Kristy Woodson Harvey has delivered another five star novel. This story has a little bit of everything I love in a book. It’s got romance, family dynamics, Nancy Drew, and true crime. I’m a big fan of KWH’s writing, and this story hit the mark.

This is an ideal book for me, set at the beach and a family solving a problem. It's also written by a favorite author.When Charlotte Sitterly’s husband is arrested for a white-collar crime, she and her daughter Iris are locked out of their house by the FBI and—what’s potentially even worse—thrust into the spotlight of @JuniperShoresSocialite, the town’s snarky anonymous Instagram account. Cut off from her bank accounts and feeling desperate, Charlotte takes up an acquaintance’s offer to stay at a beachfront former bed-and-breakfast that’s home to a community of single mothers and draws plenty of gossip in the small coastal North Carolina town.
Charlotte and Iris find solace and are surprised by how much fun they’re having with the other families despite their circumstances. But when the women discover a secret link between them, it changes everything they thought they knew about the unconventional family they’ve created and leaves them wondering whether their coming together was a coincidence at all. Will the skeletons in the mommune closets help Charlotte and Iris reclaim their place in the Juniper Shores community—or shatter the sisterhood forever?

Charlotte’s husband, Bill, was arrested and Charlotte and her daughter, Iris, were kicked out of their house and really had no idea where they were going to go. Insert the mommune. The mommune is an old bed-and-breakfast that a few single mothers and their children live in together. They are able to share the responsibility of caring for the children and get back on their feet. There is also an Instagram page, @JuniperShoresSocialite that posts about the people from the town. Iris struggles with the normal high school things but also living with her dad being in prison. Merit, son of one of the other mommune moms, is the most popular guy in school and Iris wants to get his attention so desperately, but they form the sweetest friend/sibling relationship. Iris is determined to find the information that will free her dad.

I loved following the mommune and how they supported each other even through all the rumors and drama. The instagram page was an interesting addition and I felt like this story was very different than Kristy’s previous works. The last quarter of the book was very fast paced and I finished it so quickly! This was such a good story that focused on redemption and friendship with a touch of mystery.

Beach House Rules comes out on May 27th and I can’t wait to get mine hands on my physical copy at the book signing at Quail Ridge later this month!

Absolutely loved this book from start to finish! The audio was fantastic as well. This was certainly a different book for Harvey, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Such sweet friendships, some mystery, and some sweet romances in there. I enjoyed recommending this to my Bookstagram audience!

Thank you so much!

It’s one thing when your husband is arrested by the FBI for wire fraud but it is quite another when a social media account for the town of Juniper Shores, North Carolina, blasts this personal information and many updates in the latest beach read from Kristy Woodson Harvey, Beach House Rules, hitting store shelves on May 27.

Denied bond for white-collar crime, Charlotte Sitterly’s husband Bill has left her and their daughter Iris in a very vulnerable situation in which they cannot access their bank accounts, their house, their car, their personal belongings. But a stroke of luck in the form of neighbor Alice Bailey offering accommodation at her former bed and breakfast where she is already providing a safe harbor to two other families, is just the stroke of luck Charlotte and Iris need.

On the other hand, Alice’s beachfront home is a favorite target of social media gossip primarily because Alice is being targeted as a Black Widow having lost a husband to an avalanche on a ski trip, a second to a car accident, and a third to a fall from their three-story home.
But Charlotte and Iris are embraced by Alice and the other two families, and in this environment, they start to put their lives back together as Charlotte, always a homemaker, re-enters the job force and Iris is able to keep attending her school thanks to her popular friends who rally around her.

What are the chances that Bill has been framed, that someone else committed the crime? If he is guilty, can Charlotte possibly restore funds to those who have been cheated, especially to those who have had their entire retirement dollars wiped out? Will Charlotte and Iris ever be able to claim their home or will they continue group living in Alice’s home for the foreseeable future?

Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Journalism, Harvey’s writing has appeared in numerous publications, including Southern Living, Parade, Traditional Home, and USA TODAY. She lives with her family in Beaufort, NC.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting May 3, 2025.

I would like to thank Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster LLC, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

This was the feel good story I needed. This author always delivers. Her stories are delightful and inspiring and never let you down. This is no exception. The character development is great and the pace is just right. I almost hope there is a continuation or at least a way of finding out what happened to some of these characters. Fun and flirty, serious and heartwarming, this book was great. Highly recommend!

4.5/5 ⭐️

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* 🤌🏼 This book just truly gave me the warm and fuzzies!

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

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.

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.