What started as a snapshot inside Newport’s exquisite houses transformed into a full-fledged love letter to the small coastal city. For her new book, A Newport Summer, interior designer Ruthie Sommers joined forces with photographer Nick Mele to document the homes, beaches and community that make Newport the shining gem of New England. “Newport is multifaceted yet simple, timeless yet constantly evolving,” says Sommers, who spends every summer there.

A Newport Summer captures life inside and out of the Grand Gilded Age houses, from tennis matches — Sommers loves the grass courts at the International Tennis Hall of Fame — to beachside clambakes. Here, a quick preview of the stylish new book.