An Island Summer – ARC Book Review

A totally perfect and heartwarming small-town romance about new beginnings, old secrets and how home is truly where the heart is… Fans of Susan Mallery, Pamela Kelley, and Mary Alice Monroe will fall head over heels for this romantic page-turner.

Meghan Gray hasn’t returned to the golden sands of Hatteras Island since her beloved Pappy passed away ten years ago. But with her life in New York falling apart—and her dreams of becoming a successful chef going up smoke—she quits her waitress job and heads back home on a hot summer’s day, hoping she’ll find some answers there.

Packing up her belongings, and the manila envelope her grandfather left for her, she makes the nine-hour drive to the sun-drenched island. On her first night, she meets brooding Toby Meyers, whose sparkling blue eyes make her feel like coming home. Meghan is instantly drawn to the enigmatic entrepreneur, longing to know more.

Pappy’s fishing cottage is just how she remembers; a shingled bungalow on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, with two rocking chairs on the porch. As the waves crash, Meghan realizes that this house—and the special memories it holds—is all she has left. Could this be her fresh start?

When Meghan opens the faded envelope gifted by her grandpa, she finds an old photograph, along with a mysterious key. If she can find what it belongs to, she’ll unlock a family secret that has the power to change everything—one that has been hidden for decades. And it will either bring Meghan and Toby together, or break their hearts…

First of all, I like all front covers of Jenny Hale’s books–they are so pretty! Second of all, the story was heartwarming family drama tale.

Meghan Gray’s seems to crumble in New York and decides to move back to her grandfather, Peppy’s place in Hatteras Island for the summer. While in the island, she meets entrepreneur, Toby. While the two hit off, Toby’s grandfather, Ruper who is suffering from dementia, mistakenly thinks she is Hester Quinn. Along with her best friend Tess, she tries to solve a mystery her grandfather had left her–an old photograph with a mysterious key and soon she finds some family secrets.

Nearly all of Jenny Hale’s books are based on family ancestral stories with a little bit of family secrets that ties to the story. The writing was really great though there were some boring bits in the story. Unraveling the secret part, finding about Hester Quinn and the budding romance between Meghan and Toby was great.

Overall, if you like a light romance with a summer vibe in it, then this book is one for you–worth four stars

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.