TITLE/AUTHOR: Family Reunion; Nancy Thayer
PUBLISHER: Ballantine
YEAR PUBLISHED: 2021
GENRE: Fiction / Family / Summer
FORMAT: eGalley LENGTH: 288 pp
SOURCE: Edelweiss download
SETTING(s): Nantucket, Massachusetts
ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY: Experience a Nantucket Island summer like no other filled with tender moments and unexpected surprises.
BRIEF REVIEW: Eleanor Sunderland, widow of four years, lives in a home that has been in her family for generations and, although the home needs some repairs, the home sits prime ocean bluff property. Eleanor is about to turn 70 and her adult children Alicia and Cliff are anxious for her to sell the home so that they may enjoy their share of the inheritance while Eleanor is still alive. A real estate developer has a buyer willing to pay $15,000,000 for the property. Not so fast thinks Eleanor, she is not quite real to move on to assisted living while she is still capable of living alone and enjoying herself and life on the island.
Ari, is Eleanor's 22 year old granddaughter, who has just graduated college. Ari has also broken off her engagement. She's working on the island at a summer camp and has asked Eleanor if she can live with her for the summer. The two have a beautiful and enviable relationship. Meanwhile, Ari's parents, father Phillip is a surgeon and mother Alicia is an obnoxious, money hungry status seeker are having marital issues. As new relationships develop over the summer and several other surprises occur along the way, one thing is for sure: life on Nantucket Island is never dull for this family.
Family Reunion was all that I was hoping for and more. I was swept off to the island, a place I have enjoyed visiting in person and through books. The story is heartwarming, engaging, atmospheric and just a wonderful escape experience. Eleanor and Ari proved to be the stars of the story, their relationship was so special, caring and felt genuine. The other characters, like the greedy and sometimes obnoxious adult children and a couple other characters added a nice contrast and dynamic to the overall storyline. Don't miss this one, it is a summer delight.
This sounds like an excellent read for summer.
ReplyDeleteJust a beautiful escape story.
DeleteI haven't read Nancy Thayer in years, which is odd, since her books always left a strong impression on me. Love the sound of this one. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you will try this one, a nice story.
DeleteSounds like a really good story!
ReplyDeleteGreat summer reading choice.
DeleteI read this earlier this month and loved it too! I also gave it 5 stars! This is a great summer read not to be missed!
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed this as much as I did.
DeleteThis might be just the summer read I'm looking for!
ReplyDeleteIf you are looking for a great escape read, this is it.
DeleteI haven't heard of this one, but it sounds so good! A perfect summer read.
ReplyDeleteI was so pleased with the story and just loved how the story played out.
DeleteHer books have been hit or miss for me but yours is the second 5/5 review I've read for this one. Adding to my list!
ReplyDeleteOh this is a good one MAry!
DeleteMakes me want to go to Nantucket :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a wonderful destination!
DeleteWe are all overdue for family reunions. A lovely book to read in the meantime.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that the truth? A nice story in the meantime.
DeleteThis does sound good. I've never read anything by Thayer despite having seen her books around for what seems like forever.
ReplyDeleteShe's a go to author for a summer and winter island escape read. Some are better than others but, this one was excellent.
DeleteOh try it Vicki, you will be happy you did.
ReplyDeleteAdding it to my list!
ReplyDeleteI've not yet read anything by Thayer, but you've convinced me to add this one to my list! I'm listening to 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand and enjoying my time on Nantucket Island, so this one by Thayer might be a good one to read at the end of summer. Thanks, Diane!
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