A summer home filled with years of memories, a book filled with years of written memories, and a home that is eroding away and about to fall off the cliff.
The Cliff House, appropriately named, has been the summer home on Nantucket for the Young/Packard/Codman family for over one hundred years. The women maintained the house, but now only Cissy is left, and she doesn't want to give up and face the reality that the house will be falling into the ocean before too long.
To help her mother come to the realization that she cannot continue to live in the summer home, Bess comes back home after four years. The memories are pretty strong for Bess and even more so when she finds the book containing the thoughts of the guests and family members who stayed there, but she can't convince her mother to leave.
THE BOOK OF SUMMER follows the family from 1939 to present day with flashbacks from entries in the memory book kept at the house. I actually enjoyed the present-day story more than the past.
THE BOOK OF SUMMER is a pleasurable read and a book I enjoyed because of the family drama, its secrets, and the characters. The characters are comical and lovable as well as stubborn. The reader gets to meet each generation of the women who kept the house going.
THE BOOK OF SUMMER was a bit confusing at first and didn't grab me right away like her other two books, but it definitely grabs your attention as you meet the characters and learn more about the history of Cliff House. That gorgeous cover draws you in as well.
THE BOOK OF SUMMER is delightful, thoughtful, and a book about families that has you focusing on your family history.
ENJOY when you read THE BOOK OF SUMMER. 4/ 5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
Love the cover and the title and .... you know the rest!!
ReplyDeleteLOL...oh yes...I know the rest. :)
DeleteThanks for stopping, Kathryn.
I would love to have a summer home. This sounds like a good summer read.
ReplyDeleteIt was good, but took a few pages.
DeleteThanks for stopping, Laura.
I love family drama too. I'll have to remember this starts slow.
ReplyDeleteFamily drama was rampant. :)
DeleteThanks for stopping, Kathy.
This sounds so good. I like to read about family drama, I guess because I grew up with it. *sigh* Hugs!
ReplyDeleteLOL on growing up with family drama.
DeleteWe have more drama now in our family. :)
Thanks for stopping, Annie.
Yes, a slow start. I'm only on page 30 and hope I get into it. I really like the premise. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with your fair review.
ReplyDeleteIt does get better...I like the idea about the house and the problems the ocean causes. It is good premise.
DeleteThanks for stopping, Mary.
Nice review, this sounds like a good book.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ellen.
DeleteIt was enjoyable once it got going.
Thanks for stopping.
Elizabeth, thank you for a lovely review! This sounds like an interesting way to tell a story, through a house that may not last much longer.
ReplyDeleteIt was a very interesting premise for a books.
DeleteENJOY if you read it.
Thanks for stopping, Suko.