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wisbeth's review against another edition
4.0
Beachcombers is the story of three sisters who come back home to Nantucket for the summer. Lily - the youngest sister - emails Abbie - the oldest sister - to come home because she is concerned about Emma who is going through a nasty breakup as well as their father, Jim's financial issues. Jim rents out the girl's childhood playhouse to Marina who is recovering from a divorce. Their mother had formed the Beachcombers Club with them when they were children, teaching them to look for something more in the sand and in life. After she had died when the girls were young, Abbie tries to take over the role as mother as best she can. As adults, each of the women are in need of hope and healing, and the beautiful setting of Nantucket seems to be just the ticket. On their arrival back to Nantucket, the girls seem to fall back into their appointed roles as sisters. Nancy Thayer does an excellent job describing beautiful Nantucket - I could almost feel the sand between my toes. Lily drove me nuts! She enjoyed her role as a society reporter just a tad too much which made her come across as shallow to me. One of my favorite characters was Millicent Bracebridge, an elderly woman Emma was hired to read to every day. She was very wise and full of grand advice. I wouldn't mind spending an afternoon reading Agatha Christie to her, one of her favorites. I loved every minute I spent reading this novel. Each chapter is told from one of the women's perspectives but the story flows very nicely. I enjoyed the dynamics between the four women and the people they encounter over the summer. There were enough twists and turns to keep me reading. This book is a great summer read - not too demanding but quite enjoyable.
allisonseverson's review against another edition
2.0
I don't think I'll read anything else by Nancy Thayer. Part of the appeal of reading this book for me was that it was set in Nantucket, and Thayer had been praised for using that as a "beautiful backdrop"... So I was imagining she might be as rich and vivid with her descriptions as Mary Kay Andrews is when she uses Savannah or Tybee Island. But no, I was disappointed with the lack of details and vagueness of her descriptions about the town. It was a bit like a romantic comedy in that you know exactly how it's going to end. Except this book lacked humor. The characters are depressed at the beginning of the book and it's largely about how they struggle through that depression to find happiness. I almost stopped reading it because it just wasn't anything special, I didn't think.
amymo73's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not sure where I got this book from. Mom? The library book sale? From mom after the library book sale? Either way, it looked like a pleasant summer read.
Which is exactly what it is.
Nothing terribly earth shattering. And while there is a thread of dealing with depression in the book, that comes out only on occasion, mostly the beginning and the end, and there's little depth to that conversation.
At times I felt everyone's storyline was tied up too neatly. But then again, I choose this book as an easy, fun, summer read. And it delivered.
Which is exactly what it is.
Nothing terribly earth shattering. And while there is a thread of dealing with depression in the book, that comes out only on occasion, mostly the beginning and the end, and there's little depth to that conversation.
At times I felt everyone's storyline was tied up too neatly. But then again, I choose this book as an easy, fun, summer read. And it delivered.
indyfoodgal2023's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
crystalbrutlag's review against another edition
Tell me you visited Nantucket without telling me you visited Nantucket.
You keep reading books that take place on Nantucket.
And the setting was the best part of this book. I enjoyed the sisters and the business they put together, but this one didn't hold my interest as much as other Nantucket books.
You keep reading books that take place on Nantucket.
And the setting was the best part of this book. I enjoyed the sisters and the business they put together, but this one didn't hold my interest as much as other Nantucket books.
tabatha_shipley's review against another edition
3.0
A feel good summer read that will appeal to the sappy romantic in all of us. This books follows four women as they deal with their messed up, not-where-they-expected-to-be lives all crashing together in Nantucket. I appreciated the humor only someone with sisters could understand. Overall, I would rate this one three stars. If you really like sappy romance though...it's probably four for you!
christie_seiler's review against another edition
3.0
I thought this book was amusing at times, however it did drag on and on. I didn't really feel a plot, there was no climax, there was only a little bit of character development. I guess because there were so many narrators, it just dragged on. Of course I was happy with the ending as they all did live happily ever after, but I couldn't happen to be relieved when it was over.