Monday, 30 May 2022

Books Read: Beach House Summer by Sarah Morgan

A marriage in the spotlight 
Joanna Whitman’s high-profile marriage held more secrets than she cares to remember, so when her ex-husband dies, she doesn't know what to feel. But when she discovers that he’s left behind a pregnant young woman, Joanna is forced to act. She knows exactly how brutal the spotlight on them both will be…unless she can find a way for them to disappear.

A beach house hideaway 
Ashley Blake is amazed when Joanna suggests they lie low at her beach house in her sleepy Californian hometown. Joanna should be hating her, not helping her. But alone and pregnant, Ashley needs all the support she can find.

A summer of new beginnings 
Joanna's only goal for the summer is privacy. All Ashley wants is space to plan for her and her baby's future. But when an old flame reappears, and secrets spill out under the hot summer sun, this unlikely friendship is put to the test…

Book Links: Kindle or Paperback

I'd like to thank HQ for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour and for my copy of Beach House Summer to review. 

Sarah Morgan is one of my go-to authors when I'm looking for a heartwarming, feel-good read and she doesn't disappoint with her latest book Beach House Summer which features two women, Joanna and Ashley, who were complete strangers but soon their lives become entwined. Their paths might not have crossed in the most conventional of manners but in their times of need, they are both there to support and encourage one another to take the steps necessary to move on with their lives. 

From the outset I was asking myself what would I have done in Joanna's shoes and I'd like to think that I'd have been as welcoming, especially once the full details are revealed, but until you are in the same situation I don't think anyone really knows how they'd react. It also took guts for Ashley to take matters into her own hands even if the outcome ended in the most devastating of circumstances and left her feeling even more alone.   

I loved the whole concept of escaping from the spotlight to a remote beach side house to come to terms with the way your life has been turned upside down. For Joanna it's a chance to re-evaluate her life after putting up with so much from her philandering ex-husband who she still worked with running the business side of things. What's in store for her now? Whereas for Ashley, it's a chance to come to terms with everything and decide what she wants to do next.  

As for the setting, the Californian beach town of Silver Point sounded like the perfect place to run to for them to recuperate although for Joanna she also had some ghosts to lay to rest and friendships to repair having left the town so suddenly 20 years ago. But with the beach on your doorstep, and a vibrant community welcoming you with open arms, how could you not cast your demons and fears aside and make new plans for the future? 

Friendships, old and new, are at the heart of this novel and it was great to see both Joanna and Ashley blossom as the story progressed. Both women had suffered greatly in the past and it's only over time that they can heal and move on.

I hope that this not the last that we see of Joanna, Ashley and the rest of the community of Silver Point even if it was just a catch-up novella at some point in the future. 

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