Surfside Sisters

Childhood best friends who bond over their shared desire to be writers deal with the ups and downs of life, love, and family in the soapy latest from Thayer (A Nantucket Wedding). As girls on Nantucket, Keely Green and Isabelle Maxwell do everything together: playing at Surfside Beach, sharing secrets, and dreaming of their futures as successful writers. But Keely does keep two things close to her chest: She’s in love with Isabelle’s older brother, and she can’t help being envious of wealthy Isabelle’s lifestyle. Responsible, good-hearted Keely works hard, applying herself to her writing and school while taking part-time jobs to help her working-class family. Eventually Keely and Isabelle’s priorities lead them in different directions before returning them to the island they love. Peripheral characters are flat, and Thayer relies on long passages of exposition to move the story forward through the months and years. Despite this, readers who appreciate a busy, uplifting tale of friendship and romance will enjoy spending time on Thayer’s Nantucket. Agent: Meg Ruley, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (July)