Summer at the Cape: A Novel

Summer at the Cape by RaeAnne Thayne has Cami Porter and her younger sister, Violet heading to Cape Sanctuary. Cami received an urgent call from her mother, Rosemary. She finds herself in a pickle and needs her daughter’s legal expertise to resolve a lease dispute. The family is still grieving over the loss of Violet’s twin sister, Lily who died in February saving two little girls. Cami is also hoping this will allow her to grow closer to her sister and mother. After her parent’s divorce when she was a teen, Cami lived with her father in Los Angeles while the twins lived with their mother in Cape Sanctuary. She feels disconnected from them and hopes to rectify the matter. She is unprepared for the handsome son of the next-door neighbor who is challenging the lease agreement. Violet hopes she can get through the summer without seeing her old beau. It has been ten years since he broke her heart, but she has yet to get over him. In a town as small as Cape Sanctuary, that is too much to ask. Every time Violet turns around, she runs into him and his sweet little girl. It is going to be an unexpected summer for the Porter ladies. Summer at the Cape is well-written with realistic characters and situations. The story is told in alternating points-of-view (Cami, Jon, Violet). I thought the author captured the beginning of Alzheimer’s with Franklin’s character. I loved the town of Cape Sanctuary. I can see why Rosemary loves to live there. Cape Sanctuary is a caring community. You could tell that Rosemary loves the area and she knows everyone who lives there. It was interesting learning about the glamping business dreamed up by Violet’s twin, Lily. The story delves into grief, family relationships, Alzheimer’s, second chance romance, forgiveness, and a new romance. I liked seeing the characters grow, resolve their past issues, and move forward with hope in their hearts. It is an emotional novel that is also uplifting. It is a good escape novel (a good vacation book). I am glad the author included an epilogue. Summer at the Cape is a heartwarming tale with lease wrangling, a striking son, a grief-stricken sister, jovial glampers, a singular storyteller, an unforeseen romance, and a charming conclusion.

This is a toss-up for me between clean romance and women's fiction. It definitely has both genres, so let's just call it a mix. The story revolves around a family who comes together after the death of one of the daughters--one half of twins. The death leaves divorced parents and two sisters, Cami and Violet, who went with different parents after the divorce and who really don't know each other anymore. There's also a glamping business, the dream of the sister that died, that may be in jeopardy The story is sprinkled with mild romances that bring incredible secondary characters into the story that are actually a vital part of the story. There's a neighbor with suspected dementia and his son who has just returned to protect his family property that the glamping tents are on. There's Violet's old flame who broke her heart and his young daughter. The story is one of family, pain, distrust, regrets, healing and love. RaeAnne Thayne's books are always incredible. I totally lose myself, can't read fast enough and don't want the book to ever end. I highly recommend this book! I was gifted a copy of this book via the author. All thoughts are my own.

The death of Lily - sister, daughter - impacts a family in many different ways. Over the summer at the Cape, many things are finally resolved. Relationships are mended or begun. Grief is dealt with, and emotions are healed. Cami, the oldest sister, always felt like she didn't fit in with her younger twin sisters - especially after the divorce - because she went to live with their dad in LA and her sisters lived with her mom at the Cape. Violet is the twin sister of Lily and when Lily drowns saving two young girls, she can't quite come to terms with having her sister gone, especially when one of those young girls is the daughter of the man she once loved with all her heart. Their mother is trying to carry on with the "glamping" resort that Lily started but it's facing legal troubles and since Cami is a lawyer, she is asked to work with their neighbor, Jon, on that. Cami never imagines that she'll become attracted to the man or help him with his father who is in early dementia. I loved the father! How tough it was for Jon to go through helping a parent with that! Also, Violet comes face to face with the man she once loved and who betrayed her. This book had so many wonderful themes and scenes. I could hardly put the book down. It was beautiful and poignant.