While I have come to expect delicious beach reads from Elin Hilderbrand and anticipated a similar story when I began reading this one, I was surprised to find myself in the middle of a historical fiction novel.  I probably should read the excerpt before diving in, but much to my surprise, Hilderbrand pulled off the genre change beautifully. Lucky for me that I am as big a fan of historical fiction as I am of Elin Hilderbrand!  She did a great job incorporating pieces of history with which I am familiar, with richly developed characters that befriended me along the way and shared their story.  While I hope she hasn't turned away from writing the typical beach read that I have come to love from her, I would love to see more books along the lines of Summer of '69. (With that title, it could have gone either way!)

As always, Elin Hilderbrand did not disappoint. This was a great story and very entertaining. I love the 1969 timeline as well. I have already recommended this book to several friends.

I love Elin Hilderbrand! I love that even though she writes at least one novel year, it's usually two, and they are both always good. I love that she is still willing to take chances and that she decided to go the historical route with her latest, The Summer of 69. It's just as well done as her other books, just as compelling...but with a different twist in that this time we are watching history unfold as we read. This is a thoroughly enjoyable novel and very highly recommended

The Summer of ‘69 by Elin Hilderbrand is a novel about the relationships of three women and their mother. Set in Nantucket during a golden age in America, the time period and references to famous people of the time were the most interesting parts to me. This author is clear talented in character development. The story was incredibly slow to me at times, but overall it is a good read. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

I'm not usually a fan of books set in the past (in this case, 1969), but I thoroughly enjoyed Summer of '69. I adored the characters of Jessie and Kirby especially. It was a pleasure watching them "grown up" during the Summer of 69.
Elin Hilderbrand is one of my favorite authors and I will read anything she writes - even "historical" novels that I normally wouldn't look twice at!

Elin keeps impressing me with her books. She is my all time favorite author and when I didn't think a publication could get any better, it did.
This book was different than the others. It involved some history, which was very interesting. There was a story in each chapter about how different people deal with their life and how life changes from young to old. The family still had conflict, but seemed to bring it all together in the end. The ending was inspirational and happy. Life does get tough and sometimes you need to find a way to work through things, and it isn't always easy. I do not like to give spoilers when writing my reviews.

The Summer of '69 was a tumultuous one for the Levin family. Kate and her mother, Exalta, are trying to carry on as if nothing is wrong, but it is. The only son in the family, Tiger, is off fighting in the war and nothing but his safety matters to Kate. Kirby left Nantucket to work the summer on Martha's Vineyard. Blair is stuck in the city, pregnant with twins, and not sure she chose to marry the right brother. And Jessie is a young teen struggling with being on the brink of womanhood. The Summer of '69 is tumultuous for the rest of the country, too. Not only is the war dividing the country, but the civil rights movement is at its peak and racial tensions are still high. Will the Levin family and the rest of the country make it through that tumultuous summer?

The Summer of '69 was Elin Hilderbrand's first attempt at a historical novel and she did a great job. I was born in the mid-seventies, but it is still strange to think about 1969 as being "historical." As we are on the fiftieth anniversary of that summer, a lot of it is in the news again. The Levin family is kind of a hot mess. One might even say they are dysfunctional. Kate has a drinking issue, Exalta comes across as anti-semitic, Blair's fairly new marriage is a mess, and the whole world seems to be melting down. There are a lot of historical points of reference, too. Like the moon landing, Woodstock, Teddy Kennedy's accident, and more. It was almost like finding Easter eggs with each one mentioned. Summer of '69 ended exactly the same way as all of the other Elin Hilderbrand novels, with the summer ending and people moving on with their lives.

Bottom Line - I wasn't sure what to expect from Elin Hilderbrand's first historical novel, but I really did enjoy it. The writing was familiar, but the historical details of that summer were sharp and accurate. Overall, a great read!

Details:

Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand
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Pages: 432
Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company
Publication Date: 6/18/19
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Thank you, NetGalley for the free book in exchange for a review!

Elin Hilderbrand has done it again! I absolutely loved this book. I loved the different story lines about each family member along with the historical references. I will be honest, when I learned that there would history entwined with this story I was worried I would not enjoy it as much as other books by Elin. I almost dare to say that I enjoyed this book more because of the historical tie ins. I loved that the history was mentioned, but it did not consume the story lines. Instead, we got to see more of the effects on the characters, which I thought was an interesting perspective. This is certainly a book that I plan on recommending to my family and friends.

Reminiscent of my favorite Danielle Steele book (Family Album if you must know), this book was a baeutiful late summer read. I love a book with a perspective of a multitude of characters. Each woman had their strong convictions. Jessie still holding on to the black and white world of a child while it becomes shades of grey as she matures; Blair's dedication to a sense of family with a quirky marriage; Kirby's strong political beliefs as well as seeing a person as a person and not color; and Kate's love of her children even though she stumbles onto a rocky path while trying to cope.

Completely different than anything written by Ms. Hilderbrand, I would love to see a follow up novel(s) showing this family in different eras... Maybe something in the '80s and then the 2000's?

I always enjoy Hilderbrand's novels, but I was on the fence about this one before reading it. I'm not usually into books that aren't set in present day, but this one was absolutely an exception. It was light enough to be entertaining and interesting, and had twists and unexpected turns that kept me up well past my bedtime. In my opinion, Hilderbrand can do no wrong.... another bestseller, for sure.

I am a longtime Elin Hilderbrand reader and Summer of '69 is one of the most enjoyable romps I have gobbled up this summer; twisty, mysterious without being heavy-handed about it, and still light enough to hand you a few laughs this is a great read whether you're new to Elin or have loved her as long as I have.
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You won't be sorry!

Elin is such a talented writer. Her books instantly draw me in and keep me wanting to know what happens next. I connect instantly to the difference characters. I was born well after the 60’s but reading this story brought some nostalgia. It also shows that not everything is as it seems and we all have secrets.

Summer of 69 by Elin Hilderbrand is a wonderful book to take to the beach. The story revolves around a family from Brookline Mass who spends each summer at their grandmother's home in Nantucket. The plot revolves mostly around their three daughters and mother. Each daughter has has a different experience and all three mature during their summer. Their mother is under a great deal of stress becuase her only son has been drafted and is in VIet Nam. She tries to comfort herself by drinking. At the end of the book each one has moved to a bettter place in their life.

Elin Hilderbrand writes wonderful stories about her beloved Nantucket but this is the first time she does so in the past. The book is set in that tumultuous summer of of 1969, and for the Levin family, the times are very different. Blair, the oldest sister, is married and in Boston, pregnant with twins and unable to travel. Middle sister Kirby, a nursing student, is caught up in the civil rights movement,and ends up in Martha's Vineyard with her friend, Mary Jo Kopechne. The Levin's only son Tiger is an infantry soldier, recently deployed to Vietnam. Thirteen-year-old Jessie suddenly feels like an only child, marooned in the house with her mother who is drinking all of the time worried about her son and her grandmother who is hiding some secrets. As the summer passes, Teddy Kennedy sinks a car in Chappaquiddick and Mary Jo dies, a man flies to the moon, and the Levin children experience some sinking and flying themselves, as they grow into adulthood. The Summer of 69 is a truly great read and a wonderful addition to your Elin Hilderbrand library.

Elin Hilderbrand is an author I pick up whenever I see a new book. This one appealed to me because I was graduating and very aware of the summer of 69. This is a summer of change for the Levin family. They have always spent the summer at their grandmother's home in Nantucket but now the oldest girl Blair, is married and expecting twins and not coming. Kirby is going to spend the summer with her best friend Mary Jo Kopechne in Marthas Vineyard and brother Tiger is on his way to Vietnam after being drafted. Now 13 year old Jesse is alone with a grandmother who is acting strangely and getting older. It's funny that a novel from the 60's is historic, it seems like yesterday. A realistic presentation of news events and people. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Summer of ‘69 is another summer hit from Elin Hilderbrand. Using her typical mix of romance, intrigue, suspense, humour and many different types of relationships, we are taken back half a century to a time when things were simpler...or not. Family problems, political scandal, first love & race all wind together to create a wonderful beach read you won’t want to put down.

This coming of age novel is one if the best books by Hilderbrand that I have read in a while. Set in the summer of 1969, this story is about the growth and the changes three daughters experience as the summer days pass by. While their brother has gone off to Vietnam, the three daughters are all experiencing very different summer situations as they are all at significantly different points in their lives. The development of the characters and the setting made this a delightful summer read, but for me the magic was in the way the time period was presented. I loved the historical information and the way that Hilderbrand swept me away to another time. Make sure you read the authors note about her inspiration for this story! Thank you netgalley for an arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

"Summer of '69", Elin Hilderbrand's latest summer beach read, is a glorious sample of an easy, breezy 60's summer on Nantucket Island. The Levin family has returned to Nantucket for their annual summer beach trip. However, things are not as simple as they have been in years past. Blair, the oldest of the sisters, finds herself struggling in her marriage and coming to grips with the fact that she will soon be a mother. Kirby has decided to ditch Nantucket altogether, and spend the summer working in Martha's Vineyard. Tiger, the family's only son, has voluntarily left to fight in the Vietnam War, leaving thirteen-year old Jessie to spend the summer largely by herself, with only her mother and grandmother as company.

As the summer passes by, we get a glimpse into the three sister's, and how their lives continue to change as they grow and develop as young women. Blair is forced to understand the true struggles of marriage, while Kirby falls in love with a young man whom others might deem inappropriate. Jessie also grapples with the complexities of young love and relationships.

Throughout the story, we are able to see how the Levin family adapts and grows along with the uncertain times they find themselves in. Rooting for each character, Hilderbrand continues to charm and hook us yet again. The "Summer of '69" sure might have had challenges for some, but the only challenge I had was putting this book down. Easy, light, and fun, "Summer of 69" made me wish it was summer all year round.

This is one of the only books I've given 5 stars this year thus far. I completely enjoyed this book. I was born in 1969 so I was captivated by such a thorough and readable snapshot of what the summer of my birth year was like in reality and in the lives of the fictional characters. I've read Hilderbrand's books before and have always enjoyed them. In my opinion, this book was "meatier' and packed with more substance than her previous novels. The twists kept me reading to the very end and I can say that I was sad when I quickly finished this book. I've recommended it to several people at the bookstore I work part time at. It's probably not a book I'd put in my high school student library but it's a book I'm so pleased that I had an opportunity to read. I can't wait for her next one!

I love this book. I've ready almost all of Hilderbrand's books, including her series'. I live in Boston so I always love being near the settings she uses. I especially loved how she went into a different time with this book, all her other books are contemporary, not historical. These were great characters and I always love the alternating POVs. Great beach read!