June 2023 Buddy Read- A Summer Affair

[Alissa]

We will be reading A Summer Affair by the Queen of Nantucket and Beach Reads Elin Hilderbrand ;-)

The plot synopsis:

Claire Danner Crispin, mother of four young children and nationally renowned glassblower, bites off more than she can chew when she agrees to co-chair a huge benefit concert on Nantucket. Claire is asked to chair the Nantucket Children Summer Gala, at least in part, because she is the former high school sweetheart of world famous rock star, Max West. Max agrees to play the benefit and it looks like smooth sailing for Claire—until she agrees to create a "museum-quality" piece of glass for the auction, pre-emptorily offers her best friend the catering job, goes nose-to-nose with her Manhattan socialite co-chair, and begins a "good-hearted" affair with the charity's Executive Director, Lockhart Dixon.

Hearts break and emotions stretch to the point of snapping in this in-depth look at one woman's attempt to deal with loves past and present, raise a family, run a business, and pull of a charity event unlike any the island of Nantucket has ever seen. Claire discovers that doing good and being bad are not mutually exclusive—and that nothing is ever as simple as it seems.

Reading with Lea, Denise maybe Patricia & anyone else who wants to kick off the summer season! ;-)

[Patricia]

Some of Hilderbrand's books I have really enjoyed. A couple of others, not so much. After reading the synopsis on this one, I think I'll pass, but look forward to reading your comments to see if I might change my mind.

[Denise]

I own the book so I can start whenever.

[Lea]

I can start this week. :-)

I own the hardback so I am able to start whenever also.

[Lea]

Patricia wrote: "Some of Hilderbrand's books I have really enjoyed. A couple of others, not so much. After reading the synopsis on this one, I think I'll pass, but look forward to reading your comments to see if I might change my mind."

I totally understand, I have the same reaction to Hilderbrand's books.

I'm not loving the character of Claire, so if you want to have a likeable main character, this might not be the book for you.

[Alissa]

I am reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaally struggling with this one. I just want Claire to go away lol

[Denise]

I have been so busy at work that I haven't started yet. Hopefully tomorrow I will have some time to start it. Worse case I go on vacation Wednesday so I will definitely be starting by then.

[Lea]

Denise wrote: "I have been so busy at work that I haven't started yet. Hopefully tomorrow I will have some time to start it. Worse case I go on vacation Wednesday so I will definitely be starting by then."

I hope you have a great vacation, Denise!!

I'm on page 301 and I'm not sure I care anymore about this gala. :-)

[Denise]

I had such a good vacation that I barely read. I am not on page 115, and I love Elin Hilderbrand but this one is just blah...

[Lea]

Denise wrote: "I had such a good vacation that I barely read. I am not on page 115, and I love Elin Hilderbrand but this one is just blah..."

Yeah, this is not her best. For me, the ending was not worth it. If you don't want to finish this one, I won't tell anyone. :-)

[Denise]

I did finish it just because I wanted to know how it ended. I agree this was probably my least favorite book of hers.

[Lea]

Denise wrote: "I did finish it just because I wanted to know how it ended. I agree this was probably my least favorite book of hers."

Well, pooh, unfortunately, we all agreed about this one, that it wasn't the best.

I did read the next book in the "series" The Castaways and I liked it better. The people are still unlikeable, but there's a mystery to solve, so it just flowed better. I still don't think it is really a series, however. :-)

[Patricia]

Even though I didn't read this one, I recently listened to the audio of The Hotel Nantucket & really enjoyed it.
Elin Hilderbrand has started a podcast called Books, Beach & Beyond. I listened to the first episode & if you are a Hilderbrand fan, you will probably enjoy hearing her talk about how she got started, her process & what she plans for her next books. Going to be some changes! Her next episodes will feature different writers.

[Lea]

Patricia wrote: "Even though I didn't read this one, I recently listened to the audio of The Hotel Nantucket & really enjoyed it.
Elin Hilderbrand has started a podcast called Books, Beach & Beyond. I listened to the first episode & if you are a Hilderbrand fan, you will probably enjoy hearing her talk about how she got started, her process & what she plans for her next books. Going to be some changes! Her next episodes will feature different writers."

Thanks, Patricia. That's really interesting, I will have to look into the podcast. I have recently read The Castaways, and Beautiful Day and I'm almost done with The Perfect Couple, all of which I liked better than this book. Some of her books work for me and some do not, but it would be interesting to hear how she gets started and what plans she has for her upcoming books.