Novel set in Nantucket and London

18th September 2016

Summer Secrets by Jane Green, novel set in Nantucket and London.

Over the years I have read a number of Jane’s books and enjoyed them. Summer Secrets was eminently readable and thought provoking.

Set in London and Nantucket, the story weaves between 3 generations. Audrey the American who came to the UK and married an Englishman. Audrey’s daughter Cat, her husband Jason and their daughter Annie.

As a young married woman, Audrey visits her aunt in Nantucket. During her visit she meets with a local artist Brooks who is a neighbour. After the death of the man that Cat thought of as her father, her mother tells her that he was not her biological dad. She discovers who is, and visits him and meets her two half-sisters. Personalities clash and secrets develop.

One of the facets that makes the book so thought provoking is the way the author delves into the world of what is acceptable and not acceptable in terms of drinking. Cat has a problem and she has to face that demon. Her journey to sobriety is not without mishaps and again secrets.

Although that may sound a bit much, in actual fact the book is skilfully written so the reader is able to empathise with some of the characters and their issues. In particular the way that common traits within families manifest themselves in different ways.

I really enjoyed the gay character Sam. Who else would have thought of making a rather dull holiday house exciting by buying up the local interior store and placing cushions, throws and scented candles around the house to make it more ‘chic’?

Nantucket is now on my bucket list after reading the descriptions of the area. It sounds lovely with a different pace of life to that of nearby cities such as New York City and Boston. Definitely Ralph Lauren with a hint of Boden thrown in.

Don’t be put off by the subject matter in the book. Enjoy the complexities of relationships within families and the journey that Cat undertakes to understand herself.

A lovely and readable book.

KAGA for the TripFiction Team

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