The Gordon family always spends their summer near Cape Cod. Their summer house there has always brought the family together until everything changes the summer after they adopt Michael. Fifteen years later, sisters Ann and Poppy are trying to deal with the loss of their parents, being estranged with each other, and hoping that Michael doesn't pop up out of no where to claim his right as an heir to the estate.

Ann, Poppy and Michael couldn't have grown up to be more different from each other. The story is told through all three siblings point of view to show how things changed over that summer and how they all react to life after their parents death.

Cristina Clancy did a good job of really differentiating between characters and telling how each event that happened affected each person depending on the information that they knew.

The Second Home by Christina Clancy

Brief Summary: The Gordon family spends their summers in Wellfleet in Cape Cod until one disastrous summer tears the family apart and they leave in the middle of it. Fifteen years later the parents have died and the daughters Ann and Poppy must handle their affairs and decide what to do with the house. However, before they can settle, their estranged brother Michael returns with a claim to the house and a determination to set right what happened that fateful summer. This is a really incredible debut novel.

Highlights: I loved her ability to capture what makes a childhood home; especially a childhood summer vacation home special. She had me reminiscing about my own summers spent growing up at my grandma’s second home in Door County, Wisconsin. I also loved how she brought the settings of Wellfleet, Cape Cod and Milwaukee, WI to life. She gave me a list of new establishments to check out in my own hometown. Even more remarkable is her ability to do this amidst a compelling and dramatic plot. I was engrossed and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.

Explanation of Rating: 5/5; incredibly impressive debut novel!

Psychology Factors: Clancy does not shy away from sexual assault and how it can change the course of your life.

Favorite Quotes: “Everyone grieves differently.” She’d said. “The grief can come out in all different ways, like anger.”

This would be a fantastic book club read and a must for fans of family dramas. I was really proud to see Clancy put Wisconsin on the map. I will eagerly anticipate her next novel!

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I am going to purchase my own signed copy for my personal library to support the author!

Wellfleet on the shore of Cape Cod houses the heart and second home of the Gordon family. It also is the place of the explosive event that rips the family apart. Based upon lies, pain and heartache, it seems as though the rift is insurmountable. Eventually the grown children, Poppy, Ann and Michael must confront the past in order to see the possibilities of the future.

Ann is the oldest, most logical and on the path she has walked since she was a child. She is a good student with lots of friends and activities to keep her busy and happy. Poppy lives in Ann’s shadow, but she adores her. Things begin to unravel for her during her teens as she finds a new group of friends that are into drugs and the carefree lives of the surf scene. Michael came to the family when he was in high school. He is a close friend of Ann’s, and when his mother dies, Ann’s family adopts him. Bright and ambitious, it is just the leg up he needs to go to college. Until that fated day in Wellfleet when his world began to crumble.

Brilliantly written in first person, alternating between Ann, Poppy and Michael, the reader is pulled into the thoughts and actions of the characters. Misunderstandings and lack of communication between the main characters creates tension and conflict but they must come together after tragedy hits the family.

I love this fast-paced novel. The plot is intricate, yet easy to read. The characters are fully developed and interesting. The setting in Wellfleet makes me long to visit the shore.

It is hard to believe that The Second Home is Christina Clancy’s debut novel. The richness of the text and the depth of the story will have readers clamoring for more. Hopefully she will favor us with another novel in the near future.

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy for free from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Copyright © 2020 Laura Hartman

This was a wonderful family drama. It reminded me a bit of an Elin Hilderbrand novel, which I always enjoy. Christina Clancy is a talented writer, and I was engrossed in the teenage years of Poppy, Anne and Michael. Michael’s story was really heartbreaking, and I loved that he found a family in the Gordon’s. That all changed one night in Cape Cod, which affected the family for years to come.

This book had me turning the pages to see what, if anything, would bring the family back together. I was so invested in this book until Poppy returned to Cape Cod, then I became a little frustrated with the characters. Still, I really enjoyed the story and look forward to Christina Clancy’s next book!

Talk about dysfunctional! Set in 1999 and 2015, this is the story of Ann, Poppy, and Michael and what happened to all of them in Wellfleet, Mass in 1999. Their parents have died and Ann has pulled Poppy back from her wanderings to help her sell their house, which she can't afford to keep. Then, however, Michael, who was adopted when he was 16, shows up, and much drama ensues. There was an ugly thing (very ugly) that happened in 1999 that split this family apart, in part because of the lies. No spoilers. This is largely Ann's story; she's not the most likable character and she doesn't act logically at a number of points in her life. Family beach houses always make good settings for this type of novel and Clancy has done a nice job capturing Wellfleet. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A good read.

The Second Home is a family drama that centers around a family summer house in Wellfleet on Cape Cod. The old cottage has been in the Gordon family for several generations and the family still ventures out from Wisconsin every year to spend the summer. The family is made up of the 2 parents who both work at a school and their 2 daughters Anne and Poppy. The family adopts Michael, a high school classmate of Anne's, after he becomes orphaned. Michael falls in love with Cape Code during his first summer there with the Gordons. During Michael's 2nd summer there, some events set wheels in motion that will drive wedge between the family for more than a decade.

Cape Cod holds a special place in my heart. I've gone there almost every summer since I was a kid. Lots of memories there. I love reading books that help transport me there and this one definitely helped bring me to Wellfleet. It had all the stuff I needed to get that sense of place: local businesses, landmarks, flora & fauna, etc.

The story definitely showed how keeping secrets and not being open with your family can cause lasting misunderstandings. The chapters alternate between Anne, Poppy, and Michael. The first part of the book is set during their teen years and the latter part is set about 15 years later. It is sad to see how their great family dynamic was hurt by the events of that one summer. While this may not be a light and fluffy beach read, I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good summer read.

3.5 Stars.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for my review!

This book looks at two sisters and an adopted brother and how the events of a summer during their teens impacts their adult lives. I finished this book quickly, and enjoyed it generally, although at times I was frustrated by the total lack of communication between the characters, and felt as if a lot of the story's drama rested on character's not talking to each other, which isn't my favorite trope. As some of the other reviewers have mentioned, I feel as if there were aspects of the story that could have been polished, but it remained generally enjoyable, and if you like family dramas in a fantastic location, this book will be a great summer read for you.

In terms of the characters, I generally liked the three main point of view characters. At times (possibly because of the not talking to each other), they bordered on stereotypical, and at times it stretched some credability in my mind that the fairly well balanced family that they seemed to when they were teens could so thoroughly separate. I did like the way some of the characters blended back into the story later on.

Overall, I started this book in an evening when my brain was kind of overwhelmed with anxiety, and it was light enough and engaging enough to distract me from that mental overload of real life, and I finished it during the next day, so I definitely enjoyed the story.

4.5 stars

I absolutely loved this book! Christina Clancy has reminded me why I love reading so much.

This book was beautifully written and the story line was both sad and hopeful. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect when I started reading, but after a few chapters I didn’t want to put it down. It’s amazing how one person can ruin a whole family and tear up the trust that took years to build and throw it away in seconds. It’s also amazing how a family split apart for years can come back together and reunite after the horrible lies that tore them apart in the first place. And once again begin to share the love they once felt for one another.

In three words I would describe this book as...hopeful, heart-wrenching & loving. I would highly recommend this book for drama lovers who love to have their heart strings tugged. I’m looking forward to reading more from Christina!

I think this family story is an excellent summer read, but for me there was so much personal resonance that really made me connect with this story. While my life is definitely quite different from that of the characters, the feeling of a special, family place that holds a lot of history- both personal and familial - is one that I related to deeply. My family has a cabin that my great grandfather built, and while it is definitely showing its age and needs so much work, I can't imagine it not being in our lives (despite having little interest in taking responsibility for it). I really enjoyed this one and hope others find it meaningful as well.

This was a hard book for me to review. I wanted to like it. I love the setting and the premise sounded really good. However, the story had way too many plot holes and inconsistencies for me to overlook and enjoy the book. There are a lot of higher ratings for this book, and it seems like a lot of people really enjoyed it, so I may be in the minority on this one.

One summer, something unspeakable happens to Ann while her family is spending the summer at their Cape Cod beach house. It sets off a chain of events that tears Ann, her sister Poppy, and their adopted brother Michael apart.. Fifteen years later, their parents die in a terrible accident, and Ann wants to sell the beach house. Then Michael resurfaces with a legitimate claim to the home, and old resentments are stirred up. However, if Ann and Michael can put aside their anger for a little while, they may find that things didn't happen quite the way they always believed they did.
This was family drama at its best. It drew me in and kept me turning the pages, wanting to find out what would happen next. It was like watching a soap opera, only with less glamorous characters. Ann was that girl you knew in high school who had perfect grades and was popular and a little stuck-up, Poppy was a "free spirit" shall we say, and Michael had a tragic past and lost both of his parents when he was sixteen so the Gordon's wanted to adopt him. I loved this book, with all of the drama, and I thought it just had a really good story to it. So I highly recommend it.

A bittersweet, haunting tale of a family and one summer on Cape Cod that proved to be the tipping point of their unraveling. Two sisters, Ann and Poppy, spend every summer in the home passed down to their father through many generations. A brother (Michael) is adopted and included in their family in a time of great need. The tension of his not-so-brotherly feelings for one sister and the manipulations of a man on the Cape will collide and cause an unforeseen rift in the Gordon family. Told from the POVs of the three teenagers in past and present timelines, the narrative gives you an intimate look at a family in crisis. Parents blindsided. Siblings torn asunder. The vacation home is in and of itself a main character. This will no doubt be a popular book club selection and Clancy has most certainly written a powerful debut novel. I believe the timelines could have been more clearly marked or perhaps edited differently for clarity. Still, I would recommend this title as there is much to ponder regarding family relationships, #metoo issues, and most certainly the debate on preserving old structures. Hand this one to fans of "The Dutch House."

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Family drama, lies, inappropriate relationships, manipulation, ignorance, stubbornness, unwillingness to speak up, and more lies. So much happens in this book and I don’t want to give away any of it. A well written emotional journey of a once very loving getting stuck in a sea of misinformation and mistrust. They never dealt with anything and then after more lies their hands were forced. It all comes out and isn’t always easy. I found myself yelling at some of the people at various times. Speak up for goodness sakes. You are all adults now, talk to each other and figure out how to move forward, apologize, take some responsibility etc. I was definitely emotionally invested and imagine you all will be too. Not your average summer/beach read, but perfect for any time of the year. I look forward to more from this author.

This book opens with Ann, a thirty-something woman from Boston, meeting with a realtor about selling her family's Wellfleet house after her parents were tragically killed in a car accident. She loves the house and has years of memories summering with her family there, but she and her sister could use the money. The real estate agent quickly points out all the house's drawbacks: it's right on Route 6, needs a new roof and septic tank, has a kitchen from the 70s, etc.. After the realtor drops this little truth bomb and is ready to leave, she asks Ann if the title is clear, i.e. is Ann legally able to sell the house. Yes, Ann says. Of course I am.

READER, THIS IS NOT TRUE. IN HER INTERNAL MONOLOGUE, ANN ADMITS THAT SHE IS, IN FACT, LYING.

Then the book goes back to 1999 to explain.

And boy, is it a story. Don't let the pink cover fool you - this is not a light beach read but a tangled story filled with terrible events that require secrets and lies and payoffs to cover up the secrets and lies. Then finally, back to the present, where everything comes out.

What I liked about the book was the outer Cape atmosphere and mentions of all the landmarks and beaches.

I generally love books that feature family drama. But these characters did things and reacted to things in ways that weren't well enough explained for me. Really dramatic things happened and I wanted more reaction to and discussion of those things. There are definitely families who don't discuss unpleasant things but I found this aspect of the book frustrating.

3.5 stars. The story and characters kept me interested in the beginning and it was an easy read. However, I found the ending to be very abrupt which left me unsettled. I wish we explored more of the characters "present life" instead of ending the book prematurely. Great summer read!

Set on Cape Cod, the beauty and history of the setting adds to the intrigue of this novel. Clancy's debut novel brings together a story of family trauma and its ripple effects. The writing is engaging; characters are complex and dramatic. A sweeping family drama at its finest - I look forward to reading more of Clancy's work.

I've been reading way too many 'family dramas' lately - however, The Second Home by Christina Clancy ranks higher than most.

Messy family relationships, resentment, lack of communication and disrespect are all at the center of this three person story. Not one of the characters is particularly likable - each with their own set of flaws - just like everyone else. Set in a vacation home on Cape Cod, Clancy pulls the reader into the drama - and bring everything that ocean air to the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I think this was a case of too many issues crammed into one story . The characters weren’t very likeable and whilst I don’t always mind that in this case it seemed to add to my dissatisfaction with the book.
Not one for me but as this is a debut book I would say the author shows some promise if maybe keeps to a couple of dramas.

While I enjoy a bit of family drama, I did not particularly enjoy this book. The siblings all hate each other after a disastrous summer when they were teenagers. Now they have to sell the house where this disastrous summer occurred, leading to more drama. While the setting is beautiful, the characters are all fairly awful, which I have a hard time looking past.

Every summer the Gordon family spent their vacation at their family home in Cape Cod, but the year Ann was seventeen was a disastrous one for the family. Ann had spent the whole summer babysitting for the Shaws. It was Michael’s first trip to Cape Cod as the family had recently adopted him and Poppy was learning to surf. When they left Cape Cod, the secret that Ann harboured caused a split in the family – a rift that might never heal.

Fifteen years later Ann was back at the house, preparing it for sale. The parents had been killed in a car accident and while Poppy organized their town house for sale, Ann carried on with their Cape Cod home. But when Michael arrived on the scene after being absent for those many years, and refused to let Ann sell the house, he also said he wanted the long-held secrets from that terrible summer to be laid bare. He wanted the truth to be out in the open.

The Second Home is the debut novel by Christina Clancy and the best part of the novel was the descriptions of Cape Cod. The pictures painted of that area gave me a wish to see it in its glory as the many summer residents loved it so much. The book covers dark elements, with rape, manipulation, blackmail, naïve teenagers, and abuse among the many traumas. I’m afraid I struggled with a lot of the aspects of this novel, skimming through the “hard to read” parts. I also didn’t connect with any of the characters. I’m afraid this was a disappointing read for me…

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.