Member Reviews

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Wow, just wow. I could have sat down and read this book cover to cover in an afternoon, but I did not want to be done with it so quickly. I laughed out loud, I cried little tears, and I sobbed. What a beautiful story. Hands down my favorite read of 2020 so far.

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'28 Summers' follows our girl Mallory over the course of, can you guess what I'm about to say? 28 luscious summer weekends spent with a special someone, her 'Same Time, Next Year'- but this book is so much more than that. It is filled with the complex relationships, realistically flawed and lovable characters, and comforts of hearth and home on a gorgeous island 30 miles out to sea that Hilderbrand is known for adoringand writing love letter after love letter to.
The fun surprises were the pop culture references at the beginning of each chapter that made me smile or sometimes cringe, startle at how quickly time has passed, and remember what I was doing in 1993, 2001, 2013.
This book was spectacular from beginning to end.

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OH BOY I HATED THIS.

I'm just not on board with a story that has infidelity as a main plot point in a relationship. It made me HATE the main male character, and the whole thing went off the rails the minute I realized that's where Hilderbrand was going with this story.

I just want to emphasize that this is NOT feel-good beach reading, and I can't in any way recommend this to patrons who want fun beach reading. I feel betrayed by the cover and title and first half of the book. BETRAYED. UGH.

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This is by far the best book I have read this year, and absolutely the best book Elin Hilderbrand has written!!! I truly feel like this would be an amazing movie!! I did not want to over read this book, simply because I did not want it to end. I will be recommending this book to many others as well as having our book club read it this fall!!! Fabulous book!!!

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This is my favourite Elin Hilderbrand so far. I loved how each chapter was a different year and that it always started out with historicism facts that happened in that year. That helped paint the picture of what that year was like. Like all of her novels I couldn’t put this one down but the story line and the plot of this novel made 28 Summers my favourite book by Elin Hilderbrand.

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I enjoy all Elin Hilderbrand books , but 28 Summers is truly special. My first bit of advice is don’t start this book unless you have nothing else to do the next 24 hours, because once you start reading the world will fall away. And isn’t that what makes a novel great, becoming so immersed in the story you don’t want to come up for air? So savor this book. Read it slowly. Read some sentences over again. Savor the richness of the characters, savor the plot, and savor the emotions this book evokes. Because it does pack a punch.
Moving to Nantucket in 1993, thanks to an aunt leaving her a cottage, Mallory Blessing enjoys a rich and wonderful life. When Jake McCloud comes for a visit with her brother it sets off a chain of events that changes and shapes her life. It’s a beautifully written story, full of wonderful people and set on Nantucket. You know it’s funny. We’ve lived on cape since my first visit in 1976, yet I’ve still never made it over to Nantucket. But through Hilderbrand’s novels, I feel acquainted with every square inch. This book has made me want to change that and visit this magical place.
My one complaint is I already miss the characters in this book. I’d love a sequel with Bess and Link to see what’s happened in their lives.

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I just finished this story and I loved every page. I fell in love, hoped , laughed, remembered and cried. Elin Hilderbrand’s books get better and better but I am not sure if she will ever too this one. I loved the intertwining stories, I fell in love with Jake and want to be friends with Mallory. I loved how each chapter/summer story provided a memory and glimpse back to that year. This was so creative and a great way to move the story forward. Coming June 2020 I can’t wait to share this with so many people! Absolutely wonderful!! Thank you to Elin, netgalley and the publisher for an early read.

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I love Elin Hilderbrand's novels and 28 Summers did not disappoint. I really enjoyed both the premise (chapters set during different points in the protagonists' lives) as well as the context Hilderbrand provided with the important historical moments preceding each chapter. As with all her novels, the relationship between the characters was engaging and this was a fast paced page turner. Highly recommend as the perfect beach read!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

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Based on the story of a clandestine love affair where two lovers meet every year for one, weekend, HIlderbrand imagines that the wife of one of the lovers is a candidate for the U.S. presidency. Link is honoring his dying mother’s wish to call a phone number that turns out to belong to the husband of a presidential candidate, and the man his mother had a long term love affair with. Bittersweet and melancholy, this might leave you reaching for your tissues

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L O V E.
This is my new favorite book. Drama. Romance. Heartache. Intrigue! All the things! I fully expect people to be crying through their face masks in front of beach screensavers this summer!

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I loved this book and it’s special protagonist so much that I didn’t want to let them go. I am a big fan of Hilderbrand and I never miss a book. They are all really great reads, but this surpassed even her delightful novels.

It is the love story of Mallory and Jake and their odd commitment that lasts 28 years. Because life is so complicated, the couple has a unique schedule for their loving trysts. They were inspired by one of my personal favorite love stories, SAME TIME NEXT YEAR. The author is frank about her inspiration and manages to turn the romance into a modern, enchanting tale.

As always, Nantucket is used as the setting, and becomes a character in the novel. The characters are beautifully drawn and nuanced. A light touch is provided by Cooper, a serial groom.

The author provides the reader with contextual reminders of each year as we prepare for the couple to visit and explore their lives between encounters.

I don’t want to be a spoiler, so I urge my book groups to sink into this incredibly engaging novel. There is a lot to discuss and it will fill many hours. I feel so lucky to have spent a few glorious days with Mallory on Nantucket.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me so much pleasure with this ARC.

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