I felt transported to summer on Block Island, the smaller and less know neighbor to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Progress and building has discovered the sleepy little island as the summer population continues to expand.

Buchanan Industries wants to build four elite homes and a resort and spa on the island, so Brice Buchanan builds his daughter and her new husband a huge house on Great Salt Pond. Taylor Buchanan, Brice’s daughter will live there and manage the building projects.

Taylor’s husband David is from Minnesota and did not grow up with money or privilege but he did go to Yale. Yale is where Taylor and David met. They did fall in love but David is still adjusting to Taylor’s wealthy lifestyle.

David’s favorite cousin from their Minnesota childhood, Nicola, gets an internship on the island with the oceanic institute and needs a place to live. She’s thirty and starting over when she realized she hated being a lawyer. David and Taylor just happen to own a cottage they lend to her for the summer.

Right next door to the cottage is a huge house owned by new entrepreneur, Juilian George, founder of LookBook, an app combining fashion and easy to find outfits. Unfortunately for Nicola, her neighbor enjoys throwing huge parties that last well into the night.

These four people interact in direct and indirect ways that will affect all their lives. Supporting roles by Jack, a handsome professional golfer and David’s friend from college; and Shelly, the PR specialist and party girl who went to college with Juliana (aka Jade).

I couldn’t put this down, reading every chance I got.

Perfect for an escape to summer.

Thanks Netgalley and William Morrow.

This is a great little summer read...I finished it really quickly. Its an alluring story set on Block Island and follows some 20-somethings, all of whom are navigating life a little differently -- single, married, successful, struggling, new money, old money...the list goes on. Vaguely reminiscent of THE GREAT GATSBY, you'll see little "Easter eggs" here and there, which is fun. As Nicola enters this new "rich" circle, she finds herself as the most normal and grounded of the group, and the girl to whom everyone goes when things start to go sideways. And its all fun and games until hearts get broken, reputations are threatened, and some one dies. But as we've all heard, "a little party never hurt nobody"....or does it?

Mansion Beach pulled me in right from the start! I could not wait to see how this story was going to unfold! Meg Mitchell Moore has written a great summer beach read full of complex characters set on Block Island where the locals are not thrilled with the take over of their new rich neighbors. Nicola Carr has moved to the island for the summer to start over, she is changing careers and has endured a bad break-up and is now one of the oldest summer interns at the BIMI. She is living in a cottage owned by the Buchanan family which her favorite cousin David has married into, and they are one of the new investors on the island. Nicola is also neighbors with Juliana George CEO of LookBook a new tech company, who throws lavish parties several times a month. Nicola attends a party and soon finds out how interconnected all the Block Islanders are. This is a story of scandal, secrets, and the price you will pay to keep them hidden.

Not quite the beach read I was expecting.

Nicola has arrived on Block Island to intern at the marine center for the summer - she's staying in the cottage owned by her cousin's rich wife. She's expecting a quiet summer - until she realizes her neighbor throws elaborate parties every night. Juliana, the neighbor, is the owner of a fashion business that's about ready to IPO. She has history with Nicola's cousin, too. It's a wild summer of parties, deception, family issues, trust issues and a lot of heavy topics. It is not an easy, summer read even if it is set on the island.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

It reminded me a lot of The Great Gatsby! The setting and characters also reminded me a lot of Elin Hilderbrand's books. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for the advanced reader copy of this book!

I'm surprised to see that people had a hard time getting into this book. I very much enjoyed it as a summer read - I love books set on islands with families, relationships and food. This book is in the same genre as Elin Hilderbrand's "Hotel Nantucket." The main character, Nicola, comes to the island to make a change in her life, after quitting her job as a lawyer and ending her relationship with her live-in boyfriend. I enjoyed all of it, except for a couple of things. I didn't think the podcast that was inserted every few chapters was necessary at all. I also felt the ending was too abrupt. But for a summer read, this book was great!

This one wasn't for me, unfortunately. I struggled to get to about 40% which is where I felt the story picked up slightly. By that point, I was still not invested in the story.. The pacing continued to be very slow throughout the remainder of the book.

It did remind me of the flowing sort of writing style of the Great Gatsby. I enjoyed the setting of the book as well.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC.

Nicola changes her course by quitting her job and taking an internship on Block Island for the summer. She is lucky enough to live rent free at her cousin, David's cottage. Her neighbor throws parties all summer and the late night noise annoys her until she is invited to the party next door. It is then that Nicola meets her neighbor, Juliana George founder of Look Book. Nicola gets to know Juliana and finds out that she and her cousin have history. David is married to Taylor Buchanan and they are also on the Island. During the parties different characters are introduced, including Jack and Shelley. Nicola watches the drama begin to unfold around her. Throughout the book there are inserts of podcast interviews with Block Island residents giving insight about the deceased you learn about at the opening of the book. There are backstories on each character throughout the book, but I enjoyed Juliana's the most. I feel like the ending was a bit abrupt and anticlimactic. I read the last page and turned to acknowledgements and was surprised the book ended. Overall this was a good summer read. 3.5 stars.

If you like old romances, family drama, and secrets coming to the surface, this summer beach read is for you. While there is a mystery throughout, the characters, their own stories and the town can stand all on their own. The Block Island setting is ideal: there’s romance, messy secrets, ocean scenes & crafted cocktails. And yes – the Gatsby vibes are real.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one! Meg Mitchell Moore has quickly become one of my favorite authors (Elin Hilderbrand was right to recommend it!). Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced reader’s copy.

Manson Beach by Meg Mitchell Moore is a book perfect for summertime reading. The story is set on Block Island- a place I have always wanted to visit!

The story focuses on Nicola moving to Block Island for the summer. Nicola can stay for free at her wealthy cousin's house. Next door to her cousin's house is the wealthy Juliana, the founder of a company called "LookBook." Next door, they have lavish parties that sound Gatsby-ish.

The story provides a history of everyone in the story along with present-day events.

This book might be fitting for someone who enjoyed Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum, anyone who has been to Block Island, or anyone who wishes to escape into the wealthy lives of people during the summer.

This is an easy summer read for a people who just want a break from their real life! The characters were not particularly likeable, but you just can’t stop reading! A little mystery, some conflict, and a beach! Many people love this type of reading for that escape!

*“Mansion Beach”* is a perfect summer read — heartfelt, atmospheric, and full of layered characters navigating life’s complications under the golden haze of a coastal New England backdrop. Meg Mitchell Moore has a talent for making you feel like you're right there on the beach, smelling the salt air and hearing the waves crash.

The novel does a great job weaving together the lives of its central characters — each grappling with personal struggles, secrets, and desires — in a way that feels authentic and compelling. The pacing is relaxed but never dull, and the emotional beats land well. While some plot points were a bit predictable and the ending wrapped up more neatly than I expected, I still found it satisfying and emotionally resonant.

If you're looking for a smart, character-driven beach read that offers more than just sun and sand, *Mansion Beach* delivers. I’ll definitely be picking up more of Moore’s books!

This book was a DNF for me due to the longer chapters. I really enjoyed the first couple of chapters and intend to finish it via audio when it's released!

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC.

This is the perfect summer read: well-developed, beachy setting, characters you love to hate, and, of course, tons of drama! Plus, with a blend of mystery, romance, and complicated family/friendship dynamics, there's truly something for everyone to enjoy. While the story is a Great Gatsby retelling (and you'll notice the parallels if you're familiar with Gatsby!), it also stands on its own, with Meg Mitchell Moore's modern, creative take on the typical plot points. Additionally, I love how Mitchell Moore explores coastal New England settings in her books, and this one was no different. She fully transports readers to Block Island, to the point where the place feels like its own character. I'm ready to plan my own trip now! I'll also echo the comparisons others have made to authors like Elin Hilderbrand and Jenny Jackson—if you're missing your annual escape to Nantucket, or couldn't put down Pineapple Street, you'll definitely want to add this one to your TBR. Highly recommend for an entertaining, summery read with plenty of complex characters! Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC.

This is a great pick for a summer beach read—it has a little something for everyone. The setting is ideal, there’s romance, complicated family dynamics, complex friendship dynamics, and even a light mystery surrounding the death of a resident. What more could you want? For me, in a summer read, nothing honestly.

There are three women at the center of the story—Juliana, Taylor, and Nicola—and I thought all three were fairly well-developed and interesting in their own right. I’ve seen a couple of people say this one is wordy, and maybe it is a little bit, but I got strong Elin Hilderbrand vibes from all the detailed descriptions—not just of the current setting and events, but also of the women’s pasts.

I enjoyed how their storylines intertwined and loved the sometimes dramatic twists the story took. All in all, this was an easy summer read with some depth and smarts that I really enjoyed.

Definitely a quick summer read. Characters were insufferable pretty much all around. The plot and storyline were predictable. That said, it was a solid read for anyone who likes a book set on the beaches of Block Island with a hint of mystery. Certainly not groundbreaking, but an easy breezy read with summer vibes.

Life on Mansion Beach is idyllic. Block Island is a small community so when Taylor's family starts to develop it, she is met with resistance. Her husband David is at lose ends and his cousin Nicola comes for the summer to see if a new marine biologist career suits her. Nicola finds out that a famous entrepreneur lives next door, but she didn't know that Juliana has ties to her cousin David. When a body is found floating at the end of the summer, readers are kept guessing as to who dies and why.

I really liked this book, as I have her previous books. They are a nice balance of family drama and beach reads. I definitely get an Elin Hildebrand vibe from this, but it is less romancey. The writing is really good- even though it jumps back in time occasionally, I never found this confusing. I liked the character development, and the action kept the book moving also. I would love to have read this on a beach, but it was good for a solid but not overwhelming read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

I’ve heard great praise for Meg Mitchell Moore’s novels for a long time. This is my first book by her and certainly won’t be my last. It was reminiscent of Elin Hilderbrand’s books, Emma Rosemblum’s Bad Summer People and Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson.
A modern day retelling of The Great Gatsby about a summer on Block Island. There was a lot of rich people behaving badly in this novel. The character development in this book really sets it apart. I loved the characters backstories and felt like I understood them and their motivations. Watching the summer unfold was very fun and I liked how she wrapped it up. Highly recommend and I can’t wait to check out her backlist. Perfect beach read!

I’ve enjoyed Meg Mitchell Moore’s books in the past, but I had a hard time with the writing style in this one. It was so wordy, and I kept having to read back to make sure I understood what was going on. This took away from what could have been a fun summer read for me. I love books with scandals and messy characters so once I got a hang of the “wordiness” I enjoyed the plot. None of the characters were all that likeable but the juiciness and bad behavior was fun.

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐

Loved the complex characters and vivid imagery. This was a fun afternoon, heading into summer read. I would definitely read more from this author. Enjoyed the story.