I can’t believe Elin Hilderbrand has 26 books, and this was my first time reading one! Overall, I liked this book and thought it was a good way to wrap up summer. 28 Summers is a heart gripping and heart warming story about infidelity.
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The story is set in Nantucket and is based on the classic film Same Time, Next Year. It explores the agony and romance of a one weekend per year affair and the dramatic ways this relationship complicated and enriches their lives, and the lives of the people they love.
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I felt like the book was a bit longer than it needed to be, and I didn’t love how long the chapters were. However, I loved how each chapter started with a quick reminder of the major events, trends and other cultural icons that occurred that year.
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I really enjoyed Elin’s writing as she made it easy to feel like I was on Nantucket with the characters. I grew up and currently live in MA and have visited the Nantucket area often throughout my life, so I think that also made me enjoy this more!

I look forward to reading other books by Elin as I have heard wonderful things about them!

28 Summers is another amazing book by Elin Hilderbrand. It's 1993 and Mallory Blessing has just taken ownership of a house on Nantucket. Through her brother, she meets Jake McCloud, a man who will change the rest of her life. This book tells the story of the following 28 years as her life unfolds on Nantucket. She and Jake find a way to connect every summer, even as the world around them changes. This is a wonderful book and one I will remember for years to come.

Mallory Blessing secretly meets her married lover, Jake, each long Labor Day weekend at her home on Nantucket. Jake is one of Mallory’s brother, Cooper’s, best friend’s. Jake ends up marrying his childhood sweetheart. Mallory has a child after one night with another friend of her brothers. Despite this, Jake and Mallory never miss a Labor Day weekend together. Following Mallory’s for her 28 summers living on Nantucket, this story explores the complicated dynamics among friends, family and lovers alike. While I love the writing of Elin Hilderbrand, I do not love the glorifying of extramarital affairs. This was definitely a very good book and I’d most certainly recommend it,

Elin Hilderbrand's books never disappoint, but I think this one was my favorite. I read it in three days; I just couldn't put it down. The book is the story of two star-crossed lovers who have a 28-year romance, but only see each other one weekend a year, a la "Same Time, Next Year." I loved the characters. The only thing I didn't like were the comments of the narrator, who kept interjecting with his/her own thoughts about what "our girl Mallory" will do. That was kind of distracting.

Once again, Hilderbrand writes an epic tale. It was a tear jerker, however. Her books usually bring a tear or two to the eyes, but this was particularly sad.

Mallory Blessing inherits a Nantucket cottage from her beloved aunt and decides to make it her home. Not long after the inheritance her brother, Cooper, reaches out to request use of the cottage over Labor Day weekend for a bachelor party. Mallory agrees and this is when she meets Jake McCloud. Based on the 1978 film, "Same Time Next Year," Jake visits Mallory in Nantucket every Labor Day weekend for the next 27 years.

I read some reviews before reading this book (which I seldom do) and was all set to not like this book to the point of being a little outraged. The complaints in other reviews suggested Mallory was a love-sick puppy and too weak to demand Jake leave his wife and marry her and Jake was a jerk for stringing Mallory along. There were also complaints about Hilderbrand addressing the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation.

However, I ended up not agreeing with those reviewer opinions. As the story unfolded, I felt like it was actually Mallory was resistant to anything more permanent; she was the one who was afraid if their relationship became anything more, they wouldn't have the same bond and feelings. I think it would have only taken a little nudging from Mallory before Jake would have left his wife to stay permanently with Mallory. In regard to the political scenes, I do feel I probably have a clear picture of Hilderbrand's political leanings, but as that scene unfolded, it was fitting to the characters and did not make me feel like it was an overt "in-your-face-if-you-don't-agree-with-me-you-are-an-idiot" statement that eclipsed the rest of the story.

I love Hilderbrand's books and look forward to each year's new releases. They are definitely beach reads, and I would recommend this author to anyone looking for women's fiction, or Danielle Steel and Dorothea Benton Frank read likes.

In true Elin fashion, I laughed, I cried, I shut the book out of frustration, yet opened it again 5 second later because I can't walk away. Elin really brought her all with this one. An Elin to remember. Now, can this be a movie already?

Elin Hilderbrand is the queen of summer novels, and her latest, 28 Summers, (inspired by the play/movie Same Time, Next Year), is about two people who spend a romantic weekend together every year even as they are married and/or involved with other people. I read it in one day, it was so good.

Mallory Blessing was shocked when her aunt left her the beachfront cottage on Nantucket. That gift changed her life forever. At the end of her first summer in her new home her brother, Cooper, and his friends from college swoop in to celebrate one last summer weekend. The group of friends are loud and rowdy, but Mallory connects with one of them in ways she never thought possible. Jake McLeod had been Cooper's college roommate, but now he is Mallory's future. Every summer Jake makes the trip to Nantucket to finish the summer with Mallory. They don't communicate at all the rest of the year, only Labor Day weekend. What started as a steamy love affair has morphed into a deep and meaningful relationship. The most important relationship in Mallory's life. While Jake feels the same way he is married to his high school sweetheart, but that doesn't stop him from visiting Mallory on Nantucket every summer. Will they ever be able to extend their relationship beyond Labor Day weekends?

I have been reading Elin Hilderbrand for years. It has become a beloved summer ritual to read the lastest happenings on Nantucket. I think Mallory is probably my favorite character ever written by Elin Hilderbrand. She is smart and grounded and a literacy teacher! I ached for the way she watched Jake from afar. I did like Jake, but I hated the fact that he just let his life happen to him. He could have stood up to Ursala more than once, but he finally did when it mattered most. - CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS. I wish I could say that I was happy with the way this book ended, but I sobbed like a baby. And the tears continued when I read the author's tribute to the late, great Dorthea Betton Frank.

Bottom Line - 28 Summers was one of the most romantic novels I have read in a long time. I know the book paid homage to the old classic movie, Same Time Next Year, but since I have never seen the movie, it was purely the author's words that moved me to add it to the "Best of 2020" list.

Details:
28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand
On Instagram
Pages:432
Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company
Publication Date: 6/16/2020
Buy it Here!
Thank you to NetGalley for the book for an honest review.

I adored this book. The dual time lines and multiple points-of-view made for an interesting read. The characters, while flawed, were also extremely loveable.

First of all, anything Elin writes is always at the top of my TBR. She knows how to create a world and characters that makes the reader feel part of the story. Like we are right there in the room. 28 Summers was no exception. I savored this book and made it last longer but that took major will power.
Aside from feeling like these people were my friends & family, my favorite aspect was before each chapter, or summer, Elin had a recap of what happened that year in my real. This took me right back to what I would have been doing and made the story feel even more real. 5 stars!!

I felt the chapter titles made it seem the book would focus on Mallory and Jake's summer time together and how they navigate through them. However the book only mentioned minimal information about there time together after the first summers. I wanted more of their story together. But I still really enjoyed the story of their lives apart and how they chose to live them. There wasn't much fluff because the timeline was over 28 years, the reader was given the important and entertaining pieces.

**Review posted on Goodreads and personal book review Instagram page

I loved every word of this book (although I do say that for all Elin Hilderbrand books). I loved the historical references throughout the novel, and I like being able to connect to "what was I doing when..?" Mallory was my hero, and of course I had to go watch Same Time Next Year after finishing this amazing novel,

As always, Elin Hilderbrand doesn't disappoint with another summer beach read. I have read her books for years and they never disappoint. This book as well as any Hilderbrand book is perfect for a vacation and who doesn't need a literary vacation to sun and sand in 2020! Go read it and check out her backlist titles.

This is the first time I read a book by this author and I will definitely be looking into her back catalog. Her writing was full of nuance and empathy for all of the characters, even ones that could have been construed as villains in the hands of a less capable writer.
This is a beautiful novel about Mallory and Jake who meet the summer of 1993- each at a transitional time in their lives and fall in love with each other. They each have to get back to their regularly programmed lives after the holiday so they promise to meet up together every Labor Day weekend, ‘no matter what.’
Seeing Mallory and Jake grow as people and also seeing their relationship mature and how they become each others’ oasis was so satisfying. Some may not want to read a story that features infidelity so prominently, but I feel like Hilderbrand is able to bring out the humanity in every character and blunt the harsh edges of judgement by telling their stories so well.
I absolutely loved the way that each chapter begins with a short summary of each year’s cultural and political zeitgeist. And I’m impressed that Hilderbrand was able to write a novel spanning 28 years without seeming rushed or losing any important details.
The setting of Nantucket was a plus. I’ve never been, but I could imagine the picturesque seaside house and smell the salt in the air. I read this summer in the Midwest fall as it was getting cold, so I also enjoyed the summer setting.
I would definitely recommend this book to friends & family.
And I think it would make an excellent book club pick because there are so many questions to be answered about how you felt about the various characters and the decisions they made.

Elin Hilderbrand never disappoints for the sweeping summer saga. This book is a time capsule and I had a ball diving in and taking the ride. I loved that some summers were chapters and some summers were one line. I can't wait for the next big novel from E.H.

I love every one of Elin's books, they always have me thinking about them for weeks afterward.

I swear that everyone must read her books.

Thank you for the chance to read and review this book.

Even though I consider Hilderbrands books to be more mass market than I normally read, I just cannot resist picking them up whenever they’re released! To me, her books seem to sometimes vaguely touch on current events but tend to lend themselves to more escapist reading. Reading that I’ve found myself turning to when life’s thrown me for a loop or things seem to be moving too fast, ‘comfort reading’ if you will.

I usually like the books written by Elin Hilderbrand but this one went of course for me. If I wanted to read a political book I would have went with a non fiction book. This was supposed to be a beach read for me but I couldn't take the politics that were thrown in.

It took me a bit of time to digest this book and really think about the review I wanted to write. On one hand I absolutely loved the novel. I loved almost all the characters, the development, and the story lines. I loved the emotions the book brought out in me and was perplexed by them as well.

I’ve loved every EH book i have read, and this is no different - however; to this day, a few months post reading it, I still have issues with Jake. He claims love for Mallory, but what kind of love only shows up one weekend a year over 28 years? I really wanted to hate him (yes, a strong word), but part of me felt bad for him that he couldn’t own up to his feelings and just stand up and walk away from his wife. To find out what happens, you will have to read the novel.

Definitely Elin Hilderbrand’s most thought provoking novel to date (to me).
I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves EH like I do!