Three women are barefoot and they love him!
What chick lit novel set in magnificent Nantucket with three women spending the summer there and a young uncle wouldn’t make a fun and daring read?
STOP! This is Elin Hilderbrand and there’s so much more than just chick lit here! The depth of these characters and their individual personal struggles that you care about make this much more than that! Those who appreciate close relationships with their friends and share their joy, as well as their pain and pathos, will effortlessly engage in their stories and find it difficult to put the book down.
Vicki arrives in Nantucket, on her mother’s advice, with her two young children on what would appear to be a simple summer family vacation had it not been for the fact that she is battling lung cancer. Vicki’s story alone makes this a very moving and delicate book to read as she tries to bravely endure her chemotherapy and all that this horrible disease entails. In a very loving marriage and family, the energetic and courageous Vicki makes it easy to meet her to win this war and defeat the terrible enemy.
Brenda is Vicki’s younger sister who has come to support her sister through this difficult time, but is also dealing with her own personal situation. As a teacher, Vicki has been fired for committing the unforgivable act of getting involved with a student. Forget the fact that the student is Vicki’s age and that they had real feelings for each other, the reality is that she broke a fundamental rule at her prestigious university as well as the general moral school. Having a history of not making the best decisions in life, as Vicki often reacts emotionally rather than rationally, makes her a character who will surely do more than worry about a lost job while taking care of her sister.
The third woman in the group is Melanie, who recently found out that she is pregnant. After years of unsuccessful in vitro attempts to have a baby, Melanie should be ecstatic. Ah, wouldn’t that be a happy moment, except for the fact that you just found out that your husband has been having an affair? Melanie does not share the news of her pregnancy with her husband, but runs from there to Nantucket to think things through.
Adding to the mix of friends is Josh, who is home for the summer from college, and enters the history and lives of these three women early. All of them find the support of this young man who writes a journal and who begins as a babysitter for Vicki’s two young children, but quickly becomes her “expert in all trades” in a way more than normal one would think. Josh seems wise beyond his age as he provides something for each of these women and, in turn, for himself. He is very supportive of Vicki, as the time she spends with her children gives her some much-needed time for herself as she battles her cancerous enemy. Josh also encourages Brenda to write and stops thinking about her current dire situation. At the same time, he is the simple and direct person Melanie needs to have listened to her problems.
All the characters seem quite credible given the situation. Do you like them all? Do you think you know where this will all end? Maybe, but that’s why you keep reading since not everything is always what it seems. Funny, immersive, and at times frustrating, the reader will find the story to be one to have fun with, as each character and their stories intertwine and lead to an ending not as predictable as it might seem.
Originally posted to Curled Up With a Good Book.com