Summertime reading just found its perfect match with "Beach House Rules" - a book so captivating that I couldn't wait to dive into bed and lose myself in its pages. This isn't just another beach read; it's a compelling narrative about women supporting women during life's most challenging crossroads.

At the heart of the story is Charlotte Sitterly, whose world is turned upside down when her husband becomes entangled in an FBI investigation. Suddenly locked out of their beautiful beach house, Charlotte and her daughter Iris find themselves seeking refuge in the "mommune" - a unique living arrangement that becomes much more than just a temporary shelter.

What truly sets this book apart is how it weaves together the individual stories of each woman, all orbiting around Charlotte's present predicament. The North Carolina coastal setting is so vividly portrayed that you can practically feel the warm sea breeze and hear the distant waves, making me eagerly anticipate the return of summer days.

A delightful twist of intrigue comes from the anonymous @JuniperShoresSocialite Instagram account, which adds a snarky, real-time commentary to the unfolding drama. The mysterious social media presence injects an extra layer of excitement into the narrative.
Charlotte's personal evolution is particularly compelling. As she navigates this unexpected chapter of her life, we witness her transformation from a woman in crisis to someone finding strength in unexpected places. The book beautifully explores themes of resilience, community, and the power of female solidarity.

"Beach House Rules" is more than just a story - it's a celebration of sisterhood, packed with mystery, heart, and the kind of intricate family dynamics that keep you turning pages late into the night. It's an absolute winner that proves sometimes the most profound connections are forged in our most challenging moments.

With the PNW weather being rainy one minute and bright sun the next I was in the mood to pick up something that felt like a gateway! Beach House Rules delivers… with its beautiful cover that screams #beachlife plus the mysterious synopsis quickly had me picking my copy up.

Charlotte’s husband is arrested, her daughter and her can’t go back home just yet so she accepts an offer from a local neighbor to stay at her house known throughout town as “the mommune” which draws plenty of gossip.

What I loved most about this story was all the stories within the story. You get a look into each resident at the mommune and the very real life situations each one is going through. While the main focus is on Charolette trying to save her husbands reputation and her daughter, Iris hoping they will be able to go home soon, dad and all. You also get to know Alice, head of the Mommune and why she is in the position she is in life and in love.

KWH wrote such a beautiful story about found family, building community and lifting one another up when times are hard. She left me searching for a Mommune to join. As well as a deep desire to visit the North Carolina Coast.

Thank you @gallerybooks @uplitreads for the free ARC

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Super cute story about the power of a sisterhood, and how women will help each other for all aspects of life. I do wish the story would have ended more throughly for Merit and we would have hears more of a happy ending for him instead of it all ending in a lie for him.

This was a fun book. The short Juniper Shores Socialite chapters were a fun throwback for me to the way the Gossip Girl books were formatted. This book will be a great beach read.

I absolutely loved this book! From the very first chapter, I was completely captivated by the story and the vivid descriptions of Juniper Shores. I could almost feel the ocean breeze and hear the sound of waves as Charlotte and Iris stepped into the world of the beachfront mommune. I found myself wishing I could be right there with the characters, joining their unconventional community and experiencing the ups and downs alongside them. The author’s ability to bring the small coastal North Carolina town to life was breathtaking. I loved how the book portrayed the mommune community—it was heartwarming to see how these women supported each other while navigating their own skeletons in the closet.

Overall, I couldn’t put this book down. It had the perfect mix of drama, heartfelt moments, and stunning descriptions that made me feel like I was part of the Juniper Shores community. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a beautifully written, emotionally rich story with characters that truly come alive.

Charlotte's husband is arrested for fraud and she is left destitute. A woman comes to her rescue and asks her to move into her home which everyone in town calls a "mommune" where several women and their children live. I liked the relationships between the women and how they all cared for each other, but the parts of the story about Charlotte's husband fell flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have enjoyed this author a great deal but this book was a bit of a struggle for me. There was so much going on and I didn’t feel I was invested in the characters.

The story takes place in Juniper Shores a lovely beach town in North Carolina. Charlotte’s financier husband is accused of skimming and jailed leaving his wife and daughter with no place to go. Alice, a local “black widow” steps in to invite Charlotte and her daughter, Iris, to her home with several other women and kids…the “mommune”. Charlotte is able to figure out her next moves and finds true friendship at the home while trying to figure out how to get her husband out of jail.

The daughter, Iris, also has a friend group who gathers around her. At one point Iris, a Highschool freshman, starts to work on solving the crime her father allegedly committed by looking through her own financial documents. This felt odd. Simultaneously, Alice is considering closing the mommune to follow her heart. She also has connection to the crime of Charlotte’s husband. The resolution felt unbelievable and rushed. The story got complicated and lost my interest. I would have like more development on less characters, which may simply be personal preference.

Overall, there was too much going on and the privilege felt unrelatable to me. That said, the scenery was well written, I could imagine the community and the cast of characters.

Beach House Rules
by Kristy Woodson Harvey
Pub Date: May 27, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
“Southern bestselling sensation” (Katie Couric Media) Kristy Woodson Harvey returns with a delightfully moving new novel about a mother-daughter duo learning to lean on their community of women—and each other—after their world is turned upside down.
In a beautiful ode to friendship, found family, and the power of a community coming together; Kristy Woodson Harvey’s BEACH HOUSE RULES has everything you want in a delicious gossipy summer read.

Full of vivacious characters with larger than life personas, scandalous pasts, and of-course, the natural southern charm you come to expect in a Harvey novel, you will suck down Beach House Rules like a glass of sweet iced tea on a warm summer Carolina day…!

When your life is falling apart and someone keeps you from falling, that is a true friend. Charlotte Sitterly's husband is accused of financial fraud and is in prison. She and her daughter have lost access to their home, their money and everything they know. At the moment she is emotionally distraught, Alice brings her to her home. A mommune where several women and their children are living together and supporting one another. Grace is rumored to be a "Black Widow" having lost 3 husbands. She gathers people she can help in an effort to maybe change her Karma. These women are who you will want around you if you fall on tough times, or just anytime. Women who care about and help each other because that's how family/friends act. I loved this book. I received an advanced reader copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion. Read it!!

I liked the concept of this book and I think for those that like Harvey's other books and are a fan of Elin Hilderbrand, this will be a favorite read this summer. I would have liked just a little more character development, but the voices were great and the plot was unique.

3.5 🌟

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Plot:
Charlotte’s husband is accused of a financial crime, and she and her daughter Iris are suddenly without a home or financial means. Charlotte is invited by a kind woman named Alice to join the “mommune” at her former Airbnb, where a group of strong women share childcare and housework while also supporting each other emotionally. The book alternates perspectives between Charlotte, Alice, Iris and the town gossip account.

What I liked:
It’s always fun to escape to KWH’s Carolina settings. I was really interested in the journey to finding out the resolution to Charlotte’s husband’s crime and honestly could have used more of that — it was light in the first half. I was rooting for most of the characters and enjoyed their personal development.

What I didn’t love:
For some reason this didn’t keep me hooked, and I found myself finishing just to find the resolution on the husband’s crime. For some reason I wasn’t as interested in Iris or Alice’s chapters, and I didn’t feel like the town gossip account added a ton.

I’m sure fans of KWH will enjoy this, it just wasn’t for me!

Loved how the young adults were able to get an insight into what parents go thru even if they may not know all the details of what a family has going on behind the scenes

Beach House Rules by Kristy Woodson Harvey is another hit by one of my auto-buy authors. I loved the characters and the way they cared for one another. I really enjoyed the story being told from multiple character perspectives. Kristy Woodson Harvey does a fantastic job of showcasing the impact of women's friendships in multiple ways and across generations. Beach House Rules would make a great book club selection, pool side read, or a book to gift all your friends. Thank you to Kristy Woodson Harvey, NetGalley, Uplit Reads, and Gallery Books for the advanced copy.

“We hadn’t just survived, we had thrived”
Welcome to Juniper Shores, more importantly, welcome to the mommune!

I cheered for these women individually and as a unit!!

I could not love a book as much as I loved every single page, every character, every storyline, and every characters growth written as only this author can do!!! This is an absolute read!

I was very excited to get an advanced copy of Kristy Woodson Harvey's latest book, Beach House Rules. To me, Kristy Woodson Harvey signals summer and beach reads, and her latest book was no exception. I enjoyed the characters and liked how it was focused on female friendships/found family. Chapters did change points-of-view among the characters, and I found myself liking certain chapters better than others. I also liked that she added a mystery element to the book, and I thought it was well-written.
Overall, if you are looking for an enjoyable book this summer, I definitely recommend you check out Beach House Rules!

This book was so good! The characters. The plot. The ending. Wow! I could not put it down. Another fantastic book by Kristy Woodson Harvey!

I’ve recently discovered Kristy Woodson Harvey’s
Novels and I have been making my way through them, loving every second. This one was no exception.

When Charlotte Sitterly's husband is arrested for embezzling retirement funds, she suddenly finds her and her teenage daughter, Iris, basically out on the street with no money, no home and no car. The FBI has impounded everything. Charlotte is pretty sure her husband is innocent, but in the meantime, she needs to get on her feet until things can get back to normal. She is rescued by a unique group of women -- in the wealthy beach town of Juniper Shores, they are known as the "momune." They live together with their children in a beautiful house right on the ocean. Charlotte finds the support she needs to get back on her feet and try her best to prove that her husband is innocent. This is a great read -- there is a LOT going on, because each of the women in the "momune" has her own story, as do their children. A perfect summer beach read.

Summer read on the gentler side. Clever setting in the mommune that will resonate with a lot of readers! Thank you NetGalley for the advance ecopy.

A wonderfully fun book about female friendships and a bit of mystery. If you were down on your luck, wouldn’t you want to live in the mommune? The book will be a summer must read.

Thank you #NetGalley, #GalleyBooks, #Simon&Schuster, #KristyWoodsonHarvey and #BeachHouseRules for the advance e-copy for my honest review..