It is hard for anyone to imagine the devastating "one-shot" deal of wiping out of existence an entire family. To survive such a tragedy is triumphant in itself. But to locate the survival and emergence from the ashes of despair in the exact location of previous family joy is brilliant. Loved the "SILENT MAN"....and the slow but steady growth of friendship between landlady and tenant

I just adored this book !! I loved how people were there for one other throughout this book through different trials and tribulations !!

Annie and Keaton met once, briefly. Annie scarcely noticed, but for Keaton, who watches everyone from afar, It becomes a cherished memory. Keaton who expresses himself via painting, and he includes the image of Annie in one of his murals in town.

Flash forward, and Annie returns to the seaside site of many happy memories with her family, who she has lost in an unbelievable tragedy. The sea and the memories, and a job to make her feel useful and connected again, all are healing balms to her soul. And so is her blooming connection to Keaton.

Well worth the read, touches the heart again and again.

Another winner from Ms Macomber. Enjoy the stand alone novels more than the series one. A good story with a happy ending all around.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Loved this book. Loved the descriptions of Keaton, so realistic, characters are realistic and problems are relatable.

I knew from the first of the story that I was going to love it ~ and I did! Debbie Macomber is one of my favorite authors. She tells wonderful stories and her characters are very realistic. Annie is the heroine of this book. There is a horrific family tragedy in the first of the book that shapes Annie’s life. I would love for Annie to be one of my girlfriends. I don’t want to give away the whole story so I’ll just say, Annie and her eclectic friends are worth getting to know. You’ll be glad you spent some time with all of them. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this story. The characters are wonderful and the setting is beautiful. This is in the the top five of the Debbie Macomber books I've read.

I absolutely tore through this book and got it all read in one day, which shows how quickly it got and kept my attention. After a devastating tragedy, Annie moves to her childhood family vacation cottage, where she begins to heal. Really all of the characters in the story are scarred by their pasts in one way or another, and this was a sweet story of connection and friendship. The romance was there, certainly, but the several friendships (including the romantic one) were what resonated with me.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for letting me read this book early. It was just what I needed for a stressful week!

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I am a big fan of Debbie Macomber but was really disappointed in this book. it started out really good but just was boring the rest of the way through.

After an unthinkable tragedy destroys Annie Marlowe’s blessed and happy life, she is forced to rebuild everything dear to her. Trying to fight out of the resulting dark depression, she returns to the “Cottage by the Sea” in Oceanside, Washington, a place that holds happy memories and, hopefully, a renewed peaceful state of mind. Debbie Macomber’s newest book examines what makes a family as several disparate people, all bearing deep scars, come together to help one another and, ultimately, build a new family where none was before.

The prologue features Keaton, then a terribly tall, awkward teen who is withdrawn and solitary. In the brief scene, Annie shows him kindness where others don’t. This leaves a lasting impression on him and he loves her from then on. He recognizes her when she first arrives at Oceanside and slowly they build a real relationship, sometimes with a one step forward two steps back type of progress. There are several other characters in the book, also floundering and scarred. 

While I enjoyed this book on some levels and appreciated its message, most of the time I found it terribly sad and a bit plodding. This isn’t my favorite Debbie Macomber book. Three stars.

I was given a free copy of this book by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions stated are solely my own.

Annie didn't want to go home. She wanted to spend Thanksgiving with her cousin and party. Afterall, there's always next year's Thanksgiving to go home for. And so party she did. But the next morning her entire world changed. The family home disappeared in a mudslide with everyone but her asleep inside. Debbie Macomber never shies away from covering difficult topics and in this enchanting novel, she deals with survivor guilt. Annie is mired in depression and guilt until she decides to return to a favorite place she remembers from happy family vacations. Gradually Annie moves on but the pain she is going through is palpable. Macomber does a great job adding additional characters as new acquaintances for Annie. These characters have flaws too and it is interesting to watch as their lives all intersect. Annie isn't the only one with problems and survivor guilt is seen in another character also. As in life, healing doesn't happen overnight and requires work. While this novel is a stand-alone book, it certainly would be well suited for a series. I found all the characters to be realistic and Macomber didn't avoid examining each character's foibles. She has done an outstanding job and this book is one that all readers new and old will enjoy. I loved this book and have already recommended it to my mother-in-law and her book club!

COTTAGE BY THE SEA is Ms. Macomber writing from her heart with the deepest understanding of loss.
Annie is devastated beyond belief when she loses every member of her family in a mudslide. For the first year she is immersed in paperwork and lawsuits barely surviving herself when her therapist suggests she go back to a happy place. Annie gets in her car drives to the cottage by the sea where her family spent summers together. Walking along the beach Annie, encounters Lennon and Keaton. At first he can’t believe the girl from a long ago summer she is back. The one he never forgot.
Ms. Macomber does a wonderful job of capturing the depths of hurt the characters experience and gives hope of healing through love!

A wonderful new book by Debbie Macomber bringing us a great cast of characters. Main character, Annie Marlow has had her world torn apart and wonders if she will ever be able to fully function again. In her grief, she seeks to find somewhere, someone, something that can help her recover. She decides to return to a seaside cottage where she and her family had spent a week every summer.

Many residents of the community have a profound effect on her. There is a “gentle” giant of a man, a reclusive landlord/neighbor, a family being abused, teenagers in love and in trouble, plus others who play a very important part in Annie’s healing.

A story of love, loss, forgiveness and healing, this book will appeal to all. I highly recommend it. It is a book you do not want to put down until you have read it all.
I received a copy of this from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine through NetGalley.

Debbie Macomber does it again! I have never been let down by a Debbie Macomber book. This book is absolutely wonderful. I loved the main character. I loved how she took a damaged heart and found the repair for it. It wasn't just about the love of another person to repair it, it was about so much more. I love that the character found healing in doing the basic things in life, like creating a garden. I think we, as a society, often look for other people for our healing, but healing comes from within. Healing comes from a whole package of things. We cannot depend on other people for this but must find it on our own and with a desire to move forward. This book shows exactly that. I loved that the two main lovers didn't have to be super wordy. It was fantastic to see that love can be equally as strong in silence. I didn't want to put this book down, and if life didn't interfere, I wouldn't have. Haha! Fantastic Read!

"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

This is one of those clean, heart warming romances! As always Debbie Macomber doesn't disapoint her readers by creating a great romance novel!

Cottage By the Sea is another winner by Debbie Macomber. Annie loses her whole family to a natural disaster. She becomes very depressed and decides to return to a seaside location where she and her family vacationed when she was a teenager. Here she not only begins to come out of her depression but she helps others recover from their own pain. I really enjoyed the story. The only negative criticism I have (and it really isn't negative) is I had a hard time rationalizing Keaton's non-verbal skills. Otherwise, I enjoyed the story very much. The characters and their emotions were very vivid. Debbie Macomber outdoes herself with every new book.

Great story about surviving after a terrible, tragic loss. This book tugs at the heartstrings in many ways. A couple of romances at the same time makes for an interesting story.

Cottage by the Sea was a heart-warming and hometown story with a great message. It involved moving on from loss and the reward that comes with that. For anyone who has suffered a great loss Cottage by the sea offers a ray of hope. NetGalley - I requested access to this book prior to publication. All opinions and reviews are my own and not solicited by the author, publisher, or NetGalley. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the chance to read the arc!

You must have derived from my details above that I adored this book. Let me tell you what I liked about it.....

First of all I LOVED the character, Keaton. The giant of a man with a heart of gold. I found it interesting that he didn't speak much yet everyone in the small town of Oceanside seemed to like him and respect him. It gave  the phrase "actions speak louder than words" more credibility to me. He rescued abused and abandoned animals. He was an artist. He used his talents to bless others in need. 

Annie, Mellie, Preston and Becca are all wonderful characters too. I felt horrible for Annie. I couldn't imagine how someone could survive a loss like she did and still be such a caring and helpful person. She really is amazing. 

Mellie is a real character..... her dialogs with Preston, Keaton and Annie are hilarious. The fact that she had such a large personality even though she was small physically was a delightful picture in my mind.

I can imagine what the town of Oceanside looks like as I live on the gulf coast of Texas. We have several small towns just like it. I also understand how the ocean sounds can soothe and heal a troubled mind like Annie said it did for her.

This book hit a beautiful chord in my heart. I loved it.

A survivor of an unforeseeable tragic mudslide is trying to move on with her life without her family.
Annie is struggling to rebuild her life. She moves to a cottage by the sea hoping the sea works magic and she will have peace - even with memories of family vacations surrounding her.
Keaton at 6'8", large man who was taught at as a child to stay silent so has spent life keeping to himself.
Besides working with his best friend, Preston, and friend Mellie, a recluse herself, rescue abused animals.
Annie begins working at a clinic and after a week is part of a team and has found her purpose.

Circles collide and friendships grow...changes are made.

Everyone has a choice- to accept love and friendship or can reject it.

Reading this book will place you
by the sea, hearing the breeze and seagulls and the waves crashing.

I highly highly recommend!!