Save What's Left is a delightful debut that takes on the presumed path of the ever popular beach read and turns it on it's head.

After Kathleen's husband of 30 years tells her that he's no longer happy with their life, she decides to buy a beach house sight unseen in a small community that her best friend always spends Christmas vacation in. Finding Whitbey to be quite unlike her friend's letters, Kathleen immerses herself in the local politics, scuffling with her neighbors over zoning and code violations.

I appreciated that Castellano really subverted your expectations about what this book would be. It starts out with a premise that's pretty tried and true, and then explores the cost and experience of small town beach living. Kathleen sorts through the complexities of her life, her relationship with her daughter, and her husband Tom. The writing was witty and the story was engaging. I am excited to see what Castellano does next.

This storyline is hilarious so unique that I couldn’t stop laughing. It is such a great mock on living in an “exclusive community”. The characters are so quirky and their interactions with each other are priceless. I swear my jaw dropped. zThis would make a fantastic movie or tv series.

This was a quick summer read with some laugh-out-loud moments. Unfortunately, I wasn't really invested in the backbiting small-town seaside business, which was pretty much the book. I know there will be an audience for this, but I'm just not it. Maybe the crowd that loves a Nextdoor dumpster fire.

This is Kathleen's story of giving the past 30 years of her life the finger and buying a 700 sq. ft. former oyster shack on the beach on Long Island. She and husband, Tom, are native New Yorkers who have lived the past 30 years of their lives in Kansas, where Tom is a surgeon. One day he tells her he's not happy and needs to find himself, and off he goes on a 4-month, world cruise.

Kathleen sells the house and buys a little shack near her friend Josie, who has gushed about the seaside village in all the year-end letters. What she finds is an incestuous little hamlet with everyone's nose in everyone else's business, code violations and illegal rentals and committees. And then Tom shows up in his Airstream and takes up residence in the driveway. He becomes a hit in the neighborhood.

And that's pretty much it.

I liked the banter and the style of writing. The story just wasn't for me.

My thanks to Vintage Anchor and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"I'm that kind of person. The worst kind of person. I'm a beach person," claims the narrator near the outset of the hilarious Save What's Left, Elizabeth Castellano's fictional tell-all about Kathleen Deane's descent into beach-town mayhem. The 50-something recent divorcee sells her Kansas home and purchases, sight unseen, a fixer-upper beach house on Long Island. The problem, of course, is that Kathleen is not the kind of beach person she imagined she'd become--strolling sandy shores and soaking in the sun--with the purchase of this new home following her husband's unexpected departure. Instead, she bemoans, "I'm now the kind of horrible person who genuinely cares about what so-and-so had to say about the traffic from the chowder festival," and has a box full of paper complaints that "began as minor grievances but are now exhibits in a money-laundering scheme."

It's easy to romanticize small-town, beachside life; who hasn't dreamt of giving it all up in favor of a simpler way of living? But in her debut novel, Castellano reveals something like a hidden underbelly in this too-common dream: bickering neighbors, ugly construction, never-ending parking nightmares. As the capers of Kathleen's neighbors, though, become more and more over-the-top, Save What's Left becomes something of a parody of beach-town living, packed with laugh-out-loud moments of absurdity, and touching moments of community and camaraderie found in unexpected corners. An easy, breezy delight from start to finish, Save What's Left is a charming, comedic tale of one woman's quest to reinvent herself--and perhaps reinvent her new town in the process. --Kerry McHugh, freelance writer

I gave this one a third of the way into the book and then had to DNF. The FMC was an absolute annoyance and her infuriating negative commentary was hard to stomach. That’s the outlook of an extremely immature individual not a retired woman making it out in the world on her own. I read some reviews of the book to see if I was missing anything if I DNF’d it and it doesn’t seem like it changes in any meaningful manner.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Save What's Left by Elizabeth Castellano

#NetGalley published 6/23/23
#womensfiction

Let's start with, I HATE THAT GENRE NAME! Well... Anyway...

After he husband decides he needs a big change in life, Kathleen decides to uproot her life to buy a house on the beach sight unseen. Was it the right decision? She finds herself in a tiny beach community getting into the politics of it all.

Kathleen's neighbor gets her started in the political world of Whitbey. Can she get stuff done. Will she get back together with her husband that followed her? Will she find herself amongst it all?

SPOILER ALERT!
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If you like snark, and second chance romances, this book is for you. She is super sarcastic in the narrative. She doesn't know what she wants until the bitter end. Cute book. I'll probably try another one by her if I see it.


#vintageanchorpublishing
#vintageanchor

What I love most about this book is a midlife female main character and the not-so quaint aspects of quaint & quirky small town coastal living! (Coming from someone in midlife and who lives in a small town on the coast of NJ). A fun change from the usual summer beach town reads and a quick read.

Anyone who has fallen for the hype of re-settling in a quaint beach town will be drawn to Elizabeth Castellano's novel about quirky place called Whitbey where construction projects rarely follow building codes, and email complaints are never answered by local government. Kathleen Deane's husband Tom tells her he wants to trade their routine life for a year finding himself. Kathleen is so upset she packs up and moves from Kansas to the east coast to a sight-unseen shaky home next to a huge construction project. From this not-the-best start, Kathleen takes on the local powers who ignore her while dealing with rude construction workers and a woman's walking group who holds the real power in the town. A fun read about a 60-year-old her wants to re-invent herself but finds a whole nest of problems that are just hilariously bizarre.

This book was utterly charming. It is described as an "un-beach read." While I completely agree with that moniker, it was the perfect beach read for me.

After 30 years of marriage, Kathleen's husband decides to tell her that he is leaving their marriage and sets out on a trip. She is stunned. She thought everything was the way it was supposed to be. Even though she is confused and blindsided, she starts thinking about what she wants in life. This leads her to buy a beach house in Whitbey. Then things really start to get interesting.

Kathleen arrives at her new home and everything is not what she expected it to be. She becomes an "expert" on local laws surrounding buildings, property, and zoning. Her whole life becomes wrapped up in the town. The story is told from her point of view, as well as through her emails to the town supervisor.

I found this book to be hilarious, charming, bittersweet, and hopeful. I truly lost count of how many times I laughed out loud. The story moved fast for me. I flew through it. Also, I absolutely loved the ending! Kathleen Deane is a character that I won't soon forget.

Thank you to NetGalley and Vintage Anchor Books for the opportunity to read this book! It is the perfect summer read. I was fortunate enough to read it in a chair on the beach. However, it is the perfect summer read for on your porch or by your pool. I highly recommend this book!

DNF @ 41%. I told my husband that if I ever get to be as annoying as Kathleen is when I turn 59, to simply lead me out to pasture and drive away from me. My god, Kathleen is a Final Boss Karen! If I wanted to read about city codes and bylaws and loopholes and infractions, I would join my city's local government, not read a piece of fiction. I am stuggling to maintain even a modicum of interest in this book. It started out really compelling and even funny at times, but has quickly devolved into just the most annoying, snipey, grating book I think I have ever read. If you want to not have neighbors, don't buy a house on the beach! Seems like a no-brainer! Kathleen and her grumpy neighbor Rosemary find something new to complain and commiserate about whenever they see each other, and it got to be way too much for me. Kathleen TELLS US she's not a nice person, that she would rather have one bad friend who is a mean person than have someone lie to her and tell her platitudes and compliments. That tells you everything you need to know right there. Not my cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley, Vintage Anchor, and Elizabeth Castellano for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for my review.

When Kathleen's husband unexpectedly leaves her to "find himself," she makes an unexpected decision of her own and moves from her comfortable suburban Kansas life to a faraway beach town, buying a dilapidated cottage sight unseen. Instead of the peaceful, idyllic life she'd imagined, she finds herself at the center of beach town politics -- zoning, permits, etc. At some point, her husband returns and lives in an Airstream trailer in her driveway. So, lots going on in this book, which is truly fun to read. I loved Kathleen and her determination, and the cast of characters in the little beach town is fascinating! I look forward to recommending this title.

Review will be posted on 7/11/23

59-year-old Kathleen has left dreary Kansas behind to live out her dream on Long Island. After her husband suggested they divorce and he proceeds to travel on a European cruise without her, she plans to start over in an idyllic beach town recommended to her by her lifelong friend. When she moves into her two-bedroom beach shack on the water, she is expecting to find a beautiful and peaceful escape. It is anything but that! The house needs some work and next door to her they are building a monstrosity that is many floors and aptly dubbed the "Sugar Cube." The construction next door and on the street is driving her nuts as well as her neighbor, Rosemary, whom she immediately befriends as they have a common enemy. The construction project is causing her many issues not to mention all the violations of the town's codes. She writes the town supervisor to no avail and starts attending town meetings regarding various issues, such as the development of a vacant waterfront property. Living in a beach town has much more political issues than she thought before, but this town seems especially filled with some questionable incidents. To make matters worse, Tom, her estranged husband, shows up on her driveway in an Airstream ready to hang out! Elizabeth Castellano's debut, Save What's Left, had me laughing out loud one minute and cringing the next. It's a fresh take on beach reads and I am here for it!

I felt for Kathleen from the start of Save What's Left. How could I not? She just wanted to start over in a sleepy beach town, but it has been nothing short of a disaster. After personally living next door to very disturbing construction for over a year, I could relate to Kathleen. However, she takes it above and beyond; she becomes obsessed with the Sugar Cube as well as its impact on her street. Kathleen, being a bit wacky, finds that this gives her purpose, but it's not exactly healthy. I could understand her frustration as many town officials blatantly disregarded the Sugar Cube's violation of town codes. Slowly, Kathleen peels back the layers of the beach town to expose something a little more disturbing underneath.

What really drew me in was Castellano's writing style. It was so good! I found it to be witty and funny; there were moments when I was laughing out loud-- in public! My only issue with Save What's Left was that at times Kathleen's plight did get repetitive, but by the second half of the book, the plot does get moving. If you are looking for a beach read that is a bit different than the usual fare, look no further! Let me know if Save What's Left is on your TBR list and your thoughts in the comments below.

The novel starts out when Kathleen decides to leave Kansas City for little coastal town after her husband of 30 years, Tom, tells her he is unhappy and their marriage "just isn't working out" and he is leaving for 6 months on a cruise around the world. She remembers the annual Christmas letters that she gets from a childhood friend, and finds a converted oyster shack (700SF) on the beach which she buys sight unseen. She sells everything from their 30 yr marriage except Tom's collection of antique radios (which she ships to the new house), and begins a new life in Whitley.
However, she quickly finds issues with the glass McMansion being built (4 ft away) next to her little home, and emails the town supervisor, and other government officials on a regular basis complaining about it. She never receives a reply from the town administration, and attempts to talk about the issues at town meetings are ignored. She makes friends with a neighbor, Rosemary, who has similar issues with the monstrosity, also with out resolution.
Several months into her new life, her estranged husband shows up in his new Airstream, which he parks in her driveway - it seems he was bored on the cruise - and he becomes thoroughly involved in life in the little town.
I was ready for a light read - and in that respect, this filled the bill. However, I found it repetitious, and I was bored reading each letter/complaint with the same outcome.I was surprised that her childhood friend didn't enter into the novel except for a line or 2 in the middle and at the end. The last 10% picked up a little, and I was satisfied with the ending...but I do think it could have been shorter and still have the same story.
I received a complimentary ARC from Netgalley and the publisher and the opinions expressed are my own.

I received a copy from Netgalley for my honest review. I felt that there was a lot of repetition in the book. The struggle with zoning continued with no response from the board. Tom, her soon to be ex husband, makes friends with everyone. Her friends are very diverse, from hippie to uptight. I didn’t really connect with the characters. The problems from the house next door, including contamination of the groundwater, don’t get any reaction from the town. I found it hard to believe.

This book started out with a bang. It was funny and sounded like it was going to be an entertaining and quirky read. The main character’s husband left her to go on a cruise around the world. She decides to sell everything and buys herself a house on the beach. Well the first few chapters were great and then she moves into the beach house where a house is being built next door. The rest of the book is just her arguing with the town and neighbors about the house. It’s just a bunch of complaining and letters written to the supervisor in charge of the build. It was so repetitive and the complaining started to become a bit much. Unfortunately, I wasn’t a fan of this one.

After thirty years of marriage, Kathleen’s husband Tom announces that he doesn’t want to be married anymore and is taking off on a world cruise. Blindsided, Kathleen is thinking of what to do with the rest of her life. She decides to move to a beach town where her childhood friend Josie lives. However, her beach cottage is not the idyllic place she dreamed it would be. The cottage is an old oyster shack that is falling apart. Not to mention the monstrosity building of the home next door that seems to get away with ignoring all the local zoning codes. She has a grumpy neighbor named Rosemary who has been fighting with the town for years. Kathleen soon joins the fight. She soon becomes almost obsessed with everything going on in town, but she’s not wrong. Then her husband Tom shows is in a large Airstream and takes up residence in her driveway! The book is well written, the characters have distinct personalities, but it just wasn’t for me. There’s nothing wrong with the book as it was entertaining and funny. I read as a form of escape from stresses in my life and while I could relate very well to the main characters it wasn’t an escape for me.

Also reviewed on B&N (1IrishEyes430) ad Kobo (IrishEyes430)

It took me some time to get through reading this book.
The premise of the story sounded so intriguing.
The main character made me cringe more then once….she really isn’t a very nice person.
Recommend you read this book and see what you think. You may love it. For me, it was a ok read.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

In the wake of her husband leaving her to "find himself," Kathleen impulsively sells their home and possessions and buys a Long Island beach house sight unseen. Upon arrival, she encounters workmen sitting on her brand new white couch left on her deck, and things devolve from there. Kathleen gets wrapped up in town politics, zoning laws, and her husband's inevitable return! This is a humorous, quickly-paced, and relatable story. A great first novel!

Thank you to Vintage Anchor, Anchor and NetGalley for an electronic ARC of this novel.

Save What's Left by Elizabeth Castellano is a well written book about a woman who uproots her life to go live in a beach town. Her husband of many years has left her to go find himself, so she wants a fresh start. Kathleen soon finds herself embroiled in town zoning regulations and the cliques of small town life when the house next door starts renovating.

This novel was kind of exhausting. I wasn't into all the zoning fights and the protests. It seemed very surfacing and it wasn't a relaxing book to read. I didn't really like any of the characters and the plot just seemed to cover town meetings and zoning laws. The writing was good, but I wasn't fond of the plot.

I love Castellano's writing but this story left me scratching my head. None of the characters are very likable and there's a lot of ranting about noise infractions and construction issues. It got tiresome very quickly.

2.5 stars

Thanks to Anchor Books for the copy to review.