🎁 A big thank you to @berkleypub for this #gifted copy of #TheBeachTrap !! Available now!

The Beach Trap by Ali Brady

👯‍♀️ Sisterhood
🎭 Family Drama
💋 Romance
🔥 Steamy

The perfect summer read!

Estranged half-sisters, Kat and Blake, inherit a dilapidated beach house from their deceased father and attempt to repair it along with their relationship.

📝 I loved the writing style! The chapters were the perfect length and the story held my interest the entire way through.

👯‍♀️ The focus of this story is on the relationship between Kat and Blake. They’re half-sisters in name only in the beginning so I loved being able to watch them grow together along the way.

🎭 This is definitely a family drama with most of it centering around their shared father. They both have unresolved issues with him that they work through throughout.

💋 There is double the romance in this one with both Kat and Blake finding love and I absolutely loved every second of both relationships. They were each incredibly well done and unique.

🔥 Both relationships are steamy ones which was nice. No fade to black in this story!

💜 I loved the idea of two different worlds converging into one. It was beautifully executed and I would definitely read this again.

If you’re looking for a light yet poignant read for the summer then pick this one up!

https://www.howdidthatbookend.com/ali...

Happy pub day to The Beach Trap by co-authors Alison Hammer and Bradeigh Godfrey!

Thank you to @prhaudio for the ALC, and to @berkleyromance for including me in their blog tour.

I loved everything about this book. It was one I was really looking forward to–I adored Alison Hammer’s previous book Little Pieces of Me, and have been following Bradeigh on Bookstagram since I joined. I’m eagerly awaiting her thriller coming this fall. When I heard they were co-writing a book, I knew I would have to read it asap!

The Parent Trap was one of my favorite movies as a kid. The Beach Trap is kind of that storyline in reverse–best friends at camp realize they’re half-sisters, and then fifteen years later their father hatches a plan to force them to mend their relationship.

Kat and Blake were so well-written. They’re complete opposites: Kat is a fashion influencer who grew up wealthy, and Blake is very handy and resourceful, used to doing everything for herself. They have stored up fifteen years worth of resentment towards each other and their father, so of course they butt heads when they both arrive at the beach house. Eventually, though, they begin to see things from the other’s perspective.

I enjoyed the romance plot, but also loved that it took a back seat to Kat and Blake’s relationship. We got a little bit of everything with this story: sisterhood, opposites attract/second chance romance, hunky guy next door, and a cute dog! Both of the men were amazing secondary characters, and I would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite.

I LOVE a home renovation story, and setting this one on the beach made it even more fun. I’m a sucker for the renovation and design details.

Whether you’re headed to the beach this summer or just wish you were, pick up a copy of The Beach Trap to bring along! I’m definitely hoping these authors continue to write together.

When 12 year olds Blake and Kat meet at summer camp they become best friends quickly. When Kat's father comes to pick her up due to a family emergency, they discover that they are also half sisters. Fast forward 15 years later, and the two women inherit a dilapidated beach house. For one of them the house has cherished memories, for the other the sale of the house is the way out of her financial issues.

The Beach Trap is a touching tale of two sisters trying to rebuild a relationship with each other and coming to a mutual decision about what to do with the house. Each have their own hang-ups about the way they were raised, and the way their father treated them. Neither seeing where the other is coming from right away. There are many miscommunications, hurt feelings, and even a bit of romance along the way; but the journey is worth everything.

A really great debut novel, and I'm looking forward to reading more!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

When 12 year old Kat and Blake met at summer camp, they instantly connect. Little do they know, they’re actually half sisters. Fifteen years and zero communication later, their dad dies and leaves them the very run-down family beach house. They decide to join forces and renovate the house but working together isn’t always easy.

I requested this book on a whim and I’m so so glad I did. This new writing duo is one I want many more books from. From the very start, I felt connected to these characters. If you ever went to summer camp, you’ll know exactly what I mean.

If you love books about sister drama, this one puts an interesting spin on that. They are very different people and they don’t actually know each other that well. They have a lot of trauma and heartbreak to work through, both together and apart.

Aside from the sister relationship, there are love interests too. Both of them find romance and sometimes it gets HOT. Think quiet, single dad contractor and a sexy, mysterious pool boy. We get everything we could want between those two men.

Read this book if you love:

-HGTV
-sisters
-single dads
-dogs
-beach towns
-a hint of Jewish rep
-drama

I just really really loved this book and I think it’s the perfect beach read this summer. I even found myself tearing up at the end because I was so invested in all these characters.

Soooo…. I might have to just call it now and just declare The Beach Trap my favorite book of the summer! #AndItsNotEvenSummerYet 😆⁣
⁣
Camp best friends Kat and Blake had the best summer ever until Kat’s dad comes to pick her up and Blake realizes… he's her dad, too. The one that left all those years ago. Their dad’s secret is too heavy to sustain their friendship, but when he dies 15 years later they are both left both a beach house. The same one. Together.⁣
⁣
No longer besties, these two must figure out a way to keep, sell, or fix up the dilapidated house. But if they can’t get along, how will they make any reasonable decisions if they can’t even have one remotely civil conversation?⁣
⁣
From start to finish The Beach Trap is fun, it’s flirty, and it’s a fixer-uppers dream! And it’s just flat out fantastic.⁣
⁣
And, of course Alison and Bradeigh are two of the loveliest humans and I couldn’t help but love the juxtaposition of this house-swapping reno story while following their page-swapping writing routines here on Instagram. I love how they shared so much of their writing process! And thankfully, these two really are BFFs and it just shows how well they mesh together by this delightful and endearing story of sisters - but ultimately of the power of true friendship.

This was such a cute debut! There was so much that I liked about this book. The setting was one thing. It was a mix between Atlanta and Florida so I loved reading about recognizable places. Then there was the story. I LOVED all the home renovation talk as I would really like to do that myself. It was nice to see a female in that role as well. The characters are well written and I have a new book bf in Noah 😍

I liked that this book was about family and the importance of keeping relationships. I loved the connection between Blake and Noah and their back and forth bantering (minus a couple weird phrases). I thought they were so fun and I just loved Noah’s nicknames for Max. My favorite was Cheeto Puff and Puff the Magic Dragon 🤣

Kat was super annoying throughout the entire book and it took a long time for her character to grow but she kind of reminded me of Alexis from Schitts Creek with the way her character developed by the end.

Overall I really enjoyed this one and I can’t wait for more from this duo!!

Thank you @berkleyromance @alibradybooks and @netgalley for the ebook in exchange for my honest review!

What caused sudden friends Kat and Blake to end their friendship when they were at a summer camp? They were 12 years old at the time and it seemed like they would be friends forever. But there was something that they learned at that camp that brought the ending of that new friendship. It is 15 years later and we now know what broke them up. They learned then that they were half sisters. Their father had two families, at least for a time, and one of the sisters did not have the life she wished she could have. Now that he has passed away not only did he leave them an inheritance, it was a joint inheritance, a beach house in Florida.

Blake wants to renovate the house and sell it as quickly as possible and move on with her life. However, Kat had many happy memories as a child at that beach house thus she and Blake now have very different opinions about what will happen to the house. However, the decision is up to both of them and they must find ways to work together. Readers will see their their story developing as it is relayed from each of their perspectives.

Then there is Noah, Blake’s love interest in this engaging read. Henry is the man who Kat is getting to know, all while the sisters work on finding a way towards a common goal. This book hit all the right buttons - family, friendship, forgiveness, even the sadness over the loss of their father, and the loss of what could have been had the girls been able to spend their lives together while growing up.

Many thanks to Berkley Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/PxzeXxqug40

When their father passes away, two half-sisters are forced to reconnect when he leaves them joint inheritance of the family beach house. Along the journey on fixing the house up, both girls are forced to reevaluate their lives and their own relationship.

I have to admit I'd only heard amazing reviews about this book so I went in a bit apprehensive. Needless to say, I am firmly in the "You Need To Read This" camp as this book was fantastic. There was so much to love - family relationships, sisterly bonds, romance, beach setting, home renovation and a cute dog. And the ending that ties it all up is so heartwarming. A perfect summer read!

Five star beach read!

On Tuesday, run, don’t walk, to get your hands on The Beach Trap by Ali Brady! I just binged this book in a day and I’m kind of mad at myself because now it’s over and I’m sad.

This book is the perfect summer read! There’s the drama every beach read needs, including a complicated sister relationship and a dilapidated beach house in need of repair. And there’s also the fun that every beach read needs, with romance, a dreamy setting, and a goofy dog.

I love books about sisters and families and this one was so well done. Families are messy and Ali Brady did a great job writing the ups and downs of the sibling and parent/grandparent relationships.

The romance in this book is perfect, with storylines that felt authentic. It was steamy but not too steamy, so it’s perfect for readers like me (ALL the steam) and those of you who like a clean romance (the scenes are easy to skim over).

The epilogue had me blubbering, which is my favorite thing. I love a romcom that can also make me tear up. If a book can make me laugh and cry it’s almost guaranteed to be a 5-star read for me.

It’s so hard to believe this was written by two people, because the writing flows effortlessly! I was completely wrapped up in Kat and Blake’s lives. I can’t wait for the next book from this author duo!

Two half sisters Kat and Blake unexpectedly and unknowingly meet at summer camp. They become best friends. When Kat's grandfather passed away her father picks her up early from camp and Blake recognizes him. He then leaves and never returns. When he dies, he leaves the beach house to both of his daughters.

This book brought tears to my eyes. This book hit very close to home for me. I'm a child of an affair. I was the secret child. I totally understood how Blake felt. My father died when I was seven years old. Luckily I had my mom unlike Blake. Luckily she had excellent grandparents.

I was seriously annoyed with Kat and how entitled she was. Her anger towards Blake was infuriating to me.

I loved the characters banters especially Noah and Blake. I also loved Henry giving advice to Kat. That advice was even though what her father did was awful. At least he gave her a gift of a sister. I loved that sentiment.

I loved this book so much.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the review copy; while Ali Brady and I share publishers and I very much admire this wonderful writing duo, this in no way influenced my opinions, which are all my own.

THE BEACH TRAP was such a lovely genre crossover read that brought moving, complex family dynamics and a swoony romantic plot as well. While Noah and Henry were great love interests, Kat and Blake's growth as individuals and to reconcile was the real star--a truly emotional journey that was deeply satisfying. If you love Libby Hubscher and Taylor Jenkins Reid, look no further!

When you write a beach read set at the actual beach, you’re bound to have yourself a summer hit!! THE BEACH TRAP was such a great, genre crossing read! This one is heavy on the family drama with such great sides of romance for both girls!! I’ve got to say that sister drama is not generally my fave and this book had a bit of a slow start, but I found myself hooked on the second half! Kat and Blake were total opposites and although I really couldn’t find many redeeming qualities in Kat, I enjoyed the juxtaposition between the two. I really felt the character’s love for the house and the family that came with it.

Now for the romance:

Kat falls for contractor, Henry, single Dad with adorable daughter 😍 He may have been nicer than what she deserved. I wasn’t necessarily convinced of their chemistry, but Henry himself made up for it.

THE SERIOUS GOODS were Blake and NOAH. Wowzer. 🔥I found myself wanting an entire book of these two alone. I loved them both. The best chemistry!!!

Oh! There’s a super cute dog. And the way Noah interacts with him is swoonworthy ❤️

The Beach Trap is a well-written beachy read full of family, love, and drama. I look forward to reading more from the author soon.

It’s the parent trap meets the money pit! This is such a fun, emotional read! I laughed and at the very end I cried. To me, that’s the sign of an incredible book. I love when I experience emotions from one end of the spectrum to the other while reading. The alternating chapters from the perspective of the two main characters Blake and Kat made the pacing perfect and the story gripping. I felt for each one of them as they worked through past hurts.

Noah is funny with all the nicknames for the dog—so cute! I think I know who Rachel Worthington’s character is based on, and I hope she reads it.

I’ve got another co-authored book, but this time from debut authors! Two estranged friends are reconnected when they take dual ownership of an old beach house. Over the course of the summer, they begrudgingly discover what they missed and loved about each other all those years ago.

This is the perfect blend of women’s fiction and romance. Finding a beloved friendship again with a few opportunities for romance along the way. These polar opposite characters each have redeeming qualities so you’re hoping for the best for both of them!

The Beach Trap, by @alibradybooks, would have been in my #highlyanticipated #summerreadinglist even if I didn’t ‘know’ the authors through the amazing #bookstagramcommunity! Thank you @berkleypub for the free #giftedbook - The Beach Trap is available on Tuesday, June 14!

I loved how this book was both about Kat and Blake’s relationship as sisters, but also about them individually. They both had personal things to deal with, and they also both had love interests. I think that made it more interesting than of the entire plot was focused on their sisterly issues. I liked both of the love interests, and it had the perfect level of steam. The ending was satisfying and made me smile.

The Beach Trap is a perfect book to add to your summer reading! It’s very well done for their debut novel together, and I can’t wait for their next book! Well done, ladies!

Thank you PRH International for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me from the moment I read the prologue.

Kat and Blake grew up in completely different ways.
Kat grew up with a complete family, with the pressure of always being good and perfect while Blake grew up with a loving family but felt abandoned since she was young. They both struggled to understand each other’s POV at the start, but they finally started opening up to each other and decided to start a friendship.

The romance was pretty adorable and beautiful! I love how Henry helped Kat be more open about her feelings and appreciate more what was in front of her. Although my favorite couple would be Noah and Blake, these two were partners in crime and I love how they were always there for each other.

With all that being said, my favorite thing about the book would be the sister relationship of Kat and Blake once they have overcome their differences. Their story was very heartbreaking yet also very heartwarming.

The epilogue left me wanting more of these characters. Highly recommend this light romance read!

What a blast of a read!

Filled with juicy conflict, yet sweet and loving, with two extra romance storylines with some steamy sex, The Beach Trap has major “Should be on the Big Screen” vibes.

I felt fully immersed in the two character’s worlds, and genuinely sad when the book was over. This book gave me such a bad, "I want to back there" hangover!

Kat Steiner and Blake O’Neill haven’t seen each other since they parted ways at summer camp at twelve years old. And they didn’t leave that summer on good terms. When her beloved Dad came to pick her up, Kat learns he's Blake’s father too, and has a secret family with Blake and her mother (a long-lasting affair).

The two half-sisters haven’t spoken since that day. After her mother dies, Blake felt abandoned by her mysterious father, while Kat has held the secret of her father’s affair, the knowledge eating at her, her entire life.

Fast forward to today, near the start of this amazing novel, where both characters are in their late twenties. Kat has a successful job as an Instagram influencer, but she’s grieving the recent loss of her dad. Meanwhile, Blake is struggling to make ends meet, and has never fully recovered from her father's abandonment.

Both of them are shocked when their father's will is revealed. Turns out he left a run-down beach house in Destin to both of them, equally. Now Kat and Blake share the ownerships 50/50 and neither can sell without the other.

So much fodder for conflict! Kate and Blake translate their feelings of unworthiness and grief into blaming each other. Blake needs to sell the house for the money. Meanwhile, Kat is flat out determined to keep it. And conflict at the beach ensues!

Juicy and, at times, tart, this fun novel has sweetness and zing, like the best summer lemonade.

A perfect sweet, yet steamy read for your beach bag, or just hanging on the back porch.

5 big “Don’t Miss it this Summer” stars from me!

This book did start a bit slow for me with the building of the background of Blake and Kat being reunited upon the death of their father when he left them a 50/50 share of his family beach house… but after the building phase in the beginning I was absolutely hooked!

This story gives you so many levels with half sisters reuniting as adults after meeting at summer camp (think the parent trap without the HEA for half sisters) that have preconceived notions about each other due to only knowing a little of the truth that binds them as half sisters who are only a couple months apart in age.

When they reunite they have different goals for the beach house which continues to cause conflict throughout tied to the core issues- that they share a father and the issues that stem from the mess HE created for each of them through his poor choices.

I loved that this is a romance that was giving so much more through their relationship and the focus on the beach house… and the love interests for these two…

I loved that they each had an opposites attract type of romance to each provide them with a man that matched their individual needs. And the tension and steam between the girls and their love interests was so well done!

I can’t recommend this one more! If you want a two for one romance with a little extra please check this one out for a perfect beach read this summer!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Books for the ARC of this book! I am so grateful to obtain a copy to read in advance of its release in exchange for my honest feedback!

The Beach Trap by Ali Brady is an emotional rollercoaster of a read. Overall, I loved this story, but there were two things I struggled with that detracted from my being able to give this book 5-STARS.

So, what did I love? The depth of emotions experienced during this read is stellar. I went from angry to frustrated to happy to devastatedly sad to super satisfied. I was emotionally all over the place while reading this book and loved every minute of this cathartic experience. I 100% love Blake and Kat's journey from enemies who hated one another to friendship to sisterhood. It was such a beautiful, painful, joyful ride. I feel the characters are beautifully crafted. And the conflicts and issues each character deals with are totally relatable and realistic. Actually, it was the conflicts and issues that kept me turning pages well into the night. I had to know how each character was going to deal with what was thrown at them.

So, what did I not appreciate? I am not a fan of gratuitous, open-door sex scenes. This novel has a few of those. I was SO disappointed by these scenes. They totally detract from Kat and Blake's journey. I get it. People have sex. I don't even mind if it is alluded to in the story that a couple engages in sexual activity. But to be so blatantly on the page feels like an intentional choice to force it on the reader and I HATE that. It is not a classy move at all. The second thing I did not appreciate was all the foul language. Again, I don't mind foul language, in general. Sometimes the only word that will suffice is a well-timed, well-placed F-bomb; but, again, in the story, it felt like an intentional choice to force it on as many moments as possible. Maybe for shock value? If it had been every now and then, I would have been cool, but as it is done in this story, WOW, so much cussing. Kat needs a bar of soap in her mouth, as my mom would say when I was little. I honestly feel like The Beach Trap is a phenomenal story that inappropriately stuck in gratuitous moments of sex and foul language -- not because it moved the plot forward or showed character growth, but to adhere to some kind of checklist: "Oh, you've gone 30,000 words, get a sex scene in there. You've gone 10,00 words, where are all the bad words?" This just super disappointed me as a reader.

Overall, The Beach Trap is a great story and I do recommend it. Just know that it does contain gratuitous sex and foul language. If you are OK with these elements, then I'm pretty certain you will love this novel and give it a 5-STAR rating.