Blythe is recently divorced and goes to Nantucket every summer. Lots of different issues teen drama personal drama. Such a cute read

Admittedly, I don’t understand the title of this book. Other than a few mentions of light, it is pretty typical Nancy Thayer fare. Admittedly, I love Nancy Thayer, and this book was no exception. It’s just that the title doesn’t seem to fit the book. Regardless, I really enjoyed the things of this book. As someone close in age to the main character, Blythe, the ideas of all of the kinds of love she experiences, and those she chooses was relatable as was the acknowledgment of all of her mother‘s worries about her children, her home, and her return to full time work. This was a delightful beach read! Thank you to NetGalley for providing early access, even if my schedule pushed it to my own beach vacation!

It’s one thing to be a mom of four older children and trying to decide if you should continue your career, but to be divorced and realize you need more companionship is something Blythe wasn’t prepared for this summer. 

Nantucket has always been a sense of relief and a perfect place for the main family to spend their summers. Steadfast forty-something-year-old Blythe is continually managing her children’s schedules and making sure they are getting everything they need to have fulfilling lives. She’s made it through her divorce well enough and even mildly likes her ex-husband’s girlfriend. However, when her island friend introduces the attractive Nick, Blythe is feeling things she hasn’t felt for a long time. Throw in the mix of seeing her high school boyfriend, Aaden, Blythe is in for a roller coaster of emotions this summer.

Where to start…characters. I did not enjoy many characters here. The author seemed to want to portray Blythe as the perfect mom and that she does everything right. Her character, at best, is two-dimensional, though I would argue she might even be one-dimensional. The fact that she strung two men for a while does not settle well with me or offering to pay for her daughter’s lying boyfriend’s sailing and tennis lessons for the summer? That doesn’t even make any sense. I also did not like either man she was attracted to. One continually wants her to follow him to a different country and the other pushes her decision on her career path. Then, there were so many one-dimensional, bland characters that it was frustrating to keep track of. On top of that, there were so many divorced and/or widowed adults in this novel, it seemed unrealistic. It was almost as if the author was stating everyone inevitably becomes divorced.

The plot was slow and very surface level. It was almost only tell, not show, which made the read more challenging to enjoy. The constant talk about food, cleanliness, where people/children are, the repetition of Blythe’s background, and overall plot repetition was exhausting. Never mind her playing with two men was juvenile. Then, there was a constant talk about beauty and how certain girls are beautiful while others are not. There was even a mention how glasses aren’t beautiful so that particular girl needed contact lenses to become beautiful. What? This is not only absurd, but a terrible way to look at what makes a person beautiful. 

It also seemed the author wanted to include as many topics as possible in one book: Divorce, remarriage, widowed, dishonesty, love triangle, infidelity, drug usage, fights, teenage angst, etc. However, none seemed deep or well-developed enough, so it became too much.

"Summer Light on Nantucket" is receiving 2 out of 5 stars from me. The text was simple enough to read and definitely a lighter book, so perhaps there is an audience for this type of read. Unfortunately, I am not one of them. However, those we do not mind surface level, lighter reads might enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher (Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballatine Books) for giving me the opportunity to read “Summer Light on Nantucket”. All opinions are my own.

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

This was a great summer read. It really made me feel like I was in Nantucket!

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-copy of Summer Light on Nantucket by Nancy Thayer in exchange for a honest review.This is a perfect beach read for the summer.This book is set on Nantucket and the story revolves around Blythe Benedict a forty something divorcee with 4 tween/ teenagers who is trying to navigate her summer on Nantucket.There is lots of drama, new love/old love/ young love and teenage angst but Blythe does her best to navigate the summer rat race while trying to find her best life..Quick read that you won’t be able to put down.

A Nancy Thayer novel is always the perfect way to start the season. You just cant go wrong with some sunshine and a solid women’s fiction book. I love second chance romances but this one had a spin to it and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Blythe is juggling her four kids, ex husband, ex in-laws, a new potential beau, and her first love. Her character was relatable in so many ways -hard working, caring, patient, and so kind. I think a lot of readers will appreciate how down to earth she is.

A warm, breezy story about family, first love, and second chances. Thayer’s trademark Nantucket charm shines through in this tale of summer drama, tender reconnections, and the ties that hold us together.

Summer Light on Nantucket...
You can always count on Nancy Thayer for a good summer beach read! This book shows both the humorous and serious sides of parenting teens/preteens, divorce and co-parenting after the breakup, loving and not always loving some of your ex in-laws, and the ups and downs of finding new love or, maybe rekindling old love after the breakup. Moving forward, moving back, or finding your own way. A quintessential and current summer beach read.

Perfect summer read! Nantucket is a beautiful setting for these types of books, and add the family drama to the setting and it was a wonderful book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was truly excited to start this one — everything about it drew me in: the cover, the title, the description. And New England? That’s my soft spot.

To be honest, I expected a bit more from the story. The romantic arc between Blythe and Nick felt a little flat to me. There was a lack of passion or emotional depth in their relationship — perhaps that’s something we’ll see more of in a possible sequel?

The book primarily explores Blythe’s life after her divorce: her dynamic with her children, her ex-husband, and her former mother-in-law, as she tries to rebuild her personal life. One character who consistently annoyed me was Aaden. Even though he didn’t appear often, every scene he was in highlighted just how self-centered and narcissistic he was — a man clearly driven by his own desires, with little regard for others.

Overall, it’s a light, breezy read — perfect for a single evening. A story of a near-perfect mom of four navigating life post-divorce.

Rating: 4/5
I personally would have loved a bit more intrigue and emotional drama to fully draw me in.

Another great summer read from Nancy Thayer. Wonderful Nantucket Island location, family drama/relationships, old flame reappearing along with a new love interest. These are some of the story lines in this easy to read book. Ms Thayer strikes gold again this summer!

If Nancy Thayer has one fan, it's me! Her books equal summer in my mind, and this was no exception. I love that I can picture myself bopping around Nantucket like her characters. Always a yes for me!

Blythe Benedict is fulfilled. Her life went on when her marriage didn’t. She’s more than content living in her Boston house while raising her four wonderful children and working as a middle schoolteacher. Blythe has plenty of turmoil in her life with her three kids in the throes of teenagehood and one close to that to keep her active every single day of her life.

Nothing can change their favorite annual family summer trips to Nantucket. Blythe has always hold dear her island memories of her children at her home-away-from-home in Nantucket. But this summer’s visit proved to be more than she signed up for.

Of course, there are plenty of sunny days at the beach. But Blythe must deal with an ex-mother in law’s failing health, troubled children and her ex-husband’s troubling kept secret. Blythe’s high school sweetheart and first love, Aaden, comes back into the picture. But this second chance romance gets complicated when another intriguing man comes into the picture.

Blythe no longer has a safe space in this atmosphere. This particular summer may not be as relaxing as she may think. Blythe has never felt that life has given her more than she could handle—especially when she has the love and backing of her family.

What a fun read! Kept always wondering what would come up for this interesting, intriguing and complicating family. But love, family values and togetherness shown through. I believe this is Nancy Thayer’s best novel yet. Really enjoyed this read! You won’t want to miss her newest book! A must read!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers in letting me read this book and allowing me to leave an honest review.k

I enjoyed this book . It was very descriptive and detailed. It was slow moving at times but still a good read.Blythe is spending the summer with her 4 children, her daughters’s boyfriend and has to make a choice between an old lover and a new one. Blythe reminisces about her first love, her marriage, and contemplates her future. She is torn between resurrecting a past relationship or starting a new one. I would recommend this book. I was given an arc from Net Galley but this is my honest review.

I love to start my summer with a Nancy Thayer novel. She is a great writer of women's fiction and this one did not disappoint me. I love the character of Blythe who is moving past her divorce with her four kids in Boston. She spends the summer on Nantucket with her kids and they are all going through their own stuff and of course leaving Mom in the dark. While staying on Nantucket she is introduced to Nick and her first love resurfaces. She has to decide what she wants to do about these two relationships while still trying to be a parent. I related to Blythe in so many ways and loved the way it turned out. Being introduced to each of her children was a joy in this book. Thank you #NetGalley and they publisher for the ARC of this book. .

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for my ARC of this book!

It was a fun summer read about family dynamics, finding love again and redefining adult life after divorce - focusing on Blythe, a mother, with 4 teenage children, who spends every summer living on Nantucket. It was a fun read to get my summer TBR started and makes me want to spend a summer on Nantucket!!

I am a big Nancy Thayer fan, but this was definitely one of my least favorites of hers. To me, it lacked depth in characters and jumped around too much. I also just didn’t really like any of the characters besides Celeste.

Nancy Thayer has always drawn me to her beach reads. Seeing this book about Nantucket, divorce, family drama, and finding yourself amongst it all really drew me in and gave me high hopes. I have to say, this one fell short for me. I just could not connect to the characters. The FMC just did not sit right with me and everything just kind of slotted into place a little too cookie cutter for me on this one. The setting of Nantucket and hopes that something unpredictable would happen kept me reading, but at the end I felt as if I had red that same book a bunch of times before. I know this author will draw me into another one of their books because I have loved others and this one will not deter me from them.

Would you like to take a trip to Nantucket? I sure would, but since that's impossible, I'll just read about Nantucket life! Nancy Thayer wrote an amazing book, Summer Light On Nantucket, which I throughly enjoyed reading!
After Blythe Benedict's marriage ended, this school teacher decided to take her three teenage children on their annual summer trip to Nantucket.
The twist and turns and unexpected pitfalls keep her on edge, but she's never felt that life gives her more than she can handle. Is she given a second chance on life? Read this book and enjoy as I did!

Escaping to Nantucket on the wings of a novel by Nancy Thayer is a summertime tradition for me. Summer Light on Nantucket is yet another appealing ode to Thayer’s home island, and her poetic descriptions of Nantucket made me want to book a flight to ACK for the weekend. This particular tale is strongest when focusing on the isle and the chaos of day to day family life at the core of the story. While not the best of Thayer’s tales, it was nonetheless a delight to read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the privilege of a complementary ARC. Opinions are my own.