I loved this book! It's well-written, enjoyable, and a great summer read. Amy Mason Doan did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would highly recommend it!

I clicked on this "read now" type widget a long time ago and am no longer interested in the book, it was a DNF for me.

I thought this was pretty good and readable, dreamy and nostalgic like The Virgin Suicides. I liked the characterisations and the dialogue, they read really well and true.

But what was the mystery? I mean…I finished and felt, so? Lots of directions they could’ve taken that in and went the most pointless and anticlimactic

In a similar vein as Daisy Jones and the Six, this book takes you back to the late 70s rock era and a commune of sorts on the California Coast. Jackie (then 17) spent 3 glorious and life-changing months there with her folk singer uncle and his family. Her cousin Willa (also a teenager) and she had the run of the place and Jackie's eyes were opened to a whole different lifestyle. At the death of her aunt, Jackie (now a music teacher) inherits the compound. She plans to sell it and return to Boston, but first she has to decide whether to allow musicians to record one last album in the studio on the premises -- a tribute to her late uncle.

I really enjoyed this story. It's filled with pop culture from the 70s and brings the reader back into that time when folk music and the "hippie" movement was waning and disco and pop were coming to the forefront. Plus the relationships between Willa and Jackie, Jackie and her uncle, Willa and her dad, Jackie and the young musician determined to honor the legacy of Jackie's uncle are realistic and compelling. There's some mystery surrounding what happened at the end of that summer and what happened to Willa. This is revealed slowly in flashbacks and journal entries that keep the story flowing nicely. An enjoyable look back for those of us of a "certain age", but all-in-all just a good story.

I love anything that takes place before the 80s set in California. The sun and the peace love movement and rock n roll have always intrigued me. I had high hopes for this, but unfortunately, it just didn’t keep me engaged. It was a bit predictable and I thought the “mystery” would be more of a mystery. It was ok.

Thank you Graydon House

Was super excited for "Lady Sunshine," as I thought it would be a whimsical summer read, but ultimately was unable to connect or relate to the the story and characters. The dual timeline aspect didn't seem to capture and hold my attention enough for me to full enjoy that aspect, and the lack of relatability and connectives to the characters in the story ultimately made the entire novel feel as if it was dragging.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I found this book incredibly interesting the author really kept me hooked until the end. very well written I highly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy for review.

I absolutely adored this book! Granted it fits nicely into my very niche reading preference, set in 70's featuring musicians. I found the setting of the Sandcastle in bot time frames to be just a perfect setting for the story. Jackie and her cousin Willa fall into a fast friendship and have the perfect summer of freedom in the woods and the beach. Jackie comes from a much more conventional household, while Willa lives the bohemian carefree lifestyle with her folk singer father and his friends. The perfect summer ends in tragedy and Willa disappears. Jackie inherits the house 20 years later and the mysteries of that fateful night start to unravel. I loved all the characters. The way Jackie ends up reclaiming some of that adventure 20 years later with Shane and his friends was perfect for her character growth. This was a great blend of mystery, nostalgia, coming of age and just fun. I loved everything about this. I also really enjoyed the included playlist.

Back in 1979, teenage Jackie Pierce spends the summer with her bohemian folk musician uncle and his family at his compound where musicians and free spirits seek inspiration and communal living. During her time there, Jackie and her cousin meet for the first time and develop a deep and what both feel with be an enduring friendship. Twenty years later Jackie inherits the property and must go there to facilitate its sale. While there she allows a group of musicians to take up residence and work on a tribute album to her uncle. This is an thoroughly enjoyable ride through the '70s, living the spirit of the times and also with the relationship between the girls and what later transpires between the musicians and Jackie,

I really enjoyed this book. I listened to the audiobook and really fell in love with the story.

Jackie is a city girl who gets the opportunity to spend the summer at her uncle's house while her dad and stepmother travel to Europe. Luckily her cousin Willa and her become close quickly and the memories began. One evening Willa disappeared without a trace. Jackie returned to her life always wondering what happened after that night.

Twenty years later, after her aunt passed away and left her the sprawling estate, Jackie returned for the first time since 1979. She has to work through her feelings, revisit memories, meet a few new people and find out what she truly wants with her life.

Thank you to Graydon House and NetGalley for this book for review.

4 out of 5 stars.

This novel was lyrical and poignant - a beautiful coming of age story set in dual timeline. A carefree summer of discovery transports you back to another era and a more contemporary glimpse of the scars that family can leave behind. The pacing was off for me at times - I just wanted certain chapters to wrap up - and yet at the same time, I absolutely loved being a part of Jackie's journey.

Dual timelines with mysterious vibes in the form of a coming of age story. Wrapped up in a sepia tint with the vibes of summer camp.

Set in the gorgeous landscape of Northern California and invoking late seventies nostalgia, this is a page-turning and captivating read. How one beautiful and transforming summer can redirect your trajectory.

Lady Sunshine is perfect for readers of historical fiction. An engrossing story of music and family set in the 1970s. This book will sweep you away!

For Jackie Pierce, everything changed the summer of 1979, when she spent three months of infinite freedom at her bohemian uncle’s sprawling estate on the California coast. As musicians, artists, and free spirits gathered at The Sandcastle for the season in pursuit of inspiration and communal living, Jackie and her cousin Willa fell into a fast friendship, testing their limits along the rocky beach and in the wild woods... until the summer abruptly ended in tragedy, and Willa silently slipped away into the night.

Twenty years later, Jackie unexpectedly inherits The Sandcastle and returns to the iconic estate for a short visit to ready it for sale. But she reluctantly extends her stay when she learns that, before her death, her estranged aunt had promised an up-and-coming producer he could record a tribute album to her late uncle at the property’s studio. As her musical guests bring the place to life again with their sun-drenched beach days and late-night bonfires, Jackie begins to notice startling parallels to that summer long ago. And when a piece of the past resurfaces and sparks new questions about Willa’s disappearance, Jackie must discover if the dark secret she’s kept ever since is even the truth at all.

DNF. Unfortunately, this was a book I started multiple times but could just not get into. I appreciate having the opportunity to read this book, it was just not a good fit for me as a reader. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my gifted review copy.

A beautiful book about friendship between two cousins between 79 to 99 where the writing was haunting and kept me engrossed. Slightly slower than my thrillers (duhh!) the characters were beautiful, well developed, ensconced in family drama and mystery with a beach setting.
a fun read.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book and the nostalgia from 1979 music and also being a bit of a mystery. Definitely a worthy read! Some of the reading was a bit predictable, but it was still really well written and enjoyable. I truly enjoyed this read!

For fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid's storytelling and historical fiction. The audio was great, too! I don't know that I'd recommend this widely, but it would be a good book club read--and iff the beaten path.

An atmospheric, wonderful tale and each nook by Amy is better and better. The audio is a winner for this one too!

While this was a beautiful story, I was not emotionally invested in the characters and genuinely forgot to finish reading it. When I did read it it was incredibly well written and a great storyline. I just didn’t have any connection to the story.

Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.