A Nantucket Affair by Pamela M. Kelley Review – Family, Friendship, and Second Chances #ANantucketAffair

A Nantucket Affair explores marriage, family, and secrets on Nantucket through emotional, character-driven storytelling.

Summary:

Everyone believed Sue and Curt Hodges had the perfect marriage—high school sweethearts, business partners, and happily married for thirty-five years—until a beautiful, talented new hire, Brandi Morgan, joins their successful insurance company and rumors begin to swirl. The tension comes to a head at Nantucket’s biggest charity gala, where Curt serves as chairman with Brandi as his right hand, and Sue starts to question everything when Curt’s sudden transformation and friends’ concerned comments raise red flags. As doubts ripple through their close-knit circle, Kristen struggles to support her grieving boyfriend Tyler while uncovering a secret that could upend their future, Abby navigates new motherhood as Lisa revels in becoming a grandmother, and Chase and Beth’s house-flipping venture spirals dangerously beyond their control—revealing that even the most seemingly perfect lives can hide unsettling truths.

My Thoughts:

A Nantucket Affair by Pamela M. Kelley was a lovely return to Nantucket and the fourth instalment in her Nantucket Beach Plum Cove series. While it can certainly be read as a standalone, I appreciated already knowing the characters and their histories from earlier books, which added extra depth and emotional weight to the story. This time, the focus shifts more closely to Lisa’s best friend Sue and her husband Curt, who have been married for thirty-five years and seem to have the kind of solid, enviable marriage everyone assumes will last forever—until Curt begins working closely with Brandi, a new, attractive woman in town, as co-chair of the island’s biggest charity event. As rumours swirl and Curt’s sudden lifestyle changes raise eyebrows, Kelley does a great job exploring the quiet doubts and insecurities that can creep into even long, seemingly happy marriages.

Alongside this storyline, we spend more time with Lisa’s children, which was one of my favourite aspects of the book. Kristen’s relationship with her boyfriend Tyler takes on a much heavier emotional tone as he copes with a devastating loss and ongoing struggles with mental health and addiction, and I appreciated how sensitively and respectfully Kelley handled these themes. Meanwhile, Lisa’s son Chase and his girlfriend Beth dive into house flipping, only to discover that their latest project may be far more overwhelming than expected. These parallel stories of marriage, family, personal growth, and resilience are where Kelley truly shines, and they made the novel feel rich and well-rounded rather than overly focused on just one conflict.

The Narration:

I also listened to the audiobook, narrated once again by Karissa Vacker, who delivers a wonderful performance. Her calm, engaging tone suits Kelley’s writing perfectly, and she brings warmth and nuance to each character—I could happily listen to her all day long.

Final Thoughts:

With its beautiful Nantucket setting, relatable characters, and thoughtful exploration of real-life challenges, A Nantucket Affair is another comforting yet emotionally engaging addition to the series, and it left me very much looking forward to what comes next.