Summer Island

By: Kristin Hannah

Narrated by: Joyce Bean

Thirty-four-year-old Ruby Bridge is a not-too-successful comedienne who uses her mother, a nationally-syndicated "moral and spiritual counselor" as the main fodder for her cynical, rather bitter humor. Her mother Nora, long divorced from Ruby's father, is a woman whose past is just about to catch up with her - in the form of blackmail by a former lover.

After an accident (an attempted suicide?) Ruby returns to care for her stricken mother - bitterly resenting the fact that once again her mother's life has colonized hers. When she is approached by a publisher to write a biography of her mother, Ruby is desperate for the princely sum offered. Yet her research into her mother's past reveals a woman very different from the one Ruby expected. And what began as "mommy dearest" ends as a love story - not only between mother and daughter, but involving two very different men who play a key role in linking the past to the present.

©2001 Kristin Hannah (P)2004 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Disappointed

I was a bit disappointed with this read. Maybe because it was an earlier writing than the ones I’ve been reading; earlier in her career. This just did not capture me and hold my attention as so many of her others. The love scenes were a bit steamier than I like but glad to know that her more recent writings are tremendous! Love this author even though not happy with this particular read.

Narration is not done well

The story is good and I usually don’t complain about the narration but this is done very poorly! It sounds automated with some of the characters. It was a huge disappointment.

Summer Island

I give this book an "ok".
Just not as good as the rest of Kristin Hannah's books. Yet good to listen to in the car.

Good story with provocative themes

Nora Bridge finds her orderly world turned upside down overnight. She's a famous syndicated radio talk show host, dispensing advice about family and relationship. What the public didn't know was how far away her life was from what she preached. When that was inevitably leaked, Nora returns to Summer Island where she has to come to terms with the world she walked away from a decade before.

I liked the story, even though it was fairly predictable. It tackled some strong themes, particularly the mother-daughter dynamics and the imprint those relationships leave from one generation to the next. Another was the carnage created by divorce, specifically when the children are left in the dark about why the relationship failed and that silence allows them to choose sides.

I also liked the contrast between the Bridge family and the wealthy Sloans who vacationed on the island each summer and formed a connection. The two sons, though their parents' marriage was still intact, suffered because of it and neglect.

In summary, it was an interesting story with thought provoking themes, even though I could have scripted the ending myself. The narrator gave a good but unremarkable performance as I couldn't hear much in the way of character distinctions. I've heard many positives about the author and am interested in exploring more of her work. 3.5 stars

Reminds readers about the importance of family

Kristin is at it again with her amazing characters. although the plot line isn't as complex as some of her other books, the same grace with words resonates throughout the book. The performance is well executed, especially the different recording style for the thoughts inside a character's mind.