Review - A Summer Affair, Elin Hilderbrand

My Review:

I liked this book a lot. It was better than I expected and I say this because I don't believe the summary of the book does the story justice. The front of my book says, "she was the perfect wife and mother - and he was the perfect temptation." After reading the book I would say that line has no business on the front of the book. I think it cheapens the story.

I enjoyed the Nantucket setting, the characters and the main theme. I thought that Claire was like any normal mother of four. I don't think she was the perfect mother, she was just struggling like the rest of us. And she was afflicted with that " mother guilt" about just about everything. I think many modern day mom's can relate to that. I sure can. "Things" happen. Affairs that should never happen, DO happen. I thought the story was very relevant and gave insight to how something like this can happen. I liked how the story takes us through the affair and to the to the other side of the affair.

There was a best friend element in the story, as well. I liked the element of Claire and Siobhan's friendship. I liked how Elin Hilderbrand wove the elements of a major social event, motherhood, marriage and friendship into a very interesting story.

It was more than just a summery romance book. I don't think everything I read has to be loaded with prose and lyrical writing. I liked this book a lot. I will be looking for more Elin Hilderbrand in the future.

Thank you Valerie from Hachette Books for providing myself and my book club copies of this book for our summer reading selection. I think this makes a great summer book club selection. Check out the Reading Group Guide for more information.

Click here for a video on A Summer Affair, by Elin Hilderbrand.

Did you review this book this summer? Feel free to link your review in your comment here. Thanks for reading this review, and I'd love to hear your comments.

Book Summary

Claire Danner Crispin, mother of four young children and nationally renowned glassblower, bites off more than she can chew when she agrees to co-chair the Nantucket's Children Summer Gala.

Claire is asked to chair the benefit, in part, because she is the former high school sweetheart of rock star Max West. Max agrees to play the gala and it looks like smooth sailing for Claire-until she promises a "museum-quality" piece of glass for the auction, offers her best friend the catering job, goes nose-to-nose with her Manhattan socialite co-chair, and begins a "good-hearted" affair with the charity's Executive Director, Lockhart Dixon.

Hearts break and emotions are pushed to the limit in this riveting story of one woman's attempt to deal with loves past and present, family, business, and high-powered social pressures. Elin Hilderbrand's unique understanding of the joys and longings that animate women's lives will make this her newest summer bestseller.