Summer Light on Nantucket by Nancy Thayer ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Blythe Benedict is content. Her life didn’t end when her marriage did. In fact, she’s more than happy living in her comfortable house in Boston, working as a middle school teacher, and raising four wonderful children. With three of her kids in the throes of teenagerhood and one not too far behind them, Blythe has plenty of drama to keep her busy every single day.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

April 2025; Ballantine Books; 978-0593724040
audio, ebook, print (288 pages); women's fiction

Nancy Thayer is one of my favorite "beach read" authors. Nantucket is my favorite place on Massachusetts's coast for a book to be set. While Summer Light on Nantucket isn't my favorite novel, it was an enjoyable read.

I felt this book was a little more on the romance side rather than women's fiction. I wasn't really expecting that, given the description. I thought it would be about Blythe and her kids growing up. The first several chapters were Blythe bemoaning her lost high school love. He is the one who got away. It dragged on a bit too much, and I don't really care about living in the past. The story picked up for me when Blythe started living in the present, more than thinking about the past.

I loved Blythe with her children and wished there had been more with them. I also didn't feel like we saw as much of the island as we have in other books. We do get a sense of island life for the summer regulars. I thought it was kind of funny that she expected her older kids to get a job and that they volunteered with community groups. Since we barely took vacations that lasted more than a few days when I was growing up, I can't really understand what going to a summer house for several months would be like. 

If you are headed to the beach or just wish you were heading to the beach, pick up this book.

Buy Summer Light on Nantucket at Amazon

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour. 

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