All the Days of Summer by Nancy Thayer is a beautiful story of love, loss and family and second chances. Heather Willette has hit a rough patch in her life. Her marriage is in failing, her only child is graduating college and is in a serious relationship with his girlfriend, Kailee. When is seems the life she knows is crumbling around her, Heather decides to sneak away to a Nantucket cottage rental for the summer. What better way to rediscover herself and find happiness? Life has a funny sense of humor through because she almost immediately learns that her son will also be spending his summer on Nantucket and working for his girlfriend’s family construction business. Kailee and Heather didn’t hit it off right away, and Kailee is less than impressed that Heather will be imposing on their summer plans. This novel is about second chances and creating a new path when the spark in your life seems to have fizzled out. Nancy Thayer is known for her easy escape novels, filled full of beautiful Nantucket imagery. This is the perfect easy summertime novel for those relaxed days at the beach or spent poolside.

All the Days of Summer released on May 2, 2023. Trust me when I say you’ll want this one in your beach bag!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Nancy Thayer and Ballantine books for an e-ARC on exchange for an honest review.

Heather Willette has a wonderful life in Concord, MA until she realizes that the perfect house and the perfect son and the perfect everything is not all it is cracked up to be. I spent part of my life in Concord and graduated from Concord Carlisle High School so loved reading about the town and reminiscing about my life there. But, after reading this story I so wish I had moved to Nantucket after high school and made my life there. It was always a dream to go there but just never had the time with working and traveling and then working again.
I found so much relaxation just reading about the Island and I know that one day before my life is gone I am going to vacation there for a little while.
But, I degrees because this is a story about a woman who gives all, loves all and puts herself last who finally realizes that her life is only half over and she wants more. She asks her husband for a divorce then finds out all sorts of secrets about him. He son comes home from college to let them know he is in love and will be living with his girlfriend and her family on the island and so she is determined that this is her time.
She rents a small house for the summer and begins to realize that she is somebody and that she still has hopes and dreams left to fulfill. Although there is conflict between Heather and her future daughter in law she works hard to fill in the gaps and when there is a tragic event that happens she is there to help pick up the pieces.
Such a wonderful book about the simple things in life and how things are not always as they seem, how life is a constant wheel that turns ever so and that we are all along for the ride.

I received this book from NetGalley and was asked to read and give an honest review and I have. It was a great book that is so worth reading.

Ooh, I did not want this book to end! So many emotions throughout with a coming together at the end. I feel so emotional and want to know more.. Ms Thayer, one of your best yet!! Thank you for this wonderful story of life.

After announcing her intention to divorce her husband, Heather decodes to spend the summer on Nantucket. She did not count on her son, Ross, also spending the summer on Nantucket with his girlfriend, Kailee and her family.

Heather settles in to her new island life with new friends, a new job, and a potential new love interest.

Ross settles over Kailee’s family’s garage, working for Kailee’s father, and trying to keep the peace between his mother and his girlfriend.

Kailee summer is not going as planned at all. She is not able to work for her father’s company full time, and she is convinced Heather is on island to keep tabs on her son.

This was an easy, entertaining read that will get you in the mood for summer. The characters are easy to relate to and the author’s descriptions took me back to our trip to Nantucket, A great book to put in your beach bag!



Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books,#Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review #AlltheDaysofSummer.

Such a "realistic" read.
Sometimes there really is a thing called "fate" and it brings you to exactly where you are meant to be in life.
This was a great beach read and you can practically feel you are right there with Heather as she goes on her journey.
Definitely worth buying!!!!

All the Days of Summer by Nancy Thayer is a touching novel about a woman's journey to self-discovery on the picturesque island of Nantucket. Heather Willette's decision to leave her husband and start anew is derailed when her son unexpectedly decides to stay on the island to work at his girlfriend's family business. This means Heather has to confront her long-standing issues with her son's girlfriend, Kailee, who she has never seen eye to eye with. As the summer progresses, they discover that change can come in unexpected ways and that it's never too late to reconcile and fight for the future they want. Thayer's captivating storytelling and exploration of family dynamics make this a heartwarming read that will leave readers feeling hopeful.

I absolutely love anything that Nancy Thayer writes. This beautiful novel that takes place in Nantucket will have you captivated from the first page. The book shows that you can get a second chance at life and do well. Heather Willette decides to end her marriage and start over. She is searching for meaning in her life. Her only child a son has fallen in love with a rich well to do girl from Nantucket. Heather and Kailee the son’s girlfriend get off to a rough start but soon realize they need each other and both only want the best for Ross. This book was a page turner and will leave you feeling good.

With summer coming, Nancy Thayer's "All the Days of Summer" is a great choice for your next beach/poolside read. Romance, family drama, some sadness all set on picturesque and beautifully described Nantucket Island.

I had to take a star away because almost every interaction with Kailee left me just kind of angry. I get she's young but she so infuriatingly immature and spoiled. I did like the other characters though. Although Heather (who is 2 years younger than me at 47) was written in a very matronly way which kind of bugged me a little too.

Overall, great summer read!

Thank you to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for advanced readers copy of this book for my honest review.

As always Nancy Thayer brought the perfect summer read! I loved this story so much! I loved the relationships between the characters. I did feel like the ending was a little rushed but all in all a great book!

I think the cover art is the most gorgeous yet of Thayer’s books.
I waffled and waivered about some of the characters for most of the book, until nearly the end.
I didn’t like Kailee because she was pretentious and self absorbed. Heather seemed to be lost in a fog at times.
What I loved the most are the descriptions of the island, it’s as if I’ve been there many times, although I have never visited.
I also liked how Thayer name dropped other authors in the book.
Heather and Kailee come around at the end and it’s a good ending.

First of all let me say that I am a solid fan of Nancy Thayer and the books they write. I have always rated her books a solid 3+ stars, but this one just did not do it for me. It pains me to even write this. The setting and the story are both excellent and what I thought would lead to an excellent start to the summer “beach reads” season. One major problem…..I despised the character, Kailee, and didn’t really care for any of the others. Kailee was so entitled and whiny and lacked any depth. I found myself wanting to skim over her parts because it was so unappealing. I feel like this overshadowed the story and the potential strength of the main character, Heather. Having said this, I will still continue to read this author and look forward to the next book. #AlltheDaysofSummer #NetGalley

I love to read anything Nancy Thayer writes. She is my go to author especially for my summer reading wants. But, I have to say, I started out reading this book and wasn’t sure if I was going to like it overly much. Needless to say…..I loved it! It took me a bit to get into the story as I felt like some of the characters were just a little annoying and immature. But, they all grew on me and in the end…..I loved all the characters. I am so glad I kept on reading!
To sum it up…..All the Days of Summer is highly recommended by me and a must read!
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.

I haven’t read a Nancy Thayer book for some time and All the Days of Summer reminded me that I should do so more often. This book is about two women, Heather and Kailee. They met when Heather and her husband go to visit their son, Ross, at his University and have dinner with Ross and his new girlfriend, Kailee. The first line in the book is “It was Heather who hated Kailee first. Well, she didn’t hate Kailee. But she wasn’t sure she liked her.” The first line in the second paragraph is “Kailee didn’t hate Heather right away. At first, she just thought she was a little tiresome….” Heather is an unhappily married woman who makes the decision to divorce Ross’s father. With the help of a friend, she rents a cottage on Nantucket for the summer while the dust settles and she can make decisions about what she wants to do with her future. Although Kailee is from the island, Heather believes that she will stay on the mainland with Ross, who is expected to start working at his father’s hardware store. Kailee is a young woman in love. She and Ross have decided that they will both be spending the summer on the island working for her father’s construction company. Their plan is that Ross will have the summer to make sure he would be happy living on Nantucket while learning the ropes of the family construction company. They plan to get engaged in the fall and, in time, take over the company from her father when he retires. So Heather and Kailee find themselves both living on Nantucket. This book is the story of each of them navigating the many changes in their individual lives and how all of those changes impact the relationship they have with each other.. As usual, Nancy Thayer’s books are well written with well rounded characters who have strengths and weaknesses and flaws. The journey her characters had to walk did not all follow along a predictable path. There were twists and turns that kept the story interesting and the emotion real. The story explores the relationship between a mother and the woman that he chooses to marry, which is a complicated one which can be fraught with difficulties. Reading the story of Heather and Kailee is one that will stick with me for a long time. I strongly recommend this book as an highly worthwhile reading experience. I am voluntarily submitting this review after reading an advanced complementary copy of this book.

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.

Rating: 3/5 ⭐️
Spice: .5/5 🌶️

Summary: Heather is approaching 50 and suddenly realizing she isn’t happy in her marriage. She informs her husband she’s leaving him and decides to rent a rundown cottage on Nantucket for the summer to have some alone time to plan out her next step. She then finds out her beloved son and his girlfriend will also be on island and the girlfriend is not happy to hear her future mother-in-law will be as well.

Thoughts: This was one of those novels that was incredibly frustrating but I also couldn’t put it down. I literally could not STAND one of the characters but I loved the other so much, I kept at it.

I really felt like I escaped to Nantucket and this was a juicy, gossipy type novel. But the dialogue was very off to me. I’ve never encountered people who talk the way these characters did.

I think this would be a solid beach read for sure but be prepared to be slightly aggravated while reading.

I love how Nancy Thayer’s writing transports the reader to Nantucket and if you've never been there, you feel as though it's been a part of your life. All the Days of Summer does just that.

The story follows Heather, a woman who realizes she doesn't want to just be 'mom' or 'wife', so she rents a house on Nantucket to search for what is missing, leaving behind her husband in rural Massachusetts. During this same time, her son Ross graduates from college. The plan was for him to join his dad in the family business, but he drops the bomb that he's joining his girlfriend Kailee's family business on where else - Nantucket.

All the Days of Summer is a story of finding out who you are, fulfilling dreams, the struggle between a mom and the woman her son chooses, and of growing up and learning to be strong in the face of tragedy.

Admittedly, I struggled with the first half of the book because I just did not like Kailee. Then a tragic event takes place and we see a change in her, which makes Kailee grow up and learn to be a kinder person.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I'm usually a big Nancy Thayer fan. I love the Nantucket settings and this was a sweet summer read but not really memorable. I enjoyed it and it is an easy beach read.

When Heather Willett's son Ross is set to graduate from college and she realizes that she's no longer happy in her marriage, she rents a cottage on beautiful Nantucket for the summer going to find her happiness again. Ross' girlfriend Kaillie and her family live on the island running a construction company that builds mansions for the super-rich. Instead of going into business with his father like planned, Ross moves to Nantucket to learn the construction business. Heather and Kaillie never got along from the start and Kaillie sees Heather coming to the island as keeping an eye on her son. Then something happens that brings them all together and work through their differences.
I love this author's descriptive style of writing though at times at can be a bit over the top. The island descriptions make you feel like you're really there soaking up the sea and sun and relaxing vibe of a summer in Nantucket. The characters were well developed and I could see the viewpint of each woman's differences. Grab a copy of this perfect beach read for yourself!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Nancy Thayer has long been a favorite author of mine. She continues to be after reading this book.

Heather Willette is a dynamic character who realizes that her marriage is no longer working and longs for a new and different lifestyle. Of course, there are issues because there are always issues to overcome in these situations. But she decides to take some time and rents a home in Nantucket for the summer. This story takes place there - mostly. Her son, Ross, has graduated from college and is moving up there.

Heather's husband places a relatively minor role. However, he is important to the storyline for several reasons. Essentially, all these characters are involved in Heather's life in Nantucket - along with several she meets along the way.

All in all, I loved this book. The story was well-written and thoughtful considering that the primary character was in her 50s. (I applaud all writers who write a story featuring age-appropriate characters.) I was caught up in the story from the start and the author kept me reading until the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

A marvelous story of love, commitment, and survival after loss. Heather leaves her husband after 20+ years and spends the summer on Nantucket in a rental. Her son graduated from UMASS and instead of working with his dad in the family business in Concord, opts to work for his girlfriend's father's construction business on Nantucket.

Now Kailee thinks his mother moved to the island to keep an eye on Ross. Their relationship is on shaky ground until a secret is revealed and a devastating accident occurs, changing the course of everyone's future.

A wonderful story of resilience, adaptation, and following your dream. A 5 star read that you're going to want to add to your beach bag.

Although I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher all thoughts and opinions are my own.