This book is bizarre, and I mean that as a compliment.
Jenn's moderately crappy husband wants a divorce, so she packs up the kids and goes to the tiny beach town she grew up in, supposedly to "clean up her mom's house" after her mom passed away, but really mostly to irritate her soon to be ex.

I mean, she does work on getting her mom's house in order, but also <spoiler>reunites with a childhood friend who disappeared while swimming and is somehow still 10 years old, works on not working on her new novel, falls in love, and helps her children fight in the sea monster apocalypse.</spoiler>

Really recommend not reading the spoilers if you're planning on reading this one because the amount of directions this book goes is both hilarious and unexpected. I wish goodreads did half stars, because this is a 3.5 for sure - not quite a 4 as I felt like it was a little long for what it did.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this one - a very fun read.

I found Emily Jane’s first novel to be similar in tone to her first - whimsical with a hint of sci-fi, but rooted in great characterization with meaningful on-page relationships. Her characterization really shines through the friendships, family relationship, and romantic relationships that she showcases and develops along the way.

The plot is a bit ridiculous, but in a fun and magical way - a sea monster off the coast of a small beach town, where everything is otherwise as you might expect it (apart from the squidoodle, of course). The main character, Jenni, is a mom who’s about to go through divorce, and dealing with a lot of complicated emotions. It turns out to be a very heartwarming tale about growth and evolving into new versions of yourself.

The sci-fi in this is not too strong, so don’t expect complicated world-building, or a lot of definitive detail regarding the other entities in this book. The focus is definitely on Jenni’s family and relationships, and her kids are hilarious. The side characters definitely carry the plot along and make it a well-rounded cast! The beginning does drag a bit, but the second half makes up for it in action and fun.

With a bit of romance, action, and many heartfelt moments, this was definitely an enjoyable read! Thanks to NetGalley, Hyperion Avenue, and Emily Jane for the eARC! I was so excited to receive this as my first ARC, since I found her first novel to be so much fun.

This book was...interesting. At first I enjoyed the madcap style but it got a little wearing by the end. I also didn't really sympathize with the protagonist. I could have used a little more of her background, both with her mom and with her (ex?) husband. I didn't quite get her reasoning for running away.
For me, the pacing also felt a little wonky. Bit of a mushy middle, with the end coming fast and furious. I also just didn't 'get' that last confrontation between the squidoodles and the Big Bad. I understand that it's supposed to be zany but all of the crazy things they created just felt like too much for me.
Based on other reviews I've seen, I think I will give Jane's earlier work a try.

This book is insanely good and I can honestly say I haven't read anything like it ever before!!! I loved how fast paced it was and how Emily Jane was able to perfectly blend together the sci fi, horror, mystery, and romance genres together. This was such a fun and intriguing book and I cannot wait to go and read more of Emily's books!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the arc!!

This was such a fun ride! A real genre bender of a novel and one of the most unique I've ever read. It really had everything you could ask for: humor, action, family drama, romance, adorable squid creatures, and mild eldritch horror. As a fan of Pokémon I also appreciated those references. I've never read Emily Jane before, but I'll be certain to grab any books I see going forward!

This book ended up not being for me. I can think of friends who will love it and have recommended adding it to their TBR. The writing and characters were good, but I found myself wanting to put it down.

Here beside the Rising Tide is an unconventional humorous tale about an unhappy family about to go through a divorce. Jenn packs up the kids and dog and runs away to her childhood home. And then something weird happens - a childhood friend who drowned 30 years ago returns…and he is still 10 years old.
It’s a fun story but has underlying aspects that we can all relate to. It’s chick lit, it’s fantasy, it’s humorous.

I really loved this author's previous book, so I was very excited to read her new novel, and this one did not disappoint me!
Again, Emily Jane brings a FUN story with monsters (not aliens, like in her last book), adult characters going through real life and relatable issues, and kids! Lovely, adorable, charismatic kids as a huge part of the narrative.
I loved everything about this book. Also, the fact that the adult main character is a mystery-smut writer was a nice treat. LOL
I'll come back here with a full review by the publication date, but I must recommend this book to everyone who likes these tropes or to whom has read Jane's previous book and enjoyed it.

Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books, for providing me with a free e ARC of this delightful and FUN novel.

This was an interesting title in that it explores so many different genres. I thought the concept was unique and really kept me on my toes throughout. It can be really difficult to pull off a mix of genres like this, but I thought the author did an excellent job of doing this without feeling disjointed. At the heart of the book is a woman trying to hold onto pieces of her life that seem to be slipping away, which is something we all feel at least some of the time. I enjoyed the moral of the story as well the relationship between Jenni and the kiddos. This was a very surprising read in that I didn't know much about it going into it. I think this title really benefits from that approach and added to my enjoyment.

Here Beside the Rising Tide by Emily Jane brought back memories of my childhood, of summers at Rehoboth Beach, and walking along the beach in New Bedford.

I really enjoyed the beginning, detailing Jenn’s early life on the island and meeting Timmy. And I enjoyed the last quarter or so of the book. However, there was a lot of the middle that just seemed to drag on for me. There were some horror and sci fi elements that were fun.

However, around the first quarter, I started growing bored with the book. At that point, I disliked every character and didn’t really care what happened to them. Then some secondary characters show up: Timmy reappears, the contractor and his cute grandma, and there’s a shift. Jenn starts listening and her kids stop being brats, and I began to care. I wanted them to succeed, to win, to be happy. There’s a scene where most of the town show up on the beach and that was a really fun scene to me.

Three and a half out of five

I struggled with the middle of this book, but the ending was really satisfying for me. I adored the beginning and the premise was really fun. I think I would have enjoyed the story if a lot of the middle was taken out and we got to the meat of the story faster.

This one was interesting, as it will be pretty hard to categorize: romance, sci-fi, YA, mid-life crisis. It was fun, heart-warming, and occasionally very funny. The kids were hilarious, and their one-liners were classic. The big negative for me was the diversity of styles -- it felt a little schizophrenic, and the end felt pretty cartoonish.

This shouldn't dissuade anyone from reading this -- I really liked it, particularly the first half of the book.

I will definitely read more from the author.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

Such a fun read! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of Here Beside the Rising Tide, by Emily Jane, from Hyperion Avenue/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

I was so excited to get a chance to do an early read of this book—I loved Emily Jane’s first one (On Earth as It Is on Television), so had super-high hopes.

Alas, Ms Jane did not hit the same high-water mark this go around, resorting to what felt like forced whimsy to me. And this book went on too long.

All that said, it was still a lot of escapist fun, and I would not hesitate for a minute to read her next book, if she writes one.

Which I hope she does.

DESCRIPTION
A romance author takes a trip to her childhood beach home, but her summer is upended by the startling return of a deceased childhood friend, newfound love, and . . . sea monsters?

"Unique and utterly heartwarming" – Ruby Dixon

"Emily Jane is a storyteller unbound by genre" – Rebekah Bergman

From the author of On Earth as It Is on Television.

At age ten, Jenni Farrow and her new best friend, Timmy Caruso, enjoy a glorious summer on Pearl Island filled with fireworks, beach days, and carnival rides (not to mention that strange sea creature they rescue from a tide pool). Then, one late summer day, Timmy disappears.

Thirty years later, Jenni—now Jenn Lanaro, bestselling author of the Philipia Bay action-romance series—is desperate to escape the fatigue of her career and her soon-to-be-ex-husband. With her Pokémon-obsessed kids in tow, Jenn rents a summer house on Pearl Island. But shortly after she arrives, a boy emerges from the nighttime sea. His name, he says, is Timmy Caruso. He’s ten years old. He’s on a mission to save the world, and he needs her help.

In the days that follow, as Jenn grapples with work deadlines, spirited children, and her burgeoning interest in a very sexy contractor, alarming and mysterious events unfold along the coast. And when a terror appears in the deeper waters, Jenn begins to wonder if, just maybe, Timmy is onto something.

This second book by the author of On Earth as It Is on Television continues her voice-driven, genre-bending multiverse of fiction that is just flat-out fun.

This was wild. I’m not even sure what to say. It was incredibly interesting, heartwarming and just very weirdly fantastic

Jenni Farrow lost her best friend at age 10 in a horrible event. Since then, she has never forgotten Timmy Caruso and never truly connected with another person. It's 30 years later, and she is running from the end of her marriage with her children in tow. She runs quite literally back to the islan where she grew up and where she lost Timmy. While she grapples with her new life and her teen children, her very pushy editor (and friend) harangues her, hoping she finished the lates Philipia Bay action-romance novel What happens next is difficult to describe but delightful - part science fiction, part rom com and a dash of horror - this is a book you won't doon forget!

#hyperion #herebesidetherisingtide #emilyjane

Here Beside the Rising Tide is a combination of an author's determination to keep her children close mid divorce, and also processing her mothers death. When Jenni Farrow befriends a fellow kid at the beach, they are inseperable for a summer. One day, though, he vanishes and doesn't reappear till she is in her midlife with children. Where did he come from? How is this possible? and what... is the alien esque creature doing in her bathtub? For lovers of monster movies, strong female authors, and great humor, this is for you!

All in all this was a really fun read! It was a blend of a lot of genres — romance, adventure, some sci fi/fantasy. Sometimes it can be hard to merge genres like that but I think the author did it really well. This book had a really strong atmosphere and summertime that made me sink into it right away and fly through the book. I’ll definitely be checking out Emily Jane’s other books!

Fun read, especially for the summertime. Would recommend taking this on a beach trip! Very cute and entertaining, did get a little slow in the middle, but it picked by up.

This was fun! It made me want a beach town vacation with plenty of junk food. It got a bit slow moving after maybe the first 30% but picked back up at the end. I wanted more romance with Jenni and the contractor throughout.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Here Beside the Rising Tide" was unique from anything i've read before. It was a blend of sci-fi, romance, and action/adventure. I thought that the plot was intriguing; Timmy Caruso, a 10-year old boy thought to be dead since 30 years ago suddenly emerges from the sea, determined to save the world from sea monsters. It was at times somewhat ridiculous but in a good way--I love that the author embraces the weird and absurd. I also appreciated the found family aspect and the message of being able to "evolve." I found this book humourous and heartwarming.