
Member Reviews

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the arc copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Every year, Eloisa Hobby hosts a hobby competition on her private island, Hobby Island. She hand selects participants from her online hobby group and sends them golden tickets. This year, however, is different, as Eloisa recently discovered someone has been taking advantage of her online members and fraudulently stealing money. Eloisa has her suspects narrowed down and they all get the golden ticket invite so she can find out the culprit once and for all.
Jeanie wins a golden ticket and travels to the island with her daughter Luna and granddaughter Artemis to participate in the contest. Two months on the private island without internet or connection to the outside world seems daunting at first to the women, but soon they find themselves relaxing and opening up in ways they never thought possible. All three are forced to face past and present challenges in order to trust each other and fully heal.
If I had to describe this book, I would sum it up with the word "quirky". There are a lot of flamboyant characters on the island, including a turtle that steals left socks. There are multiple story lines going concurrently, from each of the three main character's (Luna, Jeanie, and Artemis) point of view. This was a very fast paced book, with great life lessons incorporated about forgiveness/controlling anger/doing what you love/etc. Plus, there is some mystery and romance included as well.
3.5 stars.

I enjoyed this book! I honestly enjoyed it so much more than I thought I would. It’s soooo relatable especially as a woman. It was a beautiful mix of stories as we got 4 perspectives of women of all ages….even a coming of age story. It was enthralling, I felt transported to Hobby Island.
The plot was very well executed! The mystery part of it was a nice addition and I enjoyed the way it played out.
I will definitely read the other books in this series when they come out.
Thank you NetGalley, Avon, Harper Voyager and Lori Wilder for giving me an advance reader’s copy of this book!

An enjoyable, well written novel populated by three dimensional characters and a fabulous storyline. Don’t miss it!

I received a free copy of the summer that shaped us and this was a fun way to kick off the summer. Hobby Island sounds like the perfect most relaxing place. This was a great read!

I received an advanced copy through NetGalley and would give this a full four stars. I found the story rather endearing and thought the themes of honesty and forgiveness refreshing. Hobby Island sounds idyllic, though I must say as a girl who grew up in South Texas I had a hard time envisioning any island a ferry ride away from the gulf coast could have summer weather such as the book describes (and not triple digit highs where no beautiful flora would ever survive!!). I enjoyed the sweetness of the characters and the crafty elements - I could see this one as likely screen play for a Hallmark movie!

This was not for me. It felt weirdly out of time? I could tell the author was attempting to make jokes that they thought were relevant but they felt very old. The writing was a bit of a mess, like it was AI generated. I didn't have a good time and I had absolutely no desire to finish it. From what I gather from other reviewers, the end did not have much payoff so I don't feel too bad DNFing. Idk, this felt like it was marketed wrong and it wasn't at all what I was expecting.

This is a book about healing, second chances & finding happiness after heartbreak with some mystery thrown in. There’s a cast of interesting characters & a lot going on in the story. Paul & Luna getting a second chance at lot, Eloisa trying to figure out a scammer among the quilters, Artemis coping with her Dad’s death & finding friendship with Orion (Paul’s daughter), Jeanie(Luna’s Mom) coming to terms with her past. It’s a wonderful book with all the feels that you enjoy!!

This was my first book by this author and I learned at the very end that it's the first book in a new series. Despite some of the confusion in this book, I'll read the next book in the series. Hobby Island sounds like a peaceful place to be, it is a beautiful, colorful, whimsical island created for crafters! Those granted a golden ticket receive the honor of coming to the island to create with the Eloisa Hobby. Jeanie, the talented quilt maker, invited to join the annual crafting competition in hopes of winning the grand prize of $100k! Her daughter, Luna, who is facing problems, moves in with Jeanie with Luna's teenage daughter, Artemis. As they make their way to and around Hobby Island we find moments of growth and healing among the little family of three as well as other characters! I loved Hobby Island and wish it really existed cause I want to go!

Eloisa runs an island filled with crafters. She discovers that someone in her online quilting group is catfishing another participant. Her solution? Send out Golden Tickets to a few select members and have them come to the island for a contest. Her nephew, Paul, will help to sort out the mystery. Paul is a single father raising a teen daughter. He loves his life on the island working as the gardener and the head of security. Jeanie travels to the island after receiving a Golden Ticket. She needs to win the contest because she needs the prize money to save her house. Luna travels to the island with her mother, Jeanie, both as moral support and to get a nice vacation. Luna is raising her daughter alone after losing her husband. There are secrets that the island will reveal and lots of healing that needs to happen.
There is a romance that occurs in the story but I wouldn’t say it’s the focus of the story. This is more of a cozy mystery with a romance sprinkled in. The book focuses on the secrets and the self discovery and then the romance and then the bad guy. First, the island is a magical place. Not that there are magicians or anything but it is very peaceful and beautiful. It is a haven for all things crafting. Second, the bad guy in this book did something that happens often in real life. I like that the author had the characters catch the bad guy because the person harmed was a member in an online quilting group. That was cute. Third, there is bullying and rudeness. I like how the author dealt with that. If it had been handled any other way it wouldn’t have fit the story. Finally, the romance is a second chance romance. Paul and Luna were high school sweethearts. They reconnect quietly and develop feelings slowly. It’s a very sweet love story.
Secrets are revealed, bad guys are caught, new friendships are made and love is rekindled in this story. If you like cozy stories, give this a try. It made me smile. I will read more from this author in the future.

This was just okay. It was a bit slow for me, however I did really like the characters. I liked the overall concept of the book but would have liked more excitement

The Summer That Shaped Us takes place on Hobby Island, a small private island in the Gulf of Mexico. Eloisa Hobby, has created a crafter's paradise, Crafters receive "Golden Tickets" for a summer retreat at the Island. Jeannie, a quilter, brings her daughter, Luna, and grand-daughter, Artemis with her. Artie is not to thrilled to find that there is no cell reception on the island, but does find a young girl with purple hair, Orion, to spend time with. Luna is surprised to see Paul, her high-school crush is a gardener on the island.
This was an enjoyable read. Jeannie, Luna, and Artie all had issues to process and deal with, and Hobby Island becomes the place to grow and expand their worlds. Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy of this title. The Summer That Shaped Us is available now!

Hobby Island, a resort for crafters created by Eloisa Hobby.
Jeannie, Luna and Artemis, grandmother, mother, daughter, who not only have trouble communicating with each other, but who have run into a rough patch. An invitation to Hobby Island and a quilting competition may be what gets them through. More than that, though, the magic of Hobby Island may be just what the women need to bring them together and bring light into their lives.
I was unsure about this story when I started reading, but after a few chapters, I didn't want to put it down. It follows the three women as they discover themselves. Over summer on Hobby Island, they find new interests and slowly find parts of their selves that have been hidden beneath the the stress and responsibility of everyday life. My favorite character was Artemis. She wasn't thrilled with Hobby Island at first, especially when she discovered there was no cell service or wi-fi, but was slowly drawn in by the magic and creative nature of the island. In the end, I think if was Artie who grew the most.
Truthfully, once I got into the story it brought to mind the children's game Candyland. I began to see the island in vibrant candy colors. Though some of the characters felt a bit too sweet, and the tone was sometimes over the top happy, the positive vibes and bit of whimsy with which the story was told provided a fun, enchanting escape.

This book had a ton of potential but fell flat for me. The characters felt very one dimensional and just spoke in cliches almost the entire time. The setting is pretty but it was a slog of a story for me.
I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a good book. It is about a family, a grandmother, Jeanie, mother, Luna, and daughter, Artie. They come to the Island because the grandmother has a golden ticket for the quilting contest. They meet new friends and lost loves. They meet people trying to steal their ideas, not everyone is honest. But through it all they have their family, they can depend on each other.

What a delightful story of perseverance, redemption, and second chances. Jeannie, Luna, and Artie travel to a magical island for a creative art retreat. It's by invitation only and the summer retreat will transform the three women.
Jeannie's in danger of losing the ancestral family home after her husband's death , Luna and her daughter Artie have moved in with her mother after her husband's murder left her having to pay for his mountain of gambling debts. Argue struggling to make sense of the world after her father, an ER Dr. Is murdered at work. Their lives are transformed at this miraculous island where they each come to terms with what's troubling them.
Delightful, magical, enjoyable are all words to describe this marvelous book.
Although I received a free ARC from net Galley and the publisher, all thoughts and opinions are the honest truth.

The Summer that Shaped us was. cute summer read! It is told from the perspectives of three different women from the same family who are overcoming some past trauma.
They are invited to Hobby Island, a place you go to do crafts and escape the "real world". There is no wifi, no phones, just you and your crafts and the people around you. You cannot just show up to Hobby Island, you must be invited.
I would love to find myself on Hobby Island.

I received a free arc of this book from NetGalley - this was a cozy fiction full of drama, family issues, betrayal and generational trauma. The crafting scene is not one I can relate to, and the repetitive phrases and unrealistic ease with which forgiveness was granted kept me from loving this quick read.

This book was a sweet, quick read about three generations of women spending time on a no-Wi-Fi island filled with crafts, journaling, and a little bit of magic. Told from three POVs, it’s about healing, forgiveness, friendship, and starting fresh - plus there’s a subtle romance with just a light touch of spice.
I loved the overall message and some of the quotes really stuck with me. The mother-daughter dynamics felt real and heartfelt, and the crafting element was a fun change of pace from what I usually read.
That said, the magical realism felt underdeveloped, and the setting of Hobby Island came off a little too perfect for my taste. I found myself waiting for conflict that never really came. Some characters, like Eloisa, felt more idealized than realistic.
Still, it was a cozy read with a lot of heart, and I appreciated the focus on growth and second chances.

Some books surprise you. Others hug your heart. The Summer That Shaped Us by Lori Wilde does both—with three generations of women, a heartfelt quilting competition, and enough twists to keep you guessing long after the last stitch.
As an avid reader of Lori Wilde, I know to expect deep emotion, Texas charm, and resilient women. This novel not only met those expectations—it exceeded them.
What I didn’t expect were the twists. Without spoiling anything, let’s just say there’s a reveal involving Eloisa’s past that adds rich complexity and will stay with you long after closing the book.
Synopsis
Luna Aldridge isn’t exactly the maternal type. Her relationship with her teenage daughter Artemis (Artie) is fractured, and she’s still working through pain from her own upbringing. When an unexpected invitation arrives for a summer quilting retreat on Hobby Island, Luna reluctantly accepts—only to find out Artie and Luna’s free-spirited estranged mother, Jeanie, are also invited.
Presiding over the retreat is the graceful and mysterious Eloisa Hobby, who challenges each woman to sew a quilt square telling her personal story. But as memories resurface, secrets unravel—and each woman must decide what’s worth stitching back together.
Standout Plot Threads
The quilting competition might sound quaint, but it’s the emotional centerpiece of the story. Each square becomes a symbol of forgiveness, fear, and love lost or rediscovered.
Favorite Quote:
“A quilt is more than scraps of fabric—it’s layers of history, stitched with hope.”
This powerful line captures what the story is really about, how quilting represents healing and deep connections between mothers, daughters, and grandmothers. It illustrates how each character’s journey is interwoven, much like the fabric pieces in a quilt, creating a tapestry of shared experiences and renewed connections.
Character Deep-Dive
Luna: Fiercely independent, emotionally guarded, but deeply relatable. Watching her soften and begin to trust again was incredibly satisfying.
Artie: The heart-stealer of the book. She’s snarky, wounded, and beautifully honest. Her growth is both hilarious and heartbreaking.
Jeanie: Her unconventional, “live-free” persona hides pain and regret. She’s the emotional thread that binds the trio.
Eloisa: Elegant and reserved, her character serves as both a catalyst and a mirror for the others. I loved how Wilde unraveled her storyline slowly and with purpose.
Themes of Healing, Hidden Truths, and Reconnection
Beneath the sunlit serenity of Hobby Island lies a tapestry woven with secrets, regrets, and the yearning for redemption. Each woman—Jeanie, Luna, and Artemis—carries her own burdens: Jeanie grapples with the aftermath of a financial scam, Luna mourns the loss of her husband while confronting past traumas, and Artemis navigates the tumultuous waters of adolescence and grief.
The quilting competition serves as more than a mere contest; it’s a catalyst for introspection and healing. As they stitch their stories into fabric, long-held resentments and unspoken truths come to light, challenging their perceptions and forcing them to confront their pain.
A pivotal twist emerges when a concealed family secret surfaces, threatening to unravel the fragile threads of trust they’ve begun to weave. This revelation tests their resilience and commitment to one another, ultimately leading to profound moments of vulnerability and understanding.
Through shared experiences and the therapeutic act of creation, the trio embarks on a transformative journey. Their time on the island becomes a crucible for change, where past wounds are acknowledged, and the path to forgiveness is charted.
Another Favorite Quote:
“Sometimes, the threads we fear will unravel us are the very ones that bind us closer together.”
Final Thoughts
Lori Wilde stitches together grief, love, and second chances in a way that feels authentic and uplifting. The Summer That Shaped Us is about what we pass down—whether through heirlooms, habits, or hurt—and the courage it takes to begin again.
This isn’t just a story of mothers and daughters—it’s a tribute to the complicated beauty of womanhood, with enough emotional weight and narrative richness to make it unforgettable.
If you love multigenerational stories with a strong emotional core, do yourself a favor and pick this one up. I highly recommend it.

I was hooked from the beginning!!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.