Mansion Beach is a character-driven novel that mostly alternates perspectives between two women who are spending the summer on Block Island off the coast of Rhode Island. Juliana George is the CEO of a successful fashion website. She comes from a poor background and has worked her entire life to achieve financial stability. She is neighbor to Nichola Carr, a woman who has recently upended her life to pursue her dream of being a marine biologist. Nichola is spending the summer working as an intern at an aquarium and is living in her wealthy cousin, David’s, cottage next to Juliana’s mansion. The two women become friendly and find that they share a connection to David.

Throughout the novel, the reader gets to know more about Juliana and Nichola’s pasts, as well as several other side characters, including David’s wife, Taylor. From the prologue, it’s revealed that the summer ends with someone drowning on the island, but the details are unclear. There’s some amount of suspense regarding the identity and circumstances of the death, but it’s definitely more of a character driven novel, instead of plot driven.

I would recommend this book to fans of Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson because it shares the multiple POV structure and fraught family relationships, and social class dynamics. I also appreciated the references to The Great Gatsby.

This book needs to made into a Netflix series like yesterday! It was fabulous! Absolutely loved the characters and the theme of the story. Marvelous!!

The quintessential beach read!

This book follows a group of summer inhabitants of Block Island. Fashion start up founder Giuliana starts throwing lavish parties - what is that about? Her neighbor Nicola, reeling from her broken engagement and career pivot from being a lawyer to being the oldest marine biology intern on the island, begins a friendship with Giuliana. Nicola's cousin David and his wife Taylor have their own set of problems. Taylor's family business, Buchanan, wants approval to build a luxury hotel on the island, which is met by pushback from Islanders that want to "Keep the Block the Block."

I don't want to give too much away - but it was fun to see the characters intertwine and I appreciated the commentary on wealth and the haves/have nots. This books is a retelling of the Great Gatsby, but it truly is its own story.

I enjoyed this book, but it is definitely a slow burn. Some of the chapters took me an hour to get through! With that said, I spent longer getting through this book than my typical read.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC - all opinions are my own.

I enjoyed being transported to lovely Block Island and delighted in the descriptions of the homes of its wealthy residents. The rags to riches story of Juliana George was also sensitively handled and her character well drawn. Overall, however, this book did not work for me as well as some of Moore’s previous novels. Many of the other characters did not feel adequately fleshed out or likable and I found the tale more dark and disturbing than I prefer for my summer reading.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the privilege of a complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for my arc. This book definitely had a Great Gatsby vibe going on but the ending just kind of left me confused and felt like the storyline was a bit long winded.

Unfortunately this was a miss for me, I just could not get into this book. I found the characters unlikable (probably the point) and the story just moved very slowly for me. I’m sure fans of the author love her writing style, but for me it was sadly a miss.

I enjoyed this story about Julianna George, Nicola Taylor and Nicola's cousin David. Julianna owns a fashion app. Nicola works with sea animals , Taylar is into major real estate and David gave up his dream of being a race car driver. There is so much going on in this book that it is better just to read it. A VERY GOOD READ.

I love reading Meg Mitchell Moore's books at the beginning of the summer because they always put me right in the mood for sunshine, sand and summer!

Manson Beach was a great escape to an island I've been meaning to travel to, Block Island and I liked spending my time getting to know the cast of characters (even if I really didn't like any of them) over the span of a summer on the island. I definitely wished I'd been able to go one of these infamous parties!!

This book is perfect for those wanting a beachy/summery book but aren't all in on romance novels or into super dark thrillers. While there was some stories that involve a romantic interlude or two this mostly is a mystery that is not too dark.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

What to Expect:
⭐ Multi POV
⭐ Dual Timelines (Past + Present)
⭐ Quirky characters and storylines
⭐ Murder Mystery

My Thoughts:
Man I really really tried to love this story. The premise and storyline from the description really drew me in, but I felt as if the writing absolutely missed the mark. I thought more of the mystery and intrigue could have been leaned in to. I felt as though the relationships were flat and just awkward. The back story of some of the characters didn't have depth at all, including the main characters. While the story flips through different time periods (former meeting stories and history of the characters/relationships) there are no headings or time frames given at the start. Just who is speaking as main character in the "chapter".

Overall I really thought there could be more depth. I think the "true crime" podcast could have been played in to a bit more. Especially because those tend to have a strong storyline. The actual murder mystery of the story just feels like an after thought through out the whole book.

I struggled to not DNF and I also struggled to maintain where and what was happening throughout the story. It wasn't my favorite.

Synopsis:
It’s the beginning of the summer, and Nicola Carr has just arrived on Block Island, RI, eager for a fresh start and some R&R. But her plans for a tranquil summer are derailed as the extravagant parties from the grand home next door pique her curiosity. She soon discovers the home belongs to Juliana George, an enigmatic entrepreneur with a past shrouded in mystery.

Juliana George, CEO and founder of a hot fashion-tech company, is at the top of her game. She’s spending the summer on Block Island preparing for a major IPO. But she’s chasing her dreams in more ways than one. This summer she hopes to rekindle a flame with a man from her past—a man who has a surprising connection to her neighbor Nicola.

Taylor Buchanan, the wife of Nicola’s cousin, is second-in-command of a real estate empire. Her life is exactly the way she planned it: she has the wealth, the family, the prestige, and the power. And there’s nothing she’ll let get in her way of Having It All. But when everything suddenly verges on the edge of collapse, she has no choice but to take matters into her own hands.

As Nicola, Juliana, and Taylor’s summers unfold, the three women are set on a collision course that leads to inevitable self-discovery, unforgivable betrayal, an unavoidable love triangle—and, most unexpectedly, a dead body.

A sophisticated escapist novel filled with light humor and surprising observations, Mansion Beach explores the depth of human relationships, our cruelly classist society, and the price of secrets that refuse to stay buried.


Thank you to Netgalley, Meg and her team at William Morrow for the eARC in response for my honest review.

Just intime for summer, Meg Mitchell !Moore releases her new book Mansion Beach. For those of us who are Great Gatsby fans, we appreciate that the modern retelling is inspired by Fitzgerald’s book. In particular, I like that the character names are all the same initials as in Gatsby. And the fact that it’s the women who are in positions of power and influence. Well done !

MANSION BEACH by Meg Mitchell Moore is first and foremost a modern, beach read version of The Great Gatsby — gender swapped, modernized, and finished with an ending with some interesting changes.

I was sooo curious about a fresh take on the classic but for the most part, it was kinda distracting. The names, for instance, were kinda funny takes? Nicola instead of Nick, Juliana George instead of Jay Gatsby, and the Buchanans are the same lol. There’s also the green light at the end of the dock, lots of parties, and more — somethings that made sense, some that felt just like an obvious Easter egg.

I do really wonder if I would have liked it more if I didn’t know it was a Gatsby retelling (I probably would have figured it out lol) but it was an interesting beach read so I’m not trying to be that critical. And it got me to revisit thinking about the classic book (which I read and loved in high school).

I have read other books by this author but this one just didn't hit for me. The chapters seemed long and drawn out and I had a hard time following along.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for this ARC.

A decent beach read. I have really enjoyed the Block Island books by Meg Mitchell Moore. This installment has been my least favorite,unfortunately. I am a sucker for beach reads set on bougie islands with lots of parties, summer flings and booze. My biggest issue with this one was that the main characters were incredibly immature. It was hard to believe that they were in their late 20’s early 30’s. The back story about Juliana was interesting but the rest was just not that interesting
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Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Nicola has gotten very friendly with two of her wealthy neighbors and she is enjoying the lifestyle..
They confide in each other in that friendly, gossipy way. Another per for Nicola, who is not averse to romance. There is a dark cloud hovering over the group. How will it be received? Interests intersect, not always in a good way.
Secrets have,a way of getting out, especially when relationships become too close, too competitive, and too familiar. It surely does help the summer be relaxing and lots of fun when a dead body shows up!
This book is compulsively readable, which made it hard to put down. When love and money intersect, trouble is bound to follow.
Nicola might have bitten off more than she can chew, but how will it affect all of them in the long run?
Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read the ARC.. All opinions are my own.

Meg Mitchell Moore has become an auto-buy author for me, and Mansion Beach absolutely delivered. Set once again on Block Island, Rhode Island, this is Moore’s third book based there—but don’t worry if you haven’t read the others; it works perfectly as a standalone. While a few familiar faces return, the story is fresh and easy to dive into.

Mansion Beach is the definition of a perfect beach read—sunny island vibes, a touch of romance, a bit of intrigue, and this time, even a mystery woven through the narrative. Moore also brings in thoughtful commentary on class divides, adding some depth to the breezy setting. The cast is varied and engaging—some characters are easy to root for, others less so, and a few walk that compelling line in between. A great summer escape with just enough edge to keep you turning pages. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC!

I am a big fan of Meg Mitchell Moore and her newest book is to die for!!! It has everything you want in a beach read. Scandal, spoiled, rich people, real life problems, love, and readers will gobble it right up!!!!!

2 Stars

I listened to this on audio & honestly not sure I would have stuck it out if I hadn’t been moving and really needing a distraction while driving/packing/cleaning. This was my first book by Meg Mitchell Moore and it will most likely be my last.

I started to get a bit interested at about the 70% mark which is far too late & there was no payoff. No one in this book was likable! Literally no one. The big reveal was super lame. At the end of the book I just had more questions and thought in my head “wtf?” Absolutely nothing was tied up & I just felt overall dissatisfaction.

If you’ve read The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand, I feel like Mansion Beach was trying to be that but just couldn’t pull it off. Sadly, the cover is great and that’s where it ended for me.

Thank you to NetGalley & William Morrow for the ARC of Mansion Beach in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good Summer beach read! Meg Mitchell Moore is one of my go to authors in the summertime! She is up there with Elin Hilderbrand, Emily Henry, Jamie Brenner Carley Fortune and Abby Jimenez!
In Mansion Beach we meet several people that come from different backgrounds and are spending the summer on Block Island. How they navigate the summer social scene and the friendships and relationships that they make create enough drama for several novels! And there’s an unexpected death to add to the mix!
Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for the digital ARC!

A tale of secrets, a love triangle and murder set among the wealthy elite on Block Island. Nicola is planning on a relaxing summer while staying with her cousin, David, and his wife, Taylor. Except Nicola is drawn into the drama of their neighbor, Juliana and the big parties she throws. While Juliana is in love with David, Nicola has a romantic interest of her own. As the summer progresses, secrets are revealed and a dead body is discovered.

Set in the coastal backdrop of Block Island, this was a fun summer thriller. The book starts off with a podcast interview describing a dead body found on the island a year ago, and so, the story unfolds by going back to events that lead to this discovery. Filled with plenty of scandal and secrets, we follow multiple POVs: Nicola, the unfulfilled lawyer looking for a change of pace who leaves behind her long-term partner and job to intern in marine biology, Juliana, a successful and mysterious owner of an online fashion start-up, and Taylor, a wealthy heiress of a real estate empire. Each of the characters harbor their own secrets and motives, and as we see how their lives intertwine, we get some insights into wealth, class and privilege and ultimately perception and identity. I enjoyed and would recommend especially as a beach read.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.