So far, I have not met a Hannah McKinnon novel that I have not liked and Sailing Lessons is no exception. She writes the best family dramas, and that is exactly what this is along with a focus on mother/daughter relationships as well as father/daughter relationships. The story is told from 5 different viewpoints, and I really liked that the author chose these to be the sisters Wren, Piper, and Shannon, their dad Caleb and their stepfather Hank. Caleb's POV definitely takes a backseat to the rest, and I found it a fascinating choice for McKinnon not to include the mom Lindy as a viewpoint. I feel like that would have colored my view of Caleb, and I much preferred to see through the eyes of their daughters which still gave me plenty of context.

This book originally came out in 2018, but the audiobook only just released in June of 2023, and I can't believe it took them 5 years to release on audio! This is also a very old (clearly) backlist title for me, and I'm glad I got to experience it through listening. It would have been nice to have at least 1 male and 1 female narrator, but Eleanor Caudill still did a wonderful job with all 5 of the POVs. I even thought she sounded a bit different for each of the sisters, and I loved that she didn't try to change her voice when she read from Hank and Caleb's viewpoints. If you are looking for a touching look at a family in pieces fitting themselves back together, I would recommend Sailing Lessons in any format.

Note: clearing old books from before 2019

Did not have time to read this book - still on my TBR. Thank you for the opportunity and my apologies for not getting to it.

Summer, warmth, family love, beaches and salty air. Loved the relationship with these three sisters. A story full of heart.

I feel like I have read this storyline before. A missing father appears after the death of the girl's mother and wants to connect with his long lost daughters. Some want to connect and others don't and it causes problems. Not very inventive, though I liked the three sisters individually.

I'm always looking for a good beachy read, and Sailing Lessons was perfect for that craving. Full of family drama, romance, and roads to recovery, this read was enough to make me sit still on the beach and read until the book was finished. I loved McKinnon's writing in this novel and how she made the characters truly come to life. I felt like I was experiencing highs and lows with each of the characters throughout the novel and I loved it.

McKinnon has a way of taking relate-able characters and putting them into situations that you're constantly asking yourself, "what would I do?". I love that about her writing and I love how it constantly has my mind moving and contemplating. I would highly recommend this novel if you need a good beach read or if you are a fan of Kristin Hannah. Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for sending this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Rating 3/5

Such a great book about family, loss, redemption and courage to face the past. I love the Cape Cod setting and the characters kept you on your toes.

I hated some of the decisions from the characters and it drove me absolutely batty. The plot was predictable but that didn’t stop me from loving it. I loved the drama and how everything unfolded. If you love family dramas then this is a must read.

The Bailey sisters, Wrenn, Shannon, and Piper, grew up on Cape Cod and although this sounds like an idyllic childhood, it wasn't always. For starters, the girls' father left them after an upsetting incident on the island and this has always haunted them. It's now twenty years later and the three women have families of their own as well as issues of their own. But one fateful summer, Caleb, their father, reenters their life without any warning. The girls aren't sure why he wants to reconnect with them and each woman deals with this differently. With Caleb's re-entrance into their life, each sister must face their own issues and come to terms with the past. Sailing Lessons is a novel about family, forgiveness, and sisterhood all set in beautiful Cape Cod, which makes it an entertaining beach read for fans of family dramas.

McKinnon switches from each sister's point of view in Sailing Lessons, so we can get to know each woman better. Shannon is the oldest and "most responsible" sister as she has always felt like someone that has to protect the younger girls. She still has issues with her father and doesn't want to deal with him at all. Then there's Wrenn, who is opening an eclectic store on Cape Cod, and is a single mother. She has issues of her own and her father re-entering her life only complicates matters further. Then there's the youngest Bailey sister, Piper, who is a perpetual student and has really put her life on hold. Her love life is pretty messy as well, but she is the sister who is most excited about reconnecting with their father. It could be because she is the only sister who doesn't remember exactly what happened that fateful day when there was an accident involving the sisters and their father. Lindy, the girls' mother, is also an interesting character as she is the one that had to raise the girls on her own and pick herself up after Caleb's departure. How could you not root for Lindy?

To be honest, I was a bit let down in that Sailing Lessons was a little depressing at times, but I will say that in the end, it was an uplifting tale about the power of forgiveness. I had adored McKinnon's The Summer House so much that Sailing Lessons let me down a bit, but nonetheless, it made for a charming beach read filled that is filled with hope. So, if you love novels that involve family issues, secrets, and lots of drama, give Sailing Lessons a try this summer.

I enjoyed this story centered around family and sisters. While the beginning was a little slow, I soon engaged with the characters and especially the setting of Cape Cod, I loved that. The author did a good job making me feel that I was there. Although I did find the story to be predictable at times, I also found it to be emotional in many parts as well. An overall good summer read

This books explores the lives of three young girls who grow into adulthood and their mother after their father disappears from their lives. Wrenn, Shannon and Piper , along with their mother Lindy, live in Cape Cod. Lindy does remarry and they have a wonderful step father who loves them and makes their mother happy. When father Caleb returns after 20 years, he confides to Wrenn that he is dying of cancer and wants her to keep his secret from her sisters. All the girls feel different about his return but they do all grow and learn to accept the past for what it was and enjoy their present day. Hannah McKinnon has written 5 novels that center on summer seashore living and I've enjoyed several of them. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I am a fan of the author and looked forward to reviewing this book. The opinions are my own.
The defining location of Maine is so beautifully described here that you feel as if your in Maine. I love the authors well crafted descriptions of the area and the coastal feel. Add 4 sisters who had no contact with their alcoholic Father for 20 years with a family reunion of sorts and this was one perfect summer read. I enjoyed the relationships, the small town and the coastal descriptions. This is told in a heartfelt compassionate way that draws the reader into the family dynamics.
Get the tissue and enjoy every moment of this dynamic book. Very well done to the author.
I look forward to further books by the author. The perfect summer afternoon read.

Sailing Lessons is a story filled with family drama, secrets, forgiveness and a whole lot of love.

The story centers around Lindy Bailey and her daughters Shannon, Wrenn, and Piper who live on Cape Cod. Their father, Caleb left the family over 20 years ago after a horrible boating accident. This event impacted them so much that when Wrenn receives a letter from him asking if he can come for a visit, the daughters have no clue what to do or how to react.

This is a compelling read and beautifully written. Hannah McKinnon does a wonderful job of showing how each daughter deals with the memories and current feelings of this potential visit. This would make a great book club read. I wish I had someone to discuss it with when I finished reading.

This was my first McKinnon read and it will not be my last. The writing flowed however with that said there were a few grammatical errors I hope an editor will look at and correct before the final printing. I recommend you read this book!

Sailing Lessons
By
Hannah McKinnon


What it's all about...

The Bailey girls...Lindy, Shannon, Wren and Piper have lived for over 20 years without their father...a gifted brilliant alcoholic man. But now Caleb wants to come home. Not everyone wants this to happen. What is his reason for returning now? His family has no idea and some of them aren’t all that happy about his return. It’s quite an interesting turn of events...isn’t it?

Why I wanted to read it...

This book takes place on Cape Cod...which immediately made me want to read it. The issues that each daughter has with Caleb’s return are at the heart of this story. His abandonment has literally shaped each of their lives in different ways.

What made me truly enjoy this book...

Getting to know each sister and each sister’s flaws and talents was one of the best parts of this book. Again...the setting, the family and their ties made this book enjoyable. The writing was spot on...

Why you should read it, too...

Readers who love books about family issues will enjoy this book. The Cape Cod setting just makes this book even more enjoyable.

I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley and Amazon. It was my choice to read it and review it.

3.5 stars for this contemporary fiction family drama, about an eventful summer for a family living on Cape Cod. Abandoned by their troubled father Caleb after a near-tragedy when the girls were young, the three Bailey sisters, now in their late twenties and early thirties, have grown up strong and close-knit. Shannon is a type A over-achiever who overschedules her kids’ lives but seems to have it all together. Wren is a single mother to five year old Lucy, opening a new artsy, eco-friendly store that will cater to tourists. Piper has just finished her teaching degree.

But each sister is dealing (or not) with some personal issues, and when their father comes back to Cape Cod after a 24-year absence, hoping to reconnect with his daughters, the cracks in their lives start to become more visible. Piper’s are the most immediately apparent: she’s flat broke, can’t commit to a career, and having an affair with one of her married professors. Shannon refuses to forgive or even meet with her father, and Wren is stressing out. And that’s not all, not by a long shot!

The novel focuses mostly on the lives of these three adult sisters, but about six different points of view that appear in this story. Every chapter switches to a different character's POV.

It’s a bit heavy-handed with all of the drama, and I was having issues sympathizing with some of the characters and their terrible decisions (looking at you especially, Piper). The drama gets predictable (view spoiler) and then all wraps up with a nice neat bow in the end. On the positive side, the Cape Cod setting was lovely, the characters were well-drawn and felt realistic, and I appreciated some of the insightful writing. The life lessons, like the drama, aren't subtle, but the focus on family and sibling bonds was still heartwarming.

I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher for review. Thank you!

Sailing Lessons

Hannah McKinnon


I have never read a book by Hannah McKinnon before but after reading SAILING LESSONS I will read every book she has written. I instantly felt like I was back on Cape Cod dodging seagulls and feeling the sand between my toes. Piper, Wren, and Shannon Bailey were used to their father, Caleb, leaving for a while when they were kids. But he always came home. Then one day, he leaves and doesn't come back. Obviously all their lives are effected by him leaving but their mom does the best she can to give them normal lives. Until, one day, Wren gets a letter in the mail from her father. Seriously? It's been twenty years since he left the last time. What could he possible want after all this time? Hold on people, it's going to be a crazy ride!


SAILING LESSONS is filled with family secrets and once you start reading, it is impossible to put down. Keep the tissues close by because this will be one heck of an emotional journey. Each of the sisters have different memories of their father and even now, different feelings after twenty years. Will they accept him back into their lives? Can any of them trust him once again? Once I started reading SAILING LESSONS I found myself cheering for this broken family and praying they could find their happily ever after. Sometimes, it just doesn't happen but I still had hope the whole time.


Hannah McKinnon really knows how to write about family drama, heartbreak, and forgiveness. I can not wait to read more by this wonderful and heart tugging author. I have many of her older books to read and that makes me so happy. SAILING LESSONS is all about letting go of the past and learning how to move on. It is filled with likable and relatable characters that will find their way into the readers heart. If you are looking for a book about a less than perfect family, SAILING LESSONS is the story for you. Spend the afternoon on your beach chair or on your couch devouring this beautiful story. You will love every minute of it!


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Atria Books through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Hannah McKinnon has such a way with words they sailed right across the page and into my heart! I absolutely loved reading about this journey through a set of different eyes Through the trials and tribulations there was so much to learn and see where the sail boat would lead!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC. This was a disappointment for me. Definitely a “beach read” but I did not enjoy it. I did not like the older and younger sister at all and could feel no empathy for their characters. I thought their storylines were formulaic and unoriginal. I did like the middle sister, mom and step dad and even the estranged dad. But unfortunately there wasn’t much of the estranged dad in the book despite this being a story about is returned. The premise was intriguing but the book did not deliver for me.

What a great, feel good read for the summer! I really enjoy Hannah McKinnon's books, and this one was no exception. A great family story featuring three sisters navigating complicated family relationships. The Cape Cod setting is delightful--it will make you want to be there. I also am dying to go shopping at Wren's store, The Fisherman's Daughter! Definitely recommend throwing this one in your beach bag!

A momentous event resulting in the sudden absence of their father shaped the lives of three young girls. Each had her own perception of the event and was followed into adulthood with the effect of their loss. The novel takes place on beautiful Cape Cod – a setting I love reading about. Sailing Lessons is a story of forgiveness – what can happen when one is allowed to forgive or be forgiven. I had no problem finding sympathy for all of these flawed characters – a credit to author Hannah McKinnon. Recommended to fans of novels about less-than-perfect families. Last year I enjoyed The Summer House and now I look forward to reading the rest of McKinnon’s books.

I loved this book! It is story about 3 sisters and losing their relationship with their father and slowly getting it back when he shows up after years of being away! Loved the relationships these sisters had together..I loved how each of them had a difference of opinion about how to accept him bck into their lives! Highly recommend

This novel is about three adult sisters on Cape Cod, and the summer that their estranged father, who disappeared 24 years ago, suddenly returns. Each sister has dealt with his disappearance - and then his reappearance - in their own ways, and each also has their own issues. POV chapters alternate between the sisters with a smaller amount of POV chapters from the father and from the sisters' stepfather. I've been a big fan of Hannah McKinnon since her first book came out, so I'm sorry to say that I didn't warm to this one the way I did to her 3 previous books. It kind of felt like each character was defined too much by their not always sympathetic issues, and this book just also lacked the feeling of perfect summer fun (and romance) that the previous books had. That being said, I LOVED the Cape Cod setting, since I've spent a week each summer for the last 9 years on the Cape, so it was a lot of fun to recognize places mentioned in the book. And I did enjoy the book, it just wasn't quite what I was expecting. Nonetheless, I'll continue to read anything she publishes. 3.5 stars.