At 99 Josephine is coming to the end of her life and is desperate to save Talisa her island home from being taken over by the state and so she summons a young attorney Brooke to come and see her.  Brooke is intrigued, she has heard of the eccentric Josephine who hasn't, but why her and not the swanky firm that she normally uses. It seems that Josephine had a past that she wants to put right and the story takes you back to the early 40s when Josephine and her young friends,  Millie, Ruth and Varina, formed a club called the high tide club where they all went skinny dipping.  There are many dark secrets from this time and Josephine wants to discover the whereabouts of her old friends and their descendants but what will come out of the woodwork!

A good story working well in the two timelines with plenty of intrigue to keep your interested,  a good page turner

Though the book starts out a bit confusing, with characters not clearly identified in a way that made sense to me, the story did still draw me in, going back and forth between 1941 and present day. Four women comprise The High Tide Club, a bunch of single friends ages 14-19, in 1941; three are white and one is black, which is significant both of the time period as well as later in the book. These women face adversity both in the past and in present day; the book does evolve and ultimately do a good job with character development, reeling in the reader with facts slowly doled out each chapter.

In summary, a lawyer named Brooke is hired by a 99 year old woman, Josephine, to save her property from developers and the state, after she passes. Along the way, we meet members of Brooke’s family, as well as the descendants of the High Tide Club, whom Josephine wants to bequest her property. In addition, Brooke begins to be wooed by a former mentor and a past relationship also turns up at the same time, which causes some confusion for all involved. What seems to initially be a straightforward story of legal drama and righting some wrongs, turns into a multifaceted, layered affair with twists and turnabouts few will see coming.

Though most likely considered general summer fiction, there is so much more in this story. Mystery, deceit, murder, rape, racism, and romance are all intertwined with so many details, you will want to savor each page, reading slowly to capture all of the nuances and anticipate what direction the story will take. Though some storylines are predictable, the majority are not and might surprise the reader a little, making the book even more captivating and thought provoking. I stayed up late finishing it, just couldn’t put it down.

Through my association as a book blogger with NetGalley, I often have the opportunity to learn about books by authors that I've heard about but haven't read any of their books, or by authors whose other books I've read in the past.  Today's post is about the book, The High Tide Club, by Author Mary Kay Andrews.  While I've heard of Ms. Andrews' books, I've never had an opportunity to read one until now.

I started into this book thinking I was reading one of those "beach reads" but it didn't turn out to be that way.  In fact, The High Tide Club is a story about friendship and love, and the secrets that are only shared between the best of friends. 

Josephine Bettendorf Warrick is a 99 year old terminally ill but very rich heiress who wants to will her ownership in Talisa Island to her friends from long ago. She hasn't seen or kept in touch with these friends in decades, and there's also legal issues involved. Practicing law on the mainland of St. Ann, Georgia, Brooke Trapnell is a 34 year old attorney on the mainland of St. Ann, Georgia, with whom Josephine summons for a visit. 

The storyline was interesting as well. I'm starting to get used to books written in alternative time periods too, it seems to work going from the past to the present.  For this story, alternate chapters are written in present day and then looking back to the 1940's when Josephine and her friends (the High Tide Club) roamed the island freely. The story reveals secrets held all the way back from the forties. 

For the next few weeks, Brooke searches to try and meet Josephine’s request.  She even finds a living member of the High Tide Club, along with some questionable heirs and relations while trying her best to keep her own life together with its own issues.

Mary Kay Andrews creates a diverse group of characters all of whom feel very real. There is also some mystery thrown in and a bit of history.  With plenty going on, this story kept me glued to my ebook from "cover to cover". Surprisingly too, all the loose ends seem to get tidied up by the end of the story too. I especially enjoyed the bond between the older friends and the bond formed with new friends too. Most of all the setting for this book - ah, so beautiful. 

This was a great book, and I'm looking forward to reading more from Mary Kay Andrews!

I received an advanced readers digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to provide a positive review!! Thank you NetGalley!

St. Martin's Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The High Tide Club.  I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

The High Tide Club is the story of Josephine Bettendorf Warrick as she contemplates the decisions she has made throughout her 99 year old life.  Attempting to right some wrongs, Josephine summons attorney Brooke Trappnell to her private island home.  As Josephine's secrets yield startling revelations for Brooke, will she be able to help the elderly woman in her quest to set things right?  When the situation turns dire, will Brooke be able to make the right decisions for herself and for Josephine's descendants?

The mystery portions of The High Tide Club are quite interesting, as they are intricately layered throughout the story.  The relationships of the past are well described, not merely background but part of the central story.  That being said, the novel was very transparent in places and the ending just seemed to serve the purpose of wrapping the story up in a neat package.  Life is messy, as Josephine could attest, so it seemed contrary to the rest of the book that the ending would have happened in that manner.  Despite the small missteps along the way, The High Tide Club is a good beach read for those who like women's fiction with a little mystery.

If you haven't read The High Tide Club yet, then what are you even doing with your life?! I'm totally kidding... kind of. I am a HUGE fan of Mary Kay Andrews novels and The High Tide Club was another perfect example of why I love her books so much! This one comes in just under 500 pages, but I felt like I read it in five minutes. It was perfectly paced, included lots of fun southeast locations, and it had darling characters that pulled me into their world. 

The High Tide Club follows two separate groups of ladies as their worlds (even though they are years and years apart) collide on common ground. Brooke, the main character, is such a likable character and I immediately felt a connection with her. The other characters are fun and full of spunk and I really think they added to the overall attitude of the novel. 

The High Tide Club is one of my favorite reads of the year so far and I would highly recommend it to readers who enjoy women's fiction. It is the perfect book to bring along on your summer vacation! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I love Mary Kay Andrews' writing - especially when she ties in characters from previous books (and you don't have to have read the previous books - but if you have, it's a special connection). MKA is the perfect summer author, and this book stays in line with her powerful writing ability - to combine so many aspects of life within realistic stories and leave a heartfelt message as well.

I was given an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review. This book was so very well written. It captivated me the entire time!

When ninety-nine-year-old heiress Josephine Bettendorf Warrick summons Brooke Trappnell to Talisa Island, her 20,000 acre remote barrier island home, Brooke is puzzled. Everybody in the South has heard about the eccentric millionaire mistress of Talisa, but Brooke has never met her. Josephines cryptic note says she wants to discuss an important legal matter with Brooke, who is an attorney, but Brooke knows that Mrs. Warrick has long been a client of a prestigious Atlanta law firm.
As we get to know Josephine we find out some mysteries in her past and something that her friends did. We also meet a character who isn't so nice. This was a quick read and I enjoyed the characters and what they brought into the story.

I always love MKA Books. I try to make sure I read each new release every summer. This might be my favorite and that’s saying a lot as she is one of my favorite authors. These characters and this story are sticking with me. I took a minute to get into this book, but once I did, I was hooked and couldn’t stop reading. The story had me so fascinated and I was so in love with the characters, past and present. MKA outdid herself with this one. Not only did she deliver her usual southern sass with her female characters that I love, but this story also came with some history and mystery. I loved the different turn she took with this one. I did not want it to end. When it did, I kept looking for more story. I wanted more pages and more words. I was not ready to stop reading the story of the High Tide Club women. I highly recommend this one.

I really enjoy Mary Kay Andrews' novels and this book is no different! I loved the characterization in this book and the dual time lines. Sometimes in books you can be very confused by time lines and it would just drive you crazy but with this book it was well written and worked out perfectly. I felt attached to the characters and at times my heart wrenched with them and I also got happy tears with them as well. The characters were relatable but also unique with a custom background of their own. The only complaint I have with this story is that it was a bit slow at times but overall I enjoyed this novel and would recommend. I love books based in the South of course because I am a South Carolinian ya'll but I think even the slow parts added more depth to this deep, tragic, and heartwarming story.

This was a perfect summer read, released at just the right time! This really turned out to be a girlfriend story across three generations, each with their own cast of interesting characters.  And don’t leave out the guys, too.  Are they who they seem to be?  And that begs the question is anyone who they seem to be?  It was an intriguing tale with heroes and villains and many people who are a mix of good and bad, just as in real life.  I question how quickly the youngest generation bonded, but that doesn’t harm the story.  Thanks to Netgalley.

This is the first book I have read by Mary Kay Andrews – and I LOVED it! The problem with newly discovering a “seasoned” author like Ms. Andrews is that now I must go buy all her past books. I have really been missing out on a memorable author.

This is a story of the strength of friendships – old friends, new friends. Throw in some romance, some humor, secrets, deception, heartache, an unsolved murder and you have a story that keeps you entranced to the very end. Shut out the world and spend some time on Talisa Island.

The story alternates between 1941 and the present. In 1941 Josephine, Millie, Ruth and Varina were the best of friends. Then one fateful night all their lives were changed forever. Now Josephine is 99 years old and is dying of lung cancer. It is time for her to find and make amends to her dear old friends. So she contacts Brooke, a local attorney and single mother of a three-year-old boy, who desperately needs the money this job offers. Josephine, having had no children, needs Brooke to help her find her old friends and/or their heirs, and to prevent her home from being taken by the state upon her death.

The writing in this book is superb. I could envision the old rundown ivy-covered mansion among the sweltering heat and towering palm trees. And the description of Josephine Bettendorf Warrick – well, I just have to quote it – “the color photograph of a woman with a mane of wild white hair, standing defiantly in front of what looked like a pink wedding cake of a mansion. The woman wore a full-length fur coat and high-top sneakers and had a double-barreled shotgun tucked in the crook of her right arm”. I knew immediately I was going to like this cantankerous, eccentric old lady. The younger set of characters in the present are just as delightful as the ladies from 1941. I fell in love with them all.

There are several past secrets to be unveiled throughout the book. Just as I thought I had a secret figured out there would be a new surprise just waiting to be uncovered. It definitely kept me guessing, and my interest never waned.

If you loved Karen White’s “Dreams of Falling”, you will love “The High Tide Club”.

I love Mary Kay Andrews, and this book did not disappoint.  It’s set in the present, but reverts back to the 1940’s South, and privileged girls who become friends, and include a young black girl who worked for the family.   The story is started by Josephine, who is 99 and terminally ill.   She wants to make amends for all her wrong doings over time.   She enlists the help of a young attorney to help save her Island home from being taken over by the state, but that is only the beginning.  The story keeps interested as you learn about the four friends, and all the secrets they kept.  It brings together new friends which ensure in the end Josephine’s wishes are fulfilled.  

Thank you NetGalley and St.Martins Press for the ARC

Not so much, I doubt I will finish this book.  This is not what I consider a beach read and not what I expected of MKA!  This book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There's a certain "thing" that you come to expect from a Mary Kay Andrews book. 1) Strong Heroine 2) Great Storyline 3) Awesome Booktelling 4) Characters that worm their way into your heart 5) The towns she builds could be your towns.  

The awesome thing about this book is that you know going in that it's going to be a winner and not because of anything other than the story it's going to weave.  This was a golden ticket for me with a strong heroine, a ninety-nine-year-old feisty woman who could be anyone's neighbor, sister, or grandma.  It spoke of charming towns and even more charming people.  This was definitely a keeper.

4.5 stars

Great offering for Mary Kay Andrews, who does southern fiction with so much charm. I have had the opportunity to read many of her previous books and have enjoyed them all. This one will be one of my favorites though, as it has a historical storyline along with the contemporary and has a more serious tone while still being humorous. I truly enjoyed the time spent reading it. Anyone who reads southern fiction will find something for them in the High Tide Club!
From Ninety nine year old Josephine to thirty something Brooke, there’s characters from all walks of life. A warning to fans of MKA—its a little darker than most of her books so just know that going into it. 

**Many Thanks to St Martin’s Press, NetGalley & Mary Kay Andrews for a copy to read and honestly review !**

The High Tide Club has all the usual southern charm of any Mary Kay Andrews book. I have yet to come across a Mary Kay Andrews novel I didn't like. This novel has all the trappings of her usual set in or near Savannah and strong female lead, but I was pleasantly surprised by a few interesting plot twists. This book is perfect summer reading and begs to be read by the beach or pool.

I really struggled to get into this book. I felt it dragged a lot at times. The story is of four women who created a club called The High Tide Club, who would go skinny dipping during a full moon. While Josephine is the stage of the narration, she is not the most likable character and she is hiding a lot of secrets. She employs Brooke to be her lawyer and try to make amends to the women of the club or their heirs. 

It goes back and forth from past and present, and while there are a lot of twists and turns it seemed to drag on.

With the twists and turns in The High Tide Club, Mary Kay Andrews has departed from her typical light-hearted, beach read style of novel.  It is an intergenerational tale that demonstrates power of female friendships combined with suspense, mystery and little humor and romance.  

With the end of her life nearing, Josephine Bettendorf Warrick wants to set things right and tie up loose ends, so she enlists the help of lawyer, Brooke Trappnell in gathering her surviving friend and the family members of her other friends.  The tale alternates between the present and the past to intertwine the lives of all of the characters.  Secrets are discovered and betrayals are revealed.  

Despite a few slow spots where the details seemed a little questionable and the story repeated itself, overall, I did enjoy this novel.  The descriptions of the Georgia coast line show Ms. Andrew's love for that area and felt authentic. However, I was disappointed that the story of Brooke and the father of her child wasn't more developed.  It felt as if the story wrapped up a little too neatly and quickly.  Hopefully this means there will be a sequel to learn more about the future of Brooke and her relationship with her child's father. 

I was given a copy of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First off, I want to say a big thank you to NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy of this book!  Mary Kay Andrews is one of my absolute favorite authors so getting to read her new book early made me a very happy girl.

The High Tide Club is about Brooke, a young attorney, who is called up out of the blue by 99-year-old Josephine Baker.  Josephine wants Brooke to come out to her island home on Shellhaven, off the Georgia coast, to discuss a legal matter.  Brooke is confused as to why Josephine wants her and not the big Atlanta law firm that Josephine normally works with but goes out to Shellhaven anyway to meet with the elderly woman.

Brooke discovers that Josephine wants to hire her to protect her island from being taken away and sold and to find her long-lost friends (The High Tide Club) and/or their nearest relative.  She wants her to bring them to Shellhaven so she can make amends for things that were done in the past.  And oh was there a past!

What follows is classic Mary Kay.  There is a mystery, drama, friendships, romance, buried secrets, betrayal and an unsolved murder.  There were a few twists and turns that were a great addition to the story and I loved the setting.  Her writing is so descriptive that I could easily picture each character in my mind as well as the old house and beautiful island.

This is a great beach read with the perfect mix of chick lit and mystery.  Highly recommend!!