Review of Nantucket Red (Nantucket #2) by Leila Howland

Nantucket Red is the second book in the series Nantucket.

Cricket is in love with Zack, and it's cost her Jules. Now Zach is going away to a boarding school. Instead of breaking up or doing long-distance, they decide to just "pause." They'll cut off all contact, then pick up again where they left off next summer.

That doesn't exactly go as planned. In November, Zach calls to say he wants to do long-distance because he misses her. Cricket stubbornly insists on sticking with their "pause" decision. When she runs into him at Christmas, it's painfully obvious he's met someone new.

At the end of the school year, Cricket graduates from high school, headed to Brown University in the fall, right in her hometown. Since her scholarships don't cover the cost of the dorms, she'll be living at home with her mom. But then, an opportunity arises that will allow her the full college experience so she heads back to Nantucket for a second summer.

Only this time she has to watch Zach walking around with another girl.

Cricket befriends a bartender at the restaurant she works at, and while she's still hung up on Zack, they develop a relationship that helps ease Cricket's pain.

Then, Cricket does something that might ruin everything she's ever worked for.


Cricket's pain was palpable, and her attempt at a rebound, though she doesn't think of it that way, was true to the way it feels. In Nantucket Blue, Ms. Howland made Zach into the ideal guy, and made me wish I was seventeen so I could date him, too. In this book, I was heartbroken over him right along with Cricket. While Ben was fun and sweet, he wasn't Zach, and I felt that right along with Cricket.

The book had the raw emotions of a post-breakup heart without wallowing. It had the longing and wishful thinking without being overly fanciful. There was dreaming and hoping without getting sappy. The emotions were balanced and well-rounded while remaining true to the subject.

Cricket's big screw-up had her resourcefulness and intelligence from the first book coming into play again. The resolution to that, and especially the ending of the book, were absolutely delightful. It made me wish I could know what happened next!

An excellent book, for any time of year.


Photo Credit: Katherine Elizabeth
Stars Image Credit lovethenerddesigns

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