Baby is so unlikeable in the beginning but readers see her growth throughout the book, especially at the end. thanks netgalley & the publisher for the ARC!

ARC review - Expected Release September 6, 2022

This novel has vibes similar to the show Outer Banks if a little bleaker, add in the Dirty Dancing like setting, and insert some interesting characters, and you’ve got a great vacation read. It’s a pretty solid

The main character in this story is Dumpster Baby, yup you read that right. Which threw me off for a bit but actually works really well for the character as you can imagine the life that forged this into her moniker. Despite her name is she is a strong, independent, and driven character, she does have plenty of flaws but that leads to her feeling more believable.

Baby lives in a summer vacation area that thrives on summer spending to get them through the winter. When the resort she works at is sold to a new owner her whole life is thrown into chaos as her and her friends attempt to stop the changes from happen. On a separate front a drug dealer from their past is released from prison with a score to settle and meth to sell, which causes even more problems for the local community. All this on top of Baby trying to figure out her future with on again off again summer fling.

This story is more character driven than plot although there are several for the story the main focus is around the characters. They feel real, and keep your emotions flowing throughout the novel.

Frankie Corzo does a wonderful job narrating this story and bringing it to life.

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to read the ARC of this book; I received this ARC in exchange for review, however this does not affect the outcome of my review in anyway.

Baby has problems. She drinks too much and has a boyfriend who can't commit. And now that Big Mike, the local kingpin, is back, her summer is about to turn sour... She lives and works at a resort about to be sold to a woman who wants to renovate it, destroying Baby's home. When Baby sets to find a sunken treasure to save her home, Mike won't let her get her hands on it so easily.
This was a slow start (I was going to DNF it), but it picks up at around 30% and then never stops. It was hard for me to relate to Baby because of her drinking problem (but this is really a me thing). I listened to it as an audio book, and the narration was great. It was a good, slow-then-fast-paced mystery.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I'm sorry to say I'd be happy to put Baby in a corner. I tried so hard to get into this book but I couldn't not stand Baby. She was so irritating and it colored the whole book. I think if you can get past the character issues, and you're a fan of shows set in places like the Outer Banks, you would enjoy this one. Sadly, it just wasn't for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.

I didn't expect to love this as much as I did. I found Baby annoying, initially, like I wanted the best for her but I was like "wow so many bad choices. Why are you like this?" but I was still rooting for her. It takes real talent to make a character like that.
Baby is a troubled young woman with a difficult past. She was a baby found in a dumpster and adopted by a lonely alcoholic woman. Essentially baby grows up in a bar with other troubled messy people. She has never left her hometown. She has no desire to leave. She is essentially rooted there due to a lack of family connections. She is also head over heels in love with a super rich guy who just visits in the summer.
When her adopted mom dies and the bar/resort is sold she reacts by doing the craziest stuff you can even imagine. Meanwhile, the town is dealing with other crazy things and they are all low key annoyed with Baby.
I loved the ending.
Bravo.

What a surprise this book turned out to be! Initially, it was giving me Mystic Pizza vibes; small town girl falls for the rich uppity guy who comes back summer after summer. But then it took quite the turn, making it a fun, noir mystery I could not put down.

Baby is the type of main character you'll either love or hate, and I absolutely loved her! She's locally known as the Dumpster Baby and has had a hard upbringing. But she knows who she is and will do anything for her friends who she loves like family.

I highly recommend this audiobook for those who love fast paced and entertaining reads with lots of twists and turns. And the narrator did a fantastic job with it.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the arc of this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.