~The story opens up with Liv on vacation in Tulum, Mexico alone, a place she and her two best friends swore to never travel to again. But life has not been easy, and Liv's life in turmoil over the loss of her unborn baby, followed by the loss of her best friend and sister in law Sophie, then the cancer diagnosis and loss of her dad. All the heartbreak has left her marriage on the rocks. On her last day of this solo trip to find herself, Liv is shocked to see Sophie on the beach in Mexico, and calls out to her. By the time she gets to where she's seen her, the woman is gone and Liv is left feeling like she's loosing her mind. If it was Sophie, why did she run away?

~I want to keep my review very vague so as not to give anything away, but this book was amazing! I appreciate books that I can't figure out, and this book delivered. At first the duel timelines confused me, but once I had the time lapses figured out, it was very smoothly written. Sometimes I feel like endings are a little bit too tidy, but I'm not letting that affect my rating on this book. I NEVER cry from reading, ever. Movies, yes. Commercials, yes. Reunion videos, absolutely. But when I read, my heart is a cold block of ice. Well, the end of chapter 38 resulted in several used tissues. That is probably the highest compliment I can give any book.

My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.

I can’t give you a synopsis as it would ruin this beautifully penned plot. Roberts gives a simple framework of this book and you can check it out online. It’s best to go into it with your heart and mind open.

Can you imagine being a fly on the wall while Julia Roberts is writing this book?! I can only imagine what her plotting must have looked like for such a complex book. With her 8th novel published and a solid background in the entertainment industry, Roberts is no stranger to plotting. She knows how important it is to keep her audience’s attention. This, her 9th novel, leaves readers with food for thought as she’s left some open enders.

Grab some tissues, make sure you aren’t reading in public, and then when you have a full reserve of patience….start this clever, clever book. I’ll be honest, I ditched it a few times because I didn’t have the patience to figure out all the characters and connections. When I was ready to work for it, I couldn’t tear myself away from Liv and her friends’ story. Stick with it because you’ll be rewarded with one of the most emotionally charged and cleverly plotted women’s fiction books you’ll have read in a long time.

Inspired from watching a little dog, like the one you’ll read about, patiently waiting at the water’s edge, Roberts’ mind started reeling about writing a book where a seemingly idyllic lifestyle could be shattered by a ghost from the past. What she has produced is a book where both character and reader will be put through the wringer before ending on a happy note.

In “Woman On The Beach,” Roberts explores the ways we lie to ourselves and how hope and love can heal us.
Publishes August 19, 2021

Three young girls become close friends and swear this bond will never be broken. They keep their promise for years and years and then life happens. Each and everyone of them has to deal with some devastating emotions and they don't want to burden the others even more. Cracks are starting to show. Is it possible to paste them together again or can even the strongest tie tear completely?

Sometimes though, if you leave it too long, you will be left with guilt and regrets. It's very hard to make a decision when your head is not in the right place. What seems the best thing to do at that time, might - looking back now - not have been the best thing at all...

You keep secrets, but you don't realize it and when you do, you still don't confess because you are afraid of the reactions. Every day it's getting harder and harder, but suddenly you know you no longer have a choice and you have to take the bull by the horns, before someone else beats you to it.

It was often a very heart breaking story, but the author kept you on your toes too. What was real and who was the victim?

If you are in the mood for an emotional roller coaster, please stop looking because this is a book you definitely should consider. 5 stars

Thank you

I am not really sure what to make of the woman on the beach it all seemed so far fetched and very definitely not believable. But maybe that is the point.

It is difficult to give a synopsis without giving the story away, so I will say that this is a book of twists, shocks and surprises throughout.

If you like a book of intrigue, suspense and a darned good mystery then maybe this is a book for you.

This book took me by surprise! I thought I knew what was going on only to be blown away by another revelation.
I enjoyed the book and liked how the author dealt with real life challenges.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

The Woman on the Beach starts out in one vein and ends up in a completely different one. Livia is certain she saw her deceased friend Sophie on a beach in Mexico. The story unfolds to talk about the friendship of the two girls, plus their friend Grace. Livia is healing in her own life. The author is deceptively clever by alluding to certain things about certain characters, only to pull the rug out from underneath by further reading. I wasn’t sure who to believe in some of the chapters. I liked Luis and Jamie the best because I think they were the most forgiving and compassionate. The ending was terrific. It was satisfying tender and complete. Read this book for lots of surprises concerning relationships.

Bookouture I just love y'all..... Thank you and NetGalley for this emotional, amazing ebook!

The Woman on the Beach by Roberts is a phenomenal book! The writing just blew me away and had me turning the pages! I couldn't turn fast enough.
This is a great book! Well written, complex storyline with various moving parts. The descriptions of setting were beautifully written and the inner feelings and motivations of our main characters were explored in a way that felt authentic and believable. 
I.can't love this enough and give it all the five stars!!!!!! Well done Roberts!
You have a new fan!

A really stunning read with a fab twist I never saw coming! This is a great thriller and I loved it from page 1.

This was a fantastic read from start to finish. It was written in such a clever way that it was so easy to follow without detracting from the complicated storyline. Tears and laughter, hope and despair all feature and I will looking for more reads from this author. Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Well this book blew my mind! What a delicious plot twist. One of the best thrillers I have read in a very long time. It was a fast paced book from beginning to end and very intense. The author has a very clever mind. This is the first book I have read by this author and will now search out other books by Julia Roberts.
Recommend this read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely love this thriller. It was engrossing from the first page to the last. I would highly recommend I’ll readers checking it out.