There was enough going on in the book to keep me reading, but really, you have to suspend belief. The way Joanna is embraced in her home town after a 20 year hiatus is, quite frankly, unbelievable. It's all a bit too perfect. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A cleverly written tale of the downside of being the focus of paparazzi and gossip columns. Sarah has combined intrigue and suspense to keep the reader guessing about Ashley’s relationship with Cliff and Joanna as well as the father of her baby.
The beautiful setting of Silver Point and stunning beach house have everything and will make you wish you lived there and could be a part of that friendly, warm and supportive community.
This is definitely a romance novel with added bite and written with much sage and wisdom. I thoroughly enjoyed my Beach House Summer and will be reading more of Sarah Morgan’s books if they are this stimulating.

Beach House Summer by Sarah Morgan is the most delightful contemporary novel that will warm your heart and make you smile.
The whole novel has a beautiful aroma of love. It is a book about loving well – loving those who love us and loving ourselves.
Sometimes in life we are hurt by words spoken over us and we believe we are unlovable. “She… stabbed you with words. And that wound stayed with you.” Words can pierce us and destroy us. We need to know that we are worth so much more than cruel words spoken over us.
We see the effect on a character that others have had by continually telling her she is worthless. We all need to surround ourselves with those who believe in us. “She believed in me, at a time when I didn’t believe in myself.” We all need positive role models.
The novel is about parenting. Some people are too selfish to parent well. Others are cruel. And some just exude love. You do not necessarily need to have given birth in order to parent well. Some people just have a default setting of love.
You are never too old or too young to dream. Sometimes are dreams evolve and change. What we once thought we wanted pales into insignificance when we realise that we already have our heart’s desire.
We need to let our children achieve their own dreams and not try to mould them into the life we think they should have.
The novel is about a community, a community that is a family. “This is your hometown… We’re your people.” It is a community that protects and loves its own. Hearts, homes and lives open up.
The novel is about choices. “Her choices aren’t yours.” We are not destined to repeat the mistakes of our parents. We must own our own choices.
I really loved Beach House Summer. It was a delightfully charming book about loving and caring. It makes the reader feel loved and cared for too, as if we have come home.
I received a free copy from Harper Collins via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

I didn’t get very far with this book there was so much description it was very off putting that I didn’t want to carry on, sorry

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. I’ve had the joy of reviewing a few of Sarah’s books and they are all great reads

This is a perfect beach read . Friendships old and new family ,secrets ,lies and new beginnings are all themes in this book.

Written in alternate narratives of the 2 women , both very different but with 1 man in common.

Its going to be a summer of the unexpected so where best to escape then to her hometown. But rather than escape the drama it soon follows the ladies.

Published may 26th

I love Sarah Morgan books and A Beach House Summer did not disappoint. I always feel like I’m part of the book I get so immersed in the story and imagery. A book about love, friendship and second chances. A must read this summer

Joanna Whitman's ex husband, celebrity chef Cliff has just been killed in a car accident, the young woman in the car with him survived and, Joanna discovers, is also pregnant, having had experience of the media spotlight while she was married to Cliff, she knows what this young girl will be faced with and she goes to visit Ashley in hospital, with a proposition. Ashley Blake is shocked and certain Joanna will change her mind when she discovers the truth. Joanna is nervous about returning to her hometown of Silver Point on the Californian coast, to the people she left behind twenty years ago and the memories she's tried to bury, but she's promised to help Ashley and hopefully herself at the same time.

Beach House Summer is multi narrated by Joanna, Ashley and Mel and highlights the importance of friendships and relationships, both new and old and how living in a small close knit community has many benefits when it comes to protecting the people that are important to you. I loved the close bond that Joanna and Ashley built up between them, even though they were technically strangers, it was a joy to see how they looked out for each other. Otter's Nest sounded like the perfectly idyllic location and the author described the setting in so much detail, I actually felt I was there with them taking in that view! This is the latest novel by this well loved author who draws her readers in by creating stories that are authentic, with characters that are relateable. It's a fabulously heartwarming read that I would highly recommend.

I'd like to thank HQ and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

Its been a while since I have read a book by Sarah Morgan, I miss the days of her contemporary romances such as the Puffin Island & Manhattan With Love series. Her women's fiction of late has lacked the sparkle of her earlier stuff, and I think that's mainly because each book focusses on multiple characters with heavier issues over and above love and relationships being weaved into the narrative.

Joanna and Ashley's stories intertwine in the most tragic of consequences and as expected secrets and lies are revealed and come to the forefront as the story develops, the romance is very much in the background and secondary to the drama. Beach House summer wasn't as dull as A Wedding in December, it held my interest but it still didn't hit the enjoyment levels of her earlier stuff.

Another winner about a Joanna Rafferty whose chef husband gets killed in a car crash with a woman beside him who’s pregnant! Is it his? The truth is far stranger but the young girl changes Joanna’s life for the better. Joanna decided to go back to her childhood home and face whatever consequences there. And it was by far the best thing she could have chosen to have done.

Another great read from Sarah Morgan, if you are a fan of hers you won't want to miss this one. Lovely story line and very well written. 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this e ARC

When celebrity chef, and well-known womanizer, Cliff Whitman dies in a car accident the media are sent into a frenzy.

Joanna doesn’t know whether to feel sad or relieved over her ex-husband’s death. But she does know the journalists won’t leave her be in the wake of the news. Especially as there was an unknown pregnant female in the car with him at the time.

Ashley is more than a little confused when Joanna Whitman turns up at the hospital and suggests they hide away together in the seaside town of her childhood. But alone and pregnant, Ashley is left with very little choice but to accept the offer.

Melanie is shocked when she sees the reports on television. Her heart instantly goes out to the best friend she hasn’t seen for more than two decades. But when Joanna returns to town, Melanie finally has the chance to get some answers.

The only goal for the summer is privacy, but the return to Silver Point causes waves amongst the local community. But as secrets are spilled and the press begin to close in friendships, new and old, are about to be put to the test.

I always love diving into a new Sarah Morgan novel as I’m guaranteed to find an uncomplicated relaxing read, and this novel was no exception.

Told from multiple POV, this is a story about friendship, second chances and community spirit, set against the backdrop of a small town on the captivating California coastline. The narrative is more character focussed than plot, and the three female protagonists each lend something a little different to the story whilst remaining realistic and relatable in their emotions and reactions.

Of course, there’s a little romance, would we want a book in this genre any other way? But it decidedly takes a backseat in this story and is more of a “cherry on the cake” nicety sprinkled throughout.

With summer fast approaching I would highly recommend this book for your lounger literature of choice. Although it might get your fingers itching to book a one way ticket to Cali!

I really enjoyed this book although it was a little hard to get into at the beginning. It is a story of life, love and second chances. It follows Joanna from childhood to the present day. Her life experiences have made her unsure of herself, her ability to be loved and to be able to stand up for herself. She has an unhappy marriage to a celebrity chef and does not like the publicity that surrounds them. She lives the life of a hermit until something happens to bring her back into the spotlight again. Friendships are made and some re-discovered which make this an interesting read which I would recommend.

Joanna Whitman was married to famous chef, Cliff, for two decades, during which time he cheated on her constantly.
So when Cliff dies in a car accident and his pregnant passenger, Ashley survives, Joanna suggest that the two of them hide out from the media together at the beach house she grew up in.
But this means returning to her home town, which she ran away from 20 years ago, leaving behind her best friend Mel and first love Nate, and having to deal with the consequences behind it all.
Ashley is left wondering why Joanna is protecting her when she should hate her.

I loved this book - it's definitely one of my favourites that I've read by Sarah Morgan!
I love how you spend so long believing something is one way and then suddenly it turns out it isn't, and never actually has been.
It's so cleverly written out to make you think you've read something that you haven't.
The characters were all great - I enjoyed getting to know them and learning about Silver Point.
The beach house, Otters Nest, sounded beautiful and was in an idyllic location that I could picture quite clearly.
I could barely put this down - an easy 5 stars for me. 🥰

Oh dear; I found this entire novel really rather dull. There's too much waffling - they all just go on and on! - and not enough forward motion. Seriously, the whole thing could be half the length and have delivered the same story. A somewhat self-indulgent, oh-god-I-need-to-produce-30,000-words-for-my-publisher, novel. I am sure there is a market for this kind of bland, predictable book, but it's certainly not for me.

Fans of Sarah Morgan will be delighted with her latest novel which whisks readers to a surfing town on the Californian coast. Examining how we’re shaped by the past and that it takes courage to face our decisions, the story presents the need for compassion and acceptance instead of a hard-nosed telling off if what we do doesn’t please someone else.

Morgan has built her career on writing about the difficulties of human relationships and love within comfortable settings. There is a warmth and clarity to her work, and always a satisfying ending, and Beach House Summer offers readers a chance to forget the hum-drum that came with pandemic restrictions and to look forward to a summer of get-aways and spontaneity that have long been missed.

Central to the story is Joanna Whitman, whose ex, Cliff, a US celebrity chef with a ‘mega-watt smile’, is killed in a car crash in the Hollywood Hills. Although divorced, Joanna is heavily involved in his business affairs so when he dies, she’s pursued by the press.

But another woman, Ashley, is being hunted as well. She survived the crash and has a secret of her own.

The story takes Joanna to her home beach town of Silver Point where ‘colourful blooms billowed from pots and window boxes’, a place she hasn’t returned to since meeting Cliff 20 years earlier.

Soon unresolved issues come to the fore concerning Joanna’s friendship with her childhood best friend Mel, and Mel’s twin Nate, who has a ‘lean and fit’ body and hair ‘flopping toward his eyes’ – cue Joanna’s first love.

What it means to belong is also key to the meaning of the book and themes are explored within a story that contains characters with substantial backstory.

There’s a lot of dialogue – the three viewpoint characters are clearly talkers – but fortunately Sarah Morgan is good at writing it. Issues are likely to be discussed in depth and then returned to several times over so that every angle is covered to air both sides of the story. Not a problem if you like a good chat.

Setting the story on the deep-blue pacific Californian coastline where the ‘white-capped ocean… swirled and smashed against the rocks sending spray flying high’ is a wonderful distraction to looking at your own, or someone else’s garden, as we have during the pandemic.

And although Cliff is dead, his A-lister status means his character plays a starring role throughout. Those who enjoy escapism will really like this.

This is a lovely read – realised characters, interesting threads, nicely plotted.

As Ashley, the car crash survivor, says, “Life doesn’t turn out the way you plan it, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be good, does it? It’s just a change in direction. And there’s no law that says dreams can’t change.” Exactly.

Thanks to publisher HQ and NetGalley for an advance copy to review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book. I have never read a book by Sarah Morgan and I liked the look of this one.
I found the story engaging from the start, with relatable characters. The character development was good and I found myself wanting to know what happened to each person. I like how the book switched between each character throughout. The book has short chapters which always helps me to keep reading more. The story was well written and easy to read. There was plenty going on to keep me entertained as the story progressed. I was able to feel sympathy for the characters and I wanted to know the ending. I loved reading about the setting of the beach house. I have been longing for a beach holiday and reading about the location of the beach house made me feel like I could really picture the scene. An excellent written story that kept me engaged from start to finish.
I would recommend this book for fans of Jenny Colgan and Sophie Kinsella, I love their books and I really enjoyed this one too. I will be looking out for more of Sarah Morgan’s books to read.

Wow this was a great weekend escape read.
The author always writes characters and family stories incredibly well. These characters had such a rich history and their evolution and redemption arcs were fully explored.
The setting was wonderful, one of those magical, small towns that seem right out of a Hallmark movie.
It left me feeling like I'd just been wrapped in a warm hug, it was a lovely read.

Joanna Whitman’s high profile twenty year marriage was full of secrets, but when her ex-husband dies, Joanna is unsure how she feels. But when Joanna discovers a young pregnant woman, Ashley, was with her ex-husband she knows she must act quickly. The spotlight will be on them so she needs to find a way to make them both disappear. Ashley is confused as to why Joanna wants to help her and not hate her but soon realises she’ll need all the help she can get.

Once again Sarah Morgan instantly picks you up and throws you straight into the plot. It’s emotional and heartwarming and you really feel you live and breath every moment with Joanna and Ashley. Perfect escapism that you won’t want to put down. Thank you to NetGalley, HQ and the author for the chance to review.

Sarah Morgan hits the mark as always with this. I haven’t read a book by her I didn’t like yet . If your a fan this one is a must. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher!

I’ve only ready Sarah’s Christmas offerings and whilst I’m definitely a festive wintery person, I am a big fan of her writing so I was keen to get stuck in and see if a summer-based one was just as good. And I needn’t have worried.

This definitely feels more adult, more serious than the others I’ve read, and that’s not a bad thing. The serious tone suits this story and it’s themes, and there are some tough subjects like death and grief, loneliness and isolation, parent loss and miscarriage, hormonal teens and an invasion of privacy. But it’s all subtle, it’s not like a wallop of one thing after another.

There are three main POVs - Joanna, Ashley and Mel. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two, Mel’s slightly less, but it did provide an extra layer of narrative and emotion to the story as you read further on.

At first I did think it was going to be an easy read, a happily-ever-after romcom type situation, and whilst there were elements of that, it definitely goes a lot further and a lot deeper than that.

This is more character focussed for me than plot focussed. Each person is wrung dry with feeling, they’re clearly whole and well rounded, people that Sarah knows in and out and has come to love, and that love pours out of the page. The writing is very natural, nothing seems forced, her books all feel like you’re sitting talking to a close friend.

The sign of a good book is one where you don’t keep an eye on how long it’s taking you to read. Before I knew it, I was half way through.

It is comforting and loving and friendly and warm. It’s full of love and the importance of friendship and making your own family. It makes you question yourself, it shows that not everything is how it may appear on the surface. It’s full of strong women, but they’re not strong just to make a point, they are naturally powerful women, whether they believe they are or not.