Nancy Thayer

After years of wandering from whim to whim, thirty-year-old Charlotte Wheelwright seems to have at last found her niche. The free spirit enjoys running an organic gardening business on the island of Nantucket, thanks in large part to her spry grandmother Nona, who donated a portion of land on the family's seaside compound to get Charlotte started. Though Charlotte's skill with plants is bringing her success, cultivating something deeper with people--particularly her handsome neighbor Coop--might be more of a challenge. Nona's generosity to Charlotte, secretly her favorite grandchild, doesn't sit well with the rest of the Wheelwright clan, however, as they worry that Charlotte may be positioning herself to inherit the entire estate. With summer upon them, everyone is making their annual pilgrimage to the homestead--some with hopes of thwarting Charlotte's dreams, others in anticipation of Nona's latest pronouncements at the annual family meeting, and still others with surprising news of their own. Charlotte's mother, Helen, a Wheelwright by marriage, brings a heavy heart. She once set aside her own ambitions to fit in with the Wheelwrights, but now she must confront a betrayal that threatens both her sense of place and her sense of self.As summer progresses, these three women--Charlotte, Nona, and Helen--come to terms with the decisions they have made. Revisiting the lives and loves that have crossed their paths and the possibilities of the roads not taken, they may just discover that what they've always sought was right in front of them all along.From the Hardcover edition.

New York Times bestselling author Nancy Thayer delighted readers with her sparkling Hot Flash Club series. Now she has written a vibrant new novel set within a tight-knit island community, where two women struggle to rekindle a childhood friendship damaged by harsh words, betrayal, and the passing years.Lexi Laney and Clare Hart grew up together swimming in the surf, riding remote bike trails, and having wondrous adventures across picturesque Nantucket. And when it was time to share intimate secrets and let their girlish imaginations run free, they escaped to their magical private hideaway: Moon Shell Beach. But nothing stays the same. With the complicated pressures of adulthood, their intense bond is frayed, hurtful words are exchanged, and Lexi flees Nantucket to a life of luxury while Clare stays behind. Ten years later, a newly divorced Lexi returns to make amends with those she left in her wake. Living at home with her father and dating a gorgeous carpenter, Clare still simmers with resentment toward her glamorous friend. And when Lexi opens an upscale clothing boutique next door to Clare's chocolate shop, their paths are fated to cross.Their emotional reunion is beset with major challenges: Lexi's return sets off a series of startling events that fracture the status quo and set the town gossips' tongues wagging. And as Clare's life takes an abrupt detour, Lexi wonders if the happiness and peace they once knew on Moon Shell Beach will, in the end, prove to be as fleeting as time and the tide. In the turbulent adult world, awash in failed loves and romantic disappointment, can childhood dreams still come true?Irresistible reading, Moon Shell Beach explores the evolution of a tumultuous lifelong friendship, the power of forgiveness, and the rewards of believing in miracles.From the Hardcover edition.

Since opening up their day spa, The Haven, the wonderful women of the Hot Flash Club have been busy indulging the beleaguered, nerve-frazzled throngs. Now, in Nancy Thayer's hilarious new Hot Flash novel, it's the friends' turn to grab some soothing, and much-deserved R&R.When a long-time Haven client asks the gals to housesit her Nantucket hideaway for the summer, they're beyond thrilled; the cozy island enclave is the perfect place to shop, swim, chill, and plan Marilyn's upcoming wedding to Ian, her Scottish fiance. And Marilyn desperately needs the break, since Ian's grown son has crashed at the couple's place with no departure date in sight.Soon after they arrive, the other hot flashers surrender to their own summer flings: Shirley entertains a steamy dalliance with a scruffy, sexy local fisherman that could lead to something deeper; Faye finds her dream house, but restoring it could be a costly nightmare; craft-maven Polly is enthralled by the island's bounty, from shell art to lightship baskets; and even hardboiled Alice swoons with romantic adventure--or is it seasickness?But this lovefest among the sand and ocean breezes is not without its consequences. Each woman must determine for herself what she is willing to give up in order to hold onto what she has found--and all of them fear that Shirley is on the brink of making a huge mistake, one that threatens their harmony and their business. But these concerns may be eclipsed by the mystery surrounding the disappearance of family heirlooms at the house where they are staying, and rumors that the place harbors spirits other than Grey Goose and Tanqueray.Nancy Thayer continues her hugely successful Hot Flash series with this wickedly funny, delightfully bawdy tale. These irresistible women spring to life--along with their passions, their sorrows, their joys, and, most importantly, their friendship. So pack your bags and join these fabulous five for a season of fun, sun, love, sex, and estrogen therapy.From the Hardcover edition.

When the Hot Flash friends gather at the spa to trim the Christmas tree, they share steaming mugs of hot chocolate, a few laughs, and a vow to make this holiday one to remember.

The fabulous women from The Hot Flash Club are back in top form, welcoming the stressed-out and pampering-deprived through their discreet spa doors--as Nancy Thayer returns with a witty, sexy, and heartwarming novel. The Hot Flash Club Strikes Again also introduces four new women, ready for massages and seaweed wraps, each struggling to reconcile her secret dreams, biggest fears, and deepest feelings as topsy-turvy events shake up her life.After eighteen years of trying to make peace with her husband's cold-as-ice mother, Polly vows to be the perfect mother-in-law: loving, accepting, and determined to keep her mouth shut. Then her son marries Amy, a Birkenstocked gal whose organic farm and family ooze a rather creepy serenity. Ever the optimist, Polly puts her best foot forward . . . so why does it end up in her mouth?A shy and brilliant professor-to-be, Beth has lived a sheltered life. Then she meets Sonny, a rugged, sexy carpenter who sweeps her off her feet. The problem? Beth may not survive his loud, affectionate, athletic family--especially when the very beautiful and earthy woman everybody wanted Sonny to marry is still hanging around the family dinner table.Heiress to one of New England's oldest paper companies, Carolyn is the driving force behind the brand. Now, at thirty-seven, the workaholic executive is finally pregnant with her first child, and high blood pressure is forcing her to do something totally alien: relax. But how can she let down her guard when her seventy-something father has gone and eloped with a young bank clerk named Heather, whose rather plain looks and unassuming nature still manage to fill Carolyn with suspicion.A free-spirited photographer, Julia has married a man she loves, but he's come packed with baggage. Tim is a widower with a young daughter, and Julia has bravely stepped up to the plate, doing her best to provide maternal support. But as if being pinned down by the child's slightly manipulative ways and (dare Julia say it) spoiled behavior wasn't enough, there's Tim's ex-mother-in-law, whose meddling is getting nastier by the week.For Polly, Beth, Carolyn, and Julia, the time has come to stand up for what matters--for their passions, their hearts, and themselves. As they maneuver through family drama and embrace unexpected change, they come to find that life is much easier (and a lot more fun) when you've got friends, wine, and chocolate along for the ride.From the Hardcover edition.

Meeting at the Golden Moments spa, four women - Polly, Beth, Julia, and Carolyn - discover that they share a mutual problem with meddling, scheming, toxic in-laws, and come up with a scheme to help one another resolve their problems.

Tough and sexy New York police detective Nikki Heat leads the investigation into the death of a New York real estate tycoon who plunged to his death on a Manhattan sidewalk. She's hit with an unexpected challenge when the commissioner assigns superstar magazine journalist Jameson Rook to ride along with her to research an article on New York's Finest.

From Publishers Weekly: Handsome, sensitive and talented, blessed with a good marriage and good friends, Willy Constable and her husband John seem to live a charmed existence. They know their move from an apartment in Boston to a Victorian house on Nantucket will require adjustments, but both expect their willingness to work hardhe on his paintings; she on her needlework; both on their relationshipwill be immensely rewarding, even if John's career as an artist doesn't take off. But the apparition of a beautiful young woman severely disturbs their equanimity. Once the owner of their house, the woman appears only to John, and he quickly becomes obsessed with her. The ways in which Willy and John struggle to understand the ghostif indeed she is a spirit and not a figment of John's mindand cope with the devastation she wreaks on their relationship is the substance of this carefully wrought and quite credible ghost story. Thayer is the author of Stepping and Nell. From Library Journal: A twist on the classic novel of a wife working to save her marriagethe other woman is a ghost. Willy and John leave Boston and his job for Nantucket and his shot at becoming an artist. The eight-year marriage is solid; there is family money for support and a lovely old house complete with an attic for John's painting. But John becomes increasingly obsessed by the ghost of the first owner, whom only he can seeand touch. What begins as a joke between husband and wife develops into a life-threatening presence in their lives. The book offers interesting insights into marriage, dependency, artistic temperaments, and the whole concept of ghosts, though the ending is not quite as satisfying as the rest. Not outstanding, but public libraries with other Thayer novels will want. Rebecca Sturm, Northern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Highland Heights

After the sun wakes the rooster, and the rooster in turn wakes other animals, a boy catches some fish to fry for his parents' breakfast.

"Wedding bells are ringing, a family is reunited, and new love is blooming--for better or worse--in this captivating novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Island House and Secrets in Summer. A few years after losing her beloved husband, Alison is doing something she never thought she would do again: getting married. While placing the finishing touches on her summer nuptials, Alison is anxious to introduce her fiance, David, to her grown daughters: Felicity, a worried married mother of two, and Jane, also married but focused on her career. The sisters have a somewhat distant relationship and Alison hopes that the wedding and the weeks leading up to the ceremony will give the siblings a chance to reconnect, as well as meet and get to know David's grown children. As the summer progresses, it is anything but smooth sailing. Felicity stumbles upon a terrible secret that could shatter her carefully cultivated world. Jane finds herself under the spell of her soon-to-be stepbrother, Ethan, who is as charming as he is mysterious. And even Alison is surprised (and slightly alarmed) by her new blended family. Revelations, intrigue, resentments--as the Big Day approaches, will the promise of bliss be a bust? Against the gorgeous backdrop of the sunswept island of Nantucket, Nancy Thayer sets the stage for a walk down the aisle no one will ever forget"-- "Wedding bells are ringing, a family is reunited, and new romances are blooming--for better or for worse--in an enthralling novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Island House and Secrets in Summer. It's summer on Nantucket and Alison is finally engaged to the love of her life. Things would be perfect--if only she could make peace between her daughters. Felicity, wild at heart yet a loving mother to her own children, and Jane, the extremely organized and high-earning businesswoman, arrive on the island hoping to get through these next few weeks without ruining their mother's big day. But when Felicity's husband reveals a long-term affair and Jane falls for her soon-to-be step-brother, everyone gets way more drama than they bargained for"--

Nantucket Christmas: From the lighthouse sporting a huge wreath to the Christmas Stroll along its quaint streets, holidays on Nantucket are always magical. However, while the town might be aglow like a scene from Dickens tale, unfortunately for newly married island newcomer Nicole Somerset, Christmas means a dreaded visit from her step-daughter. Headstrong Kennedy brings with her a family of her own--husband Archer and adorable 3 year old son, Maddox--but Kennedy's yet to get over her parents' divorce. Pregnant and highly emotional, in an attempt to reconcile her father and mother, Kennedy sets in motion a scheme to sabotage Nicole's meticulous holiday preparations. When Kennedy's glamorous mother appears on the Somerset doorstep, Kennedy thinks her devious plan might just work. Holidays may be a perfect time for reconciliation, but they are also known for miracles. Even before the gifts are unwrapped, other visitors will make unexpected appearances and sweet little Maddox gets his most fervent Christmas wish. Island Christmas: Felicia returns to her family's home on Nantucket to marry her adventurous, rugged boyfriend, Archie. Wondering if her handsome neighbor Steven Hardy might be a more suitable son-in-law, Jilly's mother embarks on a secret matchmaking campaign for Felicia and the dashing stockbroker. As the big day approaches and Jilly's older daughter, Lauren, appears with rambunctious kids in tow, tensions in the household are high. Enter a charming but mischievous cat named Jock.