I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review - - I have loved every Brenda Novak book - she draws you in and you can feel the emotions of each character.
Marlow's father, a senator suddenly dies so she returns home to help her mother settle the estate. Her friends Aida and Claire are each dealing with issues of their own and choose to spend the summer with Marlow on the island.
Marlow is asked to meet with the lawyer and discovers the of her life! Can she overcome this? Will her mother overcome this? Will it change her relationship with her new boyfriend? Come along to feel all the emotions felt on the island this summer!

I was disappointed in this book. It wasn’t near as good as Ms Novak’s previous books. I also think the explicitly described sex scenes added nothing. The main characters were hard to like, and the story was slow. The scenery was well described and somewhere I would like to visit.

A wonderful story about a group of women who are taking the time to heal and build confidence in the midst of grief and life's inevitable changes. The idyllic island beach setting makes it even more comforting! I look forward to recommending this title.

Marlow Madsen has finally done it. She’s sold her condo, closed up her law practice and she’s heading to Seaculsion, a seaside cottage on Teach Island off the coast of Florida, for the summer with her two unlikely friends, Claire Fernandez and Aida Trahan. The three women in their mid-thirties have all had another tough year as a result of Covid and the Malibu fires so they are escaping for three months by the sea in hopes that they can “forget the world they left behind and gain a healthier perspective.” Marlow has realized how tenuous human existence is and believes there’s more to life than professional success.

She arrives hoping to offer some support to her ailing mother after grieving the death of her father, but Marlow soon discovers that when the past comes knocking, she can’t ignore it again. Her past? That’d be Walker Cantwell, the hunky son of Seaclusion’s housekeeper. He saved her once, will he be there to save her again? Maybe escaping one’s past isn’t such a good plan when it involves the only guy you’ve ever loved….

What the three girls discover is that the secrets of the past won’t stay buried and they work together to deal with them before moving forward. You’ll have to read to find out what secrets are revealed on this summer retreat! They’re juicy!

Novak explores the bonds that unite friends and family, the restorative power of forgiveness and the blessing of second chances.

Be forewarned if you ever consider hitting the reset button. Sometimes going back to the way it was isn’t a good thing at all; other times it’s the perfect opportunity to start afresh.

A powerhouse author, Brenda Novak doesn’t keep readers waiting for her next book. I don’t know how she keeps pumping out 5-star winners multiple times a year! I believe her success is that she builds a whole community of authentic characters, places them in a quaint setting, adds realistic challenges, a budding romance or two, and ties it all together in a well-written narrative. Summer on the Island is no exception.

I was gifted this advanced copy by Brenda Novak, Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I always enjoy Brenda Novak's books and this was as good as her past titles. Just an easy reading with a slight twist that I wasn't expecting. The friendship between the 3 females is amazing and hopefully continues into another story.

Another Fabulous book from Brenda Novak! This book just sucked me in and wouldn't let go! If you plan to start it, make sure you have no other plans for the day. It is that good! The characters are well defined and the storyline is realistic and up to date. I was on the edge of my seat the entire book! The secrets and suspense were intriguing and just when I thought I had it all figured out, it turned in a different direction. You know how you put a book down but can't stop thinking about it? Ya, this is that book. I couldn't sleep and got up in the middle of the night to pick it up again and finish it! Brenda Novak is one of those authors that I know I will love the book without even reading the synopsis. I have loved every one I've read. I say this every time but I think this is my new favorite book!

Friendship, secrets and forgiveness

Two friends accompany Marlow to her family’s island summer home. The women have all had major life changes and the relationship between two is strained. There is an easily-guessed secret causing tension between the housekeeper and her recently-widowed employer. The storyline was slow to build and dragged for me at times. I struggled to believe in the characters’ relationships given their past backgrounds and interactions. While this was a miss for me, I could see it generating an interesting book club discussion.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a story about friendship, family, forgiveness, and starting over. Although I guessed what the secret was that would affect everyone, it didn't stop me from wanting to see how it all played out.

After the death of her father, a US Senator, Marlow and two of her friends (Aida and Claire) go to Marlow's home on an island for the summer to heal and start over. I really enjoyed watching the relationship between Marlow and Walker develop.

This is a great story about the support of friends and family during difficult times. It is also a story about forgiveness. I could not put this book down. I look forward to reading more books by Brenda Novak. Thank you to NetGalley, Brenda Novak, and the publisher for an ARC for my honest opinion.

Loved this sweet romance with a little touch of danger and conflict! I really enjoyed the budding relationship between Marlow and Walker! Once again, Brenda Novak has written a winner!

I absolutely adored this story with Marlow and Walker!! A few days later and I'm still mentally in the story. This one will definitely be a re-read when I get my hands on the release copy! I wish I had the words as to why I enjoyed it so much, but I don't yet. It kept me up til 3am bc I just had to finish the story and it absolutely did not disappoint.

Thanks Harlequin Trade Publishing for this eARC
of Summer on the Island by Brenda Novak via Netgalley.

This is a story about two women who become friends under odd circumstances. This book is slow and meandering. There were twist and turns that brought to life secrets from the past. But forgiveness brought a great ending to this book

This is a story of 3 women who become friends under unusual circumstances. It is also about healing and forgiveness. There are a few challenges along the way that could destroy their friendship. I liked the characters and the story. There was also a romance between two characters. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I did not enjoy this book as it was slow-moving and extremely predictable. Everything was all set up for you to figure out by chapter three.

I'm not really sure how I feel about this one. It wasn't what I expected, but I did enjoy it. there's a bit of drama and angst, a budding romance, a lot of family/friend drama and even kind of a second chance...enjoyable but a little slow for me.

After an endless, dreary winter, I've been struggling with connecting with reading and much in general. This book finally broke that feeling however. Marlow is tired of being a divorce attorney. The endless broken marriages and unhappy families have almost jaded her to the idea of marriage and family as a whole. She closes her practice for the summer and heads to the island if Teach to spend time with her mother. The recent death of her father has left her floundering, and she wanted to be there for her. She also brings her friends Aida and Claire along. They have their own drama and with the added shocking revelations from close friends and family members make this read so absolutely perfect! The addition of Walker adds the touch of a beautiful love story.

While it sounds like this is a hard to read story full of characters, its entirely the opposite. While there are a few characters, they all bring an important addition and make the book what it was. Part love story. Part family drama with a touch of a decades long mystery make this book absolute perfection. Set in the summer in a beautiful South Florida setting, this book broke through the winter blues . Its a perfect story in a beautiful setting with an amazing cast of characters. Honestly, this is Brenda's absolute best work yet. I can't recommend this read enough!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Thank you to NetGalley, Brenda Novak, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Summer on the Island is a must read for every Brenda fan. The characters will win your heart as their story unfolds. Forgiveness is key and healing and friendship. You'll enjoy reading this book any time of the year.

This book was sent to me electronically for review by Netgalley. I enjoy books by this author. However, this one has a really slow start., and the dynamics with the three main characters is problematic at best. I do like the premise of the story...try this one...you might like it.

I always look forward to reading a new book by Brenda Novak. She never disappoints, and Summer on the Island hits all the right notes. I loved spending time with these characters, and the ending is perfect.

Brenda Novak has done it again. She has written a book that had many twists and turns, with a great ending. I think everyone should read this book. I am grateful that netgalley let me read this in exchange for an honest review.