I love Debbie Macomber's books and I was excited to read this one. It has been on my tbr shelf for awhile and I finally got around to reading it. Unfortunately this book was just too sad and depressing for me.

I like the fact that this author writes women's fiction that has realistic characters and storylines. I wasn't expecting the storyline to go in the direction it did. Even though I understand why it did I just found it too much.

I'll still pick.up Debbie Macomber books but I don't see myself recommending this one.

One of Debbie Macomber’s best. You get to know the characters even if you don’t recognize or relate. Heart warming. A must read for those who love this category of books.

It's hard to review a book with good intentions but poor execution. The author started with a beautiful dedication for her best friend who had past due to cancer and decided to write a book for her. I liked the idea behind this story, but something about Willa and Sean just felt off. The writing between the two of them was super cringe and uncomfortable at times. His responses made me so uncomfortable! For "all in" with Willa as he said he was, he wasn't there during the most important moments and his SHOCK when she wanted nothing to do with him. I will say, the family relationships and support for Harper (sweet John!) was heartbreaking but wonderful to read. I'm rounding this one up from 2.5 star.

"A Walk Along the Beach" by Debbie Macomber is a charming and heartwarming story about the relationship between two sisters, Willa and Harper, and their journey toward self-discovery. The book explores themes of family, love, and growth through the lens of two sisters who are vastly different from each other.

Macomber's writing style is easy and relatable, making it easy for the reader to connect with the characters. The Lakey sisters are well-written, with Willa being the nurturing, caretaking type and Harper being adventurous and spontaneous. The sisters' dynamics are intriguing and add depth to the story.

The plot is well-crafted, with a steady pace that keeps the reader engaged. The introduction of Sean O'Malley, a freelance photographer, adds an element of romance to the story, making it even more captivating.

The setting of the story is described beautifully, with the quaint town of Oceanside coming to life through Macomber's words. The descriptions of the bakery and coffee shop, where Willa works, are particularly delightful.

"A Walk Along the Beach" is a heartwarming and enjoyable read. If you're looking for a feel-good book with a positive message about family, love, and growth, this book is for you. Debbie Macomber's writing style is accessible and engaging, making this book a great choice for fans of warm, lighthearted fiction.

The Lakey sisters are perfect opposites. After their mother died and their father was lost in grief, Willa had no choice but to raise her sister, Harper, and their brother, Lucas. Then, as an adult, she put her own life on hold to nurse Harper through a terrifying illness. Now that Harper is better and the sisters are living as roommates, Willa has realized her dream of running her own bakery and coffee shop, bringing her special brand of caretaking to the whole Oceanside community.

I'm a big fan of Debbie Macomber so when I read the blurb for this book I was excited to read it! I loved it. Debbie doesn't shy away from hard situations. A Walk Along the Beach was an emotional read.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Debbie Macomber is a wonderful author. One of my absolute favorites. But......this book......it was hard to get through I will give you that. It was soul crushing and heart wrenching. But, in the end, I am so glad I gave it a go. It is very emotional and I suggest you read this with caution! Overall, it was a 4 star read.

~Reviewed by Lisa for Page Turners and Sweet Tea

Sweet story about sisters and the complicated relationships they have. This one has a sad story, but ends hopefully. As always I love the setting in this series, anything set of the beach is a big win for me.

I have read many of Debbie Macomber's books over the years. They are a comfort read; predictable, with relatable characters and always with a happy ending. While some of the sub plots of A Walk Along the Beach were what you would expect from a Debbie Macomber book this one definitely had a little more meat and depth to it. It was very well written and almost had a Nicholas Sparks feel to it. I definitely recommend it!

I had a hard time liking this book. I I gave it three stars but about halfway through I couldn't wait for it to end. Too gloomy although I did like the Northwest setting.

Reading a Debbie Macomber book is always an absolute joy from start to finish and this was no exception. Always heartwarming and charming and full of relatable characters.

In Debbie's typical and wonderful style, she writes about two sisters and the differences that bring them together. Willa takes care of everyone else, her sister, Harper, and their brother Lucas. When Harper gets sick as an adult, it gives her a new lease on life and she wants to tackle new and tough challenges. Harper owns and runs the local bakery. When a handsome new customer comes in, Harper doesn't want to take a chance, but Willa encourages her to. Will the sisters find happiness or will life get the better of them?

A powerful story about sisters and love and also cancer and grief and how that plays a role in their lives. Debbie Macomber is a timeless author that always knows how to perfectly tug on your heartstrings. This book was a little different than the rest of her books, nonetheless, still very enjoyable. I always look forward to her books because she always has a way to beautifully write gripping stories. 4/5 stars.

I am a HUGE fan of Debbie Macomber, and this book is no exception! I read it in one sitting! If you've never read any of her books, you should definitely start. You will not be disappointed! Such a great read from a great author!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book.
4 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️!!
Every book Miss Debbie puts out is so crisp and clear you have no trouble picturing the scene she is depicting. Willa Lakey has taken on so many responsibilities for her young age after her mother passes and her father becomes an alcoholic while deep in his grief after losing his wife. Not only does she have to take care of herself but she’s taking on the role of mother to her two younger siblings Lucas and Harper. Just when things start to run smoothly Harper is diagnosed with cancer and Willa is forced to put her life on hold again. After her sister beats cancer Willa finally opens the bakery and coffee shop of her dreams. She meets a newcomer to town named Sean. Sean is a former pro baseball player and now go to exotic locations to take pictures. After lots of convincing begin seeing him. Her life seems to be on track again only for Harper’s cancer to come back and everything is a mess. She has a hard time dealing with Sean’s job and trying to run her business and take care of her sister. Will she loose everything? You’ll have to check out A Walk Along the Beach to find out!

While the love story can usually be predicted from the first few chapters in a book such as this, in this instance it seemed to fall flat with me. The quick and intense romance (a can't-live-without-you love that seems to happen without much building or reason other than "when you know you know") between Willa and Sean is at the center of this story, I was more drawn to the relationship between Willa and her sister, Harper, and the sisters' relationship with their recovering alcoholic father, and the storylines that involved them. I found these stories completely relatable and powerful (so much so I cried a few times), so perhaps that is why the love story took a backseat for me this time. I would recommend this book based on the love story between family members.

I received this book as an ARC during the height of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. I could not find it in me to read it at the time. I knew it would be emotional and I did not have the bandwidth to deal with my real time emotions and my book time emotional connections. I love Debbie Macomber's books. Her books were one of my gateway introductions to the world of romance novels. I have many of her backlist books in paperback format. I realized that it was unfair of me to put this book on the TBR list any longer and had to steel myself to be gutted.

This book centers on the life of Willa Lakey in Oceanside, Washington. Part of my love for Macomber's books stems from its settings in Washington, a place I lived for five years. Willa and her sister Harper's relationship featured greatly in this story; moreso Willa's mothering instincts. It also leads on Willa's journey into her fledgling relationship with Sean O'Malley and the push and pull of his job as a photographer. Harper's diagnosis of cancer a second time tore me apart because at that point, Harper was really the only steady constant in Willa's life. Harper's last few weeks and death gutted me. But what saved me from an emotional spiral was how everyone in Willa's life showed up for her. Her people, the ones she didn't know she could depend on SHOWED UP. Willa and Sean do get their HEA but not without a lot of frank communication and understanding.

I received an advance copy of this book at my request via netgalley and voluntarily left this review.

While the premise of this book is good and the writing style is done well, this is just not my cup of tea. It’s all a little too syrupy sweet and I could have guessed what would happen from start to finish. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of books that follow a specific formula. I know that there are plenty of people who appreciate this type of book and would encourage them to give it a try.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

A Walk Along the Beach by Debbie Macomber



When Willa’s mom died, her dad buried his grief in alcohol and left it up to Willa to raise her sister, Harper and her brother, Lucas. Harper ended up with a cancer diagnosis and Willa nursed her through treatment and then remission. Harper is now and independent and free-spirited young woman who bristles under Willa’s overprotective nurture. Harper makes the decision to not waste this second chance at life but finds herself needing Willa one more time. Enter Sean O’ Malley who travels the world as a freelance photographer. Can Willa take a chance on love with Sean or is he going to let her down when she needs him the most?



I have always said that Debbie Macomber is a MASTER at writing books involving friendships and sisters. This did not disappoint. I will say that if you are looking for a light and happy read, this might not be the one. It is a fantastic book and I would definitely recommend it, but it is heart-wrenching at times. It’s not my ultimate favorite Debbie Macomber work, but I still highly recommend it. I rate it a four out of five.



Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine for providing a copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.

Round up to 3.5

I wish I would have looked to see what this book was about before picking it up! I was not expecting the major event in this book which caused me to feel so many emotions.

This book was enjoyable, but the main character, Willa, annoyed me. Her hostility toward Sean was frustrating. She expected him to understand the early hours that came with her career, but she didn’t appreciate how hard working Sean was with his career.

Overall I enjoyed this quick read, but it wasn’t my favorite Debbie Macomber book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital copy of this book.

Audiobook Review:
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 4

Have tissues handy.

This was a different sort of book from what I’ve come to expect from Debbie Macomber. I don’t read too many of her books any more as they have gotten a bit too sweet for my tastes. This one deals with some pretty heavy stuff and there probably should be a trigger warning on it. <spoiler>cancer death</spoiler>

I tried to read this book not long after I was granted a review copy from NetGalley but I just couldn’t get into it. I recently found that my library had a copy of the audiobook and decided to give that a try. My husband and I like to listen to audiobooks in the car and we listened to this one together. We both enjoyed I for the most part.

I’d never listened to any books performed by Roger Wayne or Sandy Rustin. I enjoyed both performer’s voices, particularly Roger Wayne’s and I will look for more books that he’s performed.

The book is about a family that is struggling. After the mother dies the father turns to alcohol and nearly destroys his relationship with his grown children – two daughters and one son. It’s also about the deep love and friendship between the two sisters. After their mother’s death, one sister fights a battle with leukemia and the father once again turns to alcohol while the other sister tries to hold the family together and run her own business.

But not all of the story is depressing. There are light moments when one sister adopts a cat. And there are sweet moments between the other sister and her budding romantic interest. Thing go awry with their relationship for various reasons but they eventually get a satisfying HEA.

A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.