While I enjoyed reading this book, it definitely left me wanting for more. More character development, chapters on Val and Antoinette, even one on Lindsey. If these three gals are such great friends, why treat each other so deplorably? Let's face it, the plot was rather stupid. What could have been a 'better read' was mediocre...I give it 3.5 stars. The title was one of the more favorable attributes this book had to offer.
Okay - Not As Good as Some of the Author's Later Novels
I've read several of Ms. Hilderbrand's later novels and have enjoyed all of them. This earlier novel, not so much. The lead character, Kayla, comes across to me as weak, naive, and not very smart. I believe the writing was supposed to garner sympathy for Kayla and her family for what they were going through, but the only people I felt sorry for in the book were Kayla's three youngest children. I wouldn't recommend this book to friends of mine. The ending was anti-climatic and shows that Kayla didn't learn anything at all about the damage that keeping secrets can do.
I've read most of Elin Hilderbrand's books and I consider this one to be the best! To the community Kayla Montero seems like the perfect wife, mother and friend. Kayla and 2 other women who she has known for 20 years meet yearly on the Friday night before Labor Day. They call themselves the Night Swimmers. Something happens on the night of their 20th meeting. Over the course of the next 24 hours Kayla's life is completely altered along with that of her husband, Raoul's, and those they are close to or thought they were.
This book includes in-depth character studies of Kayla, Raoul, Antoinette and Theo.
An absolute must read for summer or for anytime of the year!
NantucketNights took me SEVERAL nights to get through. I didn't like this book very much. I will admit that I finished it... therefore, it wasn't horrible. I had never read this author's work before. I bought 3 of her books and didn't love any of them. However, this was the best of the 3. I probably won't read any of her other work. I typically read Jodi Picolt, Kristin Hannah, and Janet Evanavich; I thought I would give EH a try. I am sad to admit that I wasn't impressed. I am a fast reader, but this book took me DAYS. It never grabbed my attention.
The ties between women can run as deep as the ocean-but so can the secrets.
For 20 years, Kayla, Antoinette and Val have performed their own special summer ritual. Once a year, the old friends put aside their daily, separate lives to drink champagne, swap stories and swim naked under the Nantucket stars. But on one of those bonding nights, one of their trio swims out from the shore and doesn't return. After the surviving friends emerge from their grief, they realize that the repercussions of their loss go far beyond their little circle, and they begin to uncover layers of secrets-and their connections to each other-that were never revealed on the beach. What has made their friendship strong now has the power to destroy-their marriages, families, even themselves.
based on 37 reviews
