What I thought of this book really had me confused in terms of how to rate it. Normally it would be a 4 as the story was very good but it was so drawn out. It took me 2 weeks to read it because I couldn't get interested enough to finish it but also I couldn't get uninterested enough to drop it. There was too many things going on, too much old history with old people, took much of everything for my taste. The book could only improve by cutting out a lot of pages and streamlining.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harliquin - MIRA and Ms. Novak for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

RATING: 2.5 STARS
2021; Mira/Harlequin

Rating The Bookstore on the Beach was really difficult for me. I have sat here for 30 minutes, distracting myself from writing this review. I will state that I have read and enjoyed Novak's contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels in the past. And, I will still try any of Novak's novels. Okay, here goes (deep breath)...

I rated this novel as 2.5 stars rounded down to 2, mostly because I enjoyed the writing but not so much the editing of this book. There is too much going on for one book. This seemed like a great pitch for a trilogy. You have Mary's backstory that really deserves a book on its own. Glossing over the trauma seemed unfair to Mary and readers. Maybe it seemed to be too heavy of an issue for a contemporary women's fiction genre, yet there was so much potential there. The story of Mary and her mother, along with her time after the incident seemed to just be a tease. I am still thinking about it after finishing this novel. That shows what a great storyteller, Novak is. Then there is Taylor's story. At seventeen she is going through many things - all of which seem like spoilers, but you will see coming. Lastly, there is Taylor's mother, and Mary's daughter, Autumn. Autumn's husband has gone missing and she has spent over 18 months trying to find him. For the summer she takes her two teenage children to her mom's home to decompress and figure out next steps. being that this is also a romance novel, you can imagine what is going happen next. This is not even all of it. There is more issues brought up, and not really dealt with. I guess that's life, but I am nosy and I want to know more.

I also found the ending abrupt. After 12 hours of listening to this audiobook, it just ended. I rewinded it twice to make sure it was really the end. I feel like the novel was super ambitious to touch a lot of different (and difficult) issues, but in the end, I just felt like something was missing.

If you think the above paragraph is tiring, I am not sure if this novel is the read for you. Do not get tempted by the title having the word "bookstore" in it. While there are some scenes in the bookstore and a book titles or two mentioned, there isn't anything really extra "bookish" about this novel. I did finish the book, and was interested in all the stories, but the missing husband. Maybe read a few more reviews on this one. I

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss and NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

I just love The Bookstore on the Beach! I thought I had it all figured out, could predict what it was about, and how it would unfold, but boy was I wrong! I was happily reading along and then a twist completely changed the whole tone and I realized that this book was NOT going to be what I thought. The book was even better than I thought it would be, and more intriguing! I had a hard time putting it down and even stayed up until 2:00 AM on a work night to finish it! It was that good and worth the lack of sleep!

Being a mom to a teen and a tween, I am starting to face different types and levels of issues, and this book reminds me how many more there still are. I did appreciate seeing things from the teens’ perspective as well as the mom’s, it is good to see both sides and I hope to remember that myself during times that I am facing situations with my own kids.

Being a book lover myself, and one who has always treasured going to the library and book stores with my mom since I was a little girl, I could completely relate with Autumn when she talked about books. She said she “once hoped to read every book in the store. She hadn’t quite made it, thanks to new releases and fluctuating inventory, but she’d read more books than most people. She still considered books to be a big part of her life.” I had the same goals one day and also feel like I will never make a dent - there are so many fantastic books being written all the time! Thank you Brenda Novak for keeping us busy! You once again have written what I know will be a bestseller!

Publication Date: April 6, 2021

#thebookstoreonthebeach #netgalley #harlequin @brendanovak

Bookstore on the Beach is a powerful story of survival on so many different levels. From growing up, to finding love on a different path, to the ability to face your monsters and too know you can survive.

Mary Langford relives her past every day, but she never thought it would reach her in her small town of Sable Beach. Autumn (Mary’s daughter) returns to her home town of Sable Beach after needing something familiar as her search for her husband goes cold after two years of searching. Taylor (Autumn’s daughter) learns that even at a young age life can change fast, and that that heart wants what the hearts wants.

Three amazing women who tell their story, and show that even in the darkest times love, family and friendships are powerful things. Brenda Novak pens such amazing characters who can work through conflicts and emotional moments and keep you glued to the story till the very end.

Bookstore on the Beach was a wonderful story to get lost in on this cold winter day here in Northern Michigan. I truly enjoyed every description Brenda Novak provided, it made me think that I was right there in Sable Beach and worked at the bookstore. In all the healing these three women go through I just want to say that there is a romance or two brewing within the pages as well as some pretty amazing men. So come get lost at the beach.

Rated 5 Stilettos and a Recommended Read by Deb!

The Bookstore on the Beach by Brenda Novak is a multifaceted novel. Autumn’s husband disappeared eighteen months ago, and she has exhausted every avenue trying to locate him. Autumn along with her two teenage children are heading to her mother’s beachside town for the summer. It will give them a chance to relax, be together, and heal. Autumn’s oldest child, Taylor is having a tough time. Taylor feels emotionally unconnected plus she has a secret she is keeping from her family. Mary, Autumn’s mother, has kept something from Autumn her whole life. Mary is afraid her daughter will learn the truth, but she does not feel it is the right time to share. Autumn reconnects with her high school crush and old feelings resurface. What should happen, though, if her husband returns? The novel contained good writing with realistic characters. The author packed a lot into the book with a missing husband, a teen questioning her sexuality, a woman with cancer, a woman with a hidden past, a second chance romance, a teen pregnancy, a criminal ex-wife, and expansion of the bookstore. It was easy to follow the various storylines once I got into the book. I did feel the ending was abrupt and needed an epilogue to make it feel complete. I enjoyed the descriptions of the bookstore, the beach, and Mary’s cottage. This story allows us to follow one family and the issues they are encountering over the course of a summer. This is a dramatic tale about one family’s drama. The Bookstore on the Beach is a good book to read while sitting beside a pool.

I am not sure where to begin with my review for The Bookstore on the Beach by Brenda Novak. The story was about grief, loss, family, second chances and so much more. Autumn’s husband has been missing for over a year. I can’t even imagine how that would feel. In her case, she felt as if she was in limbo, but in the end, she has to think of her children. So she goes to visit her family and the bookstore they run to find some peace. And yet, life seems to throw more at her at every turn. Now she is dealing with secrets and life-changing events as she also reunites with an old love, what does it all mean?

The Bookstore on the Beach by Brenda Novak was emotional and touching about three generation of women in the family. There is a lot going on with the characters that keeps you wondering how it will all end.

Happy reading!

The Bookstore on the Beach by Brenda Novak

Three Women
Three Generations
Questions
Discovery
Choices
Three Futures
Which path will each one take?
….

Complex, well-written, thought provoking story that had me wondering what I would do if in the position(s) of any of the characters in this story. The book is nearly five hundred pages in length because there is much to cover and yet all of it was necessary to make this story what it is. I am not sure I would have made the choices that were made and yet, if any of the choices made had been different all three of their lives would have been different.

What I liked:
* That the story made me think, feel, and care about the characters and the outcome of the story.
* Mary: mother, grandmother, bookstore owner, secret keeper, strong, conflicted, survivor…
* Autumn: mother, wife, dealing with the disappearance of her husband while raising her teenage son and daughter on her own. Strong, resilient, focused on what is best for family
* Taylor: teenage daughter, worried, misses her father, dealing with more than one teenage issue
* Caden: teenage son, outgoing, caring, good brother and son, full of potential
* Laurie: business partner of Mary, friend, and more
* Quinn: caring, romantic, wants more from life than what he has experienced, a good son, kind, good with people
* The way the story was presented and how all the pieces linked together
* The quirks of the various characters
* The way issues were faced by the three generations…well…eventually faced and sorted out
* The small town setting
* The way the community pulled together for someone in need
* The strong friendships
* That the relationship between Caden and Taylor seemed believable
* Realizing that no matter how nice it would be to find a solution that would allow everyone in a situation to be 100% happy and satisfied…life doesn’t always provide that option…mixed feelings on this one…kind of a like and a dislike but also reality.

What I didn’t like:
* The issues that the three women had to face and deal with – it is central to the story BUT would hate to face the issues myself.
* Not a true dislike BUT I would have liked to have known more about the missing husband Nick and the relationship he and Autumn had together before he went missing…or…perhaps to have had an epilogue to see how everyone turned out down the road.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin-Mira for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4.5 Stars

WOW. There is a LOT going on in this book. It seemed like almost every character was struggling with a secret, past hurt, a life altering event, something. Based on the synopsis I thought it would be a little heartfelt beachy romance with some drama, but there was way too much happening.

Autumn’s husband went missing 18 months ago and she’s searched and searched for him. She leaves their home in Tampa to spend time with her mom in Sable Beach where she was raised. But her mom Mary is grappling with her own issues, Autumn’s daughter is struggling, and Autumn’s former crush has moved back to care for his mother who is dying from cancer. See what I mean? There’s so many heartbreaking stories that I couldn’t focus. This definitely wasn’t the book I expected from the title and synopsis. I was hoping for a little more cozy beach bookstore element. The story I ended up being the most intrigued by is Mary’s past and I wish the book would have just stuck with Autumn trying to find her husband and Mary coming to terms with who she is, and left out all the other character’s heartaches.

Thank you to Harlequin & MIRA Books for my copy and letting me take part in this blog tour.

A layered and emotional story of heartbreak and finding a way to move forward, THE BOOKSTORE ON THE BEACH by Brenda Novak is a story that is sure to tug on your heart.

A year and a half ago, Autumn Divac's husband disappeared. With all avenues leading to a dead-end and no answers for Autumn and their two children, Autumn feels like she has come to a crossroads for her family, and a change of scene is needed for them all to find a way to move forward. Heading back to the beach town where she grew up, Autumn finds a sense of peace working in the family bookshop and she hopes that this special place will help her children heal a little too. But secrets are waiting to come to the surface and when old friendships are renewed, can Autumn find a way to come to terms with her past so they can all move on in the present?

With plenty of characters and a community that lights up the page, there is never a dull moment in this story and there are plenty of characters to fall in love with too. The setting is excellently portrayed and feels so real that you can almost feel the sand between your toes and smell that fabulous book smell in the bookstore. There are plenty of moments that will have you dabbing at the tears in your eyes but it is also a story of hope and new beginnings, of strength and family.

With drama, secrets, romance, and family at the heart of it all, THE BOOKSTORE ON THE BEACH by Brenda Novak is a story that has something for everyone, and I look forward to reading more from this talented author.

This is the perfect book if you want to read a heartwarming, well written and compelling multi-generational saga and travel to a great setting.
I fell in love with the setting, I wished I owned a bookstore on the beach and rooted for these strong women who faces life changing choices.
There are secrets, there's family/friendship and relationship.
A cast of well thought and realistic characters, a lovely setting and an engrossing story.
It's highly recommended.
Many thanks MIRA and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Three generations of women tell their story. Mary, Autumn and Taylor share different perspectives on a loss of innocence. They share the common bond of finding happiness in the bookshop and summers spent at the beach. It is here that they are able to rebuild their lives and find the will to keep going. This is a wonderfully written story. It is poignant and touching. It reminds the reader of the ties that binds a family together and the deep wounds that love can heal.

Autumn Divac feels like her life is falling apart. Eighteen month ago her husband, Nick, went missing. She has no idea where he went and has been spending all of her free time trying to find him. When Autumn decides to take her kids, Taylor and Caden, to her hometown of Sable Beach to spend the summer with her mom, she never realized that her life was going to change in so many ways.

When Autumn runs into Quinn Vanderbilt, all the old feelings come back and for the first time in a long time, she finally feels alive again. As Autumn and Quinn start to spend more time together, things escalate quickly. Autumn is feeling things with Quinn that she never felt with Nick. Just when it looks Autumn has finally found some happiness again, something big happens with her daughter, Taylor......actually two big reveals! Just when the family has finally accepted what is happening with Taylor, Autumn finds out another huge revelation about her mom. After finally coming to grips with everything Autumn and the kids decide they are all going to move from Tampa, FL to Sable Beach. Of course things can never go smoothly and another wrench gets thrown into the mix. It will take a lot of soul searching but in the end, Autumn will finally get her happy ending.

I enjoyed this story. It was fun seeing a story about a family through three different generations : Mimi, Autumn's mom; Autumn and Taylor. All three went through a trying situation but in the end they ended up better for it. My heart went out to all three of these people. I also adored Quinn! He was just the perfect person and any woman would be lucky to have him. Overall, this was an enjoyable story with interesting characters and I would recommend reading it.

The Bookshop on the Beach by Brenda Novak is an amazing and heartwarming tale of a woman whose husband went missing and has yet to be found. This story takes us on a journey with Autumn Divac as she tries to start a new chapter of her life but who struggles since she still has no answers to help her reconcile and find closure with the one she’s been living. Then there’s her two teenage children dealing with their own fears, questions, and insecurities created by the situation. Autumn takes her kids home for the summer, to the charming beachside town where she was raised. She enjoys working alongside her mother and aunt at their bookshop, only to learn that her daughter is facing a huge life change and her mother has been hiding a terrible secret for years. Then there’s Quinn, the boy who stole her heart in high school who she encounters in town, and finds those old feelings return again. She has too many questions to deal with before she can move forward; many are unanswerable. Is she free to love him, or should she hold out hope for her husband’s return? She can only trust her heart and hope it won’t lead her astray. I absolutely loved the interactions and love between Autumn, her mother, her kids and Quinn. Each is dealing with major life challenges and trying to find solutions that will work for each of them.

Ms. Novak did an amazing job of describing the setting and the characters in a way that makes them come to life. She wrote a story that reaches the soul; the soul of her characters as well the soul of her readers. This wonderful and amazing story was emotional, moving, tear inducing, filled with wonderful dialogue, and endearing characters that is must read. I highly recommend The Bookshop on the Beach to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

Three generations - grandmother, mother, daughter - dealing with loss, secrets, life changes. Lots of deep stuff going on with this family. Fortunately, it's all tempered with a lighter beach setting, and it's not all sadness and grief, although there is a fair amount of it. Brenda Novak sprinkles the hard stuff with hope and possibility, which is a good thing because there were parts of this one that hit me on a personal level. Hard or not, this emotional story pulled me in, just as Novak has done with her other books, and it didn't let go. All of the various moving parts of this tale kept me turning the pages right up to the end. And what an ending it was. I'll be honest, I was not all that happy with that ending, or I didn't think I was. Then I sat back and thought on it, and I thought on it some more, and I won't say that I'm fully on board with how this one concluded, but all things considered, I'm somewhere between the ending fits and I'm still mad. Either way, Brenda Novak penned a story that kept me thinking and even debating with myself for days after reading the last page, and it's definitely not one I'll soon forget.

Have you ever watched “Guy’s Grocery Games” on the Food Network? Imagine that the author has grabbed ground beef and buns and then sees that there isn’t much time left on the countdown clock, so she frantically races down the aisles throwing issue after issue after issue into her shopping cart. Still with me? Ok, now she races to the kitchen and prepares the biggest, juiciest burger stuffed with all those issues and sets it before the judge (reader). In order to eat it, he/she needs to get a winch to open wide enough to take a bite of the over-stuffed burger. THAT’S what it’s like reading this book. I needed to sit in a quiet spot for 20 minutes and digest what I’d just read. It’s that good. Wow. Just wow.

Every single character in “The Bookstore on the Beach” is facing AT LEAST one life-changing decision. Novak set herself an ambitious goal to weave her intergenerational stories together and achieved it. Each storyline, from the grandmother to the grand daughter, flowed cohesively and each scene built on the last. It takes an incredibly talented author to be able to accomplish this goal. Chefs talk about flavours marrying. Well, Novak’s serious issues married well with her compelling and loveable characters, producing a read that I won’t forget for a long time. Only a bold, talented author would attempt a ‘recipe’ such as this one. Novak pulled it off. This may be my first introduction to Brenda Novak books, but it won’t be my last Novak read. If you are open to reading a multi-generational contemporary family book dealing with issues that you’d see highlighted in magazines at the grocery store checkout, then this one’s for you!

Pop over to her website and read the first chapter. You’ll want to take another bite. Promise.

Publishes April 6, 2021.

I was gifted this advance copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.

4.5 stars

First, who doesn’t want to own a bookstore on a beach? I mean, how cool would that be? Autumn actually got to grow up in a bookstore on the beach, her mom and aunt own the place. And she goes back with her kids every summer. This summer, Autumn’s going home to try to heal. Her husband disappeared almost two years ago and she needs to make some decisions about moving on…or not moving on. What’s best for her kids, for her, for everyone. Is she ready to let go?

This book isn’t only about Autumn. It’s about three generations of women. Autumn’s mom, Mary, has her own secrets and her own worries. She loves her daughter and grandchildren more than anything and is afraid her past will hurt them in the future. While Autumn is trying to come to terms with letting go, Mary is wondering if it’s time to come clean.

Then there’s Taylor. Autumn’s 17 year old daughter should be enjoying her summer before senior year. Instead she is stressing about a sexual encounter where she didn’t use protection and her own sexual identity. Taylor really stole my heart with her teen angst that is really very grown up.

The author did a fantastic job of weaving these stories together in a cohesive way, switching between characters flawlessly. The other characters in this story are very well fleshed out and are just as interesting as the main women. Especially Autumn’s teenage crush from years ago, Quinn. He has to be my favorite character in this story. He’s just a truly good guy that has had a lot of bad luck. It’s no wonder Autumn struggles with where her loyalties should lie when he Quinn comes back into her life.

There is only so much that can be said without giving spoilers. I will say I enjoyed this story, but also had a pit in my stomach for much of the book just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Not just when it came to Autumn and her missing husband, but for Mary and Taylor and their issues also. I was rooting for all of them from the very start.

While I think Brenda Novak did a beautiful job of getting into the mind of a teenage girl, there were a few things that stood out to me. Not that it was a huge plot point, but Facebook is referenced in regards to the teens. I don’t know any teenager that even has a Facebook page these days. And there’s a point where Autumn is talking about Taylor being a minor and a decision that has to be made. It bothered me because the whole situation this was referencing was, for the most part, being handled extremely well by Autumn. Until this small scene, where I felt it wasn’t her place to make any sort of decision for Taylor, regardless of her age. Seriously, these are minor things in the overall story that actually were only noticeable because I found the rest of the book to be so well thought out with a great flow.

Let me assure you romance readers out there, this story does have an HEA. But this is a women’s fiction more than a romance in my mind. There may be some disagreement as to what an HEA would entail in this story. I think most readers will be satisfied, though.

Autumn Divac has spent the last year and a half looking for her husband who went missing on a work trip that went very different from what he predicted. After losing a year and a half of her life to a search, she decides to escape Florida for the summer and go to her mother's home in a beach town in Virginia and just get away from it all for a summer. Little does she know that her mother has some secrets that are about to come to light and her kids will have more than a transformative summer than she could have predicted.

My favorite thing is when an author hints at secrets, but lets the reader in on the secret before the characters. On the other side of the coin, I don't love when a secret is hinted at and the reader is left in the dark! Brenda Novak lets the reader in on the secrets and the anticipation is more about how the characters will react when these secrets come out. While there were a lot of characters with secrets, for me this didn't feel over the top.

This was one of those great stand alone books that I suggest taking on a vacation or to the beach or pool because it is easy to get into, but also easy to put down and pick back up when/if an interruption happens! The characters were easy to get to know and each storyline was easy to keep apart and the plot kept moving, so there wasn't a dull moment in the story.

I love Brenda Novaks writing. I am particularly fond of her mystery series but I found this one enjoyable as well. I recommend if you like an emotional story of some interesting women that will keep you reading more!

Three generations of women, each with their own struggles.

Mary who owns a bookstore on the beach is exciting that her daughter Autumn and her children are coming home for the summer. Will the secret Mary has kept from her family stay hidden, or will Mary finally have the courage to share her past?

Autumn, Mary’s daughter has been frantically searching for her missing husband for the past eighteen months. Will she be able to put her past behind her and take a chance on a new life and a new love or will her past sneak up on her?

Taylor, Mary’s granddaughter has been trying to deal with her father’s disappearance and has lashed out in more than one way. Will her mistakes catch up to her while she is trying to move on?

I absolutely loved this novel by Brenda Novak. I was expecting a light happily ever after, and what I found was a novel with secrets, mysteries and complicated characters, along with a surprise twist. The story kept me intrigued and I could feel the characters emotions come through the pages. I thought it was written beautifully and it was refreshing to read a novel with such depth and dimension. A huge thank you to Harlequin Publishing, Brenda Novak and Netgalley who gifted me with an advanced copy to read. All my opinions are honest and unbiased.

Autumn's husband has been missing for eighteen months. To help her teenage children cope, she takes them to spend the summer with her mother at a small town on the beach. There she meets up with her high school crush, who wants to date her. But can she move forward with her life when her husband's fate is uncertain? And what happens when she discovers the secrets her mother and daughter are keeping?

This is an engrossing women's fiction with well-developed characters and a vibrant setting. I felt immersed in the conflicts and obstacles the family faced. If the book had ended at the 90% mark, it would have been a wonderful, uplifting romance. But a new complication was added that took it out of the realm of romance for me, and put it solidly into women's fiction territory. That shouldn't discourage anyone from reading it—it's a wonderful book—but adjust your expectations accordingly.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.