This was such a heartwarming and comforting read. I absolutely loved the women this story followed—each one had their own journey, their own challenges, and I was equally invested in all of them.

The story centers around four women—Trudy, Anna, Evie, and Josie—connected by the charming seaside salon in their small coastal town in 1980s Queensland.

Trudy in her 50s, runs the salon and is still mourning the loss of her husband. Anna, a tired mum and wife. Evie is a single mum who’s wary of love. Josie just 19, is trying to find her own way.

The relationships in this book are what really stood out. Whether it was the quiet support, the honest conversations, these characters felt real and layered. Their friendships were so central to the story—uplifting, complicated, and always deeply rooted in care.

This book is such cozy read

If you love stories about second chances, healing, friendship, and finding your place again (or for the first time), this one is absolutely worth picking up.

Lessons in love at the Seaside Salon is truly a powerful and emotional story that feature four incredible women who each have their own love story to tell and what they learn and gain from it.

Four women who have intertwined lives via the Seaside Salon take us into their POV's and show us what love can do to you and the power that it can possess. Sophie has definitely told a wonderful story that also can get readers thinking and reflecting on the things they want in life but to truly know who you want to be and the love you would like.

I was intrigued with each ladies story and had me thinking about my own love story, the plot was a lovely setting and the references from the 1980s included added to the story. Though i don't go to a hair salon frequently, I enjoyed diving into this salon and living through the clients experience in the story.

Thank you so much HachetteAustralia and Netgalley for the gifting arc.

A heartwarming story about four women and their life’s challenges and love experiences.
I quite enjoyed reading the book and I liked the characters and setting of the book.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher Hachette Australia & New Zealand for the feel-good read ARC.

A warm-hearted celebration of connection, introspection, and seaside serenity.

Sophie Green’s Lessons on Love at the Seaside Salon swept me off my feet and straight into the chairs of Trudy, Evie, Josie, and Anna — four women whose personal journeys were tenderly unraveled with depth and grace. While it leans into a character-driven narrative with minimal plot, I found myself wholly invested in their growth and the nuanced ways they found happiness.

The seaside salon is a surprisingly perfect vessel for reflection and emotional intimacy. Though I’m not a regular hair salon visitor, I could absolutely see how such a setting — far removed from the hectic swirl of Sydney’s beaches — offered the tranquility needed for these characters to truly connect. Green paints their differing life stages and evolving dynamics with remarkable authenticity. Their interactions felt real, raw, and deeply relatable.

More than once I was moved to tears, needing a moment for my vision to clear before diving back in. Stories like this remind me of my own humanity — our flaws, longings, and moments of unexpected joy. And that ending? A gentle, powerful nudge to take time for ourselves, to reflect, and to dare to dream.

One motif that lingered with me was the recurring presence of pelicans — featured on the cover and woven into the story with quiet symbolism. Trudy and Sol admired their elegance and patience, perhaps seeing in them a mirror of the grace they were learning to cultivate in their own lives. Josie, on the other hand, expressed discomfort, referencing Storm Boy and its themes of vulnerability and loss. Pelicans, in many traditions, symbolize selflessness, nurturing, and renewal — qualities that resonate deeply with the arcs of these women. Their presence at The Entrance felt like a gentle reminder of the beauty in stillness, in waiting, in trusting the tides of life.

I couldn’t be happier with this read — it’s nourishing, honest, and beautifully grounding. And I especially loved the nod to nature and its serenity to help fuel moments of introspection and reflection.

Thank you very much to author Sophie Green and the publishers at Hachette Australia for an advanced proof copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Fifty seven year old Trudy was the owner of the Seaside Salon at Terrigal on the Central Coast of NSW. It was the 1980s and Lady Di hairstyles were all the rage. Trudy had lost her beloved Laurie two years prior and still grieved him deeply. But her family of clients and staff kept her going through the day - it was night times and Sundays that hit her hardest. Anna, forty two years old, took her mother Ingrid to Trudy once a week, while thoughts of her marriage and two children kept her occupied. She was angry at Gary never being there for her or the children, and trying to decide what to do. Thirty three year old Evie, Trudy's offsider in the salon, had seven year old Billy, a friendly relationship with Stevo, Billy's dad, but no romantic love of her own. And Josie, nineteen, Trudy's new apprentice, was a joy to be around. Although her home life with her parents was harsh, out of home Josie was a delight. What do these four women have in common apart from the salon?

Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon is another great read by Aussie author Sophie Green which I enjoyed. Set in the beautiful Central Coast, not far from where I live, and where I've been many times, it was extremely familiar and a delight to follow the characters' footsteps. My only issue was I feel there was a little too much "inner thought" happening. But other than that, the book was up there with Ms Green's usual heartfelt stories, and I have no hesitation in recommending this new one.

With thanks to NetGalley & Hachette AU for my digital ARC to read and review.

Sophie Green has done it again with a beautifully woven, character-driven story set against the nostalgic charm of 1980s coastal Australia. Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon is a gentle, heartfelt exploration of four women at very different stages in life, each searching for something.

From the comforting buzz of the Summertime Salon to the quiet ache of unspoken grief, each storyline is full of emotional depth and warmth. I adored Trudy’s strength, Anna’s rediscovery of herself, Evie’s vulnerability, and Josie’s hopeful independence. Their journeys are honest and relatable, touching on motherhood, second chances, and the kind of female friendships that quietly hold you together.

This is a story about love in all its forms: messy, healing, enduring. It left me feeling lighter and inspired. A perfect comfort read for fans of community stories, found family, and stories that celebrate the resilience of women.

Warm and wise story, featuring relatable and well-written women, of varying ages and life circumstances overcoming the challenges of life and love. Including first love, unrequited love, lost love and love on the rocks.

I enjoyed the characterisation of the Seaside Salon, as a place of community and connection; as well as the inclusion of the nostalgic references to 1980’s Australia, including music, movies, celebrity icons, television, popular events, and given this story is centered at the Seaside Salon - Lady Di’s hairstyles.

I love how Sophie Green writes women of all ages, facing realistic responsibilities and challenges, as well as covering a variety of themes with nuance and care.

Many thanks to Hachette Australia and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy of this fabulous story, in exchange for an honest review.

Whenever I open a Sophie Green book, I know I’m not going to be disappointed, and this latest one was no exception. I was lucky enough to win a competition on Sophie’s Substack (which I highly recommend you follow) and received an uncorrected proof in the mail from the author. I also received a digital copy via NetGalley for which I am very grateful for also.
This book is all you’ve come to expect in a Sophie Green novel and more. From the first chapter, you’re invested in the characters, and as the story develops, they become like friends. The story moves at a good pace and is an easy and very enjoyable read that I didn’t want to put down.
If you’re a Sophie Green fan, then you’ll love this one, and if you’ve not discovered the delight of reading one of her books yet, then I highly recommend grabbing a copy.

Trudy, the owner of the Seaside Salon, recently widowed, missing her husband and her son that lives in Sydney and seldom sees. Evie, the hairdresser, a single mother to her son and not with his father. Josie, the apprentice who longs to leave home and her controlling parents and Anna who brings her mother into the salon every week, with 2 children and a husband that is never there.

The characters come alive as their lives intertwine, with advice and love for each other as their journeys begin to find out what is missing in lives

A wonderful uplifting read.

The cover claims ‘Four women, four loves, and four life-changing stories’ and for me, it equals four stars!

Set in the 80’s in a seaside Sydney town, hairdresser and owner of the Summertime Salon, Trudy is in her late 50’s and still grieving the love of her life Laurie who passed away two years earlier. She loves her job and her clients but she often feels lonely, especially as visits to her only son are few and far between.
Anna, in her early 40’s, brings her Mum to the salon weekly but never bothers to get her hair done. Juggling two young kids, and a recent separation, Anna doesn’t have time for looking after herself, but it’s time she started to, and not just with a new hairstyle.
Single mum Evie enjoys working at the salon and when a new male hairdresser named Sam starts working there, he and Evie hit it off and form a friendship. But Evie hopes to take things further. Will she be brave enough to tell Sam how she really feels and will his reply be what she wants to hear?
Apprentice Josie is 19 years old and looking at gaining some independence and freedom from her overprotective parents. But when she meets local surfer Brett, she can’t quite believe how quickly they fall for each other. But how will she ever be able to introduce Brett to her family?

I thought this was a lovely, feel good story. My favourite characters were Trudy and Josie. I felt for both of these characters. I admired the way Trudy remained welcoming and warm to her clients and staff even though she was dealing with her own personal grief. And Josie was a determined and dedicated young woman.
I enjoyed the 80’s references too - the Princess Diana hairstyle, Hey Hey It’s Saturday, and the outfits complete with shoulder pads to name a few! Highly recommend!