and pieces of what is assumed to be an accident emerge, as does their lifetime of resentments and regrets. There is the daughter, uptight Caroline, who married a nice guy and is hyper protective of her twelve-year-old daughter because of her own experience. There is Tom, the brother Caroline bickers with endlessly. The mother, Alice, has the most distinct voice because of her aversion to technology and change. She resents people moving to Nantucket and building or renovating houses.

I liked the pacing of the story, but the characters weren’t particularly likeable, and I’m not sure the subplot and mystery were fully revealed. I don’t mind books that make you think for yourself, but even so, this was a little too vague for my liking.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

I loved this book!!! It is a wonderful story told by 5 different people. The characters are great and it's like you know each and every one. So many secrets and mysteries and keeps you reading until the very end. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC in return for an honest review.

"The Fifth of July" by Kelly Simmons
Sourcebooks Landmark
August 29, 2017
10-1492651796
978-1492651796
288 Pages
Contemporary Women's Fiction

The Warner family has owned a summer house on Nantucket for more than three decades. Alice and Tripp, parents to Tom and Caroline, always spend their vacation there, especially to enjoy the Fourth of July festivities.

This year Alice summons Tom and Caroline, her husband John, and preteen daughter Sydney to the island. Tripp, having undergone cancer chemotherapy, is acting strangely, and Alice needs them all together to access and watch out for him.

The dysfunctional relationship starts with Alice, the snotty and pretentious matriarch who will not tolerate change. She is stressed out by Tripp's behavior since his treatment for he shows no inhibitions and observes no boundaries. Unable to handle his new personality, she decides he would fare better in a facility.

Uptight and controlling Caroline is extremely hard on Sydney. At an age where Sidney wants to spread her wings, Caroline keeps a keen eye on her, refusing to be out of her sight. John is a Casper milquetoast who goes along with whatever his wife says, realizing he has no say, even if he feels Sydney is being browbeaten; Caroline's past offers reasons for being strict.

Tom Warner is laid back, recognizing he's disappointed his mother by not becoming a professional man. He owns a service-based business selling wine to wealthy connoisseurs around the world, and the family scoffs at his profession equating it to a lifeguard or golf pro. But Tom takes it in stride, believing he is the blame for all and any mishaps. He accepts he and his sister cannot get along though she always blamed him for her unfortunate past and also believes he was the favored sibling.

Sydney suffers from the turmoil the most. Her mother tries to keep her close and Tripp entices her into his grandiose schemes, pulling her in two directions. She understands the difference between right and wrong, though the temptation to step outside of her mother's comfort zone is appealing.

Trouble begins when a neighbor commences a lawsuit against the Warners to remove their widow's walk, stating it takes away from his view. He and Alice become involved in a bitter tug-of-war that turns nasty. One incident makes the Walkers leave their home and rent a cottage until the defacement of their property can be eradicated.

Tragedy strikes and Tripp perishes, having Tom heading to his father's favorite spot to reminisce:

"My father loved Altar Rock because other people overlooked it, drove right past. Let the tourists stay on the edges, burrow in the sand. We are up and away from the others, so we can see, so we could know. Maybe so we can learn. And find a way home to how we all used to be. My father and mother, in love once. My sister and I getting along just fine. The neighbors taking care of one another in their own way. Pooling their resources, their gin and their clams and their boats and their bicycles. Not fighting over the ocean, over what everyone knew wasn't theirs.

"I don't know precisely what my father was looking for as he starting his climb that spring and summer. All those stairs, over and over. Maybe he simply knew what was happening, what was coming. That he wasn't well. That there was something else wrong with him and his wife was going to have to lock him up, or in, or down. That his granddaughter was not going to follow him wherever he went, that he would not be granted a second chance.

"She he just kept trying, kept seeking higher ground. Until it gave way. Or maybe, just maybe, until he found the courage to fly."

Each character speaks in their own voices in separate chapters, including those of the caretaker and the housekeeper of the seasonal properties to give a better understanding of the situation. Personal thoughts and feelings are disclosed to offer insight into the actions taken.

No one knows what happens in other families—the stresses they face, the hardships, the sadness, and pain. The Fifth of July encompasses the lives of one family, who share their angst and deep-felt emotions as they try to come together to become whole before they are all destroyed.

Thank you to @netgalley for the early copy of The Fifth of July from an amazing #tallpoppywriter @kellyasimmons .
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Right off the bat, I was intrigued by the synopsis of the story. Summertime tourists, islanders, sea spray, clambakes- everything that comes to mind when you think of Nantucket. I was greatly overwhelmed by the depth of the many characters involved. Alternating POVs gave us great detail and an unbiased look into their thoughts. Simmons developed the perfect characters for this building storyline, with the most distinct use of vocabulary. I was very surprised at where the story took the reader- I questioned and wondered, and was intrigued throughout. The ending was unexpected and really packed a punch.
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#highlyrecommended #summerreading #upcomingrelease #thefifthofjuly #kellysimmonsauthor #mwladiesrecommend #netgalleyreview #arc #tallpoppyambassador #bloomreads #suspensenovel