Summerland

A Novel

By: Elin Hilderbrand

Narrated by: Erin Bennett

Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

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 summer unfolds, startling truths are revealed about the survivors and their parents - secrets kept, promises broken, hearts betrayed. Elin Hilderbrand explores the power of community, family, and honesty, and proves that even from the ashes of sorrow, new love can still take flight.

©2012 Elin Hilderbrand (P)2012 Hachette Audio

Great Listen

I honestly only chose this book because I constantly saw commercials about it. To my surprise, I became more and more intriqued throughout the first half of the book. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend it for a good summer's read.

One of her best

I've read about everything the author has written, and this is one of her best (Castaways is my favorite). The story is just so well constructed, it's always a pleasure when Hilderbrand has a new book out.

Gentle story

Might be described as a "summer read". I thought the story was interesting and moved quickly. The narration was excellent. It's the kind of book that makes you think about the baggage people carry around without anyone knowing and it makes you wonder about secrets you may never know. Not exactly a feel-good kind of book but satisfying in the way it all gets resolved.

Well done!

Any additional comments?

Hilderbrand takes on framing the difficulties of teens in relationship to the not so perfect world of adults. Extremely well articulated. The story line was excellent. The ending of the story was very realistic, as in life, it always turns out... just not exactly as our expectations .

Sad tale of troubled people

The novel was filled with complicatrd and troubled adults and teenagers. I was looking for a happy summer read. This was not it.

Never dissappointed

Loved this book, live this author !
I feel like I was on the island crying and laughing with them all,

A great book. Well read and well written.

This book was really wonderful. Kept me interested by bouncing seamlessly between the characters. Great, great book. Performance was great as well!

Enjoyable good storyline!

What did you love best about Summerland?

I love books about relationships and how they work out; this has many relationships and problems; seeing how they developed from beginning to end held me captive. The emotion of the characters; the love, trials and forgiveness which is true in our daily lives.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked everything about the story. Zoe was a very strong but loving personality. I enjoyed all characters though.

Which scene was your favorite?

The scene when Ava told her husband Jordan to take Jake home and why she told him.

Who was the most memorable character of Summerland and why?

The car accident with Penny and Hobbie, jake and Demeter which built the entire story from their graduation night.

Any additional comments?

At the beginning I felt the book was draggy compared to other books but I suggest stick with it because all the interactions of the characters and their bonds with love and forgiveness is worth it all!

So so so good!

I loved this book. Tough subject matter handled with grace. Highly recommend to anyone who loves a good family story line.

Extremely well written but…

Very dark. I wasn’t expecting it. But, just because I wasn’t expecting it doesn’t mean that it wasn’t a good book. It just seem like a departure from the other books that I had been reading by the same author.