The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand

This is the story of four couples who are the best of friends. They go on vacations together, they have weekend get-togethers, babysit eachother's children, support eachother when it comes to their jobs, marital issues and just life in general. But when one of these couples (Greg & Tess) dies in a mysterious boating accident the remaining friends are all left devasted by the shock of their tragic deaths.

Each chapter is written in the first person - each of the six remaining friends. With each chapter you learn more and more about Greg and Tess, their crumbling marriage and their hope to rekindle their flame with an anniversary picnic and sail. You also learn about the relationships of the three remaining couples, the Kapenashes, Drakes, and Wheelers , their affairs and pretty much their deepest, darkest secrets.

I really enjoyed this. I liked reading about these couples that on the outside seem to have it all - money, beatiful houses on the idyllic Nantucket, the perfect husband/wife and children, yet were all so completely and utterly dysfunctional in their marraiges and lives. And although I really could not relate to any of the characters, I liked each and every single one of them. They are people living their lives and learning from their mistakes. They are all flawed in one way or another, but in the end I felt as if they tried to better themselves.... I felt hope for them.

I was carried away by Ms. Hilderbrand's words. She weaves a tale of love, loss and friendship that is difficult to put down. This was an enjoyable and easy read and I recommend to anyone looking for a summer/beach read - but don't let the pretty cover fool you... it had a lot more depth then I was expecting.

You can learn more about Elin Hilderbrand at her website.