Family, drama, starting over, new love, single mother, teenager daughters and the beautiful setting of Nantucket. This book packs it all. Add in the theme of finding your way back home and falling for a man ten years your junior and you have a book with lots of themes and issues. Great for book clubs and of course, a great summer read.

Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest review. What a quick, light hearted summer read. This is my 3rd Nancy Thayer book and she does not disappoint. If you're looking for a very fast paced light summer book look no further. This book easily could have been read in one sitting. Nancy Thayer brings alive the magic and beauty of Nantucket, especially for those that have never been there. The only reason I am giving this book 4 stars is I feel like the happy ever afters for everyone was a little too rushed and perfect at the end. But I did thoroughly enjoy this book and will definitely recommend to everyone.

This was an easy breezy read. Overall I enjoyed the lightness but I found the characters to be very one dimensional and somewhat cliched. I have enjoyed other books by this author but this one fell flat for me somehow. I truly enjoyed the descriptions of Nantucket island. I have never been there but whenever I read about the island I want to go immediately and see the placed so vividly described in the books I have read. The author's love for the island truly shines in this book. I would call this book a great appetizer for the bounty of summer reading ahead of me. I can't say I loved it but it was entertaining and kept me engaged - so I guess it succeeded in its goal. I thought the theme of a women who has devoted her life to her kids and is now trying to find real lasting loving after putting her life and desires on hold to be one that many women can relate to.

I will definitely be reading more books by this author. They are comfortable enjoyable reads- not earth shattering but enjoyable nonetheless.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Very soothing women's fiction book about midlife issues near a beach. Easy pool read/ comfort read/ cheap vacation during a pandemic.

Nancy Thayer is an experienced writer of women's fiction.  Her books give those who pick them up immersive and relaxing reads.  This title  is no exception. 


As is often the case for this author, the story is set on Nantucket.  Over the course of the novel, main characters Lisa, Mack, Juliet, Theo, Beth and Ryder are looking to find happiness as each is impacted by both their past and present.  As storm clouds, both metaphorical and physical, build up, will these characters find their happiness?  Trust Ms. Thayer for a page turning time as you wait to find out.


Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

Girls of Summer by Nancy Thayer is sure to be a summer beach read hit! Thayer creates complex characters that you will fall in love with, that you will root for!
This passage is from early on in the book and it struck me...
"So maybe they didn't get where they intended to go but, they got where they were meant to be"
This was so true for the characters in the book but I feel like it can be so true for so many of us as well.
I loved the unique storyline and situations for the characters in this book. I enjoyed their journey!
Some books have you speed reading to see what happens next. This book is meant to be savored. It builds slow, sexy slow. Giving the reader hints, a little taste here and there of what we might expect just around the corner, in the next chapter, keeping us coming back for more. I was a little sad to reach the end. Another classic Nancy Thayer Nantucket book 😊

What a fun summer beach read. Lisa was married young and has two grown children. The marriage didn't last but she got her house in Nantucket and Juliet and Theo's college education from her ex. Now she is older and running a successful boutique. The children are home for the summer and she's dating a younger man. This is a good story with three romances with some different attitudes from the two generations. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I am a longtime fan and reader of Nancy Thayer's books and look forward to the newest one every summer.

This summer's book is Girls of Summer. The bulk of the novel takes place over one summer but there is some backstory of how they all got to this place from various POVs of the characters involved.

As always Nantucket comes to life under Nancy Thayer's pen. I've been to the magical island and can easily imagine everything she's describing as it takes place.

Unfortunately for me it fell a bit flat with the characters on this novel. It was really hard to buy how fast one of the relationships developed, much less all of them.

Beyond that it was a great escape from reality for a while and I can't wait to read the next novel of hers!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books/Random House for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars

I love Nancy Thayer books so I was thrilled when I got a chance to read this one. Our protagonist is Lisa Holly. She met her husband in college and married him straight after graduation. Her husband comes from a well-off family and expects a perfect little wife. They live a well-off life with his mother carefully coaching Lisa along the way. Her husband gets bored with her and decides to leave her, he craves more excitement. Lisa decides to take her children Theo and Juliet and move back to her home of Nantucket, to make a life for herself and her children by opening her own Boutique. Of course the one thing missing in her life is love,that is until she runs into one of her son's classmate's fathers, Mack, one of the contractors on the island. Sparks begin to fly and a relationship begins. Things begin to fizzle a bit when Lisa's children come home from college. Mix that with Mack's children and there are just little fires to put out everywhere. The ending felt kind of clipped, and made me feeling like I wanted more. I'm hoping there's a sequel!

I would like to thank Nancy Thayer, Random House Publishing Group Ballantine and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a fun light-hearted read by Nancy Thayer. I love the setting of Nantucket and her vivid descriptions. of the island The story centers around a family drama with a little romance. Not a deep book, but definitely a perfect summer read to transport you during the hot days of summer. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

I have been a long time fan of Ms Thayers books and this one did not disappoint. Real life family issues intertwined with the beauty of Nantucket make this a “must” beach read for our troubled times. Her way with words let me escape to a place I hope to one day visit!

Girls of Summer is the latest book by author of over 30 novels Nancy Thayer. Set in Nantucket, this story examines the life of Lisa Hawley in the first few chapters from her childhood to college, young adulthood, marriage, divorce, life as a single parent, and a boutique owner. Once the stage is set, the story tells of a period of a few months beginning in the spring when the dining room ceiling of her old home begins falling on her.

With the advice of Rachel, her best friend since childhood, Lisa contacts restoration contractor Mack Whitney. Mack’s wife passed away when his daughter Beth, now 26, was only 3 and Mack has been single since regardless of the efforts of single women on the island. His focus has been his daughter and his business. But that may be changing with his attraction to Lisa. However, even though the attraction is mutual, Lisa resists because of their age difference; she is 10 years his senior.

To complicate matters more, Lisa’s daughter, 28 year old Juliet, son, 26 year old Theo, and Mack’s daughter all pick this time to return to the island, each for reasons of their own. As Theo and Beth kindle an attraction of their own and Juliet and wealthy homeowner and environmentalist Ryder Hastings also see sparks, the story unfolds in ways unexpected.

This is a very interesting book with a theme seldom explored in women’s fiction. We often see the older man-younger woman dynamic, but the opposite is almost treated as taboo. Even slang terms for these relationships, silver fox vs. cougar, are deriding. Ms. Thayer treats the topic with such care and understanding that the reader is routing for Lisa and Mack.

The underlying theme, however, of oceanic environmental issues, particularly plastics and micro plastics, cannot be explored enough and to have main characters in this story championing this cause is refreshing. They are intelligent, capable, and bring additional dimension to a multifaceted story.

This is a very good book by a veteran storyteller. I enjoyed the many voices used to tell the story and the twists the story took in its telling. I do recommend this book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC. I have never read anything by Nancy Thayer but after reading Girls of Summer I am going to read everything else that she has written. I love reading about the coast-whether that is the low country of SC or Nantucket. This is a perfect not too fluffy of a beach read. Perfect, I think for right now, during a pandemic. This will give you joy and entertainment in a great package.

Excellent. A mix of romance mixed with tense moments and the chaos that comes from within a family Nancy Thayer has written a winner of a book. You will cheer and yes at moments you will wince. At times you may want to choke the ever loving life out of one of them but I can guarantee you that you won't put this book down. Happy reading!

Good book. It started a little bit slow for me, as the book follows Lisa from her twenties to her forties rather quickly. She married young to an ambitious man who saw her more as an accessory to his plans rather than a partner. I was irritated at the way she let Erich and his mother push her into what they thought she should be. The only time she stood up for what she wanted was when she wanted children. That was the beginning of the end of her marriage, as Erich wasn't interested in being a father. He spent all of his time traveling, leaving her to raise Juliet and Theo on her own. She finally moved herself and the kids back to Nantucket to be near her parents and where she could be happy. Eventually, Erich asked for a divorce, because his mistress was more what he needed than Lisa was.

Lisa took her talent for fashion and got a job at a local boutique, where she soon made a name for herself. When the owner wanted to sell, Lisa bought the store, renamed it, and made it her own. Over the next years, she devoted her time to her children and the store. She had no time or inclination to date. Juliet and Theo grew up and moved out, making their own lives. Juliet was in Boston, where she could visit Lisa now and then, but Theo moved to the west coast and rarely came home. Then a piece of her dining room ceiling fell on Lisa's head and began a chain of events that changed her life.

This is where the book began to pick up the pace and my interest. Lisa realized that she had let the house go and that it needed some major work done. Her friend recommends local contractor Mack Whitney, so she calls him. She remembers Mack from when his daughter Beth was one of Theo's friends. Lisa is surprised by the attraction she feels for Mack and stunned to discover the interest is reciprocated. But Mack is ten years younger than she is, and Lisa is reluctant to believe that he is genuinely interested in her. Her ex did a number on her confidence in her appeal. I loved Mack. He was a single dad with a successful business. He is honest and upfront about his attraction to Lisa. The difference in their ages makes no difference to the way he feels. I liked how he made his interest known, overcame Lisa's objections, and had the patience to wait out her fears. There were some sweet scenes of their early interactions. Things were heating up between them when family issues threw up some stumbling blocks.

Lisa's daughter Juliet, a web designer in Boston, fled to Nantucket after a bad breakup. She wants to spend some time with her mom and get her life back on an even keel. The timing of her arrival was a bit awkward, as she nearly caught Lisa and Mack making out like a couple of teenagers. Juliet is suspicious of Mack and worries that he'll either break her mom's heart or rob her blind. She's a little distracted by the man she met on the ferry to the island. Ryder is on Nantucket to open a branch of his environmental group. The sparks between Juliet and Ryder are immediate and strong.

Meanwhile, Theo barely finished college in California. His time now is spent bartending and surfing, and playing the field with the girls. When he is injured while surfing, it serves as a wake-up call for him. Theo realizes that he's drifting through life, and that isn't what he wants. He packs his bags and heads home to Nantucket, hoping to find some answers. He also wonders if he'll see the girl he crushed on in high school. I liked the way he got involved in the repairs to Lisa's house and the change it made in his life and his attitude.

At the same time, Mack's daughter Beth returns to Nantucket. After earning her master's degree, she is looking for a job. A chance encounter ends up with Beth offered a job with the new environmental group that is run by Ryder. She is young and enthusiastic and seems to be tailor-made for the job. Beth is surprised to find her dad at the beginning of a relationship since it was just the two of them for so long, and she isn't sure she likes it.

With everyone converging on Nantucket for the summer, lives get a bit complicated. With their kids underfoot, finding alone time becomes a challenge for Mack and Lisa. I liked Mack's patience as he gave Lisa the time she needed to get used to the idea of being with him. He is always kind and supportive, as well as determined. I liked seeing Lisa rediscover her inner strength and gain the confidence to go after what she wanted. I enjoyed seeing Juliet and Beth become friends thanks to their work together at Oceans Matter. The time on the island gave Juliet a new direction for her life, and I liked the way that she grabbed it. I appreciated her caution in her relationship with Ryder. I loved seeing Theo and Beth reconnect. I ached for them and what had kept them apart in high school, but the wait was good for both of them. I wanted to shake Beth a few times over her fears about being with Theo at the same time their parents are seeing each other. She made it more complicated than it needed to be.

I liked the ending as a big storm hit the island and created some intense situations for each of the couples. Each pair had something different to face, and I enjoyed seeing how they met their challenges and overcame them. Seeing them all together after the storm was over gave a good picture of the changes each experienced over the summer, as did the epilogue.

Unhappily married Lisa Hawley returned to her childhood home of Nantucket to raise her two children, Juliet and Theo, on the island she loves. Now long divorced, her children grown, Lisa is a successful shop owner and enjoys her single life. That is, she enjoys it until three unrelated events lead to a life changing summer.

Juliet, an MIT educated computer whiz, discovers that her boyfriend, who is also her boss, has been promoted and is leaving her office. He’s also leaving her so she returns to Nantucket to work from home. Theo, in California, has broken his arm in a surfing accident and is realizing that the surfing world has lost its glamour. He comes home to Nantucket to think about his future. Meanwhile, while Lisa works in her dining room, a piece of the ceiling falls on her head. She calls a contractor and so meets handsome, single father Mack Whitney. Add to the mix Ryder Hastings, a wealthy businessman who has come to Nantucket to launch an environmental nonprofit. And there is Beth, Mack’s daughter, who has a complicated past with Theo.

Girls of Summer is part romance and part Nantucket travelogue. It’s full of details about restoring old houses and building websites. As I read, Lisa, Juliet and Beth became my friends. This is a 5 star summer read!

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House and Nancy Thayer for this ARC.

I do love stories set in Nantucket and this one did not disappoint. I enjoyed the stories of these wonderful characters. I say stories because it takes all the individual stories to make up the overall story. This story is about relationships, heartache, disappointment, and determination. I hope you enjoy hanging with Lisa, Mack, Juliet, Ryder, Beth, Theo and friends as much as I did. I would love to visit with them again soon. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

When you crack open a Nancy Thayer book, you're always going to find a truly charming beach read. Her novels are light, easy and quick enough that you could finish in one sitting - while sipping a margarita (or two!).

I really enjoyed that Thayer's main characters, Lisa and Mack, were a bit older (age 56 and 46). I also loved that she wrote Lisa to be the more mature character in the relationship, because we often see the reverse. This was a unique and charming aspect to the story - and helped solidify that love can be found at whatever age with anyone at any age. Both Lisa and Mack had difficult pasts -infidelity and loss, but they overcame their grief and sadness to form a really sweet partnership.

The other 2 "girls of summer" were also charming, but I found myself having a difficult time relating to the characters. If I had to choose, I preferred Juliet and Ryder's love story, but it was very predictable. Beth and Theo's relationship, while they reconnected after many years of being apart, was a little flat for me.

My one biggest critique of this book was how FAST everything happened. The characters fell in love and got engaged within pages of the chapter! It just didnt feel real to me. I also think if this was a bit shorter, it may have held my attention more. This was 100% a predictable and sometimes that is OK in a book. You wont be blown away by any large twists, but this was still a super enjoyable, fun read!

It is always a pleasure to read a Nancy Thayer summer Nantucket story, and this one is definitely appealing. Lisa’s husband left her and her two kids, leaving her alone to figure out her next steps. Her daughter, Juliet, returns home after a failed romance, even though she is a successful career woman. Theo, her surfer son, also returns to Nantucket, complicating a new relationship Lisa formed with Mack. The setting of Nantucket and the lives of these protagonists combine for another great summer beach read; don’t miss it. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Since her divorce almost 20 years ago, Lisa has gotten used to living on her own, and has come to enjoy it – until she hires a younger, widowed contractor to give her old Nantucket home some of the attention the house deserves. As they grow closer, despite tongues wagging around the island, Lisa's children, Juliet and Theo, face crises of their own. The two twenty-somethings return home for the summer, hoping that time away from their routines will give them some clarity about their futures. They navigate some rocky paths and are starting to work things out when a storm ravages the island and forces all three of the Hawleys to make potentially life-changing decisions.

Every summer, I look forward to this author's new Nantucket-based book, anticipating my annual visit to a place I've never been. The descriptions in the books draw mental pictures of various points on the island, and I can almost hear the waves and smell the ocean. While I will never be part of the crowd that will plunk down $400 for a dress and consider it "a great deal," the characters seem friendly and approachable, and I would enjoy a day of watching the "beautiful people" from a distance. Unlike most of Ms. Thayer's other books, this one has a very obvious agenda, and while I totally agree with the cause, I found it's continuous repetition heavy-handed and rather annoying. That said, I look forward to reading the author's next book when it is released.