Nantucket Summer ─ Nantucket Blue and Nantucket Red

Follow the exploits of Cricket Thompson as she explores the alluring island of Nantucket and faces the unexpected in this collection of Leila Howland's first two novels.

For Cricket, a summer on Nantucket with her best friend Jules is a life-changing dream come true. That is, until Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy, and Jules becomes a stranger. And instead of lying on the beach working on her tan, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support herself in paradise. But it's the things she hadn't counted on--most of all, falling hard for someone who should be completely off-limits--that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality.


Nantucket Red

Cricket is headed to Brown University in the fall, but to help pay for her living expenses, she heads back to work on Nantucket for the summer, where she finds challenges she hadn't anticipated. As her world opens up in new ways, Cricket questions the future she's been working toward her whole life. With the pull of a love triangle complicating everything, she'll have to learn that success isn't just about reaching goals, but also about listening to what she's been trying to ignore-her own heart.


Praise for Nantucket Blue

"[Howland] evokes the Nantucket setting vividly . . . when it comes to indulgent beach reading, sometimes it's more fun to get pushed over by a wave than to stay safely on your towel."
-The New York Times

"Sand, secrets, Nantucket Reds, and romance. A fresh, feel-good debut."
-The Boston Globe

*"Readers should feel empowered by Cricket's efforts to grow up into a strong, honest, and emotionally intelligent young woman, even as they are enchanted by the romantic and exclusive island setting. This is a natural beach read, but will easily win Howland year-round fans, too."
-Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Fans of Sarah Dessen will find much to like here, as the charm of this summery yarn lies in Cricket's open appeal."
-Library Journal

"[Cricket's] story is told in a way that is both engaging and alluring. Definitely a standout novel in its genre."
-School Library Journal

Praise for Nantucket Red

"Enjoyable and introspective, this is more than just a summer beach read."
-Kirkus Reviews

"In this novel about finding oneself and following your heart, Howland creates a character that readers will be cheering for from beginning to end."
-VOYA

"Nantucket Red is an engaging continuation of Cricket's story, and its pace is perfect for a long weekend or beach read."
-School Library Journal

A graduate of Georgetown University, Leila Howland spent five years acting in New York in everything from an MTV public service announcement for safe sex to a John Guare play at Lincoln Center and was a proud company member of the award-winning Flea Theater in Tribeca. Currently, she is a school librarian in Los Angeles, where she lives with her family.