After their parents die, Ann, Poppy, and their adopted brother Michael have to decide what to do with the family's summer home in Cape Cod. As the siblings reunite after years apart, their old secrets and lies, longings and losses, are pulled to the surface—particularly about one fateful summer fifteen years earlier.
... a pitch-perfect summer novel with a scintillating combination of drama, heart and lovely prose that will stay with you long into autumn ... With each of the Gordon siblings leading the way, The Second Home unfolds quickly, with some details a bit more glossed over than I would have liked. Some early plot elements require more explanation, or at least a suspension of disbelief, but if you can accept them, the story moves along smoothly and clearly from there. Ann, Poppy and Michael are distinct in their motivations and backgrounds, and Clancy balances their chapters well. Although I feel that many readers will find Ann unlikable and Poppy a little too flighty, they both serve the story well and make for plenty of interesting drama. Despite her ignorance and occasional lies, I actually loved Ann ... Masterfully plotted with fascinating, original characters, The Second Home is a riveting and dark family saga with plenty of vivid descriptions of the Cape Cod beaches and historic homes to keep you dreaming of sunny days.
A riveting family saga that fans of J. Courtney Sullivan, Cristina Alger, and Maria De Los Santos will devour, Clancy’s debut novel is a delight. She flips between decades, immersing the reader in sun-soaked Wellfleet summers before traveling to the present day and back again. With nostalgia as thick as the scent of coconut-scented sunscreen, The Second Home explores the consequences of emotional decisions and the strength needed to set things right.
... [a] florid, beach-ready debut ... While the Shaw characters can be disappointingly flat in a way that borders on cartoonish, Clancy’s affectionate descriptions of Wellfleet are transporting. This is sure to be a favorite with book clubs.
