Fun loving perfect summer read.

Really enjoyed such a èasy read, would definitely recommend Jenny book, this is one author who needs to be on Amazon TBR list.

I have absolutely loved reading this story from start to finish, such a joy. It was superbly written, but then I wouldn’t expect anything less from author Jenny, as she does write such wonderful stories. What I loved most about this story, is how it had some historical element to it, secrets lost in the past but now to be uncovered/discovered as we turn the pages of the book.

The characters were delightful, all of whom just came alive right before my eyes, I actually forgot that they weren't real at times.I loved getting to know all of the characters, seeing them interact with each other. I was totally jealous of Meghan and Tess friendship, the way they are there for each other.

So final words, if you haven't discovered Jenny's books yet, then trust me when I say that you are truly missing out. Her books are just so heartfelt and magical.

Heartwarming summer reading is what you will get with An Island Summer.
Visiting the Outer Banks is always a joy to me. Having a author like Jenny Hale take me on this summer getaway was wonderful.
Main character is Meghan who sets out on a journey to fix up her Pappy’s beach cottage. She is devastated with his passing away and has so many emotions she needs to deal with. Her best friend, Tess, comes to help her. Along the way, Meghan discovers a deep seated mysterious secret that she begins to investigate.
A beautiful story about finding oneself/self discovery.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Megan is trying to find herself by moving back to the Outer Banks with her best friend Tess. This is where her Pappy used to live before he passed away, and this is also where she meets Toby and his dementia ridden grandfather, who thinks she is a famous movie star he used to know. This is a great beach read in a great setting with great characters, it's a small-town summer romance mixed in with a little bit of mystery and a little bit of drama. It's all about unraveling the past to make sense of the present and move on into the future. The only little thing I would have to criticize is at one very precise point in the story, there is an entire dialog that is very sketchy and was very poorly done, but that's the only thing I didn't like about. It it's in 9.5 out of 10.

Description 🔖

Meghan Gray is having a bit of a life crisis. She doesn’t know what she wants to do with her career and there isn’t much keeping her in New York whilst she mulls it over. The only thing she owns is her Pappy’s cottage on Hatteras Island and so she decides to go back there.

The cottage is exactly how she remembered; on the beach, a porch and shuttered windows. It needs a lot of work but Meghan is just glad to feel close to her Pappy. On the first night on the island Meghan meets Toby and there is an instant connection between them.

Whilst sorting through Pappy’s things, Meghan finds an old photograph of someone she doesn’t recognise. It holds a secret that she sets off to try and find out. She has many questions and some of them could mean that Toby and her become much closer or grow very far apart.

General Thoughts 🤔

This was definitely a laid back book that didn’t require a whole lot of attention to be paid so it’s perfect to read when travelling I think. I think I would have liked to have seen a bit more romance in the story. I felt that it was hinted at early on in the book but then nothing romantic really happened until quite near the end.

I really liked the theme of Meghan trying to discover her past and her legacy via clues left for her by her Pappy. It was like she had been sent on a little adventure and her Pappy knew exactly what to say and what to leave to ensure that she got to the answers she needed.

Characters 👫👭👬

There weren’t many characters in this story which made it very easy to keep track of who was who. I think my favourite character was Meghan’s best friend Tess. She seemed like the kind of friend everyone needs; she had Meghan’s back through anything and she wasn’t afraid to give Meghan a little nudge in the right direction when she needed the encouragement.

I have to be honest and say that I didn’t like Toby. This may be because there was a period during the book where it was implied that he may not be as honest as he said and my opinion may have been tainted, but I just couldn’t warm to him at all.

Writing Style ✍️

This is the first Jenny Hale book that I’ve read so I didn’t know what kind of vibe I was going to get. It was definitely very light and laid back making it easy to follow along with but it also meant there weren’t really any gasp moments or any big emotions drawn from me.

As I mentioned, I would have liked some more romance, whether it be between the obvious characters or others. I think the romances from the past could have been expanded upon and been a really nice touch.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖

If you’re in the mood for an easy read that will entertain you for a short time then I would recommend this book. It’s probably not going to blow your socks off, but it will scratch a reading itch.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was an enjoyable book.

From this talented author comes this amazingly wonderful read -
So fantastic, with plenty of twists and surprises, just what I'd need.
Meghan Gray has had enough of city life and unsure what to do
So she returns to her childhood home to consider her life anew.

She lived with her Pappy, in his cottage near the ocean shore
It is hers now, filled with memories, now her Pappy is no more.
With her best friend beside her they contemplate where to start
The cottage needs clearing but how to decide with which things to part?

An elderly gentleman, with dementia, thinks Meghan is someone from his past
He seems pleased to see her again despite all the years have passed.
Sorting things out is heartbreaking and evocative, too,
But what they find also sparks a mystery concerning what is true.

A gorgeous read of considering just what you want to do
Of being brave, looking at options, and then following through.
It is also about evaluating what's important in life for you
And making them the priority in everything you choose to do.

An inspirational journey, I really enjoyed this moving read,
And hope my review helps show you it is one you really need.
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

EXCERPT: Walking over to the kitchen sink, she turned on the water. It spit and sputtered before letting out a stream. She turned it back off. "How am I supposed to be a chef in the middle of nowhere?" She laughed out loud now at the ridiculousness of her choices.

If she were being honest with herself, there were many more opportunities in New York. There were a handful of culinary schools in the city nearby and she could've researched grants or scholarships, but she'd come to Hatteras Island instead. What was she thinking, planning to build a new life here?

ABOUT 'AN ISLAND SUMMER': In the summer, everything feels possible… A heartwarming small-town romance about new beginnings, old secrets and how home is truly where the heart is. Fans of Susan Mallery, Pamela Kelley, and Mary Alice Monroe will fall head over heels for this romantic page-turner.

All that Meghan Gray has left of her beloved Pappy is his cottage on the edge of the shimmering Atlantic Ocean. Longing to feel close to her grandfather, she returns to the golden sands of Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks for the summer, clutching the manilla envelope he gifted her tightly in her hand.

On her first night on the sun-drenched island, she meets brooding Toby Meyers, a local businessman. She might feel lost without Pappy, but looking into Toby’s sparkling blue eyes feels like coming home.

The beach house where she spent her childhood is just how she remembers: a shingled bungalow with two rocking chairs on the porch and shutters on the windows. As Meghan strolls along the sand with Toby, breathing in the salty air, she realizes she is making new memories…

When Meghan opens the envelope, she finds a black-and-white photograph of someone she doesn’t recognize. If she can find out its meaning, and why Pappy gave it to her, she’ll unlock a secret that has been hidden for decades. The truth has the power to change everything Meghan and Toby thought they knew about their lives—and it will either bring them together, or break their hearts…

MY THOUGHTS: An Island Summer is a quick, light read about a young woman trying to find her place in the world after her career hopes are dashed. There's some romance, and a little mystery involved.

Now, I have read a few of Jenny Hale's books, and they have all been 4 - 5 star reads, but An Island Summer just didn't work that same magic on me. I couldn't connect with Meghan's character - I felt absolutely nothing for her. She raised all sorts of questions for me (probably totally irrelevant to the storyline, but once they lodge themselves in my brain there's no getting rid of them!), like if she and Tess have been doing the same job, why does Tess have savings and Meghan doesn't, especially as she hasn't spent the money on cooking courses? Her first day in her new job, she gets $200 in tips, so over the course of her six-day-week, she'd earn $1200 give or take, plus her base wage. She has no accommodation costs, only food and utilities - half of which would be covered by Tess - and fuel, so is she just bad at managing her money? Oh, yes, and no one is going to take a waitress and put her in a chef's position. You got to work your way up. And cooking the same dish for a handful of people is vastly different to cooking for a large number of people all eating different things.

I loved Rupert, Toby's grandfather, who lives in a care facility and who has dementia. When he meets Meghan, he thinks that she's someone from his past, someone he once loved. This is a lovely story with an element of mystery as Meghan slowly pieces together Rupert's story and makes a startling discovery that affects her own life.

And now I'm going to put my medical hat on. Rupert's doctors talk about him withdrawing inwards and 'indulging in his fantasies', which made me a little cross. Rupert has Alzheimer's. Most of the time he honestly believes he is twenty years old, and that's the life he's living. It's not fantasy. To Rupert, it's very real, and I don't believe any doctor these days, when we know so much more about the ravages and effects of Alzheimer's, would say that.

Although this was a disappointing read for me, I still love Jenny Hale's writing and continue to look eagerly for her next title. I love the cover.

⭐⭐⭐.3

#AnIslandSummer #NetGalley

I: @jhaleauthor @bookouture

T: @jhaleauthor @Bookouture

#christmasread #contemporaryfiction #familydrama #mystery #romance

THE AUTHOR: Jenny Hale is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic contemporary fiction. Her novels Coming Home for Christmas and Movie Guide Epiphany Award Winner Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses are Hallmark Channel original movies. Her stories are chock-full of feel-good romance and overflowing with warm settings, great friends, and family.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of An Island Summer by Jenny Hale for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

What a fabulous novel An Island Summer is! I loved it. Meghan and Tess quit their jobs after realizing it was dead end. They move into Meghan's pappy's neglected home. He had sued about 10 years ago and Meghan had just left it. What secrets did it hold? A truly emotional, heartwarming story.

This was such a cute small town romance set in the Outer Banks. This is a slow burn, clean romance based around old secrets, family and eventually love. Its super cute, light, summery, and an all round fun read. Perfect for a summer beach read. I absolutely adored Rupert! By far one of my favorite side characters. And did I mention there's a dog named Charlie! So cute! Pick this up!

Read if you love:
🗝 Emotional reads
🗝 Old secrets
🗝 Second chances
🗝 Strong friendships
🗝 Small-town romance
🗝 New beginnings
🗝 Old Hollywood movies

“𝑨𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒚, 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒘𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅—𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆.”

After quitting her dead end job in NYC, Meghan moves into her late grandfather’s beach cottage along with her dog and life-long best friend. In the midst of an island summer, Meghan forms an unlikely friendship with Rupert who suffers from dementia and mistakes Meghan for Hester Quinn, an old Hollywood actress. Meghan quickly becomes close with Rupert’s grandson Toby and as Rupert’s past becomes uncovered through memories of Hester Quinn, secrets are revealed that could tear Meghan and Toby apart.

This was such a heartwarming, multilayered beach read! Meghan seemed so lost at the beginning of this story. My heart truly ached for her. I loved her best friend Tess and how supportive she was. The romance in this story is very subtle, but oh so sweet. Uncovering Toby’s back story added a layer of sadness, but it was nice to see him get a second chance at love. For me though, the star of this book was the Meghan/Hester/Rupert storyline!! So much to unpack there, but it all unfolded perfectly like a movie. I loved the mystery behind the the content of the envelope that Meghan’s grandfather left for her. I totally did not see how it would all fit together until it was finally reveal and it was soooo satisfying. In the end, Meghan finally found her way and her purpose in life — I loved it!

Thank you to Bookoture and NetGalley for an ARC. My thoughts are my own.

This book was not for me I did not finish this book and I just couldn’t get into it I could not get past the fifth chapter

You can always rely on a Jenny Hale book to deliver and this is just wonderful. It’s full of romance and family history and I loved the mystery of Hester. A beautiful setting by the beach is the perfect place for Meghan to rethink her life and meeting Rupert and Toby adds that little bit of adventure. Tess is a wonderful friend and her support and encouragement for Meghan made me smile.

I wanted to love this book, y’all. It has a gorgeous cover, and the synopsis seemed right in my wheelhouse—

This is the blurb. I would not usually include that, but the problems start here;;

“All that Meghan Gray has left of her beloved Pappy is his cottage on the edge of the shimmering Atlantic Ocean. Longing to feel close to her grandfather, she returns to the golden sands of Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks for the summer, clutching the manilla envelope he gifted her tightly in her hand.

On her first night on the sun-drenched island, she meets brooding Toby Meyers, a local businessman. She might feel lost without Pappy, but looking into Toby’s sparkling blue eyes feels like coming home.

The beach house where she spent her childhood is just how she remembers: a shingled bungalow with two rocking chairs on the porch and shutters on the windows. As Meghan strolls along the sand with Toby, breathing in the salty air, she realizes she is making new memories…

When Meghan opens the envelope, she finds a black-and-white photograph of someone she doesn’t recognize. If she can find out its meaning, and why Pappy gave it to her, she’ll unlock a secret that has been hidden for decades. The truth has the power to change everything Meghan and Toby thought they knew about their lives—and it will either bring them together, or break their hearts.”

First of all, whomever wrote the blurb has obviously not read the book, because the black and white photograph in the envelope is of Meghan herself and her beloved grandfather. It is a photo she has never SEEN, but that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t recognize herself.

Unfortunately, the rest of the book is full of contradictory nonsense just like that. Couple examples—

Megan is summering in Cape Hatteras with her best friend since she was ten. Her entire childhood was spent with her grandfather teaching her how to cook. She wants to open a restaurant, and plans to use her grandfather’s recipes. So why when they are making dinner does the best friend say “Wow—your grandfather has a lot of tools in his kitchen. With all these gadgets, I’m guessing he shared your love of cooking.” Her best friend since she was ten—how would she not know that her grandfather taught her to cook?
There is a sentence where they pull an already-open bottle of wine out of the refrigerator, then grab a corkscrew to open it.
There is a paragraph where they let the dog out, he runs up to them “tail wagging” then they all sit down on the porch and reach back to open the door for the dog. Who is sitting next to them. On the porch.
There is a dog toy on the beach, which is sliding toward the water in the undertow. The undertow is in the water—not on the beach.
Look, this was a cool story, a light romance with a twisty mystery, but it was so poorly executed that I kept getting pulled out off the story by error after error. In the hands of a more skilled writer, or a team of better editors, this could have been really special. As it was, it was just a mess.

Jenny Hale could/should create a movie series for Hallmark +. These have more complex plots, characters you root for, but not quite as cookie cutter. Her plots keep you moving and before you know it - you’ve finished it within a day. A good clean novel.

'" That's calm we hear," he said, his voice breathy like the coastal wind. "It's what we all long for, even if we don't know it." (...) "If you ever feel like you don't have it," he said, bringing her out of the moment, "come back here and find it."'

An Island Summer hit me right in the feels. All the feels. Yes, it is a summer romance, but boy is this a slow-burn romance and so much more to boot. In An Island Summer we meet Meghan (and her friend Tess) as they head out of New York after having quit their less than ideal jobs in a diner and move to the cottage Meghan's pappy left her when he passed. Their island summer is meant to help both Meghan and Tess find out what it is they want from their lives, but Meghan deals with a severe loss of confidence in her dream of working in the culinary arts, and when, during a night out, she is mistaken for someone else (Hester) by an older gentleman, her life will change for good.

Okay, first things first, this book is incredibly atmospheric. I could feel myself observing the scenery, the cottage, the Mariner's Inn, and Rosewood through the eyes of the characters, making me believe I was sipping coffees and cocktails with them. To me, the main storyline in An Island Summer is the story of Rupert and his Hester, more precisely his memories of Hester. The confusion and the impact of dementia is written elaborately into the story, but with such care and compassion, that one cannot help but instantly fall for Rupert and his charm. At the same time, the slow-burn romance really takes a backseat in this book, but it is there and it is simmering and I loved it. The one thing I have my doubts about is all the rumors and stories about Toby and whether they were needed, but in the end this was a compulsive read that had me racing through its pages, smiling, wiping away a tear, and smiling some more.

First, I want to thank Jenny Hale, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

WOW!! An Island Summer is my absolute new fave book that Jenny Hale has written!!! It captivated me right from the start, pulled hard on my heart strings, put an everlasting smile on my face. I loved it and couldn’t get enough. An Island Summer has a best seller written all over it! It is a must read put on the top of your TBR list!! 5 star read all the way! If you have not read any of Jenny’s books this is one I highly suggest you start with!!

Bookouture’s graphic artists did it again and created another stunning cover for Jenny’s book! They seem to pick out just the picturesque covers for her! Well done!

An Island Summer is a totally unique, fresh and different concept thought outside of the box! By reading this book you could feel how passionate she was about these characters and the situations they were put. This was one of the reasons I was drawn to the storyline so much.

On so many occasions Jenny gave us so many meaningful words of wisdom through the voices of her characters. Not only did they pertain to the storyline but in life in general


Jenny chose to focus and address Dementia and Alzheimer’s in this book in a beautiful way. I thank Jenny for all the research she did to educate her readers on this heartbreaking disease. I had loved ones who passed from this but never explained it quite like Jenny did.


There is a little bit of every genre for every reader's taste such as history, romance, mystery, etc.

Jenny totally shocked me with the climax of the story! My mind was totally spinning with the big revelation on so many levels!! This was the first time she has ever got me good!!

This is just an incredibly sweet and touching story that will leave a lasting impression on you! It definitely did with me.

Gosh I just love all of Jenny Hales books. These books are not just run of the mill romance books. it always feels like we are getting to know the characters and their families as we read and you really feel a connection to everyone and the story.

How Jenny describes the beautiful Hatteras island really leaves you longing to be there yourself!

Highly recommend if you are looking for a clean romance story with a little mystery element. You won’t be disappointed!

An Island Summer by Jenny Hale was a relaxing read!

Meghan Gray returns back to Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks with her best friend Tess Fuller, after quitting her unfulfilling waitressing job in New York. While missing her deceased Pappy, she moves into the cottage he left for her, and begins to reacquaint herself with the area and locals. Upon meeting Toby Meyers and his grandfather Rupert, Meghan gets swept up into old family secrets and a mystery waiting to be discovered.

While I did enjoy elements of the story, the pacing was really slow for me. There were a lot of descriptions that definitely added to the scenery and made it more of a beach read, but for anyone that doesn't like too many descriptive elements, it was a bit much at times. Along with this, while the synopsis and genres categorize this book as a romance or a contemporary romance, I feel as though the family history and Meghan's relationship with Rupert was the main story line, whereas the romance was more of a subplot.

While there were a lot of coincidences, I think the overall conclusions to the family secrets were well written, and Meghan was able to grow back into herself. I loved her friendships with both Tess and Rupert, they were such fun characters and I think they really made the book. I would've liked to see more of Meghan with Toby!

Overall, I enjoyed the scenery and plot, but the pacing of the book makes this a 3 star read for me. While this is the first Jenny Hale book I've read, I would be interested in reading more from her!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the eARC!

this book was so much fun!!! I felt soooo many emotions. I was happy, sad, laughing, and just having an overall ball. It is a great way to introduce the "family secrets" narrative but making it less scandalous and more adventurous and fun. I loved the scenery and how well i could envision just about everything Jenny Hale describes. I felt like I was there, with them.