I found myself incredibly annoyed for the majority of this book. The 3 main characters were not likable to me in the least and I couldn’t get myself to buy into the point of the story. I get that it was about redemption and overcoming your flaws. But the resolution for Jeanie and Luna (especially Luna) didn’t not feel believable.

Artie was an okay character. She was the typical teenager with way too big of feelings. She was annoyed at her mom and craved friendship. Her storyline was bearable for me.

Jeanie was such a pushover. Even in the end when she “put up boundaries” she didn’t actually do it. She still forgave too easily and it didn’t feel like her “issues” actually got resolved.

Luna… oh man, Luna. I couldn’t stand her. She was so wishy-washy and just rude to Paul for absolutely no reason. She kept making him to be a bad guy when it had been proven (and she admitted several times) that he has done nothing wrong and always put her feelings and needs first. He deserves so much better than her, honestly. Her epiphany in the hospital was out of left field and I couldn’t believe anything she thought or said.

Other than that, the writing just felt repetitive and I couldn’t buy into the story. Just not for me.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked how it talked about family relationships, friendship, and romance. It was very heartfelt. What I also liked was how Lori made Hobby Island seem so real. I look forward to reading her next book. I am grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the idea of this book.

A crafters weeklong get away on an island all expenses paid? No one could turn that down. And that is how Jeanie, her daughter Luna, and her granddaughter Artemis all end up on Hobby Island. All three women learn more about themselves, their relationships and each other.

This book was a little too much. No one really struggled that much, there was a problem and oop its fixed. Also a few of the story lines were completely unbelievable, at least to me. Everything ended up with a nice pretty bow on it and I'm not that optimistic about life to not be annoyed by that.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC. Publication date is April 22, 2025.

The Summer that shaped us was a really cute Summer read! It is a cozy fictional book about three generations of women. This was written in three point of views and was a fast paced, quick read! It is full of mystery and magic and takes place on an Island near Padre Island. This island doesn’t have wifi, so they are there escaping into hobbies and crafts. This book is about friendships, possible romance, magic and enjoying life. I really enjoyed the quotes in this book! Overall, I rate this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Lori Wilde and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon publishing for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This Sunmer book is expected to be published on April 22, 2025!

Unfortunately, this just wasn't the book for me. I like Lori Wilde, and I have nothing against her or her writing (in fact, I usually love it!). I just couldn't get into the book.

Lori Wilde is a new author and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I’m thrilled to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

The story centers around three generations of women: Jeanie (the grandmother), Luna (the middle-aged daughter), and Artie (the teenage granddaughter). When Jeanie wins a two-month trip to the idyllic Hobby Island, Luna and Artie join her on this unexpected getaway. The trio finds solace in the peaceful surroundings, each needing a break from their own personal struggles.

The characters' journey revolves around forgiveness—of themselves and others—learning to lower their walls, and moving away from fear-based living. It’s a poignant exploration of the emotional complexities that bind us, especially when it comes to intergenerational trauma.

This book is perfect for anyone who enjoys a cozy and engaging read that strikes a balance between lighthearted moments and deeper, more reflective themes. Definitely a must add to TBR! 💖

Grab your own copy on April 22, 2025!!

Thank you @Netgalley @Avonbooks @HarperVoyageUSfor the ARC opportunity in exchange for my honest review, it was a wonderful read 📚💖

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for my review. I love stories that give you hope when people have been wronged. There really is such a thing as some people who have wronged others confessing and making things right. At Hobby Island, crafters are invited to the island to do their crafts and possibly win prize money. There certainly are guests who are jealous and will do whatever it takes to win….no matter what. This book has so much going on including a second chance at romance, gaining new friendships and family. I love how this book came together in the end.

Be prepared to be utterly charmed in this new story shaped, fashioned, designed, and lovingly crafted in true Lori Wilde fashion. We are off on an adventure to Hobby Island where the atmosphere is one of encouragement, friendship, humor, creativity, and hope. The island is stocked with plenty of unique characters that play a key role in the heartwarming drama that is the center of the storyline. Who ran a spam that cost somebody a considerable sum of money. The internet is ripe with such instances, and you would think a website that deals with quilting, and such would be an unlikely target. But you would be wrong.
And so with the inimitable imagination of Lori Wilde we find ourselves on an island rich with purples, turquoises, and many other colors. Several women received an invite, a golden ticket, yes you read that right. They were selected from a substantial number of members for one purpose. For Eloise Hobby to find the underlying cause of the crime. Are you smiling yet? Trust me you will.
Chapters in THE SUMMER THAT SHAPED US start with a quote from Eloise Hobby. The heart craves community the way plants crave rain. Be like watercolor. Blend but don’t lose yourself. These quotes introduce Ms. Hobby’s philosophy and bring her to life.
So, Lori Wilde uses the title of this book to carefully outline a theme of sorts in this magical story. Life does have a way of shaping us. Our future paths are very well plotted by our past experiences, even if that isn’t self-evident. We are brought together with an interesting premise. Someone hacked into Hobby Islands website for illegal reasons that would become apparent during the book. Paul manages the website and brought the issue to Eloise attention, who thought of a scheme to find the underlying cause of this problem. She invited a group of followers of her website to a quilting tournament. Jeanie and Luna along with Luna’s daughter Artie were newcomers. They had all received the coveted gold ticket. Only Paul and Eloise knew which of the group had peaked his interest. Jeanie and her family were extremely interested in winning the grand prize. Their personal lives had gone through major financial issues. That prize just might be their salvation.
So the race is on. The competition is keen. And not all competitors are playing fairly. Lori Wilde provides lots of leads on who stole the money, but the detective work is squarely left in the readers’ hands. THE SUMMER THAT SHAPED US is still another joyous story that compels the reader to keep turning pages.

I enjoyed this book about people going away to Hobby Island to enjoy their crafts and escape “everyday life”. Since I am a crafter myself, this was right up my alley. No cell phones, no wi-fi … sounds fabulous to me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

Hobby Island is a private retreat for crafters. Eloisa Hobby, who owns the retreat,believes if you can lose yourself in perfecting your hobby, you will prepare yourself for life’s challenges. Jeanie, who has foolishly lost her money to a romantic scam, wins a golden ticket to the retreat for an expense paid summer, and a chance to win a lot of prize money making if her quilting wins first place. She brings her daughter, Luna,whose recently deceased husband, has gambled away their savings. Artie, her granddaughter, a rebellious teenager, reluctantly agrees to join them. And thus their story begins.
The premise for this story had potential, but the writing seemed flat and predictable. I forced myself to finish it, so I could write a fair review.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC :)

3 stars leaning towards 2.5.

I loved the description of Hobby Island a lot and that for me was the best and most well done part of this book.

The author skimmed the surface on a lot of aspects like magical realism and I wish authors would stop inserting so much unnecessary dramatics when it does not add anything.

I enjoyed reading this story. At the very beginning, I was a little confused since there are so many characters, but the more I read, I was able to figure all the characters out. I absolutely love the description of Hobby Island! It sounds like a beautiful place that everyone should visit. I also enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. This island is just the place that Jeanie, Luna, and Artie needed.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for allowing me to read this ARC.
#thesummerthatshapedus
#netgalley

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my review.

The Summer That Shaped Us by Lori Wilde is an emotional story about three generations of women reconnecting on a charming Gulf island. With themes of healing, family bonds, and self-discovery, the novel delivers heartfelt moments, though some twists feel expected. I will say, I would love to visit Hobby Island myself!

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyage and Netgalley for the Adanced E-ARC of this title.

I think this book had really good bones, but missed on the execution. There is a lot going on, but yet big plot points are forgotten or resolved in a mere chapter.
I liked the element of mystery in the book and that is really what captured my attention to finish it.
I just don't think this book was for me.
I won't post review to Goodreads or Amazon to not affect author or book ratings ahead of release.

Thank you!

Hobby Island is a beautiful place to spend time. Luna has moved back to her mother's house with her teenage daughter. Lunas husband was killed while working in the ER and she finds out there is no money, and she has to sell everything. Jeanie is keeping secrets from her daughter and struggling to keep ownership of the family home.
Eloisa Hobby owns the island, and she invites special guest to spend the summer for arts and crafts with a grand prize winner each year. This year she has invited Jeanie along with her daughter and granddaughter.
Upon arriving Luna finds that her teenage boyfriend lives and works on the island and she hasn't seen him in years.
This is a wonderful story of letting go and learning to trust and live again.

This book follows Jeanie, who is invited to Hobby Island for a quilting competition, her daughter Luna, and her granddaughter Artemis. I really liked the premise of each woman being on their own individual journey of self discovery and healing while also being on a journey together, strengthening their bonds.

This book had great potential, but in my opinion, it fell slightly short. The underlying sense of magical realism could have been explored more which would have kept me more engaged and interested throughout the book. Additionally, I found several unnecessary conflicts and dramatic events among characters that felt random and unrelated to the main storyline. I would rate this a 2.5, it just wasn’t for me, but am rounding up to 3.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

⭐️ 2/5
Third person POV, multiple narratives

I thought this story had an interesting premise, but the execution fell flat. The characters lacked depth, and the pacing felt uneven, making it hard to stay engaged. It was almost as if multiple authors or AI wrote the book. It just wasn’t polished and seemed rather choppy. While the small-town setting was charming, the emotional impact didn’t quite land. It had potential, but overall, it was just okay.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me this ARC of the book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

It seems that Hobby Island is more than a getaway for hobbyists. With its beautiful scenery, fragrant flowers and wonderful weather it could almost be paradise, at least for crafters that is.
This book focuses on and family consisting of Jeannie (Grandmother), Luna (Mother) and Artemis (daughter) who through a series of setbacks have been chosen to receive a golden ticket for a two month stay on the island with an opportunity to win $100,000 as grand prize money for the best finished item in a hobby category.
Sound fanciful? Yes, but it is also an island where friendships are made, where the future is not dictated by your past and where love shines through. The author has written a wonderful book of hardships, heartache and treachery. But also of how a fractured family can finally heal.
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collin’s Publisher for the Arc. This review is my honest opinion.

The Summer That Shaped Us is a sweet story of 3 generations of women. Jeanie, her daughter, Luna and granddaughter, Artemis, travel to Hobby Island to spend the summer crafting. All three have secrets they’d rather not share, but as they form new relationships on the island they learn about themselves and each other.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This my review for this book.

I wanted to like it. It is so hard to follow with missing plots I do like the aspect of a free island getaway. I loved the island and the people on the island. The book jumps around alot and I didn't care for it.