28 Summers: 1993 to 2020

Hi Friends!

Wow. I just finished Elin Hilderbrand (my favorite author)'s new book and I am shook. I am speechless. I do not even know how to go on from this. I sense a serious book hangover in my future. 

I just wanted more but at the same time, this book was SO satisfying. 

28 Summers follows our two main characters, Mallory and Jake. Mallory is Cooper's little sister and Cooper is one of Jake's best friends. The story starts with Mallory's son Link calling Jake (in 2020) up to let him know that Mallory is dying and he tells Link that he will be there as soon as he can. We then go to 1993 (Summer #1) and progress through yes, 28 summers and 28 years (leading to 2020) and see how Mallory and Cooper are each other's Same Time, Next Year and spend one weekend together each year. 

What a freaking concept.

Of COURSE I wanted Jake and Mallory to be together the other 362 days of the year, but if that were to happen then we wouldn't have a story would we? Each summer we follow different POV's ranging from Mallory's, to Jake's, to Jake's wife (who is conveniently running for president in 2020) Ursula. I devoured it. 

I loved how each summer that would start with Summer #... Year... that there would be an opening paragraph of "what are we talking about in 1994?" and then Elin would insert pop culture news and icons. And yes, it was VERY weird to see her mention Kobe Bryant AND COVID-19 in the 2020 section (like excuse me, is this real life?). What a nice touch! I found myself being like "wow that was this long ago?!" and "I REMEMBER THIS!" The blurb about 9/11 was heart breaking and the Summer of 2001 was easily the longest blurb, respectively so. My queen, Cardi B, also got a little shout out in the 2018 section so that was awesome. 

"Summer #28: 2020

What are we talking about in 2020? Kobe Bryant, Covid-19, social distancing, Zoom, TikTok, Navarro cheerleading, and... The presidential election. A country divided. Opinions on both sides. It's everywhere: on the news, on the late-night shows, in the papers, online, online, online, in cocktail-party conversations, on college campuses, in airports, in line at Starbucks, around the bar at Margaritaville, at the gym (the guy who uses the treadmill at six a.m. sets TV number four to Fox News; the woman who comes in at seven a.m. immediately switches it to MSNBC). Kids stop speaking to parents over it; couples divorce; neighbors feud; customers boycott; employees quit. Some feel fortunate to be alive at such an exciting time; they turn up the volume, become junkies. Others are sick of it; they press the mute button, they disengage. If one more person asks if they're registered to vote..."

The story was SO MUCH MORE than just a romance. These characters dealt with some serious topics, especially sexual abuse and the #metoo movement. There was one part of the story line involving a male in power who was accused of raping several females and the way that it was handled was so reminiscent of today's society that I was angry. 

I LOVED hearing how Jake and Mallory's lives would go each year and all of the things that would be happening. I liked how there were several side characters who were intertwined with the main ones and that Elin references characters form her Winter Street series as well. I thought that was clever and gave the novel some depth.

Also - it was almost like a parallel for Elin because she moved to Nantucket from NY (like Mallory) in 1993 (also like Mallory) so that was kind of fun!

I mean, I really have enjoyed every Elin book that I have read, but this one was just so fun and delightful, bringing fiction and reality together in a way that makes the story flow. This will easily be one of my favorites of the year and one that I feel like will be ingrained in my memory. 

Rating: 5 Stars (Obviously)

Dream Cast:

Mallory Blessing: Heather Locklear

Jake McCloud: Bradley Cooper

Ursula de Gournsey: Katherine Heigl