I have reviewed this title for New York Journal of Books where it will be posted on their site the evening prior to the release date.

"The Bookstore on the Beach" by Brenda Novak
MIRA
April 6, 2021
10-0778361055
448 Pages
Women's Contemporary Fiction


Autumn Divac has been living in limbo for more than 18 months. Her husband Nick, who allegedly worked with the Security Service in the Ukraine, never returned from his assignment. Residing in Tampa with her teenage children, Taylor, age 17, and Caden, 16, Autumn is beyond distressed. Private detectives, especially one she hires overseas, cannot supply any information about Nick's location.

School is out of school for the summer and with no leads about Nick, Autumn decides to head to her hometown of Sable Beach, where they have spent many summers with her mother, Mary Langford. Mary and Laurie Conklin are part owners of Beach Front Books. Laurie and her husband Christopher are the only kin Autumn and her children have. Tired of brooding and worrying, Autumn believes this change will be good for all of them.

Upon arrival, Autumn remembers how much she loves this quaint seaside village, and she's happy to be back where she can unburden herself to her mom and Aunt Laurie. The teens are also thrilled to be at the beach and immediately head out to meet some new friends.

With the fresh salty air and the devotion from her family, Autumn starts to find peace as she also helps at the book shop so Laurie and Mary can enjoy time off.

Mary, a single mother who raised Autumn by herself doesn't make much of an income with the business, but all that matters to her is her love of books and the fact she makes enough to live on. Her life is wrapped up in the store though Laurie constantly admonishes her for not taking time off. But Mary adamantly refuses to leave town. As she states to Laurie: "'Autumn gets so mad that I won't go out and see the world. Visit. Travel. That sort of thing,' she murmured, wishing she didn't have the scars and the limitations that had, at times, put such a strain on their relationship.”

Only Laurie knows the truth about Mary's horrendous past, and though she insists Mary tell her daughter what she suffered through, Mary refuses, especially now when Autumn has her own torments to deal with.

One day, Mary is at the local drug store picking up a few items when Lenore, the owner tells her about how the private detective Drake D. Owens is in town inquiring about a missing woman. She passes his card to Mary.

"A chill ran down Mary's spine. 'Who?'

"'Someone named Bailey North,' she replied with a shrug in her voice.

"Mary dropped her wallet, and her change scattered over the floor. She kept Mr. Owen's card in her hand, couldn't have released it even if she'd wanted to, as she bent to gather up her coins. . . .

. . . "'What does her want with her?' she asked as she stood up again.

"'With Bailey North? I have no clue. He said she was once abducted by a man and his wife and held captive for years. I don't remember hearing anything about that on the news, though, do you?' . . .

. . . "Mary's mind flashed back to the day Nora Skinner stopped to ask her for directions, and Mary had been kicking a rock as she meandered home from school.

"She remembered being so willing to help. A woman along seemed safe—which was how she'd walked right into a trap."

Mary's heart pounds as anxiety consumes her. She was abducted at age 12 and held prisoner for seven years until her abductor's daughter, Tammy, aided in her escape. Mary knows the Skinners are incarcerated. Could they have been paroled? With this circumstance in mind, she knows she still cannot tell Autumn about her history. Autumn has enough on her plate as it is.

Weeks pass and the kids settle happily into their new surroundings. Taylor closely befriends a local named Sierra—an outcast being raised by her father. There is something about her that draws Taylor to her. It is like Sierra can almost read Taylor's mind, and she displays incredible support, especially when Taylor confides she is pregnant. Horrified at her situation, Taylor had been depressed and upset by her father's disappearance and one night at a party she drank too much and slept with Caden's best friend, Oliver. When Oliver double crossed Caden by asking a girl he wanted to take to a dance, Caden broke off the friendship and swore he'd never talk to him again. Taylor now laments how this could have happened—it was her first time with a boy and the one boy her sibling hates. She fears he will hate her now, too.

Autumn learns Quinn Vanderbilt, with whom she had a huge crush on and embarrassed herself with him in high school, is back in town. He is recovering from a contentious divorce after his obsessive wife stabbed him, almost killing him, and he has returned and be with his mother who is dying of cancer. Autumn is shocked when she sees him—shocked because her feelings are still there.

This novel offers generational situations containing scenes of grief and suffering. The many subplots make this an exciting read; there is the backstory of Mary's life and the question of if she'll divulge the horrors she once encountered and maybe will continue to haunt her. Autumn is dealing with the absence of her husband and her newfound realization of a long-lost love that never waned. Finally, Taylor battles with her sexual identity while being pregnant, and she stresses over the disharmony between her and her brother. The prose is fast-paced and exciting making this a breathless page-turner with the conclusion proving no problems are too difficult to solve.

I’m kind of stuck on how I feel about this book hence the 3 stars. I wasn’t completely in love with all parts of the story. When I started the story I wasn’t pulled in. I kept reading but it took a bit of time to get me to the point that I didn’t want to put it down. Usually it takes me about 5-7 days to read a good book. This one was double that.
At a point a little over half way through, I lost that connection and started skipping paragraphs, then pages. There was just so much drama for one small family and no action. Nothing seemed to be happening. A missing husband/father, a family ordeal from the past, a second chance romance, a criminal ex-wife, cancer, an unexpected teen pregnancy, sexuality questioning. This book covers it all and at some point was hard to imagine it was all possible.
Even with all of the drama and the characters to go with it, the storylines were easy to follow. Once I got through to the last quarter of the book I started being interested in reading all the pages and paragraphs once again.
The ending brought the decision that I hoped would happen but I was really disappointed there wasn’t an epilogue. I would’ve liked to have read how all the many dramas had been resolved, not just the few.
Thanks to HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!

Ps...
I rarely make comment on quotes from the books I read but there is one in this story that I have to... “I might die, Quinn, but my love for you never will.” My heart took a hit as I read this quote. I went back and read this sentence a few times. And even as I wrote this review I was remembering it and had to go back and get the exact quote. There is so much in these few words said from a mother to a son. It is sticking with me. ♥️

You can never go wrong with a Brenda Novak book and this one is no exception.

Autumn’s husband has been missing for over a year, this has not only affected her but her children, Taylor and Caden as well. Hoping for a change of scenery as well as much needed down time, they head to her mothers house in Sable Beach for the summer.
While this will be a chance to think how to move forward, situations and life will move faster than they want. Everyone including her mother has secrets that are about to be exposed.

While each character has their own secrets and there is a lot going on... I loved every minute
Now I know where my next vacation will be .... Sable Beach... shopping at the book store, dinner at The Daily Catch

There was a lot to enjoy in this novel, compelling characters, a main story line that was quite strong, and a setting that was so nice I want to travel there.
However, there were also several things that didn't work for me completely. For example, there were too many 'main characters' in my opinion, and they all had pretty heavy drama to deal with. It would have worked better for me if each of Mary, Autumn and Taylor had their own book. There would still have been enough to read about.
Also, the ending left me feeling quite unsatisfied, as there was no real resolution to all of the characters' problems.

A multigenerational book, with all the secrets and ups and downs that life has to offer. I loved the setting, beach town and a book store. What more could you ask for?. Highly recommend this book. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Brenda Novak gives readers another great women's fiction novel with three generations of a family attempting to find their way. There are secrets and mysteries aplenty, in addition to romantic possibilities. In addition, I loved the setting of the bookstore in a beachside town. Recommended.

Wow! Another fabulous book by Brenda Novak! Her books never fail to keep me on the edge of my seat! I did not want this book to end! I loved the characters so much, and couldn't put it down, the storylines of the three main characters were written in such a way that I could follow them all individually and enjoy each person's story equally. I cannot decide which character I liked best. They were well developed and I grew to care about each one. They all had choices to make, difficult choices. I loved the ending so much! This is probably my favorite book so far by this author.

This book has a lot going on and a lot of characters to keep track of. I enjoyed this book and would love to own a book store on the beach. What could be better than that? It was fast paced and it made me feel like i really was on the beach living this story. This author never disappoints. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

After finishing this book I just held it and stared into space wanting to savor the feelings it evoked. I felt like I knew these wonderful characters and I felt their emotions right along with them as if I was part of their story. This kind of book reminds me of why I love to read, always searching for the story to pull at my heartstrings and make me think about life and what is important. In this book three generations of women all go through a very hard time in their lives and must make choices that are life altering. Secrets come out that change everything all three women knew about themselves. This book had an absorbing plot you don’t want to miss. Brenda Novak’s books are exceptional!

An enjoyable enough book. Definitely recommend for others that want romance, mystery, true life stories.
I received an ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book had a lot going on. Three generations of women all having a secret to deal with. It was hard to put down this book, at times I couldn’t read fast enough. I enjoyed the book! Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Like all Brenda Novak novels, this did not disappoint! I couldn’t put it down. The storyline was great, I loved the characters, and it had two of my favorite things..a bookstore and a beach! Highly recommend!

With a cover like this I didn't expect anything to emotionally taxing. I was wrong. Honestly, I don't know how I would react if I was in Autumn's place. So much of what she thought she knew about her family turned out to be wrong. She made decisions based on information she had at the time and then that information turned out to be wrong. Should she stick to old promises, or do what feels right today? Those are the kinds of decisions none of us can make for others. Honestly I disagreed with the choices of many of the characters but have to admit that I don't know what I would really do in a similar circumstance.
Overall I enjoyed the book, but my disagreement with the choices did affect my enjoyment of the story.

Thanks to the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley. Grade: B.

I love all of Brenda Novak books but this one is one of my favorite. This book has secrets from 3 generations of women that come out at the worst possible time and how they overcome them. How they stick together in good times and the bad times. There is love as well as suspense. The only negative thing is I wish it had an epilogue. I love epilogues in books. But it doesn’t really need it. The whole book was amazing.

I can't say enough good about this book. No matter your genre I can't imagine you not liking it. Autumn's husband disappeared over 18 months ago and she spent most of that time paying PI's and doing her own research to find him. Vanished on a business trip that was supposed to be to NY but wasn't. So for the summer she goes to stay with her mom's at Sable Beach. Her mom, Mary owns a bookstore. Autumn is a wreck and needs to recoup and decide what to do with her life. Does she give up on the search or continue or get on with her life. Her two teens go with her as they are also struggling to come to terms with his absence. Her mom is so happy to have them there for the summer, she is struggling with what to tell Autumn about her past. Mary was a single mother and wove a tale to her daughter as to who her father was. Her daughter now wants to know who her father is before it's too late to connect. Mary cannot let that happen and doesn't know how to stop Autumn's interest. It's a dark secret. Taylor, Autumn's daughter at 17 has had a really hard time accepting the disappearance of her father and has made some really bad decisions while struggling with the loss. Now she is finding a new hope and a new pain and is even more confused as what to do. Then there is Quinn, Autumn's first love who now lives in Sable Beach and is single. He is helping his dad and mom since she is fighting to survive cancer. When Quinn and Autumn meet again they are both struck with intense feelings. Quinn was her first and that you don't forget, but does she still have a husband is he even alive? With the story covering Autumn, Mary, Taylor and Quinn you will not be bored,. In fact you can't put it down, even between chapters. The flow from one to the other is so smooth and you want to know what continues to happen in the previous chapter while locked into the present one! I'm not a beach book reader normally but this book has me sold on Brenda's flawless writing and keeping you interested. I highly recommend this book! Thank you NetGalley, Brenda Novak, and the publishers Harlequin Trade Pub, US & CA, for the ARC this is, as always, my honest opinion

Autumn is taking her two teenagers to her hometown for a summer at the beach. She's had a traumatic year. Her husband disappeared and she needs her mother's support and friendship. Mom and her friend have a small bookstore in town and Autumn is helping out while renewing her friendship with Taylor, her high school crush. Everyone is hiding something in their past. Mary, Autumn's mom has a big secret from her childhood and Autumn's daughter is going is little wild. A good story with multiple lines that crisscross very nicely. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Bookstore on the Beach by Brenda Novak. Multiple family drama is packed into this story. Each character had a secret, some more than others. There isn't a more romantic empathetic character than Quinn... Would have been interested in finding out more of Taylor and Sierra's relationship and more of Nick's story, So many unanswered questions in Tammy and Bailey's backgrounds. Interesting read however the ending seemed rushed.

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

After 18 months of searching for her husband who's gone missing and finding fewer clues as time goes on, Autumn packs up her two teenage children and goes to her mother's house in Sable Point for the summer. The women in this story- Autumn, her mother Mary, and daughter Taylor- all have secrets to keep. And when the truth is finally revealed it will change everything.
This felt more like a family drama than a romance story. There was a romantic element involved, but the main story revolved around the secrets each woman was keeping and how they came to light. I love the depth of the characters in this story and how they relate with each other. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next.
Thank you to Brenda Novak and Harlequin books for the opportunity to read this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Autumn’s husband disappeared 18 months ago. She wants to give her children a “normal” summer, so they go to her mom’s home that is close to the beach for the summer. While Autumn hopes this summer will be one of healing, she’s not prepared for all she, and her family members, will encounter. This was a fast-paced look into the lives of 3 generations in the family. Loved it!

Sable Beach is a small beach town ripe with secrets and drama. The story focuses on three generations of women who are facing life-changing decisions. One day Autumn’s husband, father of her two kids, flies to Ukraine and goes missing. She has spent the past two years trying to find out why he left and whether he is alive. She’s trying to move forward with her family—but how can she move forward when his whereabouts are a mystery?

But the drama doesn’t stop there—drama runs in the family! Autumn’s mom Mary is hiding her past. Her daughter is desperate to discover who her father is as Mary works just as hard to keep this secret buried. However, while Autumn is trying to uncover Mary’s secret to her past, Autumn’s daughter Taylor has a secret of her own.

I’ve been looking forward to reading a Brenda Novak novel for some time, as the covers are often beckoning me from the shelves of the bookstore nestled next to similar authors that I follow. The voices of three generation of women were also good, and the characters were both likable and in some ways relatable. The Bookstore on the Beach was everything I expected and more—fun beach setting, small town drama, a bit of romance, and love—all hallmarks of a book that was impossible to put down. I look forward to reading others from this author!