Cece Downing's Start Over Summer: A Novel
Jun 2026 · Sold by Penguin
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About this ebook
A witty, heartfelt novel about a young woman who leaves everything behind to work on an oyster farm in a small New England town.
Recently fired from her dependable career as an actuary, and recovering from a messy breakup with her fiancé, thirty-two-year-old Cece Downing is holed up for the summer in New London, Connecticut, without a plan. Mounting financial debts soon force Cece to take the first job opportunity that comes her way—one she’s wholly unsuited for—as a deckhand on an oyster boat.
Surprisingly, Cece finds herself loving the job: working with her hands, breathing the fresh sea air, and learning the ins and outs of oyster farming. And despite her overbearing mother’s pleas to get a “real” job and reunite with her wealthy fiancé, Cece plunges headlong into an ill-advised romance with her neighbor, a handsome shipyard worker named Morgan.
When a proposal to expand the oyster farm throws the community into an uproar, pitting wealthy waterfront owners against blue collar workers, Cece finds herself caught in the middle. And as a family crisis forces her to reevaluate her reckless choices Cece must come to terms with what she’s willing to sacrifice for the life she wants to live.
Recently fired from her dependable career as an actuary, and recovering from a messy breakup with her fiancé, thirty-two-year-old Cece Downing is holed up for the summer in New London, Connecticut, without a plan. Mounting financial debts soon force Cece to take the first job opportunity that comes her way—one she’s wholly unsuited for—as a deckhand on an oyster boat.
Surprisingly, Cece finds herself loving the job: working with her hands, breathing the fresh sea air, and learning the ins and outs of oyster farming. And despite her overbearing mother’s pleas to get a “real” job and reunite with her wealthy fiancé, Cece plunges headlong into an ill-advised romance with her neighbor, a handsome shipyard worker named Morgan.
When a proposal to expand the oyster farm throws the community into an uproar, pitting wealthy waterfront owners against blue collar workers, Cece finds herself caught in the middle. And as a family crisis forces her to reevaluate her reckless choices Cece must come to terms with what she’s willing to sacrifice for the life she wants to live.
A witty, heartfelt novel about a young woman who leaves everything behind to work on an oyster farm in a small New England town.
Recently fired from her dependable career as an actuary, and recovering from a messy breakup with her fiancé, thirty-two-year-old Cece Downing is holed up for the summ...
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Ratings and reviews
1 review
Paula Pugh
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July 22, 2026
A young woman who has lost her high income job and broken up with her fiance moves temporarily to New London, CT, to start over and figure out what she really wants. She gets a job on an oyster farm, something she has no experience with. Her life swirls up and down like a ferris wheel while she vacillates between her old life and her future. A complicated story ensues as things get all mixed up. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
About the author
A native of Nyack, New York, Soon Wiley is the author of the novel When We Fell Apart. He currently teaches English in the Upper School at Greenwich Country Day School, where he also serves as chair of the English department. He resides with his family in Connecticut.
A native of Nyack, New York, Soon Wiley is the author of the novel When We Fell Apart. He currently teaches English in the Upper School at Greenwich Country Day School, where he also serves as chair of the English department. He resides with his family in Connecticut.
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