Although this book was released earlier in the month, I saved it for my first camping/beach weekend of the season. (Unfortunately I didn’t end up making it to the author’s reading, not that far from where I was staying, as I ended up at the beach itself that day instead.)

Mary Kay Andrews is an author where you know exactly what you’re getting — a Southern coastal chick lit story — and even though with most authors, one might consider it formulaic, it somehow just works.

This is not my favorite of hers — I felt like it went too far in the convoluted family history/mystery direction and didn’t spend enough time on the romance and character development. I don’t feel like I got to know Brooke all that well, and some of the characters were a little cookie-cutter for my taste. But it was a good story with a good resolution, and it fit the bill for the holiday weekend of reading and relaxation.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Seems every book I've read that's been placed in the South has a huge mansion on an island type with virtual no signal for cell phones. AND I LOVE IT! The author takes us from the early 1940s to present day as we get to know the ladies back then, to the offspring now. A story within a story and both just delightful to read.

The history of the island, the people that occupied it, the way the world was then as compared to now... we get it all - including the drama and secrets that are kept in both. The High Tide Club was formed by four close friends who are utterly different but bound by their friendship and their loyalty to each other. While they may have gone their separate ways, it's Josephine, and her impending death, that brings their successors together. Oh the secrets to be let out. Some obvious, some not so. And while Brooke, the lawyer on the case specifically asked for by Josephine, her mother and a gaggle of other women come to the island, there are secrets of their own to be meted out.

Honestly, this was a fantastic read. It's definitely not all sunshine and rainbows, but what fun would it be if that was ALL there was to it? I love the way the author really shows the spunkiness of the older women. They have LIVED, kept their secrets, have learned what is truly important in life and won't back down. The younger generation wants what is best for them... but end up learning that what they think is correct may not actually be. We all have lessons to learn, at any age - and this story brings this to light.

I guessed the main twist long before it was revealed but let me tell you... even as the biggest twist of the story to really bring things together, there are many little twists along the way that will leave you surprised. I loved all the characters in their own right... well, among the women anyways 😉.

A fantastic read for those who love secrets, betrayals, sassiness, history and love in all ways.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC. I give this 3.5 Stars. Three for first half and four for second half. It just felt a little slow in the first half and I had a hard time getting engaged with many of the characters but in the second half lots of twists and turns I didn’t see coming (except one) finally moved the story and kept it Intersting. One quibble, that I have with quite few 3ish star reads, the authors go way over board with descriptions of clothing, place and more. It’s boring. I start to skim and don’t miss much. I’d say this is a good summer women’s read with a little mystery and thriller thrown in.

The High Tide Club by Mary Kay Andrews is a fun beach read book. There is lot of interesting and quirky characters that each have their own story lines that tie together in the end. There is a little bit of everything in this mystery romance book.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

It's the cover that drew me to this book. It's lovely! The story was just ok for me. It was not really what I was expecting and I found it to be really slow especially the beginning to the middle.

I usually enjoy past to present timeline stories. Perhaps I didn't find the characters all that memorable.

The story in the 1940's involves a group of women who call themselves, "The High Tide Club" as they go skinny-dipping on their vacation island in Georgia together. There's a murder that occurs very early in the novel.

It switches to present day when a lawyer, Brooke is contacted by one of The High Tide Girls, Josephine. She is dying and wants to make amends. There are buried secrets and some surprises that arise.

For the most part I think the story was just too slow for my liking. I'd say it wasn't light enough to be called a, "beach" read but a cross between ChickLit and Women's Fiction.

This is a great beach read - but be sure to take sunblock because you'll lose all sense of time once you start reading this book! The descriptions are excellent, the characters are well-developed and interesting, and the story is complex and intriguing.

I loved it!

Thanks to St. Martin's and Netgalley for an eARC of this book.

#mystery, #thriller, #romance, #nevercouldhavehappened, #fairytale....This book is all of these things and more. I was totally engaged in the book and never had a moment of being bored. It flowed even though it jumped back and forth in time. The characters were interesting though none were fully developed. It almost felt like a guilty pleasure. There are moments of abuse and racism. But still I enjoyed this book more than perhaps I feel I should. Read it!

I got an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

4 1/2 stars.

This was a wee bit heavier than any other Mary Kay Andrews title that I've read, and I think I've read them all.

Still a great story, love the characters, the friendships, the location.

Highly recommend.

Yay!! To preface my review, last summer I was super disappointed Ms. Andrews didn't publish a novel in addition to her cookbook because I don't cook. My anticipation for The High Tide Club was at an all time high, and once again, she does not disappoint! There is mystery, romance, laughter and good ol' southern charm. The characters are fun and the setting intrigues me. This is a must-read for Memorial Day weekend... and if you insist on waiting til June or beyond, bring it to the beach! Make it your next book club selection! This is exactly what I needed to kick off my summer. Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to preview #TheHighTideClub by @MKayAndrews - I loved it!

Mary Kay Andrews has hit another one out of the park. The High Tide Club has well developed characters and a description of coastal Georgia that makes you feel like you are right there. A privately owned island, seventy year old secrets, old money and a little romance thrown in, is the perfect combination for a summer read. Just when you think you have the plot figured out, our author adds a few twists and turns to keep you guessing. If you are a Mary Kay Andrews fan you will not be disappointed!


I will now upload my review to a few online sites. Thank you for sharing this book with me, I looking forward to future reads from your publishing house.

Mary Kay Andrews is one of my favorite authors for women's fiction and this book is by far one of her best. I was unable to put this book down until it was completed. I was thrilled to receive it for review.
I received a ARC from Net Galley and the publisher for a honest review. My opinions are my own.

In this departure from her usual writing, the writer captivates the reader immediately with a masterful story of two time periods. The book is about Brooke Trappnell a lawyer, being summoned to an island off the coast of South Carolina by a wealthy elderly woman to save her beloved island from being taken by the state once she dies. Josephine Bettendorf wants Brooke first to find her old childhood friends to make amends for the past and secure the future of Talisa Island with their help. As the old friends are summoned to the island secrets are told, mysteries are discovered and decades old tales come to light. The women were close friends once, hiding each others secrets and their friendship tells the test of time once again.
I loved this book ! The story is seamlessly well crafted to flow between time periods, the story of the strong female friendships are written beautifully and the island sets the location for a perfect beach read.
The book has intrigue, murder, romance and great strength of charcters. It is everything you want in a perfectly enjoyable reading experience. The author has another winning book with her personal style that makes her books so enjoyable. I highly recommend this book for everyone who enjoys a great beach read, a bit of mystery and stories of strong women with depth. Well Done !

I was truly captivated by the stories of all of these characters. This is beautifully written, you will fall in love with some of the people of the island. There were so many unexpected twists and surprises!! I love every moment and would have liked a sequel!

“The High Tide Club” is a great read for the beach or if you just want a little mystery, romance, suspense, historical fiction, love, forgiveness, deception, and girlfriends. How far would you go to protect your best friends. Mary Kay Andrews tells a southern story in the south during present day and going back to 1940s. The thens and nows intertwine to help Josephine bring “the high tide club” back together so she can make amends before she dies. The “high tide club” comes together to try to figure out what Josephine was trying to make amends and after she suddenly dies, the truths begin to unwind. An awesome story! Would really like to hear more about Brooke and Pete and how Marie’s plans after faring. Thank you to Mary Kay Andrews, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

3.5 stars. I think this one got off to a slow start and some of the characters could have been a little better developed. But mary Kay andres always manages me to entertain and I liked the interwoven stories of 4 friends in the 1940's and how it brought together another generation after them.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

Mary Kay Andrews book covers always take me to a wonderful place- a place where there is no one to bother me, the waves are gently lapping, my drink stays full and cold, and the only thing I have to be concerned with is which bathing suit to wear and did I bring enough sunscreen…. in other words- her covers are BLISS to me.

Over the years, through Barnes and Noble deals, I’ve accumulated a handful of MKA books, but have not read them all. This one, though, reminds me that I need to dig into my shelf and fix that problem- maybe even declare it the summer of MKA!



What I liked:

The cover! Give me a cover with colors that pop and a mermaid on it and well, I’m smitten like a kitten!

The dual timelines. This story unfolds in current time and back in 1941. The flip flop between the 2 distinct time periods completely worked for me.

How the actual High Tide Club evolved from it’s beginnings. The women were smart, willing and able, and while things did not go as planned when the club was initiated- you could tell that these were all good-hearted women, even if some of their choices were more in a gray area.



Bottom line: I LOVED this book. It reminded me of why I have enjoyed MKA in the past and why I should start to read some of the previous books that I’ve missed out on- especially because I want to see how Brooke was in a earlier MKA book.



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*



**The High Tide Club is a May #FuturisticFriday selection of Traveling With T’s!*

I loved The High Tide Club by Mary Kay Andrews. I had a hard time classifying this book as it has a bit of so many things. There is friendship, betrayal, greed, lust, some romance, a murder mystery, forgiveness, state vs. resident, and some historical information about "the geechees and the freed slaves in the south as well as the roles and expectations of women in the 1940s . Most of the story is told from the perspective of Brooke Trappnell, a single mother who has hung out her legal shingle in a small coastal town in Georgia. The scenes from the past are from the perspective of the girls in the "High Tide Club", Ruth, Winnie, Varina and Josephine.

Ninety nine year old Josephine Bettendorf Warrick owns most of Talisa Island. The state is trying to purchase the island for a state park. Josephine has been fighting them for years and they are trying to condemn the land so she is forced to sell. She hires Brooke to carry on the fight for her island and home as well as her assistance to do some estate planning. She wants to create a trust and leave it to the members of the High Tide Club or their descendants. Josephine has terminal cancer as well, so is in a bit of a rush for this to be completed before she dies. This is not Brooke's area of expertise, but she wants to meet the old woman who is basically a hermit. When Josephine shares part of her story with Brooke, she has to refuse the estate planning as her mother is one of the intended heirs. She contacts her mentor that she worked for in Savannah and he agrees to take on this part of the case. I do not want to go into anymore detail because of spoilers.

As I read this story, I was immersed in the lives of the women and other characters both in the past and present. I wanted Josephine to make amends, but at other times I was angry with what she had done. The two time periods of the story were woven together so well, that the flow was wonderful. The secrets from the past that are slowly unveiled as the story progressed led the reader on a path with many twists. Reading about the time period of 1939 to 1942 gave me more information of how women were treated as well as African Americans. This book kept me up until after 1:00 in the morning because as I got deeper into the story, I did not want to put it down. A wonderful story written by an author that I have added to my list of those not to be missed. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

I love any book that centers around beach towns. This one does not disappoint. Brooke, a single mom and lawyer, has recently hung up a shingle and opened her own law firm. She scrapes around for cases until she suddenly finds herself in the hands of a very lucrative case on the island of Talisa. Much mystery surrounds the case and she soon finds that she has a personal interest in the case and so does her mom, Marie. Her story comes full circle in the end and teaches the reader many lessons including: life has a way of leading us where we were meant to go.

I love this author's books and The High Tide Club did not disappoint. This book is well written with a great plot, setting and cast of characters. I highly recommend this book.

While I originally thought this was going to be a fun beach read, it was not disappointed when the plot took a twist that I did not expect. The mystery had lots of twists and turns as it explored the life, love and friendships of multi-generations of women in Georgia. It was an intriguing read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 5 rounded up!

The High Tide Club by Mary Kay Andrews was exactly the type of book I needed to read right now. It made me think of a hug - warm, fuzzy, and it made me feel good. There is some drama and it's not {all} fun and games, but that's what made it great.

I remember reading another book by this author and not loving it, but The High Tide Club was amazing. I think it is definitely the epitome of the perfect beach/summer read and it got me in the mood to go to an island.

The story focuses mostly on the present, but there are some flashbacks to the past which was a very enjoyable way to read this book. You see present through the eyes of a lawyer named Brooke and I really loved her as a character. Frankly, I think I loved at least one thing about every single character except for a couple. I found a lot of very relatable people in the book plus a lot of very current, relatable subplots.

The High Tide Club talks about a group of friends in the 40s who called themselves the High Tide Club. Brooke gets hired by one of the women to find the rest of her friends because she is 99 years old and wants to make amends for ways she has wronged them. This book is chalk full of secrets, betrayals, and even a murder. And you also get a glimpse at Brooke's life and her past at the same time.

I took my time with The High Tide Club and I savored it (which is why it took me 3 days to read it). All the descriptions made it very atmospheric, and I felt like I was right there in Georgia with the characters. Mary Kay Andrews can definitely paint a picture through words for you, and I loved it.

Final Thought: Words can't even explain how enjoyable of a book this is. It's got a little bit of everything and even the serious topics are told in a light enough manner that make the book more uplifting than sad. So many funny moments and the characters were people I would love to meet. I highly recommend this for summer (or any time you are in the mood for a beachy read), and lovers of great characters who enjoy a shot of mystery in your beach read. I will definitely be reading whatever Ms Andrews comes up with next!

The High Tide Club in 3-ish words: Absorbing, Fun, Imaginative