A PERFECT hit for summer...KWH packs all the scandalous drama in this one!

Charlotte's husband is arrested for suspected fraud and the FBI seizes their house, cars and bank accounts. Desperate to care for daughter Iris, she takes an offer to move into the rumored Mommune: an old bed and breakfast where a group of single mothers and their children live together as a community. Despite their unconventional living arrangements, Charlotte and Iris really bond with the other women and children. While they work to prove his innocence, the gossip mill (instigated by an anonymous Instagram account @JuniperShoresSocialite) continues to wreak havoc on their lives and secrets reveal that they may be linked in more ways than one...

BEACH HOUSE RULES is like if GOSSIP GIRL jumped 20 years into the future and moved to a beach town...SO JUICY. 🤭 Kristy always brings the Southern charm and heartwarming stories but this time she's filling it with SALACIOUS scandals and drama. I loved the short snippets from the Juniper Shores Socialite Instagram page. The vivid descriptions of life in a small coastal North Carolina town make this the perfect summer escape. I could smell the salt water! All the characters are richly developed and it was sweet to see their growth (especially the teens) from beginning to end.

This is a full-on WOMEN SUPPORTING WOMEN story and I was here for it! I wouldn't mind stepping into a Mommune for a bit (minus any culty vibes. 🤣) With themes of friendship, found family, sisterhood, romance, mystery and self-discovery, this book has something for everyone. The last half really picks up speed and the plot twist towards the end was an added bonus. Narrated by a full-cast, BEACH HOUSE RULES is one you won't want to miss packing in your beach bag!

This is a great beach read full of friendship, forgiveness, redemption, romance and a side of mystery. When Charlotte has a break down in the bank after her husband is arrested for fraud, Alice offers Charlotte a unique opportunity at her beachfront B&B with 2 other single moms and their families. Ultimately this new living arrangement changes the lives of three families and Alice. Told mostly from the perspective of Charlotte and Alice the adults that live in the “mommune” on Juniper Shores Beach, we also hear from Iris, Charlotte’s teenage daughter as well as the town Instagram gossip @JuniperShoresSocialite.
Kristy Woodson Harvey has writtten several books that I’ve read and enjoyed. Under the Southern Sky was great as well as her more recent book A Happier Life.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Charlotte Sitterly's peaceful life in Juniper Shores, N.C., is turned upside down when her husband Bill is arrested for fraud. Former New Yorker Charlotte and her teenage daughter Iris can't access their beachfront home, and the family's assets are frozen. Alice Bailey, a forty-five-year-old widow, offers them a place in her "mommune," a former bed and breakfast now hosting two single mothers and their children. Though unconventional, the beach house provides Charlotte and Iris with the perfect refuge and support system as Charlotte becomes convinced of Bill's innocence and wants to help clear his name. Initially unhappy with her new living situation, filled with rules including limiting use of cell phones, Iris comes to enjoy it, especially with the high school's star quarterback also living there. Meanwhile, everything happening in this small town seems to appear in the anonymous posts of @JuniperShoresSocialite, including gossip and rumors about the "mommune" residents.

Kristy Woodson Harvey consistently delivers engaging and charming books. Beach House Rules, packed with delightful characters, will capture your heart. The women have interesting backstories, each striving to enhance their lives after serious setbacks. I also appreciated the realistic portrayal of the teenagers. This is a story about second chances, friendship, and found family. Save a spot in your beach bag for this warm and uplifting winner.

4.5 stars.

Serious grown-up Gossip Girl vibes! Drama, downfall, and found family in a wealthy coastal Carolina town with an anonymous instagram account keeping everyone updated on the hot gossip. A perfect summer beach read! Multiple POVs and dual narration which was perfectly done *chefs kiss* 🤌🏼

Thank you so much to Gallery Books, Kristy, Simon Audio, and NetGalley for the advance e-galley and audiobook!

Since Elin Hilderbrand has retired can we dub KWH as the new queen of the beach read pls? I LOVE her books and think they’re ideal for summer. They have plenty of depth as well but still feel light enough that you’ll want it in your beach bag and this is another fantastic addition to the authors list. What makes a beach read a standout for me is when there are several elements within the book and you get that here for sure. This is about friendships at all stages in life, there’s a mystery, there is romance, there is family drama​, there is a gorgeous summer setting and there is lots of gossipy goodness. You get three POVs, which is always fun, something for everyone and you hear from Charlotte who’s husband was just arrested for fraud, her teenaged daughter Iris and Alice, a woman who takes in strays and helps them get back on their feet. I adored their little commune/mommune and the secondary characters that lived there, they were all colorful and entertaining. Overall this was just really fun and an ideal summer read, don’t miss

📖 Book Review 📖 When I was younger (I still have trouble getting that one out because I refuse to believe I am anything but youthful 😭), I truly believed I was surrounded by the friends who would see me through it all. But when my life hit the fan in my middle life, most of those friendships did not survive and it broke my heart. But as the losses and hardships keep coming (it is life after all), I have found the kindness and true good in people where I never expected and my hope in humanity is restored in such a beautiful way.

Once again Kristy Woodson Harvey is here with a most beautifully resounding novel that speaks to this conundrum that I am sure other women have experienced. There is a power in acknowledging this shared experience of vulnerability that too often hides in the shadows with an unnecessary stigma. When Charlotte’s husband is arrested for wire fraud, she and her daughter are shunned from the high brow community that once adored them. But at the Beach House, the mommune, lies a community that accepts them for who they are and offers grace and healing.

Kristy Woodson Harvey has long been a favorite author of mine, but Beach House Rules just might be my favorite book of hers yet. This story felt fresh and unique, filled with a large cast of characters that somehow never felt overwhelming. It was easy to follow, easy to fall for, and completely absorbing from start to finish.

I absolutely loved the concept of the "Mommune" - a group of women coming together to support each other through the highs and lows of life. Harvey weaves in sub-themes of embezzlement, family, parenting, and, above all, the power of friendship, creating a story that is both heartfelt and fun. The gossipy news snippets between chapters were such a clever and entertaining addition, adding even more life and personality to the town and its people.

Beach House Rules is the perfect summer read...warm, uplifting, and just the right amount of drama. I was genuinely sad to see it end, although the ending itself felt exactly right.

Highly recommend for anyone looking for a smart, feel-good story about love, resilience, and finding your people.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my free review copy.

I honestly could not finish it around a little over half way. I was not interested in any of the characters, especially Iris. A little too much of the “kids” story for me. I ate it as I usually love all this authors books and liked the idea of a mim mine, but halfway through it was just same ole same ole.

How much do I so love this book 📖? The answer, a whole mess. Life is messy, and all of these characters come together and help each other get through the mess that life is giving them.

The main characters Charlotte and her daughter Iris get help from an awesome person named Alice along with some other wonderful ladies at the "Mommune". A beautiful place where Charlotte meets two other moms Julie & Grace along with their children. At this wonderful B&B place they become friends and then a family. There are so many heartfelt messages & fun throughout the pages, along with mystery, secrets, and suspense. So many questions to be answered. Is Alice really a "Black Widow"? Will Iris find love ❤️? Is Bill innocent? What will Merit do, and what about Sofia 😆? The answers will surprise you. Enjoy ❤️.

I just love the Juniper Shores Socialite post. It's giving you the fun, the shocking, and the juicy synopsis of what is happening 😳. Wait till you find out whose writing it. ✍️

Kristy's writing of the so many TNT is genius, "Til Next...", there are 15 of them, like ('Til Next Tequila) and ('Til Next Tantrum).

I like to thank Kristy Woodson Harvey, Gallery Books, and Netgalley for the ebook advanced reader copy of this 5 star ⭐ book 📖. I loved it. 💕

If I could pack one book in my beach bag for the whole summer, it would definitely be Beach House Rules. 🏖️Thank you, Gallery Books & Uplit Reads, for the gifted copy of Beach House Rules by the lovely Kristy Woodson Harvey {partner}
 
Genre: Fiction
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date:  5.27.2025
Pages: 368
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

“You could go home again. You most certainly could.”

It never fails — Kristy Woodson Harvey always delivers that book. The one that melts away the winter blues and reminds me that brighter, warmer days are coming. Every spring, I find myself curled up with one of her stories, and this year, Beach House Rules was the one that made me feel all the things.

I’ve adored everything she’s written, but this one hit differently. There’s just something magical about how she weaves together unforgettable characters, an inviting coastal setting, and a heartfelt storyline full of mystery, forgiveness, found family, and deep-rooted friendship. I didn’t want it to end… but I also couldn’t stop turning the pages.

Charlotte and Iris were so compelling, but Alice completely stole my heart. She’s lived through so much and still creates a safe, loving space for others — the kind of person who radiates warmth. Honestly? Growing up in a mommune sounds like a dream come true.

Read if you enjoy:
🫶🏼 Found Family
🥰 Community
🌊 Small Coastal Towns
🔍 Mystery
❣️ Romance (tiny bit)
🤩 True Southern Charm

Beach House Rules was the perfect reminder that healing happens in the community and that sometimes, the best families are the ones we choose. 🩵

Since I love this author, I was excited to read it, but as I read it, it dragged on and on. Set up of the characters was good, but the middle of the story, truly half just got boring. Too many characters and too superficial of events for each of them. Then after 80% in, it finally started to reveal the relationships and story evolved.

*will post to IG closer to release date* BEACH HOUSE RULES by Kristy Woodson Harvey ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ thank you @gallerybooks for the gifted copy! This book gave me gossip girl vibes + mystery + sisterhood + romance + drama and wrapped it up with the dreamiest beach town setting! The characters were so endearing and the relationships they build will steal your heart. From the cover I expected this to be a typical Romcom, and although it was not that, I fully enjoyed it. This would be wonderful to bring on your beach vacation this Summer!

Also, if you read this and don’t think it sounds at least a little bit fun to live at the Mommune, I think you’re lying.

Charlotte’s Husband is arrested for a white collar crime, and she is locked out of her home with assets frozen. In a moment of desperation, a woman from town offers to let Charlotte stay at her beachfront home, and Charlotte says yes. Little does she know, she is not the only single mother who is living there. As time goes on, secrets are uncovered.

Pub. Date: May 27, 2025.

Perfect if you like:
•Found family.
•Mystery!
•Beach setting.
•Gossip Girl Vibe!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️ (implied intimacy)
Mood: 🍿🍷

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. This review is entirely my own.

It started off cringe for me (mummune) then I began to vibe with it, then it went south for me. It didn't feel like traditional KWH and what we've come to expect from her past books and her writing style.

It isn't southern fiction to me. Just womens fiction.

BEACH HOUSE RULES should appeal to readers looking for a light summer read about female friendship. I admired how Charlotte is trying to be a good mom and ensure that Iris has a stable home life. One minor complaint is that the pacing drags a bit; there are several scenes that feel like "more of the same" when Charlotte and Iris are getting settled in. Extraneous details that do nothing to advance the plot. That part began to wear on me a bit. However, overall, this is an enjoyable read. The friendships formed at the "mommune" are well-meaning and realistic, especially as the women begin to open up to one another. Iris is a great character, and I like how she is trying to solve the mystery. (It would be fun if Kristy wrote a YA book!) Juniper Shores is also a fun setting. The resolution of the crime aspect is satisfying.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

Thank You NetGalley and Gallery Books for sharing this wonderful ARC with me, in exchange for my honest review.

“Beach House Rules” was the most delicious book for me to read over my Spring Break. It has everything that a vacation book calls for: the sweetest Southern beach town, gossip columnists, true friendships among women, interesting teens and a whole lot of scandal.

Harvey has written a most unique book. Charlotte Sitterly’s husband is accused of fraud and now all her assets are gone, she’s lost access to her home and she’s struggling with how to care for her teenage daughter. Enter a Juniper Shores resident, who has a residence that she shares with other single moms who need help getting back on their feet, called the Mommune. Charlotte and her daughter Iris have no other place to go, so they join the “Mommune” and what starts as just a temporary situation turns into so much more.

I LOVED every moment of this book and didn’t want it to end. A beautiful 5 star read in my opinion.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🥰Thank you so much to @gallerybooks for the gifted book!

📖Title: Beach House Rules
✍️Author: Kristy Woodson Harvey
📅Pub Date: May 27, 2025

🏃🏼‍♀️💨Quick thoughts: this is KWH at her best! The perfect genre blend of women's fiction, romance, and suspense with characters you can't help but love!

🌅I love KWH books because there's always so much going on and I'm never bored! This book had so many fun characters and side plots, that I couldn't put it down!

🌊This is the first book I've ever read centering around a a mommune! According to the dictionary, a momune is "a co-living arrangement where single mothers share household and childcare responsibilities, forming a community of sorts."

🌅The mommune/beach house is run by Alice, a woman who is the cause of many local rumors after having 3 of her husbands die while being married to her. The mommune houses a fun assortment of women all with issues and drama of their own. Oh, and there's also an anonymous town Instagram account sharing everyone's secrets 👀

🌊I loved everything about this book and HIGHLY recommend adding it to your summer reading list! You’ll smile, you'll laugh, and you'll be touched by these lovable characters! The mystery aspect will shock you, too 🤯

🎧The audiobook was narrated by 3 narrators which made it easy to always know whose POV I was in! I thought they all did a great job and am sure this one would be great on audio or print!

❓How's your week going? Is it feeling like spring where you live?

This was cozy and picturesque, and the found family is so sweet, with a little mystery. I did wish some of the mystery had a string throughout the whole story a little more than just secret holding, but it wrapped up very nicely in the end!

I’m a huge fan of Kristy Woodson Harvey and she is one of the masters at writing about women’s friendships, female bonds and small town dynamics. In this book, Charlotte and her daughter are at a loss as their home has become a part of an FBI investigation into their husband/father and they are not allowed access. When Alice takes them under her wing, and invites her to her own home, known as the Mommune where several single women and their children also reside. The women and the children share in caring for each other, using their individual talents to help each other out. When most in need, these women have found a village to help them through some rough patches. What a unique setting and an even more profound concept! The idea of a group of women totally supporting and uplifting each other is a breath of fresh air. Alternatively, adding to the small town drama is Lady Whistledown sharing all the secret tidbits on her gossip account.
This release is getting five star reviews, and highly recommended so any disconnect may just be me. Unlike in her previous novels, I feel like I really didn’t get to know or connect with any of the characters. There was a bit of a mystery surrounding Alice, and that may have affected having her fully realized as a character.

Oh, Kristy Woodson Harvey does it again with this one. Sucking me in from the beginning with characters to love and totally relate to, friendships that will last a lifetime, and the mommune that was so unique and absolutely perfect for these families during both hard and happy times. It really does take a village, and I wished I lived there too!!!

So hard not to fly through this book but I wanted to savor every single page at the same time. I've reached the end now, but it will stay with me for a long time plus looking forward to re-reading too!

Thank you @simon.audio and @netgalley for this #gifted book in exchange for my unbiased review. This was one of my most anticipated books of 2025. I love how Kristy Woodson Harvey writes so that you always feel like part of the story. Her smalltown, southern appeal is heart-warming and feels like a big hug! This will be a great beach read this summer!