28 Summers

Product Information

If you can't get to the beach this summer, bring the beach to you with Elin Hilderbrand's 25th novel, 28 Summers. It's a lovely escape.

28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand | Waterstones

Everything at this moment is so sublime that Jake thinks, Freeze! I want to stay right here forever. But of course, life doesn’t work that way. The waves fold over themselves again and again and again, and nothing can stop them.” Due to the political nature of one of the characters, Ursula, there are many instances of politics being discussed, from both sides of the aisle. Normally I'm not a fan of authors inserting their political beliefs on their reader, but I felt the discussions here were relatively balanced. I loved the characters. Interestingly you don’t choose a part at this book: everybody is right from their side of the story. Nothing was off-limits, nothing was deemed “too adult,” and nothing took precedence over reading; it was considered the holiest activity a person could engage in.” I enjoyed watching the progression of all the characters over three decades, and I also enjoyed the displays of friendship, forgiveness, grief and acceptance.

While I am not sure that this is fair, and I don’t think I’d agree to it, this, my friends, is fiction and I truly enjoyed listening to this extremely well written, beautifully plotted novel, even if I would never put myself in that position. As I said before, the biggest determinant of whether you’ll like this book depends on how you feel about cheating in relationships. If you think the cheating won’t bother you and you like romance novels, you will probably like this book. I really enjoyed all the characters this time which, admittedly, is unusual for me when it comes to EH's books. I also found myself smiling at all the brief mentions of people and businesses from her previous novels. It's always nice to revisit characters from past stories. A sparkling novel about the complexities of female relationships, the pitfalls of living out loud and online, and the resilience of the human heart, Big Summer is a witty, moving story about family, friendship, and figuring out what matters most. 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.

28 Summers - Find Your Adventure on Apple Podcasts ‎28 Summers - Find Your Adventure on Apple Podcasts

This island chooses people, Aunt Greta said. It chose Bo and me, and I think it’s chosen you as well.”I adored Mallory and Jake's secret relationship! It was so touching and uplifting! I found them both somewhat emotionally stunted and I doubt their love could have survived beyond their Labour Day bubble but it was perfect for them.

28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand | Goodreads

Both the synopsis and the first chapter “spoil” the story with the fact that Mallory is dying. And that her and Jake never truly got together (other than the one-weekend-per-year affair). What do you think about the story choice to give away the ending and be upfront that Mallory will pass away? Did that impact how you read the story? And I hated, hated how the book kept trying to convince me that Jake’s wife was somehow deserving of this behavior because she works a lot. If you hate it, leave her! It just felt a little sexist, like Hildebrand was punishing this character for having a high-powered career.They make a pact that they'll get together every Labor Day weekend, regardless of their relationship status or whatever is going on in their lives. They don't keep in touch otherwise but they're always in each other's thoughts. Can the rest of their lives move on regardless of this arrangement? What does that mean for the presence of others, the possibility of other relationships, or future plans? What I don't enjoy is political propaganda in a fiction book but I wasn't 𝙩𝙤𝙤 bothered by it here just because it was used to reflect Ursula's character and I didn't feel the author was trying to force feed me her views. My name is Jay Worthy - I am a husband, dad to five amazing kids and the founder of 28 Summers. I host the 28 Summers podcast (Available on all the usual platforms) Nooooo,” he says. “I’m staying away from women for a while. Alison was fun, Nanette was fun but a hypochondriac, and Brooke was a card-carrying psycho. Like a Glenn Close–type psycho.” “Let’s not forget Krystel,” Mallory says. “You married her!” “I’m attracted to head cases,” Cooper says. “Alison was an anomaly. She was normal. We broke up because of the distance but also because I felt like there was something missing…and what was missing was the crazy.” As a note of warning, this book leans liberal. There’s some talk of politics, largely due to the character of Ursula’s career as a politician. I didn’t think there was much politics in this book, but there is a little. If you’ve very sensitive about that sort of thing, perhaps it’ll be a skip for you. Main Criticism of 28 Summers: The Cheating

28 Summers About Jay - 28 Summers

Oh, also, it throws in every single controversial political topic in ONE BOOK and discusses the issue with minimal insight, and obviously very one sided. Easy to read, captivating and as the title suggests - the perfect summer book for this season. I'd say go and get yourself a copy now! You’re young,” Mallory says. “And the worst thing about being young is not being able to appreciate that you’re young because you aren’t old enough to know any better.” The middle slowed down (for me) just a bit so I was glad when Hilderbrand slipped in a bombshell. That perked up the story again as well as the trip to Cooperstown and a couple home runs from heaven above. In that moment the idea for 28 Summers was born - a philosophy which, in it's simplest form, is centred on the idea of living adventurously, optimising your health and never, ever trading out happiness TODAY for the promise of a FUTURE we may never see.

Book Excerpt

Normally I don’t like to read about cheating or lying couples and of course I always feel bad for both of the women: who has been cheated and who has been labeled as other woman. Hilderbrand does a fantastic job of coming up with believable life journeys and charting interesting paths for each of its characters. She intertwines the story of their lives with current events and the idyllic setting, making it a great setup for some romance. The descriptions of the characters, the town, the food, parties, the weddings, the special intimate-Labor Day weekends rendezvouses, 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. Book Club Questions for 28 Summers