The Beach House Series and the Rutledge family returns in Mary Alice Monroe latest book “The Summer of Lost and Found”. It can be read as a stand alone though. The story is set in 2020, in the lowcountry of South Carolina. And, we all know 2020 was all about COVID - 19. The story revolves around Linnea’s love life, family, loss of job and turtles. The story deals with the reality of how COVID-19 impacts ones life. I enjoyed this book.

Thank you @NetGalley, @Simon&Schuster, @GalleyBooks, @MaryAliceMonroe for the advance readers copy for my honest review

Spring 2020 is not turning out so well for Linnea Rutledge. Thanks to Covid-19, the aquarium has closed for the near future and she has been laid off. Her boyfriend, Gordon, is stuck in England and the U.S. has closed its borders to travelers from there, so their plans of seeing each other have been put on indefinite hold. She is worried about money, the health and safety of all of her friends and family, and now to top it off, her ex-boyfriend has moved back to the house next door. She tries ignoring him, but he starts sending her paper airplane notes out his window while he quarantines, and slowly her heart begins to thaw towards him. When Gordon finally does find a way to make it across the pond to her, she has to decide which man she loves, or if she loves them both.

This was a very timely book. It accurately dealt with life towards the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis, when everyone was still trying to figure things out - what was safe, and what to do and not to do. I love the characters in these books. Being from the south myself, they feel very real. This has a great storyline, and it will make the perfect addition to your beach reads collection for this year.

Fans of the Beach House series will enjoy re-connecting with the Rutledge family as they navigate the unknowns of the coronavirus pandemic. Linnea is contemplating her life after being laid off and she returns to the family beach house. The story explores the complexities of families and how individuals react differently to situations including quarantining/isolating and caring for sick family members.
If you are not ready to read a story with the pandemic as a backdrop, this is not the book for you-as there are many references to the virus and the 2020 shutdown. I do feel that added to the dynamics between the characters, thus creating a realistic and enjoyable story. 3.5 Stars
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Technically this is part of Monroe’s Beach House series, but it can be read as a standalone, which is how I read it. Ideally, I think it would be helpful to have read some others in the series first, just to aid in keeping the characters straight. There are quite a few characters but I was able to manage.

This was the first book I’ve read that discussed COVID-19 and the experience of living in a pandemic, so that part of the storyline was a bit surreal.

As a Carolina girl, I love that Monroe’s books are always set on the SC coast and mention tons of places and things I’m personally familiar with that others might not be. It definitely made the story that much more enjoyable!

I found most of the characters likeable and enjoyed following along with the journey of the entire Rutledge family. I now want to go back and read the other books in the series. Highly recommend!

Linda Zagon's review May 08, 2021 · edit
it was amazing

Wow! Mary Alice Monroe, the author of “The Summer of Lost and Found” has written a memorable, heartfelt, captivating, and riveting novel. The genres for this novel are Literary Fiction, Women’s Fiction, and Fiction. The timeline for this story is set in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters and events. I love the way the author vividly describes, the scenery, landscape, and characters. The author describes her characters as complex and complicated. Of course, there is a dog, and I love reading about Sea Turtles. One of the themes that run in the story is about the problems of the 2020 Covid Pandemonium.

Mary Alice Monroe writes about the Rutledge family as they enter spring during the pandemonium. Linnea Rutlege, finds herself furloughed as a result of the COVID situation. Linnea’s Aunt Cara tells her not to worry about the rent. Linnea does get a roommate, and then more than that. Linnea is torn between her current boyfriend Gordon, and her past boyfriend John, who is in quarantine next door.

It is wonderful to see how the women form a sisterhood, and that the family forms a pod of both family and close friends. I appreciate the way Mary Alice Monroe discusses her characters and the problems of Covid. Family relationships and friendships seem more complex. I would highly recommend this thought-provoking story to others.

After Linnea Rutledge gets laid off from her job at the aquarium due to the coronavirus, she worries about her financial state and her family’s health during these uncertain times. To make matters more complicated, her ex, John, is quarantining next door while she awaits the delayed arrival of her current love interest, Gordon.

The Beach House series has been my favorite series as an adult reader, and Mary Alice Monroe’s novels are the epitome of the perfect beach read. This seventh novel in the Beach House series did not disappoint! Set in 2020, this is the first novel I have read that incorporated the COVID-19 pandemic into the storyline, and I liked the inclusion of this “history in the making” time of our lives. Prior to reading, you should be aware that the coronavirus is a dominant focus in the novel, so it does not provide the same degree of “escapism” as the author’s other books. While each of Mary Alice Monroe’s novels in the Beach House series does work as a standalone novel, I would recommend reading them as a series because I think it makes you appreciate the characters and their stories that much more. The Rutledge family and the Beach House series hold a special place in my heart, and I really enjoyed this newest addition to their journey!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with an advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I appreciate the acknowledgement of the pandemic as it is certainly unprecedented times in terms of job certainly, health precautions and what will occur next. Set in the background of Charleston and rooted in family history, it is exacerbated by the expectations. However, I never felt that the multitude of characters really showed depth beyond whom they were at the beginning. Yes, Linnea was sad about her job, but whom did she really love? Was Julia going to be a success?.I would have wished it was honed down to fewer characters and given them more depth.

A charming tale of love, loss, ups and downs, turtles, a dog, a child, and the pandemic. While covid is still something we are having to fight it was enjoyable to read about others facing the issues, problems, and solutions. Spend some time at the beach without having to social distance. You will enjoy their company. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley.

I have never read anything by this author before, and I will definitely be checking out more of her books after this. Her writing style is so compelling and descriptive, and I loved the escape in her detail about The Isle of Palms. This book seemed to follow a family she has written about before, and while I was still able to follow everything, I do think I would have had a better grasp of the family dynamic and history if I had read her previous books about the Rutledge Family before this. The Summer of Lost and Found follows the Rutledges during the throes of the Covid-19 pandemic. The entire book is about how the family is coping with the changes, some of them struggling financially. I didn't know how much of the book would be about this, but it is woven through the entire story and plot. I think that I would enjoy this book a lot more if I read this a few years from now because I think it was just too soon to relive all of that for me. That being said, this book had a great storyline otherwise and I liked the characters. Linnea has lost her job and is living in her aunt's beach house when she finds out her ex-boyfriend is quarantining next door. Her current boyfriend arrives from England, and she has to decide if seeing her ex has complicated everything. Overall, I enjoyed the family and the love triangle, but just didnt love how Covid-heavy the storyline was. I will definitely be trying other books from Mary Alice Monroe in the future.

I have been a fan of Mary Alice Monroe for years and I love the Beach House Series and the Rutledge family. I was hesitant to read this because of the corona virus involved in the story but Ms Monroe delivered a delightful story with her usual charm and true sensitive nature of style. I highly recommend this book

Mary Alice Monroe tells powerful, memorable stories about relationships between lovers, family, and friends like none other. Her characters wrestle with life-changing decisions in a part of the country that I have visited many times, but cannot say that I know -- but somehow, Monroe makes me feel like I belong in those coastline homes and beach cottages, that I can smell the tang of the ocean breeze, feel the wind ripple through my hair, walk through the tall grasses to the back porch where I can listen to stories and sip sweet tea. So many of those elements were present in THE SUMMER OF LOST AND FOUND, however, I was yanked out of the story every few paragraphs with long drones about the Covid-19 pandemic, the fear and the not knowing what comes next. We just lived through this--and are still living through the nightmare of lockdowns, sleepless nights, and endless worry. Instead of dropping into the story of Linnea's loves and family relationships, I was slammed with the reality I just lived and that still affects me profoundly to this day. Maybe in time this book might read better as a snapshot of a difficult time, but for me, right now, it felt heavy-handed, heavy hearted, and badly wrought. My anticipated drop into a terrific story land was ruined so badly that I abandoned the book about half of the way through. I received an advance copy of this novel from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my unbiased review.

Though The Summer of Lost and Found is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.
This story is the first one I’ve read that includes the topic of our ongoing covid pandemic. Also, the aspect of social distancing and the wearing of masks. The main characters deal with the loss of jobs, homes and paychecks.
The story revolves around friendships and relationships…overall, a enjoyable read.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

The beloved Beach House series returns with another installment, this one set in the summer of 2020 in the heat of the coronavirus pandemic. I think the book succeeds in not only portraying the fear and uncertainty of living during this time, but the primal need for leaning on each other to get us through it. As always, Mary Alice Monroe weaves a heartfelt and emotional tale of love, friendship and family in her beautiful, comforting writing style. I can hardly wait to share this one with friends as I have the entire Beach House series and I'm already looking forward to her next great creation!

Cara has returned home having lost her job in the middle of a pandemic. She is surprised to find many of her family and close friends already waiting out the virus.
As with different people and personalities there are difficulties. The interactions are ,as expected , trying for everyone. There is love, jealousy and forgiveness.
This was a very timely story and a good look at how everyone is having to cope.

It's Mary Alice Monroe, enough said. She has the best characters in all her books and the characters in this is what you would expect. Complicated. I love how she also weaves in coronavirus and all the issues into the story. Makes the story believable. Another grand slam and knock it out of the park for her. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Thanks tp Netgalley, Mary Alice Monroe and Gallery Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 5/11/21

Mary Alice Monroe returns with another book from her New York Times bestselling Beach House series — “The Summer of Lost and Found.”
This book is particularly interesting because Monroe embraced the COVID pandemic, so masks and social distancing are part of daily life on Isle of Palms.
Linnea Rutledge has been laid off from her job at the local aquarium since it has closed. She has been living in a house belonging to her aunt, Cara, which had once belonged to her grandmother, Lovie. Like many people, Linnea’s financial situation is precarious, but Cara assures her that she can continue to stay in the house without worrying about the rent.
Cara’s husband, who has just returned from England, comes down with COVID, so Linnea can’t refuse to take care of their daughter for a while so that he can recover. She soon finds herself with a full house because she’s asked a co-worker to come share in expenses, and then Gordon, her new boyfriend, is also coming from England for work, and expects to stay there as well.
And to top it off, her former love, John, has returned from California to escape the virus and take care of his mother. Their split ended on a sour note, and Linnea would just as soon not speak to him, but he persists, sending his messages by paper airplane.
It wouldn’t be a Beach House book without sea turtles!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me a early invite to read this book and giving me the opportunity to read this book and leave a review this was like memory lane. Old friends meeting up during the Covid 19 and dealing with it. I enjoyed reading this book and many more by this author

From the Queen of the Beach Reads comes Ms. Monroe’s latest.

I love this Beach series. Maybe because Charleston is my ancestral home as well. All the names and places are familiar to me and I feel like I’m reading a letter from home.

The Rutledge family has always been a part of Charleston. The family has seen hard times and wonderful times. They have found love and lost it. But the one place they have always come to heal is the beach house from Grandma Lovie. It’s the one sure thing. So when Linnea needs a place to stay after Covid forces layoffs at the marine center, it’s to the cottage she goes.

Across the street, Cara waits for David to return from London with little Hope by her side. When he returns he is already sick and must quarantine himself in his room while Hope goes to stay with Linnea. And who should also be in quarantine but John right next door.

Everyone is worried and afraid for their loved ones. Linnea’s boyfriend Gorden finally arrives from London and again goes into quarantine. Now both men she cares for are right next door. What’s a girl to do?

This book was written during Covid. We can all sympathize with the family as we are living it along with them.

But never fear, the ending had me in a puddle on the floor and yet feeling hopeful.

NetGalley Review/ May 11th, 2021 by Gallery Books

I love reading books about the low country. Beautiful weather, beautiful beaches. This story is set on the Isles of Palms and Sullivan’s Island. It’s about a long established family, the Rutledge's and how they are dealing with all of the changes caused by the pandemic. From the very young to the very old we get to see how this family comes together and survives in this quickly changing world. Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for and ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I so look forward to a new release from Mary Alice Monroe. She writes beautiful novels set in gorgeous locations with unique and interesting characters. Sadly, The Summer of Lost and Found is filled with far too many references to the pandemic. It's like reading a public service announcement, which is the opposite of what I'm looking for when I pick up a book. I read to escape. I'm not interested in a book that revolves around what we all just endured. In my opinion, it's way too soon to be publishing books like this. Thanks for the opportunity. I'm sure many readers will enjoy this novel, It just isn't for me.