Summer Island by Shelley Noble

 

Do you have a place that you like to visit to get away from it all?  Reporter Phoebe Adams has just lost her job and her fiancé, while her mother Ruth has discovered that her husband has left her for another woman.  They decide to visit Grandma Alice who lives on Summer Island.  It’s Phoebe and Ruth’s shelter from the storm of their lives.  They find that Great Aunt Vera has also come to visit for the summer.  The four women bond together to determine the next steps in their lives. 

The women also grew interested in their grump neighbor Lars, who has recently lost his wife.  His son Ty has moved back to the island to help him out, but Lars has made it difficult.  He thinks of Ty as a failure and has pretty much given up on life.  What will get Lars back out into the world?  Will he ever except his son?

I enjoyed the characters and the relationships they renewed and built as they progressed with their lives.  I especially liked that Ty has a lot more to him than his father realizes.  Ty is a mechanical engineer that works on clean water projects around the world.  As an environmental engineer, I was very excited by this character.  I really liked that Ruth connected with her childhood best friend and decided to live life for herself.  Phoebe was also great working through what she wanted for both a career and for love.

Summer Island is a great summer (or fall) read!  It was my last read of August.

Book Source:  Review Copy from Avon Books.  Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.