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Summerland

3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 · rating details · 7,541 ratings · 991 reviews

A warm June evening, a local tradition: the students of Nantucket High have gathered for a bonfire on the beach. But what begins as a graduation night celebration ends in tragedy after a horrible car crash leaves the driver of the car, Penny Alistair, dead, and her twin brother in a coma. The other passengers, Penny's boyfriend Jake and her friend Demeter, are physically u...more

ebook, 325 pages

Published June 26th 2012 by Reagan Arthur Books

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Jul 27, 2012 Judy Collins rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"A warm June evening, a local tradition: the students of Nantucket High have gathered for a bonfire on the beach. But what begins as a graduation night celebration ends in tragedy after a horrible car crash leaves the driver of the car, Penny Alistair, dead, and her twin brother in a coma. The other passengers, Penny's boyfriend Jake and her friend Demeter, are physically unhurt - but the emotional damage is overwhelming, and questions linger about what happened before Penny took the wheel. As s...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When you see someone on the beach with a beverage in her hand, chances are she’s not reading War and Peace or Crime and Punishment. Summer is a time for what is commonly called “chick lit.” However, no matter how mindless you want your book to be, some of it can be just plain awful. Very few books that take place in the summer and are geared towards women can be considered quality books. Elin Hilderbrand is one of those authors who writes these types of novels…books where you can do your “mind e...more

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Jun 26, 2012 Mary (BookHounds) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: from-publisher-author, 2012, arc

MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

In an isolated part of the country, Nantucket seems like paradise to most outsiders and the families that live there year round agree. This story about four teens in an accident that leaves one dead, one injured and the other two safe is just the beginning of a mystery in the island community of Nantucket and what is really is revealed will make you wonder if any community is safe from angst. The secrets that come to light make this whole community reel with their r...more MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

In an isolated part of the country, Nantucket seems like paradise to most outsiders and the families that live there year round agree. This story about four teens in an accident that leaves one dead, one injured and the other two safe is just the beginning of a mystery in the island community of Nantucket and what is really is revealed will make you wonder if any community is safe from angst. The secrets that come to light make this whole community reel with their revelations.

Penny and Hobby are twins, each with their own spectacular gifts and while their father has died before their birth, their mother, Zoe, has carved out a life for them trying to give them everything possible in order to succeed. Penny's boyfriend, Jake comes from a well established island family and his father runs the local newspaper. Jake's parents, Jordan and Ava have their own devastating secrets that are coming to light after the death of their youngest from SIDS. Demeter, overweight and lonely, has given up trying to fit in and while she comes from a wealthy home, there isn't much love for her that she can feel. Her parents, politician and car dealer, Al, and Lynne, who runs a title business from home, seem remote and clueless to Demeter.

As the story unfolds through flashbacks and different points of view from each character, we learn exactly what happened the night of the accident and the aftermath. There is an affair uncovered, an alcohol problem revealed, teenage romances abound and depression. Of course it is like the car accident that happens in the first chapter, you don't want to look, but you can't help but look and try to figure out what happened. This book was one of those that you can't put down. I read this very quickly and I think it was one of my favorite reads from Hilderbrand. She was a very popular choice in our book group and there is so much to discuss because of the many layers in her work.

I think this story should also appeal to older teens because of the youth angle. I have read many young adult books recently that cover similar topics such as alcohol abuse, trying to fit in and the pressure of teens in society today. This is a very realistic take on these situations and the consequences of both the teen and the parents involved. The way the story is revealed in also a plus since you get both the parents and teens viewpoints. This is another perfect summer read from Elin Hilderbrand.
(less)

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Mar 24, 2013 Connie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Nantucket is a grand place to enjoy a summer. Wealthy visitors; fancy places on the beach. But, this story focuses on those who live there all year, with lives that intertwine for generations. It is high school graduation time, to be followed by a last summer before four teenagers become seniors and scatter. Twins Penny and Hobby, Penny’s boyfriend Jake, and the fourth wild card in the hand, a girl named Demeter. Penny has a beautiful voice that need coddling and care. Hobby is the star athlete....more

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Jan 07, 2013 Kelly Davis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I’m always impressed when an author can make me feel nostalgic for someplace I’ve never been. Elin Hilderbrand’s Summerland made me long for Nantucket like a native of the island, or at least a person looking back fondly on a place she’d spent more than a few happy summers (confession: didn’t actually know where it was until I read this book).

Hilderbrand seamlessly weaves together all-American beach town images – seaside bonfires at twilight, locals and summer tourists mingling under Fourth of...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Kara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I the summer I really got into Hilderbrand's books and read about three of them. This one was not my favorite but it is still a really good read to pass the lazy days of the end of summer.

As usual, this book takes place on Nantucket and Hilderbrand does a good job of making the small town community its own character in the novel. Being from a small town myself, I could really relate with the fact that in a place like Nantucket, everyone knows everything about everyone, or at least they think th...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Conessha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Summerland started off a little slow for me, but picked up after the first few chapters. This author really helped you to understand each major character, and took you through the full spectrum of feelings from happiness, to anger, to sadness, to indifference and still brought it all together in a very interesting ending. The story takes place on Nantucket as does most of Elin Hilderbrand books, In this story we join the Nantucket High School graduation party that ends in tragedy when Penny her...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Lisa Christen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

How do I write about a book that is so sad, yet is such a page turner? Yes, I did very much so like this book. It read so easily and I liked the characters and felt for them. I wanted to know how they all were going to be, how life would return to "normal." Elin Hilderbrand writes a book that talks about family, love, how a community comes together, and honesty and she wrote it in a very easy to read way that will pull you in.

The community of Nantucket is rocked by an accident on high graduatio...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Jason rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I like to pick my summer reading by as random a method as possible. This year I have tried to choose from the title of a book in one of the local papers without reading the review. Summer books are a strange breed and the books I have read, thus far, this year, all have to do with death, alienation and dysfunctional families. The first book was a waste of time, the second was interesting, yet, lacking. Summerland by Elin Hilderbrand felt like a reward for seeing the last two books to the bitter...more I like to pick my summer reading by as random a method as possible. This year I have tried to choose from the title of a book in one of the local papers without reading the review. Summer books are a strange breed and the books I have read, thus far, this year, all have to do with death, alienation and dysfunctional families. The first book was a waste of time, the second was interesting, yet, lacking. Summerland by Elin Hilderbrand felt like a reward for seeing the last two books to the bitter end.

The easiest way to write a novel is in the third person narrative. It gives you the chance to overlook all the actions of the characters. Here, Ms. Hilderbrand, uses the clever device of making the island of Nantucket the narrator (as in the collective population) while the individual characters are examined revealing their past and present situation. Very clever indeed. It made this Island dweller (Manhattan Island NYC) actual have interest in what happens on her Island way out there in the Atlantic.
The story takes us into the lives of several townies. Zoe, a chef, is a widowed single mother of two teenagers (Penny and Hobby) who are juniors at the local HS. Jordan is the owner of the local, and only, newspaper on the island. He lives with his unresponsive, Australian, wife Ava and their child Jake (also a junior at said HS) who just happens to be Zoe's daughters true love. Rounding out the characters is Al and Lynne and their daughter Demeter who is also a junior at the local HS.
On the night of the senior class graduations, as these juniors help celebrate; a tragedy occurs while these four juniors drive home. The event effects all four families as the book allows us to watch over the period of June-September.
Some of the characters are not what they seem, some are exactly as they seem and some just do not have a clue. Through all of this, Ms Hilderbrand paints a beautiful picture of both Nantucket Island and Perth Australia (I have been to both places and I just don't see it, Hilderbrand does and describes her view in a charming and loving way). I could tell, without knowing anything about the author that she is a health enthusiast and it colors the way she sees some of her characters. It might even make one of the characters (Demeter) seem, somewhat, one-dimensional at times. However, the author makes the pain and the love seem real--thereby--making the book a must summer read.(less)

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Jul 19, 2012 Charlotte rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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Elin Hilderbrand has to be one of my favorite authors ever. She creates such intricate characters who may have their flaws, but at their core they are good people and that makes them very empathetic characters. You want to hate them for their broken moral compasses and horrible decision making skills, but instead you just feel empathy for the situations they have created for themselves. I think the most shining example of the broken moral compass is the re...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Cardmaker rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"On a warm June evening, the students of Nantucket High gather for the traditional graduation bonfire on the beach. But the celebration ends in tragedy after a horrible car crash leaves the driver, Penny Alistair, dead, and her twin brother, Hobby, in a coma. Penny's boyfriend, Jake, and her friend Demeter are unhurt but haunted by the events of that night, and by the questions that linger about what happened in the car - and what happened in the dunes before Penny took the wheel.

For Zoe, the tw...more

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Jun 12, 2012 SOS Aloha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder.”

Life gives us a continent of knowledge, not always what we want or expect. Elin Hilderbrand explores what we can learn from the unexpected in her newest novel, SUMMERLAND. This is my second outing with Hilderbrand, having discovered her last summer with SILVER GIRL. Hilderbrand returns with an equally compelling read in SUMMERLAND. The story unfolds through the point of view from several characters. Although this technique...more

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Feb 27, 2013 t.A rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, families, home-library, chick-lit

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I picked up this book solely because of the blurb on the back cover. I had never even heard of the author before, but now I'm going to be looking out for others books by her.

I really liked how the story was told from different points of view. Some were stronger than others. It was interesting to see how everyone interpreted the same situation. It was heartbreaking to see how one event could splinter the lives of so many people.

I suspected early on that Penny caused the accident on purpose. I wa...more I picked up this book solely because of the blurb on the back cover. I had never even heard of the author before, but now I'm going to be looking out for others books by her.

I really liked how the story was told from different points of view. Some were stronger than others. It was interesting to see how everyone interpreted the same situation. It was heartbreaking to see how one event could splinter the lives of so many people.

I suspected early on that Penny caused the accident on purpose. I was a bit surprised to learn of the reason why. That's all? That was my first thought. But it was explained adequately. A person like Penny, with her problems, holding on to the idea of the people around her being a certain way -when she realized that they were all keeping secrets and not who she thought they were, that was devastating for her. I had just been hoping for a far more compelling, shocking reason as to why this happened. We're always looking for deeper meaning in the tragic things when sometimes, the answer is never good enough.

I have been like Penny before, and like Demeter. It never ceases to amaze me how kids can keep falling through the cracks because their parents, their friends, no one else in their lives realizes just what's going on. It takes a lot of work for kids to hide the truth from the people around them and society's job is supposed to be to discover that truth and help those kids become a part of the community later on in life. It's a failure on everyone's part when we lose someone so young when they could have been helped.

The characters were all pretty easy to picture, although some could have had stronger voices.
I liked Zoe, because she's the kind of free spirit that I admire, although some of the choices she made for her children made me cringe. And I wasn't fond of her having an affair with a married man -though I see exactly how it happened, when Jordan and Ava pulled away from each other after the death of their baby.
I was relieved when Ava finally left Jordan. They were hanging on to nothing, hoping something would come back to them from their past. It was a waste of two perfectly good people that seem to thrive with others, but not with each other. It was so touching that despite Ava wanting Jake to stay in Australia, she thought only of him and did what was best for him, to keep him happy.
Jake's love for Penny touched me, but I hated the scene with him and Winnie. I know, boys will be boys, eh? No, I don't go for that cop-out. He nearly did a terrible thing. The saving grace was that he stopped her and he left. If only he had been honest about it. At the end, when he wears the pants and shoes Penny had drawn on, that was super sweet.
Demeter reminded me a little too much of myself in the past for me to like her, but I liked the way she was written.
Her mother made me want to bang my head into the wall. Not because she was badly written but because she was so well written, so accurate to so many parents that I know truly exist.
I didn't care for Hobby's name and I kept giggling every time I saw it throughout the book. I didn't really get a lot emotion from him, either. He had lost what he knew of himself, his athletic abilities, his twin, his whole life really, and I didn't sense any of that in his scenes. There must have been so much going on in his mind but other than a few snippets, that part of him was left untouched. Most of his scenes revolved around Claire and their pregnancy, which I didn't necessarily hate, but it didn't feel entirely necessary either.

I love that the book was set on an island. For some, it was a fortress of protection. It was safe, it was home. For others, it was a prison. I think it was a good choice of location for this story. I applaud the author for being able to take a painful tragedy like this one and spin it into a book worth keeping on my shelf at home.(less)

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Nov 15, 2012 Shonna Froebel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This novel takes place over one summer, beginning with a warm June evening, graduation day for Nantucket High. As usual, there are a few parties, and one of them is on a beach. But leaving that party Penny Alistair drives her boyfriend Jake Randolph's jeep, with her twin brother Hobson (Hobby) in the back along with a friend Demeter Castle. Something was driving Penny to drive recklessly and the trip ended in a crash, with Penny dead and Hobby in a coma. Jake and Demeter were wearing their seatb...more This novel takes place over one summer, beginning with a warm June evening, graduation day for Nantucket High. As usual, there are a few parties, and one of them is on a beach. But leaving that party Penny Alistair drives her boyfriend Jake Randolph's jeep, with her twin brother Hobson (Hobby) in the back along with a friend Demeter Castle. Something was driving Penny to drive recklessly and the trip ended in a crash, with Penny dead and Hobby in a coma. Jake and Demeter were wearing their seatbelts and escaped injury.
Zoe, the single mother of Penny and Hobby is devastated. Zoe is an easy-going mother, often more like a friend to her children. She works as an private chef and a caterer and lives in a small house on the beach. Jake's parents Jordan and Ava have a marriage that has been growing apart, especially since the death of Jake's little brother from SIDS. Ava has immersed herself in sadness, a sadness that Penny was drawn to, spending more and more time lately with Ava. Jordan is the owner and editor of the local newspaper, a newspaper that has been in his family for generations. It is a big part of his life, and why he refuses to leave Nantucket, even though Ava has wanted to return to her native Perth, Australia for years.
This accident and its aftermath drive Jordan to pull Jake away from Nantucket, giving in to Ava's wish to return to Perth.
Demeter feels strongly about her role as outcast, overweight and with few friends. She wants badly to be part of the crowd, and particularly wanted to be close to the very popular Penny. What did she say to Penny that night on the beach, and did that lead to Penny's self-destructive actions. Demeter's parents, Al and Lynne, don't seem to see her issues for what they are and are only too happy to ignore signs of unhappiness. But things won't stay hidden, and Demeter's alcoholism eventually comes to light.
We see these stories from many points of view: Zoe's, Jake's, Jordan's, Demeter's, Ava's, Hobby's, and Lynne's. I liked this aspect, seeing how different views changed the story. Everyone has secrets, and sometimes the secrets affect the lives of those around them. An interesting story about a group of normal, flawed human beings and the emotions that drive them.(less)

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Jul 06, 2012 Donna rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book details the aftermath of a car crash in which one of four teens riding in the car is killed. The book spends its time having the three survivors and their parents coping with the next phase in their lives and trying to determine why Penny, the driver of the car, deliberately crashed the car. The story is told from everyone's various viewpoints, but the reader never really gets to know these characters because they spend the whole book feeling guilty for whatever part they believe they...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Meredith rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed the book. Fans of the author shouldn't be disappointed.

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Jun 12, 2012 Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Someone knew why the accident that killed Penny Alistair happened, and that someone was Demeter Castle. Demeter knew exactly why Penny flew into a rage and drove so fast that she killed herself and seriously injured her brother, but she wouldn't divulge the information. She just couldn't tell the police what she knew.

Ms. Hilderbrand created another marvelous book with wonderful characters and amazing descriptions of Nantucket Island. The descriptions of the landscape and the town will provide a...more Someone knew why the accident that killed Penny Alistair happened, and that someone was Demeter Castle. Demeter knew exactly why Penny flew into a rage and drove so fast that she killed herself and seriously injured her brother, but she wouldn't divulge the information. She just couldn't tell the police what she knew.

Ms. Hilderbrand created another marvelous book with wonderful characters and amazing descriptions of Nantucket Island. The descriptions of the landscape and the town will provide a mini vacation. The characters in SUMMERLAND definitely carried the plot, and they definitely had issues....some issues that some folks may be able to identify with. As the small town of wealthy residents carried on and dealt with the most recent tragedy you will find out that Demeter had drinking issues that went undetected by her parents, Zoe and Jordan were having an affair, and that Ava never recovered from her infant son's death and withdrew from the world.

The feelings and emotions expressed by the main characters will make you flinch as well as having you feel sorry for them...you will actually feel as though you are experiencing the grief and pain along with the characters. You will also want to shake a few of them so they open their eyes and see what is happening right under their noses.

Through Ms. Hilderbrand's outstanding writing style, you will find out how each character became the person they were today, what made them tick, and why they did what they did. The book flowed so seamlessly from one character to another and from one situation to the next, that you didn't even know you were switching gears.

As the book continued, you found out more and more about the characters and the “secret” that Demeter kept in her personal life as well as her secret about the accident. You also will find out hidden things about many of the the other characters as they were emotionally healing from the accident that touched everyone on Nantucket Island. The book's premise is based on the accident and everyday situations, and the plot develops beautifully out of this tragic incident.

SUMMERLAND is another exceptional read by Ms. Hilderbrand. Your interest will not wane and you will do some intro-spection of your own as you turn the last page. The only surprise was what Demeter had told Penny to make her go berserk and crash the car...I thought it was a totally different reason that she flew off the handle. Don’t miss this great summer read that is filled with many good lessons and eye-opening facts. 5/5(less)

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Oct 18, 2012 Love2read added it · review of another edition

2 stars.
What did I like about it? The writing is nicely done.

Story line: While I think the writing is okay I don't really care for this story. When I read the synopsis of this book I imagined a happy story, something I would want to read during a beach vacation, for instance. Something uplifting, if you know what I mean. Maybe I was delusional for expecting such a thing. Anyway, this is a sad story from beginning to end, full of moral problems. The main characters all seemed to struggle with et...more 2 stars.
What did I like about it? The writing is nicely done.

Story line: While I think the writing is okay I don't really care for this story. When I read the synopsis of this book I imagined a happy story, something I would want to read during a beach vacation, for instance. Something uplifting, if you know what I mean. Maybe I was delusional for expecting such a thing. Anyway, this is a sad story from beginning to end, full of moral problems. The main characters all seemed to struggle with ethics. One girl is an alcoholic, another girl is depressed, one parent has an affair with a married person. The other parent wants nothing but to be single, a teen is pregnant, etc, etc. It's a complete disaster! I understand that real life is full of bad happenings, but I don't believe life is quite that horrific. I agree with the tragic points of the novel to a certain point. Sure, it's nice to have some tragedy to make things believable. However, I don't quite support the idea that we should promote it. Just about every character in this story has some inner struggle that simply screams complete tragedy. The final outcome is very predictable, by the way.

I have a feeling that the development of the story could've been slightly better if the author chosen to apply more dialogues. The story was told in third person. I normally love stories told in third person because the narrator has the power to penetrate into each character's mind and pass to the reader their true feelings. In this book I didn't feel that way. There were lots of telling and little show. And since the dialogues were cut to a very minimum it became hard to really know how the characters felt about things in general.

It felt something like: person sits in front of you and tells you all of the bad things they know about a number of people they're acquainted with. Period.

I know a selected crowd would appreciate this novel for what it is. I think Hilderbrand had a good plot in mind but the development of it lacked some refining. I'm sure there are people out there that may find this to be an good life lesson. But I don't think many people will find this book to be uplifting. (less)

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Jul 10, 2012 Sue Seligman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of summer "beach reads", contemporary women's fiction

Recommended to Sue by: read about it

I picked this Elin Hilderbrand novel up at the library with some trepidation because I had not been loving some of her previous novels. However, I was intrigued by the plot which involved teenagers, a fatal car accident, bullying, and complex relationships among husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, popularity, obesity, and bullying. The plot begins with a horrifying car accident on graduation night, an accident which leaves a young girl dead, her twin brother in a coma, and her boyfri...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Victoria rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I always enjoy this author's books! Its always scary to wonder what goes on in your children's lives that you are not aware of. The book starts at graduation on the lovely Nantucket Island and twins, Hobby and Penny, are rising Juniors, along with Penny's boyfriend, Jake. Penny appears to be the perfect daughter, always sweet and friendly to everyone, and she includes another Junior, Demeter, in their group as they take in the graduation parties. Demeter, the stereotypical unpopular kid, lonely...more I always enjoy this author's books! Its always scary to wonder what goes on in your children's lives that you are not aware of. The book starts at graduation on the lovely Nantucket Island and twins, Hobby and Penny, are rising Juniors, along with Penny's boyfriend, Jake. Penny appears to be the perfect daughter, always sweet and friendly to everyone, and she includes another Junior, Demeter, in their group as they take in the graduation parties. Demeter, the stereotypical unpopular kid, lonely and overweight, takes to drinking, mostly stealing the liquor so she can share with her friends in an attempt to become popular. Penny, is an avid teetotaler, but Hobby and Jake have some drinks at the party. Before leaving, Demeter heads over the dunes to use the bathroom, inviting Penny along, as girls are apt to do. In the next scene, they come racing over the dunes with Penny in a rage as she grabs the keys to Jake's jeep. Her anger is so overwhelming both Jake and Hobby consider driving even in their inebriated state but Penny is not to be stopped, overcome with adrenalin and rage. The four kids drive off with Penny keeping the accelerator pressed to the floor as Jake and Hobby try to get her to slow down. Finally, in desperation, Jake pulls the emergency brake to stop the vehicle but its too late; they are airborne. At the end of the evening, Penny is dead, Hobby is in a coma with multiple broken bones, and Jake and Demeter are shaken but unhurt. The parents converge on the hospital; Jake's parents, Jordan and Ava, whose marriage is still reeling from the death of his younger brother, Ernie, from SIDS; Demeter's parents, Al and Lynne, who appear to be blind to their daughter's drinking problem; and Zoe, widowed mother of Penny and Hobby. From there the secrets of both parents and children are revealed as everyone tries to figure out what Penny was so enraged about and whose fault the accident was. Hobby also finds out a girl friend he slept with, Claire, is pregnant and before the accident, they had decided since they were both destined for athletic scholarships to end the pregnancy, but when Hobby comes out of his coma after 9 days, he is relieved that Claire has decided to keep the baby. And near the very end of the book, when Demeter's drinking is finally discovered by her parents, she tells Hobby what she told Penny in the dunes, a secret so devastating to Penny's gentle spirit, that Demeter's only thought was how close of friends they would become with Demeter to comfort her through this. Hobby never tells anyone else, not even Jake or his mother, what this secret was but the book ends with new beginnings for the families and these children as they enter their senior year. I think it would be worth your while to read!(less)

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Jul 22, 2012 Marcia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: x2012, fiction, local_author, local_setting, library

While Summerland, set on the island of Nantucket, won't go down as a favorite Elin Hilderbrand book, it was still worth the yearly anticipation of her summer book release. The bones of the story are pretty much set out in the inside cover flap, so the real pull to keep reading came from Hilderbrand's ability to make a reader want to know more about these characters.

Even Nantucket, itself, became a character central to the story--a real place, populated by real people. Most people know of Martha'...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Ruth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Life on Nantucket is different for permanent residents. Those who visit love the hot summer air, fresh seafood, bonfires and the beach but for those who live there it is also the same life with its ups and downs that the visitors have shed for the time that they are visiting. Residents work, their children go to school, and the problems of life are there as well as anywhere else in the world.

Jake, Hobby, Penny, and Demeter have been together since pre-school and their families are so close tha...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Summerland, by Elin Hilderbrand. I was not expecting this kind of book from the author. Elin Hilderbrand is known for her beach reads. Let me tell you, yes this is a page turner. But, the story is so sad to me. During the summer months I like to read books that are light reading, with some meat to it. Yes, it had meat, but it was so hard to get through with the sadness.

Perhaps because I know two friends of mine, that children went through rehab, and both died the same tragic death. It was just...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Eh. While Elin Hilderbrand is still a fantastic writer, and I still stayed up way too late to finish this book, I think the Nantucket thing is running its course. Having read all her books, I feel that bits and pieces were taken from past books to create this one. Main female character a chef? See The Blue Bistro. Adulterous love affair? See A Summer Affair. Unplanned teen pregnancy? See Summer People.

In addition, I'm getting a bit tired of the elements that always find their way into every Hild...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: summer-2012

Four teenagers are involved in a car accident that leaves one of them dead, one in a coma, and the other two passengers survive with very minor injuries. This rocks the town of Nantucket because some of their best and brightest have been forever impacted by this accident. The two who were most affected were twins. It leaves many of the parents and teenagers wondering what caused the accident and how long would it take for everyone to begin to recover from the physical and emotional damage. I hav...more

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Jul 24, 2012 April Kane rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Summerland is the first book that I have read by Elin Hilderbrand. I will probably read more of her works. Not only did I enjoy Summerland and I also read it fairly quickly which is always a plus in my book.

When local Nantucket High School songbird Penny Alistair drives off the road after a graduation party her close friends and family all are left wondering why she did it. Her twin brother, Hobby Alistair, thinks it is his fault. Penny’s boyfriend, Jake Randolph, thinks it is his fault. And Pe...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chicklit

These books are those epic chick-lit drama books. They are sort of like Picoult books, but with no moral center, just a plain story that so far in the ones I have read, have actually been kind of boring. They are good writing and decent stories but by the time you get to the end, it's like, that's it? No twist? And if there is a twist, it's been something kind of lame and predictable. Though in saying all that, I have enjoyed them so far, so I'll probably pick up more. The casts are just at the...more

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Oct 12, 2012 Marie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In Summerland, after the traditional graduation beach bonfire on the island of Nantucket, a tragic car accident leaves Penny, the driver of the car, dead and her twin brother, Hobby, in a coma. Two other passengers are physically unhurt, but are troubled by the memories of that night. The twins' mother, who raised the two alone, is devastated. How can she go on when her world has changed so drastically? As time goes by, secrets are revealed about all of the teens and those around them as they le...more

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Dec 23, 2012 Katie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I didn't hate it but its def not a literary treasure. Things I liked: it was fast paced and had a good amount of drama and action (as much as a chic lit can have action), the story was good and kept you reading, it was appropriately sad and feel good when it needed to be. Things I didn't like: the characters bothered me for so many reasons, they were terribly unbelievable, and I kept getting so confused by who was the mother and who was the child because the names were so annoying and the parent...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Regina Spiker rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: twins, nantucket, australia, car-accidents

Nantucket, the lovely little island where people flock to for carefree vacations, is also the home to many year-round islanders - retirees, working class stiffs, and kids who attend the Nantucket school system. The 17 year old twins, Penny and Hobby Alistair, are juniors at Nantucket High, soon to be seniors when Fall rolls around. But Penny, the lovely girl with a gifted voice will never see her senior graduation and Hobby, the talented athlete, will never play football again after the horrible...more

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About Elin Hilderbrand

Elin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa.

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Quotes from Summerland

“What happened when we died? How were we to know that death wasn't as profound an adventure as life was?” — 3 people liked it

“If everyone slept with the person he or she had secretly fallen in love with, the world would be chaos.” — 1 person liked it

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