Hannah McKinnon’s The Summer Club is a summer-centric novel set within the prestigious Mayhaven beach club in Massachusetts. While it may initially appear to be a lighthearted beach read, the narrative intricately explores profound themes such as familial relationships, socioeconomic disparities, and the experiences of neurodivergent individuals. The central character, Darcy Birch, grapples with the challenges posed by her domineering mother, her preoccupied father, who serves as the club president, and her younger brother, who is striving for autonomy. As the summer progresses, Darcy's seemingly perfect plans are unsettled by the arrival of new neighbors, Flick Creevy and his family, whose differing lifestyle introduces a novel perspective to the social fabric of Mayhaven.

In contrast to Darcy, Flick expresses little interest in assimilating into the affluent lifestyle characteristic of Mayhaven. His mother encourages him to take a position at the beach club, where he becomes acutely aware of the pronounced divide between the wealthy patrons and the club's staff. Through Flick's perspective, the reader gains insight into the realities of social stratification and the accompanying pressures of conformity. As the season unfolds, the narrative examines how both Darcy and Flick navigate their unique challenges, illuminating the intricacies of their lives against the backdrop of an exclusive community.

Although promoted as a light summer read, The Summer Club addresses weightier themes that may resonate more deeply with a Young Adult audience. The storytelling is engaging, centering on character relationships and personal development; however, there are some shortcomings in character evolution. The narrative's resolution occurs rather swiftly, leaving certain plotlines unresolved. Overall, this is a nuanced exploration of the trials of adolescence and the implications of social class, rendering it a thought-provoking selection for enthusiasts of contemporary fiction.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

It's summer in New England and the Mayhaven beach club is known for being an exclusive retreat for the upper crust. Darcy Birch's father, Ned, is the President of Mayhaven and she works as a camp counselor at the camp. Summer should be an easy breezy time, but this summer is not so easy or breezy. Darcy's mother has been hovering around and her little brother is struggling a bit. Flick Creevy and his mom and stepfather have arrived in town and soon Flick has a job at Mayhaven as well.

It was easy and fast paced story. I did enjoy the setting of a country club over the course of a summer and I always like getting several POVs which you get here but it was predictable and the ending felt a little rushed.

The best beach read for a summer vacation--or any vacation, really! An exclusive beach club is overrun by seemingly undesirable neighbors, an annoying sibling, and overly annoying parents, and this is ruining Darcy's summer. However, Flick, Darcy's seemingly undesirable neighbor, is also not having the greatest time, because his mother has pushed them into this new way of life that they are certainly not used to. Summer temperatures rise, and so do tensions, as they all try to survive the summer. This was a great read to pass the time and would serve the purpose of putting you into the summer spirit on cold winter day.

Summer Club was entertaining and a fun summer read! The characters were endearing and the family unity was price
Less!

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
This book was a great and quick summer read. It felt at times more like a YA book but I still thoroughly enjoyed it! The protagonist was very likeable and the author provided descriptions that allows the reader to feel along with him. The female main character I wanted to "shake" to grow up and speak out but could understand her being a young inexperienced girl.
This book has the vibes of some Elin Hilderbrand books and the scenery I pictured as in Dirty Dancing.

✨ Publication date: July 33, 2024✨

The Summer Club is an adult contemporary fiction by Hannah McKinnon. The Summer Club is set in a small New England town and the Mayhaven Beach Club. This is a three person POV story.

Ned Birch is the General Manager of Mayhaven. After working his way up from head gardener, Ned’s family would never be able to afford the exclusivity of the club. Ned is determined to restore Mayhaven to its former glory and bring his family along for the ride.

Darcy is Ned’s daughter and working at the summer camp at Mayhaven this year. Last summer Darcy spent the entire season on the golf course winning junior titles. At the end of the season she abruptly quits and refuses to step foot on the golf course again.

Flick is Darcy’s age and recently moved next door from New York. Flick knows he doesn’t fit in or belong in the suburbs of New England but after his mom remarries, her new rich husband wants them to settle down there.

The three characters intersect and a story unravels around Ned’s loyalty to the club, Darcy’s secrets from the previous summer and Flick’s view as an outsider.

This was a decent book. Well written but the storyline didn’t fully keep me hooked all of the time. There is some mention of sexual assault so read the trigger warnings before reading! This is a 3 star read for me.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #hannahmckinnon #thesummerclub

I was really hoping this was going to be a light beach read that makes me want to escape to the shores of New England, but it is not. This book covers mature topics that are not at all light and airy. There is very little character development, and therefore, I did not feel connected to the characters at all. I could have let this story go as a did not finish, and I would never wonder what happened to the people of Mayhaven because frankly, none of them were interesting or likeable. There are 20 different directions this story could have gone and many sub-plot lines that could have been greatly developed, but instead it reads like a summary of each with no in-depth digging.

Yet another book that I did not connect with. The characters felt very cliched and the story was not very interesting. Just very blah honestly.

I think I just kept waiting for more to happen in this book, and then at the end for more to wrap up. Overall, it just felt a little unfinished, but was still pretty enjoyable. I didn't really like any of the characters, and thought things could have been given a little more detail.

I loved the bones of this book. The plot, the characters, the structure. But there was something huge missing, and I think it was the heart. I was unsatisfied by the end, maybe because some of the loose ends weren't tied up at all, or they were tied up messily. There was a whole layer I felt was missing.

The Summer Club follows a cast of characters working at a country club over the summer, including the President of the club, who is scrambling to get more members, his daughter, who has suddenly quit golf even though she was a phenom, and the new kid who just moved to town and gets a job in the kitchen. I really enjoyed this look at the "behind-the-scenes" of an interesting setting, and especially the different views on social class and power that the work untangles.

The Mayhaven country club is full of drama this summer. Ned runs the club is trying desperately to keep it afloat while still keeping the members happy. His daughter, Darcy, suddenly quit her successful junior golf career and is spending the summer as a club camp counselor. His neurodivergent son, Adam, is trying to find his place working at the club for the summer. His wife, Ingrid, is doing everything she can to keep the family together while starting her career as a realtor this summer. None of them expected their new neighbors, the Creevy-Crenshaws, to throw their whole summer into a tailspin. It's just one thing after another until it all comes to a head and everyone in the family reaches their breaking points.

I loved the cast of characters in this book. I wish we had gotten a little more backstory on some of them and we got some different perspectives like Ingrid and Adam. Some actions felt a little out of character, but only because I'm not sure we fully understood their characters. Overall it's a fun summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC of The Summer Club.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It's a great book!

Unfortunately I really struggled to get into this one and I decided to DNF. I think for the right person at the right time this story would be a good one, but just not for me.

Super boring plot
Characters were not well developed
Not terrible but not very interesting, just boring

I was not familiar with Hannah McKinnon so I had no expectations going in to this book.

I was expecting a beach read by the title and the description. This book is anything but a light read. Written in a young adult voice, I found the book lacking character development.

I tried. I really tried. There is a point that when as a reader, you dread picking up a book that you give up.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "The Summer Club" and all opinions expressed are my own. I think this would be a good summer read. I did like the story but still had unanswered questions by the end of the book. Overall I rate this as good.

I wanted to give this book 3 stars as I feel some of the topics addressed were very important and that the story in general had promise. Unfortunately, it fell short for me on delivery. The writing is not very sophisticated, several things were left unaddressed at the end, and I didn’t feel like the characters were as well developed as I would have liked.

My Rating: 2.5 stars (rounded up)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

This was a delightful summer romance that I would recommend to anyone who loves books by Elin Hildebrand, Mary Kay Andrews, Nancy Thayer or Debbie Macomber. With Elin Hildebrand "retiring" from writing summer themed novels on Nantucket, perhaps Hannah McKinnon could take her place. This book is just so sweet and will be sure to put a smile on your face. I really enjoyed the characters and the setting and I had trouble putting this book down. It was delightful.

Additionally, I would like to state in case there is confusion that the author of this book, Hannah McKinnon is a completely seperate person than the author Hannah Mary McKinnon. It appears on some sites their books are grouped together because of their similar names. I just thought it would be a good idea to clear up any confusion!

Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

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The Summer Club by Hannah McKinnonimmerses readers in the opulent world of the Mayhaven Club, a prestigious, members-only enclave reminiscent of the setting in Dirty Dancing. This private club, steeped in tradition and legacy, is the backdrop for a summer filled with intrigue, drama, and personal revelations.

The narrative paints a vivid picture of Mayhaven Club’s environment—where golf and tennis are more than pastimes; they are symbols of status and exclusivity. The grandeur of the club, with its grand dinners and lavish parties, sets the stage for a tale where the lines between privilege and pretense blur. The generational divide is palpable, with older members exuding an air of superiority while the younger crowd grapples with their own desires and dilemmas.

The story unfolds with a focus on the teens and their interactions within this high-society microcosm. There’s a palpable sense of teenage yearning and mischief, compounded by the complex dynamics between the affluent members and the club staff, who are often treated as inferior. The novel deftly explores the societal hierarchies and the impact they have on both personal relationships and self-worth.

However, The Summer Club is not without its flaws. The book leaves several plot points unresolved or ambiguously hinted at, which can be both intriguing and frustrating. Some elements feel underdeveloped or extraneous, creating gaps that leave readers to fill in the blanks. While this can add a layer of mystery and invite speculation, it also risks detracting from the overall cohesion of the narrative.

In essence, The Summer Club delivers an engaging snapshot of elite life and youthful indiscretion against a backdrop of privilege and pretension. Its depiction of the summer’s highs and lows, coupled with the nuanced exploration of social hierarchies, offers a compelling read. Yet, the lack of resolution and occasional narrative disjointedness may leave some readers yearning for a more complete story.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars