I kept waiting for this book to start - to get to the story that attracted me from the blurb - but this took so long to happen, the read had already lost me along the way. Starting out with backstory made this slow and dragging for me, and the constant head hopping also felt jarring to read. It's not my cup of tea, unfortunately, so I ended up not enjoying this one.

The beach House by Rochelle Alers
A reasonably well written story centred around a summer book club and the main character is middle aged Leah who is at a crossroad in her life and marriage and spends the summer in North Carolina the highlight of which is the weekly book club as she escapes her life unraveling.a bit slow to get going but a year on her husband has turned and she escapes back to her friends North Carolina will Leah finally find the courage to,leave permanently and start a new life and love for herself? 3.5/5

In Rochelle Alers’ novel THE BEACH HOUSE, Leah returns to Coates Island after the demise of her marriage. She had vacation there previously and became close friends with Kayana and Cherie when they formed a book club during the summer. Leah meets and spends time with Kayana’s brother Derrick who is a widow and has moved to Coates Island from New York for a fresh start. Are they both ready to move on as a couple?

This is the second book in Alers’ Book Club series. I enjoyed the laid-back setting of Coates Island. The character development was on point. The bond between the women is remarkable. And the chemistry between Leah and Derrick was amazing. I would definitely recommend.

The Beach House by Rochelle Alers is book two in her The Book Club series. This is Leah’s story. Kayana’s story is told in The Seaside Café, and Cherie’s story is told in Along the Shore.

The Beach House is well-written with a good premise and plot. However, the plot develops slowly. The characters are well-developed with complete backstories. Though this is book two in a series, the more than adequate character backstories let it read well as a standalone. Ms. Alers introduces another interracial romance, as she is known to do. I enjoyed the story, but the slow pace made it just 3 out of 5 stars for me. It is worth the read for those who like women’s fiction and/or multicultural romance.

My thanks to Kensington Books, Dafina, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.

Rochelle Alers is a new author to me, this is first book i have read of hers and i lOved it!!! This was a great book to start with.

This is the perfect beach read and I would recommend reading the previous book in the series. This is the story of survival and finding a new, better life for yourself. I found myself totally invested in these characters and their stories.

Good story!

Throughout one summer spent on an idyllic island off the coast of North Carolina, a weekly book club offers three very different women the chance to rewrite their own stories. In bestselling author Rochelle Alers' second Book Club novel, a new chapter begins as one woman's seemingly perfect life unravels...

It's been almost a year since Leah Berkley Kent left her lavish Richmond home to spend two months on Coates Island, North Carolina. There she found friendship with two extraordinary women, Kayana and Cherie. Together they formed a summer book club, meeting weekly at the Seaside Café. Leah also found the courage to finally stand up to Alan, her domineering husband of twenty-eight years.

With her twin sons now grown, Leah decides to return to Coates Island again this summer. Alan's explosive reaction only convinces her that her marriage, and her old life, may be ending. But what comes next? Helping out at the Seaside Café, Leah grows closer to Kayana's widowed brother, Derrick. He knows what it's like to start over--he traded a Wall Street career for a beachfront house and a slower pace.
Derrick is drawn to Leah, but wonders if she's truly ready to move on.

Loved reading this book and author. If you haven't read it yet I highly recommend her books. Happy reading

The Beach House is the 2nd book in Rochelle Alers, a book Club Series. I did not read the first book but I do not feel that held me back. Coates Island, off the coast of North Carolina becomes the spot where three different ladies, come together and work on life Leah Berkeley Lent loved in VA but wants to head back to the island to enjoy summer. When she asks her husband to read over the contact, gets violent with her and she winds up in the hospital. She does not report him to the police but does give the hospital the full account and with the help her son’s she drives to the island, to start healing. She immediately runs into her friend and finds a safe place to live and recuperate. Kayana and her brother Derick own the Seaside Cafe, the 3 fall into a routine. Kayana is newly married and Derrick is a widow. There friend Cherie is there as well and the summer unfolds.. The story is one of healing, and friendship and family you choose. Secrets are told and hearts are mended. A very nice story.

A year ago Leah Kent left her home in Richmond to spend 2 months on Coates Island NC while her husband traveled with their 2 sons. She met 2 unusual women and together they formed a book club that solidified their friendship. Now Leah has returned leaving her husband because of his abusive nature. Now that her sons are grown she has decided that it's time for her life to change.

With the help of her friends and their families Leah has started the life that she always wanted.

I was thoroughly taken by this book and how the characters grew, not just Leah, and was glad to see that an unexpected change in circumstance can also be a change for the better.

Leah, Kayana and Cherie meet on Coates Island, North Carolina and form a book club. This is the second book in the series, so I will go back and read the first. This book centers on Leah Berkley Kent. Twenty-Eight years earlier, Leah got pregnant during a tryst with a man many years older than her. They get married and have twin boys. The marriage was never happy, although Leah does everything she can to make a happy home and help promote her husband's career. Now that the boys have moved to New York, there is no reason to pretend. Leah tells Alan she wants to spend the summer on Coates Island and he loses it. Battered, she is released from the hospital and heads to NC to heal and make decisions about her life. She finds what she needs and more as she grows closer to Kayana's widowed brother, Derrick. Neither of them are ready for a relationship, but friendship blossoms into something else.

I enjoyed the characters in this one, all except for Allan. The boys were wonderfully supportive of their mother and I really liked that. Kayana was a great support to Leah and I think we all need a friend like that. Derrick is a fantastic love interest for Leah. His patience and understanding were an excellent counterpart to what she had experienced in her life with Allan. I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't much of a bookclub in this one, but will see how the bookclub started it all when I read the first book in the series. This is a story about abuse, how people get trapped in a loveless marriage, why women stay and finally healing with caring people. I loved that it is friendship that helps her heal and the romance comes later. She did not need a man and another relationship to move forward. This was an enjoyable story and I am looking forward to more from Rochelle Alers.

This was my first time reading anything from this author and I enjoyed it. I liked reading about these characters and their emotional road to love.

DNF at 30%. After reading the first book in the series, I was excited for Leah’s story. I thought this started off with too much backstory but was going along with it. However after getting to the way diet/exercise/weight are discussed - I’m done. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

TW: Domestic Violence.

It was weird. Maybe I should have read the first book before this one. but it was a lovely book. I didnt realize until the later chapters that one character was white but it was a splendid book. Perfect for the summer read. I love a book that has love, redemption and survival at the heart of it. It was a bit slow in spots and I know it was a slow burn romance/women's fiction, but the pacing threw me off aroudn the middle.

I just adored this book. Just couldn't put it down. And now I find myself waiting for a new book. Just a lovely book.

I usually have trouble putting her books down until I have finished them. It was the same with this one. Now I eagerly wait for the next one.
What a wonderful author.

This is a story of survival, moving forward, saving yourself, allowing yourself to live your best life with dignity, self respect and the love of and respect of your children and some amazing friends. Leah decides to spend the summer away from her abusive husband. Not exactly enamored with the idea he brutalizes her so badly she winds up in the hospital after he almost killing. When released she goes to the place that makes her happiest, Coates Island to begin her emotional and physical recovery. Friends, love, good food and people who love you unconditionally, what more could one ask for to start over? This was a really good read. Physical and emotional spousal abuse are written about. It isn’t gratuitous, but integral to the story.

I am really enjoying this series. Especially with this book featuring over 40 characters falling in love. There are more of these stories that are needed. The book starts off with how Leah and Her husband met thirty years prior. I felt so sorry for Leah throughout the story. I really loved this couple together. The author did such a good job showing their emotions throughout this story. I would suggest to read book one first, because it gives a background of the characters in this story. I can't wait for book three in this series.

I received a copy of the book via Kensington books and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

What is the polar opposite of a slow burn romance? The Beach House. I'm not sure if it was page 1 or 2 when the male interest comments on the shape of our heroine's breasts. Not my cup of tea.

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

Synopsis: After a terrible marriage ends in a nasty dispute Leah decides to escape to her favorite beach town to relax and reflect. Little does she know that she will learn to fall in love again with what she really wants to do and meet back up with her summer book club.

Thought: At first I was confused on this book and where it was going to lead but once again I was glad for that and enjoyed getting the back story on Leah and what she had gone through to be where she is at now. I think that this talked about some real life things as well as romance and doing what makes you happy. Immediately after finishing this book I picked up the first in the series. Like many I'm sure I would have known the characters better if I would have read them in order but definitely can be read out of order. I recommend this book for anyone looking for hope after dark times and finding joy even in dark times.