Down with the Shipmans - by Meg Mitchell Moore (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"Meg Mitchell Moore is my own go-to for beach reading, and Down With the Shipmans is a pure delight. It's a family drama with three sisters, some very charismatic dogs, and a glorious setting. I promise you will LOVE this--and all of Meg's other books as well." --Elin Hilderbrand

"Moore is a dependable ingredient in any summer reading soufflé. Her airy novels accomplish what they came to do: entertain and transport. The stakes are high, the drama is juicy and the views are sublime." --The New York Times

It's the week after Fourth of July, and the Shipman sisters are returning to their picturesque summer home on the New Hampshire coast for what they believe is a family reunion, the first without their late mother. However, their tranquil setting quickly becomes a stage for drama when their father, Calvin, drops the bombshell news that he plans to sell the cherished beach house.

Mae, the youngest daughter, who has a newfound penchant for attracting trouble, is distraught, already dealing with her own emotional scars and a problematic rescue dog. Natalie, the middle sister and social media darling known for her seemingly idyllic life as a tradwife, is equally anxious, especially since her flawless public image is on the verge of imploding. Meanwhile, Jordan, the eldest, a high-powered crisis communications expert, is ready to be rid of the house so she can tend to her own professional disaster.

As old memories are stirred up and the sisters navigate both the packing of the house and their personal crises, the arrival of Calvin's new wife pushes Jordan, Natalie, and Mae to decide how far they're willing to go to preserve the Shipman bond.

A delicious summer read that explores the enduring power of family and sister connections, Down with the Shipmans is a humorous, heartfelt reminder that home is not a place, but the people who love you, no matter how imperfectly.

Review Quotes

"Moore is a dependable ingredient in any summer reading soufflé. Her airy novels accomplish what they came to do: entertain and transport. The stakes are high, the drama is juicy and the views are sublime." - The New York Times

[A] captivating family saga set by the sea. - Woman's World

"Family drama is front and center in this beach read set in a glorious summer home on the New Hampshire coast. Beachy and beautifully written, you'll laugh, cry, and root for these characters." - Real Simple

Moore digs deep into the family ties that bind. Alternating between the perspectives of each of the Shipman girls, [the] novel presents a nuanced, dryly funny look at sisterhood and grief in a humbly aspirational setting. - Booklist

A deep dive into family, legacy, and moving on, Down With the Shipmans is a summery book that you want to both binge and savor. It's wise, warmhearted, and beautifully written, and I wish I could read it again for the first time. Five big stars from me. - Annabel Monaghan, New York Times bestselling author of Dolly All the Time

With sharp, honest dialog and a beach-read pace that belies its emotional rigor, the novel thoughtfully insists belonging is complicated, exhausting, and indispensable. - Library Journal

"Down with the Shipmans is a timely and compelling family drama written with hope, humor, and a lot of heart. The water is cold. The tensions are high. The quarters are tight. A perfect New England beach read!" - Elizabeth Castellano, author of Save What's Left

"Meg Mitchell Moore's perceptive latest is the absolute best novel I've read about sisters since Ann Napolitano's Hello Beautiful. Moore has a way of bringing you into the heart of her characters and layering her unputdownable story with depth and humor, honesty and insight. Get ready to laugh, cry and fall in love with the Shipman sisters as they grapple with the death of their mother, learn each other's secrets and say goodbye to the beloved family beach house. I loved this book so much. Sure to be the number one must read of summer." - Brooke Lea Foster, author of Our Last Vineyard Summer

"Meg Mitchell Moore is my own go-to for beach reading, and Down With the Shipmans is a pure delight. It's a family drama with three sisters, some very charismatic dogs, and a glorious setting. What sets Meg's books apart is her writing. It's quick-witted and self-aware and filled with specificity in all the best ways. I'm very picky with what I recommend, especially in this genre. I promise you will LOVE this--and all of Meg's other books as well." - Elin Hilderbrand, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Couple

"Mansion Beach is delightful, transportive, and addictive. Meg Mitchell Moore writes perfectly about regrets, love, secrets, and class. I was completely captivated by this world full of waterfront mansions, complex characters, and messy love triangles." - Jennifer Close, bestselling author of Girls in White Dresses

"An unputdownable modern-day take on The Great Gatsby, complete with lavish summer parties, ill-advised love affairs, a dead body, and obscene wealth. This time, with a cast of complicated, ambitious young women telling the tale. I gobbled it up." - J. Courtney Sullivan, New York Times bestselling author of The Cliffs

"Moore's insightful tenth book...makes for entertaining and deeply relatable reading.... The narrative sparkles with textural details." - Shelf Awareness