A Summer Affair

Books | Fiction / Women

3.6

(831)

Elin Hilderbrand

The perfect wife and mother finds the perfect temptation in this "perfect summer cocktail of sex, sun, and scandal" (Kirkus Reviews).Claire has a problem with setting limits. All her life she has taken on every responsibility, assumed every burden, granted every request. Claire wants it all—and in the eyes of her friends, she has it: a devoted husband, four beautiful children, even a successful career as an artist. So when she agrees to chair the committee for Nantucket's social event of the year, she knows she can handle it. Claire can handle anything.But when planning the gala propels her into the orbit of billionaire Lock Dixon, unexpected sparks begin to fly. Lock insists on working closely with Claire—often over a bottle of wine—and before long she can't ignore the subtle touches and lingering looks. To her surprise, she can't ignore how they make her feel, either. Claire finds the gala, her life, and herself spinning out of control.A Summer Affair captures the love, loss, and limbo of an illicit romance and unchecked passion as it takes us on a brave and breathless journey into the heart of one modern woman."Think you know where this is going? Think again. Hilderbrand is way too smart to give away the whole story in her title." —Elisabeth Egan, New York Times

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More Details:

Author

Elin Hilderbrand

Pages

512

Publisher

Little, Brown

Published Date

2008-07-02

ISBN

0316032670 9780316032674

Ratings

Google: 2

Community ReviewsSee all

"Great beach read!"

Erin Burns

"Claire, a mom of four, agrees to chair the summer gala and falls in love with the executive director, Lock. Years ago, Lock’s wife, Daphne, suffered a TBI after she got into a drunk driving accident after a night out with many girlfriends, including Claire. Daphne is not the same and Claire feels guilty for allowing Daphne to get behind the wheel that night. Claire agrees to chair the gala out of guilt for the past. Lock encourages her to get back into her hobby, glassblowing, to make the prized item at the auction. She has stopped glassblowing after the heat had caused her to pass out and fall while pregnant resulting in an early pregnancy. Whereas her relationship with her husband has been in a rut. Claire also gets her ex-boyfriend, now famous musician, Max West, to play at the gala. Claire is ‘rubbing elbows’ with Nantucket elite and is in over her head. Knowing it’s wrong, she continues her affair with Lock. Other stories include Claire’s sister in law, Siobhan, (married to the brother of Claire’s husband) whose husband has a gambling problem. Claire and Siobhan have to navigate their friendship after Claire tells her of the affair. Gavin, the book keeper for the Nantucket Children who is embezzling money. Isabella, a wealthy woman who opposes every idea of Claire’s. At the gala, Claire realizes that life is better with her husband and family and she asks Lock to leave her alone. However, her prized chandelier is broken, but Max West offers tickets and dinner to his concert in London instead. The chandelier was broken when Daphne, Lock’s wife, comes out of the restroom drunk and falls into Siobhan, who falls into the table. Claire cannot say no and her inability to say no causes a lot of pain and hardship for her. Fortunately, this time it did not affect her family. "