While temperatures plummet outside, I loved cozying up on the couch with Summer Light on Nantucket. Blythe and her children visit their summer home every season and eagerly look forward to the coastal adventures. While an idyllic setting, rough waters are ahead for her children and even Blythe needs to tread carefully when a first love resurfaces.

While struggling with circling back to forgotten years or plunging ahead with a new love interest, this summer is sure to be memorable. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition in exchange for an honest review. There's something special about summer/beach reads that allow readers to leave their cares at the shore.

I loved this story! I loved the family and of course I looked the Nantucket setting! I’ll read anything set on Nantucket especially by this author!

Nancy’s writing brings me home to a cozy, warm place in mind and heart. However, this one grabbed my heart from the very beginning, and I could hardly put it down. It’s a beautiful, sometimes complicated story about family. She’s an expert on family dynamics. I loved all her characters, even Kate, the not so nice sister. We have a close knit family including exes, currents, newbies and all the kids of various ages. Minor family dramas, a few secrets but love all around. Come to Nantucket for the summer and meet the whole family, teenagers and all!

Summer Light on Nantucket is a cute romance about Blythe , who takes her children to Nantucket every summer for vacation and their adventures. This is their family tradition and continues even after she is divorced . The children are different ages and very different stages in life so she balances their needs but starts to realize she wants more to her life as well. While in Nantucket Blythe reconnects with her high school love and also meets an amazing new guy and can’t decide which path she wants to follow.
This story was a cute sunmer read and also had a few heavy topics mixed in. I enjoyed it as I do all of Nancy Thayer’s books and look forward to the next one.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy for my opinion.

THIS IS REALLY A 3.5 READ FOR ME



Blythe is a divorced woman with 4 children. She has inherited a family home on Nantucket Island. And that is where the family always spends the summer.

This is a story of a family that is very privileged. They eat dinner at the “club”. The children have money to spend and if they need more they ask and it is given. One of the things which surprised me, no one has a summer job.

I am a fan of Ms Thayer’s writing. But, this one did not resonate with me as much as other Nancy Thayer books.

I think part of it is I did not get into being a bestie for Blythe. Not sure why but she did not give me a feeling of warmth.

We learned a lot about menu planning and chopping fruit and veggies. We learned about drying towels on railings and fighting sand in the house.

But for me, Blythe seemed to hold herself tightly inside. She did not like those qualities in her parents, but she seemed to be carrying on the same outlook on life. The only time impulse reared its ugly head was when Blythe was deciding what to wear to the beach.

I guess it is just me, but I hoped that there would be more depth of emotion somewhere in there. I wanted some visible passion.

This is a story of second chances in life. And deciding whether to take some second chances. This is a story of children who have opportunities all around them because of the lives they live. This is a story of the realities of life making loved ones vulnerable because of the passing of time.

In short, this is a really charming and light book for a summer read.

Every time I read one of Ms Thayer’s books I promise myself I will travel to Nantucket. It sounds like a lovely but sort of unreal place to live.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.

Nancy Thayer is one of my go-to authors for a great beach read. Set on the beautiful island of Nantucket, this book is women's fiction covering love, second chances, and family dynamics. It managed to keep my interest while still being light. If you're looking for a sunny escape after a long winter, this will be a good book to pick up when it publishes on April 22, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Exactly what one would expect from a Nancy Thayer novel. Light, summer beach romance. No surprises. Just enjoy the life on Nantucket

If you’re looking for your first summer read of the year, preorder yourself a copy of Summer Light on Nantucket!

I really enjoyed this book and really getting to know each and every main character, but not in an overwhelming sense. This book follows Blythe and her children to the island of Nantucket where they spend the summer. Blythe is separated from Bob, but she still has a close relationship with his mother who also happens to have a house on the island. I think it’s so endearing that Celeste, Blythe’s ex-mother in law still has a good relationship with her as she is the mother of her grandchildren. You can really feel just how close the two women are.

We get to know each of Blythe’s children, at appropriate times. We also get to know about Blythe’s past love, her first love, Aaden, who is ALSO on the island of Nantucket. However, this is purely by coincidence. Will they rekindle their love? Or is the spark gone? Pick up this book to find out.

We’re also introduced to another love interest of Blythe’s. This one a new one. I won’t give away who she chooses. You’ll just have to read it to find out yourself.

A wonderful summer beach read, set on Nantucket. Blythe inherited her grandmother's home on the island, and she arrives with her four children to spend another idyllic summer. Her ex-husband is there, as well as her ex-mother in law, and to her great surprise, her high school boyfriend who was her first great love, and a new man who she is attracted to. Lots going on, but this is actually a quiet, peaceful, reflective story that keeps you turning the pages because you care so much about the characters. I look forward to recommending this book.

This was such a good beach read! Blythe and her four children go to her house on nantucket every summer and this summer she is in for a treat with two guys fighting for her attention after her divorce. I loved that she still had a great relationship with her ex-mother in law and how they supported each other through all things. The only thing that bugged me about the story is that Blythe's life seemed kinda plain. She did not work and most of the time, her kids were out of the house doing their own thing. She is going back to teaching, but it just felt a little too open there. I enjoyed the love triangle she was in with her high school love, Aaden, and her new guy, Nick. Her ex-sister in law was the worst and the worst character of the book.

This was my first "beach read" of 2025 and I really enjoyed it!!!. It was a down to Earth, real life story that was engaging, entertaining & left me interested right to the last page.

Blythe Benedict loves her hectic life, and looks
forward to relaxing summers on Nantucket.
Follow Blythe, her four children, their friends,
and all the events that unfold this summer.

I enjoyed following Blythe’s inner thoughts as she
navigated through parenting and personal relationships.
From first loves to personal priorities, Thayer hits on
many aspects we all have experienced.

Look forward to your own fun summer with this
relaxing beach read.

I'm always happy to see a new novel from Nancy Thayer. Not only does she usually provide us with an interesting story, but I also love her portrayal of Nantucket. She provides enough information about island life without making us feel that we are reading advertisements.
In Summer Light on Nantucket, we meet Blythe, a divorced mother of four children who's lucky enough to be able to spend the summer on the island in her own home. As the book opens, it seems that she may be having the summer of her life, with the surprise reappearance of Aaden, her high school love, as well as meeting a new and interesting man. The book tackles love (both teenage and mature), family drama, and, of course, some teenage angst. There was a fair amount of repetition of information/scenes so the book could have benefited from a little more editing.
Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read Summer Light on Nantucket. I received a complimentary copy of the book and opinions expressed are completely my own.

Blythe Benedict is a divorced mother of four children and spending the summer on Nantucket. Blythe owns the old house and loves to spend the summers on the island; her children are free to play and enjoy the summer. She has been divorced for three years and really has not thought about dating. When her friend introduces her to a new man Nick on the first night of summer Blythe is very interested in him. Later that evening she runs into Aeden her high school sweetheart.
As the summer moves on Blythe is busying keeping up with her children's life and dating both Nick and Aeden. Aeden lives in Ireland and wants her to come for a visit and Nick lives in Boston where Blythe lives. Blythe also has her former mother-in-law that lives on the island that she still has a good relationship; her ex-husband will come for two weeks stay on the island with his mother and the kids will stay with him.
The summer is about learning to live again and enjoying spending time with family.

DNF. The writing is remedial. Two characters saying things to each other in dialogue that they already know but the reader doesn’t—people don’t talk like that. That information should be woven in exposition. And the telling not showing. So many pet peeves of mine in so short a time.

Love Nancy Thayer books and I love reading books based on Nantucket!! This was very interesting as it had child raising issues, old love challenges, and new love interests. Very good read and will read again. Thank you for the opportunity to read an advanced copy!

Thank you netgalley for the arc of this book.
I've only read a few books by Nancy Thayer and I have really enjoyed them. This was no different.
Blythe is a divorced mom to 4. She is still very close with her ex mother in law. They all are in Nantucket for the summer. Lots of teenage drama with her kids. While there her high school boyfriend ends up being there who broke her heart and hasn't talked to in 20 years. He wants back with her but lives in Ireland. So she has to decide what she wants to do.
I really enjoyed this.

Summer Light on Nantucket by Nancy Thayer is a heartwarming and beautifully written novel that transports readers to the idyllic shores of Nantucket Island. Thayer’s vivid descriptions of the setting, from the scenic beaches to the mouth watering food, create an atmosphere that's as relaxing as it is enchanting. The relationships are heartfelt, and the way the author explores themes of family, personal challenges, love, and second chances is deeply moving.

It’s the perfect read for a summer getaway or a cozy weekend.

Thank you NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for sending this book for review consideration.

📖 Book Review 📖 Nancy Thayer reminds us that it is never too late for second chances. As Blythe begins another magical summer on Nantucket with her four children, moving on from her divorce, she is reunited with her first love Aaden….while another new handsome man looms on the horizon. This summer has more in store for Blythe and the entire Benedict family than they could have ever imagined. Nothing causes greater reflection on life and love than raising our own children, bringing to light generational trauma and traditions. Once again, Thayer delivers a beautiful summer read that transports us back to the most special island that will forever hold a special place in the hearts of readers. Summer Light on Nantucket is truly an intricately written family saga that is as meticulously crafted as a woven lightship basket.

A wonderful novel with family trials arising during a summer on Nantucket. A divorced mother of four hopes to spend a relaxing time with her family and sunshine. Her world is upended when her teen love returns to the island and a new man appears. As the days pass, she begins to see a new life may be awaiting her.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.