Paradise Girls

My personal opinion of what makes a book a good read is it makes you laugh, makes you smile, keeps your interest, and makes you feel as if you are on location of the story. Paradise Girls does all that plus more. It's been a while since I've read something that made me laugh, hated to put down, and hated to finish. Just a "make you feel good" story.

even though at times I felt there was disjointedness, I really liked this book. it all comes down to family and how you choose to behave with them.

I usually pick up a book because the book cover attracts me, I like the book blurb, or I know the author’s previous work. I do in many cases read first time authors.

In this case, the book cover is beautiful and I thought the blurb was interesting. Honestly, I did not focus on who the author was. As I am reading, I am constantly thinking why I have never read books by this person before, because I love the writing style, the wonderful characters, the setting and the plot. About one-fourth into the book, I stopped and looked up the author and found that this is her first full-length novel! I am blown away by that! (She has previously written many gift books, which look fabulous.)

I was thrilled for the author, that this is the first novel she has written and it is fantastic! I was so deeply involved in the story and was close to tears many times, and then I was laughing out loud! I think it takes a truly gifted person to bring out emotions like that in a reader.

I enjoyed so much about this book I could go on and on but I will just stop at saying that I love the characters, and I think that is what truly drives a story. You have to care about the characters to really enjoy the story.

I am so looking forward to the books that Sandy Gingras will write in the future and I predict that she will have a great career as an author of novels.

I want to thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for giving me the immense pleasure of reading the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is written freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.

More self discovery and forgiveness and family drama than romance, this novel is about a woman who does what I often think about doing on a bad day - she runs away to the beach. This book wasn’t really what I was expecting but it was a quick, easy read that left me feeling quite content. All of the characters evolved and changed as they learned more about themselves and connected with others.

(I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.)

I really enjoyed reading Paradise Girls. This Christmas, Mary is in a funk. She has helped her boss create an empire of home magazines. She longs for the days when they were just getting started and designed smaller homes. Now she has just written about a gazillion-dollar mansion with a moat. She is in a dead-end relationship with her boss who has once again cancelled their plans for Christmas. In addition, she is estranged from her daughter, CC and her granddaughter, Larkin. Mary decides to book a trip to a hotel that is on the edge of the Everglades for her and her family. CC bails on the trip and Mary is stuck with an unhappy Larkin.

The two of them book a tour on Daniel's boat. Daniel is a man that is having issues since his son was killed in Afghanistan. He is living on a houseboat with his son's 3- legged dog. He feels sad and without purpose. The Charter ends up in a disaster as Mary casts a hook into Daniel's neck and then wrecks his boat. The three of them end helping each other out and spend some time together. This story shows how wounded people can help each other to find themselves. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

This is a heartwarming story about loss, forgiveness, and personal growth. The story centers around three characters, Mary, Daniel, and Ollie, each of whom is at a crossroads in life. Mary, a 42-year old mother and grandmother, has just broken up with her long-term boss/boyfriend in New York. At the urging of her best friend, she and her granddaughter, Larkin, head to the Low-Key Inn, an old beach hotel in Florida, for Christmas. Mary had hoped that her estranged daughter, CC, would join them, but CC had other plans in mind. While in Florida, Mary meets Daniel, a pensive loner and fishing guide who has demons of his own to overcome. She also befriends, Ollie, the elderly woman who owns the Inn and is struggling to maintain it. As their lives become more and more intertwined, Mary, Daniel, and Ollie draw strength from each other and begin to realize that there just might be a light at the end of the tunnel after all.

This is a beautifully written book by Sandy Gingras, and I would definitely recommend it to Jenna Bush Hager's book club!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending me this book to read!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I love a good story of starting over - starting fresh - finding yourself.

There was also a cast of quirky characters that all together become a family.

If you're looking for a nice, light and easy read - look no further.

What a great story about lost women finding their place in the world. Reconnecting with family, taking new directions and making friends. In a 70s style Inn on the coast of Florida 2 women come together in a place in their lives when they are at a precipice of change. Ollie who owns the In is no longer under the thumb of her former husband and Mary has left the man that has spent many years unwilling to commit. Mary has her estranged granddaughter with her for the first time and wants so badly to reconnect with her daughter and be allowed to be a grandmother. Stories of loss and regretted choices and then redirection and choosing for themselves.
I love Mary and Larkin and how Mary is able to give life back into Larkins dreary childhood. I can feel the love and joy come from the pages as i read. I want to book a trip to stay at the Inn and have my life affirming experience. This was a great feel good book perfect for a summer read on the beach.
Thank you Sandy Gringas and St Martins Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.

Touching and endearing story from start to finish. The characters are so well written and their individual stories combine for a truly wonderful take.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Absolutely loved this book. Gives different perspectives on living life. Delightful characters delving into painful history. Makes you contemplate the what ifs.

The story is about healing and confronting ones deepest fear and sorrows and taking the next step, and there are people and places who brings joy and surprises to others not in a magical way but in the gratitude and experiences way that helps them make those next steps.
There are many places in this story that made me smile but there are two in particular that are my favorites.
The Low-Key Inn which is a rundown motel that has much heart and beauty in it and brings peace of mind to others because its owner Ollie decided that birds and flowers were more important than money.
My other favorite is the character Tri-pod a three legged dog who befriends a little girl and brings a smile to her face and others and is a support to his owner Kipper, who lost his son.
I found that the book is very emotional as the characters deal with their lives and confront their fears, but at the same time there is hope that makes you believe that everything will work out and makes the book more enjoyable to read.
I want to thank St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for this wonderful book

Thank you for the advance copy of this book! Once I got started I couldn't put this book down! Mary is an interior designer on the brink of some major life decisions, and she winds up at a kitschy hotel with her granddaughter for the holidays. I loved all of the characters and the descriptions of the Low-Key Inn- I just wish I could stay there! Sandy Gringas truly brought this slice of 70s paradise to life.

I just reviewed Paradise Girls by Sandy Gingras. #NetGalley

Heartwarming and endearing.

After Mary breaks up with her fiancé, her best friend suggests a vacation. Mary and her granddaughter head to the Florida where she stays at a quaint resort called the Low-Key Inn, where it seems amazing things happen to the guests. Some find love, some find adventure and some discover a whole new life. Mary takes her life in a whole new direction; new friends a new fun-loving attitude, and most importantly, Daniel, the captain of the boat who took Mary and her granddaughter out fishing.

The Low-key Inn is also a place where life-long friendships are made. And in the center of it all is Ollie, the resort owner. But Ollie is struggling to keep the place afloat and doesn’t know what her future will look like until she meets Al. Al just might be who Ollie needed in her life at the time.

I had a hard time putting this book down. The characters grew on me and I couldn’t wait to see how their stories would turn out. I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book.