A Summer Affair; A Novel

New York: Back Bay Books, Little, Brown and Company, 2009. First Back Bay Paperback Edition [Stated]. 17th printing, 2021. Trade paperback. Good. [8],408, [16] pages. Signed copy sticker on front cover. Signed by the author on the title page. Decorative front cover. Some front cover wear and soiling. Slightly cocked. Reading Group Guide. Elin Hilderbrand (born July 17, 1969) is an American writer, mostly of romance novels. Her novels are typically set on and around Nantucket, where she resides. Hilderbrand was born and raised in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University, and was previously a teaching/writing fellow at the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop. She spent her summers on Cape Cod, "playing touch football at low tide, collecting sea glass, digging pools for hermit crabs, swimming out to the wooden raft off shore," until her father died in a plane crash when she was sixteen. She spent the next summer working, doing piecework in a factory that made Halloween costumes; she promised herself that the goal for the rest of her life would be to always have a real summer. She moved to Nantucket in July 1993, took a job as "the classified ads girl" at a local paper, and later started writing. Her first novels were published by St. Martin's Press. With A Summer Affair, published in 2008, she moved to Little, Brown and Company. The Perfect Couple, her first murder mystery, was published in 2018. 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. Derived from a Kirkus review: Nantucket artist ponders a tryst. An accomplished glassblower, Claire Danner Crispin set aside her work to raise her children. Indeed, for most of her life Claire has followed the rules and been a reliable friend, wife and mother. All that changes when she is asked to co-chair Nantucket's annual Summer Gala to benefit the children's programs on the island. Wealthy Lock Dixon personally asks Claire to contribute her time and talents. Claire says yes. Soon she finds herself in the arms of Lock, who offers relief from the monotony of her marriage and the demands of caring for four youngsters. It's fun to watch Claire give in to her desires. As the Gala nears, a threat of exposure looms. As an artist, Claire knows that creating something of value and beauty requires sacrifice, love and a strong will. The question is: Does Claire value her newfound passion more than her marriage? Witnessing Claire's walk on the dark side is pure voyeuristic fun. A perfect summer cocktail of sex, sun and scandal.