You cant beat family drama situations that take place on Nantucket! I am more of an Elin reading when it comes to Nantucket but Nancy Thayer doesn't disappoint. This would be a perfect beach read, or in this case for me, a perfect getaway from cold winter days while I spent my time reading about the Grant family during their summer on Nantucket.
My favorite part was I could just enjoy the escape.

I am extremely grateful to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. My last Nancy Thayer book I thoroughly enjoyed, but this one I found very hard to get in to. The characters and setting were great, but it just seemed to go on without a whole lot of substance. If you are after a predictable, feel-good book, then this one is just that.

I loved the dynamic's of Nancy Thayer's new book The Summer We Started Over.
Eddie Grant tells her boss that she is taking an extended vacation to Nantucket to help her sister Barrett who is opening up her dream store a gift shop in time for Memorial Day weekend and she needs help. When Eddie arrives home she discovers her dad a collector of books has basically become a horder and you can hardly move through the house because it’s so overrun with books.
Their mother was never much of a mom and when she finally left for good their dad William quit his professor job and practically became a hermit shutting himself off from society.
Eddie is a person assistant to Dinah Lavender a famous romance writer who has to have assistance with everything she does and freaked out when Eddie left until the Grant family invited her to the family home while Eddie is moral support for her sister and she gets the house back in order while dealing with other unique drama situations.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for ARC of this book.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Eddie is thrilled to be back home in Nantucket with her father and sister. While hone, she meets her ex boyfriend who she us still in love with. I enjoyed this book.

Eddie Grant loves her life and work as an assistant to a renown romance author. She feels like she needs a break and decides to go home for the grand opening of her sisters gift shop. Eddie, her father and sister moved to a small farm on Nantucket after her the sudden death of her brother and her mother leaving. After escaping to Manhattan, Eddie doesn’t know if she can rebuild a relationship with her family. I love this story of family, tragedy and rebuilding relationships.


Thanks to Nancy Thayer and Random House Publishing-Ballantine

Sweet, family, beachy book. I always think of Nancy Thayer books as really good, light reads that make you want to plan your next visit to the beach - and this one was no different. Her dreamy descriptions of beach-town life are wonderful (and totally remind me of going to Fire Island as a kid). I liked the relationship between the two sisters and also how they cared for their dad. I like that the ending was pretty much wrapped up with a bow. I had a little bit of a hard time believing Dove’s storyline, but besides that the rest was very sweet & I enjoyed the book!

I was delighted to get to read Nancy Thayer’s newest book as I have always enjoyed her writing. I was somewhat disappointed with this one. It is set in Nantucket and the area was wonderfully described and it certainly placed me right in the middle of the lovely beach setting. She is a master of describing the ocean, the town, the homes, and the year round residents. Each of her characters was beautifully introduced and believable but the story did not continue to hold my attention or get me really involved as her books usually do. There were no surprises to it. I did not really find a lot of interest in continuing to read it. But I read all of it. Usually I do not want to put her book down but this is not the case here. I acknowledge that other readers loved it but sadly I am not highly recommending it. I will continue to be a fan of this author.

I wish to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing House - Ballantine Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Two sisters reconnect In Nantucket a -lace I love to read about. Eddie is working for Dinah Lavender ,a famous author but glamour is not always what we all think it is. Eddie’s sister Barrett is opening her own gift shop she has saved forever for …and couple use all the help she can. They both come back to the farm even if it’s a sad place. Their brother passed and mom high tailed it out of there but they had there father still who is trying to write a book with no avail. Dinah decides to help and him and she actually makes him happy again and the Eddie and Barrett find their own happiness as well.

A perfect beach read! A story of family, loss, and learning to move forward after life has thrown you for a loop. I always enjoy Nancy Thayer's writing style, the characters always feel like old friends that I'm catching up with.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for the ARC!

Eddie moves home to Nantucket for the summer to help her sister Barrett care for their father while Barrett opens her new shop. She plans to work remotely and then return to NYC after the summer. But then her boss Dinah comes to Nantucket as well. And she reconnects with a past love connection. Will she return to New York or will she find all she needs to make a life on Nantucket? Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

3.5 Rounded up.
It’s an enjoyable, mostly light, easy read. I loved the characters but felt their storylines were a bit choppy or underdeveloped. I think I’d liked the characters so much that I wanted more from each plot.

Thank you NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for sending this book for review consideration.

Eddie Grant just may be the biggest enabler ever. Her relationship with her employer, an author, is at a junction where her own life and desires will be in jeopardy. Maybe meant to be comical but actually is rather frightening. Eddie’s family, her father and sister, need her.

Sister Barrett is opening a Nantucket shop filled with blue items. Barrett is content staying on the island. And after holding down lots of odd jobs she has saved enough to go after her dream of owning the shop. Always risky in a small town that depends on seasonal visitors.

Dad William has been ruminating over the loss of his son and his divorce. Barrett and her dad have made a good life for themselves. Comfortable in their living arrangements in the family house. The island life and pace seem to fit them pretty well. Eddie has been successful off the island but returns to support the opening of Nantucket Blue. These three, a remarkably close bunch, seemed to coalesce after the separation and loss.

None of them have actually moved ahead with their personal lives. Keeping busy with stuff. But now that they are all together for Eddie’s extended stay at home it is obvious that there is a small part of them that would love to have someone.

The Grant family also has a new project that is growing exponentially daily. With the help of Dinah the very accomplished author and Eddie’s boss the idea of a used bookstore gains speed. All hands are on deck for this task. What is so entertaining and heartwarming is the care and love these characters have for each other. Their shared respect and devotion. In THE SUMMER WE STARTED OVER it is obvious that so many of the folks are seeing themselves through new eyes. Nancy Thayer created some lovely characters and through their interaction we are all part of the growth and discovery of their potential. One quote I will insert from this lovely book is all books are self-help books. Reading is more than just fundamental it’s a rewarding tool. Voracious readers like me have great reverence for the written tomb. Nancy Thayer includes her own homage to books and authors and the memories of gracious moments reading their works of literary art.

Through her dialog and characters Nancy Thayer reminds us why we love to read. We are all romantics in our souls and there is no better way to spend a day than with a romantic novel, based in ancient times or the present day. Hard to choose a favorite character in THE SUMMER WE STARTED OVER as there are so many to choose from. But I think most will agree that flamboyant Dinah and reclusive William, Eddie and Barrett’s father will carve out a place in your heart. Nancy Thayer designed this book to include several restarts. It will definitely win her even more fans.

"The Summer We Started Over" by Nancy Thayer delivers a beautiful tale of sisterhood, resilience, and love amidst the scenic backdrop of Nantucket. With compelling characters and engaging dialogue, Thayer weaves a heartwarming narrative that captivates from beginning to end.

Reading Nancy Thayer is a bit like comfort food. She has mastered her craft and you know what you are getting. The stories are familiar. You want to either become friends with or better yet, family, with the characters. You’d like to live in the places she’s created, and you know the ending, if not happy, will be satisfying. Many years ago, when I was a young stepmother, one of her books deeply resonated and helped me maneuver better in my new role. While I don't remember the title, i do remember its impact.

I had a similar feeling with this book. Although it wasn’t all light and happy (a backstory of grief and loss is strongly felt), it gave me a lift. Nothing better than time spent in Nantucket in February!

William, Eddie and Barrett's father, retired from his job as English professor at Williams College and bought a farmhouse in Nantucket. He is reeling from the accidental death of his son, Stearns, and his own wife’s desertion. A cloud hangs over the whole family. After their brother’s death, his wife took their baby out west and they have never met him.

Barrett moved with William. It was her intention to open a shop and make a life on the island. The other sister, Eddie, is the personal assistant to a famously flamboyant romance novelist, Dinah Lavender. She lives a fast paced, exciting life in New York and is happy in her work. But Eddie knows she must go spend some time in Nantucket to help her sister with her father. He has become reclusive, is writing a book going nowhere, but mostly has made the house unlivable since he became a book hoarder.

Dreamy boyfriends enter the picture. Barrett opens her store to great immediate success. Dinah comes to Nantucket and adds color to their lives. They find something positive to do with the books. Love is thwarted and then works out. Overall, it is a book that is brimming with characters of strong moral compass.

Recommend.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC to review.

This book warmed my heart. Sister's come together to try and help their depressed Dad. They realize that what they are trying to do doesn't quite work. However in the process one opens a successful shop, they clean out the books in the house to create a book barn to give the old books new lives and the oldest sister decides to remain in town to raise her nephew and follow her heart. I liked the light heartedness thrown in by the Author one daughter works for that ended up coming and living with them and in the end helped change the story.
All in all a sweet book with a wonderful ending.

As always, Nancy Thayer delivers a book that’s fun to read, feel good and you can’t put down from beginning to end. Loved this sweet story, loved the setting and loved the characters.

Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange of an honest review.

This story is set in Nantucket and revolves around a family rebuilding their lives. Nantucket is easy to imagine by the authors description. The story is enjoyable and has an interesting cast of characters. The book is predictable but still a fun read. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

This is just a light, feel good beach read with a Nantucket summer setting.

Was it predictable? Yes, very.
Did everything work out in the end? Of course.
Was it an enjoyable read? Absolutely!

Sometimes you just need a book with very little stress, conflict or anxiety to read on vacation or before bed at night…this is one of them. I’m happy the Grants all found some peace & happiness after all the sadness and loss they experienced.

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing-Ballantine for an advanced digital copy of this book.

I love Nancy Thayer books. Such quick feel good books. Loved these characters and how they grew together. Really felt like I was in the book and lived in Nantucket.

4.5 Stars rounded up to 5

I have been an enthusiastic reader of Nancy Thayer’s novels for years. The Summer We Started Over is one of her best. The story is full of interesting characters and kept me engaged from start to finish. My only criticism is that several of the relationships moved from friendship to romance to commitment too quickly to be realistic, but it did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. As is characteristic of her novels, Nantucket Island and its beauty is highlighted.

Following the dissolution of the family through divorce and the tragic death of a beloved brother/son, Willam Grant gives up his professorship and moves to a Nantucket farm with his two adult daughters, Eddie and Barrett. Each is dealing with the grieving process in their own way and yet there are striking similarities. Each has a dream and funnels all their emotional energy into fulfilling it – Eddie heads to New York to work for a celebrity romance novelist; Barrett works multiple jobs to save enough money to open her own specialty store; and William buries himself in writing an academic tome that may never be published. The story focuses on Eddie’s return to Nantucket to support her sister and father, which reflects the title of “starting over” on multiple levels.

With two exceptions, all the characters are likeable and drew me into their respective storylines. This is an easy, satisfying read with a feel-good ending. It does address some significant emotional issues, which the author manages with sensitivity and compassion.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.