This book was an amazing read that kept me reading from the very first page. It moves along at a really nice pace making for a relaxing and enjoyable read. The characters are truly amazing and you feel as though you know them and you want to be there for them. The story will keep you reading till the end and then you are needing more. This book needs to be on your TBR list, no doubt about it.

A decent story, but much too wordy and in a sort of formal too many words way. The ending was almost like the book had drained on for so long, that it just needed to be ended and quickly.

Wanted to check out this author due to people I know recommending her work and thinking that the concept of the book sounded interesting. After reading about 5% of the book I realized this was not a voice I would enjoy. No worries, just not for me.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Kensington Books and Rochelle Alers for an e arc of this book.
Leah decides that she needs to spend another summer in the small town she stayed in the year before. She is looking forward to spending time with the two friends she made the year before and restarting the book group they formed. All the arrangements are made but her husband Alan is not happy. An incident occurs that makes Leah finally stand up to Alan. She is supported by her grown up sons and by the friends she made the previous year. As she spends the summer healing, she makes some very important decisions as to what her future will be like.
This is the 2nd book in this series and I didn’t feel as if I was missing anything for not having read the first.
A good summer read. I will be reading more work by this author.
I am adding a trigger warning here as the book does contain domestic violence, not much and in no graphic detail.

This is an entertaining beach read. It’s the story of letting go and starting over, the strong bonds of women’s friendships, of trusting and breaking down walls. I enjoyed this compelling read.

“The Beach House” is the second book in Rochelle Alers Book Club Series. If you haven’t read the first book, it won’t keep you from enjoying this one. The book may even have your mouth watering with its descriptions of food and drinks.
Leah heads for Coates Island, North Carolina, again. The year before she, Kayana Johnson, and Cherie Thompson, formed a summer book club. They liked it so much they agreed to repeat the experience the next year.
What a difference a year makes, Leah’s life is spinning out of control and divorce is her only option.
For thirty years, she has lived in an unhappy marriage. Her resentful husband and his bullying mother-in-law are the reasons.
The only pleasure they all shared–Leah and Alan’s twin sons.
The marriage is over, but to her surprise, a second chance at love comes along.
Trigger warning: It’s women’s fiction and there is strong language and a scene of domestic violence.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the advanced copy for my honest review.

A copy of this review appears on my GoodReads page.

2 stars
This was just a disappointment. I had a hard time getting into this book.
I think this one is a big miss.

This is a very blunt, matter of fact novel. The characters are a bit one dimensional and predictable. Leah and Allen have a bad marriage. They married because they had to. I’m not sure why Leah didn’t leave the marriage long before she is, especially since her kids were long gone. I’m not sure what to make of this story. It’s a traditional romance gone wrong find love again story, but it just seemed wooden. Indie like the setting at the beach.

A straight up beach read. Fairly middle of the road. This is the second in a series and I hadn’t read the first and didn’t find it necessary.

This was a quick and easy, summery beach read. LOVED the cover. I did not read the first book, which did not hinder the reading of the current book for me. I heard the first book actually had Leah, Keyana and Cherie in a regular book club and this was absent in book 2, a shame. I liked the idea of Leah wanting to get away and discover herself and start over in an environment that brings comfort and joy to herself after her marriage ends to wealthy older judge. Obviously, he was outraged Leah wants to go back to Coates Island and is not supportive of her wishes and desires; they just do not see eye to eye anymore. Kudos to Leah for starting over and making Coates Island a real home.

What I did not like was this instant connection that seemed predictable to Keyana's brother, Derrick. It felt forced. He is widowed. Her marriage just ended. Is starting a new relationship so fast really necessary? I guess there had to be some romance/love story in the book to make this a beachy romance. The ending left it open for the last book in the series, but this was just ok for me, overall. I liked it but was not completely blown away by it.

Thanks to Netgalley, Rochelle Alers and Kensington Books Dafnia for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 5/25/21

Great book about family, self growth, love, and friendship.
Leah stayed in an unhealthy marriage far longer than she should have. It took physical abuse before she had the strength and courage to leave Alan and reclaim her life. She decides to go back to Coates Island, where she had spent the best two months of her life the summer before. Leah reconnects with her summer friends she had made during her stay and shared book club with. She begins helping out at the Seaside Cafe, baking, cooking and cleaning, and loving every minute. Her twin 29 year old sons are supportive of her desire to break free of their dad. The only problem is Alan is a highly respected judge, and divorce from him will not be easy. But what is easy, is her ever growing desire for her friend's brother, Derek.
This book was enjoyable, even though it was predictable. I love the characters and banter between them. Looking forward to the next book.

A quick, easy summer read. I did not read the first book but never felt lost.

I liked this story; we are following Leah as she is making changes in her life. Her sons are grown, and her marriage is not an ideal one. She heads back to a place she was happy, Coates Island. I enjoyed reading about the friendships she makes and her new life. I would have liked the author to explore more of the book club thread. Not a fan of Alan Kent, but the author wanted this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

The Beach House picks up where The Seaside Cafe’ left all. Leah and Derrick are polar opposites, yet similar. They are connected via Derrick’s sister Kayana. Leah has been living a life that most will envy, but if they knew the truth, they would not envy her life. Derrick is a widower of 5 years and a newly empty nester. These two form a friendship that neither saw coming. This book is a slow, lazy read. Perfect for a relaxing day at the beach or by the pool. Grab your copy. Hopefully we will get a third book (Cherie’s story).

I didn't realize this book was #2 in a trilogy; i'd love to get my hands on the first book.
This was a quick summer/beachy read, which I loved! Though the lead character was not relateable for me, and seemed a bit unrealistic, the story was light and enjoyable.

Kudos to Ms. Alers! This book picked up right where the first one left off. However, even if u never read the first book. you still would have enjoyed this one. The book was so good I didn't want to put it down. Wish there could be a sequel to the sequel. Wish this was a real place to visit because she made it seem so warm and inviting.

This is the 2nd book of a trilogy. I haven't read the first book, but I don't think that affected this story. It's easy to follow the characters.

A quick, summer read. This book follows Leah's story. She's married to a wealthy judge, with twin sons. She's had an unhappy marriage, but the last straw breaks her and she decides to head back to Coates Island. She is living above the cafe and starts helping out. There is a good group of characters in this series. Leah's character is a little unbelievable - she's the headmistress of a girl's prep school, but comes across so uncouth at times. I liked the book club concept.

Thank you to NetGalley for a digital ARC. The opinions here are my own.

This was a good book. I didn't realize it was a second in a series and didn't feel like I missed anything because I didn' t read the first one. From the get go, I did not like Alan. What a miserable and manipulative person, but I guess he learned it from his mother. I loved how the sons loved their mom soo much. The relationship between the friends leaves something for all of us to aspire too. This is a great Sunday read.

I really enjoyed the first book in the series, The Seaside Cafe. I liked this book and I enjoyed reading more about Leah’s life, however, I found that I liked this book a little less than the first book in the series. I found myself wanting more of the book club storyline which was pretty nonexistent in this book. Overall, though, it was a good read.

Maybe if I had read the first book first, then it would've made more of an impact. I really liked the relationships of the women and all else. i liked the beach scenary too!

Loved the second book in this series. This is the story of Leah and her life being married to Alan Kent. He is a wealthy man who was 17 years older than she was. See how her life turns out and where she ends up. See the things that he does for her and how he undoes them. A GREAT READ.