Book Review: 28 Summers | Elin Hilderbrand

Introduction

I waited for months to get my library copy of 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand. When it finally arrived, I dropped everything else to read it. I already knew I would enjoy it because everyone was talking about it, but I didn’t expect it to touch me so deeply. It turned out to be one of the best stories I’ve ever read — the kind you just can’t stop thinking about.

Synopsis

28 Summers opens with Mallory Blessing on her deathbed. She asks her son, Link, to call a mysterious number written on a small piece of paper hidden in her desk. To his surprise, Jake McCloud answers. It’s 2020, and Jake’s wife, Ursula DeGournsey, is running for president. Link is shocked. How did his mother know Jake?

The story then travels back to the summer of 1993. Mallory has just inherited a beach cottage on Nantucket from her aunt. During her brother Cooper’s bachelor weekend, she meets Jake, one of his college friends. Their friendship quickly turns into something much deeper.

Every year, Mallory and Jake promise to meet for one weekend on Nantucket. Their lives move on — marriages, children, and Ursula’s political rise — but that single weekend stays sacred. Inspired by the old movie Same Time Next Year, the novel turns this secret affair into a love story that spans decades.

Characters

Mallory Blessing is a warm, down-to-earth English teacher who loves books, sunshine, and good friends. When she inherits her beach cottage, it becomes her little world. There, she and Jake make a simple promise: to meet once every Labor Day weekend. They avoid contact all year but never miss that one date.

Those weekends are full of easy joys — takeout dinners, classic movies, star-filled skies, and laughter. Life changes around them: marriages, kids, heartbreak, and even death. Yet, their bond stays strong.

Jake McCloud is one of the most charming characters in 28 Summers. Even though his choices aren’t always right, he feels real. His love of books, music, and quiet moments makes readers root for him. He is far from perfect, but you can’t help but care about him.

Writing

Elin Hilderbrand has a special gift for creating people who feel like family. When you read her work, you don’t just follow a plot — you live inside it. Her writing feels natural, emotional, and full of detail.

The audiobook version of 28 Summers makes it even more personal. It feels as if someone is sitting beside you, whispering every scene. The ending left me in tears. It was beautiful and heartbreaking all at once, and it made me wonder if a sequel might continue Mallory and Jake’s story.

Themes & Emotional Impact in 28 Summers

What makes 28 Summers so powerful is how it turns a yearly romance into a story about life itself. It’s filled with sunsets, lobster dinners, and ocean air — but beneath it all, it’s about family, memory, and the passing of time. Mallory’s love for her son is especially touching. The way she watches him grow up reminds readers of their own bittersweet moments as parents or children.

Each chapter begins with small headlines from that year, reminding us what was happening in the world. This clever touch gives the story a nostalgic and real feeling. Elin Hilderbrand balances joy and sorrow perfectly, showing that love can be both simple and complicated.

If you’ve read Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover, you’ll feel the same emotional weight here. Both stories explore timing, choices, and the kind of love that hurts as much as it heals.

Storylines & Structure of 28 Summers

28 Summers is full of life — decades of stories, families, and turning points. Some readers may find it busy, but that’s what makes it feel real. Mallory and Jake’s one-weekend-a-year love sometimes feels like magic and sometimes like heartbreak. Their choices often make you want to shout at the page, but that’s what keeps you hooked.

The side stories — Cooper’s struggles, career changes, and family issues — add more depth. At times, the story stretches wide, but Nantucket always pulls it back together. The island becomes a safe place, a dream that never fades.

References & Connections in 28 Summers

The movie Same Time Next Year is referenced many times in 28 Summers, shaping the idea of a once-a-year romance that drives the heart of the story. Elin Hilderbrand adds depth by weaving in subtle nods to her Winter Street series, letting familiar characters appear within the story.

For longtime fans, these small touches create a fun connection, making the book feel even richer. By linking a classic film with her wider world of novels, Hilderbrand turns this single tale into part of something much larger and more meaningful.

Reviewer’s Experience

Reading 28 Summers felt like slipping under a warm blanket with a bottle of wine, ready to cry over a story that mirrors real life. I picked up the audiobook, a 15-hour listen that I finished in just 4 days, and truly enjoyed how Elin Hilderbrand was telling about families, their milestones, and the shifting directions shaped by world events. The characters felt like someone I might know—each part of a family, each detail grounded in personal ways that showed how time and physical location don’t really matter when emotions run deep.

This book had moments that left me crying alone at home, especially near the ending where it unexpectedly ended in such a heartbreaking way. As I read in both audio and print, I thought about how some books stay with you long after, making you wonder if a sequel might ever revisit these characters. It reminded me that even when kids head off to college and families scatter in different ways, love and memory keep us all connected.

If you enjoy stories filled with nostalgia and the warmth of fleeting summers, The Summer I Turned Pretty delivers that same mix of longing, youth, and bittersweet emotion. Like 28 Summers, it captures how love and time intertwine in unforgettable ways.

Final Thoughts on 28 Summers

In 28 Summers, the Nantucket setting becomes the real star, pulling readers into its strong escapism vibe. The story sometimes drifts with extra storylines, but the bond between Mallory and Jake gives the main arc its weight. The affair element can feel repetitive and even frustrating at times, yet the emotional pull and rich atmosphere keep you turning the pages. As a summer read, this book captures the sense of place, proving that even imperfect relationships can still hold a kind of quiet magic.