The Summer Club is a fresh beach read about a group of outsiders threatening the status quo at an exclusive New England beach club. Mayhaven is the best keep secret in Massachusetts. Tucked between old cedars and a spring-fed lake, the Mayhaven beach club has long been the ultimate escape to understated exclusivity. It’s the place where Darcy is supposed to be experiencing the best summer of her life, but there are a few things standing in her way. Her high-strung mother won’t stop hovering over her, her father is consumed by his job as president of Mayhaven, where she works as a summer camp counselor and things are not as rosy as they seem, and her neurodivergent little brother is struggling to live with a measure of independence not everyone is ready for.

Then there is the matter of the new neighbors. Flick, his mother, and stepfather have arrived in town, parking their enormous RV, not to mention all-night music and clouds of marijuana, in the Birches’ perfectly landscaped backyard.

Flick is not interested in the perfect summer or the girl next door. Pushed to get a job at Mayhaven by his mother, who had her eyes on a new life for their family, his own eyes have been opened to the ways of the upper crust. Even though Mayhaven prides itself on being an inclusive association of good New England families with good New England values, the fact either you’re on the inside or the outside.

This was a quick and easy read. Nothing to overly complicated. The characters were simple and could be considered a light beach read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Welcome to Mayhaven, where summer is eternal.” For Darcy and her brother, Adam, Mayhaven was where they spent their summers working, and a way of life that sometimes was just too much. Their father, Ned, had been enamored by the magic of Mayhaven since he was a little boy. He may be the newly elected President of the beach club, but he wasn’t a member, which places his family on the “have nots” side of the lake. Ned was always one rude comment away from angering the chairman of the board, who was not his friend. Ned lives in a fantasy world where Mayhaven was a utopia for perfect summer days. Golfing, swimming, delicious dinners and making new friends; who wouldn’t want to be a member?

Mayhaven is the classic New England beach club, reminiscent of days gone by when people dressed for dinner and the annual lobster boil was the highlight of the summer. Mayhaven sounds perfect to me, but the atmosphere and drama surrounding the members and employees was anything but ideal. Darcy had a crush on her new neighbor, Flick, who moved to town from New York City. Flick is a hard worker who took the time to listen to Darcy and was a good son to his mom, Josie. Not everyone paid attention to the comings and goings at Mayhaven, but one person in particular watched, listened, and remembered everything that happened.

“The Summer Club” is a character driven story and I was hard pressed to pick my favorite character because I loved all of them. Flick, Josie and Stan were fish out of water in the country but Josie just wanted her son to have a chance at a better life. Stan is larger than life and loves Josie to pieces. Flick is a young man who was dropped into the world of the New England upper crust who just wanted to find his way. Ned needed to be more available to his children because he had no clue what was going on behind closed doors. Ned’s wife Ingrid was a dedicated realtor with dreams of selling the biggest house in town, and the glue that held their family together. Her son Adam was wise beyond his years and was misunderstood by most people. His older sister Darcy was a young woman with a secret that had changed her life forever. Summer days are for escaping into someone else’s world and this book will keep you entertained all afternoon!

The Mayhaven Beach Club has been an exclusive hidden gem for the wealthy and well-connected for generations, but now outsiders are starting to exert their influence. This is the story of Darcy, who grew up on the fringes of the club, as she navigates her need to make a living and fit in without ruffling too many feathers. Great romance, great read!

Thank you Atria for the review copy, there are a lot of interesting themes with potential in this book, including themes on rich people, social class, privilege and all the fun summer themes that I like (coming of age, rich people problems, family relationships growing and changing, hanging on the past/pressing into the future...). For me though the book never took off, the potential was there but the story dragged, never really felt like a book I wanted to get back to even though I liked the idea of the book. There was not much in the plot that felt new or engaging despite themes that usually resonate with me. I didn't not like the book but in a summer crowded with some strong books, this one is lower on my list of likes.

I expected to really enjoy this book but did not. If you are looking for a fun beach read this is not it. It’s boring, broody and dreadfully slow.
If you like books about Massachusetts summers at the beach club and all the drama that entails. Enjoy!

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the arc.

This is my first McKinnon book, and it may be my last. The setting is a country club in Massachusetts. Ned Birch, the president, had a father who taught him golf but was otherwise missing. Ned swore he would be a better father.
We see the in and outs of running a country club through many eyes.
Ned's daughter Darcy was a golf protege, until one day she just quit. For her summer job, she works as a camp counselor at the club. Her brother Adam, who is on the spectrum, also works there.
Meanwhile, a family has moved next door, a flamboyant man with his wife and stepson Flick.
Flick feels very out of place, New York born and bred, not a preppy guy like the boys at the club. He gets a job in the kitchen and really enjoys it. He and Darcy become friends.
Eventually, Flick finds out Darcy's secret, which cascades into a crisis. I should have guessed. There is an epilogue that answers some questions, but not all of them.
The story is told from several points of view, with Ned telling the main story, but not having all the facts and other parts told by Flick and Darcy.
There just seemed like crucial parts of the story were left hanging.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria publishing for my EARC. This is my honest review.

A good book. Its about status in the community. Its not always what its cracked up to be. Sometimes being yourself is good enough.

This was not a light summer read. I enjoyed the multiple narrators and the characters were sympathetic, but there was nothing light or fun about this book. I enjoyed Ned the most, but both Darcy and Flick were compelling. If you're up for a broody summer read, then this is the book for you.

Read if you like:

- Massachusetts summer setting
- summer club
- multiple point of view

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review this book.

Extremely quick read, which is sometimes just what you need!
Big storyline felt a bit predictable and has been done before, but I was definitely invested in the characters enough to keep turning the pages. There were a few different smaller plots throughout the story that never really got resolved, maybe unnecessary to the story since there wasn't any resolution but it didn't take away from the major plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

<b>The Short of It:</b>

Dishy neighborhood gossip.

<b>The Rest of It:</b>

"Mayhaven is the best keep secret in Massachusetts. Tucked between old cedars and a spring-fed lake, the Mayhaven beach club has long been the ultimate escape to understated exclusivity. It’s the place where Darcy Birch is supposed to be experiencing the best summer of her life, but there are a few things standing in her way." ~ From the publisher

The Summer Club is all about the Mayhaven “country club”. Quotes because the members and staff of Mayhaven choose not to think of it as a country club per se. To them, it’s an association and not quite as exclusive as a typical country club but don’t be fooled, it is and only certain types are fit be members.

Darcy’s summer is not going as planned. Her love for golf came to an end, so there is no golf for Darcy but her proximity to the course as she works as a summer counselor reminds her daily of what she’s lost. Especially the time she and her dad spent on the course.

Mr. Birch wants what’s best for his family, but he doesn’t understand Darcy’s sudden mood swings or the complicated nature of club membership. As president, membership equates to dollars so when new folks join, he doesn’t really care if they are the right types or not. His board doesn’t agree.

Enter the Creevys. They are rich, loud and flashy and they happen to be Mr. Birch’s neighbor. Parties into the wee hours of the night, statement cars and the hugest monstrosity of all, a gigantic luxury RV, parked where everyone can see it. Mr. Birch is not happy but when the Creevy’s apply for membership, dollars are dollars after all.

There is a lot of tension in this story. Darcy’s reasons for quitting golf are revealed slowly and her relationship with Flick Creevy proves to be a little surprising. He doesn’t really seem like her type, and yet she finds herself drawn to his quiet nature. Mr. Birch is regularly caught putting out fires. Someone is stealing from the club, there’s vandalism, and there is the day to day routine of the inebriated members as they try to tell him how it should be.

This was a good read but I wouldn’t call it a beach read. There are some heavy topics and the tensions run high throughout the story. However, McKinnon held my attention and I literally read it in one sitting.

For more reviews, visit my blog: <a href="http://bookchatter.net">Book Chatter</a>.

Didn’t love this book… felt it was a little boring and dragged on for me. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to my followers. I think there are much better books to read if you are looking for a summertime read!!

This short book had a lot packed into it. Set at a New England country club, it follows the stories of two families - one of which includes the President of the club and the other a new family to town that doesn’t quite mix well with the first family. There are some deeper social issues along with some lighter moments. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for giving me a chance to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was hoping for a good summer read, but I don't think The Summer Club hit the spot. I didn't feel truly drawn in to the characters at any point, and as a result, I felt like it was a slow read. I figured out what was going on with Darcy fairly early on, so it was a bit of a slog to finally get to the last few chapters to have it officially "revealed."

I loved the theme and setting of this book. However, I was not as interested in the plot like I thought I would be.

The Summer Club by Hannah McKinnon, Neds love for Mayhaven is instilled in his bones every day he walks into work he feels Pride for this historic place that nourished his love of golf and that same love in his daughter 17 year old Darcy. Golf was something Darcy excelled at and right when it was going to pay off with college scholarships, she abruptly quit the game and although it made Ned and her mom Iris sad they knew it was something she had to get through on her own. Many things are changing in her small town and at the May Haven Association she has a new neighbor who her dad seems to not like in Ned likes everyone but he plays his music loud he’s crass and over the top a real Italian ball buster. His name is Stan and we get to know him through his son flick who gets a job at Mai Haven in the kitchen and who has a crush on Darcy but she starts out having a crush on Mayhaven‘s poster boy for white and privileged Spencer DeLanscy. flick loves his job and his mom but hates living in Massachusetts and except for the staff he doesn’t like the people at Mayhaven. There is so much more to this book then I put in this long review including Darcy coming apart her dad stressors at work being the new president Flick’s extreme loyalty to his friends and her brother Adam who is autistic and on the spectrum who got fired because Mr. DeLancey for some reason doesn’t like him. There were many things I loved about this book especially Adam, Josie and flick. I loved the whole conclusion to the “issues“ not the ones Darcy went through but the retaliation for that. I just thought that whole thing was just prolonged for too long it just in my opinion wasn’t a big enough issue to keep it going that long but having said that the characters are wonderful and although the book was a tad bit too long I still really enjoyed it for the most part. The ending of a book really helps me decide the reading because the ending was so good that is why I’m giving it three stars in the beginning I thought I would give it more but it was just too long. Having said that this is a book I do recommend and unlike a lot of reviewer‘s I do think it is a fun summertime read. Also who knew the thief was the thief that blew my mind lol!#Atria/EmilyBesslerBooks, #NetGalley, #HannahMcKinnon, #TheSummerClub,

There was a part of me that continually questioned if this novel was really for young adults. I found the theme and characters too immature for me to relate too. The story was predictable and the characters were not very deeply explored. I honestly didn’t relate to any of them.

I will not be recommending this novel to adult readers.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

Thank you to Atria, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley, for the free copy for review.

I am drawn to stories about family, and "The Summer Club" by Hannah McKinnon fits the bill. As a reader, I am privy to the lives of the Birch family members. A new neighbor and a feud between the Birches and the Creevys add entertainment and some humor. The mystery of the missing silver at Mayhaven Country Club is an engaging hoot when the whodunnit is revealed. The characters are not only relatable but engaging.

The Mayhaven is not just a setting in the story, but a symbol of sorts for each of the characters. For Ned Birch, it represents something nostalgic and a dream place, while for Darcy Birch, it's a place she abhors due to a troubling experience. For others, it's a symbol of status in the community to be a member.

This book strikes a happy medium between a light and deep read. It's an enjoyable and thought-provoking exploration of family dynamics and community relationships.

Better than expected. A little more to it than most beach reads. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

I enjoyed this book. The writing was well done and the story was touching. I enjoyed the characters and I was interested in learning how the story unfolded.