Visit Nantucket Without Leaving Your Little Piece of Paradise...
A beautiful summer read! Nancy Thayer writes relatable characters and the protagonist, Darcy, is no exception. It's set in Nantucket like many of Thayer's books. The sleepy town that populates in the summer comes alive in this book. Rich layers are to be expected. It's an enjoyable read and I did not regret spending time with Darcy over her summer.

I was provided an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion, which I have provided above.

Darcy Cotterill has been a year-round resident of Nantucket for three years - ever since she and her husband divorced and her grandmother passed away leaving her the Nantucket home. She loves her life on the island. She loves her home, she loves her job as a children's librarian, she loves her group of friends and she is very happy dating a local carpenter, Nash. It is still early in the summer season when Darcy is reading a book in her backyard when she hears a voice that takes her back in time. Her ex-husband, his new wife, and their teenage daughter have rented the house behind hers for the summer. While there are no lingering feelings for Boyz, Darcy is hoping to make it through this summer without running into him. She has other neighbors that are staying for the summer that may keep things interesting -there is also the elderly lady and her divorced son who is writing a book, and the family full of rambunctious boys. They all have their secrets and Darcy hears them all from the safety of her backyard. Will Darcy be able to make it through the summer with her dignity and her heart intact?

Nancy Thayer books are like comfort food to me. Her books are some of those books that just define summer for me. Darcy Cotterill is not the perfect character, but to me, she lived the perfect life and had the perfect job. I am not going to lie - I was a little envious of all of her outdoor time with her book and glass of wine. That is how she got to hear all of the secrets - by eavesdropping on her neighbors. I got a little annoyed with her intense desire to meddle after she eavesdropped. Sometimes it was definitely warranted, but other times it was completely unwarranted. Also, she seemed a little needy with her boyfriend, Nash, at times. Thankfully, Darcy had some friends to reign her in when the crazy got out of control. The summer and the book ended much too quickly but in very much a 'happy ever after" kind of way.

Bottom line - It is not likely that I will find myself at a beach this summer, but Secrets in Summer is the perfect summer read that will make you feel like you are on the beach even if you are in your own backyard.

Details
Secrets in Summer by Nancy Thayer
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Pages: 336
Publisher: Random House Publishing
Publication Date: 5/16/2017
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I enjoyed every second of this book even the deplorable Boyz! So many things in this story were familiar: librarian, cat, resort town, complicated family relationships, secrets, etc. Summer just isn't summer without Nancy Thayer!

3.5 to 4 stars
I always know that it’s summertime when a new Nancy Thayer novel is published! Her books are the ultimate poolside or beach read—light, engaging, refreshing, and completely charming! Her books carry with them the very essence of summer.

Darcy is a divorced librarian who lives year-round in Nantucket in a house inherited by her grandmother. Darcy is beautiful, fun, and high-spirited and so far, one of my favorite Thayer female characters. Darcy’s just become involved with Nash, a sexy carpenter, and both of them are trying to figure out where their relationship is going—is it just steamy sex or a permanent relationship? This is something that Darcy must figure out over the course of the story and which was for me a little time frustrating, so I was glad when it was finally resolved.

Summer has arrived at Nantucket and with it brings the “summer people” converging on the town. Darcy usually avoids getting involved with her summer neighbors, but this year she becomes very close to the summer renters behind and on either side her house. At first, she is shocked that the renters behind her just happens to be her ex-husband Boyz, his wife Autumn, and his teenage stepdaughter Willow. Of all the places to rent, they had to pick that house!! Boyz is a sleazebag, and Autumn is no mother of the year, but Willow is a lovely girl who Darcy develops a lovely friendship, which is central to the plot. I loved Willow, but let me say again, Boyze was a sleazebag, and I could have done without him, but I understand why he was part of the story.

Darcy also becomes closely involved with Mimi, the elderly yet wise and a bit sassy neighbor who is renting the house next door with her thirty-something-year-old grandson Clive. In many ways, Mimi reminds Darcy of her beloved grandmother Penny, and they bond immediately. Lastly, Susan is the frazzled mother of three wild boys who is renting the other house beside Darcy’s. Susan is obviously in need of adult friends and some alone time, and she finds this through a friendship with Darcy, Mimi, and even Willow.

Although Darcy is the main character, these other women are major to the storyline. It is the friendships that these women build and the connections that Thayer weaves not just between these very real women but between other minor characters in the book that drives the storylines with each twist and turn. Everything in the story is interconnected, and the events are laid out in such a way that they truly shape the story.

Even though the plot is not perfect, it is a fast, fun read as you get a glimpse into the day to day lives of each of these characters and how their interactions and connections impact each other. I think what I found to be most delightful was how Thayer developed the relationships and friendships of these four women who spanned the generations from teenager to mid-eighties and found commonality between them all—it was refreshing to see such love and friendship woven between all ages, which is very true to real life.

The story has romance, infidelity, betrayals, and friendship, and it is perfect for a light beach or vacation read. I enjoyed Secrets in Summer for a charming, lighthearted read, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a refreshing summer novel.

I want to thank NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Nancy Thayer for providing me an ARC of Secrets in Summer to read in exchange for my fair and honest review.

This is the first book that I've read by this author. The setting of Nantucket is perfect for a summer read. We are told that the main character, Darcy Cotterill, is 30 but she read like a much older woman. Her bonds with the summer neighbors seemed a little forced and unrealistic, particularly her bond with her ex-husband's step-daughter. The voice of 14-year-old Willow did not ring true for me either. As the mother of three girls, one still a teenager, I've had some experience with this breed and their speech patterns. Darcy seemed so unsure about her choices and I wasn't sure what the author was attempting to say about her heroine. I've been told to try an earlier title by this author and may go that route.

Secrets in Summer by Nancy Thayer is not a deep read but is an enjoyable one, making it a perfect beach or pool read. One of the pleasures of this story is the setting at the island of Nantucket at the beginning of summer. While Darcy, the local librarian is at the center of the story there is a whole bunch of other characters vying for Darcy’s help and attention. While there is drama it is handled with a light, easy touch.

The story flows, the pacing like a summer breeze is laid-back, and the characters are likable and varied. It is like sitting by the pool with a friend catching up with everything that is going on in her life. Just the kind of day and read you need every once in a while.

Perfect beach read! Interesting and charming characters. A fun light read. Perfect for summer days spent by the pool.

I received an ARC of Secrets in Summer in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second of Nancy Thayer's books I've now read - and like the one before, she makes you want to be on the island vacationing!! This story line is interesting, you have the main character (Darcy), and a host of summer visitors to the island whom she intertwines with. One being her ex husband Boyz, who rents the home right behind her. Darcy befriends his step-daughter Willow, who really needs an adult in her life that isn't screwed up.

The story took me quite a while to get into, and I felt it was long at parts. I liked the parts with Nash, but felt the parts with Clive (her other neighbor) were too Cliché.

All in all, I would recommend to anyone who likes Nancy's books.

This book definitely accomplished at least one thing: I really want to visit Nantucket now! It's a good beach book, a light and easy read. My couple of niggles include dialogue that seemed stilted and some pretty outlandish situations. It also seemed a bit old fashioned about "gender roles" on occasion. One would think fathers would be comfortable with taking care of their children, but maybe I'm wrong. I did still enjoy the book and would recommend it to anyone who wants a nice light read, especially for a vacation or beach days. I loved that the main character was a librarian, as it's always been something I'm interested in. It really added something to the story for me.

Darcy is a year-round resident of Nantucket. She lives in a beautiful old house her grandmother left for her, and loves caring for her garden and her job at the library. She's also in a steamy new relationship with a man named Nash. All is well in her world. When summer arrives and the population of Nantucket skyrockets, the usually empty homes in her neighborhood start to fill up with new renters. There's a charming and hilarious old lady and her handsome grandson on one side of her, and on the other.... her ex husband and his family. The stunningly beautiful woman he cheated on Darcy with and her teenage daughter. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, but she's determined not to let it ruin her summer.

Though she usually keeps in mind that the summer people are only here for a few months and then leave forever, she finds herself drawn to a few of her new neighbors. She soon becomes enveloped in their problems and drama and especially forms an attachment to the teenager next door, Willow. As she tries to support her new friends, she has a few things of her own to figure out... like plans for her future, and if the pull she feels towards the handsome man next door overrides her blooming relationship with Nash.

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Ballantine Books, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased

Easy, beach read with romance and drama.

Reading this book was such a delightful way to spend a few hours. I loved being caught up in Darcy's world on the very lovely shores of Nantucket.

I enjoyed the many characters that inhabited this book and the way they all fit into Darcy's world. There were a lot of giggles, and oh no, moments and some very sweet emotional moments as well. All of which endeared me to this world and made me very invested in the lives of these people and anxious to see how it would all work out.

I highly recommend this very lovely beach read to anyone who enjoys a well written family drama, well written characters who are people you come to love and enjoy being around, and some fabulous romance that leaves you with a smile on your face. I enjoyed this one very much.

Secrets in Summer is the newest novel written by Nancy Thayer. I have been a fan of Nancy Thayer for many years, and I always look forward to revisiting the picturesque island of Nantucket.

With that being said, I have to admit that this one was not one of my favorites. As I previously stated, I always look forward to her books, but this time around, I had a hard time reading this book. I typically devour a Nancy Thayer book in one sitting, but with this one, I often found myself stopping and going back to it the next day. I really tried to like this book, but for some reason, I just felt like I couldn't connect to any of the characters. The drama in this story, in my opinion, seemed almost unbelievable at some points. There was potential for this to be a great story, however, I just felt the story was lacking in some ways.

One thing I did enjoy was the setting...the imagery and descriptive writing style made me want to be in Nantucket. Nancy Thayer definitely knows how to perfectly capture that summer feeling. I just wish the plot captured my attention as much as the setting.

I received an advance copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My views are my own and are in no way influenced by anyone else.

I am a complete sucker for books set in Nantucket and books with a librarian main character, so this one completely filled those criteria. It's a very, very frothy story and one that is a perfect beach read for those days when you know you'll be distracted by kids (or people-watching) constantly and need to be able to not focus on an intricate plot line. I loved all of the Nantucket descriptions and reading about Darcy's time at work as a children's librarian. I also really like reading about her love of books and reading.

The one issue I had with this story is just how much I hated Boyz (and his NAME! and his FAMILY!) and every single part of the book where he is included. I completely skimmed over the part where it describes Darcy and Boyz meeting and their time together, and whenever he entered the story later on I wanted to skip it. He is supposed to be an unlikeable character, but I wish he had been a very, very background minor player.

All in all, this one will satisfy most readers of frothy romantic chick lit and long time Thayer fans.

(Review will be posted week of 5/25/17)

Darcy grew up on idyllic Nantucket with her grandmother and since her grandmother's passing, she has inherited their family home. After her whirlwind romance and subsequent divorce from her ex-husband and real estate mogul, Boyz, she finds herself back at home on Nantucket starting over. Darcy is the town's librarian, she is dating a gorgeous carpenter, and has a group of friends. Everything seems to be going well for her until summertime comes and she is out in her garden, where she spends a lot of her time and she realizes her ex-husband and his new family has rented the house behind hers. Cue all the drama. Things get even more complicated when she overhears Willow, Boyz's stepdaughter, canoodling with the local thug/drug addict. Should she report this to her ex-husband and his new wife? Is she obligated to since Willow is underage? Predictably, things don't go well when Darcy confronts Boyz regarding his step-daughter's escapades, but as the summer goes on, Darcy is surprised to find that Willow is a delightful young girl that just needs some guidance. This summer Darcy is also is grappling with her feelings about Nash, her carpenter boyfriend. Is he feeling the same way about her? Darcy's story in Secrets in Summer by Nancy Thayer is the perfect summertime diversion. There's family secrets, a romance, and strong female friendships all set on the gorgeous island of Nantucket.

I really enjoyed Darcy form the get-go in Secrets in Summer. She's a librarian and a big-time book worm; what's not to love? But some of her decisions were just so ridiculous. (More on that later.) I did feel for her regarding her complicated relationship with Boyz and I desperately wanted her to get away from him. He is is horrible! And when he shows on Nantucket right by her house with his new family, it was pretty much a nightmare. Even though Darcy claims to be "over" Boyz, having him there was sort of a constant reminder of her former life.

The reason why I didn't give this Secrets in Summer four stars was for the simple fact that I couldn't get behind Darcy's friendship with Willow. It was weird. I mean it's her ex-husband's new wife's daughter. Willow's mother is the woman who stole her former husband away and even though Darcy is "over" it all, I just couldn't fathom her having a meaningful relationship with Willow. It would be too complicated, right? She goes above and beyond what I think a woman in her situation should do for an adolescent that needs guidance. It was all just a little too much.

Once I got past some of the issues surrounding her ex-husband's family, I fell in love with the Nantucket setting in Secrets in Summer. Thayer truly knows Nantucket. Her descriptions of the beaches, the restaurants, Darcy's garden, and the adorable library were fantastic. Every time Darcy brought her wine or fabulous dinner outside to her garden and gazed at the stars or read a book on her chair, I wanted to be there right along side of her.

Darcy's summer crew, minus Boyz's family, were all very interesting in Secrets in Summer. Mimi, the elderly woman next door, stole my heart and Susan, the overworked and under appreciated mother of three boys was also an interesting character that was renting the house a few doors down. I liked how the women, although different ages and from various different backgrounds, all sort of banded together for the summer. Lastly, the character of Nash was one of my favorites and Darcy's romance with him was also well done. I truly didn't understand why she didn't fully commit to him sooner; he's perfect!

Secrets in Summer is a breezy, fluffy beach read and I say that as a compliment. It would be the perfect way to spend the afternoon or the ideal book to throw in your beach bag this summer. One thing is for sure, Nancy Thayer really knows Nantucket and you can count on her for an enjoyable beach read.

For me, a new Nancy Thayer book means summer is on its way! I LOVE reading about her world on Nantucket and always look forward to her books. Secrets in Summer is her newest book and I love it!!!!

Secrets in Summer by Nancy Thayer introduces us to Darcy, a year round resident and librarian on Nantucket. Darcy has been living in the house left to her by her grandmother and hanging out with a long term group of friends. She is happy. When summer starts though all the houses around her fill up with summertime neighbors. Darcy has always kept them at a distance, but this year is different and not just because her ex-husband shows up next door with his wife and her daughter. Slowly Darcy is drawn into the world of her summer neighbors and has lost her distance. She also is dating Nate, a carpenter on the island and she is feeling sparks. Of course things get muddled and not everything happens as expected, but that’s what happens with summer on Nantucket.

The book reeled me in, I so wanted to be one of her neighbors hanging out with her and enjoying the beaches, sun and friends. Sometimes lines blur and it is hard to know which way to turn, but Darcie keeps moving forward, trying her best, knowing the summer is fast coming to an end. I loved Darcie and her “gang” of friends. I wanted the book to end appropriately for her and found myself nervous a couple of times!

Secrets in Summer by Nancy Thayer is a great summer read!!

This is a light easy read that's perfect for your beach read list. I have always enjoyed Nancy Thayer's book and while this one is no exception, I did feel the story left me wanting a bit more. I'm not sure if it's because of my dislike for some of the characters in this one or the bad behavior of those characters but it just didn't leave me with that warm happy feeling I usually experience at the end of her other books. This is a great look at the relationships we have with people that come and go in our lives as well as those relationships that are important enough to really fight for. I would recommend this one.

Librarian (Darcy) who lives on Nantucket doesn't usually mingle with the summer visitors, but this summer is different in many ways ... how will these new friendships impact her life?

Darcy, a librarian living in her deceased grandmother's home on Nantucket, lives a fairly drama free life and is casually dating Nash, a carpenter new to the island. Her quiet life is shaken when her ex-husband, Boyz, and his new family (wife Autumn and step-daughter, Willow) rent the home behind hers. Soon, her life becomes intermingled with theirs as well as the families renting the houses on either side of hers. On one side is elderly, yet bubbly, Mimi and her handsome grandson, Clive, and on the other side is Susan, her husband, Otto, and their three rambunctious sons. As the summer progresses, many secrets are revealed. How will they Darcy, and her new friends, be affected by them?

I loved reading a story about a librarian and have to admit that I had a teeny-tiny crush on Nash hehe. This would be the perfect book to read while relaxing at the beach!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I chose to read this book because the author will be speaking at the library where I work next week. I am very glad that I chose to read it! The main character, Darcy, is a librarian in Nantucket, which sounds like a lovely place based on the descriptions in the book. Darcy has inherited her grandmother's home and is living there when surprisingly, her ex-husband and his wife whom he left Darcy for, show up at the rental house next door. Darcy has a handsome new boyfriend and while she tries to avoid relationships with the summer people, she winds up befriending her ex-husband's step daughter and an elderly woman named Mimi who is renting the house on the other side of Darcy's home. Mimi is staying there with her handsome grandson who is quite interested in Darcy. The story and characters are very interesting and the book is a fun read! I highly recommend it.

This was a cute beach read.

It's been 3 years since Darcy has lived on Nantucket all-year round. After the death of her beloved Grandmother, she inherited her house. Once summer rolls around, here come the summer visitors. Surrounding Darcy's house, are three groups of summer visitors. One she did not expect, her ex-husband and new family. But Darcy has gotten to know all of the women and cherishes their time together.

But the real question is, can Darcy and Nash maintain their relationship this summer. New to the island, Nash is reluctant to talk about his past. But can other obstacles keep them apart, or will their relationship survive?

Okay- my summer has officially begun! My first Nantucket book is officially complete and I'm ready for the rest of the beach books. This is your basic light summer, romance, family secrets all rolled into one nice happy story and everyone has a happy ending. We all need one of these books every so often....just about once or twice every summer to be exact. Now I' m off to read the latest Elin Hilderbrand book, and I'll be set until next summer!
Thanks to Ballantine books and Netgalley for the advance digital review copy!