Member Reviews
All the Days of Summer is novelist Nancy Thayer’s 2024 spring offering. Heather Willette won’t be 50 for several years and yet she has reached a point where she’s wondering if she has a long unfulfilling life ahead of her. Her husband of almost 25 years is more of a housemate than a partner. While they started the hardware business Wall runs together, upon the birth of their son Ross, Heather spent less and less time managing the office and the books and more and more time at home being mom. As Ross grew, Heather became more involved in charity, especially that having to do with the environment. Now that Ross is graduating from college and has a serious girlfriend, Heather believes the time has come to embark on a new life of her own.
Heather’s friend Christine tells her about a cottage on Nantucket being rented for the summer that Heather seizes upon. Expecting that Ross will return home to Concord to work with his father in the hardware business and bring his girlfriend as well. To her surprise, and after she has finalized arrangements to rent the cottage, Ross and Hailee are returning to her home in Nantucket where both will work with her father at the family business, Essex Construction.
However, with her plans made Heather talks to Wall, files for divorce, and puts her family home on the market before she heads for Nantucket. An outgoing person, Heather makes friends quickly when she begins attending church services and volunteering with their organizations. Hailee is none to happy to have Heather on the island, feeling as though she is trying to keep Ross in her grasp, which isn’t true.
In the course of events over the summer, Heather is offered a part time job with attorney Miles Hunter, continues making friends, and even is sought out by Hailee’s mother, Evelyn, to help in her new conservation group. In all of this, and the events that play out, Heather is right where she is meant to be.
This was a well woven story by a master storyteller. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it!
I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.
I loved so many Nancy Thayer books over the years, but this one wasn't for me. Like many reviewers, I found the main characters to one-dimensional or stereotypes. I'm disappointed that Kailee couldn't have had more nuance to her personality other than coming off stuck-up and, at times, completely insensitive. Even experiencing Heather's cottage transform was more interesting than the characters themselves. I would have happily read a book solely about Heather finding her way through this time. But, as always, I loved the descriptions of Nantucket.
Nancy Thayer is one of my favorite authors. Her books are well written and great stories. This one did not disappoint.
Heather has decided her marriage is over and since her only son is graduating from college she's ready to make the break. A friend finds a summer rental on Nantucket for her. She's going to move as soon as her son, Ross graduates and returns home to help run the family hardware store. But things don't go as planned. Ross accepts a job from his fiance's father on Nantucket which causes quite the family rift. Things work out in the end.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review
I have enjoyed several of Nancy Thayer's books - unfortunately this one was not one of them. I did read it in the cold of winter - may have enjoyed it more on the beach with my toes in the sand. I also felt like the story was being told to me, not drawing me in - it felt monotone.
The characters were negative and self centered. Marriage was not cherished (too easily just tossed aside ). Kailee was an entitled, spoiled adult, who only thought about how circumstances would affect her. It was hard to find a likable character.
I did keep reading with the hopes that everyone would grow up. I saw some improvement at the end, but not enough to make the read worth it.
There are always so many summer beach reads that it is difficult to get to them all during the summer months. And sometimes in the dark, cold months of winter, it is fun to visit the warm seaside even if it is just in the pages of a book. And I love reading about Nantucket. If you also ran out of time this summer to read All the Days of Summer by Nancy Thayer, now would be a great time to pick it up.
I like Thayer's books as they usually feature a multi-generational cast of characters. In this book, we have two college graduates who are in love and then we have their parents. So we have a couple who are just starting out, a couple whose daughter has returned to learn the family business, and then there is Heather who has just decided to divorce her husband. With all these characters in different phases of their lives, it adds layers to the story.
I really liked the characters. Kailee and Ross, the young couple, have a pretty typical romance novel plot and I didn't care as much for their storyline. But I did like how they felt realistic. So many college graduates think they are going to start their lives at the level that their parents are living. I almost laughed out loud that Kailee just assumed her parents would gift her a house on the island when she got married. Thankfully her mother set her straight.
Speaking of Kailee's mother. She was a pretty complex character. She is kind of in the background for a lot of story but I could see that there was something beneath the surface - my guess as to what was going on with her was wrong which made her an even more interesting character.
Heather was a much bigger part of the book. She is starting life over, and in many ways, she is like the young couple but with the maturity that comes with life experiences.
There is warmth and all the feel goods with this story.
My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Thursday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2023/12/all-days-of-summer-by-nancy-thayer.html
I loved this excellent beach read written by Nancy Thayer. I believe it is her best novel yet. It is very well written. I enjoy her books written about Nantucket. I am looking forward to reading her next book!
With the background in Nantucket, you have the chance to spend some time with families, all types of families.
Along with a delightful setting, you will find a book that is well written with a host of rich characters. Nancy Thayer always gives a good read and never disappoints. Recommend!
I was so excited to receive an advance copy of All the Days of Summer by Nancy Thayer from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. Nancy Thayer is absolutely one of my must read authors so I did the biggest happy dance when I was approved to read this. I LOVED this book so much! I already am counting down the days until summer when her next book will be published. I apparently need to learn to read slower so I can enjoy her books longer! :)
I normally love the summer novels by Nancy Thayer, but unfortunately this novel did not do the trick. The character of Kailee Essex was unbearable to connect with. She is written as a immature, self-centered young woman who gets with Ross Willette, and equally one sided/non dimensional character. It was like Thayer was holding a grudge against only children and had to write them in the worst possible light. These weren't even the main protagonists!
In the actual plot, Heather Willette, a late 40s housewife, who understandably comes to the conclusion that her marriage is over decides to spend a summer in Nantucket to re-evaluate her place in the marriage and her desires for the future. Magically things fall into place all summer for her, and she not only finds strength and growth in herself, but makes a few summer friends along the way.
All in all, this was not my favorite Nancy Thayer novel, and while I will continue to look for her beachy reads at the start of each summer, I would recommend read pass all together on this novel. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for a copy of my book.
A delightful beach read. I love books on Nantucket, I love reading about the island, I love the setting and the descriptions of the cottages and the beach. This book was all about coming of age, starting over, and family relationships. I loved it.
Thayer's books make me feel happy and like summertime. Fate and family are the main focus of this book and I enjoyed reading it. She is a must read author for me and I will continue to pick up her books.
You know it's summer when a new Nancy Thayer book comes out! Nothing takes me to nantucket quite like her descriptive writing! While this one wasn't my favorite of hers (I found it hard to relate to the characters) I did enjoy it and loved seeing the relationship with Heather and Kailee progress!
Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.
I truly enjoyed this book and its characters. loved this book. I love the author describes the characters and how it is based on reality. I felt like I was inside the book and did not want it to end.
I look foward to reading more books by Nancy Thayer.
I have enjoyed this author’s previous books. I enjoy reading about Nantucket and all of its charm and glamour. After reading many Elin Hilderbrand novels and Nancy Thayer novels about the island it seems familiar even though I have only been there once. The love that the author has for Nantucket shines through this books and that I appreciated. Unfortunately, I really disliked virtually everything else about the book. Kailee was absolutely awful- a spoiled brat and really just hateful. I wanted to slap her repeatedly. Everyone else in the book including Heather was literally cringe worthy. Cliche upon cliche . Also what twenty year old couple lives like that- they seemed like they were 40 years old yet utterly immature. I still appreciate the author for the delightful descriptions of Nantucket Island. I will probably read other novels by her because I enjoy the setting and have enjoyed her other books.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I believe there will be readers who will enjoy adding this one to their beach bag. I didn't enjoy the Kailee character, but I was glad to see her gain some maturity as the story progressed. This was a light summer read for those wanting a family going through a crisis or a character with a second start in life.
I absolutely loved this book. It’s set on Nantucket, a place I love, and it’s got mother/son issues to spare, especially when you add in the son’s girlfriend. I’ve been in similar situations, and it’s hard to see your child going against the way you (hopefully) raised him. The first time he listened to his girlfriend’s advice over mine was a surprise and took some getting used to!
Fortunately my daughter in law and I get along famously, I cannot imagine being at odds with her like the characters in the book sometimes are. This is a perfect beach read, 5 stars.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.
Plot:
•Takes place in Nantucket
•Small town, cozy vibe
•A story of family and fate
•Perfect for summer reading
My thoughts: I just adore Nancy Thayer’s writing! The elements in this story were beautifully descriptive and created a strong sense of place. The summertime island vibe was the perfect escape! I really loved the characters and coming alongside their various situations. This is one of those stories in which the characters really come to feel like friends and family themself by the end. This was such a heartwarming read and I enjoyed how it explores many facets of life such as family, motherhood, marriage, love, and new beginnings. What a wonderfully refreshing and lovely read!!
Many thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the gifted e-copy!
This is a good book. The two main characters are Kailee and Ross. They meet senior year in college. They fell in love. They graduated from college and come home to work at Kailee’s family business. It is a story about families and how they love each other. There are many different aspects of a family. It all about love of a family.
Thank you, NetGalley for this advanced reader copy of All the Days of Dummer by Nancy Thayer. I absolutely love Nancy Thayer books. They are so bingeable and I usually read them in one or two sittings. She gives incredible detail that helps you visualize the moment so you’re reading about. This book wasn’t any different, It lived up to all her other books if not exceeded them. I’ll definitely be recommending this to everyone I know.