Barefoot    by Elin Hilderbrand Order:  USA  Can Little, Brown & Co., 2007 (2007) Hardcover Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Joan Burton It's summer in Nantucket and the tourist season is in full swing. Twenty-two year old Josh Flynn works at the local airport to help pay his way through school. He helps the passengers off the plane, hauls luggage and assists them with taxi's. He spends long hours out in the hot sun on the tarmac. He is becoming bored with his job and with his needy, demanding girlfriend Didi, who works at the island hospital. Just arriving from New York are three woman and two small children. They seem distracted and upset, and Josh rescues one who has fallen with a baby in her arms. After introductions are made and Josh is thanked for all his help, he sends them on their way in a taxi. He has a strong feeling he will connect with them again. Vicki, Brenda, and Melanie all are leaving New York behind for different reasons. Vicki has found out she has cancer and has come to Nantucket with her two boys, Blaine and Porter, for the summer. She will receive her treatment here at the local hospital under the guidance of her younger sister Brenda. Brenda, a professor, has been fired from her job after becoming involved with one of her students. She has no money and wants to write a screen play from a two hundred year old first edition book. She hopes to find some quiet time this summer to sort out her life. Melanie, a good friend of Vickie's, is along for rest and relaxation. She has just found out her husband has been cheating on her and is devastated. They had been trying to have a baby and she had gone through numerous attempts at in-vitro treatments with no luck. When Vicki asks her to join them at the beach she agrees. She knows that she has a lot of decisions to make in a short period of time. All three women hope for magic healing on the island. As the summer days are becoming routine for the women, Brenda hires Josh to take care of Vickie's boys. It will take some of the pressure off Brenda so she can have time to write. Soon Josh fits right in and they can't imagine the summer without him. He is great with the boys, gives support to Vicki, encourages Brenda to write, and shows Melanie how to follow her heart. Josh needs the women too. He lost his mother when he was eleven, and has never been able to open up and talk about it to anyone. As the summer draws to an end everyone is left with a decision to make. They have all supported each other but some things you have to decide yourself. Secrets surface, sisters grow closer, and friends learn to let go and move on. Barefoot is a great summer read. A beautiful story of love, it is Elin Hilderbrand at her best. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Romance books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews