The High Season by Judy Blundell

Ruthie has the perfect life.  She has her dream job working at an art museum.  She adores her teenage daughter Jem.  She has some lingering feelings for her ex-husband but somehow through it all they've managed to stay good friends.  She also loves her home on Long Island.  It needs a bit of work so to pay for some upgrades and save for the future they rent the home out ever summer.  It works.

But after many summers of leaving their home it's starting to wear on Ruthie and Jem.  This summer seems particularly draining as they're staying at a friend's mansion while they travel to Paris.  The rich summer folks seem everywhere.  

Ruthie certainly is the main character of The High Season but the story has a number of fun characters and story lines.  What I found interesting is that the characters and story lines cross many generations.  Jem has her typical teenage drama happening among her so called friends.  Then there is 27 year old Lucas who is living in Ruthie's house.  Ruthie has her own drama going on with all the adults.  Somehow the story all fits together.  But can Ruthie keep it together until the end of summer?

The Blue by Lucy Clarke

A few years ago I read a book by Lucy Clarke titled Swimming at Night and I loved it!  So when I was asked to review The Blue, also by Lucy Clarke, I jumped at the chance.

Lana has just received some devastating news.  Lana runs to her dearest friend, Kitty, who also has her own share of problems she's coping with.  Together the two friends make a plan to leave their worries behind.  With a spin of the globe their destination is decided and London, England is behind them and their future is forward.

The girls meet up with a group of free spirits that are enjoying life at sea.  The group seem to be living the dream and the girls are excited when they are invited to join the crew.  Life couldn't get better than this.

But everyone in the group has their share of problems that they are trying to escape and they've all got secrets that they are trying to keep.  Will the truth drive them apart or force them together?

Lucy Clarke describes the ocean life with such detail.  I enjoyed most of the book from the comfort of my hammock.  Between Clarke's words and the gently sway I was easily swept away.  A perfect summer read.

The Matchmaker by Elin Hilderbrand

Dabney Kimball Beech works for the Nantucket Chamber of Commerce and she loves everything about the island.  The residents of Nantucket all think quite highly of Dabney too.  Dabney is responsible for matching 42 couples which gives her the well deserved title of matchmaker.  Sadly, as great a matchmaker as Dabney is, she let her own true love match slip away.  Clendenin Hughes was Dabney's true love match but he left the island to pursue a journalism career 27 years ago.  Although Dabney has moved on with her life Clen still holds a large piece of her heart.  

After years of silence between the two, the story begins with Clen emailing Dabney to let her know that he's decided to move back to Nantucket.  The moment Clen arrives back on the island Dabney begins to feel unwell and she is convinced it’s simply heartache.  To complicate matters, she is terrified of leaving the island and can’t get the courage to go to Boston for the medical tests to confirm her self diagnosis.  Her fear of leaving Nantucket is what cost her to lose Clen in the first place.  Between not feeling well and all the lies she is telling Dabney is having a hard time keeping it all together.  As Dabney begins to unravel she continues to keep matching friends and family with their true loves.

The Matchmaker by Elin Hilderbrand is a story filled with true love but a fair amount of heartache as well.  Like most, if not all, Elin Hildebrand novels, the setting for The Matchmaker is once again the beautiful island of Nantucket.  The setting descriptions will make you wish you were lying on a beach.  The Matchmaker is a perfect summer read.