There were some funny parts to this book and it was a relatively quick read, however I spent most of the book wondering wtf. The main character is not likeable - in fact I wanted to throw her out of the book. She is not nice, annoying, and frankly she ruins the book. Some parts are repetitive and there is not a ton that actually happens. There is no growth, no ah ha moment. It really was just not my cup of tea, unfortunately.

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

I had SO MUCH fun with this one! What a ridiculous, hilarious ride. Watching the protagonist Kathleen navigate life in her new beach town as she becomes more and more bewildered and frustrated is just so much fun. You can’t read one chapter of this book and put it down! A perfect summer read!

After 30 years of marriage, Kathleen’s husband announced suddenly over their weekly Sunday breakfast out, that he wanted a divorce and was leaving the following week on a four month world cruise. She did not want to stay in Kansas City, so she decided to move to the beach town on Long Island that an old friend lives in. When she arrived at her new home, ie. former oyster shack, Kathleen discovered that a giant house was being built next door. There are some fun moments in the book, but the way the way the story was written was annoying at times for me. Someone else might love it.

I received a free copy of this book to review through NetGalley.

When Kathleens husband decides to leave her for a multi-month cruise, she is confused but decides to ditch her life in Kansas and head to a beach town. Whitbey isn’t exactly like she expected though, especially with the construction building a mcmansion next door. All without the correct permits of course. She makes friends with her new neighbor Rosemary and the two becomes determined to stop this monstrosity from being built.

The anti beach, beach read! I Wass so excited to dive into this one! Unfortunately, it left me a bit wanting. I did’t fall in love with any of the characters, and the entire book was very repetitive. I loved the idea of fighting the town and the bribery to stop a mansion from ruining everyones beach view/home, but I wish it was more of a quirky fight. If I had purchased an expensive white couch and found construction workers from next door dropping food all over it, I would not just walk away. Overall, I just wanted more from this one.

Surprised by the comments complaining that this novel wasn't a whimsical, light summer read when the publisher's description calls it an "un-beach read." It's wonderful, mildly absurdist, and feels authentic.

Went into this expecting to laugh but I was mostly annoyed. The way Kathleen seemed to insert herself into everything got frustrating. It was harder to be on her side than I expected. Expectations could be the issue here!

Debut | Contemporary | Generational representation (ages 50+) | Beach town setting | Light-hearted

Have you ever met someone or had a friend who complained about everything while simultaneously inserting themselves into everyone's business but their own? Well that is Kathleen.

Kathleen is a retiree living a slow life in Kansas when her husband Tom springs divorce plans on her out of nowhere. As Tom leaves on a seafaring cruise adventure, Kathleen sells their home and moves into a beachside shack in a small beach town. This is supposed to be Kathleen's new start: she's going to make friends, start new hobbies and forget about Tom. However, all her plans are thwarted when her neighbors start to build a mansion next door that is not up to code. Kathleen quickly finds herself going down a rabbit hole of small town fights about permits and petty neighborhood actions.

Although I did not find the book to be outright hilarious, I was very consistently amused by Kathleen's inability to mind her own business. I quickly flew through it. The premise, although infuriating, was ridiculous and entertaining. Don't go into it expecting to love the characters; if anything, expect to hate and judge them.

Castellano's writing style was inviting and easy to read. Save What's Left is told from Kathleen's first person point of view. Her narrative voice is strong and consistent. This is definitely a character-driven story where the plot heavily meanders with no real target in sight.

Save What's Left is a solid debut about the woes and pains of retirement and even possibly of having too much time on your hands. I'm excited to see what Castellano conjures up next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Vintage Anchor for an advanced reader copy of Save What's Left.

I really hate to give negative reviews. I know a lot of work went into writing this book but it was not for me. I finished the book because the plot seemed entertaining… at first. The truth is that I didn’t like even one character. I was glad when it was over.

Not my cup of tea. Way too much, "in my head" ,chain of thought conversations. An ironic tale of marriage, separation, reunion, big house to beach shack tale. Crazy neighborhood and corrupt politicians. It is as described, A "tongue in cheek un beach read". Sarcasm galore. An ok book for debut.
I can't not finish a book so I did go to the end,A rather funny ending.
I was provided an advanced reader copy and was under no obligation to review. The opinions expressed are my own except as quoted. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️

Save What’s Left
Author: Elizabeth Castellano
Source: NetGalley
Pub Date: June 27, 2023

When our lead protagonist Kathleen finds out, over dinner, that her cardiac surgeon husband of 30 years, Tom wants out of their marriage in order to “find himself” she decides what the heck. She lives in Kansas…who lives in Kansas? She wants something different too. So, she buys (sight unseen) a little shack on the ocean in the east coast town of Whitbey. She wanted to move somewhere to make friends and to get out her own rut. But Whitbey is not the paradise she expected. Her home is literally a lobster shack next to a massive construction zone with a variety of zoning defects. Kathleen’s new circumstances force her to stop being a doormat and find a new purpose in life…fighting injustice. This is not a laugh out loud book, but it is witty, sharp, and charming. The characters in the novel are a hoot as Kathleen’s caustic and grumpy friends. Save What’s Left is a good debut novel for author Elizabeth Castellano. #life #fiction #humor #brave #acceptance #contemporary #witty @netgalley @elizabeth.castelll @vintageanchorbooks #anchorbooks #savewhatsleft
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I received a complimentary copy of this ARC. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to Anchor Books, NetGalley, and the author for the opportunity to read this novel. Pub. Date: June 27, 2023.
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I had a really hard time getting in to this book. I was excited to read it based on the description but for me it fell short. The negative rants were too much for me and I couldn’t finish it. I couldn’t seem to find much humor, it just sounded like the rants of a grumpy older woman.

The sales materials for Save What's Left by Elizabeth Castellano led me to think I was requesting a novel of a woman finding her way in mid-life with the background of a beach town. Seems I'd be the target audience. I think I was expecting more of a character piece but instead it's pretty stream of consciousness. There are funny parts and I think there's an audience for this book but it just wasn't for me. If you like a more free flowing writing style this might be good for you.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of Save What's Left in exchange for an honest opinion.

I hate to do this but I could not finish this book. I got 50% through it and decided it was not for me. There was way to much wining on the part of the main character Kathleen. I did feel for her because of the drama with the huge house being built beside her but she got herself in that mess by buying a house without seeing it first hand. She is a depressing character. Sorry to say this book did not work for me.

I really wanted to like this book. It sounded nice and I felt like the setting would be really enjoyable to read about. But it took me three tries to just start it. Once I did manage to get through the first chapter, I found myself annoyed with the main character. She started out pretty normal, but about 33% of the way in she becomes this absolute Karen.

She takes to writing the most cringey emails to these people who are just doing their jobs, and spends all her time in a never ending pity party.

Mind you, I didn't get past the first third of the book cause it was just not for me.

This book called out to be a DNF for me but I kept going and read through to the end only to wonder why I did. That's all I'm going to comment on this book. I don't like to leave negative reviews so this is the only place I will be leaving any feedback.

Save What’s Left kept me slightly entertained but I felt like I was reading the ramblings of a middle aged woman with attention deficit disorder. So many random side stories. And then the ending was a bit ho- hum. Life is what you make it people- even in our fiction!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

I just can't. I made it to 26% and the silliness just finished me. There is no story here, just a lot of words, many of which don't even make sense.

I give up.

This story shows us a different side of life in a beach town. When Kathleen Deane’s husband tells her he is no longer happy and wants to go off and find who he is now, she decides to go to a town called Whitbey that has always looked lovely in the Christmas letters her childhood friend Josie sends every year.
Once she arrives, she finds the town is nothing like the Christmas letters she received every year. She stays and gets involved in the community. Even though this is nothing like she expected or how life here would be, she realizes that this is where she is meant to be. It is amazing how life makes this happen.
I received an ARC from Anchor, through NetGalley.

This is a fun/easy read. There were times I thought the story could move along a little quicker, but it was an enjoyable read. Funny, we are thinking about moving to a beach town and this book makes me wonder if they are all actually pretty crazy. Kathleen is pretty entertaining and definitely begins to act like a beach townie.

This book had some funny moments, but man it just felt so repetitive. The actual writing was actually really good, and I wanted to read more, just didn't enjoy this particular one.