Though this may be looked down upon for being a quiet book, Konig's writing felt welcoming and engaging all the way through. She has a great ability to tug at heartstrings and raise the stakes. I hope to read more of her work soon.

I thought this was a very touching and tender story and I loved how she incorporated art restoration of the carousel to center her journey. Very well done.

This captivating novel has all the ingredients for the perfect beach read or a lively book club discussion, leaving readers with a tear in their eye and a smile in their heart. With tender (sometimes raw) emotion, Konig explores the relationships between mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, grandmothers and granddaughters, first loves and forever loves. She does so with a beautifully parallel plot involving the restoration of a town fixture and the recovery of an old man’s memories. (Fair warning: You will want to reach inside this book and hug Hank Hauser, probably more than once.) As Maya painstakingly gives new life to the beloved carousel, her own deeply-layered grief is catalogued and marked for repair as well. In many ways, the last carousel horse she needs to restore mirrors the state of her life – a few chips taken out here and there but mostly in need of a fresh outlook. But it’s the way the horse connects Maya to her late grandmother and their shared love of the carousel – and some surprising secrets uncovered by the restoration – that really will have readers wholly invested in the outcome.

first appeared on RT Book Reviews, May 2018 / TOP PICK

Both honest and heart-wrenching, Carousel Beach delves into the debilitating—and fluctuating—nature of grief. Supported by relatable characters that are all the more loveable because of their flaws; a charming beach town setting; and the magic of the carousel at the center of it all, this is a book you won’t want to put down.

I found this book to be well written with good characters. I enjoyed the story of Maya and her decisions about whether to go forward with her husband or to revisit a past love with her childhood love. The visits to the old folks' home to see Hank were as heart breaking as they were celebratory. All in all I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this author.

Sweet, charming, humorous. Carousel Beach is moving and tugs the heartstrings. The characters are relatable and flawed, struggling with real-life challenges. The carousel as focal point is wonderfully artful and nostalgic - I loved it!

This book is amazing!! It is the perfect book for the summer -- it has everything -- romance, secrets, tragedy, loss -- all you need for an amazing read!! I'm so happy for Orly -- I can't say enough!!

Maya and her husband Vale live in a small beach town in Delaware. It's a story of love, family and secrets. Maya is restoring an antique carousel horse and helping keep the pier open so the next generation can enjoy the merry-go-round as much as she and her grandmother did. Maya works with Hank, an aging Alzheimer patient who is telling her the wonderful history of the carousel and stories of her grandmother who died a year ago. Maya's grief for her grandmother and unborn son keeps her from moving forward. It may end her marriage as well since Vale has a job in Seattle that he can't turn town. Written so well, it's like you're right there watching the story unfold. I love old carousel's and I've been to several beach town's that could be the setting for this story. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Maya is still grieving from the loss of her baby and her grandmother on the same day and so jumps at the chance to restore the old beach carousel that she so associates with her childhood at her grandmother's. Hank is her grandmother's old friend and suffering from Alzheimer's but on his good days he fills Maya in on a lot of her family history, a story spanning three generations

A lovely book, great characters and storyline sympathetically portrayed, the carousel magic helping Maya come to terms with her grief and move on with life

This is my first time reading a novel by Orly Konig, although it is her second novel. I was drawn into the story right away and it didn't let go, even when I turned the last page. I'm still thinking about it. It was very easy to get absorbed in the story and feel sympathy towards Maya. Orly's writing is beautiful and practically dances off the page.

The aspect of the carousel made me think of my kids' enthusiasm for them and about all the interesting ones we've been on. I was reminded of how my daughter used to fear carousels, but now only wants to ride them whenever she sees one.

There is an element of sadness to the story and may be a trigger for women who have lost a pregnancy. I would advise women who are currently pregnant to wait until their baby is born before reading this novel. I am not spoiling anything, as it is made clear from the beginning.

I wish the story had gone back and forth between Meera and Maya's stories. However, we do get a lot of answers about the past from Hank. I also got frustrated with Maya sometimes in regards to how much she closed herself off from people. I understand why she did it, but I also could feel sympathy for the people she was shutting out.

While the story didn't tie up into a neat little bow, it left a lot of room for hope and felt more realistic in that sense. It's a great read for the summer, that will take you back to your own carousel riding days (or make you want to ride one soon).

Dream movie cast:
Maya: Gillian Jacobs
Vale: Zachary Levi
Simon: Benjamin Walker
Thomas: Mark Duplass
Bree: Courtney Henggeler
Claire: Cheryl Ladd
Hank: Alan Alda
Sam: Chyler Leigh

Loved this book! My first Orly Konig book and it will hopefully not be my last! Loved the characters, their life situations and the inclusion of the animals from the carousel. Great relationship development in this story. Kept me interested until the end and it was one of those books that you need to take a break from reading after you are done, just to do some thinking! Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

A fun read about the magic and the secrets of a beach carousel.

Maya is restoring the old carousel that brings such great and magically memories from her childhood and her grandmother. She is also using that as a way to hide from her secret, the loss of her baby.

Hank lives in the present and the past. His memories come and go. Maya visits him hoping to learn more about the carousel. She learns so much more about the carousel and her family's secrets.

CAROUSEL BEACH by Orly Konig can be an emotional roller coaster as well as a merry-go-round, leaving you with this sinking pit in your stomach for most of the read. The story is emotionally charged and the characters so conflicted. I really don’t know how I feel about this story. I loved Konig’s first novel and I saw many of the same writing style in this book which I appreciated. I liked the reveal with Meera and the transformation of so many characters throughout the story. But Maya is so unlikable and that made me feel bad as a reader that I couldn’t root for her and wished Vale would just walk away for most of the book. I finished it and liked the ending but I just don’t think this story was for me at this time.

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I simply couldn't put this beautiful book down. Somehow I had missed that the pub date for this book was coming up super fast and that I had not read it yet. Honestly I panicked a little because I thought I had read everything being released today so yesterday I turned to this book and once I started reading I just didn't stop.. I don't know exactly what it was about this story that just reached into my heart, squeezed it in its fist and didn't let go. If you want a beautiful and well told story you should pick up Carousel Beach and wallow in this marvelous book. Happy reading!

I really enjoyed this book. This book takes you on the main character, Maya's, journey of finding herself again after losses. I have always been thrilled by riding carousels and a few years ago my husband and I even rode the carousel circuit in Binghamton, New York. The carousel in the book is brought back to life through the main character, Maya's hands and the magic of the carousel brings peace to Maya.

A cannot-put-down read! This book is a rare and memorable treat. It has all of the elements of a great novel: a riveting plot, characters with whom the reader feels kindred, and a great love story! Konig's characters are quirky and realistic. Fans of Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher will fall in love with Carousel Beach!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read by Orly Konig and it definitely won't be my last. I really enjoyed this story of a woman who is grieving the loss of her grandma and unborn child. Although it's heavy subject matter, the author wrote it in such a compelling way that it wasn't a sad read.

I also loved that the book also told the story of the grandma's past. It intertwined perfectly with the current story. Add to that the beach setting, and you have a terrific summer read!

Artist Maya Brice is struggling with the loss not only of her Grandmother, but she also had a miscarriage on the same day. This double loss is also affecting her marriage. Her only solace is her present undertaking of restoring the carousel horses of the merry-go-round that held such wonderfully magicaL memories of her childhood with her Grandmom. Although this story is a bit sad, I enjoyed it nonetheless. The author touches not only on Maya’s grief of loss, but also how leaning on family helped to overcome this tremendous weight on her shoulders.
Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Carousel Beach is a beautifully written story about family, tragedy and love that endures over the years. I loved this one!

Art restorer Maya is restoring a carousel that meant a lot to her as a child. She and her grandmother would make up stories about the various animals and pretend they were magic. Unfortunately, Maya lost her grandmother on the same day she had a miscarriage. That was a year ago.

The double whammy of loss has put a strain on her marriage. Maya loses herself into her project, and the secrets she finds within.

This is not a fast-paced book. As Maya tries to piece together the mysteries she finds, one animal at a time, she wonders if she can make her marriage work. Her ex-boyfriend comes back to town and she’s forced to see him frequently in her efforts to unravel the secrets of three generations of women in her family.

Getting one’s life back on track after a loss isn’t easy, and Konig does a beautiful job describing the hard work of the work of trying to dig oneself out of grief.

Thanks to NetGalley and Forge for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES MAY 8, 2018.