From the summer-esque cover, to the serene setting of Rhode Island, you’ll feel like your toes are already in the sand from the very first page of Hannah McKinnon’s The Summer House. The novel absorbs you from the first chapter and you’ll be able to get an intriguing glimpse into the complicated, yet still loving, Merrill family. The unforgettable characters in The Summer House is what makes the book so great. You’ll follow along the complex adventures of the three Merrill children, their families, and their mom Flossy. Each sibling has their own issue from death, to adopting a child, to a crumbling marriage, to dramatic secrets, and in the end, their trials and hardships only make them stronger as a family. Personally, us Public Library Podcasters couldn't keep our hands off of this book. The Summer House is the perfect, intoxicating beach read that will make you smile with it's relatable family drama, and leave you thinking about the memorable Merrill family long after you close the novel.
We were delighted to have Hannah McKinnon on the Public Library Podcast to get juicy about her novel! Hannah reveals if the Merrill family is based off of her own family experience, which is what we first thought upon reading The Summer House. Hannah admitted that her work is fiction, but it was inspired by her past experiences and character traits in her own family. She also explained what character she see's herself most in. Can you guess who it is?
You can feel the emotion really come through the pages when reading about Sam and Evan’s adoption struggles. Hannah explains how she throughly researched adoption process, especially reaching out to agencies in the D.C. area to paint the most accurate picture possible for The Summer House. Hannah goes on to explain how she creates characters for her readers that are relatable, and her thought process behind crafting the traits of each individual character.
What's next for this rising beach queen author? Another summer novel, of course! Hannah's next masterpiece will hit shelves next summer, just in time for us to relax on our lounge chairs and get reading!