Synopses & Reviews
For Cricket Thompson, a summer like this one will change everything. A summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, and the indomitable Clayton family. A summer when she'll make the almost unattainable Jay Logan hers. A summer to surpass all dreams.
Some of this turns out to be true. Some of it doesn't.
When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy that forces the girls apart, Jules becomes a stranger whom Cricket wonders whether she ever really knew. And instead of lying on the beach working on her caramel-colored tan, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support herself in paradise for the summer.
But it's the things Cricket hadn't counted on--most of all, falling hard for someone who should be completely off-limits--that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality.
A beautiful future is within her grasp, and Cricket must find the grace to embrace it. If she does, her life could be the perfect shade of Nantucket blue. "[Howland] evokes the Nantucket setting vividly . . . when it comes to indulgent beach reading, sometimes it's more fun to get pushed over by a wave than to stay safely on your towel."
-The New York Times
*"Readers should feel empowered by Cricket's efforts to grow up into a strong, honest, and emotionally intelligent young woman, even as they are enchanted by the romantic and exclusive island setting. This is a natural beach read, but will easily win Howland year-round fans, too." -Publishers Weekly, starred review "Sand, secrets, Nantucket Reds, and romance. A fresh, feel-good debut."--Boston Globe
"Utterly romantic and fun. I didn't want Nantucket Blue to end."
-New York Times best-selling author Jenny Han
"Several elements in this novel make it a little more than just another summer romance. Cricket's struggle to define herself apart from Jules, her decision to follow her heart, and her realization that she can rise above her parents' divorce make this a story that many teens will find absorbing." --VOYA It's going to be the perfect summer for Providence teenager Cricket Thompson. She'll live with her friend Jules' family in their Nantucket house and pursue Jay Logan, the boy of her dreams. But tragedy strikes Jules' life and everything changes, including their friendship. Cricket does end up on Nantucket, but living in the inn where she works long, hard hours. To her surprise, she falls in love with entirely the wrong person - and learns how magical love can be. A rich satisfying novel for high school students (and older). --Providence Journal "Fans of Sarah Dessen will find much to like here, as the charm of this summery yarn lies in Cricket's open appeal. Readers will root for her as she falls down, takes her lumps, and moves forward to her final year in high school, always remembering what she learned under the Nantucket sun." --Library Journal
Review
Cricket Thompson is inseparable from her best friend Jules Clayton, so much so that she's practically a member of the Clayton family. When Jules's mother, Nina, dies unexpectedly, everything changes, including the friends' plans to spend the summer in Nantucket-it's "family only" now. Disappointed, 17-year-old Cricket heads to Nantucket anyway, becoming a chambermaid at a popular inn ("Would I be churning butter, cleaning chimneys, beating rugs with a broom? Who cared?"). As she tries to handle Nina's death and rejection by Jules, unexpected love awaits. Debut author Howland's descriptions for everything from a summer storm ("The grass in the back yard was rain-drunk") to the stirrings of first love ("There was this lightness that occasionally took me over, making me feel like I was made of balloons") are lush and moving. Readers should feel empowered by Cricket's efforts to grow up into a strong, honest, and emotionally intelligent young woman, even as they are enchanted by the romantic and exclusive island setting. This is a natural beach read, but will easily win Howland year-round fans, too. Ages 14 up. Agent: Sara Crowe, Harvey Klinger. (May)--PW
Review
3Q 4P S Cricket Thompson is nearing high school graduation. She has had her eye on Jay for a long time, and just when it looks as though he is noticing her, a girl on an opposing lacrosse team "accidentally" lands a blow across Cricket's face during a game and hisses at her to leave him alone. Cricket hopes to see him during the summer, however, as her best friend, Jules, has invited her to the family's summer home in Nantucket. But then, just as the school year is ending, Jules's mother suddenly dies, and the ground shifts under both girls. Jules tells Cricket that she cannot be the family guest after all. Cricket believes that Jules needs her and manages to get a job at a Nantucket inn, only to find that Jules and her summer friends snub her. Jules's younger brother, however, likes Cricket a lot. Several elements in this novel make it a little more than just another summer romance. Cricket's struggle to define herself apart from Jules, her decision to follow her heart, and her realization that she can rise above her parents' divorce make this a story that many teens will find absorbing. The first-person narrative reveals Cricket to be an observant person, providing detailed imagery as part of the story's flow. Pacing is just right, and the conclusion is satisfying. References to losing one's virginity may be a reason to recommend the novel to older teens.-Marla K. Unruh. Nantucket Blue is an extremely well-written book. The book gives readers sports, friendship, loss, and romance; this story could not be better written. It is definitely a book worth reading multiple times. 5Q, 4P.-Amber Brown, Teen Reviewer.--VOYA
Review
Gr 9 Up Cricket Thompson, 17, is elated to be invited to her friend Jules's home on Nantucket for the summer. She adores Jules's family, who have been a sanctuary for her since her parents' divorce. The cherry on top is that Cricket's crush, Jay, will also be on the island. An unexpected tragedy, however, brings Cricket's idyllic plans to an abrupt end. Determined to be available for Jules in the aftermath of her mother's death, Cricket finds a job on Nantucket as a chambermaid at an inn. Jules, however, is aloof and unresponsive; Cricket is left to fend for herself. The teen's summer of independence leads her to an internship with a journalist, a friendship with a feisty Irish fellow-chambermaid, revelations about her mother, and an unexpected romance. Howland captures the delicious summery flavor of Nantucket beautifully. Readers with an aversion to an overly sweet romantic story will find themselves pleasantly surprised with "real" language, humorous quirks in characters, and some interesting perspectives and angles. The story is paced well: slow enough to savor, yet not so tedious as to become monotonous. Minor characters appear, add a bit of color, and then vanish appropriately quite reflective of real life as it unfolds. Cricket's experiences give her a route to a new sense of confidence, and her story is told in a way that is both engaging and alluring. Definitely a standout novel in its genre. Corrina Austin, Locke's Public School, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada--SLJ
Review
Cricket's summer holds such promise: staying with best friend, Jules, on Nantucket; seeing too-good-to-be-true Jay every day; and, of course, sunbathing in a bikini. But when Jules' mother dies unexpectedly, the summer offer is rescinded and Jules distances herself from her friend. But Cricket heads to Nantucket anyway and takes a job as a chambermaid ("It sounded like a job from another century, like a charwoman") and settles into a daily rhythm of cleaning toilets, avoiding Jules and Jay (she offended him), and interning for a journalist. As with the best summer romances, Cricket falls for someone unexpected and totally off-limits-which only amps up the crackling sexual tension. Cricket is a smart, driven character, and despite having plenty of issues to work through the summer before senior year, she's on the path to self-awareness. Nice descriptions of Nantucket, too. - Ann Kelley--Booklist
Review
A summer-at-the-beach story takes readers to Nantucket. When 17-year-old Cricket is promised the chance to spend her summer on Nantucket at her best friend Jules Clayton's vacation home, she's psyched. In addition to lazy days at the beach, summer on Nantucket means the opportunity to connect with her longtime crush, Jay Logan. But when tragedy strikes the Clayton family, Cricket's summer invite is rescinded. Undeterred, Cricket hatches her own secret plans to stay on the island to support Jules, but upon arrival, her plans fall through, leaving her without a place to stay, no summer job and on the outs with Jules. In a stroke of good luck, Cricket lands on her feet, finding a less-than-glamorous job at an inn that serves as her base for a summer of unexpected adventures and new friendships. Though the book has an overall lighthearted summer vibe, Cricket's bumpy relationship with her divorced parents, especially her mother, and her fractured friendship with Jules ground the text, providing a welcome sense of reality in a tony island paradise. Cricket's narration vacillates between hyperbole and thoughtful introspection, making the text feel uneven in places; this reflects Cricket's development, as the narration matures along with Cricket. A solid beach read. (Fiction. 15-18)--Kirkus
Review
"[Howland] evokes the Nantucket setting vividly . . . when it comes to indulgent beach reading, sometimes it's more fun to get pushed over by a wave than to stay safely on your towel."--The New York Times
Review
"A rich, satisfying novel."--Providence Journal
Review
"Several elements in this novel make it a little more than just another summer romance. Cricket's struggle to define herself apart from Jules, her decision to follow her heart, and her realization that she can rise above her parents' divorce make this a story that many teens will find absorbing."--VOYA
Review
"Fans of Sarah Dessen will find much to like here, as the charm of this summery yarn lies in Cricket's open appeal. Readers will root for her as she falls down, takes her lumps, and moves forward to her final year in high school, always remembering what she learned under the Nantucket sun."--Library Journal
Review
"Sand, secrets, Nantucket Reds, and romance. A fresh, feel-good debut."--Boston Globe
Review
*"Readers should feel empowered by Cricket's efforts to grow up into a strong, honest, and emotionally intelligent young woman, even as they are enchanted by the romantic and exclusive island setting. This is a natural beach read, but will easily win Howland year-round fans, too."--Publishers Weekly, starred review
Review
"Just like the moonlit shores of the island where it is set, Nantucket Blue casts a spell that will make you hope the summer never ends."--Elin Hilderbrand, author of Beautiful Day
Review
"Utterly romantic and fun. I didn't want Nantucket Blue to end."--New York Times best-selling author Jenny Han
Synopsis
For Cricket Thompson, a summer like this one will change everything. A summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, and the indomitable Clayton family. A summer when she'll make the almost unattainable Jay Logan hers. A summer to surpass all dreams.
Some of this turns out to be true. Some of it doesn't.
When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy that forces the girls apart, Jules becomes a stranger whom Cricket wonders whether she ever really knew. And instead of lying on the beach working on her caramel-colored tan, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support herself in paradise for the summer.
But it's the things Cricket hadn't counted on--most of all, falling hard for someone who should be completely off-limits--that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality.
A beautiful future is within her grasp, and Cricket must find the grace to embrace it. If she does, her life could be the perfect shade of Nantucket blue.
About the Author
A graduate of Georgetown University, Leila Howland (leilasnotebook.tumblr.com) spent five years acting in New York in everything from an MTV public service announcement for safe sex to a John Guare play at Lincoln Center and was a proud company member of the award-winning Flea Theater in Tribeca. Currently, she teaches high school English and English as a second language in downtown Los Angeles and occasionally moonlights as an extra on the Young and the Restless. Nantucket Blue is her first novel.