The Summer That Shaped Us was a quirky, fun book. It was a good beach read story! The characters were likable. I did struggle with parts of the story at times but overall it was an enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

When I first started this book, I was unsure how I felt about it. It felt "cheesy". But then, as the characters and the island (and dear Lord, I would love to spend a summer at this island even if I didn't do a lick of crafts) started to get fleshed out, I found that the story was more than what was on the surface. Eloise is a character that I would love to sit down with and have tea and just talk and learn. While Luna rubbed me the wrong way throughout most of the story, she did seem to have the most growth than her mother or her daughter. The relationships between Mothers and daughters is the central theme of the story and a whole lot of forgiveness needs to be happening not only for them but for others in the story. A mild mystery which I expected to take center stage seemed to be merely a vehicle to get these women to the island and another avenue of forgiveness. I'm now invested and want to read the next in the series with that ending.

Lori Wilde's The Summer That Shaped Us is the first novel I have read by this author. This novel offers an emotional, heartwarming story that resonates with the reader. This book dives into three generations of women finding healing and hope on the magical Hobby Island. Jeanie, her daughter Luna, and granddaughter Artie, each spinning from recent calamities, are invited to spend the summer on this vibrant island, known for its colorful charm and the perplexing billionaire heiress, Eloisa Hobby.

The story explores the complex dynamic contrasts of a mother-daughter relationship, the challenges of grief, and the importance of self-credence. As each of the three women embarks on a journey of self-discovery, tackling their pasts and learning to grip the future. Jeanie's hidden secrets add another layer of intrigue to the narrative, keeping me invested in their entangled stories.

What immediately captivated me was Wilde's vivid descriptions of Hobby Island. The lush imagery, from the jacaranda trees to the characters' attire, truly brought the island to life and created a sense of place that felt almost magical. It's a backdrop that becomes a character, contributing to the overall atmosphere of healing and transformation.

Wilde's writing style is an atmospheric and immersive format. If you’re looking for the perfect escape, then look no further than this feels satisfying good story with depth. I particularly enjoyed the insightful quotes from Eloisa Hobby at the beginning of each chapter, which added a touch of wisdom and reflection to the narrative.

1⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an advanced copy of The Summer That Shaped us.

Three generations of women on an island that has a little bit of magic and mystery navigate the things going on in their life and on the island.

I honestly really did not like this book at all. It made no sense and it felt like it was written by AI.

The premise of this book really intrigued me, but it just really wasn’t for me. This book did not read like a real world thing… the dialogue, the turtle (like what?), the quickness of forgiveness? It all just seemed too fake for me to really enjoy.
This was also just so strange, like I get that they’re a knitting commuting but we talked about that a lottttt more than I feel like we should’ve.
Overall, I just don’t think this was for me.

The Summer that Shaped Us is a heartfelt story about family and friendship. Lori Wilde brings Hobby Island to life, making it feel like a real place you’d want to escape to. The dynamic between three generations—Jeanie, her daughter Luna, and granddaughter Artemis—was touching as they grew closer during their weeklong crafting retreat. While some plot points felt a little too convenient and neatly resolved, the emotional core of the story and the strong sense of connection made it an enjoyable read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I would LOVE a crafters weeklong getaway on an island all expenses paid!! Jeanie, her daughter Luna, and her granddaughter Artemis all end up on Hobby Island. All three women learn more about themselves, their relationships and each other. The struggles were minor and too quickly resolved. I enjoyed it, but reminder to myself: no more women’s fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

I struggled to get through this book, partially due to their being so many POVs in the story. I don't believe this is a bad book, I just don't believe it is for me at this time. I may try it again in the future though

Welcome to Hobby Island. Jeanie, her daughter Luna, and her granddaughter Artemis, has had many struggles lately, and Jeanie received a golden ticket to Hobby Island for the summer, for a quilting competition. When they arrive on the island, they are amazed at what they see. They start to settle in, and find out the rules of the contest, with the grand prize of $100.000.00 and Jeanie needs to win the money. She was scammed out of her life's savings, and now she is going to lose her home if she doesn't come up with $100.000.00 by August. Jeanie hasn't told her daughter, but she has to tell her now because she needs her daughter's help to win. The design has to be island theme and her daughter used to be an excellent artist. Her daughter is upset about it but agrees to help her. Things go wrong, and Luna discovers her mother has kept another secret. Things do start to turn around, after many disappointments, and they get started on the quilt, and they decide the theme would be their journey since coming to the island and let the quilt tell their story. They learn that the island helps them find themselves and grow to become their authentic self. It isn't a smooth path, but a path of learning, forgiving, and learning to let go of the past to embrace their future. It was a summer that shaped them.
I received an ARC from Avon through NetGalley.

This was an interesting book. It centers on 3 generations of women, and how they come together over a summer on an island.

I did enjoy the 3 related women, Jeanie, Luna & Artemis, and of course Paul & Orion. They were/are a fun mix of people.

Life on the island didn't exactly make sense to me. Things didn't really add up, yet people didn't really question it. I also felt like it jumped around, or literally just skipped scenes here and there, so things were disjointed.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it, but I didn't love it.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This started out with way too many POVs. It was hard to keep track of who everyone was because you’re bombarded with people from the beginning.

There was so much conflict and all of it was resolved in 5 minutes- like I’m all for forgiveness but this was so unbelievable. Luna was unbearable for most of the book and Jeanie wasn’t much better.

This was overall just a miss for me.

I found myself incredibly annoyed for the majority of this book. The 3 main characters were not likable to me in the least and I couldn’t get myself to buy into the point of the story. I get that it was about redemption and overcoming your flaws. But the resolution for Jeanie and Luna (especially Luna) didn’t not feel believable.

Artie was an okay character. She was the typical teenager with way too big of feelings. She was annoyed at her mom and craved friendship. Her storyline was bearable for me.

Jeanie was such a pushover. Even in the end when she “put up boundaries” she didn’t actually do it. She still forgave too easily and it didn’t feel like her “issues” actually got resolved.

Luna… oh man, Luna. I couldn’t stand her. She was so wishy-washy and just rude to Paul for absolutely no reason. She kept making him to be a bad guy when it had been proven (and she admitted several times) that he has done nothing wrong and always put her feelings and needs first. He deserves so much better than her, honestly. Her epiphany in the hospital was out of left field and I couldn’t believe anything she thought or said.

Other than that, the writing just felt repetitive and I couldn’t buy into the story. Just not for me.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked how it talked about family relationships, friendship, and romance. It was very heartfelt. What I also liked was how Lori made Hobby Island seem so real. I look forward to reading her next book. I am grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the idea of this book.

A crafters weeklong get away on an island all expenses paid? No one could turn that down. And that is how Jeanie, her daughter Luna, and her granddaughter Artemis all end up on Hobby Island. All three women learn more about themselves, their relationships and each other.

This book was a little too much. No one really struggled that much, there was a problem and oop its fixed. Also a few of the story lines were completely unbelievable, at least to me. Everything ended up with a nice pretty bow on it and I'm not that optimistic about life to not be annoyed by that.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC. Publication date is April 22, 2025.

The Summer that shaped us was a really cute Summer read! It is a cozy fictional book about three generations of women. This was written in three point of views and was a fast paced, quick read! It is full of mystery and magic and takes place on an Island near Padre Island. This island doesn’t have wifi, so they are there escaping into hobbies and crafts. This book is about friendships, possible romance, magic and enjoying life. I really enjoyed the quotes in this book! Overall, I rate this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Lori Wilde and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon publishing for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This Sunmer book is expected to be published on April 22, 2025!

Unfortunately, this just wasn't the book for me. I like Lori Wilde, and I have nothing against her or her writing (in fact, I usually love it!). I just couldn't get into the book.

Lori Wilde is a new author and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I’m thrilled to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

The story centers around three generations of women: Jeanie (the grandmother), Luna (the middle-aged daughter), and Artie (the teenage granddaughter). When Jeanie wins a two-month trip to the idyllic Hobby Island, Luna and Artie join her on this unexpected getaway. The trio finds solace in the peaceful surroundings, each needing a break from their own personal struggles.

The characters' journey revolves around forgiveness—of themselves and others—learning to lower their walls, and moving away from fear-based living. It’s a poignant exploration of the emotional complexities that bind us, especially when it comes to intergenerational trauma.

This book is perfect for anyone who enjoys a cozy and engaging read that strikes a balance between lighthearted moments and deeper, more reflective themes. Definitely a must add to TBR! 💖

Grab your own copy on April 22, 2025!!

Thank you @Netgalley @Avonbooks @HarperVoyageUSfor the ARC opportunity in exchange for my honest review, it was a wonderful read 📚💖

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for my review. I love stories that give you hope when people have been wronged. There really is such a thing as some people who have wronged others confessing and making things right. At Hobby Island, crafters are invited to the island to do their crafts and possibly win prize money. There certainly are guests who are jealous and will do whatever it takes to win….no matter what. This book has so much going on including a second chance at romance, gaining new friendships and family. I love how this book came together in the end.

Be prepared to be utterly charmed in this new story shaped, fashioned, designed, and lovingly crafted in true Lori Wilde fashion. We are off on an adventure to Hobby Island where the atmosphere is one of encouragement, friendship, humor, creativity, and hope. The island is stocked with plenty of unique characters that play a key role in the heartwarming drama that is the center of the storyline. Who ran a spam that cost somebody a considerable sum of money. The internet is ripe with such instances, and you would think a website that deals with quilting, and such would be an unlikely target. But you would be wrong.
And so with the inimitable imagination of Lori Wilde we find ourselves on an island rich with purples, turquoises, and many other colors. Several women received an invite, a golden ticket, yes you read that right. They were selected from a substantial number of members for one purpose. For Eloise Hobby to find the underlying cause of the crime. Are you smiling yet? Trust me you will.
Chapters in THE SUMMER THAT SHAPED US start with a quote from Eloise Hobby. The heart craves community the way plants crave rain. Be like watercolor. Blend but don’t lose yourself. These quotes introduce Ms. Hobby’s philosophy and bring her to life.
So, Lori Wilde uses the title of this book to carefully outline a theme of sorts in this magical story. Life does have a way of shaping us. Our future paths are very well plotted by our past experiences, even if that isn’t self-evident. We are brought together with an interesting premise. Someone hacked into Hobby Islands website for illegal reasons that would become apparent during the book. Paul manages the website and brought the issue to Eloise attention, who thought of a scheme to find the underlying cause of this problem. She invited a group of followers of her website to a quilting tournament. Jeanie and Luna along with Luna’s daughter Artie were newcomers. They had all received the coveted gold ticket. Only Paul and Eloise knew which of the group had peaked his interest. Jeanie and her family were extremely interested in winning the grand prize. Their personal lives had gone through major financial issues. That prize just might be their salvation.
So the race is on. The competition is keen. And not all competitors are playing fairly. Lori Wilde provides lots of leads on who stole the money, but the detective work is squarely left in the readers’ hands. THE SUMMER THAT SHAPED US is still another joyous story that compels the reader to keep turning pages.

I enjoyed this book about people going away to Hobby Island to enjoy their crafts and escape “everyday life”. Since I am a crafter myself, this was right up my alley. No cell phones, no wi-fi … sounds fabulous to me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.