28 Summers
Ratings19
Average rating3.6
15
Ratings19
Average rating3.6
A "captivating and bittersweet" novel by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Summer of '69: Their secret love affair has lasted for decades—but this could be the summer that changes everything (People).
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.
Featured Series
1 primary book2 released books28 Summers is a 2-book series with 1 primary work first released in 2020 with contributions by Elin Hilderbrand.
Reviews with the most likes.
My first Elin Hilderbrand novel, thoroughly enjoyed it.
Stayed up until 1am to finish and bawled like a baby at the end.
Loved the heroine Mallory, a strong independent woman who made life choices to suit herself and not to please anybody else.
The men in the story paled in comparison.
A real page turner but keep tissues handy at the end.
I had zero expectations because I do judge books by their cover and, frankly, I don't like this one. I assumed this would be your run of the mill beach romance. I was right and wrong. It's a beach romance, but not the cheesy run of the mill variety.
Jake and Mallory end up bonding one night in 1993 because “the dog chased the cat chased the rat.” A series of events left them alone in her cottage on Nantucket on Labor Day weekend. They have other commitments and life happens, but they vow to spend every Labor Day weekend at her cottage no matter what.
This is the story it sounds like it would be. It is. But what I loved about this was the atmosphere. I've never been to Nantucket and know nothing about it but I felt like I was there with them. The sun and salt air. And I felt so connected to the characters, Mallory in particular. They felt like real people. And we can't deny the pop culture references in the characters, UDG = AOC, red lipstick and all. It brought it all down a notch and made it somewhat satirical and not so heavy. Whether that was the goal or not, I'm not sure. But I enjoyed it.
Despite my prejudgement, here I am on a Friday at work crying at the end.
I guess this was inspired by the movie “Same Time, Next Year”, and had the audacity to even include it. I loved the movie, here is Roger Ebert's review if you are interested: https://www.imdb.com/videoplayer/vi2332932889 I did not like this book, at all. The characters were unlikable, made bad choices, did not grow. This was a “yuk” for me.
Mallory and Jake meet on Labor Day weekend in 1993, and fall instantly in love. But there are obstacles to being together—Mallory and Jake live far from each other, and Jake has a long-term relationship. The solution? To meet once a year, like the characters in the movie, Same Time, Next Year, over Labor Day weekend, at Mallory's beachfront cottage in Nantucket.
I knew this was going to be an emotional read, and, of course, it was.
