Skip to main content

Beach House Summer - Sarah Morgan Book Review *gifted


Hi everyone, I am slowly getting back into blogging after a break, my nan passed away a few months ago and work has been really busy, but it's good to get back into posting, and there's much more going on around here to hopefully see, photograph and share with you all.

I was lucky enough to be invited to join the blog tour for Beach House Summer, the latest release by Sarah Morgan recently, although too much screen time and late arrival of my review copy mean I am a little behind posting, so I am sorry for that, but let's get into the review.

Beach House Summer follows the story of Joanna Whitman, the ex of celebrity chef Cliff Whitman. When Cliff passes away she discovers another secret from a marriage full of secrets and lies; he left behind a daughter. The story follows Joanna connecting with Ashley, Cliff's daughter, and a pregnant, vulnerable young lady. Joanna takes Ashley under her wing and whisks her off for a 'Beach House Summer' that neither of them will ever forget. While Joanna seeks privacy from the spotlight and media attention that still follows her wherever she goes, Ashley seeks time and space to get her life together and is amazed when Joanna offers what she needs.  This novel follows a path of new friendships, old flames, and self-discovery against the backdrop of Silver Point, a seaside town where everyone's got your back. 

This was a novel of a few unexpected twists and turns, starting with a tragedy, and the death of someone I expected to be a big part of the story. When a character questioned WHY, I questioned along with them, when romance was obviously on the cards I wondered how it would play out and how predictable it would be, it was a book that got me thinking, maybe sometimes a little too much. I got distracted by images in my head of sequels and prequels. Of Cliff playing out the attention-seeking chef role, and a sequel where Joanna had fully taken over the bookstore, and we learned more of Eden's story. For me, she was one of the most interesting characters, and I enjoyed reading about the family dynamic Sarah had created for her, the resistance, and eventual understanding from her mother was quite moving. I think it would be fair to say that some parts of the story caught my imagination more than others, and that's where the daydreaming of other possibilities for the characters took over. 

I liked the little touches of humour such as when Mary-Lou told Mel all about Mrs Highgates pampered pooch eating a neighbour's begonias (why is it always begonias that come under attack). Nate's character also shone and jumped from the page. His genuine warmth, passion for cooking, and how good he is with people is something made to be seen and heard, and not just read about. He wasn't central to the story at this stage, but he stuck in my mind.

Each character has an emotion or feeling attached to their story at various points in Beach House Summer, and the strength of those feelings shines through. From Ashley's insecurities as a mum-to-be, and Mel's stubborn conviction that she is doing right by her daughter, to the weight of the world on Joanna's shoulders it's all there to feel along with them. Like this quote in one of Joanna's chapters: "Most of her life had felt as if she was in a strong current, pulled and tugged in a direction she didn't want to go. She'd been trapped by the force of it, flung around by Cliff and the media, battered on the rocks of life. But she'd survived, and she'd survive this next crisis whatever happened."

Whether it's a sense of conviction, stubbornness, poignancy, or warmth of character and togetherness it's all there to explore. I was also sitting reading this on sunny days in the garden, so it would've been fun if I could jump right in there and grab a cool drink at the beach cafe, visit the cosy bookstore, and walk along the beach with ice cream. Perhaps more could have been made of the beach house summer vibes that were promised, and my mind did wander a little in places, but the character development was very well thought through and the moments of emotion well-timed. I'm just hoping for a prequel, I know there's a fiesty character out there somewhere that could bring Cliff down a peg or two!

'Beach House Summer' is out now in paperback, hardback, and audiobook. To find out more visit Sarah Morgan's Website or follow HQ Stories on social media. Thanks to HQ for supplying a review copy for this blog tour post. What have you been reading lately? Do let me know and show me your latest blog posts, I'd love to read them. 



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Hobbycraft Lino Printing Online Workshop Review

 One of the things that has been great to see now we have come through the worst of the Covid pandemic, has been companies continuing with the online activities they launched during the lockdowns. Hobbycraft now offer a wide range of workshops online and in-store through the year, and I recently took part in an online lino printing workshop, so I thought I'd blog a bit more about what's on offer and the workshop I took part in. What workshops are on offer?  These vary through the year, and can involve seasonal, adults, and kid's workshops in-store and online. If you click on the workshops you are interested in finding out more about, you can find out about what's included in the price, what you'll learn, and the available workshop dates, there's also the opportunity to request private events for groups. While I'm writing this, there are workshops on Cricut, watercolour painting, knitting, paint pouring, seasonal wreath making, using clay, sewing, and a new

The Christmas Holiday By Phillipa Ashley Book Review

I apologise now for any or all mentions of the word Christmas in this blog post, but with a lot going on in life and work I just have to go with whatever calls to me in my reading pile, which this time was The Christmas Holiday by Phillipa Ashley.  Released last year, this book will always have a special place in my bookish heart because I helped with some crafting inspiration for it, and to see my name in the credits of this paperback is something I will always treasure. I was so excited to see how and where my ideas were used, but managed to control my impatience and not skip any pages. Although I have been a member of Phillipa's Facebook group for a while, this is my first read of hers  (have another in my reading pile) so I opened this book with a mix of anticipation and a slight fear of the unknown - I really wanted to love the book I helped with! And love it I did. It made a refreshing change to read a novel set in the Lake District, and also one which wasn't just a stere

Hocus Pocus 2 Film Review

Halloween is one of my favourite times of year for films, and I've loved all the witch and wizard magical, spooky-themed films since I was young. I was really looking forward to seeing Hocus Pocus 2, but I had no idea what to expect from the sequel. Would they pick up where they left off in 1993, move on a bit but with a strong connection to the original, or do something completely different? This Disney + release turned out to be the latter, and I found myself watching a modern-day Salem on screen. The old town is now a 'historic district' which has the air of a novel tourist attraction, complete with a mystical magic shop which presents the story of Salem and the Sanderson Sisters as some kind of commercial entertainment enterprise - hear the story, buy some magical merch.  The detail in Gilbert's shop and his stage show presentation are very apt for the modern day, and the feeling that the Sanderson sister's legend has become less powerful and more humorous myth