A note of appreciation to Random House/Ballantine Books for the ARC copy of this book to read and review. It's an honest one.

I must begin by saying that if you are a Nancy Thayer fan, (and I am), you will be willing to brush off a lot of my criticisms. You already know that Thayer gives a lot of verbiage to descriptions of clothing, shoes, hair, make-up and food. I can live with that.. But how many times do I need to be told that Ari's hair is long and dark? That she puts it up in a high pony tail? And how every single man wears "board shorts) (whatever those are) or Nantucket red pants? I knew after the first mention of ;;many that Alicia was seven years older than her brother and that Eleanor's hair get's frizzy in the humidity. Eleanor also needs to keep the names of her son (Cliff) and her son-in-law Philip straight and not calling one by the other's name. (Small annoyances like this add up and I can only hope that a more careful editing of the final edition takes place.)

That said, Thayer also has some amusing and true things to say about technology and how those no longer young have problems with it. She also paints a colorful picture of the glories of Nantucket. Eleanor is about to turn 70. Widowed and the mother of a daughter and son. She lives in an old and decaying house on a bluff overlooking the Atlantic which has been in her family for generations. She adores the house, but her kids would like her to sell and and divide the mucho bucks it is now worth among them.

Central to the plot is granddaughter Ari, to whom Eleanor is much closer than she is to her own daughter, Alicia, a materialistic spoiled brat. Ari is living in Nantucket for the summer after graduating from college. It is her story that is as central to the book as is Eleanor's.

Knowing that you're in one of Nancy Thayer's Nantucket novels, you can assume that all will be revealed and the ending a happy one. You can also be sure that you will fly through the pages to see how it all works out. Repetitions aside, this could be worth a 4 star review,

Why wait for summer to read a beach book? I read this during a snowstorm with sub-zero temperatures, and I can't tell you how much it lifted my spirits! Nancy Thayer is even better than at her best here, in a story that features three generations in a family that has had a home on Nantucket for generations. We really get into the hearts and minds of the characters, particularly 70-year-old Eleanor and her 22-year-old granddaughter, Ari, as they struggle to figure out their next steps in life. I look forward to recommending this to all Nancy Thayer's loyal readers, as well as those who enjoy Mary Alice Monroe, Mary Kay Andrews, and Elin Hilderbrand.

You can choose your friends but can't choose your family. That adage rings true in Nancy Thayer's #FamilyReunion. Eleanor Sunderland has a house with a view overlooking Nantucket's blue-green waters. With her 70th birthday looming, her children are plotting to sell her home.

To celebrate her milestone birthday, she invites her children and granddaughter, Ari for a family reunion. Ari is at the crossroads of her life after breaking up with her fiancé and graduating college. She moves in with Eleanor to save money before graduate school. While living together, Eleanor and Ari impart words of wisdom that leave each other stronger for their union.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early read in exchange for an honest review. Nancy Thayer pens summer escape reads with substance. Readers needing a trip to the shore will indulge in the scenic setting while sympathizing with Eleanor's decisions. While grappling with her family's finances, Eleanor must reunite with past mistakes before building a new future.

Just FYI that goodreads says she has a fling with Cal, not Beck. So I was confused and waiting for the shoe to drop the entire book until I realized that wasn’t happening close to the end!

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

TW: infidelity, unexpected pregnancy

Ari has just graduated college and decides to spend the summer with her grandma, Eleanor, on Nantucket, where she works for a day camp. Eleanor loved her house on Nantucket, as it has been in her family for five generations. However, her children want her to sell it. The summer is full of adventures, learning, surprises and romance for both Ari and Eleanor.

This book was definitely heavier than I expected, but not in a bad way. I’ve just been leaning into lighter reads right now. The synopsis on goodreads was slightly off so I was also just waiting for a shoe to drop. This story wasn’t short of drama and I know that life moves at its own pace. The side characters in this story were also a little greedy. I wanted more out of the ending. Overall it was a good book, but there was a lot going on and then a rushed ending for me.

Rating: 🧪🧪🧪 .5 / 5

Thank you Net Galley and Random House Ballantine Books for an early copy of Family Reunion. Who doesn’t Love a Nancy Thayer book especially in the middle of Winter? Another good one with a happy ending. When you see that she has one of her books coming out, your heart beats faster and you are thankful that you Know you will have a Great read. Thanks again.

I am a Nancy Thayer fan and have enjoyed everything I have read by her, however this book is a little too sweet for me. The pregnant girl gets to marry the man of her dreams, the wronged wife takes back the philandering husband, the life long bachelor gets not only a wife but a child and the family matriarch sells the family home (which she swore never to do) and gifts them all with millions of dollars. I know this is the basic plot of a lot of the beach reads we have all come to love but this one was just too much of everything.

What a thrill to sit on the deck with Eleanor and hear the ocean. A great story of the generations of a family and how they interact. From the oldest to the youngest they all play a part in this story of love and struggle. And it all takes place in wonderful Nantucket.

Nancy Thayer is a favorite author of mine and this novel is one of her best. The story centers on Eleanor Sunderland family matriarch who lives in an old family home on the beach in Nantucket. Her granddaughter, Ari, comes to spend the summer after her college graduation. Much to her parents chagrin she takes a job as a camp counselor for poor children of island workers. Both Ari and Eleanor find romance on the island. The summer is not without it’s conflicts for the family which also includes Ari’s parents and uncle. Thayer tackles many issues such as aging, marriage, social status and midlife crises. I especially enjoyed Ari and Eleanor’s relationship being near Eleanor’s age myself and having one granddaughter. This was a pleasant cozy read perfect for harrowing times or especially the beach. I couldn’t put this down and I highly recommend it.

Family Reunion focuses on a multi-generational family, particularly matriarch Eleanor and her recent college grad granddaughter, Ari. Eleanor lives in a giant home on Nantucket and has been encouraged/harassed by her son and daughter to sell it. At 70 Eleanor isn't ready to give up her beloved family home. Ari, recently broke off her engagement, and is looking to earn some money for grad school when things take a very unexpected turn. I enjoyed the focus on grandmother and granddaughter but felt little connection to Eleanor's son and daughter. Overall another fun, family story from one of my favorite summer authors. Longtime fans will enjoy this offering from Thayer.

It pains me to give this book three stars because I always enjoy Nancy Thayer's writing. There was just something off about this book. Even though it wasn't the best, I couldn't seem to put it down once I started reading it. I'm glad that I read it and still plan on purchasing it for our library.

I love Nancy Thayer’s writing and her books are always a top pick for a light feel good read; “Family Reunion” hit its mark providing the escape I was looking for. Family dynamics run deep in this story. Eleanor loves her house and doesn’t want to leave it. Her narcissistic daughter and allusive son want her to sell it so they make money. Her grand daughter moves in for the summer and that is just the beginning of the changes and surprises for Eleanor.

I come to look forward to book like this and the reminders of summer. This was a great story with wonderful characters. I loved how the book described Nantucket. I could see the beach, the house and little town as I was reading. I especially loved the close relationship between Arianna and Eleanor. You could feel the love between the two and it was so endearing. This is the book to put on your summer reading list for women of all ages!

I was thrilled to receive a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Nancy Thayer is one of my absolute favorite authors and I eagerly await her summer beach read every year. I want to visit Nantucket after reading all of her and Elin Hilderbrand's books. They make it sound like the best beach town ever! This book does not disappoint and has such sweet likeable characters. This was a perfect escape to the beach on a cold, snowy Chicago day. I started this book after work and stayed up way too late to finish it as it is truly that good! I highly recommend this book and any of her past work as you will not be disappointed. I can't wait to discuss this with my friends as we are all lovers of her work!

This story is set in Nantucket, which is really lovely place. Eleanor is 70 years and a widow living by herself. Her two children feel that she is too old to keep the place up by herself and wish her to sell it. Of course, you know how that goes...it doesn't. Then there is her granddaughter, Ari who loves her grandmother dearly. After finishing college and just broken up with her fiancé, she is staying with Eleanor for the summer, working as a camp counselor to underprivileged children. This book is more than the story of a "senior" woman. It is the story of a family with emotion, trials and tribulation. It is about who they can lean on in times of uncertainty and how they work out their problems. For me this was a cozy little read, written by one of my favorite authors. Now with the pandemic racing across the globe, this is a good book to curl up with. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review sent to Goodreads
Review posted on my blog at https://bookreviewsbylulu.blogspot.com/

This is an okay story. Nothing earth shattering, just a pleasant enough book. I wish the author would have helped me love Eleanor more. Something was missing. None of the characters stood out. When I’ve read similar stories there is usually another big plot line but this was pretty predictable and even keeled. Still, the family relationships and the life events are well thought out.

I usually find Ms. Thayer's books set in Nantucket, but this one really disappointed me. In the middle of a pandemic, with people out of jobs and worry about the future, this book's theme of greed and selfishness saddened me. Who wouldn't like to get $15 million for a house? Not many people have that choice!!! Wrong time to feel sorry for the characters.

Nancy Thayer never disappoints. Her books will always be fun to read, always have a good story line, and will always be hard to put down. Her latest, Family Reunion was no different. Loved it from the first page until the last. PERFECT beach read.
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the descriptions and characters I liked the dialogue. I liked he cozy feel good quick read small-town fel

This was such a heart felt book! I couldn't have loved this book any more!
The writing was great. And the characters were like real life people!
A lot of family dynamics going on in this book! Which made it so much better to read through and enjoy

Nancy Thayer is one of those authors whose books I always look forward to reading. They're at the top of my comfort-reads list because I can always count on her to whisk me away with fun characters and beautiful settings.

However, Family Reunion fell really flat for me. The characters seemed one-dimensional and there was so much of a focus on greed and self-centeredness. Rather than comfort me, as many of Thayer's books do, I just felt bummed out. Even the charming descriptions of Nantucket weren't enough to hold my interest.

This book was sadly a miss for me, but I look forward to picking up Thayer's next book when it's released.