4.5 stars (rounded up to 5).

Our Place on the Island was a moving story about three generations of women who gather together at the Grandmother’s large beachside cottage for her upcoming wedding. The story is told in dual timelines – then when Cora is a young newlywed who moves into Beech House in Martha’s Vineyard and now as she is set to marry her second husband.

The characters are all well-developed with interesting backstories. Mickey is Cora’s Granddaughter who shares her Grandmother’s passion for cooking. She is a celebrated chef who has started her own restaurant. The restaurant has recently received rave reviews and business is booming. Mickey dreads telling her family that there is trouble with her business.

Hedy is Mickey’s Mother and is shocked to see her mother remarrying only three years after her father’s death. Hedy’s relationship with Cora is strained and she marvels at the relationship between Mickey and Cora. With a successful business of her own, she hasn’t given much time to relationships since the breakup of her marriage years ago. The groom’s son has caught her interest however.

The story of this family kept me engaged throughout. The author does a great job in describing the beauty of this area’s landscape, and contrasts this to the sometimes pompous style of the area’s residents. I appreciated the romances in the book and the satisfying conclusion.

This is a wonderful summer escape read for those readers who appreciate Women’s Fiction and I highly recommend it.

I received an ARC of this book. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.