The Summer That Shaped Us by Lori Wilde is a charming, feel-good read that mixes family drama with a touch of magic. The story follows Luna, her daughter Artemis, and her mother Jeanie as they spend a transformative summer on a healing island retreat. I loved the relationships between the characters—each one had a unique perspective that made their growth throughout the novel really satisfying. The setting was perfect, and Wilde really captured that summer-vibes magic.

That being said, the pacing was a little slow for me in parts, and I wished the plot had moved faster. Still, if you're a fan of emotional family dramas with a bit of a cozy, escapist vibe, this one's a great pick! Rating: 3.5 stars.

Family dynamics have a funny way of becoming ingrained in you. Three generations of women who embark on a quilting competition to an island where secrets are revealed. The main characters are likeable and you’re rooting for them to succeed. Overall a light hearted read. Thanks NetGalley for an ARC.

A Magical Tale of Healing, Creativity, and Reconnection⁣
The Summer That Shaped Us by Lori Wilde is a heartfelt, enchanting story that invites readers to step into the vibrant, magical world of Hobby Island—a private haven for crafters in the Gulf of Mexico. ⁣
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From the first page, Wilde draws you into the island’s unique charm, where the colors seem brighter, the food tastes better, and every moment feels like a chance for renewal.⁣
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At its core, this is a story about family, healing, and rediscovery. The characters—Luna, her teenage daughter Artemis, and her sensitive mother Jeanie—are brought together by tragedy and an invitation to the island. Their journey of learning to trust, reconnect, and lean on one another is beautifully written, with plenty of heartfelt moments and touching insights. The eccentric yet wise Eloisa Hobby, the island’s founder, adds a touch of mystery and magic, guiding her guests with subtle wisdom.⁣
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The crafting element adds a unique layer to the story, making it feel tactile and grounded even amidst the emotional upheaval. Through weaving, painting, and creating, the characters find not only a sense of purpose but also themselves. As someone who loves stories about creativity and passion, I found this aspect of the novel super cute and uplifting.⁣
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What truly makes this book shine is its balance of poignant emotions and lighthearted moments. Wilde captures the complexities of mother-daughter relationships, grief, and second chances with depth and tenderness. At the same time, the island’s charm and the joy of creating make it a delight to read. There’s a little bit of a mystery to solve so I loved that element as well. ⁣
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If you’re looking for a feel-good story with a lot of heart, The Summer That Shaped Us is a must-read. It’s the kind of book that stays with you long after the final page, leaving you with a renewed appreciation for the power of connection, creativity, and the magic of new beginnings.⁣
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Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc! ⁣
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#bookreview

Thank you NetGalley for getting a chance to read this ARC.
The premise of the story of the dynamics of three different generations of women on a won trip to Hobby Island. The description of the island was descriptive and sounded peaceful and gorgeous.
The past traumas of Jeanie and her daughter Luna intertwine with their present. Add in a teenage daughter and arts and crafts and island with no outside WiFi or commotion and you have a good story. 3.5 ⭐️

Welcome to Hobby Island, a beautiful, colorful, whimsical island created exclusively for crafters! Those granted a golden ticket receive the honor of coming to the island to heal and create with the ever kind Eloisa Hobby. We meet Jeanie, the talented quilt maker, invited to join the annual crafting competition in hopes of winning the grand prize of $100k! Facing her own financial troubles, this is a godsend for her current situation and she is desperate to win! Her daughter, Luna, is facing troubles of her own and moves in with Jeanie along with Luna's teenage daughter, Artemis. As they make their way to and around Hobby Island we encounter moments of growth and healing among the little family of three and other we meet along the way!

While I will say it did take me time to get into this story, I grew to enjoy it. I so loved Hobby Island and wish so badly it existed IRL cause I want to go! It sounded so beautiful and really set the scene nicely. I loved walking through Luna, Jeanie, and Artemis' little adventures on the island alone and together. It was beautiful to watch them heal and grow together.

There was definitely times when I was frustrated with the characters and confused with their actions; however, obviously that's real! I was also utterly taken aback with one of the events that happened near the end of the book.

I was happy with the ending and overall, I did enjoy this read and would probably look into more books from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lori Wilde for allowing me to read an ARC of this book :)

The Summer That Shaped Us is a cozy story that combines a little mystery, a touch of romance, and a dash of fun locale. Makes fir a light and breezy read- three and a half stars!

*I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A great multi generational family story about growth and healing. I love the idea of an island escape. But there were so many slow portions of the story at times I was so close to DNF’ing this book.

The Summer That Shaped Us follows the story of Jeanie, who has won a golden ticket to Hobby Island, her daughter Luna, who is trying to piece her life back together after her husband’s death, and her granddaughter Artemis, who is trying to figure out who she is. They embark on a two month long stay hoping to win a crafting competition winning the grand prize of $100k, which Jeanie owes the bank after being scammed out of all her money. Jeanie also hopes that their time on the island can bring them all closer together and allow them to heal from all life has thrown at them.

The story is told from four different perspectives - Jeanie, Luna, Artemis, and Eloisa, the owner of Hobby Island. For the most part, the story cover the first couple of weeks they are on the island and then basically fast forwards to the last couple of days. During that timeframe, the three main characters (Jeanie, Luna, Artemis) tackle their issues almost head on. Jeanie finds the courage to open up to her daughter, Luna reunites with her high school love and learns secrets about their past that shaped who she is today, and Artemis faces her anger head on & works to overcome it.

I felt like all three characters definitely had growth and development throughout the story. While I was able to see a lot of Luna’s perspective, I also found her maddening during certain situations and wishing someone would go up to her and be like are you serious right now lady. Her story with Paul was showed a lot of her growth and also allowed Artemis’s story to tie into her anger very well.

Now the downside, the beginning of the book made it seem like it was going to be a mystery type story which I was very excited about but that really wasn’t the case. The mystery part was literally in the first chapter and then nothing until the end. Definitely disappointed but other than that, I enjoyed the book.

Overall 3.5 ⭐️

**Thank you #NetGalley and Avon for providing me with an ARC of #thesummerthatshapedus for my honest review**

Three lucky winners received the golden ticket for a chance at $100,000 prize on Hobby Island. Hobby Island is a magical place
Jeanie, Luna and Artie all go together and the mother,daughter and granddaughter team learn to forgive each other for their secrets and realize they need each other to win the grand prize that will save their house.
I enjoyed the quirky ladies that lived at Hobby and kept it magical.
Thank you NetGalley for ARC of this enjoyable book.

thanks to netgalley & the publisher, author of the this book for the ARC of this book! I have to believe there is going to be another one. There has to be. I need more Orion & Artemis. More of Paul, and all of the other characters I need the cliffhanger to not be a cliffhanger and I also want to move to hobby island ASAP. Purple is one of my favorite colors & now I have to get one of those Luna plants!

2.5
This was a cute, quick read, but it wasn’t for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the ARC!

This was an OK book. I did enjoy the idea of a family getting away to Hobby Island to escape the stress of life. The island description sounded so relaxful and there was so much to do. I would love to ride around on scooters and golf carts and not have cars. The family also had to work together, to try to win a quilting competition. If they win the cash reward, many of their worries back home will be solved. I also enjoyed that an old romantic flame was rekindled. I would recommend this as a quick enjoyable read!

I enjoyed this book. I found myself getting swept away and could not stop reading. Definitely a story that will stay with me.

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

If you're in the mood for a feel-good read that brings all the family vibes, The Summer That Shaped Us by Lori Wilde is exactly what you need. This book has everything: three strong women from the same family, each from a different generation, who come together for a summer that none of them will ever forget. It’s all about second chances, heart-healing, and the kind of life lessons only family can teach you.

What I loved most about this story is how relatable it felt. Whether you have a super close family or not, the bond between these women and the way they shape each other is something we can all recognize. There’s just something so real about the way they’re each trying to heal, love, and grow, making The Summer That Shaped Us both inspiring and comforting.

At its heart, this book is a reminder that we’re all just doing our best, and sometimes being open and vulnerable with the people we love most is the biggest step toward healing. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a book that’s warm, hopeful, and full of the kind of connections that make us better. Definitely a must-read!

I had high hopes for The Summer That Shaped Us, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to expectations. The premise had a lot of potential—returning to a small town, reconciling with the past, friendships, and healing—but the execution felt lacking.

The pacing was slow, and I struggled to connect with the characters, whose development felt somewhat surface-level. Some of the emotional moments didn’t land as deeply as I’d hoped, and it seemed like certain plot lines wrapped up too easily without fully addressing the conflicts.

While there were a few touching moments and glimpses of the charm I was looking for, it just wasn’t enough to keep me fully engaged. This one might be better suited to readers who enjoy a slower-paced, lighter read, but it didn’t quite resonate with me.

DNF

This book aims for charm and whimsy, but completely misses the mark. The dialogue reads as if written by AI and the story as a whole suffers from an extreme case of all tell and no show. While none of the characters are realistic, the teen daughter is a complete caricature.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC, but I just couldn’t do it.

The Summer That Shaped Us by Lori Wilde. Such a beautiful story. Love and happiness. The descriptions of the island are wonderful.

what a lovely read! this is my first read by this author and im excited to dive into more books by them. likeable characters, interesting plot and well thought out message. i would rate this 4/5 only for the fact that it didnt capture my attention as quickly as i wouldve liked

I LOVED THIS SO BOOK MUCH It was such a great read it was a great story and I really enjoyed it! it was such a good book.

The gorgeous cover & title pulled me in! This book had such good life lessons, I'm really glad I picked it up. I wish I could book a summer getaway to Hobby Island... even though I am not artistic.
This novel is in 4 POVs, mostly 3. Eloisa the island owner/organizer, Jeanie the grandmother, Luna the daughter to Jeanie & Artemis the grandaughter of Jeanie & daughter to Luna. All three have gone through so major life events lately and when Jeanie gets a golden ticket to getaway to Hobby Island for the summer, she brings her family along to allow them a reset from reality. There's also a second-chance romance thrown in, which I loved, but Luna annoyed me. The summer on the island allowed the family to grieve, learn, and let walls down. In all honesty, Jeanie was probably my favorite character. She isn't perfect but she's a people pleaser and while on the island she learns to stand up & prioritize herself. Even though some parts felt rushed or unrealistic to me, this is a feel-good book that I couldn't/didn't want to put down. I cannot wait to recommend it to others to read when it comes out on April 22, 2025.
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Thank you, NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.