Inspired by the movie, Same Time, Next Year, Mallory and Jake develop an emotional intimacy deeper than what you would expect between two people that only meet for three days once a year. This story is about family, friendships and deception.

At the start, I was a little hesitant about this storyline. The premise for why these two people couldn’t just be together felt somewhat thin. However, the further this tale goes along, the more the love story pulls you in, and want so much for them to have the happy ending you know isn’t coming. This is a beautiful imagining of Same Time Next Year with just enough of our modern world thrown in.

Elin Hilderbrand does it again! Summer on Nantucket is always a magical experience for me and 28 Summers packs just as much magic. A sweeping love story spanning 28 years, this is an ultimate each read with the right amount of substance. It's really easy for readers to consider that Mallory and Jake's dynamic isn't appropriate or realistic but isn't that what real life is? It's not as simple as we like to think it is. Relationships are messy and complicated and so are the relationships among all of these characters. I look forward to Elin's releases every summer and devoured this one in a day!

What a fabulous story! Yet, not without issues. This was my first book by this author and I fell in love with her writing. Although I felt the story was a little unbelievable in some parts, I was still compelled to finish. So that is a testament to the power of Elin Hilderbrand's writing. I cannot imagine a more perfect beach read than '28 Summers.'

One of the most memorable parts of this book is the fantastic chapter headings as we follow Jake and Mallory through 28 summers of their lives, beginning in 1993. The songs, the headlines, the news of each year all brought back such strong feelings! I don't think it's a spoiler to say that Mallory and Jake fall in love and spend each Labor Day weekend together, yet never see each other in between. Poignant, funny, romantic, and evocative, the author created unforgettable characters that will stay with me for a long time.

"...what Jake feels for Mallory isn’t merely infatuation. It’s something bigger."

And yet...why did Mallory give up her adult life waiting for these stolen weekends with Jake? Why was that enough for her? I will admit that I was so puzzled by Mallory's actions (or lack thereof) that I did almost DNF this book halfway through. But I am so glad I finished. I really got a feel for life on Nantucket though the author's gorgeous and detailed descriptions of the beaches, the food, the seasons and the people there. And still I was constantly asking myself, why won't Jake give up everything and just be with Mallory?!

"They’re crazy about each other. Crazy about is where they are this year. They’ll leave it at that. For now."

The cast of characters are fantastic and the current events of each time period are spot-on. I actually have a book hangover after finishing this one so that is always a plus for me. '28 Summers' is a delicious and fun book perfect for reading on a hot summer's day. I look forward to reading the author's other books, they all sound amazing.

Elin HIlderbrand's books are so great and they really feel like summer to me. This one is no exception.

It owes a lot to the movie Same Time Next Year (which they reference many times; watching it is Mallory and Jake's Labor Day weekend tradition). This is unfortunate because I really wanted to see it, and it's not available streaming anywhere. :(

I enjoyed this story and I was hoping that there would be a way that they could end up together. (Even though we learn at the beginning exactly how this story will end.)

Like her other books, this felt like exactly the book I needed. It was fun and sweet and sad, and I felt like a read with all of those elements. Highly recommended.

Enjoyable read for a day or two at the beach, especially for Nicholas Sparks fans. Although the prologue makes the ending a foregone conclusion, there are some humorous and entertaining as well as poignant episodes along the way. While I didn't find the main character realistic, the subplots and side characters were entertaining.

I am a pretty big fan of Elin Hilderbrand. When I think of her novels, I typically think of escape/summer/beach-reads. 28 Summers is somewhat different. This is about Mallory Blessing and Jake McCloud and their decades-long love affair where they meet once a year for Labor Day weekend. The prologue is set in 2020 when Mallory is dying and tells her son to find a paper in her desk and call the number. Then the meat of the novel starts in 1993 when Mallory is living miserably in New York with a childhood friend until she finds out that a family member has passed and left her a cottage on Nantucket. Not long after she gets settled in, her brother Cooper brings a couple of friends up for a bachelor party weekend, where Mallory and Jake meet. After their wonderful weekend together, they decide that they will get together at the cottage every year for Labor Day weekend, no matter what.

There’s a lot to go over here, so bear with me. Also, based on other reviews, I don’t think my opinions will be very popular.

I’ll start with the characters. There is Mallory who is beautiful, bright, charismatic, and independent. Jake is immediately drawn to her and honestly, so was I. Jake was also instantly charming with his good looks and easy conversation and banter. Mallory’s brother Cooper, I really don’t know what to say. I think he got married like 5 times in the book. Cooper and Jake’s friend, Fray seemed o.k. initially but changed. But overall, I think this is probably the biggest group of unlikable characters that I have seen in a book, especially when it came to Leland and Ursula. Mallory started out with such great potential, but then spent decades dropping everything for one weekend with Jake while breaking hearts the rest of the year with a variety of boyfriends and/or lovers. There was so much lying and so little self-worth on her part, that I just could not like her. My feelings for Jake also continued on a downward spiral as I read. Why was he so spineless? His wife basically emotionally bullied him for decades yet he said nothing and did nothing. His character had such potential in the beginning and although he never seemed unkind, per se, it was just hard to maintain any positive feelings about him.

Normally I am a fan of Hilderbrand’s writing style, but 28 Summers confused me. I did not understand the narration at all and it was inconsistent throughout the novel. The first few chapters contain an unknown narrator referring to Mallory as “our girl” and in another chapter referring to Jake as “our boy.” Who was saying this? It happens a few times and then switches to Mallory or Jake’s point of view. I’m not a fan of anything other than first-person POV but second or third is fine as long as it makes sense.

But my biggest issues were the plot itself. It is never really explained why they decide to do the “same time next year” thing. They are both single at the time this all starts. So why exactly does Jake continue to move forward with Ursula rather than standing up for himself and heading off to be with Mallory? Was it money? Family expectations? Why? That drove me crazy because I kept wondering if there would be some big revelation other than Jake’s refusal to speak up for himself.

The worst part of this, however, was the politics.

Every year has some sort of political thing mixed in, even a fictionalized version of the Kavanaugh case. A woman is running for President, a family is divided because Mallory’s Aunt fell in love with a woman, and I don’t even remember what else because I skimmed over most of those parts. Why throw so much political filler into what could have been a nice, relaxing read? I love that she has a female character running for President, but why did she have to be a lying, backstabbing, shady, and adulteress woman? And why did Jake and their daughter have to be cast as this miserable, obedient family that bows down to the woman running for President?

As you can see, this is not my favorite novel by Elin Hildebrand. However, many reviews are very positive so check it out for yourself. There were just too many inconsistencies, unlikeable characters, and far too much politics for what I consider an enjoyable women’s fiction novel.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown, & Company for providing this review copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

Without a doubt, my new favorite by this author! The characters are likable and engaging-I was immediately hooked. Elin Hilderbrand always creates wonderful characters, and Jake and Mallory are two of her best. I seriously considered starting it again right after I finished!

I enjoyed this book more than usual. The story line was clever and the characters refreshing. Not so much the ending...

Fans of Hilderbrand will be pleased with her latest book. This is a great summer read and my personal favorite from among the 4 or 5 books I’ve read by this author. Nantucket always makes for a great setting and the characters are a bit quirky and endearing. The story has a enough scandal to make it fun, but it doesn’t overtake a sweet story of enduring love. You may wipe away the tears at the end, but you will do so with a smile at the conclusion of a satisfying story. Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown and Company for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was such a treat. I couldn’t put it down and devoured it in less than 48 hours. Wonderful love story told over the span of 28 different summers. This book has such vivid characters and in true Elin Hilderband in a must read at the beach. Highly recommend!

When Mallory Blessing’s son, Link, receives deathbed instructions from his mother to call a number on a slip of paper in her desk drawer, he’s not sure what to expect. But he certainly does not expect Jake McCloud to answer. It’s the late spring of 2020 and Jake’s wife, Ursula DeGournsey, is the frontrunner in the upcoming Presidential election. There must be a mistake, Link thinks. How do Mallory and Jake know each other?
Flash back to the sweet summer of 1993: Mallory has just inherited a beachfront cottage on Nantucket from her aunt, and she agrees to host her brother’s bachelor party. Cooper’s friend from college, Jake McCloud, attends, and Jake and Mallory form a bond that will persevere – through marriage, children, and beyond. review: You know it’s officially summer time when Elin Hilderbrand’s latest book is published! This book is classic Elin – filled with romance, a Nantucket setting, and a lovable cast of characters. I thought this book was fantastic and although it deals with an affair that spans decades, I think Elin handles it well with this book. The characters are flawed but multifaceted and they’re so well developed that they feel like old friends by the end. I always enjoy Elin Hilderbrands books, but this one was definitely up there in my list of favorites. In particular, I loved how the beginning of each chapter started out with everything that was being talked about during that year. I thought that was such a fun way to document the changes each year with a book that spans over a few decades. Between the quintessential Nantucket setting, the political aspect, and the pop culture references, this book was a five star read for me! rating: 5 out of 5 ⭐️

I’ve read several books by this author and loved the Winter series. 28 Summers I just didn’t love. I can’t understand why these two grown adults, who were in love before he even got married, didn’t find a way to be together. I felt not an iota of love ever between Jake and his wife. None of this adds up and midway through it all started feeling repetitive. Thank you to the publisher for the review copy.

My Thoughts
On one hand, I devoured the book (I did not even realize it was over 400 pages until I looked at the details for writing this review!) On the other, I was having that guilty pleasure feeling (like in, this book is about infidelity which is bound to be a no-no for some)

What I Liked

But, I did read it, all the way to the end, and would have completed it in one sitting if I could have. What kept me hooked on was the execution of this concept without being repetitious even though the book follows the lives of Mallory and Jake over 28 summers, with each chapter being devoted to one year.

We are given a clear insight into the inevitable emotional messiness without being preached at. We feel the impact of their relationship on their own lives and that of others around them. And we get to know the other characters well enough so that while Mallory and Jake are the recognizable protagonists, they do not take over the story at any time. This was one book where I enjoyed watching the other characters grow over the span of 28 years, even more than the main characters. I truly loved Mallory’s friend Apple, and her brother Cooper.

I found myself making a note of all the books Mallory and Jake read and exchange in this book (always love characters who love reading!) And I also enjoyed the descriptions of Nantucket itself throughout – virtual vacationing!!!

And yes, I found myself in tears a few times as I read this one. That ending (which is already not a spoiler) still managed to draw out the tears, while there were a few more scenes (especially those with Mallory and her family – her parents, Cooper, and Link) that got to me.

Last, but not the least, I loved the ‘What are we talking about in xyz-year?…’ intro blurbs at the start to each chapter! It took me on a little journey to the past each time, and nostalgia has its benefits, like I have said before 🙂

The Not So Good

Of course, I wanted Jake and Mallory to get together, but wished they could both have been just a little bit stronger, or maybe it was their love that should have been stronger? Their choices infuriated me throughout while at the same time, I hoped for them. I wanted to ‘not like’ them, but found it hard not to like them!

I definitely could have done with a little less of the political issues introduced in later chapters; and though it was mostly done to highlight Ursula’s career, I felt some of it was simply too much for the book.

And yes, some of the times, Mallory and Jake try to achieve the ‘No Matter What‘ goal of meeting that one time each year simply made me – angry? cringe-y? not happy?

In Summary

But in the end, I did devour it, all the way to the end. So if you are willing to look past the obvious theme of a long-term-affair, then this book is sure to tug at your heartstrings, provide you all the relationship dramas while making you question morals and taking you down memory lane, and be the perfect beach-read for you this summer.

While this is my first Elin Hildenbrand book, I know I will be reading more by her in the future.

Quotes
Cooper is the golden child to Mallory’s silver. He’s the chocolate chip cookie to her oatmeal-raisin…..
She is a line drawing of a woman that has been only partially colored in.
“He’s mine…..He’s mine for the rest of my life.” (Mallory’s first thoughts about her baby boy, Link)

Disclaimer: Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown and Co. for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I guess this is an unpopular opinion, but this book was a real stinker for me.

I liked the idea of these star-crossed lovers that meet up for just one weekend a year, and could even get past the unlikely reasons why they never did get together in a more permanent way...but the choppy narration, the blurbs at the beginning of the chapter "What were we thinking about in 1993..." etc., and the references to Jake and Mallory as "our boy" and "our girl" really grated on me.

Jake and Mallory have an instant connection the first time they meet, and after hooking up at Mallory's brothers bachelor party in Nantucket, they decide to meet each year "no matter what" in apparently the same way as a couple in an old movie called "Same Time Next Year". I have never seen the movie, but I'll probably see if I can find it somewhere to watch, because it is a cool premise (infidelity aside), but just didn't work for me with this author.

Each chapter is a new year (and the blurbs at the beginning of each chapter have nothing to do with the story line, I honestly felt like it was a really lazy way to indicate the passage of time), sometimes we hear about Jake and Mallory's Labor Day weekend on Nantucket, sometimes not. The only really long chapters were more about Jake's wife Ursula and her politics. It was baffling to me, and seemed out of place with the story.

If you love the idea of 2 characters meeting up once a year, I would recommend "One Day" by David Nicholls, and "One Day in December" by Josie Silver.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was the perfect summer read! 28 Summers is a touching story about love. Mallory has a “same time next year” person that she gets together with every Labor Day weekend for a whirlwind romantic weekend. No one knows about this annual meeting. At the very beginning of the story Mallory is out on hospice and calls upon her lover and the book spend the next 28 chapter telling their story of love and loss. A beautiful story!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Elin Hilderbrand is the reigning queen of summer beach reading, and this book only further solidifies her place at the top. She is an author that knows her audience, knows what they want to read, and serves it up, without fail, time and time again. While I tend to enjoy her trilogies more than her stand alone novels, I really enjoyed this book through and through. I don't think I will have to go out of my way to sell or recommend this; I never have to "talk someone into" buying novels by Hilderbrand. She's just THAT good. Enjoy this one on the beach with a pina colada- or in your backyard with an iced tea. Either way, you WILL enjoy it.

What can I way differently than I do for every single one of her books -- not sure because I love them all!! She is amazing and this one is exactly like them all!! Perfect!! I love the concept - Same time next year -- could we do it? I think that's what she was trying to explore and I loved every word!!

This book was a fun read, as always for Elin Hilderbrand - I look forward to her books every summer! I have to say, though, that it wasn't one of my favorites of hers. I did think the start to each chapter was clever, and I was very interested in the parenting storyline. The romance itself, I've enjoyed more in other books.

This might be my favorite Elin Hilderbrand book of all time. Those are incredibly strong words to use, especially considering I enjoy all of her books. This book in particular, with its traveling through the years, has tugged at my heart strings. I thought the premise of the story was perfect, and flawed, and everything you wish a book could be in a little over 400 pages. I would highly recommend this book! Thank you to the publisher and the author for granting me an early copy of this book.