I started this series – which I read in order! – with The Nantucket Inn, and I reviewed that first one here. I was able to find the entire series on Hoopla, through my public library, and listened to them all. These are self-published, and I’m sorry to say it shows.
Since Elin Hilderbrand retired, I was so happy to find this series. Hilderbrand created a world in Nantucket that I loved, and Kelley continues that magical feeling about the place. Not magical like the inexplicable, but magical as in a lovely, peaceful community where friendships are easy and love happens for everyone open to it.
The books revolve around the Beach Plum Cove Inn on Nantucket, which is at the center of the first book in the series. The subsequent books introduce new characters to Nantucket who stay at the inn, and most usually end up moving to the island permanently. It works beautifully. It truly feels like an escape to listen to these books, and I really appreciate that.
There are a few drawbacks to this audiobook series. The original reader, Karissa Vacker, did a terrific job and I really loved the first five books. However, the last four books in the series are read by Leslie Howard, and honestly, if I wasn’t already invested so deeply into the series, I would have stopped with Nantucket Threads. Howard is a breathy whisperer. Every voice she does sounds like they are whispering, and I find it super annoying. It reminded me of Marilyn Monroe singing “Happy Birthday, Mr. President,” which I guess is sexy for a two minute song, but becomes grating many hours in. I haven’t checked to see who is reading other Kelley books, but Leslie Howard is the first performer since I started my audiobook journey that is going on my “do not read” list.
They are self-published and, unfortunately, not carefully edited. One of the things I really like about this series is the constant food references, where the characters are dining, what they order, and what they prepare for dinner at home. I’m a foodie and enjoy this aspect. Except in this series, a character orders one thing at dinner, then a minute later are taking a bite of something else. There are little inconsistencies like that throughout this series, and most are just slightly annoying – they pull me out of the story for a moment. Maybe it wouldn’t have been so obvious if I hadn’t basically binged them all in order, but it became apparent that Kelley did not spring for a line editor. There are different types of editors in publishing, but a line editor is especially important in a series. They are responsible for pointing out repetition and inconsistencies in the story line.
This became a huge issue for me in the last book of the series, Nantucket Summer House. Like most romances, each book centers around one couple finding their happy ending. In the third book, Nantucket White Christmas, the romance centers around Angela and Philippe. Philippe is a minor character throughout the series until the third book when he took center stage. He was mentioned from time to time in all the books that followed until the last book, when inexplicably he became Pierre! I cringed every time I heard it and was thrilled this was the last book of the series. That is a major mistake, and I was shocked that no one pointed this out to the author. Or maybe someone did and she didn’t care? I don’t know, but as far as I’m concerned it is the height of hubris to think no one will notice or care if you change a character’s name after 8 previous books.
I have a few other minor quibbles. All the characters sound like fifty-something-year-olds, even the twenty and thirty-somethings, so the dialogue often feels stilted to me. I do love that there are successful writers living in Kelley’s Nantucket, as well as artists and photographers. I like to think that artists can make a living and afford the Nantucket lifestyle. On the other hand, everyone eats dinner at 6:00 pm and goes to bed early. Kelley has favorite wines that appear in every book, most of which are good (yay!) but I couldn’t help but think product placement?? If not, Kelley should definitely look into that. Everyone has “appetizer parties” on Nantucket, all of which feature cheese & crackers plus some interesting sounding dips and spreads – maybe that is really a thing? I don’t know.
Rant over. Bottom line is I did enjoy this series, and I’m continuing to read more of Kelley’s work – but with a jaded eye on the continuity of the books and making sure any audiobooks are performed by anyone other than the whisperer. I do love the sense of family Kelley creates with all these charaxters, and I couldn’t help but care about them, plus it’s fun to see what they are all up to with each book.
Right now, I’m reading the Kindle version of the first book of a new series, The Nantucket Restaurant (review to follow!) This book (and the sequel) were originally self-published, but the copy I have is published by Sourcebooks, a traditional publisher, so I feel comfortable that I won’t have to deal with any of the consistency issues that cropped up in the Nantucket Beach Plum Cove series.
https://amzn.to/4mLgBq5
Book 1: The Nantucket Inn
Karissa Vacker (Narrator)
Lisa Hodges needs to make a decision fast. Thanks to her dead husband’s gambling addiction, their savings is almost gone. In her early 50s with a large, waterfront home on Nantucket to support, Lisa hasn’t worked in over 30 years, has no in-demand skills and is virtually unemployable.
Her only options are to sell the house and move off-island, or, she could use her cooking and entertaining skills and turn her home into a bed and breakfast. She desperately needs it to succeed because she has four grown children with problems of their own and wants to stay close to them. Her oldest daughter, Kate, has a fabulous career in Boston – working as a writer for a popular fashion magazine and engaged to a dangerously handsome, photographer, who none of them have met. Kate’s twin, local artist, Kristen, has been reasonably content with her on-again off-again relationship with an older, separated businessman. Her son, Chase, runs his own construction business and is carefree, happily dating here and there but nothing serious. Youngest daughter, Abby, is happily married to her high school sweetheart, and they’ve been trying to have a baby. But it hasn’t happened yet, and Abby wonders if it’s a sign that maybe their marriage isn’t as perfect as everyone thinks.
Come visit Nantucket and see how Lisa’s new bed and breakfast has an impact on almost everyone in her family. It’s the first book in a new series that will follow the Hodges family, friends, and visitors to Nantucket’s Beach Plum Cove Inn.
Book 2: Nantucket Neighbors
Karissa Vacker (Narrator)
Book your visit to the Beach Plum Cove Inn today…meet widow Lisa Hodges and her four adult children, friends, and visitors to the newly opened waterfront bed and breakfast.
In the first book, The Nantucket Inn, Lisa learned that her deceased husband had a hidden gambling addiction and had blown through their retirement savings. Since she’d been raising four children and hadn’t worked in years, she had no employable skills. Her only option if she wanted to stay on the island near her loved ones, was to rent out her second floor rooms. And she’s loving it so far. Lisa’s first guest, restaurant owner Rhett Byrne quickly became a close friend and then something more. In her early fifties, it sounds strange to her to call him her boyfriend, but that’s what he is.
Her daughter Kristen, finally ended things with Sean, the separated man that no one in the family was excited about. It wasn’t until she was beginning to move on, that he filed for divorce, and then begged her for another chance. So she gave him one, much to everyone’s dismay. But then the cottage next door is sold, and she discovers who her new neighbor is. Chase, the only boy in the family, has never been serious about anyone before. But he’s suddenly withdrawn and has been secretive about who he’s seeing, which only makes everyone that much more curious. When they learn who it is, the concern grows as no one wants to see Chase hurt, again. Lisa’s best friend, Paige, has a new neighbor too and it’s one she is most decidedly not enthused about. Violet was one of the women who stood up at town meeting and protested against Lisa’s inn being approved by the selectman. Because the house is right next door, Paige can’t help but notice the steady stream of traffic. Violet seems to be very popular with a lot of people.
The inn is doing well and bookings are up, but then one Friday night, a guest that prepaid for the weekend never shows up. And quite a few people, including the police, come asking questions.
Book 3: Nantucket White Christmas
Karissa Vacker (Narrator)
Visit Nantucket’s Beach Plum Cove Inn this Christmas for a feel-good holiday story from the author of The Nantucket Inn and Nantucket Neighbors. Born on Christmas, Angela Stark has always hated the holiday. Bad things always seem to happen and this year is no exception when she is fired and evicted on the first day of December. She was living and working as a maid in San Francisco. Who will hire her at this time of year, especially if they learn why she was fired?
Her only family is Sam, an elderly and quite vocal orange cat. Her only option is to stay temporarily with her best friend Jane, but she is extremely allergic to cats. It’s not ideal, but it doesn’t look like she has a choice, until a certified letter arrives that changes everything. The next thing she knows, she and Sam are flying to Nantucket, a place they’ve never been before. It’s meant to be a temporary visit. But then Angela meets the Hodges family and friends and begins to question where home really is.
Book 4: A Nantucket Affair
Karissa Vacker (Narrator)
Everyone thought they had the perfect marriage. But things are sometimes not what they seem. Lisa Hodges has always thought her best friend Sue had a dream marriage. She’d married Curt, her high school sweetheart and current business partner. After 35 years of marriage, she never doubted him once – until Brandi Morgan joined their thriving insurance company. Brandi is 35, blonde and beautiful, and is also excellent at her account manager job. All the clients love her and business is up. Sue liked her quite a bit too – until the rumors started swirling.
And it all began with A Nantucket Affair, the island’s biggest charity gathering with a catered dinner and dancing on the beach. As usual, Curt is the chairman for the gala, and this year, he has a new second-in-command, Brandi. Sue didn’t give it a second thought, until Curt suddenly dropped the fifteen pounds he’d been whining about wanting to lose and a few well meaning friends started asking her what was going on. Meanwhile, Kristen’s boyfriend, Tyler is dealing with a devastating loss and Kristen wants to be there for him, but isn’t sure how best to support him, especially when she discovers a secret he’s been keeping, one that could have devastating consequences for both of them.
Abby is busy learning how to be a new mother, and Lisa is madly in love with her first grandchild. And Chase and Beth have discovered a new passion project – flipping houses. Beth does the research to find the undervalued homes and Chase works his magic to renovate them. But then they get in over their heads when a project requires more than they could ever have imagined.
Book 5: Nantucket Weddings
Karissa Vacker (Narrator)
Mia Maxwell used to have her dream job. She is a sought after wedding planner on Nantucket, with no shortage of business. But she is struggling a bit to get back to loving her job. It has been bittersweet to plan other people’s weddings – ever since her own fiance died two weeks before their wedding.
That was a year ago and she was just starting to feel better, when she came back from a vacation to find her house burned down. So she will be staying with Lisa at the Beach Plum Cove Inn for a while, until her house is renovated. Mia’s also worried about her younger sister and best friend Izzy – she has a serious boyfriend who has grown more controlling over the past year. As it turns out, there are several member of the Hodges family that may be in need of Mia’s services – she’ll be planning not one but two weddings. There are a few road bumps along the way however.
Lisa has another long-term guest that she eagerly introduces to Mia. She finds this temporary neighbor equally intriguing and frustrating and she makes it clear that she’s not even close to ready to date. She’s not sure if she ever will be.
Book 6: Nantucket Threads
Leslie Howard (Narrator)
Izzy’s life is about to change soon in the biggest way possible. She is excited and nervous and torn about whether or not to give her ex, Rick Savage, another chance. Rick has tried to be a better man. He’s gone through anger management classes and really seems to be making an effort. But is that enough? Does she owe it to him, to them, to try one more time? Or is it okay for her to move on and possibly even consider a future with someone else? Not that she is looking to do that, but there is someone else who she has known as a friend for a long time.
He’s a very good friend, and at times, she wonders if there could be something more there. But, she has bigger things to consider first. Someone other than herself, and it’s all new to her. But, her sister Mia is there to help. Izzy is now living with Mia since her condo was renovated. And Mia has a promising new romance. And there’s a lot going on with the Hodges family, too. Kate has a very big announcement, and Lisa learns that she has been violating a major rule for her bed and breakfast. So, changes are coming….
Book 7: Nantucket News
Leslie Howard (Narrator)
Charleston native, Taylor Abbott, has just relocated to Nantucket for her dream job as a junior news reporter at the local paper. Ten years ago she was Abby Hodges’ college roommate and is looking forward to living near her best friend again. Until her rental cottage is available, she’s going to stay at the Beach Plum Cove Inn, Abby’s mother’s bed and breakfast.
Abby, meanwhile, is dealing with an issue she thought she’d resolved. Rhett discovers someone that works for him is a thief and tries to figure out who it is. Rumor is, there’s a celebrity or two on the island, and the media (including Taylor’s coworker, Victoria), is in hot pursuit to track them down.
Book 8: Nantucket Homes
Leslie Howard (Narrator)
It’s Fall on Nantucket—and change is in the air! There’s a new arrival to the island. Kay Johnson, a widow, was a friend of Lisa’s mother and is like an aunt to Lisa. Kay is excited to relax and enjoy Nantucket—she’s already signed up for a Needlepoint class. She’s not at all looking for romance, but she is happy to make a new friend in neighbor Walter Sturgess, a widower.
When the story begins, Walter’s son Travis, CEO of a tech company he founded in Silicon Valley, and his four-year-old daughter, Sophie, are living with Walter until Travis’s new home is ready for them to move in. That new home is being built by Chase Hodges, Lisa’s son, and is located on the ocean, next to the home where Victoria grew up—and is now living temporarily with her parents, since she and Sean—her long-term boyfriend and fiancé, broke up.
When she sees Travis for the first time in many years, Victoria realizes he is in a similar place, since his divorce. She didn’t even recognize Travis at first. He had to remind her that they’d once dated in high school, before she dumped him for Sean, the star quarterback. Travis is all grown-up now, but even if she was interested in dating, Victoria has never been anxious to have children, let alone take on someone else’s.
Book 9: Nantucket Summer House
Lauren is up for the opportunity of a lifetime, to be the lead producer for a new reality show set in Nantucket. Nantucket Influence will follow a group of young influencers as they spend the summer at a gorgeous waterfront home. It is a concept that Lauren has worked on successfully before and the job is hers—as long as she doesn’t mind that one of the influencers is Billy—the ex that she caught cheating on her. Does she really want to spend the summer working with him every day? This is her first chance to run a show, though, and she can’t pass it up.
Hudson, runs a Nantucket based production company, with famous actress and new Nantucket resident, Cami Carmichael. Hudson is good friends with Billy, but Lauren finds herself drawn to him. But she knows they shouldn’t be more than friends since they are working together—and since Lauren will be heading back to LA when filming ends.
Meanwhile Angela is thrilled to see her college friend Lauren and has some exciting news to share. And Lisa discovers that her nemesis, Violet, who runs a competing inn is ready to declare herself as the top lobster quiche maker on the island. But not if Lisa has anything to say about it—she signs up for the local food festival as well and will let the people decide who makes the best quiche.
6/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
Nantucket Beach Plum Cove (9 book series) by Pamela M. Kelley. Audible Audiobook Edition. 2019-2024.
Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™ 