Nobody does summertime family tale as good as Kristy Woodson Harvey! Her southern family dynamics are unmatched. She always creates such a quintessential upscale southern beach town that jumps off the page. I truly look forward to her books every single summer. She just writes gossipy small town book to perfection!

Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Charlotte and Iris find themselves without a place to live. They’re invited to move into the Mommune.
This was a good story about female friendships.
It had a few surprises along the way. I really liked the comments from the Instagram account too.

When Charlotte Sitterly’s husband is arrested and her life unravels, she and her daughter Iris take refuge in a quirky beachfront home for single moms known as the “mommune”—becoming the subject of local gossip and an anonymous Instagram account. As unexpected bonds form and long-buried secrets surface, Charlotte must decide whether this unconventional new family is her true second chance—or just another illusion.

Beach House Rules was one of my most anticipated summer reads, and it absolutely delivered. Kristy Woodson Harvey’s signature warmth and cozy charm shine through every page, creating a story that feels like a seaside escape with heart. I especially loved the choice to tell the story through three perspectives—it gave such depth to the characters and made it easy to connect with each one, including 14-year-old Iris, who felt just as real and relatable as the adults.

Set in the picturesque, upscale beach town of Juniper Shores, the novel is sprinkled with short, juicy interludes from the mysterious @JuniperShoresSocialite, whose sharp observations and town gossip added a clever twist of intrigue. I had so much fun trying to guess their identity—spoiler: I was way off, and I loved that!

But the true heart of the story lies in the “mommune”—a haven of single mothers forming unexpected friendships and showing up for one another in the best ways. It was emotional, empowering, and full of feel-good moments. If you’re craving a summer read with drama, found family, second chances, richly developed characters, and just the right dash of romance, Beach House Rules is the perfect pick.

Thank you Gallery Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love books written by Kristy Woodson Harvey, and I look forward to reading her new one every summer. Beach House Rules is the perfect book to start off the summer reading season! It has it all-- the beach, strong friendships, found family, trials and tribulations, mystery, and romance. I read this book in a day and loved every minute of it. Another five star book! Thank you, NetGalley and Gallery Books, for the advance reader copy of this book.

I just love how a book by Kristy is summer to me. The story is so vivid that I felt like I was in the mommune with these ladies and their kids and enjoying the beach right outside the house.

The Juniper Shores Socialite account is a fun way to read about the gossip surrounding the town and the mystery of who is running it, who knows the things that people want to know.

I loved the conviction that Charlotte had in her husband's innocence. She (almost) never wavered in her loyalty to his person.

The mommune- it's an interesting thing that Alice made but they truly felt like this great family that were always there for each other. I kind of want a mommune sometimes myself, sharing burdens with someone else who truly understands the role of a mother.

Iris is a spunky girl...Visiting her dad in prison by herself, trying to do what she can to prove her dad's innocence. She was whip smart in her part of "saving the day".

I devoured this book! It was a little bit mystery, romance, gossip and more. The characters were each trying to recover from a blow life dealt them and together they learned to believe in who they are. There were a couple unexpected twists as this story developed. My favorite part was the theme of found family and how choosing this family is powerful.
I recommend to anyone who likes:
💛Multiple POV’s
🏝️Beach Setting
🩵Found Family
🏝️Juicy gossip
🩷Mystery
🏝️Romance
💛Friendship
Thank you to the author and UpLit Reads for the opportunity to read an early copy!
All thought and opinions are my own.

Book Title: Beach House Rules
Author: Kristy Woodson Harvey
Genre: Women's Fictioin/Beach Read
Publisher: Gallery Books
Pub Date: May 27, 2025
My Rating: 3.4 Stars
Pages: 368

The Sitterly’s live in NYC and loved it. However Bill Sittlerly thought his stepmother had the right idea in living in peaceful Juniper Shores, N.C. a beautiful beach town with more than its share of wealthy residence. Bill decided it was the idea place for him and Charlotte to raise their daughter, Iris. They could stay in his stepmother’s home while they built their own home. He could easily work from home and return to the city when needed. It took two years but their new home was ready.

However their lives were changed in an instant when Bill is arrested for securities fraud. Now Charlotte and their fourteen year old daughter Iris can't access their beachfront home, and the family's assets are frozen.
Alice Bailey, overheard Charlotte is not able to withdraw any money and feels she can help by offering mother and daughter a place in her "mommune," a former beachfront bed and breakfast.
Charlotte and Iris accept. There are two other women with their children who live with Alice.
On the first day, they learn the beach house rules.

This is my seventh Kristy Woodson Harvey and I totally love her ‘beach reads’.
Although I am not a big fan of gossip groups aka @JuniperShoresSocialite ~ I was curious about life in a “mommune” – so found it interesting and thought women helping women is wonderful!

Want to thank NetGalley and Gallery Books for this eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 27, 2025.

This is THE beach read of the summer! With romance, mystery, drama, and a small Southern coastal setting, what more could you want? Definitely be sure to pick up Beach House Rules for your beach trip this summer! 5 stars!

Beach House Rules by Kristy Woodson Harvey was such a pleasure to read over the this long kickoff to Summer weekend. This book is a heartfelt and engaging novel that delves into the complexities of family, friendship, and resilience. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Juniper Shores, North Carolina, the story follows Charlotte Sitterly and her daughter Iris as they navigate the upheaval caused by Charlotte's husband's arrest for white-collar crime. Forced out of their home and into the public eye, they find refuge in a unique communal living arrangement known as the "mommune," a haven for single mothers.

Harvey masterfully portrays the evolving dynamics between Charlotte, Iris, and the diverse group of women they come to live with. Each character brings depth to the narrative, with their individual stories intertwining to create a rich tapestry of shared experiences. The inclusion of the anonymous Instagram account, @JuniperShoresSocialite, adds a contemporary twist, highlighting the impact of social media on personal lives and community perceptions.

For me, this was a compelling story with the emotional depth I always look for. There is a charm here that feels like the perfect Summer escape. I felt the plat was well-constructed and there were surprising developments that keep me engaged. And of course any book that focuses on female solidarity and the strength found in communal bonds is a sure win for me!

I have read other Kristy Woodson Harvey books before, but Beach House Rules is a standout addition for me. It's a novel that not only entertains but also prompts reflection on the nature of family, community, and the unexpected paths life can take.

For those seeking a summer read that combines warmth, wit, and a touch of mystery, Beach House Rules offers a compelling journey into the lives of women redefining their destinies amidst life's challenges.

This was fine...nothing exciting but just a rip off of a lot of stories we've all read. Wealthy husband is arrested for fraud and family is left in disarray .... it just didn't feel all that unique. It is an easy read but just wasn't my favorite. Hope you have better luck!

Beach House Rules comes out next week on May 27, 2025 and you can purchase HERE.

It was the cicadas that sold me. That, or maybe the May Flower Moon. The May Flower Moon. Has there ever been a more beautiful term? Even now, I can close my eyes and picture the otherworldly orangeness of it, the way it glistened on the surface of the ocean. I remember leaning my head on my husband Bill's shoulder, watching our daughter, Iris, walk down the beach a few yards away with a neighbor girl.

When Charlotte Sitterly’s husband is unexpectedly arrested for a white collar crime, she and her teenaged daughter find themselves locked out of their house. She doesn’t expect an invite to the old BnB that now houses a group of single mothers (aka the mommune) but she has no choice but to accept.

First off, I love the idea of a mommune so much. It’s found family at its finest. Place this mommune in a ritzy beach town and I am totally on board. But even better? There’s also a gossip girl-esque anonymous Instagram posting about the adults and teens in town. I love it all.

I adored each and every character in this book and all the ways they helped each other grow and heal and learn to be strong women. There’s a lot going on but I didn’t mind because I felt connected to every storyline and couldn’t wait to find out how they all played out. Everyone has own their own traumas to deal with but they have the mommune to lean on when times get tough.

Read this book for:
-multiple POV
-a gossipy beach town
-found family
-female friendships
-a bit of a mystery

EeKKKKKKKKK! KWH is a Southern fiction writing queen. I look forward to each and every one of her books. This one was one of my favorites of hers, I loved how it felt like a Southern gossip girl spin off! The relationships between the women were so special and well written. Grace needs a spin off cookbook, her recipes had me drooling. I loved so much about this book, truly. Pre-order this one!

She has done it again!! Another Southern Fiction page turning book. After I started reading and got involved in all these interesting characters and plot that I absolutely could not put it down. I accomplished nothing today except reading this book straight through !. KWH books center on small town beach living and almost always include some incredibly strong women who show their resilience in the face of what'ever adversity they have encountered. I must admit, I have never heard of a "Mommune" in the South but with the right "Beach Rules" and a big enough house,I suppose it could work. The women and teen characters come alive and you might even relate to a few of them as someone you've known or been related to. They are all very conversational as they tell the story from each person involved. The story flows well with the change in person telling their part. The book cover and others have written plot and theme reviews so check them out for the basic premise of the book. Mainly, just read and enjoy a great read! I was provided an Advanced Reader Copy of this book at my request but was under no obligation to provide a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Many many thanks to the Publisher, Author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. It is quite enjoyable.

Charlotte's husband has been arrested for a white collar crime and now she and her daughter Iris have no access to money and can't live in their home. She accepts an offer from an acquaintance, Alice, to live with her and two other women and their families on a beachfront property that used to be a B&B - the town refers to them as the “momune”. While trying to rebuild her life and prove her husband's innocence, Charlotte becomes close with the other women while Iris bonds with the children, especially Merritt who also happens to be the cool, super cute boy from her high school. The families living in the momune each have their assigned roles and support each other and are their own family unit, and while everyone has to figure out their lives and issues, they can do so with this new found family.

I really do enjoy Harvey’s novels, I love the way I feel after reading them (all warm and cozy) and I was excited to grab this one as well. This one had elements of romance, mystery and family drama and I truly enjoyed being part of the momune, if even from the outside. Getting to know the characters, their intra-dynamics and their issues kept me engaged for the whole book - I became invested in each of them. I listened to a lot of this one, and I loved the multiple narrators, but I finally found time to sit down and read about 1/4 of it - loved the audio but I really do like being fully engaged in the story. This is a great beach/poolside read for the summer.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the ARC to review

I was so sad I did not like this one. It was very character driven, and the plot was just not interesting to me. It’s a contemporary fiction, and the ending was wildly unrealistic. The characters were boring and there was a POV that we did not need at all.

Is it even summer without a book from KWH?! She is one of my favorites for feel-good women's fiction and while this one wasn't my favorite, I still truly enjoyed my time at Juniper Shores at the mommune. I guess my gripes with this one center around some parts being either a little too unbelievable or slightly too convenient. I didn't necessarily buy the idea of Iris, a 14 year old, being able to solve the mystery of her dad being framed by delving into confusing financial documents on her own but I could see why she would want to try! But I did love the strong female friendships and second chances at love scenarios and Harvey writes in such a way that you just fall in love with her characters, Not all of them but pretty darn close! This book is definitely beach bag worthy...

Thank you NetGalley, Gallery Books and Kristy Woodson Harvey for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of Beach House Rules.
This is a perfect read for summer and days at the beach. It is a story of friendship, family and the power of a community coming together. Each of the female characters deal with situations that knock them down but they gain strength through each other, solve their problems and make decisions to move on.
The characters are predictable and I was not totally immersed in the storyline. Parts were a bit sappy for me. I like a touch of drama with dark undertones. I want to be in the edge of my seat with complicated problems to figure out. This is a good story without emotional commitment and I feel it will be forgettable.

Not long ago, I read and reviewed Under the Southern Sky. I very much enjoyed that book and am glad to say that I think that Beach House Rules will also be a delight to the author's audience.

When reading novels, I always look to meet people with whom I want to spend time. The parents and children who live at the mommune fit the bill.

To back up, Charlotte's husband is in jail as the story begins. He is a high flyer whom Charlotte loves and who provided for his wife and daughter very well. Is he guilty of the financial crimes of which he is accused? While this waits to be resolved, Charlotte and teen daughter, Iris, are cast adrift. Alice sees Charlotte in a moment of supreme meltdown at the bank and offers that they could stay at the mommune.

There live a group of mothers and children who need a bit of help. Alice, who has her own backstory, offers this. In addition to Charlotte and Iris, there are several other families there and readers get to know all of them. What will be revealed about them both as individuals and in any connections that they may share?

I liked the way that the narrative was structured. Each chapter is told from a character's point of view. Interspersed are postings from a gossip site. What trouble will this unleash?

This is a very readable book that I very much enjoyed. It seems like a perfect summer read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

I’ve finally read a KWH book and I now understand all the love for her!!

This book is going to be your new found family summer read!

THE PLOT
Charlotte’s husband had been recently arrested for a white collar crime. Her and her daughter had been kicked out of their house and now they have nowhere to go. Alice is known as the town’s black widow - all three of her husbands had died. Alice takes both Charlotte and her daughter and offered them a room in her bed and breakfast beach house that is known in the community to be “the mommune”. This is pretty much how the story starts.

At the start of the book, there’s a very Gilmore Girls vibe. Then when they moved to a small coastal town in North Carolina, there’s a Lady Whistledown feels as the town has an anonymous Instagram account that shares all the town gossip.

But the best part of this book is the found family story! It was heartwarming to read about 4 moms helping each other navigate their everyday life after a loss. I love that there was a mystery side to it too towards the end!

This is overall a solid beach read that has everything: found family, small town, beach house, romance, motherhood, and mystery!!

Beach House Rules by Kristy Woodson Harvey delivered a feel-good, heart-felt summer women’s fiction with all the small-town charm and feels. Grab an iced coffee and your beach bag cause we are headed to the Mommune house!

I love small-town coastal communities and dove right into Beach House Rules. Charlotte Sitterly, her husband and their daughter Iris have built their dream home in Juniper Shores, an affluent coastal community. It’s the perfect life until Charlotte’s husband is arrested for a white collar crime, leaving Charlotte and Iris at wits’ end. The FBI has seized their home and frozen their assets. She doesn’t even have her car. Her luck changes at the bank when Alice Bailey, an acquaintance, offers to let them stay at her coastal front property. Charlotte reluctantly accepts and the worst of times turns out to be a magical summer…

The property is a former bed-and-breakfast and is known locally as the “Mommune” house. Mothers facing different circumstances all live together, sharing household and childcare duties. Rumor has it Alice is a black widow thanks to the gossip from @JuniperShoresSocialite. I loved all the small-town shenanigans, the storylines for both the women and the teens in the house. It was well rounded, and I felt invested in the outcome.

I absolutely loved time spent with these different women, discovering their secrets and found family vibe. We get a little mystery as Charlotte is certain her husband is innocent. I loved the house rules, family meal time and seeing the women uplift each other. We got to know their backstories and see them form bonds of friendship.

If you are looking for the perfect, feel good, heartwarming beach read this summer, you’ll want to add Beach Rules to your tote!