Oh I absolutely loved this book about community, family relationships, mother and daughter duos. It is perfect for any season, but especially if you can't wait for summer time, as the island setting makes the descriptions leap off the page and makes you long for the next season.

The personal growth of the main characters resulting from working through their traumas and the consequent opening up for the next challenges and surprises that life has in store for them were my favourite part of the book.

Thank you Netgalley for this ALC.

Audiobook

Summer on Lilac Island begins with Gigi returning to her home, an island in Michigan called Mackinac Island, where cars are not allowed and horses are still used as the primary mode of transportation. The main characters are three generations of women who develop stronger bonds throughout the story, as they grow personally and together. There is matchmaking, some hijinks, and some random tangents.

I wanted to like this story, but it didn't resonate with me. It felt somewhat scattered in focus. I was not aware of Mackinac Island beforehand, so I will be happy to take that tidbit away.

Advanced copy provided by Harper Muse Audio via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed reading this book!

Gigi returns to her home of Mackinac Island, a small-town island in Michigan where there are no cars, after losing her job. During Gigi's summer on the island, her mother Eloise is determined to set her up on a date with the new town doctor; Gigi only agrees on the condition that she can set her mother up on a blind date as well. Meddling in each other's love lives and spending time together under one roof allows Gigi and her mother to understand each other more and build a stronger bond.

This story includes
- themes of family relationships
- multiple POVs
- small town drama
- family dysfunction

While I enjoyed this one as a whole, I had a hard time with many of the characters and their views, especially Gigi's mom and grandmother. I also felt that this book was longer than it needed to be. However, I think people who read more literary fiction will enjoy this one more than I did!

I listened to this one on audio. I enjoyed the performance from Kira Fixx and felt that the audio was high-quality and enhanced my enjoyment of the story overall.

Thank you to Uplit Reads, NetGalley, and the publisher for the free ALC in exchange for an honest review!

What a fun way to visit Mackinac Island?!>!?!?!?!?!

The characters all felt very real in a heart warming story of mother and daughter on a beautiful island. Mackinac seemed to steal the show in some parts of this book but Gigi reeled us back in with sarcasm and wit reminding you who the story was really about.

Great fun beach or summer read!

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the audiobook ARC to listen in exchange for an honest review!

The audio was fun to listen to and the voices made me feel like i knew the characters personally. Truly done very well.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – A Heartwarming, Fun Read That Pulled Me In

Summer on Lilac Island by Lindsay Macmillan is a charming, feel-good summer read set on a dreamy island that offers the perfect escape. The story follows a heartfelt journey of love, friendship, and self-discovery, all unfolding in a vibrant setting that feels both nostalgic and fresh.

What stood out to me most was the plot – engaging and well-paced, it had just the right balance of light-hearted moments and emotional depth. I found myself really invested in the characters; they were well-developed, relatable, and each added something special to the story. The writing style was another highlight – it felt natural, witty, and easy to get lost in. Overall, it was just a fun, satisfying story that left me smiling.

Honestly, there wasn't much I disliked. If anything, I simply didn’t want it to end – I could’ve stayed on Lilac Island a little longer!

As for the audiobook, narrated by Kira Fixx, I thought it was wonderfully done. The narration was clear and well-paced, making it easy to stay engaged. I appreciated how each character had a distinct voice, which made the listening experience even more immersive.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the advance listening copy in exchange for my honest opinion. I highly recommend this one for your summer reading (or listening) list!

Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free e-audio version of this book in exchange for my review.

I grew up in Michigan, and though I choose to not live there now, I still think the state is a hidden gem, and should be the setting for far more books! So when I found this book set on Mackinaw Island, I was very excited. And overall, I liked the story, but don't really feel that I was the right audience for the book. Maybe I'm just too old. While I could see why Gigi would leave her mother's house - the mother was insufferable and demanding - I found Gigi to be far too moan-y and whiney and that turned me off quite a bit.

2.5 stars rounded up. I would recommend this to a younger audience, maybe.

If you’re looking for a heartwarming and witty escape in a world of small-town romance, family bonds, and second chances, then Summer on Lilac Island is the book for you. Readers follow Gigi as she reluctantly returns home, only to be caught in a matchmaking scheme by her meddling mother. Along the way, she discovers unexpected connections, personal growth, and the realization that love comes in many forms.

With plenty of humor, warmth, and relatable characters, this novel is a beautiful read for fans of contemporary fiction. The mother-daughter dynamic adds richness to the narrative, with a touching exploration of forgiveness and understanding.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book is the perfect listen/read for a beach day! I really enjoyed the third party POVs from various characters. It got a little confusing to follow all of the point of views in an audiobook format, but I think it would have been clearer reading it (didn't lessen my enjoyment, just took me a few minutes to catch-up a few times.) However, the multi-point of view raelly enhances the story and the why behind so many characters.

As the description suggests, it's a story of three generations trying to find love and themselves on Mackinac Island. Each of the women in the story, receive enough back-story and details that no-one feels like an after-thought.

There were some stories of other characters that feel incomplete, so I'm hoping it is the opening for a sequel that shifts focus to others on the island!

It took me a while to read this one. Not sure why I waited so long. It was a really sweet story. I loved all the details of Mackinac Island. As someone who has visited the island a few times, I found the novel fascinating. I did not realize people actually lived there. Ha ha. Just kidding, but really, what an interesting place to live year-round. The story was intriguing, and the characters were well developed and likable. I enjoyed so much about this book. The narrator had a lisp during some parts that was more prominent than other times and sometimes I found it distracting, but overall did a nice job. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse audiobooks for the advanced lesson and exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3.5-ish stars

DNF at 9%

I was really enjoying this book at first. The idea of a generational reconciliation in a small town sounded so good. And it was going super well in my opinion up until this point.

Around the 9% mark there were several comments in a row that raised red flags for me. I absolutely love to read a book with a flawed character when I feel it is written well and transparently. However, at this point in the book a few comments were made about one of our main characters being conservative. The way in which these comments were written is what made me uncomfortable as a reader. Especially as someone who is not white. After comment number 3 I decided I would not be able to comfortably continue the book. I would not be able to recommend it simply because I have not and will not finish it.

Thank you to Harper Muse Audiobooks for the ALC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for an advanced copy of Summer on Lilac Island, by Lindsay Macmillan.

As someone who grew up in the Great Lakes State, I loved the idea of a story written about Mackinac Island! Summer on Lilac Island follows the complicated story of a mother and her daughters as Gigi returns, after a long time away, to face her past and come to terms with the realities of what she left behind. I loved the multiple perspectives but, to me, the book should have focused on only the mother, her two daughters, and the grandmother. There were too many characters and too many storylines, in my opinion. This book felt more like a television series than a single novel. I found myself losing interest towards the end of the audiobook, waiting for the “happy ending” that I knew was coming. I did enjoy that the author gave a voice to the island itself, that was a fun perspective!

The narration by Kira Fixx was wonderfully performed! I would recommend this book to someone who is a fan of the Michigan summers!

This was a great story for summer. The narrator did a good job with the different voices. It must have been challenging to come up with so many! Nice story with likable characters. Seriously a romance book - so many different lines, but the author wrapped them all up well without it being too unbelievable. Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read/review.

Summer on Lilac Island, the third novel by Lindsay MacMillan, is an ode to Mackinac
Island, it’s geography, history, and people. Centering around Gigi (Georgiana) Jenkins and her somewhat distorted world view, the story takes place primarily over the summer Gigi had nowhere else to go and was invited home by her mother, Eloise. Having escaped the Island a few weeks before high school graduation, Gigi has wandered about the country working meaningless jobs to get by. But the last job in LA did Gigi in, financially and emotionally. While she had vowed to herself to never spend another summer on Mackinac, it is now seeming to be a safe harbor in her 29 year old’s storm.

The story shares why Gigi is the caustic, disillusioned person she is going back to when her father, Gus, walked away from his wife and daughters only to show up and stay for a short time over and over, disappointing Gigi each time. It also tells why her sister, Rebecca, is so different from Gigi.

Within this wonderful saga, the reader will be introduced to townspeople such as the showy mayor, the hardworking Tang family and their daughter Lillian, a childhood friend of Gigi’s, her grandmother Alice Klein, and her mother’s best friend Deidre and her husband Fred, the town doctor. Also, newcomers are brought on board, such as Dr. James Kentwood, a young doctor there to help Fred during the busy season, and famous Scottish author Clyde McDougall. Each of these characters have their own role to play in this pivotal summer in Gigi’s life. Their interactions reveal not only personalities, but also uncover animosities and long buried secrets.

This story is exceptionally well written. The plot is tight and often surprising. The characters are well drawn, flaws and all. The small island adrift in Lake Huron seems to symbolize Gigi who is adrift in her life. This novel embodies personal discovery, forgiveness and reconciliation, resilience, and new beginnings. Although this is the first book I have read by Ms. MacMillan, it certainly will not be the last! I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

This was a great audio to listen to as we near the start of Summer! As a fellow Michigander, I immediately requested this one knowing it was set on Mackinac Island! I loved hearing about the history and her descriptive sentences had me feeling nostalgic for all my vacations on the island. It was a really great listen!

A decent summer read with a picturesque setting, but it didn’t quite capture my full attention. The story offers a sweet romance and well-developed characters, yet at times, the pacing felt a bit slow and would lose my attention. While the descriptions of Lilac Island are beautifully vivid, I found myself wishing for a bit more depth in the plot as well as a quicker pace. Overall, an enjoyable book for those looking for a light, escapist read, but it might not be the most memorable.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for my honest review.

Summer on Lilac Island

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5


Family drama
Two generations finding love
Heartfelt
Small town/small Island vibes
Mending friendships/relationships


This story follows mother and daughter finding love but through both of them being match makers for one another.
Eloise (mother) finds herself needing to let go of her love for her ex husband and get herself back out there. Will she find a second chance with love?
Will Gigi, the wild card, carefree woman with a little bit of daddy issues finally find someone she can see herself settling down with?


IMO:
I kinda like how it’s narrated, it speaks in 3rd person instead of dual POVs. You get insight on just about everyone’s feelings & thoughts. AND I do mean EVERYONE.

I’ve read some books that have a 3rd person perspective but didn’t really like it. But this book I REALLY enjoyed it.

I really love the way it was written as well. I can definitely see this as a tv series one day if it caught enough attention!

A fantastic story of second chances in love when you least expect it. Enjoyed the story from page one

Beautiful tale chock-full of laugh out loud funny moments, angst, love, life-long heartache, summer love, family, frenemies, friendships, and what else????

Mackinac Island and a full-cast of well-developed, impossibly entertaining characters!

100% recommend! Great beach read!

PS: loved the narrator!

Small town charm, a little romance, coming home, and finding peace on Mackinac Island- there is a little of everything in this book. I loved this audiobook about family reconnecting and rediscovering home.

I really enjoyed this one! I love traveling in real life and through reading. Summer On Lilac Island takes place on Mackinac Island and centers around a strained mother/daughter relationship. The book gave me Elin Hilderbrand vibes. It would make a great vacation read.

I listened to it and thought the narration was great! It was perfect to listen while walking.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.