I have to say I found Heat Wave by Nancy Thayer subpar in comparison to her previous books. It was a breezy, engaging read but I found the plot line totally obvious and I felt somewhat disconnected to the story. I guess the main problem for me was that characters didn't seem rich and realistic. I think the first problem is I found Carley and Gus's "love affair" totally unbelievable. Sure nineteen year olds fall in love, get pregnant and get married but the idea that a nineteen year old with bad grades in college who doesn't know what she wants to be would simply embrace Nantucket instead of figuring out a life path just seemed off. Carley's relationship with her in-laws also seemed as a plot-device and not overly realistic. That being said, I did enjoy the love story that develops in this novel and reading about Carely discovering a passion. I enjoyed the female friendships at the center of the novel although I had other problems with how those relationships reformulated. I won't give too much away but what ultimately happened to Vanessa seemed like another unnecessary plot device.
I've never read anything by Mary Kay Andrews before. I enjoyed her latest, Summer Rental, much more than Thayer's latest. I enjoyed the diverse personalities Andrews populated the story with. And I was incredibly intrigued by the fact that the story takes place in the Outer Banks. While this was a breezy and enjoyable read, I didn't find it all that thought-provoking. I suppose that makes it perfect beach fare!
