Summer Love by Nancy Thayer is a story about four friends, the first summer that they met and stayed in the basement of a hotel that was being renovated and the reunion that they have 26 years later.
Summer Love is a style of book that my 86 year old Grandmother would enjoy reading. And that's not a knock on the book - My grandmother is an avid reader of all genres! It was not my favorite style of writing and the characters, while interesting, lacked the warmth or emotional depth that I enjoy. This book also contains an affair and immediately sealed my dislike for the character, coloring my opinion of the book.

In conclusion, not my favorite read of the year. Not a horrible book, but not one I would recommend to anyone other than Grandma Ruby.

What a fabulous "It's Almost Summer" book!

There's an old hotel in Nantucket under construction/destruction. The basement apartments are in decent condition and Sharon Waters, who works for the owner, is tasked with renting out those rooms for the summer. She chooses two young men and two young women who have all just graduated from college and have summer jobs in Nantucket to move in. Nick, Sheila, Ariel and Nick move in to these less than glamous efficiency apartments. Rent was cheap and it was near their jobs. There was nothing glamorous about the living conditions but rent was cheap and easy walking distance from their new jobs. They dub the hotel "The Sand Palace" and it becomes a place where friendships are formed. Romances bloom. Secrets are kept. They have their infamous "Hump Day" dinners together on Wednesday night where they take turns working. And then summer ends and they all move on with their lives.

Twenty-five years later the four returned to the hotel, now owned by Nick, completely remodeled and looking fabulous and fancy. Definitely looks nothing like The Sand Palace, but the memories remain. Outwardly they all appear to be living the lives they dreamed for back then. But are they?The four and their families spend time together and get to know each other all over again.

We meet three young adult children of the four who are at a similar point in life that their parents were when they lived in The Sand Palace. I liked getting the backstory of the original four, their "now" stories, as well as the story of the their children as they embark on their adult lives.

Many thanks to Ballantine Books/Random House Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Cute story about a group of friends who meet one Nantucket summer, and reunite 25 years later with their families. Predictable, but sweet. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read
this book and give an honest review of it.

Author Nancy Thayer writes stories of beautiful Nantucket. Her descriptions of the beaches, shops, and places to eat on the island leave you wanting more. It feels as though you have actually vacationed there.

Four college grads meet as they begin their summer jobs on the island.
Romance and opportunities await each one. Nick, Wyatt, Ariel, and Sheila
become lifelong friends after their summer together.

The second part of the story is the 25 year reunion of these friends, accompanied by their adult children, at the wealthy hotelier, Nick’s renovated hotel on Nantucket.

This basically feels like the beginning of a series and the lead-in to a next book that might detail the experiences of the adult children on the island.

This would make a great summer beach read!

I’ve been reading Nancy Thayer’s books since 2015 and this was #12 for me. I’m definitely in the minority with my 2 star rating but this story fell flat for me and I could not connect with any of the characters. I will be looking forward to her next book though. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my review.

Summer Love: A Novel
Nancy Thayer
May 3, 2022

The old hotel in Nantucket was partially demolished when the equipment and machines stopped the destruction. The basement apartments were still in good condition. Sharon Waters had worked for the owner. She had the option to rent out the rooms to locals who work in the area. The applications flooded in. Sharon chose 4 - 2 men and 2 women who she thought could work well under the conditions. Wyatt, Nic, Sheila, and Ariel moved into the small efficiency apartments. There was nothing glamorous about the living conditions but rent was cheap and easy walking distance from their new jobs.
Twenty-five years later they returned to the hotel under new management. It has been completely remodeled. The Sand Palace, what the four named their homestead, was nothing more than a memory. However they were all together again only this time with their families. In Summer Love we hear both stories, of the ‘Oldies’ as well as the youngsters. The young adults accompanying their parents were not children. They had all graduated recently from college.
Summer Love: A Novel by Nancy Thayer will be published by Ballantine Books of Random House on May 3, 2022. I appreciate them allowing me to read and review Thayer’s latest novel via NetGalley. I hadn’t read about the storyline prior to beginning to read Summer Love. I am quite fond of Thayer’s novels so I requested this May release. She worked me into her novel and I was captivated with her latest work. It was entertaining to read and was set in an area that is always fun to read. It would be a great beach read, truly a summer hit. Do enjoy this one!

I am a huge Nancy Thayer fan and have read all of her books. Every time I finish one of her books, I tell myself that her next book will not be able to top the one I've just finished. Well, her next book always manages to do so. I loved, loved, loved this book. I loved the characters, storyline, setting and the cover. Well done!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this early read. This was not my favorite book by this author. It wasn’t a bad read. You could finish it in a day while sitting in the beach but I don’t think it’s one of her stringer books. Also, why use an element that was already discovered?. #104 is Rutherfordium, discovered on 1964. DNF.

This actually is a 3.5 book, but I don't have half chairs! It is the perfect book to put in your beach bag. The setting is Nantucket, which makes it an even better beach read.

This story includes two generations experiencing love and friendship on Nantucket. The first generation is during a summer stay, the second generation is during the reunion of the first generation. There are a lot of people having sex in this book. I am happy to say, though it is not closed door, there are not a lot details. The story is more focused on relationships - both friendships and love relationships.

I have enjoyed reading Nancy Thayer's books and will continue to look forward to what she has coming out next.

A easy read ready for a summer review, Nancy Thayer weaves the magic of her beloved Nantucket Island into an entertaining story, perfect for the beach or just a relaxing read.. Four friends, 3 months, 2 couples and a summer memory that will last a lifetime. Renting the basement rooms of the old hotel, the nicknamed Sand Palace was anything but palatial. A Breakfast Club cast of characters, Ariel was the beauty, Shelia, the loveable loner, Nick, the lady's man and Wyatt, the science geek. Story is told via two timelines~ ‘That Summer’ and ‘This Summer’
That Summer: 1995~ The Sand Palace Four - Ariel Spencer wants to be a writer, Sheila Murphy is looking for adventure, Wyatt Smith is immediately attracted to Ariel, Nick Volkov wants to make a name for himself but in the meantime is going to have fun.. Twenty six years later, again in Summer, Nick invites the rest of the Sand Castle friends to Nantucket as his guests. He has several things planned for their reunion. Many have become what they dreamed they would be but others have seemed to have lost themselves. The adult children now have an opportunity to have adventures. Not my favorite of Nancy's books but it is light, easy and entertaining to read.

Thank you to #NetGalley, the author and the publisher.

Ariel, Sheila, Nick, and Wyatt become the four lucky recipients of basement rooms in an old Nantucket hotel that's set to be remodeled. What they hope will be a summer of earning money and lots of fun, turns into a summer they'll never forget. They forge friendships that have spanned the years and a romance that turns into marriage.

Now twenty-six years later, the four reconnect at the once lackluster hotel that Nick has bought, redesigned, and turned into the showpiece of Nantucket. What starts as a grand time of reminiscing turns into the adults bringing up the past and reminding themselves of how drastically different their lives turned out as they grew up and grew apart.

While the adults are reuniting, the children take their own spin on the reunion, making new friendships and memories during their time together. I'm crossing my fingers that there's a part two in the works!

I am a long time fan of Nancy Thayer's novels. There's nothing better than a beach read filled with romance and is set on Nantucket! Summer Love is Ms. Thayer's latest book and it alternates between two timelines......the first being "That Summer", which takes place about 25 years ago and "This Summer" which takes place in the present. The link between the timelines is that the first one tells about the parents of the characters of the second timeline after they graduated college and took summer jobs on Nantucket and shared living space in an old hotel about to be torn down. The story kept me interested, although there were some slow spots. Summer Love is nice, light beach read. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC!

It pains me to say this because I’m a huge Nancy Thayer fan, but this one was a miss for me. The Sand Palace four had potential, but quickly became pretty dull in the 90’s chapters of the book. Honestly, they weren’t much better In the present day chapters. As for the kids, they matched so quickly it just felt too easy. The best part of the book was the descriptions of Nantucket in both the 90’s and present day chapters. Really made it sound magical. While this one was a miss for me, I’ll still be eagerly awaiting Thayer’s 2023 novel!

I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful story of long-term friendships formed while four college students worked on Nantucket for the summer. Some friendships developed further, and everyone reunited twenty-plus years later for a reunion on the island.

3.5 stars, rounded up

Four recent college grads rent cheap, basement-level rooms for the summer in a hotel waiting to be refurbished. They have all come to Nantucket for different reasons, but they also want a glimpse of "the good life" while they're on the island. Despite their differences, the Ariel, Wyatt, Sheila and Nick become fast friends. Twenty-five years later, Nick invites the others back to Nantucket for a reunion. Now their adult children get a chance to explore the island and form friendships of their own.

I usually have a hard time putting one of Thayer's books down, but this one was different. Maybe it was the change in timelines, between "this summer" and "that summer" – current day and 25 years ago, respectively – or maybe it was just not the right book for me at this time, but I had a hard time getting into the story. I didn't really like a couple of the characters, which probably contributed to the problem. Ms. Thayer paints vivid pictures of summers on Nantucket, making it possible for readers to hear the surf, feel the breeze and smell the ocean, but I wish the story itself had been more captivating. Despite the disappointment with this one, I look forward to reading her next book.

Summer Love, by Nancy Thayer, is a summertime story set on the island of Nantucket following four, post-college young adults, who are chosen to lodge together to share a hotel’s basement rooms while working at various jobs on island. Each person has their own reasons for being there, and despite their many differences, they soon become friends, and possibly more. There are summer shenanigan’s, romance, drama, friction and shared, memorable experiences.

Many years later, the four reunite, with children in tow, to remember what once was, reflect on where they’ve been, and share the island with their children, who form memories and bonds of their own. The story alternates between the two summers, ‘then’ and ‘now’, and it’s nice seeing the similarly shared experiences between two generations. Secrets are disclosed, bonds restored, and lessons shared.

Summer Love is a quintessential summer read, set on the beautiful, carefree, one-of-a-kind Nantucket Island. Summer Love is an enjoyable story, if a bit anticlimactic. The shining star of the story is the vivid, descriptive island setting. If you’re looking for an easy, beachy read with a strong summer vibe, this book is for you.

Nothing like a good Nantucket read to celebrate warmer weather! Each time I read one of Thayer's novels, I want to book a ticket immediately. I adored this coming-of-age story of friends through the years sprinkled with love, loss, and secrets. Four teenagers come to Nantucket to work and live for the summer and little did they know that it would be a summer that impacted their lives forever. Now they are back together as adults with their own families years later to relive the Nantucket magic. I loved the details that allowed me to really envision what they were thinking and experiencing.

SUMMER LOVE is a friendship novel based on Nantucket. Through a series of flashbacks we follows the story of Ariel, Nick, Sheila, and Wyatt - four young college graduates enjoying one last summer on the cusp of adulthood. All four have big plans and it's interesting to see what comes of them when we meet the friends again more that 25 years as they gather to reminisce and bring their own post grad children.

There was a touch of romance, of mystery and drama and I although I think Nancy could have taken a bit farther I enjoyed it immensely. If you like a good beach read, enjoys summer friends story and of course long for a bit of romance, then Summer Love is for you! #SummerLove #RandomHouse #Ballantine

I absolutely loved this book! I fell in love with the characters and the storyline was compelling! I couldn’t put it down!

I really enjoyed this story. I don’t always like when stories jump back and forth, but this story just continued to flow. It was interesting to have the same folks when they were young and strangers and then when they were older but were still tied together by life. It was fun to see the similarities in the next generation. Do you like what you see in your next generation? I have never been to Nantucket, but after reading this book I sure would like to go. This was a great story with wonderful characters. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.