Book Review (and a Giveaway!): Mystic Summer by Hannah McKinnon

A chance run-in with a college boyfriend puts a young woman’s picture-perfect life in perspective in this warm-hearted and lyrical novel—from the author of The Lake Season.

Since finishing graduate school, Maggie Griffin has worked hard to build an enviable life in Boston. She’s an elementary school teacher in a tony Boston suburb, a devoted sister, and a loving aunt. With her childhood best friend’s wedding quickly approaching and her own relationship blossoming, this is the summer she has been waiting for.

But when Maggie’s career is suddenly in jeopardy, her life begins to unravel. Stricken, Maggie returns home to seaside Mystic, Connecticut, where she expects to find comfort in family and familiarity. Instead, she runs into Cameron Wilder, a young man from her past who has also returned home, and whose life has taken a turn that puts Maggie’s city struggles in harsh perspective. When tragedy strikes for Cameron, Maggie is faced with big decisions as she weighs what matters most and strives to stay true to the person she’s become.

Set against the gorgeous backdrop of a New England summer when past and present collide, Mystic Summer is a gorgeous novel about looking back, moving forward, and the beauty that blooms when fate intervenes.

GENRE: Women’s Fiction, Contemporary
PUBLISHER: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016
PAGES: 304

If you’re headed to the beach this season and need a cute, light read with a lot of heart, make sure you pack Mystic Summer by Hannah McKinnon! Charming and romantic, it casts a nostalgic look at friendship and family and crafts a love story that will make you smile. But deeper than all of that is the theme of finding “home”, how it’s more than just a city or a house but something inherent in each of us.

Maggie’s experiences teaching brought back several memories (most of which I can laugh about now lol) from my own time as a teacher in a private elementary school, and though there were times I shook my head at her I really liked her character overall. Both Cameron and Evan seemed like good matches for Maggie, and I actually wavered a couple of times on who I hoped would be the last man standing. Evan at the auction? Incredibly romantic! Cameron in general? Incredibly swoonworthy! It was a tough choice for Maggie, too, but I like the choice she made in the end.

I also enjoyed Maggie’s interactions with her friends, her parents, and her sister. While the romance plot made my heart grin, these relationships gave the book its heart. Nothing heavy, but just deep enough to elevate Mystic Summer above a predictable fluffy romance to a heartwarming piece of women’s fiction.

Bottom Line: Mystic Summer should be among your beach-packing essentials this summer! Light, airy, sweet, and heartwarming, it’s a satisfying blend of romance and women’s fiction with a idyllic coastal setting. Pleasantly predictable, it’s also surprisingly profound. Characters who are easy to relate to, a theme that aims for the heart, and settings that leap off the page – Hannah McKinnon combines all of these elements to create an entertaining read!

(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)

My Rating: 3.5 stars / Liked it!

Reviewer’s Note: This is a book written for the general market and, as such, does contain sporadic profanity. It is otherwise clean. 

Hannah McKinnon is the author of The Lake Season and Mystic Summer. She graduated from Connecticut College and the University of South Australia. She lives in Fairfield County, Connecticut, with her family, a flock of chickens, and two rescue dogs.

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