Summer Island: A Novel

Great great book!! It touched on so many important reminders with a story so many us know. There are some very deep moments in the book. The positivity and real life STUFF made this book 5/5 for me !!!

Summer Island is a beautifully written exploration of fractured relationships, forgiveness, and the long road to healing. Kristin Hannah brings her signature emotional depth to this mother-daughter story, weaving in themes of regret, vulnerability, and rediscovered love.I really appreciated how raw and honest the characters felt—flawed but relatable. The setting added a lovely layer of warmth and nostalgia, giving space for reflection and growth. While some plot points were a bit predictable and the pacing lagged in a few places, the emotional payoff was well worth it.This isn’t my favorite Kristin Hannah novel, but it still carried that familiar mix of heartache and hope that she does so well. A solid 4 stars and a moving summer read that leaves you thinking about second chances and the power of forgiveness.

This is a wonderfully written novel about the value, beauty and fallibility of family. The characters are deep, the realities of what we learn in communication and how we often only see part of people is described so well. I loved reading this book xx

Another phenomenal book. A book about love and hate,about shame and guilt, about LIFE. About a mother's never ending love for her daughters. This book will make you laugh and cry, will give you hope and show you that forgiveness can change everything.

This was a Book Club pick. Decent read, somewhat predictable with all the loose ends tied up with a happy ending.

I love Kristin Hannah - she is masterful at showing us relationships, especially strong female ones. When I read that Summer Island was about a mother-daughter who struggle to mend what got broken, I thought for sure this book was for me. In ways it was, in others, meh, not so much.As with all Hannah's writing it is undeniably flawless. Strong, visual usage of phrasing brings the reader directly into the story. Summer Island is no exception.When Nora Bridge walks out of her life, she leaves behind not only her husband, but her daughters, Caroline and Ruby. As the years go by, Caro's heart softens toward her estranged mother while Ruby's hardens. But when Nora, who has found fame as a marriage and family adviser on a radio show and in print, falls from public grace, she is forced to seek care and comfort with Ruby at home on Summer Island.While back on the Island, Ruby not only needs to learn to navigate what's left of her relationship with Nora, but also try to rebuild the bonds with her childhood friend and boyfriend, while figuring out how far she is willing to go to for her own fame.Perhaps it's because I've read a lot of Kristin Hannah's hard hitting books, the ones that rip your heart out while opening your eyes and then rebuilds you one fragment at a time, that this book was just mediocre. There is nothing wrong with the book, all loose ends are tied up, all relationships (shy of one that was unfortunately more of a throw-in than an actual relationship) are mended, and life ended HEA (which to me is just not realistic).In all honesty I would give this book a 3.5, but am rounding up because of my love for the author and the memories of her other books. If you aren't a long-time reader of Kristin Hannah, you will likely find this book quite good.

Are we allowed to give a book ten stars? I’m crying, laughing, and thanking God all at the same time. Kristin Hannah does an excellent job with telling the story of a very broken family who finds their way back to each other. I will be reading all of her books!As far as reviewing, all I can say is that Summer Island: A Novel is a must read. Then go call every family member ( or write, text - just communicate!) you can think of…

Wonderfully heartfelt writing,! Character development was fantastic! I felt like I was on the Island with them. Beautifully described to the point I could see the water.