Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
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A touching novel about parenthood, first love, family bonds, and rekindled relationships from the New York Times bestselling author and beloved Nantucket storyteller Nancy Thayer.

Blythe Benedict is content. Her life didn’t end when her marriage did. In fact, she’s more than happy living in her comfortable house in Boston, working as a middle school teacher, and raising four wonderful children. With three of her kids in the throes of teenagerhood and one not too far behind them, Blythe has plenty of drama to keep her busy every single day.

But no amount of that drama could change the family’s beloved annual summer trip to Nantucket. Blythe has always treasured the months spent at her island home-away-from-home, and has fond memories of her children growing up there. But this summer’s getaway proves to be much more than she bargained for.

Yes, there are sunny days enjoyed at the beach. But Blythe must contend with teenage angst, her ex-mother-in-law’s declining health, and a troubling secret involving her ex-husband. Meanwhile, Blythe reconnects with her first love, her former high school sweetheart Aaden. But their second-time-around romance becomes complicated when another intriguing man enters the picture.

It’s all a bit out of Blythe’s comfort zone. This particular island summer may not be as relaxing as Blythe had hoped, but she’s never felt that life has given her more than she can handle—especially when she has the love and support of her family around her.
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Every summer, I look forward to a new Nancy Thayer novel. After all, what summer would be complete without a trip to Nantucket, if only in my mind? Her ability to capture the beauty and magic of this island (which I have never actually visited) is a delight. I also look forward to the relationships she writes so well, whether they are romantic relationships or friendships or family relationships. She has a real ability to capture the day-to-day nuance in the interactions between people and make them come alive.

That being said, this one was a little less interesting of a story for me. While it still had all the elements that make Thayer’s books special for me, I found myself caring just a little bit less than usual about the love story than I usually do. It wasn’t enough to make it a bad read for me or for me not to recommend it…fans of this type of book will still really enjoy it. But it was not a one-sitting book like so many of Thayer’s books have been in the past. Still, I would give it a solid four stars and recommend it to fans of women’s fiction who enjoy Elin Hilderbrand, Mary Alice Monroe, Dorothea Benton Frank, and similar authors.

Thayer's fans, especially those who look forward to her annual offering, will be pleased with this latest that sees Blythe enjoying a tumultuously romantic summer on Nantucket alongside her four kids, her mother in law, and her ex-es. That's right, exes. She's divorced from Bob (and knows something he doesn't) and she's reunited with Aaden, her high school love who moved to Ireland. But is Aaden right for her? Her widowed mother in law Celeste is exploring a new relationship and her teen daughter is obsessed with her boyfriend (which Blythe isn't happy about about). And there's a new man in the offing for Blythe. Thayer fans know that she has a somewhat stilted style (and sometimes just lists things) and that as usual this would have benefited from another edit to eliminate from of the repetition. There's family drama with the kids (the kids, btw, are great), good food (Thayer always describes meals) and it's an easy read. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read in advance of the summer or to tuck in your beach bag.

I enjoyed this light, summer read. The relationship Blythe and her ex-husband, her ex-MIL, and her children is just beautiful. It was interesting to see her relationship choices between her ex high school boyfriend and a new love interest she met on Nantucket. There were so many little stories interwoven into the book. I enjoyed reading this book. It is a great vacation beach read.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.

I love Nancy Thayer's Nantucket novels and some day I'm going to go to Nantucket because of Thayer. This was the usual good novel

Summer Light on Nantucket is another cozy beach read from Nancy Thayer. The story follows Blythe and her children over the course of the summer in Nantucket. There is romance, some family drama and wonderful summer memories for the family. Thank you to RandomHouse Publishing Group/Ballantine.

This was a sweet beach read about first loves, second chances, and modern families. Blythe is a woman 3 years into her divorce looking to take her children for a fun summer on Nantucket. Right before she leaves she sees her ex-husbands girlfriend kissing someone else. As she grapples with whether to say anything or not, she runs into her first love from high school who broke her heart. Blythe isn’t sure she is ready to put herself out there again, but then she meets another man who makes her heart flutter. What was supposed to be a peaceful summer, soon turns into quite an eventful few months. This book did a nice job exploring past loves and current loves, and how modern families can look. A sweet read about figuring out what you want in life, and realizing your life can keep changing. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

Bring on the summer reads! A great first choice. A very realistic look at today’s life’s dynamics. Blythe is a 40+ year old divorcee, who has a good relationship with her ex. Mother of four, works as a substitute teacher in Boston and is spending the summer vacation in Nantucket with her kids. Life is always on the hectic side as one would expect with teenagers, but when one is matched up with a very interesting man. Then add to the mixed your first crush/ love happens to also be vacationing in Nantucket. Could life get anymore complicated? Oh but it does!
Love the fast pace telling of the story. Has a good balance of drama, first love, old love, new love, growing old and remembering to take some all important Me Time. Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed are mine own. #SummerLightsonNantucket

In Summer Light on Nantucket by Nancy Thayer, divorcee and teacher Blythe takes her four children ranging in age from eleven to sixteen, three girls and a boy, to her grandmother’s house on Nantucket that she inherited for the summer. They actually spend every summer in Nantucket instead of Boston where they live and spend regular weekend nights at their father’s apartment with him and his girlfriend.

Their grandmother, their father’s mother, also lives on Nantucket, and adores the kids and Blythe.

The summer starts out with Blythe’s oldest daughter Miranda wanting her boyfriend Brooks to sleep in her room. Blythe puts her foot down and Brooks sleeps in a small bedroom on another floor.

Then Blythe bumps into her high school sweetheart, Aaden, her first love, who moved to Ireland, that she hasn’t seen in 25 years, and she’s shocked.

She also meets a really nice man, Nick,a friend of a friend, when she goes to dinner at the yacht club with Celeste, her ex-husband’s mother.

Soon she is being pursued by two handsome men although she has no desire for a relationship. She’s busy thinking about whether she wants to accept a full time teaching job back in Boston in the fall now that the kids are older.

Blythe loves Nantucket. She thinks the summer light on Nantucket is different from any other light in the world, carrying mists from the ocean and perfume from the earth and she wished she could be a bird just briefly, to soar through the summer sky.

Aaden and Nick both spend time with Blythe who’s having trouble choosing between them while also navigating her children and their problems.

What will happen? Who will she choose? Will she become a full time teacher next year?

You’ll have to read this lovely family story to find out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for granting access to this arc/alc.

Nancy Thayer has done it again! She is back with another fantastic beach read. While I think I liked her 2024 release a little bit better, I still thoroughly loved this amazing Nantucket beach read and Nancy is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors to read in the summer. For the readers (like me) who are upset that Elin Hilderbrand is no longer writing novels set on Nantucket, Nancy's books such as this one, may be a good substitution. You can't help but be happy while reading this book. I can almost guarantee it! Furthermore, Andi Arndt was the perfect narrator for this story, and I hope she is chosen to read more of Nancy's audiobooks in the future!

A summer on Nantucket sounds blissful. And for the Benedict family who come every year, they are excited and looking forward to all their fun and traditions. But of course, there are many trials and tribulations that happen in this summer on Nantucket. A book about growing pains and growing up and lessons learned in life. A great summer read that you will not be able to put down.

Blythe is a divorced woman who 4 kids to raise and lives in Boston her parents moved to Arizona when they retired and have no interest in Blythe or the children. When she was growing up she loved to spend the summers on Nantucket with her grandmother who in turn left her the beloved Nantucket home when she passed away. Blythes mother in law is a full timer on Nantucket and her and Blythe have always been close & gotten along very well.
I really enjoyed the relationships that were formed with the Summer property and the family dynamics of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for ARC of this book.

Blythe has always spent her summers in the house she inherited on Nantucket. Even as a single mom with four teenagers, she continues the tradition. As if there wasn't enough teen angst in the house, she meets a new man, her first love returns and her ex mother-in-law has a health scare.

As usual with Thayer, you will end up wanting to spend all of your summers on Nantucket too. It's also nice to read a story where a woman of a certain age still has a life and a future and can have some fun. This was nice breach read, but not much other than that. Which is exactly what this book is trying to do.

Summer Light on Nantucket by Nancy Thayer, my first actual beach read of this year. Nantucket is the setting in this story line, that centers around Blythe and her children. Every summer they spend several months, enjoying the summer and life that they encounter there. Blythe has a major decision to make, and she runs into her first love almost as soon as they get there. Teenage angst, secrets, and new love all take main stage in this book. Overall this was an very good read, and I would recommend it to others.

I received and ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

Summer at the beach should be blissful, but for Blythe it becomes a bit stressful.
Happily divorced with four teenagers Blythe and her children are spending the summer at their home on Nantucket while she contemplates a career change. But unexpectedly, she finds herself distracted by two love interests, her ex-mother in law’s health problem and the struggles of her children an ex-husband.
An excellent, endearing book filled with memories of the past and hopes for the future. A book about a close knit family, young love and even love for the not so young. Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Ballantine Books for the ARC. I voluntarily read this book and this review is my honest opinion.

I always enjoy Nancy Thayer's beautiful descriptions of summer life on Nantucket! Enjoyable story of beachy daily life with some family drama mixed in. I liked the drama that each kid went through correlated with their respective ages. I liked the middle-aged mom perspective of summer life (endless cooking and laundry, with some relaxation time squeezed in when possible!), though I needed to suspend reality a bit to go along with the single-mom being SO fully and completely financially supposed by her ex that she was able to basically not work at all AND pay for taxes on a massive Nantucket house AND their club membership AND pay for mass amounts of fancy foods all summer (or maybe I'm totally naïve and there are tons of people in this situation!). The line about her switching to full time work & then hopefully being able to pay for music lessons seemed a bit like a joke after signing Brooks right up for tennis and sailing lessons - this mom has plenty of money as is haha. I also had a bit of an issue with the Aaden situation - surely this 40+ year old women who has mothered 4 kids wouldn't be so swept away by a guy from 20s years prior? I'm glad she came around to her senses tho and sent with the other guy.

Overall, this is a really great beach read! It's light, but emotional. Happy characters and family, even with some drama. Sweet ending. Would reco for sure!

This novel by Nancy Thayer explores marriage, divorce, step parents, teenage love, bullying, drug use, and the health issues one faces during the aging process. It is centered around divorced mother, Blythe, her 4 children, her mother in law and her relationship with her ex husband and his new partner. It also delves into love after divorce, exploring Blythe’s dating life while juggling motherhood with her 3 daughters and 1 son. Finally, it explores career changes in mid life! And all of it takes place over one summer in Nantucket. Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC.

What a wonderful story about a modern day family. Blythe Benedict is a forty-something divorced mom of four spending her summer with her children on Nantucket . She loves Nantucket and is happy that her children get to summer as she did when she spent summers there with her grandmother. Her ex-husband is in a newish relationship with Teri and Blythe is happy for him. Blythe has a great and loving relationship with her ex-mother-in-law, Celeste, who lives close by on the Island, and a slightly complicated relationship with her ex-sister-in-law. But nothing is as surprising as running into her high-school boyfriend and first love, Aaden, who moved to Ireland after graduating high school and then meeting Nick, a handsome widower who lives in Boston. This story intertwines Nantucket, Blythe's budding romances, a secret she knows about Teri and Celeste's health issues, alongside teenage angst and love. It is the perfect beach read and is my third Nancy Thayer book. Thanks to NetGalley, Nancy Thayer and Random House for the opportunity to read this book, which I think will be one of the great beach reads of 2025.

After several serious literary novels or near-future dystopian stories, it is a simple delight to pick up this year's summer beach read by Nancy Thayer and climb on the Nantucket Ferry. In the past, my reviews of Thayer's books have criticized her repetitious descriptions of clothes, restaurants, food and multiple ponytails and messy buns. This book has many fewer of those mentions and it is an improvement. I was 88 % into the book before a man appeared in board shorts. Thanks, Nancy.

Summer Light is about Blythe, a 45-year-old divorced mother of four., who faces a summer of decisions. Should she resume a relationship with her first high school love? Should she pursue a new relationship with an attractive widower? Should she tell her ex-husband a secret about his current girlfriend and tell his current girlfriend her husband's secret? Should she take that full-time teaching job in Boston in the fall? These and other challenges are charmingly addressed, interspersed with yummy picnics on the beach, dinners at the Club and those tempting descriptions of sun and sand and scenery on magic Nantucket. If you enjoy escape in lovely surroundings without major tragedies, (or tariffs, or politics or plunging stock markets), this latest Nancy Thayer novel is for you.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for this fun read of the ARC copy.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Nancy Thayer for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Let’s start with the things I liked…

This book is about a divorced mom in her 40s. The FMC, Blythe, (semi-reluctantly) is finally open to a potential relationship.

Lots of family drama. Some of it interesting, some of it frustrating and left unresolved. Seriously, what was Kate’s issue?!

I liked learning about her 4 kids and how they were all different but had good sibling relationships. Each kid was going through their own journey over the summer as a side storyline.

Overall, I was interested and it was a quick read.

Things that didn’t work for me…Blythe and Aaden sounded very formal and like they were from another century. Maybe it was internal bias as their wealth became clear but I was reading it as old English “swoon. oh how shocking, I just cannot imagine leaving my children”. I didn’t notice this until like 40% in but then it lasted the rest of the book.

The frequent mention and focus on the looks of children was excessive and felt very dated.

Freaking out about going out of the country - away from her kids despite them having a capable parent with them was frustrating. Moms have enough guilt. Let this woman live! It’s one thing if she didn’t want to but you’re made to think she wants to but just cannot survive being away from her kids.

The L bomb was dropped pretty liberally in my opinion - not necessarily a bad thing but just didn’t feel genuine.

How does Blythe afford literally anything. She occasionally substitute teaches and then gets child support but she’s paying for private chefs and for tennis/sailing lessons for not just her kids but an extra kid. Plus has a small home and a coastal vacation home to maintain.

Blythe, a divorced mother of four and a middle school teacher, has been divorced for three years and is content with her life. Each summer, she and her children go to Nantucket to live in the house her grandmother left her. Although Blythe loved her ex-husband, she never quite got over her first high school crush, Aeden, who left right after they graduated. He went to college in Ireland and joined his family’s business there after graduation. Blythe never saw him or heard from him again—until that summer in Nantucket, when old memories and feelings resurfaced for both of them.
This summer proves to be filled with family drama. Three of her children are teenagers, and the oldest has invited her boyfriend, adding another layer of teenage conflict. Celeste, Blythe’s former mother-in-law, grandmother to her children, and a dear friend, is experiencing some serious health issues. An island friend introduces Blythe to Nick, a handsome widower who is also a teacher. The friendship that forms between Blythe and Nick creates further confusion regarding her renewed feelings for Aeden. Amidst the family drama, Blythe’s conflicted emotions for Aeden and Nick, she finds herself entangled in a serious situation between her ex-husband and his girlfriend, all stemming from a secret Blythe knows. You learn that each child has their own personalty and you can relate as a mother. bonus mom or just a person observing. You see the opportunity to live the past again and the decisions you make where they lead you. When gifted an opportunity for a past love or the unknown love in the future the choice determines the course of your life. Summer LIght on Nantucket will be published by Ballantine Books on April 22,2025. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity.