My summer reading is well underway! Summer is my least favourite season, but I’ve been reading a lot of beach reads and it’s been making me appreciate this time of year more than I normally do. Below are the books I read in July:

The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand: 4.5/5 stars

I’ve really gotten into Elin Hilderbrand books this year. It actually started last December when I read the Winter Street series, which I loved. Since then, I’ve decided to try to read her entire catalogue. I wanted to read The Five-Star Weekend before the show aired in July (I’ve since watched 3 episodes and I’m loving it so far!).

I loved this book. It’s about a well-known food blogger who, after her husband’s sudden death, invites four friends, each from a different time in her life, to her home on Nantucket for a weekend. The book really made Nantucket one of the characters, and the descriptions of the island made me feel like I was experiencing it myself. The concept of a five-star weekend was so creative, and the dynamic between the women was intriguing. This is one of my favourite Elin Hilderbrand books I’ve read to date.

Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman: 3.5/5 stars

I love Alice Hoffman books. The Practical Magic series is one of my favourites, as is the Practical Magic movie (who else is excited for the sequel this fall?). I typically gravitate to her books in the fall, but the Skylight Confessions audiobook was available on Libby, so I dove in. Actress Mare Winningham narrated, and I thought she did a great job. There’s something so dreamy about Alice Hoffman’s writing.

Skylight Confessions follows three generations of a family living in Connecticut as they navigate love and grief. The book was dark, and it already hasn’t stuck with me the way some of her others have, but I enjoyed it.

It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan: 4/5 stars

I read Nora Goes Off Script a few years ago and it reminded me so much of a Nancy Meyers film. In other words, I loved it. For that reason, one of my summer reading goals has been to read the rest of Annabel Monaghan’s books.

I really enjoyed this one, and that’s coming from someone who can be pretty hard on romance novels. It’s a Love Story centers around Jane Jackson, a former teen TV actress who has promised to get a popstar she once knew to write an original song for the soundtrack to a movie she wants her studio to greenlight. Enter Dan Finnegan, who accompanies Jane to his hometown of Long Island, where the popstar is playing a festival.

Going into this one, I thought that relating to a woman who struggles to overcome her former TV persona would be a challenge. I was wrong! Annabel Monaghan writes romances from a place of maturity that makes her novels feel intelligent, while still remaining light and comforting.

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune: 4/5 stars

Despite being a Canadian reader, I hadn’t picked up a Carley Fortune book until July. I’m glad I did!

At its core, Every Summer After is about reconnecting with one’s first love. It takes place in Barry’s Bay, and my favourite aspect of the book was how much Carley Fortune brought Barry’s Bay to life. It felt like I was there. For a summer read, I think being able to escape to a summery destination is so important! I also loved all of the Canadian references throughout the book. Again, I think I’m typically hard on romance novels, but I really liked this one.

This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune: 3/5 stars

I followed Every Summer After up with This Summer Will Be Different.

This novel takes place on Prince Edward Island, one of my favourite places. In This Summer Will Be Different, the main character, Lucy, grapples with her feelings for her best friend’s brother, Felix. As with Every Summer After, Carley Fortune did a fantastic job describing the setting. As a PEI lover, I think she nailed it! However, the story itself fell a bit flat for me. There were aspects that I found unrealistic and parts that dragged. I would still recommend it as a light summer read, though!

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett: 5/5 stars

I can’t stop thinking about this one. This is Kathryn Stockett’s first novel since The Help. It takes place in the 1930s in Oxford, Mississippi. It follows Birdie, a single woman who has come to Oxford to ask her sister for money to help their family, who is at risk of losing their home, and Meg, an 11-year-old residing at a local orphanage. I don’t want to say too much about the themes of the book, because I don’t want to give anything away. The book took takes the reader on such a journey that by the end, I couldn’t believe all that had happened since the beginning.

This book is fantastic. It’s long, but definitely worth the commitment. It made me feel so many emotions and I think the story will stay with me forever. I loved everything about this book, and I hope it’s made into a movie!

The Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand: 3/5 stars

The Blue Bistro follows Adrienne, a woman who goes to Nantucket for the summer and gets a job working at a local restaurant. The book centers around the relationships and drama between the staff members.

This is one of Elin Hilderbrand’s older books, and it left me wanting more. I loved the detailed food descriptions, but the story dragged for me. The ending felt rushed, and to me, the book could have taken place anywhere. I would have liked more details about Nantucket, as I think the setting is part of what makes a lot of Elin Hilderbrand’s books so magical.

Summer Sisters by Judy Blume: 4.5/5 stars

I love Judy Blume. As with many women, I grew up with her books. Since watching her documentary and recently listening to The Genius of Judy by Rachelle Bergstein on audio, I’ve been eager to read another Judy Blume book.

This book follows two friends from their teenage years spending summers on Martha’s Vineyard into adulthood. One thing that pleasantly surprised me about Summer Sisters was how much it reminded me of Judy Blume’s young adult novels. It felt nostalgic reading about the girls as teenagers and their relatable teenage struggles. I also thought Judy Blume beautifully captured the complicated dynamics that sometimes exist between women. The book was unpredictable and beautiful. I loved it.

The Love Season by Elin Hilderbrand: 3/5 stars

The Love Season follows Marguerite, a former chef of a Nantucket restaurant, and Renata, Marguerite’s goddaughter, throughout the course of one day. Marguerite is preparing to have Renata over for dinner that night, and Renata is grappling with her recent engagement and her desire to learn more about her deceased mother.

For me, the novel started out strong. As with The Blue Bistro, the food descriptions were detailed and mouth-watering. I found that the middle of the book dragged, and it regained steam towards the end, with drama unfolding and lingering questions being answered. This was an Elin Hilderbrand novel that I enjoyed, but I don’t expect it to stick with me.

Summerween by Joss Wood: 2/5 stars

This novel is about a dancer who returns to a small town to recover from a recent heartbreak, and a trauma surgeon who visits the same small town to recover from his burnout and PTSD. The small town, known for its Halloween celebrations, has many Summerween events underway.

I was intrigued by this book because, as someone whose favourite season is fall, I thought it would be fun to get a taste of Halloween in the summertime. Unfortunately, this book left me wanting more. I found the romance cheesy and awkward, and the fun Summerween events didn’t overcompensate for that.

Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand: 3/5

This Elin Hilderbrand novel is about three women who go to Nantucket for the summer to try to deal with their respective problems. One of the women is battling cancer, one is a college professor who just got caught having a relationship with one of her students, and one is finally pregnant, but has learned that her husband has been having an affair. When they arrive on the island, a local twenty-something named Josh enters their lives.

At this point, I’ve come to trust that any Elin Hilderbrand novel is going to be worth reading. That was proven true by Barefoot. It wasn’t my favourite Elin Hilderbrand novel I’ve read, but in typical Elin Hilderbrand fashion, the characters had depth and I felt immersed in their lives. I was eager to find out what would happen to each of them.

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan: 4.5/5

This was the final novel of Annabel Monaghan’s that I hadn’t read, and it was my very favourite.

Summer Romance is about a woman who is struggling with the loss of her mother and her separation from her husband. While grappling with these issues, she begins spending time with her best friend’s younger brother.

This is a great romance novel. I really love and appreciate the way Annabel Monaghan writes about women with real, relatable problems. In this case, that looked like returning to yourself when you get out of a relationship and de-cluttering your life. I highly recommend this one!

Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune: 4/5

I liked this one! I liked Every Summer After a bit more, but they were both 4 star reads for me.

In typical Carley Fortune fashion, this one takes place in a Canadian town; in this case, Tofino, British Columbia. I’ve never been, but I’d love to go!

This is a friends to lovers romance where the main female character, Frankie, is reeling from her fiance calling off their wedding on the eve of their wedding weekend. Frankie and her best friend, George, go on her honeymoon to Tofino with the goal of helping Frankie heal from her heartbreak. As usual, the setting almost acts as a character itself, which enhances the novel.