I really wanted to enjoy this book but I can’t even tell you what the main premise was. I was so incredibly bored throughout this book. I just couldn’t DNF it because I don’t DNF books. But I had a really hard time following it. I just felt the main character rambled on and on and on.

I adored this hilarious novel. Small coastal town, a wife leaving her husband, and the town council make up a good part of the plot. A fun lighthearted read not to be missed..

"Save What’s Left" takes readers on a journey of self-discovery in the quaint beach town of Whitbey. Kathleen's quest for happiness amid unexpected challenges makes for a relatable and candid narrative.

While the story, told from a newcomer's perspective, unveils the realities behind the picturesque facade, some readers might find the protagonist's focus on local politics less engaging.

Despite moments of humor, the entertainment level wavers, earning it a 3 of 5 stars.. While it may not have been the perfect summer beach read for me, it holds potential appeal for those seeking tales of forgiveness, fortitude, and second chances in unexpected places.


I received an advance copy from NetGalley. This review is my honest opinion.

I was intrigued to read this book as it was touted as one of the "best reads of the summer" by People magazine, but it fell a bit flat for me. I typically enjoy a "second act" book when a character has endured some sort of dramatic life event or trauma and then goes one to find a new and different life elsewhere, however this one was just a bit out there. The book had its' funny and enjoyable moments but it also was very slow moving and repetitive, the continual problems the main character faced grew tiresome and there didn't appear to be a lot of "growth" taking place. This one just wasn't for me.

This was such a charming, heart-warming "un beach read." I loved seeing this fish out of water get to know her community and neighbors, and was smiling to the last page.

I thought this might be a cute beach read but it wasn’t.
I couldn’t get into the vibe of the book nor did I particularly care for any of the characters, especially Kathleen.
I thought she was a doormat for taking her husband back after what he’d done.
The plot was kind of lackluster and dull.
I just didn’t take,to this book, sorry to say.

I'm sure some people would love this book - but for me, it fell flat and was a DNF at 40%. I kept waiting for something to happen, but it was dragging. Not a bad book, just not a quick mover.

This was requested when I first found out about NetGalley and I had requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before they were archived. I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting. If I can find this somewhere for a reasonable price, I will try to get it! I am giving this book three stars, as I don't want to give it a good or bad rating, since I did not get to it.

I really enjoyed this! Kathleen’s husband surprises her when he decides to leave to find himself. She decides to make her own change and moves to a beach town. She imagines herself enjoying a beach blissful life. But what she finds is far from what she expected. I literally laughed out loud while reading this
book! The situations that Kathleen finds herself in and the commentary is so entertaining.

I was comped a copy of this debut from the publisher through NetGalley but I chose to listen to the audio version. I didn't care for the audio reader's dramatic renderings, but I do think it was all that drama that ultimately kept me alert and enabled me to finish it quickly rather than putting it aside unfinished. The story was pretty repetitive, but the characterizations were rather interesting; and I might read Castellano again if the story is about something I actually care about.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. I loved the thought of a newly divorced women moving to a beach town for a fresh start and the fact that it was a GMA book pic was an extra bonus. I realize that it was intended to be humorous, but after the first couple of chapters I found it boring and depressing. I had a hard time finishing it.

The Short of It:

Chaotic in an oddly entertaining way.

The Rest of It:

“An outrageously funny debut novel about a woman who moves to a small beach town looking for peace, only to find herself in an all-out war with her neighbors..” – Bookshop.org

I actually thought this book was hilarious. I picked it up when I wasn’t feeling too great and was instantly perked up. Unfortunately when I finished it I was really out of it so couldn’t formulate my thoughts. This is my best attempt now.

Kathleen Deane finds herself on a little discovery adventure when her husband of 30 years decided he no longer wants to be married. This is a shock. I mean, 30 years is a long time. As she tries to make sense of it, she begins to think about her next steps and that lands her in a small beach town. The idea of growing old in a quaint little beach town has always appealed to her so she sets it all in motion to make it a reality.

What she doesn’t count on is the town being completely off kilter. Construction, building violations and city officials who do not return her calls. It’s comical at best. The interactions with neighbors and honestly folks just walking by really make you rethink idyllic beach towns. Do they exist?

This story is very episodic. This happens and then that happens. Every time I picked it up it put a smile on my face . If you need something a little different to add to your reading list, add Save What’s Left.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of Save What's Left by Elizabeth Castellano.
Save What's Next is a humorous account of middle-age and trying to find happiness later in life. Maybe it is my age, but I found a lot of wisdom and humor in this book and anticipate that it will be a hit for book clubs.

After Kathleen’s husband turns their 30 year marriage upside down, she goes in search of the proverbial beach house life. But boy was she in for a surprise!

While I appreciated the older main character (I just can do college frat anymore!), I did find it frustrating how ranty the book felt.

The cast of characters was fun but the story left something to be desired. Redemption maybe?

All in all I did find it to be an entertaining read, one that made me question if I’d really want to live in a beach town.

I found this book to be funny. It’s all written and goes through the struggles of Kathleen - looking to get divorced from her husband and moved to her dream home on the beach. But is it really her dream home?
She starts to become obsessed with what’s happening in the neighborhood and complaining and going crazy.

I wanted to love this...it started off strong. Woman buys beach house, sight unseen, after divorce. Meets quirky neighbors and quirky beach town. But it got boring to me, and I found it harder and harder to go on. The neighbor drama was a bit much-neighbors building gigantic mansion and stuff constantly lands on her porch, her yard, her driveway-even the porta potties on her side. Great idea, great start, too bad the rest didn't pan out. I'll give this author a try again, though!

Overall a decent story - I did have a hard time getting into it - maybe just not my cup of tea writing style wise

I couldn’t wait to read Save What’s Left by Elizabeth Castellano after seeing these quotes: “’Save What’s Left,’ the ‘outrageously funny’ debut novel of author Elizabeth Castellano, is our ‘GMA’ Book Club pick for July.” and “In the critically-acclaimed novel, Castellano writes an original witty tale that has kept readers laughing.” It sounded like a fun read. However, I was disappointed. Several times, I put it down and said that it is not worth spending my time reading this. However, I kept reading it, waiting for it to get better. Unfortunately, it did not deliver. It had an uninteresting plot and I did not think it was funny at all.

It is the story of Kathleen, a woman whose husband leaves her after 30 years of marriage. She moves from Kansas City to a beach town on Long Island where her best friend lives. With her neighbor, she becomes embattled in small town politics. The characters are quirky. Some of the scenes had the potential to be funny. However, it fell short. I felt like it was just one long rant about how mis-managed this small beach town’s government was. The negativity was overpowering. The chapters were long and tended to ramble. I don’t understand how it became a GMA Book Club pick.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for providing me with an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the premise of this book and it hit close to home on divorce/split after a long marriage. I loved the beach location.

But something about Kathleen just rubbed me wrong. And I felt it was repetitive and could have been shorter.

It was a quick, easy read.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Vintage Anchor for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have to say that seeing this book was a GMA book club pick and was touted as one of the best books to read during the summer, I thought this would be a great escape in the pages. However, it just did not deliver. The main character, Kathleen, was an irritating, whiny, over-the-top complainer. I felt for the sudden end to a 30-year marriage … been there done that. And her willingness to pack up and move and start a new life was admirable. But that’s where the good things end. I did not enjoy the constant negativity. Good Lord! We experience that enough in our everyday lives. I didn’t want to experience that full on throughout the pages of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Anchor for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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