I absolutely adore books set in Nantucket, and Summer Light on Nantucket by Nancy Thayer is a fantastic summer read. This book has the perfect blend of family drama, romance, and beach settings. I really liked the main character Blythe, and I felt like her portrayal was well-developed and believable. I also liked that she is an older main character. I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing, for the advance digital copy of Summer Light on Nantucket.

Fun summer read!

Good book about a family and their summer on Nantucket. The family dynamics were interesting in this story. The characters were well developed and believable. This book would have been higher rated if the love story of the main character would not have been so much like that of a teenager. In all other ways this character was just amazing - good mother, friend, ex-wife etc. I have liked other books by this author better.

A beautiful story about moving on. Blythe has been divorced for several years, her ex is living with a nice woman, and her four children are happy. What more could she want? What about something for herself? While on their annual vacation on Nantucket, Blythe meets a very nice man, but she also runs into her first love. She broke up with her sweetheart when he moved back to Ireland. He wanted her to go with him, but she didn't want to leave everything she knew. Now they have reconnected, and it is the same. She still loves him, and he still wants her to go to Ireland. She has so many responsibilities and doesn't want to leave her children. She has so much in common with the new man, but she is a little confused as to what to do. As she goes through her day-to-day routine, she starts to realize what she wants. Will she go to Ireland, or will she stay? Can she start a new life with a new man?

This was my first Nancy Thayer book and the results were good, but not great. Traditional women's lit book. Felt very much like a mash-up of Elin Hilderbrand and Susan Mallery. There were parts I really liked (including the idyllic setting) and parts I didn't (the eldest daughter SUCKED). I liked how quick it was, and the cover is absolutely stunning. I think I'll venture back to her books again soon. I love Elin Hilderbrand, but some of her books feel a little long. So these books might be the perfect middle-ground. Gives me something to look forward to. Like summer.

Blythe and her 3 children head to Nantucket to spend the summer. This follows her as she deals with her children’s problems, finds new love and comes to terms with running into her high school crush. This is a great women’s fiction beach read!

It wouldn’t be summer without a Nancy Thayer Nantucket book to read on vacation. Blythe is a divorced mom of four, spending the summer figuring out her future. Two possible love interests, a full time teaching job challenge her vision of herself. The kids are well defined and realistic. I love the Nantucket setting. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this good book and give an honest review.

Nancy Thayer is one author that takes you into the summer world on Nantucket. Her stories make a good beach read. They are warm hearted, light and breezy. You can get into this book quickly, get to know the characters and their backgrounds before they arrived for the summer vacation in Nantucket.

In this case, divorced mother Blythe and her four children descend upon the island to reside in the vacation home Blythe inherited from her grandmother. Life is complicated by the daily mischief her kids get into during their summer vacation. Blythe runs into the high school sweetheart that wants to pick up where they left off 30 years ago. When she meets newcomer to the island, Nick, Blythe is surprised that she can have as exciting a summer as her children. How can she ever decide between the two suitors vying for her affection?

This is a prefect beach read for this summer. So relaxing and lovely read. It makes me want to go on a beach vacation ASAP.

Summer Light on Nantucket by Nancy Thayer. I loved the story. Love the descriptions of places they went

I posted earlier this month that I was reading a book with a female character named Blythe, and a bookstagram friendput this book on my radar! Not only is the main character named Blythe, but she's a teacher in her forties and lives in my town! Quite a few crazy coincidences. Unfortunately I do not have a home to spend summers in on Nantucket like this Blythe does - and I also don't have four kids 🤣
The book takes place over one summer on Nantucket, and even though I've lived in the Boston area for over fifteen years I have yet to visit the island. Reading this book reminded me I really need to make that happen. The book follows Blythe and her kids, her ex-mother-in-law, long-time friends, and new visitors in a family-centered summer drama of beach days, relationships, and fun with a side of secrets. I hope my eventual trip to Nantucket is less dramatic, but I think readers who enjoy family drama will enjoy this one. It's realistic, besides schools in MA getting out in early June to have 3 months of summer vacation 🤣 Reading this was a great way to spend my travel day yesterday, and I finished it this morning with the spring, not summer, light. It was fun reading about Nantucket while I'm on a very different island for my spring break, enjoying the sun and sand, like in this view.
Many thanks to Random House, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for early access to this book in exchange for my honest review - it is available now.
Have you read a book with a main character who shares your name? It was a bit comical to read my name that many times!!

Summer Light on Nantucket, by Nancy Thayer, is the story of Blythe Anderson Benedict as she and her four children spend a pivotal summer at the summer home on Nantucket left to her by her dear grandmother. Blythe has spent every summer of her life on Nantucket, as have her kids. This summer will be fraught with teenage angst and coming of age incidents.

But it’s not only the kids filled with angst. Torn between a possible new love and the teenage boyfriend who left her behind, Blythe must navigate the choppy waters of her teenage children first loves, her ex-husband’s new relationship issues, and her dear ex-mother-in-law’s health scare.

With wonderfully drawn characters, picturesque settings, and a touching plot, Ms. Thayer has given her readers a lovely story filled with heart and touching on social topics ranging from the trials of relationships, raising children in today’s world, and caring for elders. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it.

Nancy Thayer’s Summer Light on Nantucket is a heartfelt, cozy summer read that invites readers to the scenic shores of Nantucket, where family, love, and second chances take center stage. The novel follows Blythe, a recently single mother of four, as she navigates a new chapter in her life during the sun-drenched summer months in her family's beloved island home. What makes this story particularly compelling is its grounded and mature portrayal of post-divorce life—not as a bitter end, but as the beginning of something new, nuanced, and full of possibility.
Thayer does a beautiful job illustrating the complex layers of modern family life. Blythe’s relationships—with her growing children, an ex-husband who remains part of her life because of their children, and a devoted ex-mother-in-law who remains firmly rooted in her life—are rich and tenderly explored. Her journey is one of personal growth, as she helps her children through their individual challenges while quietly pondering her own romantic future. Should she rekindle an old flame, or open her heart to someone new?
What stands out most is the sense of emotional maturity and grace that permeates the novel. Thayer presents a refreshing vision of divorced parents who continue to prioritize their children and maintain a respectful, even caring, friendship. It’s a dynamic we don’t often see portrayed with such warmth and realism, and one that feels aspirational in the best way.
Summer Light on Nantucket is perfect for readers who enjoy character-driven stories full of heart and hope. It’s not just a love story—though there is certainly romance—it’s a celebration of family in all its evolving forms, set against the backdrop of a picturesque island summer.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ebook which was published on April 22, 2025.

Summer light on Nantucket by Nancy Thayer is a wonderful story about a middle aged mother of four, Blythe Benedict. She is content with her life and her children, but really finds herself again during their summer on Nantucket. It’s a little hectic with her many children, her ex-mother in law and her high school boyfriend. Aiden was the one that got away, or was he the one that left and never came back? Blythe also meets a widower, Nick who has everything in common with her and makes her excited about dating again. This book will pull on your heartstrings. I couldn’t put it down.

A thoroughly delightful book that takes place over one summer on Nantucket. Blythe deals with some pretty big issues with class. Nick was such a great guy and Aaden was a selfish j***. This is my first book by Nancy Thayer and can’t wait to jump onto another soon!

Another great Nantucket read. I love reading these books in the summer. I can feel the beach breeze, warm sand, sunshine and think of good food, family, and laughter. This book follows Blythe, a 40-something divorcee and mother of four, as she navigates her annual summer in Nantucket with unexpected love interests—a former serious, high school boyfriend and a new friendship with a widowed man. The book encapsulates the summer that is filled with teenage challenges, an ex-mother-in law who she has an endearing friendship with, an aggressive sister in law, new relationships and a continued friendship with her divorced spouse and his partner. It shows the complexities of the modern family again the backdrop of Nantucket charm.

I love reading books set in Nantucket! Nancy Thayer writes what I like to call comfort novels and this one was no different. Blythe is facing a summer on Nantucket with her kids and runs into an old flame. Then she meets a new flame and who knows what is going to happen there! As she is dealing with her mother in law’s health crisis, her ex husband’s secrets and her kids dramas, Blythe also has a lot to figure out for herself.
A nice, cozy read for a hot beach day, Nancy Thayer is one of the summer romance queens.

A beautiful setting on Nantucket with some pleasant characters. It took a while to get into the story though as I felt it was very bland and quite predictable. It seems that Blythe wanted to recapture the past that she never let go of her high school love after seeing him decades after he left her to go back to Ireland. I felt the whole storyline was not realistic. I mean, who in their right mind would have made a life, married, had children, divorced, and forget all that as if it didn't exist and seriously consider running off to another country just because an old flame wants her to because he thinks he can change her mind. He was not a likable character. I was rather disappointed as I have enjoyed other books by Nancy Thayer so much better. So, it was just okay for me, something that was a fast read and good on a rainy afternoon, but not memorable. many thanks to #netgalley #nancythayer for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Summer Light on Nantucket is like a summer breeze on a beautiful day. It takes you to another place and makes you wish you could be there. Blythe Benedict is divorced, content, and raising 4 children with her ex-husband Bob. Blythe and the kids are looking forward to their traditional summer spent on Nantucket. Blythe has a house there and Bob's mother, Celeste, lives there and adores them all. Bob will be coming with his girlfriend about a month into the summer. The kids will move in with Celeste at that time to spend time with Bob. Blythe has been a substitute teacher at a middle school near home and the principal has offered her a full-time job. Decisions must be made this summer, but she's got time to think them through.

When they arrive on Nantucket, the 4 kids unpack and go their separate ways. They all have friends to catch up with and plans to make. 3 of the kids are teenagers and the youngest is 10. The oldest daughter will have her boyfriend staying with them for one month. Blythe is making him sleep in the family room so that he's on a different level than the other kids. No sneaking into bed with her daughter on Blythe's watch! They go to the club with Celeste for dinner the first night. Celeste has a new man in her life since her husband passed a couple of years ago. Blythe doesn't think she'll ever meet anyone she wants to be with longterm until her high school sweetheart shows up. He lives in Ireland so she is shocked to see Aaden. They reconnect and it feels like old times until Blythe meets Nick. Decisions have to be made this summer, but she's got time to think them through.

Blythe is the glue holding everything together for so many. It gets harder when Celeste has a health crisis, her kids struggle with first loves and heartbreaks, and Bob is hiding a secret that only she knows about. She also has to make a decision between Aaden and Nick. Will Blythe find relaxation and peace while on vacation? Will she find love? Will Blythe find a way to help Celeste and Bob? Summer Light on Nantucket is a wonderful book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I loved being on Nantucket even if it was only through this book. I rate Summer Light on Nantucket 4 stars with a high recommendation. The book is available now and is a perfect beach read. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of Summer Light on Nantucket in exchange for a fair review. #SummerLightOnNantucket

Summer Light on Nantucket was a lighthearted, easy to read summer book. The characters are likable, the Nantucket setting gives a happy vibe and the descriptions of summer food were perfect. In the middle of the book, the plot was very slow, and somewhat boring. But the ending was brought it to a sweet, carefree close.

I loved this book! Nancy Thayer always writes such good stories. Of course I'm a big beach fan so her books always keep me entertained. Its a great story. You won't be disappointed!