28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand is a summer-themed contemporary that many will enjoy. The concept is interesting, although may not be one for those who don’t enjoy the love triangle theme. The story is well-written and the characters are intriguing, however it is hard to root for them.
Title: 28 SummersAuthor: Elin Hilderbrand
Also by this author: Summer of '69
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Genres: Contemporary, Historical Fiction, Adult Fiction
Publication Date: June 16, 2020
Rating:
When Mallory Blessing's son, Link, receives deathbed instructions from his mother to call a number on a slip of paper in her desk drawer, he's not sure what to expect. But he certainly does not expect Jake McCloud to answer. It's the late spring of 2020 and Jake's wife, Ursula DeGournsey, is the frontrunner in the upcoming Presidential election.
There must be a mistake, Link thinks. How do Mallory and Jake know each other?
Flash back to the sweet summer of 1993: Mallory has just inherited a beachfront cottage on Nantucket from her aunt, and she agrees to host her brother's bachelor party. Cooper's friend from college, Jake McCloud, attends, and Jake and Mallory form a bond that will persevere -- through marriage, children, and Ursula's stratospheric political rise -- until Mallory learns she's dying.
Based on the classic film Same Time Next Year (which Mallory and Jake watch every summer), 28 Summers explores the agony and romance of a one-weekend-per-year affair and the dramatic ways this relationship complicates and enriches their lives, and the lives of the people they love.
❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃
Review: 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand
If you are a fan of the author’s previous works, this is one book to look forward to this summer. The Nantucket setting and the various summers that the main characters have come together for make for a perfect beach read. Each summer is prefaced with an historical description of the various social and political happenings as well, which adds some interest to the timeline.
❀ Love Triangle Theme
Having never watched the film Same Time, Next Year, I went into this book expecting a story of friendship. However, the theme is a love triangle where two lovers agree to meet at the same time each year for a sexual rendezvous. This is something that I found difficult to understand as the story progresses and both Mallory and Jake have their own lives with significant others.
❀ Hard to Root for Main Characters
While I did enjoy the characters of both Jake and Mallory, I found it increasingly harder to feel any sort of emotion for them. The fact that they are trying to deceive everyone in their lives to maintain a tradition where they cheat on others once a year lessened my enjoyment of this book. There is far too much time spent reasoning why this is fine to do and no consequences for the characters’ actions.
❀ Classic Hilderbrand
28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand will be an enjoyable book for you if love triangles and infidelity are themes that don’t bother you as a reader. The setting is ideal for a summer backdrop and the writing is classic Hilderbrand.
About Elin Hilderbrand
Elin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa.
About Lori
Avid reader. Contributor to The Candid Cover. Educator.
The love triangles and infidelity part in your review kind of took me by surprise. I wouldn’t expected that if I’d only seen the cover. It sounds like a good read although infidelity does bother me in books.
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Right?! It was still a well-written book, though. 😉
This would definitely bother me. I dislike books with adultery themes unless there is equal importance given to the experience of the betrayed partners.
I agree with you. I was not expecting it, for sure.
I just caught wind of this book the other day, and I was surprised as to the premise. People always seem opposed to cheating in books, and then there are books like this, which they are ok with. I mean, I loved The Day We Never Met, and it had the same premise, so, not judging (though cheating is not a dealbreaker for me).
I think that this book might really appeal to you, Sam! 🙂
I don’t think I could do this book with that love triangle aspect. I am not normally a fan of them, and it almost sounds like cheating(?) here, and I am not a fan of that at all. Great review!
It is definitely cheating! I am not sure if there was some sort of consequence it would have made me feel better about the plot, but it is not one for those who don’t enjoy love triangles.
Yeah, I’ll pass then. 😉
It really cheapened Mallory’s judgment in her relationships. What she was willing to settle for rather than find what she wanted. I quit on page 149…
Her books are quintessential summer reading – I love her settings!
Same! Her books are always part of my summer tbr.
This sounds like a great book. I like the story line it has!
It is a great concept!
Darn, a love triangle. Not my favorite thing in a romance.
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Yeah. This bothered me, for sure.
Thanks for your review. The infidelity theme would definitely bother me.
It can be a real deal breaker for many.
I can’t wait to check this out. Thanks.
I hope that you love it, Debbie!
I am not a big fan of books with adultery themes but I really love the book cover.
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Her covers are always fantastic!
Thank you for the review!!
I have a lot of friends who read & as soon as they hear the word “cheat” they bolt. However, if you say “love triangle”, they’re all ears. Personally, I don’t mind either way as long as there is a satisfying conclusion.
28 Summers sounds like a great jump back to the past, thanks for sharing your review and have an awesome weekend!