Hannah is a writer. Her first published romance novel has been a best seller. She lives in a small apartment in Brooklyn but is going home to Cape Cod to spend some time with her sister Sara and her Aunt Maddie.

As the world knows, Cape Cod is one of the loveliest of places. It has beautiful scenery, wealthy people, and marvelous boutiques which carry expensive name brands.

It became tiresome reading about name brands and lovely colors exclusive to Chatham.

I have read books by Ms Kelley that I enjoyed very much. This one seemed to be rather bland compared to her other books.

There was no really dramatic conflict. Everything just went along at a slow pace.

Hannah wrote books and had hit a block. She tried some things which helped her get back in the writing groove.

Sara’s husband, Tom, was a jerk to her. They lived a very good life with their 4 boys. Sara wanted a part time job and when Tom did not understand her, she went away for a week so he could get a picture of what she did for the family.

Maddie and her husband were living apart because she wanted it. But, she never actually said why.

That is what seemed to be my problem with the book. There were just a number of times when it seemed not much happened.

I really enjoy Ms Kelley’s writing. She has created interesting characters and entertaining plots. For me, this was just not one of her best.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.

“The Seaside Sisters” by Pamela M. Kelley
Summer brings Changes
I did love my time in this story. There is friendship, family, and love; new connections and re-connections, too. All wrapped up in a wonderful summer on the Cape with folks with strong ties to NYC and Boston and of course the Cape. Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with these people; and, yes my heart broke a bit at times, and I had a scare, too. But the joy to be found in this story is just… I don’t have the words at this moment. But I will say this is a worthy read; so, Happy Reading ! !

3.5 Stars

This was not a romance, although there was a happy ending for both sisters and their Aunt Maddie!
This was not a book I would compare to Mary Kay Andrews- MKA's books have a little sizzle to them, but this book does not. It is a very clean romance. This novel deals more with the grief each sister has to get over when their mother dies. Hannah, the youngest sister, has a bit of writer's block; Sara, the older sister, has some issues with her marriage, and Aunt Maddie has issues with her marriage.

We learn a lot about Cape Cod, 'ghost' a lawyer for some writer's tidbits, and find out how a mother of four copes with a recalcitrant husband and a new job and make a ton of new friends.


A pleasant read for a day at the beach, even if it's not Cape Cod!

*ARC was supplied by the publisher St. Martin's Griffin/ Macmillan Publishers, the author, and NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this book. I chose this book after reading multiple thrillers back to back. This was the perfect "feel good" book to cleanse my palate. I have read multiple books from this author, so I came into the book with high expectations and I was not disappointed. I enjoyed the multiple plot lines from multiple characters that I would love to meet and hang out with in real life. The cape cod setting was very enjoyable to me as well. I have never been to that area myself, but the author does such a lovely job of making me feel like I'm right there with the characters. The slow burn romance is always a nice addition as well. I like the fact that her characters have relatable relationship issues and that there aren't always happy endings to every relationship. It definitely makes the characters less fictional and more relatable. Adds a level to the plot lines and enjoyment of the book for me. This would make a lovely beach and/or pool read this summer!! A huge thank you to Netgalley for this ARC!!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read both the Book and listen to the Audiobook for The Seaside Sisters.

This is a fantastic beach read. It starts out following an author who's mother has died and she comes back to her home town to try and deal with it while staying with her Aunt. I love the books where someone comes home and ends up changing their life by doing that. I enjoyed all the relationships in this book and the ending made me smile out loud. I wish there was a sequel to this so we could see what happens down the road and with the other people.

Hannah moves "home" for the summer, home being a small historic town in Cape Cod. She hopes it helps her recover from the recent passing of her mother and that it reivigorates her writing of her next book. There are some small subplots with her sister Sara, her Aunt Maddie, and Maddie's neighbors. Hannah meets some former high school classmates, including Spencer. Ms. Kelley weaves a tale of revulsion that evolves to something else. Without giving away the main plot, I guarantee you will be hooked if you like a well written story that holds your interest.

Easy beach read taking place in Cape Cod. Pamela Kelley’s consistent formula always uplifts. Family bonds, life choices, and summer vibes all make this a fun summer read.

Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Seaside Sisters
By: Pamela M. Kelley
St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin

In The Seaside Sisters, Kelley took me to New York skylines before sweeping me away to the shores of Chatham, Cape Cod. I never looked back until I finished this refreshing, summery novel. Main character sisters are the single Hannah, a New York based author, and Sara, a wife, boy mom, and former librarian living in Cape Cod. Both are dealing with the grief of their mother's death. Hannah returns to Chatham to work on her second book for a summer.

I love a book that transports me to a beautiful setting, as well as those featuring sisters since I love mine so much.
The book flows beautifully with summertime events involving careers, family, and friendships. The tenderness and ebb and flow of marriage, as well as the excitement and anticipation of new romances are both featured in the love stories within the plot. Make room for this book in your summer bag for patio, oceanside, or book nook reading!

I received a gifted advance reader's copy from St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin through Net Galley. My review is my own.

#StMartinsPress #StMartinsGriffin #theseasidesisters #pamelakelley #netgalley

NOTE: I will post to my Bookstagram in May and to retail sites upon publication.

Great Summer read. Hannah grew up on Cape Cod, but she's lived in Brooklyn for 10 years and she loves it. Her mother died a few months before and her house was still sitting there, as she left it. Hannah is an author, but she's been stuck with her writing so she decides to go back to the Cape to visit with her sister, her sister's family, and her aunt and uncle. Her aunt has a large enough home and Hannah is welcomed for as long as she wants to stay.

Almost as soon as Hannah arrives, she starts making new acquaintances and friends. She decides to write in a coffee shop and her writer's block disappears. Her sister is bored being a full time homemaker and mother and she gets a job at a bookstore. And the aunt and uncle have separated. So all is not easy and happy, but Hannah still is enjoying herself.

As is the author's style, the books contains references to real locations, real wines and local specialties at restaurants. The story is easy to read and the relationships have some conflict, but nothing really angsty. It's a fun read, perfect for light summer reading.

I listened to the audio book and the narrator is great.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This will be a perfect beach read for this summer. Really enjoyable read. I love these books set in coastal towns. Just a nice and enjoyable read.

I was really excited to see this new novel from Ms. Kelley! I'm never disappointed with her books.
Loved this novel too! Wow!
So realistic that I felt like I was there myself.
Wonderful characters with a storyline that made me happy, sad and thinking about Hannah long after this book is finished.
The setting was beautiful. I enjoyed returning to Chatham and Cape Cob.
Sometimes you just need a change or a break in order to get things working again or just maybe something will trigger it to help you along.

I finished this book in one evening it was sooooo good. Nothing like being near the beach with a good book.
I am looking forward to the next book from Ms. Kelley.

5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and Pamela M. Kelley for allowing me to read and review this book.

I absolutely loved this book. It was such a cute and fun read. This book is very well-written and the characters are all interesting.

This book is a contemporary romance that follows three different characters. The three main characters are sisters Hannah and Sara, and their Aunt Maddie. Hannah is a romcom author writing her second book. Sara is a mother of four boys that starts working at the local bookstore. Maddie is a publishing agent. Although Hannah lives in New York, for the summer she stays with her Aunt Maddie in her hometown Chatham, Cape Cod.

The book follows as Hannah works through her writer's block, Sara as she goes through marital problems and shifting from SAHM to a working at the local bookstore, and Aunt Maddie as she works through marital problems. The book also follows all three of them as they work through their grief of losing Hannah and Sara's mother, Maddie's sister, a few months previously.

While the summer progresses, we get to follow the lives of these three women, their love lives, and their careers.

I loved this book. All the story lines were interesting to me and I loved the characters. The romance was slow-burn, and we got to see three different types of romances at different stages in the relationships. I love that every character had some sort of part in the world of books.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a contemporary romance surrounded by the world of books. This is a no-spice slow burn contemporary romance.

I was super happy to get my hands on something by this author again after enjoying "The Bookshop by the Bay". I didn't know that we would get to glimpse the MCs from the mentioned book in this one, and that was great.

Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of this book's plot seeing how the story went in unexpected directions (not in a nice way) and was very confusing to me as the reader. Some characters gave me mixed signals, which in a way contradicted each other. I read one of the character's very differently, so I was shocked at the later outcome. While Kelley has an engaging writing style, I didn't find her characters as captivating, and felt they were rather dull and 2D.

Entertaining story of sisters dealing with issues. One is struggling to finish her second book while the other gave up her career to raise her 4 sons with very little help from her husband. The writer comes to stay in Chatham with her aunt for the summer and where her sister also lives.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Seaside Sisters by Pamela M Kelley. I’m ashamed to say this is my first book read by her, but will not be my last. The story focuses on two sisters at different stages in life and reunite for the Summer in Cape Cod, where the older of the two still lives. It’s a perfect beach read and definitely has me thinking of summer and sunny days ahead,

Hannah a best selling author finds herself with writers block and decides to go home to Chatham on Cape Cod for the summer. There she finds family and friends are the best medicine. And along the way a romance and maybe a new home.

I first read this author last summer and was excited to have the opportunity to review this ARC, but overall, found the storyline and characters to be lacking. Conversations were repetitive, the plot was fairly flat and predictable, and brownies were served as dessert in at least half a dozen instances, which felt lazy, at best. I feel like this had the bones to make for a decently interesting story, but that it was rushed somewhere along the line. I leave feeling unfulfilled, with zero emotional attachment to the characters or their lives.

In 'The Seaside Sisters' by Pamela M. Kelley, the picturesque shores of Chatham, Cape Cod, become a stage for a heartwarming tale of sisterhood and self-discovery. As Brooklyn-based bestselling author Hannah grapples with personal tribulations, her steadfast older sister Sara yearns to reignite her passion for literature amidst family life's hustle and bustle. Kelley's vivid prose effortlessly transports readers to sun-drenched beaches and quaint bookstores, imbuing every setting with warmth and nostalgia.

What sets 'The Seaside Sisters' apart is its cast of relatable characters and the transformative power of literature. Hannah and Sara leap off the page as friends navigating life's twists with courage and grace. Amidst the sandy shores, romance blooms, adding sweetness to a narrative that celebrates the bonds of sisterhood and the magic of books. With its visually descriptive narrative and authentic portrayal, 'The Seaside Sisters' is a captivating love letter to the beach and the ties that bind us together, inviting readers to be swept away by Chatham's irresistible charm."

Meet Hannah, a writer who decides to spend the summer in her hometown of Chatham, MA for a change of scenery as she writes her next book, and Sara, her sister, who is struggling to carve out time for herself in a busy life caring for 4 boys and a husband. This is a cute story with very little substance that will work just fine for the beach when you’re several margaritas in.

That being said, I nearly did not finish this book. I felt like the author was writing a term paper with a length requirement, simply stuffing words in random places to get to the requisite number to turn the book in to her editor. I can overlook a little bit of this in an ARC, as I know it will get edited, but in this case, it was so pervasive, I don’t know how you would edit it and still have much of a story left. There was so much repetition and belaboring of points. Things were explained that do not need to be explained (who doesn’t know what cornhole is, really?).

I also did not feel like there was much effort put into character and plot development. The whole story felt a little bit like reporting the news. There was very little emotion. Decisions were made with seemingly little feeling or thought. Whole plotlines would be wrapped up in a sentence (maybe a paragraph, if you were lucky) with neat little endings.

I do very much appreciate NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. If you’re looking for a simple book that’s easy to follow, you might enjoy this one. For those with reading tastes similar to mine, though, unfortunately I have to give this book 2 stars, do not recommend.

This author has a huge following who await every new book she writes. This one has a really good storyline, with characters you want to know more about, and you feel as though they could be your friends.
There have been comments from some readers that feel the author talks too much about the food the characters eat, the wine they drink, along with a few other negatives. I believe these things add to the story that she is conveying and gives the reader the feeling of “being there” with the character.
I do feel, however, that the last few chapters felt very rushed, as though the author was simply trying to get the book finished. That took away some of my enjoyment of the book.
Other than that, even with a fair amount of editing that needs to be done, the story was entertaining and kept my interest.