This was a tough one for me to rate.

I love theater and I adore Much Ado About Nothing. So a book set around the premise of a family coming together (some famous, some not so famous) to pull off a production on an island in New England in the summer sounded fabulous.

And to my little theater heart, it was. I loved the references and backstories and just the general joy of being on a stage and putting together a show.

However, to my book-loving heart, the book left a little something to be desired. The characters were the caricatures you'd expect in this type of book--the philandering actor who messed up his marriage, a beautiful female movie star who's trying to figure out what she's going to do when her age starts to show, the young one who would be perfect for the role, but doesn't want it, the mom who was involved in theater but chose the smaller life and hasn't done anything with it in 20 years.

The gang is all here. And it wouldn't be bad if the plot had some sparkle. But it's pretty basic too (no spoilers, but if you think "ohhhh, I think I know where this is going," you do.) I don't need all of my books to have twists and turns and unpredictability. Tropes are tropes for a reason and we do love them. But if all the characters and all the plots are tropes, the book can still be enjoyable, but not anything special.

And that's why this was a 3 star book for me--enjoyable, fun theater time, but overall, not anything particularly unique.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advance reader's copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Meg Mitchell Moore's books are always the perfect summer reads, and Summer Stage is not to be missed. Per usual, Summer Stage has a wonderful cast of characters who all come together to create such a fabulous story.

The story follows acclaimed actor Timothy Fleming, who returns to his hometown on Block Island, along with his ex-wife to put on a summer production of Much Ado About Nothing. His sister Amy, on summer break from teaching, comes on as the production manager; his niece Amy, a once beloved Disney Star turned TikTok sensation who recently returned home, moves to Block Island to also be a part of the production.

It's a really enjoyable story filled with family drama, humor, and some incredible descriptions of the Rhode Island coast. I also love seeing mentions of my hometown of Newburyport included too!

Definitely a must-read this summer.
Thank you William Morrow Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

A Shakespeare summer production on Block Island turns into a family affair when director Timothy Fleming hires his ex wife to star, his sister as the production manager and his niece decides to spend the summer with him in his rented home. This is a great beach read filled with family drama, secrets and love.

I grew up going to Block Island, so this was a really fun read for me.

Thank you Meg Mitchell Moore, William Morrow, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. #SummerStage #NetGalley

Another beach book to add to your list!! This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’m now a fan! Her writing is breezy and fun….It was like reading an Elin Hildebrand book.

A very interesting beach read. Am so glad I discovered this author. Very multidimensional characters set in a small community. Small town drama at it’s best.

Review will be posted on 5/26/23
Timothy Fleming, a famous actor, returns home to help his ex-wife, Gertie, who is also an actress with her summer production of Much Ado About Nothing. Gertie needed a location for her show and Timothy pulled some strings and got a location at his hometown of Block Island. He even recruits his sister, Amy, as production manager as not only was she once an aspiring playwright, but maybe they will make amends this summer. Then there's Amy's daughter, Sam, a child actress. She returns home unexpectedly this summer. She was once very successful but has suffered a bit as of late due to a social media scandal that she doesn't want her family to know about. As they all work together this summer on the show, both family and backstage drama ensue in Summer Stage by Meg Mitchell Moore.


What better than a summer theater production set on the coastal town of Block Island? Cue all the drama! Summer Stage was filled with a lot of behind-the-scenes of what goes on during a theater production, but it also a lot of heart in it. It dealt with family issues, old resentments, and moving on from the past. It took a while to get the story going, but once it did, I truly cared about the characters and their summer theater production. While I could have used a bit more "beach" in this novel, it was still a solid read for the summer, especially for fans of family drama.

For fans of The Islanders, you'll be happy to welcome some old favorite characters along with the new cast of Summer Stage.

Summer Stage is a story of family, fame and finding your way home, whether home is a location or a sense of being. Set on Block Island, the story showcases three main characters - Timothy, a famous actor; his sister, Amy, a high school drama teacher, and her daughter, Sam, a child actor who is returning home after a tumultuous stay in a TikTok collab house. (I'm guessing it's similar to The Real World on MTV?)

Timothy along with his fabulous ex-wife and actress return to Block Island to put on a theater performance and Timothy enlists Amy to be the stage manager. Amy once had dreams of working on Broadway, so those feelings resurface during the summer.

The author alludes to the fact that something 'major' happened to Sam during her time at the collab house in NYC, but it's not until almost the end of the book that we're privy to the details. I would have liked to see this explored more.

Timothy and Sam each have their own perspective on what 'fame' is and it's interesting to see those differences play out in the two generations. Is fame worth the price? And at what cost?

Summer Stage is an enjoyable and easy read - perfect for a day at the beach/pool or a rainy afternoon when you want to wrap yourself in a blanket.

Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for the ARC of Summer Stage. #NetGalley #SummerStage

Summer Stage is set in Block Island, where actor Timothy Fleming returns home for the summer. Even though he hasn’t had a movie role in months, he needs a break from LA. He agrees to direct a summer Shakespeare production at a local theatre, starring his ex-wife and fellow actress, Gertie Singer.

As preparations for the play begin, Timothy’s niece Sam reaches out to see if she can stay with him for the summer too. Sam recently left a TikTok house after things took a turn but she doesn’t want to go home either. Sam isn’t interested in college, something her parents just aren’t grasping. Timothy and Gertie realize they need a capable stage manager too, and enlist Amy, Timothy’s sister and Sam’s mom. Amy is now a teacher though in a previous life, she was an aspiring playwright. Sam is icing her mom out and there’s still some lingering tension between Amy and Timothy because of past decisions, but nothing time together and life on an island can’t fix, right?

Summer Stage is the 4th beach read I have read and enjoyed by Meg Mitchell Moore — The New England summer setting is great and with alternating POVs, has the right amount of drama. Though it includes current topics like content creation and social media, I felt the story still leans to the lighter, beach read genre. A good book to read at the beach, poolside, inside on a rainy summer day, or en route to a coastal vacation.

Meg Mitchell Moore's newest book - Summer Stage which publishes May 23rd is a fun summer beach read!

You are transported to Block Island, in this summer beach read. Tim's an aging Hollywood star and he decides to direct a summer theater production back in his hometown of Block Island and convince his ex-wife to take the lead role. His sister Amy takes on the production manager role and it's a chance for these two to get closer again. Amy's daughter Sam moves to the island for the summer and won't tell her family why she left NYC.

I love the family drama and characters. Meg Mitchell Moore's books are always such fun books with a great sense of place.

I always love when Meg Mitchell Moore transports us to a vacation setting for a brief escape from reality!

In Summer Stage, we return to Block Island. The story is told in alternating chapters primarily by the three main characters: Timothy, Amy and Sam. Siblings Timothy (famous older actor) and Amy (younger sister and HS teacher) grew up on Block Island, but their lives took very different turns after high school. Timothy’s led him to California and a successful acting career, while Amy stayed in Rhode Island, married and had a family. Her daughter, Sam, is just 19, but has already experienced a lot of life as she pursued acting at a young age before turning to a job in a Tik Tok collab house (which I’m curious to learn if they really exist).
In addition to the expected themes of family dynamics and conflicts, Summer Stage also lightly tackles a number of hot issues around social media , the internet, and poor decision making by some of the younger characters.
Summer stage gives us a beautiful portrayal of Block Island (I’m now craving a mini whoopi pie) that brought back memories of Ms. Moore’s earlier book, The Islanders. It was nice to see a return of a few of the characters from The Islanders! The theater and productions details were interesting and somewhat unique, and I loved the story about Hugh Jackman. A little deeper handling of the social media issues would have added some depth to the story.
Overall, a fun summer read perfect for the summer or when you wish it was the summer! Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read Summer Stage in exchange for an honest review.

A light hearted beach read that dwells in the contemporary realm. It’s asks the question, what does it take to truly come home? And the reader discovers that it all truly depends on what home means to you. It could be a specific house and the memories it holds, it could be a feeling, or it could be the people around you to create your home. This one lives modern day with the added twists of fame and fortune mixed amongst the complexities of social media. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the early read.

I usually enjoy Moore's beach reads, but Summer Stage was a bit of a letdown. I found it predictable and not much happens. I love the setting and the premise of performing a Shakespeare play on Block Island, but the characters were not very interesting.
I read another review that called this book very "surface level" and that is a spot-on description. I just wanted something more exciting to happen, I guess.

Summer Stage is a complete delight and the perfect escape to add to your beach reads this summer.

Siblings Amy and Timothy’s lives have gone in separate directions since growing up on tiny Block Island. Amy, a married high school teacher, is happily living in Rhode Island in nearby Narragansett. Timothy couldn’t wait to get far away and is now a famous Hollywood actor living in California. When an opportunity arises for Timothy to direct a summer theater in their hometown, he jumps at the chance, entices his famous ex wife to star in the play and asks Amy to act as the production manager. The family is complete when Amy’s teenage daughter, Sam decides to spend her summer with Uncle Timmy. A former Disney actor and TikTok star, Sam is looking for an escape from social media after an unknown scandal.

Just as readers of Hilderbrand love the references to Nantucket, readers of Summer Stage will love the real world references to Block Island and Narragansett locations and attractions. The setting in Rhode Island provides a unique locale and appealed to this reader with family ties in the state. A story about family, celebrity and ambition with gradual insight into each character’s story creating a plot that sucks you in.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced copy in return for my honest review.

Summer brings a huge opportunity to stage a Shakespeare play for Timothy, Gertie, Amy, and Samantha. It also ushers in a series of conflicts, emotions, and fears. Timothy is a sixty plus movie star and director at odds with life. Amy, his sister, has devoted her life to her kids after ending her fledgling screenwriter career. Samantha, her daughter, fled New York because of TikTok pressures. Gertie just desires to go back to her training and do Shakespeare. As their lives interact, secrets come to light causing eruptions of long held emotions. A really great read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the book and the themes around family, redemption, renewal, and family bonds. The story begins when an extended family whose lives have taken them in all different directions all descend upon Block Island for a summer escape and in this case, directing, acting and managing a Shakespearean play.

The main character, Timmy, a well-known actor is set to direct the play. Timmy recruited his sister, Amy, once a fledgling playwright who abandoned the theater to become a teacher, to be the show’s stage manager. Amy’s daughter, Sam, who at a very young age showed tremendous acting prowess and who became a TikTok video influencer (much to her detriment), escapes the city to spend summer with Uncle Timmy, only to be recruited to act, too. Timmy’s former spouse, a gloriously beautiful actress features prominently too.

It’s a story of following your dreams, making peace with the decisions you made in the past (even if they turned out to be not good ones), and family.

I just love Meg Mitchell Moore! I picked up her latest book on vacation and it was the perfect combination of beach read- light enough with a fair amount of insight, wisdom, and laughs scattered throughout.

This story had a unique premise, and had me doing some googling about the latest social media trends. I loved the characters, the setting, and the ending. This is a fantastic read for the summer months ahead and I highly recommend adding it to your summer reading list!

Thank you to William Morrow Books for my free review copy.

Set on Block Island, this book is the perfect summer read!

The book follows the Trevino family one summer. Amy Trevino has lived her life close to her hometown in Rhode Island, she is a school teacher who appears to have put some of her dreams on hold. Timothy is her famous brother who has been pursuing his dreams in Hollywood. Sam, her daughter, was a Disney child star and has just spent the past year in a Manhattan TikTok house. All have found themselves in Rhode Island for the summer and are brought together to stage Much Ado About Nothing.

This book is a slow exploration of summer and the uncovering of secrets that have been causing hurt amongst family members. The family dynamics were realistic and raw. I really liked getting to know each character in their own right as well as yearning for them to improve family relations with whoever they were distant/cautious with. Sam was particularly interesting to follow and I loved how MMM weaved the modern day phenomenon of tiktok into this book. How some people have no idea what it really is still and how others have used it to secure fame and fortune. But also that there is a dark side to it. I loved the moment we got when Sam finally opened up to her mother and I adored that Amy had kept her promise to never google her daughter and wait till she finally came to her with what had forced her to return home.

This book makes me wish I could spend my summer on Block Island.

If you have readers who are waiting impatiently for the next Elin Hilderbrand book, this is truly a read-alike. It takes place on Block Island, in Rhode Island, and tells the story of a theater family. Tim Flemming is a mega-famous actor, Amy is his sister, a high school English teacher who gave up too soon on her dreams of being a playwright, and Sam, Amy's daughter, who was a noted child actor and is ambivalent about acting as a young adult. Together, with help from Tim's ex-wife, Gertie, they bring Shakespeare to Block Island, putting on Much Ado About Nothing against many odds. This is a fun, smart beach read that I look forward to recommending.

Another great summer read by Meg Mitchell Moore! Summer Stage follows a summer production of Much Ado About Nothing in Block Island. While I love all of the Nantucket beach reads, it's so interesting to hear about another island in the northeast. Block Island sounds absolutely charming. I love how all of the characters are intertwined and growing throughout the book.

One of my favorite things about Meg Mitchell Moore books is how she accurately depicts family dynamics and the level of relatability that exists between generations. I find these examples both a breath of fresh air and a reminder to have mercy on all people, regardless of generation and where they are at in life because for everybody, from 0-100, they are "going through it", life, whatever that looks like for them. Her novels are much more than simply a nice wrap-up to life's messy problems with a bow and everything perfectly in it's place...no her work is real, can be gut-wrenching at times, but always leaves you hopeful in some way. And you know what, such is life! Sometimes our problems don't get solved, but we at least learn how to adapt and carry on and for me that is what each book of Meg Mitchell Moore's reminds me of!