Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my ARC and Macmillan Audio for my ALC!

Pub date: 7/5/22
Genre: beach read, women's fiction
In one sentence: Mary and her granddaughter Larkin escape to Florida, where they meet fishing captain Daniel and his very special dog, Tripod, for a Christmas to remember.

I requested this book solely based on the cover - it just screams summer beach read. I wasn't expecting the Christmas setting, but it actually worked quite well This book feels like a Hallmark movie done right - quirky strangers in a small town who help each other heal from trauma. Young kid Larkin brought plenty of comedy and three-legged dog Tripod brought plenty of comedy.

If you want an encouraging and heartwarming light read, this is a good pick! The audio and text are both good options - I liked that there were two narrators, one for the female characters and one for the male.

I enjoyed this book immensely. It was the perfect summertime beach read and I brought it to the beach on a road trip. You can see the vlog video on my YouTube Channel, Book Talks With Mrs. Thomas. The video is called Netgalley Beach Reads Vlog. I especially enjoyed the character development in this book with a focus on relationships among women. I enjoyed the conflict between the mother and daughter and the grandmother's love and desperation to be with her granddaughter.
This is the tale of Mary, a lighthearted 40ish woman with a fantastic sense of humor who ditches her snooty boyfriend because he won't commit and takes off on a vacation with her daughter and granddaughter to get as far away from the man as possible. Unfortunately.... the daughter backs out at the last minute leaving Mary with a rigid list of rules as she travels with her granddaughter. In this whimsical novel, Mary, her granddaughter Larkin, navigate the vacation and learn some important life lessons about laughter and letting go along the way.

Paradise Girls was a quick, easy read that allowed me to escape the holiday madness and relax for a bit. Set around Christmas, this book chronicles the evolution of the characters, Mary, Ollie and Daniel as they navigate the seasons of their lives. All three are dealing with unrelated major life changes, their worlds collide and they end up helping each other find some peace. A story of healing, self discovery, love and forgiveness, Paradise Girls was a little predictable but was a comforting, light story that filled my need for some “brain candy”.

I received an arc of this audio from NetGalley for an honest review. I liked this book and the narrator, but she did not fit the main character Mary. Mary was supposed to be in her early forties, and the narrator's voice made her sound like she was a much older woman, making things harder. Otherwise, it was a great story.

DNF @ 25%. Unfortunately, this book just isn't pulling me in. I think I was expecting more drama with the broken engagement and ruined vacation in paradise, but the story was very slow-moving. The narrators' voices were also a bit too old for the main characters, which threw off the feel of the book. I think many people will like this one, but it just wasn't for me!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

This is a season of stepping out of my comfort zone and I requested Paradise Girls because it's exactly the genre I would never choose - romance. I like psychological thrillers, killing, true crime, horror, but never romance. Listening to the audiobook over the course of a day was very much the example of intermezzo when describing food - a small plate, a palate cleanser, a delight.

The premise of the novel is grandmother Mary at a time in her life when all seems meaningless (hello? This has been me for the last 2 years), decides to do something different and travel to Florida with daughter and granddaughter. When she ends up alone with her granddaughter at an aging motel, she unexpectedly meets another soul as lost as hers. I loved the characters, the location, the journey. And, as a nearing 60 year old woman, I related so much to this story.

I don't know if the romance genre in general is supposed to be life affirming, but this one was what I needed when I needed it and I'm happy to recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for allowing me to listen in advance of the July 5, 2022 release date in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wow, I really really enjoyed this audiobook. It was captivating and it hooked me from the very first chapter. Highly recommend.

A quick listen but there were parts I didn’t connect with. There was just something missing for me and I cannot put my finger on it. It’s just a gut feeling. Thanks NetGalley for the early copy.

3.5 stars

This is a solid example of women's fiction that surprised me in a good way.

Mary, the m.c., is a relatively young grandmother whose career, romantic relationship, and interactions with her daughter and granddaughter have taken some recently disappointing turns. Rather than holing up at home, Mary heads out of Brooklyn for Christmas in Florida with her little granddaughter and a charming cast of new friends.

I've not read a ton of women's fiction that features older main characters, and honestly, I was a little concerned when I realized that Mary and her experiences were perhaps going to be more aligned with mine in several more decades or perhaps never. That noted, this is a quick and uncomplicated read, and it was a very nice change of pace from what I typically choose. Readers looking for a grandmotherly character exploration that is somewhat predictable but also a nice escape will also enjoy this read.