Summer on the Bluffs by Sunny Hostin: Book Review

At this time of the year, when we start to see flowering bulbs and cherry trees begin to bloom, I’m ready for some great beach reads. Set in the island location of Martha’s Vineyard, Summer on the Bluffs by Sunny Hostin is the first instalment in the author’s Oak Bluffs series. This book has all the beach vibes I have come to love and more.

Plot Summary

Amelia Vaux Tanner and her husband built a cottage thirty years ago in the exclusive black beach community of Oak Bluffs. Although their home has hosted many political and business icons, the couple’s favourite guests have been their three “goddaughters” : Perry a talented Afro-Latina lawyer, Olivia a gifted Wall Street analyst and Billie a successful marine biologist. These young woman refer to Amelia as Ama and have cherished their summers growing up together in Oak Bluff.

This summer, Ama is seventy-one and has lost her beloved husband. She has invited the three young women for one last summer together. At the end of the summer she will leave this prized home to one of them. The three young women each have secrets of their own and hope that this will not diminish their chances of inheriting this home. What they don’t realize is that Ama also has a secret to share with each of them.

Book Review

I adored this book and was pleasantly surprised to find it to be more dramatic than I expected. The characters were all well developed, with unique personalities and histories. The story was engaging, full of intrigue and mystery, and embraced in romance and love. I loved the diversity in this book and the inclusivity. I appreciated the fact that the protagonists were all strong, successful women. The theme of the book to me was that none of us are perfect: we are human, and we make mistakes. It is what we do to amend the situation that elevates us. I look forward with anticipation to reading the second book in the series.

Audiobook Review

I listened to the audiobook version of the book which was narrated by January LaVoy. Her performance was full of expression and well articulated. I listened to the book at my usual 1.25x speed and this was very comfortable. I would not hesitate to recommend this version of the book for those that appreciate this format.

What I Liked About Summer on the Bluffs: