The effect of the opening is a screen of mystery over the rest of the novel which is reminiscent of Ann Tyler in the depth of its character study. The omniscient point of view doesn't keep the reader at a distance but is done in a way that instead brings the reader close to each character, letting us in on emotions and context that is often never revealed to the other characters. I listened to this and so may have missed a title/headline somewhere but I struggled to find my footing as far as era/timeframe. It seemed pre-cell phones yet at one point Scott refers to the internet for betting. I also felt like I caught Poppy saying it was their last night but then they were there two more nights.

Thank you to NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Rebecca Kaufmann for the ARC of The House on Fripp Island in return for my honest review.

I LOVE the cover of this book! The cover begs you to go sit by a pool with a cocktail and dive in! This novel is a fast and easy warm-weather read. While this is an intriguing storyline, it is a bit slow-moving until about halfway through the book. It takes a while to get truly invested in the characters.

The ending feels rushed and I do not feel the author fully closed out the story or the fate of the characters as though a sequel could possibly be coming in the future.

Overall a good summer read!

The House on Fripp Island is a unique take on a family drama mixed with mystery throughout. I found it to be engaging and enjoyable from the prologue where the author draws you into the story immediately. Rebecca Kauffman does a great job of developing her characters where by the end of the book you feel you really know these people. This is a great summer read of which the last 20 minutes had my blood pressure elevated! The twist was unexpected and I enjoyed that not all the secrets of these families were revealed. Worth the read.

This book was not at all what I was expecting. Thinking it was a mystery/thriller set as a beach read but found it was definitely not. The story begins in the deceased person's voice. The story is slow and none of the characters had much depth or were very likeable. The delusional,over sexed teenager (that hasn't even begin to reach full puberty), sneaking alcohol and putting herself on display and nobody notices she's out of control is not a very compelling character. The ending of the story seems rushed and is completely unsatisfying. It is quite strange.
I read an ARC of this book and was under no obligation to provide a review.The opinions expressed are my own.
Thanks to the author,publisher,and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

If you are looking for a light hearted summer beach read, then this is the book for you. 2 families spend 4 days on the luxurious holiday destination of Fripp Island Resort, replete with expansive white beaches and a golf course. Julie and Poppy are old childhood friends, whose lives have gone in different directions. Julie is married to Scott, who works for a debt reclamation company and has an affluent lifestyle whereas Poppy married her childhood sweetheart John, to whom she is devoted, but for whom life is a financial struggle.

The story zig zags over the course of the holiday in the sweltering heat of the South Carolina resort, as the reader learns more about both families including the 4 children, Rae, Kimmy, Alex and Ryan. Fast Forward to the book ending which was quite surprising and the best part of the book. It was somewhat hurried however and perhaps the author could have omitted a lot of the middle portion to bring the end to a more naturally paced conclusion. For this reader, there was just too much un-necessary dull domestic detail (as well as a lot of teenage angst) which felt superfluous to the general plotline. 3 stars from me.

Two families go on an all expense paid trip to Fripp Island where someone dies.
This is not just a #WHODUNNIT but also a #WHODIED.
This is an edge of the seat, atmospheric, all holiday feels kind of a vibe read. I enjoyed the throng of characters and could relate to some of them which felt close to home. I was hooked onto it and devoured it in one day.

If you like mystery and the trope of a family vacation where things go wrong, this is the book for you.
I enjoyed reading it thoroughly.


3.5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Rebecca Kauffman for an e ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Having lived in South Carolina for a couple years I was unfamiliar with Fripp Island and The House on Fripp Island definitely inspired some research! The novel takes place largely over a 4 day beach trip for old family friends, Poppy and Lisa, and their families. Lisa is wary of danger everywhere and her husband's preoccupation; Poppy hovers over her husband and each family arrives with secrets. Teenage Ryan prepares for college while boy-crazy Rae is largely secluded in her own world. The four days away will forever change the lives of these families.

While the book moves along at a good pace and is well written, the last part of the story takes an almost unbelievable path and wraps up too quickly. So much is spent building up to this point that it feels the end was hurried along and didn't really come to a strong conclusion. Had the last part of the book been as developed as the beginning it would be a 4 star read. I remain interested in the reading the writer's future releases!

Thank you to the writer, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

I want to thank NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and author Rebecca Kauffman for providing me with an ARC of this novel.

The House on Fripp Island by Rebecca Kauffman⠀
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5⠀
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This was not at all what I was expecting, and I am so, so glad! WOW. This is a new favorite of mine.⠀
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Following these two families to Fripp Island on an all inclusive vacation was so much fun. This book opens and closes with unsettling scenes. That opening scene stuck with me the whole way through, and had me asking how THE HELL does that connect to this!? More often than not I was completely engrossed within this story. I felt like I was on a beach vacation, which made me so happy and so sad. I miss the beach so much. 😭⠀
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The ending of this novel is how I wish every book would end. Perfectly wrapped up with a bow, leaving no stone unturned. I can attest to the fact that I feel like you do after your vacation ends. Sad as hell. I want to bury myself in the sand and cry. Major book hangover. ⠀
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I really do not have enough praise for this novel. The characters were a dream, the storytelling.. God. Read this, please. I am so sad I demolished it in two days, but I seriously couldn’t stop. ⠀
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(Thank you to @netgalley & Edelweiss for the ARC!)⠀
(@fyebooks on Instagram!)

If you're looking for a good summer read, I'd recommend Rebecca Kauffman's The House on Fripp Island. Lisa and Poppy have been friends since childhood, but they're not as close as they used to be. Poppy still lives in their small hometown, while Lisa has married a lawyer and lives a wealthy lifestyle. Still, they decide to vacation together.

Everybody brings their baggage with them to the island. Poppy has resentment toward rich people, not being one herself. Lisa thinks her husband, Scott, is cheating on her and hopes to have one last good vacation with him and their two daughters. In reality, Scott is addicted to gambling, a habit that gets him into hot water while vacationing.

Meanwhile, Poppy's own husband is borderline addicted to his pain pills, their son Ryan has brought his secret weed business on vacation, and their daughter Alex has shaved her head.

And then there are Lisa's daughters, Kimmy and Rae. Kimmy is still young enough to want to be her sister's shadow, but Rae is too busy thinking about boys and practicing ways to get them, including Ryan, to notice her.

Adding to this drama is registered sex offender Keats and his wife who live not far from the vacation house. Lisa, not knowing the real story behind Keats' conviction, is fearful for her daughters, even causing a scene when she sees her daughter interacting with Keats' dog.

Not to mention that the book starts off from a dead person's point of view!

There are so many secrets and so many things that could have been avoided if everyone had only communicated!

Who ends up dead and why? I really didn't see the twist coming, though I expected something was going to happen between specific characters. I enjoyed the surprise and suspense that Kauffman built up chapter after chapter, and I think you will too!

I didn't know what to think of this book before I read it. In fact, I put off reading it because it seemed a bit vague in its blurb. However, while reading it and after I had finished I realized that this book is absolutely brilliant. The author really understands the complicated relationships behind family communications. The issues in the book were dealt with subtly and delicately and I thought that it was beautiful. I had found myself drawn into this book, its a page turner without a very exciting plot. Nevertheless I found myself reading into the night to try and find what the book was leading to.

I think the theme here is family and that there is always a bitter and a sweet side to life. There are always surprises, because no matter how in control we think we might be, there is one unpredictable factor: other people, who influence everything that happens to us, not always acting rationally. The House on Fripp Island, although very realistic, leaves a lot to the reader's imagination. Moreover, the prose is wonderful, a pleasure to read, detailed and evocative.

This is a solid 3 star drama. It might have been 4 stars if not for the ridiculous path the plot took about 20% from the end. And honestly none of the main characters were very likable, which is something I struggle with when reading a novel
It’s hard to stay vested if I don’t care about anyone. The writing was good and I would possibly check out another title by this author. But all in all a solid 3 stars and it inspired me to do a little Zillow and VRBO research on a beach I’d never heard of before. **Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review**

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

i wasn't sure what to expect with this one, but I was pleasantly surprised with the twists and turns. The novel follows to families who haven't connected in quite a few years and are on different economic levels. When they get to the island, it is clear that each family has their own private secrets that then intertwine with some island secrets. I enjoyed the novel changed the perspectives throughout to better understand the characters and their backgrounds.

The prologue in the book sets up up that someone has been murdered. But who and why? You then follow two families that have a four day vacation on Fripp Island. You follow the families, their trials, secrets, desires, and alliances. You follow these characters to find out who has died and why. Smartly written with tight dialog.

I enjoyed this family drama set on a scenic South Carolina island. Kauffman invoked a sense of mystery from the beginning with her prologue that let you know a tragedy was coming. She created an intriguing cast of characters across the wealthy Daly family and Lisa Daly's childhood friend, Poppy Ford's family - each was unique and nuanced and Kauffman built interesting and believable relationships between them. The dichotomy between Lisa and her family's wealthy life and Poppy and Lisa's more working-class upbringing and Poppy's current life was amplified by this exclusive, rich island community, adding to the multifaceted relationships between the various characters.

The one thing I stumbled on most was that Rae's obsession with boys seemed a little extreme to me, even for a teenager entering puberty. Her obsessive and biased thought processes that led to some of the book's most pivotal moments weren't always completely believable to me. And while Kauffman explained why the involved character felt the book's climax had to occur, I didn't agree - I understood the rationale she created but thought the one simple comment that Rae made that led to this event wasn't enough to set off the course of action that followed.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read, a great summer choice if you enjoy stories full of family drama and hidden secrets.

I loved this book! Loved the way it brought you in with a bang in complete confusion! I thought it was well written, fast paced, suspense filled, unputdownable! While definitely not original story line, it was done in a very unique manner that kept me on my toes! I found it to be very thrilling, chilling, which I loved! I also found many twists and turns, at times enough to make me dizzy! Full of shocks, more than a bit disturbing, and definitely everything thriller lovers crave! Highly, highly recommend!

Will make sure to buzz it around platforms, as well as use my low amazon reviewer number on release date!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me the ARC of Rebecca Kauffman's The House on Fripp Island. As a fan of all things coastal, the greatest appeal this book had for me was the setting. It was a fairly quick read and definitely "summery." There was a brief comment early in the book regarding a transgender student in someone's class at school. As the novel was set sometime in the 90s, I found this a bit unbelievable. I appreciate that the author was trying to be inclusive, but this wasn't a term typically applied to school children in the 90s. I found the rather graphic descriptions of animals dying off-putting and would likely not have chosen to read the book had I known that these passages were in the book. The wrap-up at the end--a sort of "where are they now"-- created a bigger question than it answered: how does the murderer fare in the coming years? Incidentally, the character who was murdered was so unsympathetic that it was hard to feel anything other than the accomplishment of checking off the boxes regarding whodunnit and who was the victim.

I did love that there was a noticeable absence of all personal devices, so the setting a few decades back was refreshing.

Never heard this author before but really enjoyed this book so would recommend this author and this book it was so good .

The House on Fripp Island by Rebecca Kauffman was an interesting read about two couples on vacation. There was a lot going on in this book, fighting, secrets, murder, to name a few things. Many social issues were also looked at in this book. I am just not sure it was a great a novel as I wanted it to be. There was so much description and slow narration in 2/3 or the book and then…BAM…all the secrets and intentions come out. One thing I did appreciate is how everyone lived after that fateful vacation.

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my honest review. *****

A book about a murder on summer vacation, just in time for summer vacation! Also: ghosts.

The brief prologue to Rebecca Kauffman’s new novel, The House on Fripp Island, is written in the voice of a ghost — a murder victim — and reveals that the coroner has mischaracterized the murder as an accidental drowning. Twenty years on, the deceased, whoever he or she might be, doesn’t seem to mind very much being dead because being a ghost allows the thoughts and memories of the living to be known and revisited.... [see full review online]

The House on Fripp Island by Rebecca Kauffman is an interesting read. Set on Fripp Island, this is a story of two families, together on a beach trip. The dynamics between the different members of the vacationers in interesting and well developed to draw the reader in. Alcohol, health issues, secrets, death, and memories all add to the development of this novel. Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary eARC version of this book in exchange for an honest review of this book.