I recently had the opportunity to delve into Pamela M Kelley's charming novel, 'The Seaside Sisters'. This delightful read is set against the backdrop of the picturesque seaside town of Chatham on the Cape, and it introduces us to the world of Hannah, a writer who is experiencing a creative slump.
Seeking respite and inspiration, Hannah decides to spend her summer with her aunt and sister in Chatham. Her sister is undergoing a transition of her own, feeling a bit lost as all four of her children have started school, and she embarks on a new journey by deciding to get a job.
One of the pivotal moments occurs when Hannah discovers that her aunt and uncle are separated. This revelation adds an unexpected layer of complexity to her summer retreat. Despite the personal struggles and complications that the characters face, the book maintains a light-hearted and uplifting tone, making it an ideal beach read.
Hannah's story takes an interesting turn when she befriends Spencer. While there's a hint of a budding romance, Hannah grapples with the decision of whether she could become a full-time resident of Chatham.
The tale is beautifully narrated by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker, who brings a sense of wonder and charm to the story. Her narration enhances the overall reading experience, adding depth to the characters and the scenic landscape of Chatham.
'The Seaside Sisters' is a relaxing and enjoyable read that perfectly captures the essence of everyday struggles and the beauty of new beginnings. It's a testament to Kelley's talent as a storyteller. I feel grateful to Pamela M Kelley, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to review this heartwarming ARC.
In conclusion, if you're looking for a light-hearted, yet meaningful story that explores family dynamics, personal growth, and the power of new beginnings, 'The Seaside Sisters' should be your next pick. The book serves as a gentle reminder that no matter what life throws at you, there's always a silver lining waiting just around the corner.

❤️ Happy Reading!!! ❤️

Librarians, authors, and bookstores are all my favorite things! It is a great summer read, with good family connections, and minor drama with satisfying resolutions. I love listening to audiobooks because it allows me to enjoy a book while getting quiet chores finished.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book in advance.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6555158404

This story revolves mainly around Hannah. She is a best-selling author (of one book) and is currently on deadline for her second book, but has NOT been able to write.
When her Aunt suggests she come back to Chatham, Cape Cod for the summer, she thinks that’s a terrific idea!
Her Aunt and her sister both live there…and being as she has just recently suffered a great loss, well, she thinks it’ll be good for all of them!

Hannah lives in Brooklyn (NY), my old stomping grounds…so I definitely relate to her on this! She has friends, an apt, and a life there.

But, when she returns home to Chatham for the summer, well, it’s kind of like an old glove…it just fits!

While there she forges many relationships with both family and friends…and some possible love interests…

Loved the setting/backdrop. Loved the closeness of her family. Loved how they all really care for each other… and LOVED when Sara (the sister) decides to let her husband handle their 4 kids for a short while! Eye opening!!

Sweet, yet sad at times too! But, realistic on so many levels…

Oh…and I loved how the author is having a hard time writing…and how she connects with other authors and goes to group meetings, etc… to try to muddle through. Very enlightening to see that it’s not all champagne and roses for our beloved authors either!! 😮

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me! Great summer read!!

#TheSeasideSisters by #PamelaKelley and narrated beautifully by #StephanieNemethParker.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook which is due to be released on 6/4/24 ( so just a few days from now!)

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The Seaside Sisters by Pamela Kelley is about the summer after Hannah and Sara’s mom dies. Hannah returns to Cape Cod where they grew up and where Sara still lives with her husband and children. The story follows Hannah, Sara, and their Aunt Maddie through the ups and downs of relationships.

I found that nothing remarkable happened in this story. Sometimes the plot felt like it was following too many story lines. Honestly I was much more interest in Sara and Maddie’s storylines. Hannah was just kind of boring. I also feel like there have been a lot of romance books lately with a main character who is a romance writer and it’s not adding anything to the story.

I did enjoy that this book was light-hearted and easy to listen to. It felt very much like a palette cleanser and is good if you’ve been reading a lot of heavy stuff and want a break. Great beach read to reset.

Big thanks to @net and @mac for my advanced audiobook. I did enjoy the narrator, Stephanie Németh-Parker. She had great intonation and it was easy to keep up with voices of different characters.

I went back and forth between giving it 2 or 3 stars, but because I did enjoy the narration and it gave me some escapism, which I enjoyed, I went with 3.

Love, loss, family relationships, endings, starting anew, and more. Hannah, an author struggling with a lot of emotions, She’s an author struggling with writer's block, is missing her beloved mother, dealing with the end of a relationship she knew wasn’t right for her, but left wondering what is next and panic attacks, decides to leave Brooklyn for the summer and head to her home town of Chatham to spend time with her aunt and sister. They too are struggling with issues in their personal and professional lives. All three women are feeling stuck and are each at somewhat of their own crossroads. Over the course of the summer with the loving support from each other they all find their way to their own personal happily ever afters. It was an easy lovely story about life. The narration added to the experience of the story.

I was intrigued by the premise and excited to download this book as soon as I read the burb and saw it was about a Cape Codder turned Brooklynite. Hannah is an author from Chatham, MA (on Cape Cod), which is coincidentally the same town where I grew up. Like the main character, I left the Cape and lived in NYC for several years, but still enjoy returning to my hometown for visits.

In the book, Hannah decides to spend the summer in Chatham to finish her next novel after a breakup and the passing of her mother. The story is definitely best characterized as a lighthearted/tame romance. Although Pamela Kelley is a prolific author of this genre, I had never read one of her books before.

Overall, I enjoyed the descriptions of Chatham and the real-life local businesses that Kelley included, but the plot itself was typical of this genre and predictable, and much of the book was limited to fairly simplistic and sometimes repetitive dialogue between the characters. If it hadn't been set in my hometown, I may not have rated this book as highly, but only because this type of book isn't really my cup of tea. However, if you're seeking a breezy beach read, and you are interested in learning more about the Cape, then I would certainly recommend you give this a go!

This is the perfect beach read or summer read, in my opinion. The story takes place in Chatham, MA which is a small town in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Hannah, a writer, rents an apartment in Brooklyn, NY, and is having trouble with writer's block, after losing her mother. Her two sisters convince her to spend the summer in Chatham where they all grew up, and still reside. Hannah takes them up on the offer and moves in with her aunt.

Pamela M. Kelley has a talent for writing easy reading, cozy, novels that put you in the place of her characters. From the start, I fell in love with each of them. The author also does such a great job in the way she describes the scenery, it gives the reader a perfect image of the sights and sounds of Chatham, MA.

The narrator is really good telling this story, using different voices, so it was easy to determine who was talking, without the need to say
"Said Spencer or said Hannah ..."

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys books that are violent-free, easy reads, with some romance, friendship and family. and especially those who either want to learn about Cape Cod, MA or love Cape Cod. Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook in return for my honest review.

The Seaside Sisters by Pamela M Kelley is a cute romance which takes place near the ocean in Massachusetts. Hannah Brewster, published author of one romance, has returned to her childhood home of Chatham after experiencing a panic attack that took her to the emergency room. It had been a bad year: her mother had died, she had broken it off with her boyfriend of two years, and this next book would just not come to her. She decided to go to the beach. Her mother’s death was still too raw to stay in her house, her sister’s four boys kept her from staying there, but she had an aunt who was in a big house on the beach so it was there she went to recover. It was perfect. She found a coffee shop where she could go and write for several hours a day and she dug in. Slowly the words began to flow and she began to meet people. Her aunt’s next door neighbors had a grandson that she had gone to high school with. Spencer was a lawyer and his grandmother suggested Hannah shadow him for a week so she could write more authentically about lawyers. She’d found her people.

Hannah was determined to not fall in love. She was too raw from the past few months. She met another author and they went on a few dates but that went nowhere. She continued to see Spencer and the lawyers he worked with. What a great group of friends. Summer would be over soon and she would return to Brooklyn, her home. Hannah was a sympathetic character as in fact were most of the characters we got to know. She was essentially a light and happy person. The story was good, but like most romances, predictable, although the journey was different. It is a thoroughly modern romance. A feel-good story as we watch Hannah and her family negotiate rough relationship waters. A relaxing read.

Stephanie Nemeth-Parker was the narrator and listening to her reminded me why I like to read light romance rather than listen to it. Too often the voices of the women sound too young and vapid. The give women no credit audibly. I recommend you read this book rather than listen to it for full enjoyment.

I was invited to read The Seaside Sisters by Sr Martin’s Press and to listen by MacMillan Audio. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #MacMillanAudio #PamelaMKelley #TheSeasideSisters.

I don't think The Seaside Sisters will disappoint. It's the perfect summer/beach read as its setting is the beautiful Cape Cod. It's got the feels...ocean, sun, and sand, along with love in all its forms...new love, rekindled love, and sister and family love. My favorite part is the bookish elements....the protagonist is a romance writer (perfect), and her sister was a librarian, now a bookseller. Feature a bookstore in any novel, and I'll own it. I really did enjoy Pamela Kelley's new novel.

2.5⭐️ This story was full of a bunch of characters all battling their own issues and how they worked through them over a summer in New England. It was just ok for me. I never really felt a real connection to any of the characters and I’m not sure if it’s because the cast was too big for my taste or if maybe I was just not the target audience. I listened on audiobook so it may have been easier to follow in physical book form. The narrator was just ok. Definitely not my favorite. Overall, it could be a mindless, easy, summer read if that’s what you are going for. But don’t expect much depth and it probably won’t be one you will remember in a few months.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC.

I have listened to a few Pamela Kelley audiobooks and I always enjoy them. Stephanie Németh-Parker narrated this cozy story about family and the struggles we go through. Stephanie had a very soothing voice that just held my attention through this book. The characters were well written and relatable. This book gives you feel-good summer vibes, a touch of romance, complicated, but realistic relationship situations, and friendships. I can't wait to see what Pamela writes next. I would definitely recommend this book and her other books.


Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this ARC for my honest opinion.

I loved The Seaside Sisters. I'm new to author Pamela M. Kelley, but I've already gotten more of her books to read because I enjoyed this one so much. The story is enchanting, the characters endearing, and the setting was beautiful. I know it was beautiful because of well the coastal town was described. This story was "clean" in that it didn't have any language or adult situations, which I appreciated. The characters were woven together yet had their own journeys. One of my favorite things about the book's setting was the lovely descriptions of local food and the fashion. I highly recommend this book. It's a perfect beach read as it was easy to read and flowed nicely. At no time was I bored with it. In fact, I listened via audiobook and had it playing at the gym, in the car, and while I cooked. It was that good.

I listened to the audio version of this book narrated by Stephanie Parker. The narration was very good and added to my experience of the book.

There were actually three main female characters in the book. Hannah is a writer with writers block who thinks going to her aunt's house on the coast may get her writing again. Sara is Hannah's sister. She is married and has four sons. She's losing herself and feels under appreciated by her husband. The third character is the aunt. The book wasn't really about their relationships to each other, but their separate relationships and jobs.

To me this book by Pamela Kelley wasn't quite as good as some others I have read by her. I still enjoyed it, but found it not quite as interesting as some of her other books.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audiobook. All thoughts are my own.

The Seaside Sisters by Pamela Kelley
Narrated by Stephanie Németh-Parker

This cozy read focused on the family unit and the struggles families face in life: the loss of a parent, struggle in a marriage, a new relationship, and relocation.

Pamela Kelley does a great job conveying the emotions of the characters as they faced the challenges life threw at them. The characters were well demand likable.

The narrator did a wonderful job. Her voice was appealing and relaxing.

Overall, an easy, clean audiobook listen. I give it 3.5 stars.

Thank you @netgalley for this ARC #NetGalley This is my honest review. I was not paid to give this review.

Really enjoyed this one! I will just say, I was worried that the ending might not be the one I was hoping for! It kept me on pins and needles right until the last few minutes.

Hannah, a writer who lives in Brooklyn, has come home to Chatham for the summer. This is where her mother lived, and she has her sister and aunt there. She’s trying to work through some writing difficulties with her latest book. It’s a beautiful place and a welcome retreat.

We also meet Sara, her sister with a husband and four boys, Sara is frustrated with being a full-time mother and wants to get back into the workforce just to keep her sanity.

Together the sisters enjoy each other during a summer filled with memories and new friends, including the reconnecting of Hannah with Spencer, a high school acquaintance turned attorney and

The story flowed well, but more character development, especially with Hannah,
would have added depth. I never really connected with the players to any great detail.

I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook from NetGalley and MacMillan Audio. My review is voluntary.

This was a very enjoyable story. It was nice to see how the main character Hannah went in search of a change of environment to break her writer’s block, but instead she found so much more. I enjoyed the narrator. I listened to this book in a single sitting. I recommend it especially to readers that enjoy books about writers.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan audio for the opportunity to review this audiobook.

Nice story. Enjoyed learning about Chatham, MA area. Narrator was good. Characters were fully developed and relatable. All in all, a nice summery read.

Hannah is a writer and she’s experiencing writers block in her busy and loud New York lifestyle. She decided to head home to her aunts house for the summer to relax and hopefully write. I love that this book is not only about Hannah but also about her sister and aunt. They all go through ups and downs in their love lives throughout the summer.
I really enjoyed this book. It made me feel all the emotions while listening to it. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to @macmillanaudio and @netgalley for the audiobook of The Seaside Sisters by Pamela M. Kelley. All opinions are my own. This book is actually not about two sisters, as the cover and title imply; it is about two sisters and their aunt. It is written in third person and I think I would have preferred three narrators to differentiate the main characters. Their personalities were not easy to distinguish.

All three women are dealing with some sort of romantic issue. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice growth as a couple and I couldn’t see, hear or feel them falling in love (or falling back in love).

Lots of characters are introduced, and they are pretty much all nice, which is…nice. This novel is a very matter-of-fact, slow-paced, low energy, low-angst book with a small-town, regular-life feel, and it is a very light read. For me, there was nothing drastic- no excitement, no twists, no mystery and no conflict. I realize there is not meant to be, and I don’t need all those things, but it was missing something for me. Even a character seeing sharks didn’t raise my heartrate. This book may be perfect for a day at the beach (without seeing sharks, ideally), or for someone who just needs a drama-free read.

This author has so many 4+ rated books and glowing reviews so I know there is a huge fan base out there, but I am not it. I always thought I would love a book with no third act problem, but this book did not have one and I learned that I should be careful what I wish for.

Narrator Stephanie Németh-Parker had the right voice to read this book.

The Seaside Sisters publishes June 4, 2024.

8 hours 22 minutes at 1x on audio
Kissing only
Locations: Brooklyn, NY and Chatham, Cape Cod

The Seaside Sisters revolves around Hannah, a debut author who is working on her second book. Hannah currently lives in Brooklyn, NY but is from Chatham in the Cape Cod area. Her mother recently died and she is struggling with the grief. Hannah is given the chance to stay with her Aunt Maddie back in Chatham for the summer at the seaside. This will allow Hannah time to relax and focus on her writing and spend time with her family. Hannah's sister Sara also lives in Chatham. She is a mom to four boys and is struggling with finding herself again. She was a librarian before her children were born and she longs to get back to work.

Hannah reconnects with Spencer, a man she went to high school with who is now a lawyer. Hannah shadows him at work for a few weeks as she is writing about a lawyer in her newest book. She makes friends with Spencer and his coworkers. Sara gets a job at the local bookstore which upsets her husband because he believes that she will begin slacking on her motherly duties. Aunt Mattie reveals that she is actually separated from her husband. He has moved permanently to their NYC apartment but they decide that they want to try to work things out.

This is a long-ish book (a little over 8 hours) and a lot of things happen without much really happening (if that makes sense). I'm not sure why it's called "The Seaside Sisters". Most of the story focuses on Hannah, not Sara. It would have been more appropriately titled "The Seaside Summer". There is no real plot here to me, just a bunch of side stories. I feel like there are almost too many characters for this novel to work. It was a feel good book, nothing truly bad happens (other than her mother's death- but they discuss positive ways to grieve) and everyone gets a Happily Ever After, but it's just a lot going on with nothing really happening. It wasn't a bad book, just not anything to write home about. I finished the book yesterday, and I've already forgotten details. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!