Cover Image: The View from Here

The View from Here

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Siblings who are on two different spectrums of life and caring, one is super serious, another more go with the flow. This causes so much trouble within their family. They are figuring out how to navigate their relationships with each other.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley, Hannah McKinnon and Atria Books for an ARC The View From Here.
This is my personal honest review.
The View From Here tells the story of three adult siblings Perry, Phoebe and Jake. We first met them when they all get together for their Grandmother’s 97 birthday celebration.
Perry is the responsible older brother who wants everything exactly right. Perry has the life with his family that fits neatly into his country club idea of what he wants his life to be.
Jake is the fun-loving brother who has found the woman of his dreams and wants to marry her.
Phoebe is the baby sister who has dreams of owning her forever home with her husband and children.
They each try to appear to have the life they each dream of for themselves but of all of issues they must face.
Life has other things in mind and the summer has them each facing the events that unfold.
I tried to feel connected to these characters, but it was hard to for me to see the sibling love and connection I was looking for in this book.

Was this review helpful?

I loved this book. It is a great summer beach read. The characters drew me in from the beginning. The book takes you through the summer and how adult siblings navigate tragedy and come back together as a family.

Was this review helpful?

I have enjoyed Hannah McKinnon's previous novels and was thrilled to receive an advance copy of her latest. Do not let the laid back cover fool you, this is not a light hearted beach romp. This is a family drama dealing with 3 grown siblings, some of the their children and significant others.

The Goodwin clan seems to have charmed life in a picturesque Connecticut lakeside town, but not all is as it appears. Beneath the surface each sibling struggles with various issues, some internal, some external. McKinnon manages to make each one likable and sympathetic. Even uptight insurance executive, Perry, the eldest grew on me as a sensitive family man trying his best. Interesting look at parental and sibling dynamics. I truly enjoyed this novel and look forward to more from Hannah McKinnon.

Thank you to Net Galley and Atria books for the advance copy!

Was this review helpful?

It's Perry's grandmother Elsie's ninety seventh birthday. They are having a party. Perry is married to Amelia and has a daughter Emma. He has a younger sister Phoebe and brother Jack. Jack is dating a new woman. Phoebe has twin sons Jed and Patrick . Phoebe and family is moving in with her parents. It was easy to love the characters from beginning. I loved the different points of view. Olivia's point of view was my least favorite at times. I didn't like reading about her work with Ben . I loved reading about Luci. Phoebe was my favorite character although I didn't always agree with her. I loved towards the ending what was happening.

Was this review helpful?

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A family struggles with changes among its members--both in the behaviors of the adult children, adolescents, and new addictions to the fold.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary ebook in exchange for my honest review. The View From Here by Hannah McKinnon was the perfect summer read. I thoroughly enjoyed the quirkiness of each character and how they viewed their current situations in life and within the family. There’s also a little suspense thrown into the storyline that gave it some extra fun. I will be recommending this book!

Was this review helpful?

I'm always up for new summer/beachy reads and the blurb on this fit the bill - a family in various crises who lives by a lake. If you like Elin Hilderbrand's books, you'll probably enjoy this one.

This is a multi-POV about Phoebe and Perry Goodwin, as well as Olivia Cossette, the girlfriend of the youngest Goodwin boy, and Perry's daughter. Emmy. Each family faces different issues: Phoebe is in over her head on a lake cottage renovation, Perry is a perfectionist workaholic obsessed with image, Olivia is the parent of a kid with selective mutism navigating her first serious relationship. And Emmy is fifteen years old, getting tempted by a fast crowd in her wealthy neighborhood. When her bad choices collide with her uncle Jake's boat outing one summer afternoon, chaos ensues.

Olivia, Emmy and Perry's stories revolve around the repercussions of the boat incident. All of them re-evaluate their relationships with others and their work, in the adults' cases. Meanwhile, Phoebe's HGTV obsession doesn't match with her wallet limitations, and she's stuck between giving up on having her dream home by the lake, or losing the support of her husband. Of the 4, I enjoyed Phoebe's story the most. And I like how the author didn't have a happily-ever-after for all characters. Sometimes our bad choices do have bad results, and I like that this was reflected in the storyline.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this book. You get to know about a family that has its faults and mom importantly it’s strengths. I enjoyed the lake setting and the description of their lives. Definitely a great summer read!

Was this review helpful?

Hannah McKinnon, author of "The View from Here" has written a captivating, enthralling, and memorable story. The genres for this novel are contemporary fiction, domestic fiction, women's fiction, and fiction. The timeline for the story takes place in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events. The story takes place around a lake in Connecticut and involves the family getting together. The author describes her colorful and dramatic cast of characters as each having their own sets of problems.

Three siblings, Perry, Jake, and Phoebe "Goodwin" are so very different but make a united front for their grandmother's 97th Birthday party. Each has their own personalities and idiosyncrasies. Jake is bringing home a lady friend with a selectively mute child. The siblings don't seem to communicate their problems well. Perry and Phoebe are married and have children. Jake seems to be easy-going and fun-loving.

A tragedy makes the Goodwin family questions the meaning of family, love, and acceptance. I would highly recommend this thought-provoking story.

Was this review helpful?

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. This book intrigued me because there was a lot to it there was family, relationships, underage drinking, a little girl that couldn't talk other than to her mom. There were secrets, mistakes, and sometimes life is messy. Each thing going on could go in so many directions but we never knew what was going to happen until the author revealed it. Everyone has struggles, kids make mistakes and has to learn valuable lessons. What I liked most about the book is the author didn't shy away from anything, she faced it head-on. This is life and like life, you just never know what will happen or what you would do if things happened. The view from here is we got to pull back the curtain on a family and see all the goings-on. I would recommend this book. because it offers a lot of insight.

Was this review helpful?

The View from Here is a complicated story of a close-knit extended family that finds themselves having a summer none of them could have ever anticipated. Grown siblings Perry, Phoebe and Jake are all a different life stages and have always had small rifts between them. Perry suffers from being a perfectionist, from his job, his wife and his daughter. The pressure to have the best and be the best alienates him from everyone. Jake has finally found love in Olivia, and his new engagement includes being a father-figure to Oliva’s daughter Luci, who has selective mutism. Phoebe is married to her college love, has twin four years’ olds and is literally in over her head and budget on a new home. When a split second decision lands Jake, Luci and Emma (Perry’s daughter) in the hospital these siblings are all faced with new challenges, secrets and the reality of the lives they’ve created. The View from Here offers a loving story for readers. While there are many characters to follow, the challenges they face this memorable summer and throughout their lives are both relatable and endearing. The View from Here was a delightful summer read!

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I discovered Hannah McKinnon several years ago and she quickly became one of my favorite authors. Set on an idyllic lake one summer, the story follows a dysfunctional family from each of their viewpoints. A tragic boating accident, getting in over one's head with a house renovation, and a wise matriarch in their 90 something grandmother ties the plot lines all together. I will be sure to share this title with my patrons this summer, and highlight it on my summer beach reads posts.

Was this review helpful?

Lovely book about family, and how we let childhood resentment shape our adults lives. And how sometimes what we picture as the perfect family life is just an illusion. This is the story of the Goodwin children - Phoebe, Perry and Jake. Jake has always been the charismatic one; even as an adult people are drawn to him - a fact his highly successful but very uptight brother, Perry resents. And when Perry, who thought of himself as happily married, finds himself deeply attracted to Olivia, Jake's fiance, his resentment only grows. Perry doesn't believe that carefree Jake can be a responsible husband to Olivia or a good father to her daughter, who suffers from selective mutism. When a tragic occurs, Perry is sure that his instincts were correct. But the situation is much more complicated than he understands. Good read with relatable character and a realistic plot line.

Was this review helpful?

McKinnon delivers a solid story. Three siblings spend more time together. Readers learn more about Perry, Jake, and Phoebe's stories and personanlities. Major themes include honesty, redemption, accountability, and endurance. I think everyone can relate with some of the characters. I liked the cover.

Was this review helpful?

I like books that allow me to escape from the day to day struggles of life - the focus of this book basically brought all that front and center. The main theme of this story was the family dynamics of 3 siblings who don't strike me as particularly close, or loving. One is a workaholic who is becoming increasingly alienated from his teenage daughter, who is struggling to be seen. His sister is the mother of twins, who is barely holding it all together through home renovations they cannot afford. The 3rd brother is the golden boy, who has struggled to grow up, amd becomes engaged to a single mother with a daughter who has selective mutism. I didn't connect with any of the main characters and I didn't find them particularly likeable. Sometimes I feel it might be better to tell the story from one character's perspective, rather than that of 5 different characters - I find it harder to connect with the characters and their storylines. This one just wasn't for me, despite enjoying previous books by this author.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Well-written story which centers around a family with three adult children and a boating accident which occurs during one summer and the repercussions that follow. Each chapter tells the story of a different character and the chapters are well-written and flow nicely. I enjoyed the setting of this book, as well as the family itself coping with a variety of issues. An engaging beach read for summer that you won't be able to put down. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Was this review helpful?

Hannah McKinnon is an author that I always jump at the chance to read! The View from Here combines summertime and family and wraps it all up in a fantastic storyline! The View from Here is centered around 3 adult siblings Perry, Jake, and Phoebe who along with their spouses, children, and parents are all navigating the curveballs that life has thrown at them. I enjoyed feeling like a fly on the wall with this eclectic bunch and I really think every reader will find something relatable! Hannah McKinnon does a great job with capturing the intricate and fragile dynamics of family! The View from Here is a 4.5 star novel that is absolutely the perfect beach read!

Was this review helpful?

A family story focused on three adult siblings, Perry, Phoebe and Jake. This book follows them through several big life event over the course of one summer - a boating accident, unmanageable house renovation, an engagement, teenage drinking and social media consequences. A good choice for fans of Hilderbrand, Thayer.

Was this review helpful?

The line that resonates the most is that a house has four walls. A home is where we are. It's why Phoebe chose to run to Rob and her boys and from her dream home that was leading to the demise of her marriage. How Perry learned that the material aspects he was able to provide Amelia and Emma were simply that and he needed to be more present. How Olivia and Jack overcame many physical setbacks. I knew immediately who drove the boat but it was interesting how it rippled through the family. One of my favorite parts was the relationship between Perry and Luci.

Was this review helpful?