Another solid love story from Debbie Macomber. I appreciate that her books, this one included, are able to provide me with an escape into a reality where everyone is kinder and more thoughtful. I definitely recommend it as a nice summer read.

If you are a fan of Debbie Macomber like I am, you will not be disappointed by A Walk Along the Beach. This is her latest book and is set in a small town in Washington state. Willa owns a coffee shop and her sister, Harper, is her roommate and a yoga instructor. Another main character is a local, Sean, who is a former MLB player but now travels around the world as a photographer. The book is a bit of a tearjerker but focuses on sisterhood, friendship, and love. I'm hoping this becomes her newest series!

A sweet, memorable story about two sisters dealing with life. I like the fact that the two sisters were so different from each other yet so in tune with each other. Readers will need to bring out the tissues as the sisters face the challenges of the future. I admire Willa's strength in taking care of her family and can empathize with her need to mother her sister. Harper's journey is emotionally draining and speaks volumes to those in similar situations. Highly recommended!

The Lakey sisters are extremely close, with Willa taking on a mother role to Harper after their mother died. When Harper is diagnosed with cancer Willa looks out for Harper even more. Now Harper is healthy and Willa is able to try to move on with taking care of herself. She owns a small coffee shop and meets Sean, a man she immediately falls for. Despite how well her life is going, Willa can't help but to worry about Harper and her health. When Harper's cancer comes back, Willa's fears come true. This time is worse and when Sean isn't there to support her, Willa's life falls apart.

Bring the tissues, this book will touch your heart,
Siblings Willa, Harper, and Lucas lost their mom years ago, and their dad slowly withdrew from everything not able to accept her death. When Harper has a cancer scare, the siblings unite and see her through., Living their lives to the fullest, they each followed their hearts. Willa, the serious older sister, meets Sean one day in her cafe and the attraction is instant. He is a photographer gone for periods of time on shoots. But the relationship is everything they both want and make it work.
One day everything changes for them all. Harper's cancer is back and worse than ever. Willa feels she is second fiddle to Sean's job, leaving her alone to deal with the emotional struggle of watching Harper fight the cancer. Can he find a way to make her see that she is what his heart wants and she alone is his life? How will the family cope yet again with the devastation cancer reeks on them?
Loved this book. The characters were so real and a truly rooted for each of them to find their happiness.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Very grateful to have been allowed to read an ARC of A Walk Along The Beach. I am a huge fan of this author and the upcoming book did not disappoint ! I had no idea what it was about I just saw there was a new book coming out and requested it. I knew that I would love it. I started crying halfway through and was still crying after I finished it. This is a beautiful book about a pair of sisters who are especially close. Willa at an early age had to become the matriarch of her family. She is the glue that kept the family together. When Harper becomes ill, everyone's world is shaken. It is an amazing story of loss, love, grief and finally hope. Exceptional in every way possible.

I am a fan of Debbie Macomber. That being said, I was only disappointed in 1 aspect of this book. I didn't like the relationship between Willa and Sean, too sweet, too Hallmarky, and pretty unbelievable. I did love all the rest of the book. The relationship between the siblings was so believable and sadly tragic, but just what this book needed. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Heartbreakingly beautiful. I can’t remember the last time a book moved me so much, but I was bawling for a good portion of this book.

This story is well written. All the emotions and scenes flow seamlessly together and wrapped me up for the journey. The family dynamic and community feel was present from the beginning. There is foreshadowing that demonstrates the direction of the book, but it does not detract from the actual moments and events as they unfold.

Love is the theme and it is shown in multiple ways throughout this book. The community showing up at the store, the rent being paid, the words at the hospital ICU, the Bible verses, the romantic relationships, the family relationships, the animal camaraderie...you name it, love was present.

Thanks for the chance to read this book and share my opinion.

When their mother died, Willa Lakey gives up her own dreams to raise her brother and sister, as their father descends into the bottle. Years later, her sister Harper is diagnosed with cancer and Willa is at her side, helping her recover and get her life back on track.

Now Willa and Harper share an apartment, and Willa has made a success of her coffee house and bakery. She meets a handsome and mysterious photographer. It should have been the perfect time for Willa, but Sean is gone for long stretches, as he travels to remote and dangerous places for his career. And, suddenly, Harper is once again hospitalized with a fast-spreading cancer.

Willa isn't alone this time, as her father is determined to be there -- sober -- for his daughters, as is their brother Lucas and his fiancee. But Sean's absence is keenly felt. Can Willa overcome her sense of abandonment and learn to trust a man whose career seems to come first? A heartwarming story of family, love, and loss. Recommended.

This book was raw and engaging and lovely. I cried and laughed and cheered for the characters and it is a must read for anyone I know.

I'm so sad to say that I did not complete A Walk Along the Beach because the dialog was so uncomfortable. I love Debbie Macomber, especially her Christmas books because they are a fun break from reality. This book had all the potential, but the characters are supposed to be young, but they speak to each other so formally and their vocabulary is outdated. It's as if 70 year olds are speaking, not early 30s.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

Debbie Macomber has been one of my go-to authors for years. Her Cedar Cove series was by far one of my favorite series. I have read nearly every book that she has written. This is why I was eagerly awaiting to read her soon-to-be-published book “A Walk Along the Beach”. I was chosen to receive an advanced electronic copy from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and are in no way influenced by NetGalley
Debbie Macomber lives in Port Orchard, Washington. She has been recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Romance Writers of America, and a RITA award. She has had six of her novels turned into movies, and her Cedar Cover series was turned into a television series. Macomber’s style of writing is characterized as women’s fiction.
Macomber has a varied writing style. In this particular novel, she writes in first-person point of view. The sentence types are varied, allowing for a more fluid reading experience.
The setting of the story is predominately a small beach community called Oceanside, in Western Washington. We have visited this community in her previous novel “A Cottage by The Sea”. The setting was not described in a lot of detail. I couldn’t picture the locations, but this didn’t distract from the storyline, it just made the reading experience less engrossing.
Willa is the owner of the Bean There coffee shop. She is the oldest sibling with a younger brother and sister. After the death of her mother, her father fell apart and left her caring for them all. Her sister Harper is in remission from Leukemia and has been for three years. Her brother Lucas lives in Seattle and becomes engaged to Chantelle.
Willa has a regular customer, Sean, whom she has been crushing ob. Her sister forces the two into a conversation, and soon after it is revealed that Sean has admired Willa from afar. Sean is a photojournalist whose job has him always on the go. This proves to be problematic for Willa as she needs him, and he isn’t there.
My favorite character is Harper, the younger sister of Willa. She was spunky, energetic, and fun. I felt more entranced by her story line than that of Willa. For me, Willa lacked in depth and complexity. Sean was self-absorbed, and selfish. He showed a lot of growth, and in the end was more likable, but wasn’t a character that I loved. I really liked Chantelle and hoped that she would have been in the story more.
I don’t have a love-hate relationship with this story. I didn’t love it, and I didn’t hate it. It was a good read, but not one that I would classify as a favorite. It was average for me, which is why I would give it a three.
There are two sensitive areas that could be triggers for readers. The first is alcoholism. The main character's father is an alcoholic. This has left him lacking in his parenting roles. The second sensitive area is that this story entails one of loss. If a reader is looking for a light-hearted read, this is not it.
“A Walk Along the Beach” will be released on July 14, 2020. It is available as a hardcover pre-order for $19.99.

A Walk Along the Beach by Debbie Macomber is summer romance that will have you pulling at your heartstrings from beginning to end. The book is set in a small coastal town in Washington. Main character, Willa, owns a coffee shop and bakery and lives with her younger sister Harper. The two sisters couldn’t have more different personalities, Harper is outgoing and lives in the moment. Willa stepped into the role of mother when their own mother passed away when Willa was only 13 years old. She’s always been the one to take care of everyone in the family, often letting her own life fall to the side, especially when it comes to her love life. In walks handsome customer Sean, Harper tries her best to set up her sister with this handsome man. As Sean and Willa get to know each other, and it finally seems things may be working our for Willa, Harper is faced with a devastating crisis. Once again the strength of the sisters and the power of a loving family are worth more than anything else in the world.

I am a fan of Debbie Macomber, I’ve read a few books but really enjoy her movies on the Hallmark channel. This book will not disappoint. It’s touching, the family dynamic is so powerful. Together, the sisters refuse to give up or give in when times seem the toughest. Willa is such a strong character, you feel for her because she is always taking on the role as caregiver, she never puts her own life first. Harper seems a little carefree, but after surviving cancer a few years before, she is given a pass to her recklessness. When the sisters a hit with devastating news, their bond becomes even stronger. Through all the pain and suffering, the family turns to the power of prayer and hope that they will get through this. You will need tissues, a lot of them, throughout the book. You’ve been warned! This book is truly a beautiful story of love, loss, family, and blessings.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Ballantine Books, and Debbie Macomber for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this book!! The development of the characters in the first half along with the pace makes you feel as if there is a nice story to unfold as the characters are so likable. But at the halfway point......POW......the story takes a turn and you are on a roller coaster of emotions.

Willa is the sister to Harper and Sean and she also had the role of parent when her mother died when they were young. Their father is still alive but a part of him never survived their mother's passing which put the weight of the world on Willa's shoulders. After their mom died, Harper learned she had cancer and while she survived, the battle to beat it took an emotional toll on the family. Harper is emboldened and wants to take risks and live with no regrets. Even though it's been years of remission for Harper, Willa can't seem to move forward. She is constantly worried and is putting her needs last. Harper is helping Willa with her business at a coffee shop and notices a male customer who seems to have eyes for Willa. Willa can't believe this as she sees Harper as the "beautiful" sister. Sean is attracted to Willa and can't seem to find the courage to ask her out until Harper forces the two to interact. The two admit their attraction from there and decide to see where this chemistry can lead them. Their courtship is very sweet and he wants her to know how beautiful she is and that he is "all-in" with their relationship.

But their relationship gets tested on a couple of fronts and Willa is not sure their relationship can withstand the pressure. She is faced with some news that will change her life and not sure if she has the strength to weather through this. The second half of the book does an amazing job of detailing the tough events that occur and if you have walked in the shoes of the character, you will recognize the care that the author took to get the details right. This was an emotional story that I read in one sitting. Well done.

I've really enjoyed many of Debbie Macomber's books, but unfortunately this one wasn't a favorite. I loved the beach-side setting, and some of the characters (primarily the supporting ones). I also liked the family aspect - it touched on love, caretaking, codependency and connecting with others. However, I didn't really connect with Willa and found Sean to be annoying. Earlier in the book, I was happy that at least one of the characters seemed to be taking a realistic look at their relationship and potental problems, but by the end Sean hadn't even addressed the elephant in the room in terms of their relationship. The "love conquers all" tagline wasn't realistic for me.

I received a complimentary copy of A Walk Along the Beach from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I LOVED this book! I want to live in that town and own that coffee shop/cafe. Willa's life is relatively simple and happy. Aside from the very real, heart-wrenching tragedies, this is the life most people dream of without even knowing it. The depth of characters, realistic behaviors and situations make this a fantastic read. (A few of the situations had me crying or yelling at a specific character for [believable] stupidity!)

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

A Walk Along the Beach is a great read. Sisters Willa and Harper tug at your heart strings and learn from each other’s strengths. Good character development throughout. A good book to include on your reading list!

A Walk Along The Beach by Debbie Macomber made me cry! This heart-crushing story about family love, support, and grieving had me glued to my Kindle and reading all night. I found myself smiling, laughing, crying, and then having to pull myself back together again.
Willa is concerned about her younger sister Harper, but she always worries each time the schedule for blood tests is looming. Harper had been in remission from leukemia for three years and every six months which passed with good results was a victory. Their brother Lucas was a big support for the girls, especially when their father seemed to turn to alcohol to help him cope with grief.
Harper's latest blood tests are all good and she is determined to live a fulfilling life, even though Willa is constantly 'mothering' her and questioning her choices. What must she do to prove she is ready to grab every experience she possibly can and enjoy adventure? Maybe she will start by adopting a kitten.
Sean is a photographer who is getting his business off to a great start. He enjoys the travel and cultures he has experienced when researching subjects for documentary submissions. Sean never planned to become attracted to the owner of the local coffee shop. Even though he does not like coffee, he goes into the shop and buys an Americano just in order to see and possibly talk to Willa.
I won't post spoilers, but the story is layered with family drama, new love, and also more grief. A wonderful summer read!
Publication Date: July 14, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was torn on how to review this book. I love Debbie Macomber's books. I did not love this one. I am a medical professional and I was really annoyed by a lot of the medical parts to this book, but I put those aside because I realize that the medical world is not the expertise of an author. I hated the the main character, Willa, and I found the love interest, Sean, unbelievable and annoying. What I enjoyed about this book was the family aspect. I thought the picture painted of Family love and values was absolutely wonderful. I loved how emotional the struggles Harper went through felt through the writing. If I am being completely honest, I wanted Harper's story. I wanted to know more and read more about Harper and I wanted Harper and John to be the focus and not Willa and Sean. I think that this could have been a wonderful romance series with the next book being about Harper and John, but alas that will not happen. I read the pre-release version that may still receive a lot of editing. There were a lot of errors and some sections appeared to be missing words. Because it is not the final version that specific information will not be part of my rating.
Medical Knowledge and research = 2 Stars out of 5
Character Development = 3 Stars because I hated the main character and her love interest
Emotional Connection = 5 stars

I have voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this title given to me via NetGalley. This was just a wonderful book to read and it was just easy to lose yourself in the story. I can’t wait to read more from this author.