49. Mystic Summer by Hannah McKinnon
Theme/Topic: book that takes place during summer
Synopsis:
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.
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.
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.
My Review:
Since this is about summer, don't we wish it was summer again? Okay, let's back to the review now. A light and easy read and you could even read this at the beach. At the beginning, Maggie has everything going for her. But in the drop of a hat, all that changes when she gets laid off from work. That one piece of news makes Maggie rethink everything else in her life and her thoughts of having a great summer goes out the window. It doesn't help that she's the only one who hasn't gotten married yet out of her close friends and she feels left behind in a way. While Maggie tries to take the time to deal with her situation, she runs into a former boyfriend, who just happens to be back in their old hometown as well. Cameron has his own issues to deal with and has no choice but to put his daughter first in his life. Just when they think they're back on good terms, Cameron's daughter's health problems get in the way, causing Maggie to question whether she's getting back together with him for all the wrong reasons, as her way of coping with losing her job. Maggie believes that they can recreate what once was, despite that they have grown and have had to face their own hardships. Sometimes fate can intervene, but only if you're willing to work at it, just like in every other relationship. A great read and it's good to see how much a person can change and grow in a short amount of time.
Throughout this story, Maggie struggles to come to terms with losing her job. She tried to find different ways of avoiding the situation and not trying to fix things. Going through hardships is a part of life. And it's okay to feel depressed and upset, as long as you don't let it control you. Did it take Maggie a little while to feel confident that she would find another job? Absolutely. I also wanted to say that it's okay to take a step back and reexamine your life every now and again. We learn, grow, and change everyday, every year and it's good to let go of what's not working anymore.
After reading Mystic Summer, I now want to visit Mystic, Connecticut. I enjoyed how descriptive it was described.
Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!
❤Meg❤
