This was my first book by Pamela Kelley. I fell in love with the characters in the story. Chatham sounds like a picturesque place where you want to visit and stay for a while. A beach setting with 3 women from a family who are all grieving surround this story. It is easy to follow along and the places they visit in the story sound so lovely, and you feel like you are there with them. I rated the book 4.5 stars. Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. I am leaving this review on my own and it is my own opinion. #theseasidesisters, #pamelakelley, #netgalley, #chatham, #grief, #stmartinspress

Can one summer change everything?
Sisters Sara and Hannah discover themselves when they get to spend a summer together.
The Seaside Sisters is a charming story about finding the magic in books.
Romance and beach round out the story.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have read only one other book by this author and it was pretty good. But this one has a lot of mundane details that I could have done without. But I did enjoy the setting. I just wanted it to move a bit faster.

THE SEASIDE SISTERS - Pamela M. Kelley

Summer Read - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - Brooklyn-based Hannah is a bestselling author struggling to write her second book. Her older sister, Sara, dreams of getting out of the house now that the kids are older, but instead, she is stuck with too many family responsibilities. When Hannah gets the chance to retreat to her aunt's home on Cape Cod for the summer, it seems like the solution to break her writer's block. And she’ll be able to spend more time with Sara, who is eager to find her way back into the workforce. The pair will spend the summer making friends, rekindling romance, and opening themselves up to the magic of books and the beach.

Writing - 4 stars - This is a new-to-me author, and I found her writing to be casual and friendly, and it drew me in right from the first page.

Characters - 4.5 stars - I became invested in these characters right away. Hannah is warm and friendly, successful in her career, but she's also not afraid to show her worry about her writing and vulnerability about her success. Sister Sara is also a strong character, but as a stay-at-home mom, she's feeling undervalued and frustrated. I liked her no-nonsense solutions when she faced her problems. Spencer is an understated hero, almost in the background throughout most of the book, although his presence is always there. Secondary characters of Aunt Maddie and Uncle Richie, plus friends Natalie and Lucy added more dimension and depth to the story.

Title - 4 stars - This is pretty self-explanatory in that the book features two sisters, both on Cape Cod for the summer.

Cover - 4.5 stars - A beautiful cover showing a relaxing beach scene with chairs and a book. Although the colors are not particularly summery, they are beautiful and eye-catching.

Overall - 4 stars - This was a very enjoyable and pleasant read. I got the sense of summer and warmth and family, all of which were nice without a lot of drama. This is more of a character study than an action-packed story, of course. Hannah and Sara (the sisters) are both strong yet sensitive women which careers and aspirations, without being pushy. They support each other, with strong family ties. The setting was beautiful, the tone was peaceful, and I found the quiet story to be just right for a friendly beach read. The story moved forward quickly, kept my attention, and never lost its warm appeal.

I love a good going home story. This one is that.

A fun summer read. Spend some time in the Cap Cod setting. You won't regret it. Beautifully described. Hannah and her family and their growth over time is a heartfelt story.

Grab the Seaside Sisters and head for the beach.

Thanks to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc.

This is a nice book to read on the beach. It is not a complicated story, and the romances are fun, even if they are predictable. This is a chance to enjoy a day or two in Chatham.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

After a huge bout of writer’s block, Hannah returns home to find a way to overcome the issue. With the news of Hannah’s return, her sister decides to spend more time with Hannah. Sarah is trying to overcome her own sense of a lack of fulfillment in life as a stay-at-home mother and wife. A summer between sisters is the key to leading this duo back on the path to fulfillment.

I have to be honest; I was not familiar with the author Pamela Kelley. The cover to the Seaside Sisters along with the blurb tempted me to take a dive into the unknown. What I expected was a book of second chances, strengthening family bonds and a discovery of finding one’s self when facings life’s challenges. However – the book fell short of delivering on the premise of fulfillment.

There are multiple POV’s, the most distracting of which was that of the girls aunt. The relationships in the book seemed ‘off’ for lack of a better description. The dates in the book and the male interactions were lacking connection and seemed a bit glossed over. The novel does explore life’s ups and downs, but it lacked the connection one would expect from a romance about finding your place in life.

With that said, the book was okay. There was no connectivity between the three separate POV’s and very little interaction between all three women. This beachy read does give several HEA’s, but this book would not make it on my list of rereads that captured my whole heart.

The Seaside Sisters by Pamela Kelley is a good beach read for this summer as it takes place in Cape Cod. I always love a book that's set in Cape Cod. Reading about the beautiful beaches and dreaming about being near the ocean is always a good summer read.

Hannah lives in New York and since her mother passed she's been having panic attacks. Hannah is also an author. Her first book has recently been published but now she's in a rut working on the second book. When her Aunt calls and suggest spending the summer on Cape Cod she thinks being around family and the beach might just be the answer to help her relax. Her sister lives there too and it would be good to spend more time with her.

As predicted being with her aunt and sister do help ease her stress and slowly the words start flowing again. Hannah joins a local writing group and starts making new friends. Spending the summer here is great but it's not Brooklyn.

The book is called The Seaside Sisters but Hannah feels like the main character. There is a small side story about her Aunt and her sister but they all seemed second to Hannah's story. I think I would choose a different title for the book as the sister relationship wasn't a main theme of the book.

This book took me a bit to get into the characters and I admit I almost stopped reading it. But I persevered and enjoyed the book in the end. At times I found some of the story repetitive but I enjoyed reading about all the scenery and food. I also felt the ending was too rushed.

***Not published in my review because of spoilers. On the second last page Hannah says we haven't said I love you to each other and the very next page he proposes. This felt very rushed to me and I wish it was written out a bit more.

Title: The Seaside Sisters
Author: Pamela M. Kelley
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

One summer can change everything.

Brooklyn-based Hannah is a bestselling author struggling to write her second book after personal losses. Her older sister, Sara, still lives in Chatham, Cape Cod, where they grew up, and is married with four children. Once a dedicated librarian, Sara dreams of reviving her love affair with literature, but instead, she is stuck with too many family responsibilities and a fizzling marriage.

When Hannah gets the chance to retreat to her aunt's oceanfront house in Chatham for the summer, it seems like just the thing to get her creative juices flowing. And she’ll be able to spend more time with Sara, who is eager to find her way back into the workforce, to do something rewarding and book-related. The pair will spend the summer making friends, rekindling romance― especially Spencer, an old acquaintance from high school-turned very hot grump― and opening themselves up to the magic of books and the beach.

This…felt very conflict-free to me. Hannah’s storyline did, anyway. It felt almost placid, with only token obstacles thrown up, and Hannah’s “romance” basically didn’t take place at all. They hated each other. They became friends. There was no sign of attraction between them except for one almost-kiss. Then, poof. Hannah’s sister and her aunt had much more conflict in their relationships. This wasn’t a bad read, it was just so-so.

Pamela M. Kelley is a bestselling author. The Seaside Sisters is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

This was a great beach read and a great story! I would highly recommend this book. Its newly released (June 4th), so you should run to get it as soon as possible wherever you buy books.

Hannah is a newer author living in Brooklyn struggling to get her next book finished on deadline. Her aunt and sister live in Chatham Massachusetts and suggest she come down for the summer to spend some time with them and get her writing juices flowing. She decides to do it.

While in town, she's working on grieving her newly passed mother, getting her book done, and finding new friends. We also follow the stories of Hannah's sister Sara and her troubled marriage and Hannah's aunt Maddie's relationship woes. In the end, love prevails for all.

This book meant a lot to me given that it reminded me of home and the small beach town life as well as the grief riddling Hannah with losing her best friend, her mother. I've been grieving my own mother's death from lung cancer as Hannah does and connected so well with the character. I hope you enjoy this great summer read as I have.

#SeasideSisters #NetGalley

Part romance, part women’s fiction, The Seaside Sisters is an ode to sisterhood in all its messy forms. Sisters Hannah and Sara are mourning the loss of their mom, while their Aunt Maddie is grieving her sister. What better place to do that than on the Cape?

Set on Cape Cod for one summer, Maddie attempts to save her marriage, Sara struggles to find her place as a working mom and wife, and Hannah just wants to get her next book written after a breakup.

Cape Cod is my happy place, so I’m always delighted when it’s the setting for a good book, especially with our annual summer vacation there coming up soon.

I loved this book so much and really identified with Sara and her struggle to be seen and appreciated. This was my first Pamela Kelley book, but it won’t be my last.

As always, I encourage you to read for yourself and see how you like it. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Hannah has writer's block, anxiety attacks, mom's death, and break up. She heads for home in Chatham on the ocean. She stays with her Aunt Maddie and has time for in person visits with her sister, Sara. These three women all have personal issues with their husband and/or male friend. Hose these issues work out is one of the goals of the story.
In the end this is an upliftling tale with great advice sprinkled throughout.

Hannah is a struggling writer. Her first book was a big hit, but now she has writer’s block and the deadline for her sophomore novel is fast approaching. Her agent and beloved Aunt Maddie suggest she return to her hometown of Chatham. Maybe a change of scenery will help unblock her creativity and get the words flowing again.
This is the perfect beach read or for those times when you just need a break and want something light to read. It’s a story about family, marriage and love. I enjoyed the little peek into the world of book publishing too. A feel good story that felt like a nice warm hug. 4.25 stars

I enjoyed reading Pamela Kelley's other books, but this one was not up to par. I love her easy, breezy writing style, but the book was predictable and slow-moving. There are too many redundant scenes at the coffee shop and the apparent attempts by others to push the love story. I kept waiting for the development of the sisters' arc. Sadly, it was flat, barely alive. The characters didn't appear to have any chemistry, and I didn't feel the story as I had in the author's other books. But give it a whirl for a lazy summer day read. It's a three-star all around. Many thanks to Net Galley for my Free Advance Copy. This review is entirely my own.

Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin for a copy of The Seaside Sisters by Pamela Kelley.

This is a sweet women's fiction book about sisters, life and relationships. I liked the Cape Cod setting and the wonderful characters. I liked that a few characters from the author's prior book Bookshop by the Bay appear.

If you're looking for an easy beach read that's perfect for an afternoon at the pool you'll enjoy The Seaside Sisters.

The Seaside Sisters by Pamela M. Kelley will make you sit back and remember how it is to go through different life happenings. Hannah finally finds herself and her happiness.

This was my first book by this author & it definitely will be the last. The Seaside Sisters was the perfect beach read.This book will give you all the feels, while still being a great summer, beach read.

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A delightful and charming summer beach read! This was a wonderful, heartfelt story with characters that are so easy to relate to. I loved that the sisters were able to spend time together and reconnect. It's so well written, entertaining and an uplifting read with so much emotion, love, laughter and family. Yes, it's that good!

Having visited Cape Cod and, specifically, Chatham, Massachusetts several years ago, I enjoyed getting lost in the setting of the book. This was definitely light summer beach read. A little too much romance for my taste. But still the characters were well developed and the relationships were well done. I enjoyed reading about Hannah’s writing process and how she was influenced in a variety of ways. Just a light easy read that is perfect for time by the pool or next to the ocean.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

The Seaside Sisters by Pamela M. Kelley is a great choice for a sweet summer read. I had forgot I had this book until I was at the beach looking for something to read. Perfect! It’s a feel good book with lovely characters and a quick and easy read perfect for a day at the beach with a glass (or bottle) of wine! I love the cover and the setting and she just brings it to life and I want to go there and hang out with these people!