I always feel bad not finishing a book but I couldn’t get into this one. I didn’t like the characters that much and there was so much detail that didn’t seem necessary.

I loved the idea. Kayana cooks in her family restaurant. She loves reading. Despite keeping a distance from people since her divorce, she makes a connection with three people over one summer. She meets two women and starts a book club with them and she starts spending time with a handsome widower who seems patient with Kayana.

I enjoyed the talk of food but the characters seemed so unkind to each other. The two women in the book club keep snapping at each other and Kayana reprimands them, but then she goes out with the man and keeps getting short with him.

I read half of it and I gave up.
This was an early edition from NetGalley. I always feel worse for not finishing a galley but I know my review of the book would not have been better if I had.

Kayana has divorced her philandering husband and moved back to help run the family café with her brother. She meets diners who share her interest in reading and they form a book club. This club addresses issues involved in their personal lives also, such as race, love and careers. Kayana finds interest in Graeme, a diner who has recently moved to the area. This is a story about adults who have lived, made decisions and suffered loss and came out of the storm to find friendship and love. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ARC of this book.
Kayana moves home to help her brother run the family café. She meets two women and they begin to bond. They decide to meet each week for a book club. The book club gives them a chance to get to know each other better. I just did not feel the friendship between them was deep. It felt a bit forced.
Leah, Cherie and Kayana have a lot going on in each of the lives and it all gets in the way of becoming true friends. I could not connect with these women.
The relationship with Kayana and Graeme just did not fit in with the story for me.

You know those movies and tv programs you put on but don’t really pay attention too, but are still nice to have on and distract you from time to time? That’s what this book is, sort of comfortable background noise.

The story revolves around Kayana and Graeme on the little Coates Island. Graeme has had a crush on Kayana and she is unaware and dealing with her divorce. She sets up a book club with two vacationers on the island. Graeme is a silent man who waits his turn to make a move on Kay. I don’t really know how it all happened but all of a sudden they are in love.
The book also starts with some background to Kay’s book club friends, Cherie and Leah, I figured it would be about the 3 women, but it was some twisted love story for Kay and Graeme.

I guess all is well that ends well. But the book was at its best when the book club came together to talk about books and life. The women are opinionated and funny. But you lack their entire backstory to comprehend where they are coming from, nor do their differences get worked out or addressed.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review.

I really looked forward to reading this book. However, it fell flat of my expectations. The dialogue between characters did not seem genuine, almost flat. And I found myself not clicking with anyone character. They always all seem to be angry with one another. This book's saving grace for are the food descriptions and the recipes at the end of the book. Honestly, that was my favorite part.

Set on an island off the coast of North Carolina, The Seaside Café has been the place to eat for more than 30 years. Kayana has returned there after a divorce, to run the restaurant with her brother. While working, Kayana meets two women who share he4 love of books and they become unlikely friends in their summer book club. Kayana also spends time with a teacher who has bought a home on the island.

I grew attached to Kayana’s character. I felt that she was thoughtful and well developed as a character. I did not understand her interactions with Cherie and Leah for the first half of the book. All three women seemed angry and offended by everything that others said. This changed as the book progressed.

Kayana’s relationship with Graeme was better developed, but seemed rushed. She spent too much time looking at him through her social worker lens.

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity.

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

Liked: food descriptions (the recipes at the end were a nice touch), the love of reading bringing friends and lovers together
Disliked: Dialogue felt stiff/formal, I wasn't particularly taken with any of the characters (and it seemed like one character was always mad/being short with another character)

I was expecting something a little different with this book. I did not follow Kayana's relationship with Graeme - it seemed forced. I guess I did not understand all the nuances the author was trying to get across.