Morgan’s latest is a lovely story about how not everything is what it seems and sometimes the only way to go forward is to look to the past.

Joanna has spent years in a spotlight that she doesn’t want and since divorcing her celebrity chef husband she’s done everything she can to avoid it. The sudden death of her husband under scandalous circumstances has the press back at her door. Realizing what it means for her, and the woman in the car with him, Joanna takes them both and heads to her home town to hide. Which also puts her close to those she left behind many years ago. While they wait for the press to find them, secrets come out and connections are made.

Beach House Summer is a slow burn as Joanna and Ashley get to know each other and examine who they are & what they want. Joanna also has to face her past – a friendship lost and a love that might be again.

Ok how can I get myself a beach house summer?! Doesn’t that sound amazing? The next best thing besides living beachside for the summer is being able to cozy up with the authors book and escape mentally though!

Since I’ve been a fan of the author for awhile now I know I can expect a great mix when I start one of her books. This was no exception and besides the idyllic setting you also have a mystery surrounding Ashley’s true identity, a few friendships (new and old) blossoming and some romance too. The author is such a gifted storyteller and she always creates characters that are memorable and fun. I’m always a sucker for an unlikely friendship and the relationship between Joanna and Ashley was really lovely. This is the true definition of a beach read, it’s light but not too sappy, it conures up some gorgeous summery imagery and has a plot that’s interesting.

Interestingly, NOT A Beach Read. For my own tastes, "beach reads" are light and breezy that don't really have much (if any) drama. Maybe action, yes, but no dusty room kind of stuff. Which actually makes this tale *not* a beach read, as there is quite a bit of drama and a few dusty rooms to be had in this tale.

But don't get me wrong, it really is a strong tale and beautifully set in a small beach town in California, and the story itself is excellently told. If you haven't read this author before, this is actually a great tale to introduce yourself to her with, as it shows her ability to both pull heartstrings and capture the beauty and charm of wherever she chooses to place her tale. Very much recommended.

A second chance romance filled with friendship, bad choices and redemption.
Joanna is a wonderfully complicated character with a heart of gold. She rediscovers the joy of community, friends and home. I really enjoyed this story. Perfect for the beach or pool.

Title: Beach House Summer
Author: Sarah Morgan
Genre: Women's Fiction
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: May 17, 2022

Thanks to HQN for sending me an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

T H R E E • W O R D S

Enjoyable • Feel-good • Relaxing

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Celebrity chef Cliff Whitman is dead, following an accident that saw him drive off the road into a ravine. His ex-wife and business partner, Joanna, is stunned despite everything Cliff put her through over the years. When news breaks that Ashley, the young woman in the car with him at the time of the accident, has survived along with her unborn child, Joanna instantly recognizes her and springs into action. In an attempt to avoid all the media attention Joanna and Ashley escape to Cedar Point A story of friendship, community, and second chances.

💭 T H O U G H T S

It's always nice to sink into a Sarah Morgan novel, knowing it won't be overly complicated and I can really sit back and relax. Beach House Summer was the first book I picked up this month that really kept my attention. Told from multiple POVs, with a little bit of mystery, I enjoyed the theme of friendship and community. I also appreciated that the romance took a back seat, with focus on Joanna and Ashley's unlikely friendship. Both of their actions were endeared to me. The setting was equally magical and there's just something about small town communities that makes my heart happy. The addition of the small town bookstore was the cherry on top.

Overall, an enjoyable read filled with kindness and paying it forward, and the wisdom that sometimes things aren't as they appear and/or that life doesn't always go the way we planned.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Sarah Morgan fans
• readers needing a beach read

⚠️ CW: infidelity, death, car accident, pregnancy, miscarriage, toxic relationship

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Quiet can be strong, that's something I've learned."

"And that was friendship, wasn't it? Listening, when listening was hard. Being there, when it might have been more comfortable to walk away."

Joanna divorced Cliff because he cheated on her over and over again. So why, when he's killed in a car accident does she swoop in and scoop up Ashley, the young woman who was in the car with him? Ashley, who is pregnant, has every reason to go with Joanna to the gorgeous beach house she owns in Silver Point but she's got a secret that will hang over her head. Joanna's BFF in Silver Point - Mel- threw up her hands and cut off relations ways back when Joanna ditched her brother Nate in favor of Cliff but now the two of them are rebuilding their relationship. And what about Nate? You, like me, might see some of the twists (such as they are) coming but that doesn't mean this isn't a good read because it is. The characters and the community work and the storytelling makes the plot zip along. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Morgan's fans with be happy as will those looking for a story of second chances.

4.25 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.


Joanna Whitman has been a long-suffering ex-wife long enough. Still part of her ex-husband’s life, if in business only, she has put up with way too much over the years of their marriage and post-divorce. No matter what happens in Cliff’s life, for some reason it still always involves Joanna.

When the news breaks that Cliff’s car has gone off a road into a ravine, Joanna is simply stunned. News that there was a young woman in the car with him, not so stunning. However, once Joanna sees the photo of this young woman, Ashley, Joanna puts some pieces together. As always, Joanna springs into action and rescues Ashley from the clutches of the blood-thirsty press.

Together, they are going to have to fight back against this paparazzi and the lies they feed the public. What better place to do that, and hide out, than Joanna’s childhood hometown of Silver Point.

There is so much to love about this book. Joanna is silent but strong. Ashley is young, willful, not silent at all, and strong. Their blossoming relationship is a female bonding experience that shows regardless of the circumstances, we can support each other. Yes, this is a chick lit novel, but a good one! I loved the characters and the growth they displayed throughout the story. The setting of Silver Point, on the California central coast, is the perfect romantic place for this story to unfold.

Beach readers pick this one up.

When Joanna's ex-husband dies in a car accident she is surprised to be in the limelight once again. She wants to be done with it all. When the young woman who was in the car is identified she knows her instantly and knows that Ashley will need her help despite her wanting to hide away until the scandal dies down. The press wants to know who Ashley is and who is the father of her baby. Joanna invites her to her childhood home that is secluded despite leaving heartbroken over 20 years ago. Ashley is grateful and they soon begin to help each other move forward. A great story of friends, family, forgiveness and second chances.

This is another fun Sarah Morgan story that is perfect for beach reading! It's a story of friendship, family, chosen family, and, of course, love. I loved the Central CA coastal setting, the small town, and, of course, the gorgeous beach house. The friendships, both long-standing and newly formed, were a joy to witness, and the care from the community was beautiful. My one criticism was that the pacing was a bit off - there were some loooong conversations that made it slow at times, but the overall story was wonderful. Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advance digital copy!

What an uplifting read about learning that you are enough and deserving, that second chances can occur and WILK occur at the exact time you don't expect it. Joanna in living life after Cliff hid from actual life and created a life of pure isolation and loneliness. Ashley coming into it besides the very unusual circumstances helped her go be strong and not hide. They both helped each other. Joanna reclaimed her roots, surrounded herself by people who actually care, and stepped away from the triviality known as celebrity. Her rekindling her friendship and love with Nate moved her forward. It was great to see the character of Silver Lake. A wonderful read.

Beach House Summer is delightful read. The setting is dream for a summer read. I fell in love with charming idillic beach town. The story follows three women as they navigate their relationships with each other and the rest of the world. The plot is full of drama, secrets and romance. Beach House Summer is also about family, and how friends can become family. Friendship was at the heart of this story and it was a delight to read!

Beach House Summer is delightful read. The setting is dream for a summer read. I fell in love with charming idillic beach town. The story follows three women as they navigate their relationships with each other and the rest of the world. The plot if full of drama, secrets and romance. Beach House Summer is also about family, and how friends can become family. Friendship was at the heart of this story and it was a delight to read!

Beachhouse summer by Sarah Morgan.
When Joanna Whitman's famous ex-husband dies in a car accident, she doesn't know what to feel. Their dysfunctional marriage held more painful secrets than she cares to remember. But when she discovers that the young woman with him in the crash is pregnant, Joanna feels compelled to act, knowing exactly how brutal the media spotlight will be on celebrity chef Cliff Whitman's ex-wife and his mysterious female friend.
Enjoyable read. I liked Joanna character. 4*.

I expected a beach read instead I found a profound book about the merits of unlikely friendships. Although I did not relate or like the two main women charcters, I appreciated how the author weaved their story and friendship that grew out of unusual circumstances to a strong bond. The beach setting was appreciated and the writing is well crafted. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Joanna and Ashley. Joanne is divorced from Cliff. Cliff is dead, while Ashley was in the car with him, she was telling him he was her father. Cliff did not know how to react, he drove off the road and died. This book tells has Joanna and Ashley cope with everything that has happened. Joanna feels like she needs to protect Ashley and Ashley feels like she needs to protect Joanna. They each have their problems but with help from each other they not find their true love.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and Net Galley for an early copy of Beach House Summer. UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, sooooo "Everything is just perfect". I'm sorry, it was just too much sweetness in All the characters. Wasn't my cup of tea.

“Was she ever going to live a life where she wasn’t running?”

The beautiful cover and the intriguing plot piqued my interest, but for my enjoyment, the pacing was a bit off. I felt like that kid in the Stanford marshmallow experiment; I waited so l-o-n-g for the reveal that my self-control was shattered…and my interest waned.

The cliché theme of appearances can be deceiving and don’t judge a book by its cover were well played out by the author. As I finished the book I was also reminded that fame has its trappings and that starting over takes more courage than we realize. The setting of the Otter’s Nest and Silver Point, California were stunning. The sense of community was fabulous; the people in the town went out of their way to welcome Joanna and Ashley, making me feel like I belonged there, too. However, I couldn’t connect to the characters. I felt Joanna was annoying, like a broken record about Cliff’s constant betrayals, and I thought Ashley lacked the maturity to state her problem and why she was a passenger. Once I put Joanna’s bristly nature aside, I realized the point the author was trying to make…you CAN go home again and YOU can make it happen. Here’s a woman who befriends the unlikeliest of people and returns to a place she ran away from all because her dream of starting over is bigger than her fears. Joanna is to be commended. The author deftly explored our reactions to the curveballs life throws us and put a celebrity marriage in the spotlight while weaving secrets throughout. The three perspectives were necessary but added to my impatience about what was going on.

This was an escapist beach read that had me appreciating more fully my marriage, my relationships and my home.

I was gifted this advance copy by Sarah Morgan, Harlequin Trade Publishing, HQN, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I had a difficult time getting into this book. It’s a book about an unlikely friendship and really reveals how when 2 people from very different backgrounds are friends, it can be beneficial to both of the friends!