Thank you to NetGalley and HarperMuse for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Summer on Lilac Island releases July 1, 2025

<i>“Family saga and romance, set against the backdrop of a characterful island town.”</I>

As an only child who has a close relationship with their mother, I was particularly excited to dive into a “heartwarming” mother-daughter centered novel, but this did not hit the spot.

Perhaps it was the archaic nature of the island, set in their horse-and-buggy ways, or the immediacy of a matchmaking scheme that felt suffocating and controlling.

Multiple character perspectives (8), including those of inanimate objects written in third person, took away from the intimacy of mending a fractured family dynamic of which I was eager to explore, and I struggled to find any of the characters likeable.

There’s also something so unsettling about using the only character of colour’s queer coming out as a plot device for the straight, white, ex-best friend to finally realize that all the running she did in her adult years — from destinations, jobs, and boyfriends — wasn’t actually the freedom that she convinced herself that she needed.

Even though I’m close in age to the main character and have a history of an absentee father that closely mirrors Gigi’s experience, I feel as though I was not the target demographic for this seasonal read.

Gigi returns home rent free because of her lack of job stability, finances and a place to live. Three generations of strong women with a lot of secrets. This is a wonderful story that gives life lessons along the way. I highly recommend it. I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

Sweet story about several generations of women on Mackinac Island. Perfect beach read!

I both read and then listened to the audiobook. My preference is the book as I didn’t love the narration.

Cute, entertaining story- perfect to read while relaxing by the beach or pool! The characters and scenery were really well-developed so I got a good sense of what it would actually be like to summer on Mackinac Island.

I thoroughly enjoyed this summertime read about Gigi Jenkins' return to her hometown on Macinac Island after leaving it for dust years earlier. With POVs from many of the characters, including the Grand Hotel and the island itself, all the storylines interweaved nicely, and I never felt like I was losing track of what was happening.
This was a great read!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Harper Muse and Netgalley.

I received an ARC fro NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this story as it was mostly centered around the complicated relationship of a mother and daughter. Although there were other romantic themes involved, I found it refreshing that the romantics storylines were more secondary to the mother/daughter plot.
Additionally, now I want to book a trip to Lilac Island!

I have always wanted to visit Mackinac Island with its quaint shops, the Grand Hotel, which is the focal point of the island, and the feeling you have that you are stepping back in time to when life was simpler, carefree and kind. From the minute Gigi Jenkins saw the shoreline from the ferry, she knew her journey back home would be emotional, boring and full of drama. She had missed the last ten summers on Mackinac Island and wasn't too keen on moving back in with her mom, Eloise, but it was her only option. She had always been closer with her dad, Gus, because they both yearned for a laid-back, unencumbered, and fly-by-night lifestyle. Upon learning that her mom had set her up on a date with the new and handsome island doctor, Gigi vowed to win the dating wars at all costs The dashing Scotsman, Clyde, she had met on the ferry was the ideal man to get her mom out of the house and back into the world of dating. She never expected her mom to be swept off her feet, but this new version of her was wonderful to see.

One could say that Gigi “found herself” that summer or maybe she just took the time to listen to her heart when it came to her family, her love life and her future. She had a renewed friendship with her mom, she came to appreciate how truly amazing Mackinac Island was, and she realized coming home this summer was the best decision she had ever made. Mackinac Island feels and looks like a magical place to me and I can see why some people would choose to never leave. In Gigi’s case, she needed to spread her wings as she traveled throughout the country; Clyde, a successful author, needed inspiration for his next book and James, the new doctor, wanted to get away from the big city so he could really get to know the patients he was treating. “Summer on Lilac Island” is a story of second chances, new beginnings and finally coming to terms with what you really want out of life. I hope to someday visit Mackinac Island so I can experience the magic and beauty of a one-of-a-kind place.

Summer on Lilac Island is a charming, feel-good novel that captures the warmth and chaos of family ties with humor and heart. Lindsay MacMillan delivers an engaging tale of Gigi Jenkins, whose return to her small, horse-and-buggy hometown sparks a summer filled with mischief, romance, and unexpected revelations. Gigi’s fiery yet loving dynamic with her meddling mom, Eloise, is the heart of the story, providing laugh-out-loud moments and tender reflections. What truly sets this novel apart is its focus on the mother-daughter bond. Through matchmaking antics, late-night heart-to-hearts, and the chaos of small-town life, Gigi and Eloise transform their relationship from strained to solid. MacMillan’s witty prose and vibrant setting on Mackinac Island add an irresistible charm, making this a perfect read for anyone who loves a mix of humor, romance, and family drama.

After years of leaving Mackinac Island, Gigi Jenkins is back to her hometown and is going to spend her summer in Eloise's—her mother—house there. Their relationship isn't exactly mom-daughter duo, but somehow they start a "matchmaking competition". Gigi would agree to go on a date with a man Eloise chooses, and vice versa. They know it's going to be unpredictable, but what they don't know is how the date could ignite something the islanders (and the fudgies) never expect to happen that would affect not only the Jenkins, but the whole community.

I had so much fun reading this. It's very summery and fragrant like lemons and lilacs. I liked that it, true to the genre, focuses on women's life on the island instead of just the romance. It's more lengthy than I expected, however when I reached what I thought would be the ending, things took a sharp turn and brought something I supposed to remember from the start but got swayed by other interesting bits and forgot it. It was delightfully surprising. And the way they handle their problems is full of doubts but that's what makes the story realistic and relatable.

Another reason why this book is lengthy is because we have five women's perspectives, and in the beginning it can be a little too repetitive since each character would confirm or deny what the other characters have said. This is where the leap-out-of-page description of the island helps me enjoy the story. The festivals, the history, the little shops, the grand hotel, the old and new buildings... oh, and the horses. The writing is charming and quotable, and this quality is not only reserved for human characters but also places (yes, Mackinac Island herself is the literally one of non-human POVs here). I also really, really enjoyed the dialogue and it was fun to read it out loud sometimes.

Summer on Lilac Island is just *that* beach read. Especially if you love women-in-family dynamic, small town setting and romance, vivid and detailed description, and family drama.

This was a good easy read with very light romance and definitely some growth with the characters. I enjoyed it for the most part, but it did go back and forth between different characters’ points of view, including the island’s. That was a little odd. Overall a good read.

There are several novels set on Mackinac Island, but this one actually shows evidence that the author has set foot on the island. The sense of place is well-done, and for that this novel is worth a purchase.

The absolutely best book to get your hearts ready for a fun summer book! I sit here in -10 degree weather and needed this book. I cherished the characters and the setting was beautiful,. Such a great book!

I expected this to be another light summer read, but it was more engaging than I thought it would be! A pleasant surprise.

This was a nice story about mothers and daughters, secrets, and finding yourself. I'm glad that the romance between Gigi and the doctor was more of a secondary thing, because there was a lot of other themes to explore. I have a trip planned to Mackinac Island for the Lilac Festival in June so this was the perfect book to remind myself of all of the charms of the island.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

SUMMER ON LILAC ISLAND by LINDSAY MacMILLAN is a most enjoyable read, with witty dialogue and unforgettable characters, Mackinac Island being one of them! This unspoilt island, with barely five hundred residents and primitive transport options, comes alive in summer with the arrival of tourists or “fudgies” as rhey are called.
Gigi Jenkins, rebel daughter of Eloise and absebtee dad Gus, comes home to Mackinac having escaped ten years ago, jobless and broke, to spend the summer rent free with her mother in the home she grew up in. Her younger sister Rebecca, who has always done everything right and who her mother thought would always live near her, has married and moved away, leaving a void in Eloise’s life………
Gigi’s return causes quite a stir, to put it mildly! Her mother, trying to bring some normality into her daughter’s life, conspires with her friends and her mother, to ger Gigi to go on a date with the handsome new doctor, hoping her daughter’s choice in men will improve. But two can play at this matchmaking game and Gigi agrees to a date with the doctor if Eloise goes out with the charming Scottish author she met on the ferry……
Secrets are uncovered, romance flourishes even in Gigi’s grandmother Nonni’s life, old friendships are renewed and relationships are restored…..
There is a great deal more to the story but I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling thins for you.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Harper Muse. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

"Summer on Lilac Island" offers a delightful twist on the familiar "return to hometown" storyline by focusing on something deeper than just romance – the thorny but tender relationship between a mother and daughter. When Gigi Jenkins' life in the big city crumbles, she's forced to retreat to Mackinac Island and move in with her mother Eloise, reopening old wounds and unspoken tensions.
MacMillan cleverly uses a mutual matchmaking scheme – Gigi agreeing to date the new island doctor if her mother lets her play matchmaker in return – as a catalyst for exploring their fractured relationship. Through late-night conversations, shared secrets, and gradual revelations about the past, they begin to see each other not just as mother and daughter, but as complex women with their own dreams and disappointments.
While romance blooms in the background, it's the evolution of Gigi and Eloise's relationship that forms the emotional core of the story. Set against the charming backdrop of Mackinac Island, with its horse-drawn carriages and tourist-filled fudge shops, this novel reminds us that sometimes the most important love story isn't about finding romance – it's about rediscovering family.
A perfect summer read for anyone who enjoys stories about complicated family dynamics, second chances, and the unexpected ways we find our way back home – both to a place and to each other.

This was a cute and sweet book! I love a good mother-daughter relationship getting stronger and it was told in a great way in this book! I think the book flowed well, and the themes of parenthood, womanhood, and small town life were all interesting!!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

I just finished a great book that left me wanting summer. Summer on Lilac Island by Lindsay MacMillan gave me all the feels.

Oh my gosh! I was so so excited to be back on Mackinack Island! My most favorite place in the whole wide world!
So much so that I wanted to idk SMH at GiGi. She really made me tired at first. But I read on to see if she would change her attitude towards the Island. Maybe?
Her grandmother is a hoot.
The author has described this Island perfectly! I could almost smell and taste their wonderful fudge! Nothing quite like Mackinac fudge.
I loved most of these characters instantly. I enjoyed their quirks and yes even the their stubborn side.
I hated to leave the island once again and these characters will leave you thinking about them long after this is over.
5 stars from me for a wonderful visit on my favorite island. I recommend to visit in person however because it does have a special charm about it.
I highly recommend!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review of this book. All opinions expressed are mine.