Book description
With a rare combination of emotional insight, narrative power, and lyrical grace, Justin Cronin transforms the simple story of a dying man’s last wish into a rich tapestry of family love.
“A work of art . . . a great American novel.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
On an evening in late summer,…
Why read it?
1 author picked The Summer Guest as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
For obvious reasons (see my book, referenced below), I looked forward to reading this book, largely because it is set at a resort in Maine. The author did an amazing job bringing me to this beautiful, albeit fictional, place. The book weaves the resort's past and present into a story about a longtime renter who returns one last time as he struggles with cancer.
This is a story about the magic draw and appeal of a lake cabin, but the best part is how Cronin weaves together the characters' relationships. It's a great summer read!
If you love The Summer Guest...
December on 5C4
Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!
On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…
Want books like The Summer Guest?
Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 88 books like The Summer Guest.
Share your top 3 reads of 2025!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
1,210
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like The Summer Guest, you might also like...
The Duke's Christmas Redemption
A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.
Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man she…
Old Man Country
This book follows the journey of a writer in search of wisdom as he narrates encounters with 12 distinguished American men over 80, including Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve, and Denton Cooley, the world’s most famous heart surgeon.
In these and other intimate conversations, the book…
