Nantucket Blue

 

Summary:

" For Cricket Thompson, a summer like this one will change everything. A summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, and the indomitable Clayton family. A summer when she’ll make the almost unattainable Jay Logan hers. A summer to surpass all dreams.

Some of this turns out to be true. Some of it doesn’t.

When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy that forces the girls apart, Jules becomes a stranger whom Cricket wonders whether she ever really knew. And instead of lying on the beach working on her caramel-colored tan, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support herself in paradise for the summer.

But it’s the things Cricket hadn’t counted on--most of all, falling hard for someone who should be completely off-limits--that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality.

A beautiful future is within her grasp, and Cricket must find the grace to embrace it. If she does, her life could be the perfect shade of Nantucket blue."

I will be the first to admit, I cover/title whored over Nantucket Blue. However, Nantucket Blue definitely took me by surprise, the second I began reading it.. I got that feeling in my stomach. The "oh, this is going to a good read" feeling and boy, was I right!

Nantucket Blue, took me by surprise by being both the perfect mixture of an easy summer read and a well written contemporary. I didn't expect to grow an attachment to Cricket and her life. I didn't expect the sad under tones and I most definitely didn't expect to cry. Yes, that is right.. I CRIED. Because at some point in this book, I can really empathize with Crickets loneliness and I was connecting with her at that moment. Not many authors can do that. It is easy to make me feel the happiness and love of a character, but to feel their sorrow. That is hard to do and not in the I just feel bad for them, but like I am actually them! Like I am the person who is being affected at that moment. As for the romance, it is definitely their and although it is a little predictable for a summer romance. It meets all your cheesy summer romance needs. It really does. I don't know how else to explain it then perfection.

I like all the characters, they are not over complex and they all fit the rolls. You aren't wishing you knew more or less about them, cause it didn't fit a situation they are perfectly balanced. You see Jules is kind of the mean girl in the book, yet you can actually sympathize for her and Cricket isn't annoying. She isn't that main character who messes up and you don't feel bad for her, because well it is kind of her fault. She is genuine in her attempts and mistakes. Zack is oh so adorable and we kind of all know a little brother like him. Crickets Mom actually reminds me, of my Mom and I love hoe she was integrated into the storyline. Liz,George and Gavin all compliment the plot line very well too.

In other words. I highly recommend Nantucket Blue. I have NOTHING negative to say about it! I have not read a really well written summer beach read in awhile and this book hit all the classic requirements and then exceeded them. 

By Invitation Only

Summary:

"Toni Fratelli has a busy summer ahead. 
After several setbacks in Manhattan force her to move home to East Hampton, her To Do list is full. She has to help her father run his popular Italian restaurant.  Start up her own catering company.  And plan, cater, and be the Maid of Honor at her best friend’s wedding on the beach.
Unfortunately for Toni, the groom’s mother is a competitive New York socialite who’ll stop at nothing to make sure her son doesn’t marry a local girl – especially on the family’s Southampton estate. The biggest caterer in the Hamptons is trying to run her fledgling business out of town.  And worse than anything, Toni seems to be losing her best friend to a circle of snooty bridesmaids.  Everything might be tolerable – if her dad could just stop treating her as if she was seventeen again.
At least Toni finds love.  When she meets a sexy surfer named Chris, it quickly turns into the most romantic summer fling of her life.  But there’s more to Chris than his vintage Mustang and used guitar … and he’s not sure Toni’s going to like the truth.  Before the end of the summer she’ll be forced to face her hopes – and fears – as trying to forgive becomes her biggest challenge yet."

Plot: It's your typical Hamptons Beach Read, there is love, drama and all that fun stuff.

Characters: Thee Main Characters are Layla and Toni. Layla is the easy going party girl, while Toni is the best friend who has to struggle. Both have damaged backrounds that factor into their current lives. My favorite character was DiDi, not because I liked her, but because her character was perfectly written. She oozed Old Money and desperation for her youth.

Pros: Perfect Beach Read

Cons: Some Stuff Could Have Been Editted Out.

Final Thoughts: By Invitation Only was a lot better then I had expected it to be, it truly is a satisfying beach read. I felt like I was really in the Hamptons. I enjoyed how the authors told the stories throughout the days of summer and told the story through alternating points of views. My only complaint it I  felt there were some characters in the book that were given too big a roll, but weren't needed. Granted in a movie, that might have worked. Since they play a part in the end, however I didn't like the ending. It was too rushed. Made to work. I can't explain it, I just didn't like it and then it continued to drag on and I felt other things mentioned in the book were left on finished. However, since I classify this book as a beach read.. I kind of let it slide.