What was the point of this book???

I wanted to read Elizabeth Castellano’s debut book, Save What’s Left, after hearing it was picked for Good Morning America’s Book Club and People Magazine named it one of the best books of the summer.

While this book had funny moments, it is basically 300 pages of a privileged white woman picking fights with her neighbors and the city. I don’t get the hype and wish I would have just DNFd it.

Special thanks to Netgalley, Elizabeth Castellano, and Vintage Anchor for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

The book blurb hooked me immediately. Unfortunately, the story itself was not very compelling. Thank you NetGalley for the advance ecopy.

There was so much buzz about this book that I was sure I would love it. Unfortunately I didn't love it and I found it to be just ok. This story had a lot of potential but the overall problems/complaining/negativity that started out as funny ultimately became to much.

Parts of this book -- the first half especially -- were laugh-out-loud funny, putting me in mind of some of my favorite other shrewdly witty midlife-crisis stories (think Where'd You Go, Bernadette and Agatha Arch Is Afraid of Everything). Elizabeth Castellano does a beautiful job of capturing the essence of the old lyrical adage that life is what happens when we're busy making other plans, so we can't help but cheer for our heroine as she at last starts making plans of her own. At the end of the day, it turns out we can only feel so sorry for someone who lives in a gorgeous beach town, but what a fun ride this book was. A good read for the off-season when you're landlocked at home.

Quirky, unique beach-style read. Kinda repetitive, with lots of words, and lots of descriptions. Overall kind of a light read.

In "Save What's Left", Kathleen thinks she and her husband are drifting "as happily as can be expected" into retirement, after thirty years of marriage. Their life in Kansas City is predictable, but that's not bad, is it? Until her husband Tom tells her he is unhappy and will be leaving her to depart on a four month around-the-world cruise. Kathleen decides that she will also pick up her life and move to a town where an old friend from her past lives, so she buys a beach shack on the Florida coastline, sight unseen.

When she arrives at the house, she is unhappy to find that a huge house is being built next door to her, to be utilized as an holiday home. So her dreams of residing in a relaxing beach cottage are shattered by the relentless sound of drills and hammers. A letter writing campaign ensues, with Kathleen writing to the city planner complaining about her noisy neighbors who are breaking all sorts of zoning laws.

So how did I like the book? First, I have to commend the writer for keeping me chuckling pretty much all throughout the book. It wasn't just the occasional funny line, but much of the dialogue was in this tone. Now, you will either like this or you won't. I, personally, was amused by it. I will say, however, that I think that this book may be more enjoyed by an audience of older age. As a person in retirement I could find more to relate to in the story, than say, a twenty year old would. I would also like to take exception to reviewers calling Kathleen "the ultimate Karen". First, what a tired, overused insult that has become in record time. Some people think that anyone who complains about anything is a "Karen". Sometimes there are actually things to complain about! Is Kathleen over the top in this department? Yes, but that's what we call "humor", something some of these reviewers might try look up in their dictionary.

So if you are at an age where you can imagine retiring one day, and then could see the humor when everything goes sideways; if you are looking for a light and happy read which is not super deep, but is heartwarming, and if you would like a book that may make you laugh out loud, then you may be the audience for "Save What's Left"!

Thank you to the author Elizabeth Castellano, NetGalley and publisher Vintage Anchor for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this started out SO strong—I found myself laughing out loud and finding absolute delight in the protagonists internal monologue. Unfortunately the story never really took off—it was very repetitive and nothing really happened. What started off as funny ended up being irritating because there was no character evolution, on the part of anyone in the novel. I gave it 3 stars because of the strong start.

A hilarious look into life in a beach town. When Kathleen's husband of thirty years, Tom, unexpectedly says he wants a divorce and plans to cruise around the world and find himself, Kathleen is thrown for a loop. She decides a change is in order for herself as well, and moves across the country to a small home on the beach in the town of Whitbey. She soon realizes that life in a beach town is not what she had always dreamed of. Her next door neighbors are in the process of building a giant new home, and disregarding all city codes and ordinances along the way. Not fun. Kathleen becomes quick friends with Rosemary across the street, who is also frustrated with this new development, and they dedicate themselves to questioning the process and any of the town's officials who seem to supporting it. Something stinks in this town, and it's not the clams.

A witty summer read. I definitely don't want a beach house after reading this novel. Ha. What a nightmare. Kathleen and Rosemary are cantankerous for sure, but you can't help but love them. Plenty of fun antics and an interesting setting. I enjoyed the over the top nature of the characters, though I do see how some could be frustrated with the repetition.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Save What's Left by Elizabeth Castellano is a book that by the description would be a book that I loved. I have tried to pinpoint what fell short for me and the only thing I can say is the story felt like there were parts missing. There are moments that were laugh out loud funny but there were too few of these moments. Kathleen fell flat for me. Rosemary wasn't much better.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Bottom line, I live in a small touristy beach town and I thought this would be a fun read.. The premise is good and the author's lead up to the big beach move is well written that you develop empathy for the characters. The format of emails written to complain about various town issues is ok. Unfortunately, the rest of the book is almost a caricature of people from away complaining. For me, the book was a rehash of people from away complaining about every thing wrong in their new home town without doing more than attending a few meetings and whining out loud.

I enjoyed the first half of the book. I understood where Kathleen was coming from in terms of moving away to really start living her best life after her husband told her he was unhappy in their marriage. However, the constant bickering and complaining with the town over the McMansion just made the book more of a chore than a real escape for me.

I really loved this. At first I wasn't sure because it reads as a steady stream of consciousness, and it weaves between past and present pretty quickly (if you're not paying attention you'll get lost) but I ended up loving Kathleen. I laughed so may times at her dry humor, and I ended up loving the writing style.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley and Vintage Anchor, Anchor for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest reveiw.

I was drawn in by the plot of the book and it did have some laugh out loud moments but it just seemed to fall short for me. I was deceived by the cover thinking it was a cute beach read to find out it was kind of a rant of politics in a beach community. It is a little quirky and I think that is where the humor was supposed to be. I do like the theme of forgiveness and giving second chances.

Told in the first person, it's a tale of what happens after Kathleen's husband, Tom, tells her he's unhappy in their marriage. Tom decides to leave on a trip to find himself, and Kathleen decides to sell their home in Kansas and move to Whitbey. Her friend, Josie, lives there and has painted it as a quaint beach town. When Kathleen arrives to find out that it is not as quaint as Josie painted it, she quickly gets pulled into the town's politics. Things turn unhinged after that, and it gets interesting. It's like a car crash that you can't look away from. It's a beyond-colorful story about forgiveness and second chances.

Loved this title. It was a great representation of mid-life and I enjoyed every word. Highly recommend taking that adventure!

Well! This was a book in which I dnfed. Then I received it on audio, so I gave it a shot. The narrator really kept this book moving for me. There were places that I laughed out loud. But, like in the physical copy, I did not enjoy all the petty letters to the city government. It was like a tattle-tale and it got on my nerves. But the audio version is the way to go!

This plot was interesting but i feel that it had so much potential.
Many thanks to Vintage Anchor and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

While I did not find the book outrageously funny, I did chuckle a few times. This story is mostly one huge rant over politics in a small beach town. Although forgiveness and second chances are also highlighted.

“Everyone thinks these small rural towns are sleepy and charming and simple. They say life is slower. They say the people have time to enjoy one another. But, if you move to one of these towns, and I’m not saying you should because you shouldn’t, but if you do, you’ll find that the people who live in these towns are the busiest people you’ll ever meet…I guarantee there are more meetings in my beach town than there are meetings in all of Congress.”

This audiobook was FANTASTIC! Absolutely hysterical and such a hoot! Omg Therese Plummer nailed it! She captures all of the quirkiness and sarcasm in her narration and, if you’ve ever lived near the beach, accuracy. This book definitely lays bare the cost of a pretty view and all of the humor and ridiculousness that ensues. I laughed out loud many times at how well this book depicts life by the beach.

“In a beach town, all the big fights are about little things. People are parking on corners. They’re stepping in piping plover habitats.” FACTS!! Half of a beach will be closed for these little nuggets 🐦

Although summer is winding down there’s still plenty of time to add this GMA book club pick to your summer beach bag!

“You really have to hand it to the piping plovers. They did the impossible. These tiny sand-loving birds somehow managed to secure miles of prime waterfront property and get results from town hall all at the same time.” 😂😂 they are soooo cute though 🥰

Thank you for the free audiobook @PRHAudio #PRHAudioPartner, and Netgalley and Vintage Anchor Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was quite an unusual book. I have to warn you—do not go into this thinking it is a feel good beach read. This frustrating story is about a women who falls into the trap of small beach town rules and laws that are constantly broken. Granted, the very first lines of the book warn you of the content and that pessimistic tone lasts the entire book. While the story was relatable and well written, I could not recommend due to the negativity on every page. I finished but kind of wished I hadn’t.