Mary Alice Monroe returns to Sullivan’s Island and the Rutledge family in The Summer of Lost and Found. It’s the early days of the coronavirus pandemic and there are new things to learn: quarantine, masks, social distancing and where to find toilet paper.

Because of the lockdown, Linnea Rutledge has been laid off from her dream job at the aquarium. She has offered a room in her beach cottage to her friend Annabelle (now Anna) and is hoping that Gordon, her love of last summer, will be able to return from England. Meanwhile John, who ended their long term relationship shortly before she met Gordon, is back on Sullivan’s Island and planning to stay to help his mother take care of a beloved relative with dementia. Linnea can’t help having strong feelings for John but she can try to hide them.

The Summer of Lost and Found is also a summer of discovery. Like all of us, the Rutledges learn what is really important; love, family, friends and kindness. This is a slow moving, beautifully written jewel. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books and Mary Alice Monroe for this ARC.

Mary Alice Monroe returns to her beloved Beach House series and the characters her readers know and love of Cara and Linnea Rutledge in her forthcoming novel “The Summer Of Lost and Found”

What is different about this book however, is that our beloved fictional characters are set in the real world timeline of the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic, with the novel beginning with Linnea being laid off from her dream job at the South Carolina aquarium due to shut downs, and slowly over the course of the novel the characters learn everything about the world had to learn like social distancing, face masks, and spending time with only those in your household pod. I did miss the turtles though. There was very few turtle ladies scenes in this book due to the characters not having large gatherings, so that was the biggest difference that it didn’t feel like a “Beach House” book til more towards the end.

While I read novels to escape daily life and it was a bit tough to be hit with corona virus, covid-19, did you wash your hands, keep 6 feet away, on every few pages of the book, underneath that all there is a heartwarming, beautiful, touching story of hope and resilience here for a family undergoing tough changes, and this particular novel centers on Cara’s niece Linnea’s struggles to find herself and what her future in this world will be. With Mary Alice Monroe’s trademark warmth and heart, including a few tears, this novel will be a great beach read for the summer.

4.5 ⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the advanced copy.

I love the cover and chapter art.i loved the name Linnea. Linnea works at an aquarium. I liked the descriptions. Linnea is furloughed and in financial trouble due corona virus. I liked the characters. I liked reading about linneas troubles.

The coming of Spring usually means renewal, but for Linnea Rutledge, Spring 2020 threatens stagnation. Linnea faces another layoff, this time from the aquarium she adores. For her—and her family—finances, emotions, and health teeter at the brink.

Such a wonderful book by Monroe! She really knows how to hold my attention and keep me hooked.
This is a wonderful story Of family and friend's!

A very timely written story given what is going on in the world currently with the pandemic. A continuation of the Rutledge series this was a good book to just sit back and read. I enjoyed this but it was not the subject matter that I usually read, but I still recommend this, for the qualities of the content.

First of all, I am so glad to return to the Primrose Cottage and visit with the Rutledge family. I have loved this series since the beginning and especially after this year, was craving more of Lovie's wisdom. This is also the first book about the Covid-19 pandemic I've read. I was really interested in seeing how this timeframe, we're still technically living in, would come across in story form.

After the crazy year we've had in 2020, it was a comfort to come back to re-live it with characters that feel like family. In searching for more of Lovie's knowing words, it was here I realized we're hearing more of Cara's words and it's been a nice transition to see her becoming the head of the family. However, this book has a different feel than previous ones. I believe the uncertainty of the times really came through in her words. After reading the authors notes at the end, you'll learn more of her changes and why it reads a little differently.

The storyline has all the wildness we lived in 2020 - shut downs, schools closing, flights being canceled, lives being changed, job layoffs, missing loved ones, missing hugs! But the storyline is a great next book in the Beach House series. Linnea narrates the main viewpoint of this story - along with her pod of family and friends, old and new.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in return for my review. I recommend this entire series to anyone that asks for a great book. Even if you haven't read the series, this book includes enough background story you won't be lost in figuring out the characters. But please go back to the beginning and learn Lovie's story!

I was very lucky to receive approval from NetGalley to read and review this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Mary Alice Monroe is one of my absolute favorite authors and I look forward to her book every summer. This book is part of the Beach House series however if you've not read the entire series you can pick this book up and read it without being lost. She has such a great way of writing and how she wove the Pandemic into this book makes you feel right at home. Everyone needs to add her and this book to your list of MUST READS! I promise you will find a new favorite author! She and this book are amazing!

I so wanted to love this book. I have the highest respect for Mary Alice as a person and an author. But this was a disappointing read for myself. I just found it flat. It seemed like each set of characters came in for their couple of chapters and then left Linnea's life/storyline - whether it was David & Cara (& Hope) or Palmer & Julia or Emmi & Flo. I guess it felt flat for me bc you know these characters are all about family and are in contact with each other all the time and more than what was written about on the page. Once the aquarium closed, I was disappointed that Linnea did not seem to be contact with anyone from work. I get that in 2020 we all basically went into isolation in the spring but we still had phones, Google Meets, Zoom calls, and Netflix parties. And once she speaks to John about her idea of online aquarium educational interactive lessons, Mary Alice never circles back to this plot line. One that I thought she might considering there was a love triangle going on. Even Linnea's love triangle felt trite and flat to me. I will say she surprised me with the love triangle ending that I did not see coming. Once Gordon left the beach house, the connection seemed to be gone with Linnea. There are moments of pure Mary Alice that I enjoyed. I never knew what a joggling board was and loved reading about the competition that John dreamed up with it. While it was disappointing read for myself, I would not consider it wasted time to have read it. I love this series and will always read where she takes us next. PS-I love her author's note at the end and her thoughts on how 2020 impacted families. PSS-Toy was brought up multiple times in this addition to the series and got me thinking where is she now and why hasn't she returned for a visit or at the very least sent a text or called Cara? I hope you find the book enjoyable.

The Summer of Lost and Found finds the Rutledge family and their friends struggling with the COVID pandemic, isolation, old loves, new loves, loss and generally trying to make do with an unsettling new normal...as the author’s devoted fans also are doing. Mary Alice Monroe gives new readers enough back story that they won’t feel lost, but if you are a new reader, please know that you will lose many hours of exquisitely engaging and enlightening prose by not reading the series in order. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

*****Coming May 21, 2021***** Thanks to Gallery Books and Netgalley, I was chosen as an early reviewer!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Mary Alice Monroe is spot on when continuing the Beach House Series through the Pandemic! This author draws you into the book and so accurately describes the uncertainty, heartaches, and daily life changes that was caused by the beginning of the pandemic. I loved how Mary Alice Monroe even included the viewpoint from a 6 year child. Even though this novel is part of a series, this book can easily can be read as a stand alone book. Book yourself with a beach novel this May, one not to be missed. A great book club pick!

The Beach House series doesn't fail to satisfy the readers and this latest book doesn't disappoint. The Summer of Lost and Found shows how Linnea and her family an friends are trying to deal with the Corona Virus and trying to follow all protocols. As if that is not enough, toss in current and ex-boyfriends, family and friends returning from London and new room mates. Very relatable circumstances. Tough decisions have to be made. An entertaining and enjoyable read.

This book is a most welcome addition to the continuation of the Rutledge Family story! Here, the focus is on Linnea, who has lost her dream job at the aquarium due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, this entire book is focused on the pandemic and how it has affected so many families, including the Rutledge's. Gentle romance, family relationships, and hard-won self discovery are the themes here. I look forward to recommending this book to the many readers who enjoy family stories with heart.

Beautiful book!! Continuation of Beach House series, deals with Covid-19, Alzheimer's , love and so much more!!!!

This book is another spectacular read by Mary Alice Monroe about the saga of the Rutledge family. Although part of a series it can be easily read as a stand alone novel, as the author gives excellent ‘snip its’ of the backstory for that purpose. The jacket cover synopsis gives a book description far better than I, so I give no spoilers, book-reports or repeating of the storyline. I will tell you that the characters are realistic and their dialogue regarding the summer of 2020 is such that many will find familiar to their own during the trials of living during this epidemic/pandemic. She handles the real challenges many faced during these times without it overshadowing a lovely story of family, young adults, complicated relationships, caring for someone with Alzheimer's and her classic call of care for sea turtles, marine life and plastic pollution. The descriptions of the low country Charleston coastline will take you beachside for the beauty and fickle weather of the area.
MAM’s writing style is like no other and will always leave you with pearls of wisdom and a satisfying ending that begs for the next segment of the life of the Rutledge family and friends.
I was provided an advanced reader copy of this book and was under no obligation to provide a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Many thanks to the author, Gallery Books of Simon &Schuster, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.