Member Review

All the Days of Summer by Nancy Thayer transports readers to Nantucket. I enjoyed the author’s vivid word imagery of the island. I could imagine the ferry ride to the island, the beaches, the bumpy road to Heather’s summer oasis, the rundown condition of Heather’s summer rental, the charming town, and the Essex’s gorgeous home. I also enjoyed the depictions of Heather’s beautiful Victorian home in Concord, Massachusetts. I want to live in that home (I love Victorian homes). Her marriage has fizzled out. Her husband goes to work at the hardware store he owns and then comes home to plop himself in front of the television. They have grown apart. The spark is gone along with the love. Now that Heather’s son is graduating from college, Heather wants to discover what she wants to do with the rest of her life. I am sure there are women can relate to Heather’s situation. Heather is forty-seven, but the way the character is written, she comes across as older (makes it seem she is ready for retirement at times). Other female characters around the same age are similar (they seemed older). It was always the families plan for Ross to return to Concord (Ross was on board with it before his senior year of college) to help his father run the hardware store. Now that he has a serious girlfriend, Heather figures he will bring the lady home with him. Heather rents a rundown home in Nantucket for three months (at $10,000 a month). Then she learns that Ross, her son, is not returning to Concord. Ross and his girlfriend, Kailee Essex are heading to Nantucket where they will work at her father’s business, Essex Construction. Heather is not a fan of Kailee and I do not blame her. Kailee is a spoiled lady. Her parents are rich, and they have always given Kailee what she wanted. Kailee made the story hard to read. She is spoiled, selfish, insecure, and immature. Kailee wants to keep Ross to herself (she reminds me of a child who does not want to share er favorite toy). She does not want to share Ross with his mother. The point of view switches between Kailee, Ross, and Heather. I would have preferred the story to be told in the third person. I did not enjoy the sections told from Kailee and Ross’s point of view (I ended up skimming to get through them). Ross is a good person, but love is blind. He does not see Kailee’s faults. I found the story to be predictable. I wish the author had let Heather become her own person without the added romance element. The story does have a feel-good ending. All the Days of Summer is a story to read while lounging by the pool or relaxing on the beach. All the Days of Summer is a beach read with a lonesome marriage, an unfriendly girlfriend, a ramshackle cottage, a discovered dog, beautiful beaches, and a blissful future.