A review by readermlp10
Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Summer of ‘69 by Elin Hilderbrand is about four siblings - Blair the eldest is married to Angus, an astronaut who is never home and made her quit her job, but pregnant with his twins and runs off to their grandmother’s house in Nantucket. Kirby is the middle sister and in between peaceful protests, goes to live on Martha’s Vineyard for the summer, where she meets Darren, a Black man whose family doesn’t approve of her. Jessie, the youngest sister, is summering with their grandmother on Nantucket, has a crush on the boy next door, and hates her creepy tennis instructor. All three sisters and their mother are worried over their brother who has been drafted in Vietnam.

Elin Hilderbrand has done it again. I’ve read a bunch of her other books, but this one has a little bit of a historical fiction vibe, as it takes place in the summer of 1969, but unsurprisingly, Elin wrote it perfectly. 

I absolutely loved the multiple POV - this is actually my favorite part of her writing. She writes each point of view so well, that each character has their own voice. I love how in the beginning we are given a bunch of different pieces to a puzzle, and then at the end they all come together.

I love that this story included actual real points throughout history, that we got to live through a “normal” family experiencing those events, not through the events as they happened themselves if that makes sense.

Also, I loved all the characters, each piece to the story, the setting, ugh! All of it!! So good!!