Hannah is a published author who has a deadline for her second novel. Only problem is she is suffering from writer's block. Her aunt suggests that Hannah visit her in her hometown on Cape Cod. She does with hopes that the change of scenery will help her writer's block. Also, she will be able to spend time with her aunt and her sister. Those two women have struggles of their own.

Overall, I felt it was a breezy, easy summer beach read. Hannah was a likeable character. The story showed the struggles that authors face even after a successful book. I liked the relationship between the three women as well as the friendships Hannah builds.

It is obvious the author is a foodie. The description of every dish or drink became bothersome to me. She gave a fraction of the description to places and people. For example, her aunt's house was supposed to be this very large house but nothing really was described much beyond the name of the room.. Also, a hotel was restored to it's former glory but that’s all that was said about it.

There wasn't much description of Hannah's feelings when she spent time with Spencer. Was she excited, nervous? I couldn't tell. Spencer was described as a grump but he only was once.

I felt that problems were resolved very quickly and storyline were glossed over.

This book good enough to get me to finish it.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Pamela M Kelley novels always leave me feeling good and the Seaside Sisters HEA has me still smiling.

Hannah Brewster is now a published romance author. Creating her second book has her leaving Brooklyn to return to Chatham on Cape Cod. Her aunt Maddie is happy to share her home with Hannah for the summer. Hannah's sister Sara is struggling too since their mother's recent death.

The characters are all people you want to be friends with, except Melissa. Local tourist activities provide a travelogue to add to a bucket list. A plot that keeps you turning pages.

I can see where some people would really enjoy this book. It is an escape to Cape Cod in the summer as we follow Brooklyn-based writer Hannah on an extended visit to her aunt and sister in her hometown of Chatham. For me, the writing just wasn't there - so while it was a quick read with some likable characters and a wonderful setting, I never was able to truly escape into the story... other writers in the same genre use better writing and more vivid, flowing language to do it better.

NOTE: Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I would give anything to escape to Cape Cod so I could read by the beach, listen to the waves and forget about life for a while. Hannah was fortunate that her job as an author allowed her to write from anywhere and a summer on Cape Cod was the perfect place to work on her new book. She quickly got into a routine of writing at a coffee shop with the hustle and bustle of the customers becoming the background noise that kept her mind flowing with ideas. She enjoyed staying with her Aunt Maddie at her beachfront house, but the best part of her working vacation was reconnecting with her big sister, Sara, a busy mom of four boys, who was at the point in her life that she needed something more to make her life complete. Her husband couldn’t understand why taking care of the boys wasn’t enough for her. Sara worked as a librarian before she became a stay-at-home mom, so books and writing were always a big part of her life, too. Their special summer together was beneficial for all of them, and one they would never forget. Hannah found inspiration for her writing, (and possibly a new romance), Sara’s life became brighter when she was offered the perfect part time job, and their Aunt Maddie had decisions to make about her personal, and also her professional life. Sometimes life takes you down a new path but as long as you have your family and the soothing ocean breezes, you will find the answers you are looking for.

This story is set in Cape Cod. Hannah who is now a bestselling author decides to leave Brooklyn to go back to her hometown Chatham for the summer after she starts having panic attacks. She stays with her Aunt and gets to see her sister and renew their relationships.. After making new friends, finding new writing spots and having her friend come visit she is torn whether to return to Brooklyn or start a new life in Chatham. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

My Thoughts

Hannah’s decision to summer with her Aunt Maddie at her beach cottage located in Chatham, Cape Cod came about because she needed to lower her stress level and what better way than moving back to ones low key hometown.

The decision turns out to have many unforeseen benefits for Hannah, first and foremost to her great relief the writers block for her second work-in-progress goes away.

Not only that but thanks to new friends and new experiences her creative well is overflowing with future ideas the longer Hannah stays in Chatham.

Her sister Sara also finds her own creative outlet and together they turn erstwhile frowns upside down into smiles as life choices open up that the pair had not expected.

A beautiful story of family, friendships, life challenges, new perspective and other issues that take the reader along for a pleasant journey with likable characters at its core.

New-to-me author whose work I would enjoy reading more of.
[EArc from Netgalley]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

Hannah is a writer based in Brooklyn, NY. She has recently ended a long term relationship and her mother has died. She is experiencing writers’ block as she works on her second book. At the invitation of her Aunt Maddie, she agrees to return to Chatham on Cape Cod where she grew up. His sister, Sara, is a married mom of four energetic young boys and also lives in Chatham. Hannah sets up a daily routine of long walks followed by afternoons writing in a local coffee shop. She reconnects with Spenser, a hot local lawyer who she knew in high school, and his grandparents who live next door to Maddie. As the three women process their grief they encounter obstacles and challenges. This is a cozy romance and a quick read. Pamela Kelley paints a beautiful picture of Chatham where I spent some weeks each summer as a child. It was great fun revisiting it. I had not read this author before but I look forward to diving into her backlist. I thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Hannah is stuck. She's written a bestselling book, and now the publisher is eagerly awaiting book #2. Stressed by the monotony of everyday life, Hannah decides to head back to Chatham, Cape Cod for a change of scenery.

She's joined by her sister Sara; a mom of 4 stuck in the rut of life. Trying to find a new identity other than "stay-at-home mom" she's determined to show her work-a-holic husband and children that she's capable of more.

When Hannah finally starts writing and Sara picks up a part-time job, both of their lives are changed for the better.

Part family dynamics, finding yourself in the midst of whatever life throws at you, and a sprinkle of romance, Pamela Kelley knocked it out of the park once again!

"The Seaside Sisters" was an enjoyable family and romance novel focusing on two sisters (Hannah and Sara) and their aunt (Maddie) coming to terms with the death of their mother/sister, as well as relationship issues (Hannah has just ended a two-year relationship, while both Sara and Maddie are experiencing marital issues). Hannah has been living in Brooklyn for years, but Sara and Maddie live in Chatham, part of Cape Cod, and that is where Hannah and Sara's mother lived as well. As a writer working on her second book, Hannah is not tied to a specific location, so she takes up her aunt's offer to spend the summer with her, hoping that being around family will help decrease her stress and help her break the writer's block that is holding up her second book. The summer will prove beneficial, as Hannah reconnects with her family, makes some new friends, including a fellow author (Niall) and members of a writer support group facilitated by her aunt's neighbor, makes progress on her book, and sees an old acquaintance (Spencer) in an entirely new and more favorable light. Sara will experience her own changes, as she re-enters the workforce, on a part-time basis, after years of being a stay-at-home mother, and deals with a husband who does not appreciate all that she does to keep the household running smoothly (or as smoothly as possible with four active boys) and does not understand why she wants and needs to work. Maddie and Ritchie, her husband, have been drifting apart, worsened by the grief over the death of her sister, and are not sure how to repair the relationship. However, a series of unforeseen events and opportunities will give them the chance to reclaim their marriage.
 
I enjoyed Ms. Kelley's most recent book, "The Bookshop by the Bay", so I was happy to see the main characters from that book (including the bookstore/coffee shop) make an appearance/play a role in "The Seaside Sisters", including having Sara take a part-time job in the bookstore and Hannah using the coffee shop as her place to sit and write. The dynamic between the characters is quite good. There are many enjoyable and tender moments. The main characters are well developed, and the reader will enjoy seeing how the characters grow and change in terms of what they want out of relationships, careers, and life.

I received a free copy of, The Seaside Sisters, by Pamela M. Kelly, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Sisters Sara and Hannah, get to spend the summer together. So much has changed since they spent endless summers together as kids. Sisters are the best, I really enjoyed reading about Sara and Hannah, this is a really good read.

I have enjoyed several of the author’s novels in the past and this latest offering was an entertaining read that kept me engaged throughout.

Hannah is a successful rom-com author who is struggling with her second book following the death of her mother and the ending of a semi-serious relationship. She accepts her aunt’s offer to return to her hometown of Chatham, Cape Cod, hoping the change with break through her writer’s block. The strategy works…but Hannah gains so much more than a manuscript. She reconnects with her sister, Sara, begins to heal her grief over the loss of her mother, finds a community of friends and even develops romantic feelings for an acquaintance from her past.

There are two other thematic threads that add interest and depth to the novel. Sara has been a stay-at-home mother who is ready to return to the workforce in pursuing her love of literature. While she finds great satisfaction in her work at a bookstore, her enthusiasm is tempered by the strain it puts on her marriage. The second thread relates to the sisters’ aunt whose long-term marriage is going through a rough patch that results in a “temporary” separation.

Overall, this is a well-paced, pleasant read with a feel-good ending.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the family reconnecting theme that brought the two sisters closer together. I always like when there are multiple storylines in one book. Here, there was the storyline of the sister whose husband seemed to take her for granted; the separated aunt and uncle storyline; and the main character, Hannah's, storyline of which man to choose and if that would be enough to get her to move back "home." I have read other books by Pamela Kelley before, and The Seaside Sisters ranked right up there with her previous novels I've read. I would definitely recommend this book and any other books by this author.

3.5 stars - I received an eGalley ARC of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

A lighthearted, fun read that, while predictable, was thoroughly enjoyable. Hannah is an author struggling with the recent death of her mother and with writer’s block on her second book. She leaves NYC to spend the summer in her hometown on Cape Cod with her aunt. She spends time with her older sister (an exhausted stay-at-home mom of 4 boys desperate for a part-time book-related job to get out of the house), makes new friends, and reconnects with Spencer, a guy she knew in high school.


There are no major conflicts and all problems are resolved in a tidy manner by the end. I did feel like some things were wrapped up a little too easily (Hannah’s writer’s block, Tom’s disrespect of Sara), but this is a beach read and less drama is not necessarily a bad thing for a book like this. That being said I didn’t really get a feel for the sadness over their mom’s death that Hannah and Sara were feeling. It was mentioned several times, but in a way that didn’t show the intense grief they supposedly had. Spencer wasn’t really that grumpy and I would’ve liked a smidge more tension between Hannah and him earlier in the book. All in all the characters were relatable and likable and I was rooting for all of them. The descriptions of the food and wine and ocean made me desperately want a beach vacation with my mom and girlfriends. If you want a light, summery read, pick this one up. I will definitely check out more of Pamela M. Kelley’s books.

A couple things that puzzled me: Hannah is supposed to be going to Chatham for the summer but has been there awhile before it is mentioned that Memorial Day weekend is coming up. Chatham is supposed to be a “small town” but there seem to be a lot of people who don’t know each other that probably should.

Pamela Kelley is a new author for me. I was drawn to “The Seaside Sisters” by the description and am so happy I downloaded an ARC from NetGalley.

I found this book to be a comfortable read, which was a good balance to some of the action-adventure and mystery titles I read. The relationships between sisters Hannah and Sara and their aunt were beautifully written. I felt the love all three had for each other as well as the angst of their individual personal struggles.

I was envious of Hannah, who was able to pick up her life and move it to her Cape Cod hometown to continue her work. Anyone who enjoyed remote work during the pandemic will understand the envy. Her budding relationship with Spencer as well as others who live at the shore were delightful to watch.

“The Seaside Sisters” is a perfect beach read, in keeping with the setting. Author Kelley has a deft hand when creating relationships and slowly building the overall story.

I will definitely be looking for her other titles.

Charming story of family, friendships and of course a healthy dose of romance! Enjoyed this one very much, I kept imagining myself beachside in Chatham with a bagel and cup of coffee. The detailed storytelling along with the intricate details of the scrumptious food and landscapes, I felt transported throughout her storytelling.

This was my first by this author, and I can assure you, it will not be my last!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own.

Love this of family reconnecting and helping each other out in one of my favorite settings! Sara dream of literature and making it come alive. Her marriage is fizzling out and she needs a distraction. She was once a librarian and misses that part of her life so so gets a part time job in a bookstore and it makes her unhappy soul happy again even if her husband isn’t happy for her. Her sister Hannah comes to town and they need this time together. Great easy family story.

I enjoyed #TheSeasideSisters #NetGalley very much.
Even though this isn't my typical genre to read, the cover , title, and description called out to me, so I decided to give it a chance.
Hannah is an author who lives in New York, but her family home is Chatham, MA. Hannah and her sister Sara are grieving the loss of their mom, so Hannah decides to visit Chatham for the summer, staying with her aunt.
The three women are sweet and I love their relationship, but each of them have issues in their own lives they are trying to resolve.
I am happy with the way the book ended and I'm going to recommend this book to others.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.

The Seaside Sisters, by Pamela M. Kelley, is a feel-good book with characters you'll love. The setting got my attention and the characters and the story kept it until the end. Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

Pamela Kelley's books are such a treat for me and this one was just as good as I expected.

A charming story, set mostly in Chatham on Cape Cod, about two sisters and their aunt figuring out where and what they want out of life. Hannah's an author who is visiting for the summer to finish her book. Sara and Aunt Maddie are working their way through the ups and downs of marriage and careers. The stories of friendships, finding love, loss and finding happiness with themselves will leave you wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was an easy read for me with people who were interesting, fun, with real life problems, careers and families. It’s set in the beautiful beach area of Cape Cod where I can only dream of being one of those annoying touristy folk. I could taste the crab rolls and smell the ocean. The story has break-ups, new and old love, romance, loss, new beginnings, friends and relatives.
Sisters Hannah and Sara are spending a summer in closer proximity while Hannah visits their aunt to overcome writers block. She’s escaping from her hectic Brooklyn life. Sara never left their hometown, has a workaholic husband and four boys. The sisters are still grieving the loss of their Mom. Sara misses working and being something besides Mom, housekeeper, cook and taxi service. Hannah can’t get the words to flow in her latest novel. She makes new acquaintances and revives an old one with a handsome former high school snob. Hannah’s aunt was going through her own changes in career and husband. I really enjoyed her character. There are life lessons on taking chances and being open to new people, places and experiences. This would be a wonderful beach read and equally good for escaping winter’s endless snowy days. I’ve read this author before and will look forward to more of her compelling women’s fiction.
An uncorrected digital galley of “The Seaside Sisters” by Pamela M. Kelley, published by St. Martin’s Griffin, was provided by NetGalley. Expected publication 06/04/2024. These are always all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without any compensation.