{"product_id":"all-the-days-of-summer-isbn-9780593358450","title":"All the Days of Summer","description":"\u003cb\u003eA woman’s second act on the island of Nantucket delivers much more than she expected in this captivating novel by \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author Nancy Thayer.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e“A beautiful, hope-filled, heartwarming story about new beginnings and second chances.”—RaeAnne Thayne, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Cafe at Beach End\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHeather Willette has a good life in Concord, Massachusetts. But when her marriage fizzles out, Heather has to decide what sort of life to live next. Ready to seek out her own happiness and discover herself again, Heather decides to leave her husband and rent a cottage on Nantucket. And her plan is going perfectly—until her son, Ross, announces he’s moving to Nantucket to work at his girlfriend’s family’s construction business instead of going back home to work with his own father, like he'd promised. Worst of all for Heather, this means having to get along with \u003ci\u003eher\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Kailee Essex is thrilled that Ross is willing to move to her hometown. She has big hopes for their happily ever after, especially now that her parents are finally showing interest in her career. She’s less thrilled, however, about his mother living nearby. Kailee has clashed with Heather since the day they met. But anything is possible in the summer sun and sea breezes of Nantucket—even reconciliation. And when change comes sooner than either Heather or Kailee expect, they must learn to overcome their differences to fight for the future they want.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e With \u003ci\u003eAll the Days of Summer,\u003c\/i\u003e beloved storyteller Nancy Thayer delivers a moving novel that explores the complexity of family and the unexpected ways fate can guide you forward.“Break out the sunscreen, kick off your flip-flops and settle in for a beautiful, hope-filled, heartwarming story about new beginnings and second chances. Nancy Thayer sees straight into the heart.”\u003cb\u003e—RaeAnne Thayne, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Cafe at Beach End\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Thayer delivers another heartwarming story that fans will enjoy.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eNancy Thayer\u003c\/b\u003e is the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003ebestselling author of more than thirty novels, including\u003ci\u003e All the Days of Summer, Summer Love, Family Reunion, Girls of Summer, Let It Snow, Surfside Sisters\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eA Nantucket Wedding\u003c\/i\u003e. Born in Kansas, Thayer has for nearly forty years been a resident of Nantucket, where she currently lives with her husband, Charley, and a precocious rescue cat named Callie.\u003cb\u003eOne\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e It was Heather who hated Kailee first.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Well, she didn’t actually \u003ci\u003ehate\u003c\/i\u003e Kailee. But she wasn’t sure she liked her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The first time she met her future daughter-­in-­law was when Heather and Wall went to a UMass Amherst football game. It was early October. The air was cool, bright, and clear, what Heather’s mother had called “snapping weather.” The trees were changing color, putting on a brilliant display of red, orange, and yellow, and Heather had brought a container of her famous autumn chili in a tub in the Styrofoam cooler to give to Ross, because that was his favorite food. Ross didn’t play football, although he had in high school, maybe because sports seemed to be the only topic he and his father could discuss without arguing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Heather and Wall had made plans for Ross and Kailee to meet them at the Inn on Boltwood in Amherst for drinks and dinner. It was pricey, but Heather guessed from her phone conversations with Ross that Kailee might be special. Ross was handsome, tall, wide-­shouldered, with curly dark hair and a great smile. He’d had plenty of girlfriends over the years, but the way Ross spoke about Kailee . . . there was a warmth in his voice. A happiness. Heather hoped that Kailee was an easy hugger, because Heather was, and if Kailee made Ross happy, Heather wanted to hug her tight.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Heather and Wall got to the restaurant first and sat at their table reading the menu. Heather wore her light brown hair in a messy bun and her favorite blue cashmere sweater with jeans. Wall wore jeans, a button-­down shirt, and his good L.L.Bean vest.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Heather looked up and saw Ross and Kailee walk in. She nudged her husband, so they were both smiling at the couple as they threaded their way between the tables. Heather noticed that everyone else in the restaurant watched the couple as they passed through, as if they were royalty, and really, Kailee looked like Kate Middleton, tall and slender, with long chestnut hair, green eyes, and the lanky, easy stride of a Thoroughbred. Ross wore chinos and a navy-­blue crew-­neck sweater. Kailee wore a blue-and-white striped dress, very classic, very nautical, with espadrilles. Her hair was held back with a blue headband, and small diamonds studded her ears.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She was seriously beautiful. Heather realized, as they all greeted one another, that Kailee was not in the least bit worried about whether or not her boyfriend’s parents liked her. She had an air about her—­an aura?—­of noblesse oblige, as if she were a princess allowing her subjects to speak with her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Heather had never known a young woman with this kind of confidence, this cool, almost icy, poise.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Heather didn’t try to hug Kailee.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e They all took their seats, boy, girl, boy, girl, and chatted lightly about the game—­the UMass Amherst Minutemen had lost to the Eastern Michigan Eagles by one touchdown.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “I wish they would change their name,” Kailee said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Why?” Heather asked. “The Minutemen were a trained class of militia during the American Revolution.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Kailee ducked her head to hide a smile.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e“Mom.”\u003c\/i\u003e Ross widened his eyes in a \u003ci\u003egive me a break\u003c\/i\u003e signal.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Heather said, “Oh,” and blushed. Suddenly she felt naïve in front of Ross’s very sophisticated girlfriend. It was not a pleasant sensation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She hoped that Wall would say something in her defense, or at least say something to change the subject, but Wall’s attention was fixed on the menu.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Grasping for an easy subject to discuss, she smiled at Kailee. “Do you play sports?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Kailee shrugged. “Not really. I sail and play tennis, of course.” She laid a possessive hand on Ross’s arm. “I’m going to teach Ross to sail next summer, if we have time.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Heather was confused. Kailee played tennis and sailed, but said she didn’t play sports. Trying to find something in common with the young woman, Heather asked, “Do you play pickleball?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “God, no,” Kailee replied.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Heather coughed and picked up her menu. “I wonder what’s good here.” She didn’t care what was good in that restaurant, she had to hide her face before she burst out laughing. What a little snot Kailee was! How in the world could her son like Kailee? True, she was beautiful, but she had all the social skills of a cobra. Heather couldn’t wait to talk to Wall about her, although Wall wasn’t very communicative these days. She’d call her friend Christine. She wished she could dash to the privacy of the restroom and call Christine right now. How would they get through this meal? Ross couldn’t possibly be serious about this girl.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Fortunately, a waiter arrived to take drink orders.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When the conversation resumed, Ross asked his father what he thought of the Red Sox this year and they entered into a detailed discussion of each of the players and the manager.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Heather cleared her throat and smiled at Kailee. “What are you majoring in?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Business management,” Kailee replied. “My father owns a rather large construction company on the island, and because I’m the only child, I’m going to take over the business end of things when I graduate.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “That seems like an important job,” Heather said. “I can see how you and Ross have something in common. You know, Wall owns his own hardware store just outside Concord. When Ross graduates, he’s going to join Wall and gradually take over the store.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Kailee aimed a kind smile at Heather, but turned to look at Wall.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Did you see Alex Verdugo hit \u003ci\u003etwo\u003c\/i\u003e home runs last night?” Kailee asked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Heather sat back, wondering if Kailee had been listening to the sports talk all along. It was amazing, she thought, and a gift to humankind, that sports talk could carry people right through dinner. The other three thoroughly discussed the Red Sox, the Patriots, the Boston Bruins, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, and Serena Williams.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Kailee said, “A. J. Mleczko, a Nantucket girl, won the Ice Hockey Gold Medal in the 1998 Olympics.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Of course she did, Heather thought, and only after they had moved on to the topic of golf did she remember that A .J. ­Mleczko now lived in Concord, where she and Wall lived, where they had raised Ross. But there was no way to toss that into the conversation, and Heather wondered what on earth had gotten into her that she wanted to be competitive with Ross’s girlfriend. She hadn’t always loved Ross’s girlfriends at first, but she’d never felt this discomfort before.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “How’s the store doing, Dad?” Ross asked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Great!” Wall answered. “Since all the big box stores have opened, I’ve had to get creative about inventory. I’ve added a lot of electronics. Home security systems, electronic cameras, and motion detectors. Electrical wire and cable.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As Heather listened to Wall talk, she realized she didn’t know about these changes. Wall hadn’t been discussing them with her, and she couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or bad.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Conversation slowed as they finished their meals. No one wanted dessert, but they all asked for coffee. Wall and Heather had to drive back to Concord, which would take only an hour and a half, and Ross and Kailee were going back to their dorms.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e By now, Heather realized that her son was in love with Kailee. She’d never seen him look at a woman the way he did today. She’d never seen him so happy. Heather stirred her coffee and told herself to be the grown-­up.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She said, “It was wonderful meeting you, Kailee.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Oh, Mom. Dad.” Ross spoke before Heather had even finished. “I’m going to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with Kailee on Nantucket.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Heather choked on her coffee.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e For once, Wall spoke up. “Sounds nice.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Oh, it is, it’s beautiful on the island then,” Kailee assured him. “The Friday night of Thanksgiving weekend, everyone gathers on Main Street and the huge Christmas tree lights are turned on, and so are all the lights on the little trees along the sidewalks. It’s magical. The week after is the Stroll, which is \u003ci\u003eamazing.\u003c\/i\u003e And there are parties like crazy, and I want Ross to meet everyone. And,” she added, giving Ross a smug look, “I want all my friends to meet my gorgeous Ross.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eHer\u003c\/i\u003e gorgeous Ross?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Ross was spending the holidays with Kailee on Nantucket?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Weakly, Heather began to speak. “Do your parents mind—­”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Heather interrupted. “My parents can’t \u003ci\u003ewait\u003c\/i\u003e to have Ross stay with us. They met him last weekend, and they like him \u003ci\u003eso much.\u003c\/i\u003e And our house has more than enough room for a guest or two, although my father wants Ross to stay in the apartment over our garage.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eKailee’s parents met Ross last week?\u003c\/i\u003e","brand":"Ballantine Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302024761573,"sku":"NP9780593358450","price":28.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593358450_1768722e-842a-4713-be15-935a2358cce8.jpg?v=1742925936","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/all-the-days-of-summer-isbn-9780593358450","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}