Nantucket Sisters, by Nancy Thayer

A nice romantic summer read. It is a classic story of two young girls who grow a friendship across the boundaries that class distinction usually tries to set. Emily is from a wealthy family that comes to Nantucket during the summer months to their several million dollar home for a summer get-away. Magee is the young girl who lives on the island year round and would be consider lower middle income. Her mother is a seamstress and her father has abandoned the family.

Despite their differences the girls become wonderful friends and share as much time together as they can growing up. The story will at times skip a few years to bring you to a new level of development. These skips do not deter from the story at all.

Magee's mom meets a man who also lives on Nantucket year around but is not part of the wealthy jet set crowd. Although he has substantial land holdings for a Nantucket local. He owns a 25 acre farm and a small home in the town. Thaddeus Ramsdale marries Magee's mom, Frances, and moves Frances and her two children to the farm.

Thaddeus is a wonderful influence for Ben, Frances' son and also for Magee. The kids grow up become teenagers and then young adults. Class distinction becomes more prevalent, but the girls continue to be friends.

I won't give the rest of the story away, you need to read it on your own. There are several topics that the writer will Thayer will address in her story. They would be;

1. Class distinction and the harm that it brings to children and teens
2. The problems that absentee parents can bring on teenagers (they don't mature and grow easily into wisdom)
3. The problem of young people experimenting with alcohol and sex
4. The theme of two young adults who aren't ready for parenthood and marriage jumping into it because of a baby not because of love.
5. The problem of being a single parent.

Now, let me say this. I was not a fan of the casual sexual relations that are portrayed in the book. I know that is todays culture, but it still bothers me. I was appreciative of Thayer not writing explicit detailed sexual scenes. I was also appreciative of how Thayer leads the casual sex into the typical result of unwanted pregnancies that change the life course direction of young people who are not yet ready for parenthood or understand what marriage will bring.

She does give us a great view though of two young girls, pregnant before they want, but who turn out to be the best of parents to their girls.

I'm sure you will enjoy this read and find that there are enough plot twists to keep you interested.

Enjoy!