I always look forward to books set on Nantucket and enjoyed Nancy Thayer’s latest installment taking place on the island. The story is about a divorced mom navigating life’s changes as her husband finds love again, her beloved mother-in-law falls ill, her children are in various stages of independence but still needing her, and two men enter her life to show her that she has the opportunity for new romance and a new chapter, too. It was a quick, sweet read, perfect for your summer reading list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group — Ballantine for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of the books I'll put on my shelf and read every summer. I just love this book. There were so many layers to it. Single mom with two men wanting to date her. One a high-school sweetheart and one new man that has lost his wife. She has four kids all teens but one. They are spending a summer on Nantucket with love in the air. Young love to old love this story will keep you up late.

Never skip a Nancy Thayer book! This one did not disappoint. With the theme of a female finding her independent identity and the challenges she overcomes, it is very relatable. It was an easy read with dreams of that beautiful Nantucket setting.

I liked the book, but had trouble relating to the main character Blythe.i didn’t really like her at first. As I read further into the book Blythe grew on me. I loved Celeste. The writer made the island of Nantucket seem magical. This book will make a great beach read. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

A pleasant summer tale in an idyllic setting.
Likeable characters, intriguing relationship dynamics, and plenty of charm.
Dreamy cover too.

With thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this e-ARC!

Nancy Thayer’s books are quintessential beach reads and this one was light and easy. Blythe is a recent divorcee with 4 children, spending the summer in Nantucket. She still has a wonderful relationship with with her mother in law, Celeste and a consciously uncoupling relationship with her ex husband. This book isn’t as deep as I normally love for a beach read but it’s one that will transport you to Nantucket for the summer.

Title: Summer Light on Nantucket
Author: Nancy Thayer
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Ballantine Books
Genre: Women’s Fiction, Family Drama
Pub Date: April 22, 2025
My Rating: 3.4 Stars
Pages: 288

Forty-two year old Blythe Benedict is a middle school teacher, and a divorced mother of four children~ Miranda the oldest is seventeen, Daphne is fifteen, Teddy is thirteen, and Holly is eleven. She has been divorced for three years and is content and happy living in Boston. True having three teenagers does have some rough times.

She has mixed feeling about the upcoming annual summer trip to Nantucket. Blythe has always loved the summer months spent as it was once home. When her parents moved to Arizona Blythe continued to stay with her Grandmother and the home was left to her by her Grandmother. She now has great memories of her children growing up there. However this year Blythe will be dealing with Miranda’s teenage angst and wanted her boyfriend to vacation with him. She has concerns about seeing Aaden a high school love who left her crushed as he and his family returned to Ireland their home. She hasn’t seen him in years. She is on good terms with Celeste who adores the children especially Holly who has a wonderful relationship with her grandmother.

This is my seventh Nancy Thayer novel. However she has published 35! So am delighted I have a lot of enjoyable stories waiting for me! The story seems typical of a divorced woman worrying about love the second time around.
However knowing Ms. Thayer’s other stories- I was hoping this would be an enjoyable read.

I do love stories about Nantucket but have to admit I found Blythe not all that likeable. Nor sure what was wrong with Bob but Aaden certainly had other important things and Blythe certainly wasn’t of them. Well until now as he seems to want to go back to their teenage make-out sessions.
I did enjoy most of this story would have like a sweet romance rather than a sexy romance story BUT I am still looking forward to Ms. Thayer’s next story.

I have never been to Nantucket but between Nancy and Elin Hilderbrand it is on my bucket it!!
Nancy has lived on Nantucket Island year-round for 38 years with her husband Charley Walters. They have two children and five grandchildren.

Want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Books for granting me this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 22, 2025.

After a lifetime of playing it safe after her first heartbreak, will Blythe have the courage to follow her heart?

Perfect beach read, another great Nantucket story from Nancy Thayer. I especially enjoyed the lovely relationship between Blythe and Celeste.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for the ARC!

Blythe has been spending her summers on Nantucket since she was a child, she takes her children on their annual summer holiday, even though she is divorced. You will meet her mother in law, who still loves her. good book. you can't go wrong with a Nancy Thayer book.

I love reading books by Nancy Thayer. I love how her books always happen on Nantucket. It makes me wish that I was there. I enjoyed this book. It was romantic. The ending was better than I thought it would be. I look forward to reading another book by Nancy Thayer. I'm grateful that netgalley and the [publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

Blythe Benedict has been spending her summers in Nantucket since she was a small child. Blythe is ready to spend this summer with her children in the home that she has inherited from her grandmother.. You will get to meet her ex mothers in law who she has a great relationship with even though she is no longer married to her son. There are romantic interests both old and new. Over all this is a wonderful book by one of my favorite authors. This is an awesome beach read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think I have said this before about books by Nancy Thayer, but now I need to listen to my gut and say no more for me. They are basically lists of places to go, things to eat or bake or put away after shopping. It seems to me that the author is being paid by the word and looking for things to list. Since the author lives on Nantucket, maybe it is a shout out to favorite places or shops and restaurants that give her a kickback? I found them to be an unnecessary filler on almost every page.
When making a salad, is it really adding to the story when you list everything you are about to cut up and put in the salad? I think most of us know what would be included and don't need it spelled out.
Throw in a little romance, a love conflict or two, some in laws, an ex and her children at various stages of growing up and you have a beach read that you will want to throw in the ocean.
Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given. 2 stars max.

This was a wonderful Story. Blythe was a divorced woman with 4 children. She was friendly with her ex and his girlfriend and the kids liked her too. On their summer sojourn to Nantucket Island, the kids were free to do mostly what they wanted. They were good kids that mostly stayed out of trouble. On her first night on the island, she had dinner at the country club with her ex mother in law with all the kids and just caught up with friends. She meets a handsome and charming man that she is interested in. Then she sees her high school sweetheart that broke her heart when he went to Ireland and didn't come back. He wanted her back, but I think without the responsibilities of the kids. There is drama with the kids of course, and a little with the men in her life. The story held my attention and was very enjoyable. The characters were wonderful and you could almost visualize the island and all they did.

I got this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

Love this story about Blythe and her 4 children who are spending the summer at their home on Nantucket.Her ex mother-in law lives there and the children love to visit it. Blythe is deciding whether or not to accept a full time position at a school in their hometown. . This is to prove to be a very different summer for them , especially her. She doesn't date much but this summer she reunites with her high school sweetheart and meets a new guy through friends. This is A VERY GOOD READ.

Nancy Thayer has been one of my original go-to beach read authors, so diving into "Summer Light on Nantucket" was really fun. Set on the beautiful island of Nantucket, the book really captures that perfect summer vibe with all its warmth and charm.

The story revolves around a group of characters dealing with their own ups and downs, and Thayer does a great job of painting the lovely setting,. It’s the kind of read that’s perfect for lounging with a cold drink in hand.

While I enjoyed the book overall—it's definitely a solid beach read—I didn't quite connect with all the characters as much as I hoped. They were interesting enough, but I sometimes felt like I didn't really care how it ended. That said, it didn’t ruin the book for me; I still appreciated the lighthearted escape it offered, especially since I read a lot of thrillers and am starting to read some horror. I definitely appreciate a book like this once in awhile!

In the end, "Summer Light on Nantucket" is a fun summer read that’ll make you smile, even if some of the character connections didn’t land for me. If you’re looking for a sweet, easy-going story to enjoy on the beach or during a lazy afternoon, this one’s a good choice.

Some people like to watch Hallmark movies to feel good. I like to read books about Nantucket to feel good. I love just about any book Nancy Thayer writes about Nantucket and this one was no exception! It has all the elements needed about summer on Nantucket. It has descriptions and details about all the different beaches and restaurants there, it has a little romance and a lot of family drama. I really enjoyed this book. Thanks to @NETGalley for the ARC of this book. I highly recommend it.

The cast of characters in this book were wonderful! Blythe loves her summers on Nantucket. Can she navigate her teens growing angst, an old flame and a new one coming into her life, an ex-husband who is keeping a big secret and an aging ex mil/friend all while trying to find herself? Wonderfully written, I love all books set in Nantucket and this one was no different!

Review will be posted on my Goodreads and bookstagram (@taylorleereads), links to both of these are attached here. The Goodreads review is always published and I will be published the bookstagram review later this week.

3.5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (rounding up to 4 for the
setting alone)

In Nancy Thayer’s newest, Summer Light on Nantucket, we’re introduced to Blythe and her four children, ex lover(s), friends and extended family that make up the perfect blended bunch.

Blythe was such a realistic and endearing main character and I really enjoyed her journey during what was supposed to be another relaxing summer on Nantucket. When she wasn’t working through problems with one of her four children, she was either fluctuating between her old high school flame who returned from Ireland and a new man, spending time with her adorable ex-mother-in-law, or working through some problems her ex was having in his new relationship. With all of this going on, it was honestly hard to be bored reading this. I thought Thayer threw in just enough to keep in things interesting but not too much to be overwhelming. Blythe’s choices in the end were also extremely satisfying to me so you’ll just have to read and find out which man wins her heart!

Overall I really enjoyed this novel set in the always idyllic Nantucket. She captures the island so perfectly it made me want to move up our trip as soon as possible! Anyone who is mourning the loss of Elin Hildebrand’s Nantucket novels will be happy with this one to get your fix of the island.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC! Be sure to look for this one out 4/22/25 ☀️🏖️👒🌷

This is a wonderful, beautiful story! The characters are so real and personable, and I quickly found myself absorbed in the story -- and not wanting it to end. An excellent beach read, or a "just curl up with a good book and forget life for a while" read! I have loved everything I've read by Nancy Thayer, and this book was no different, only better (but I say that about each of her books that I read!)

This was a very light read - enjoyable and feeds my bucket list entry of wanting to get to Nantucket someday!