The Bookstore on the Beach by Brenda Novak (Review by Jennifer Holmes)

Rating: 4 stars

The Bookstore on the Beach is packed with romance, family, secrets and a small beach town bookstore. You know going into a Brenda Novak novel you’re in for a treat! She pretty much had me at the title but even I was surprised about the depth of the characters and the serious issues they were facing. I started the book Saturday morning and finished right before dinner!

The Divac family has been through a lot the past year and their escape to Sable Beach is just what they all need. Autumn is looking forward to seeing her mom, helping out in the bookstore and watching her kids be carefree at the beach all summer. They have all been in limbo waiting for Nick to walk through the door, but after eighteen months Autumn is coming to terms it may never happen.

The kids seem to be adjusting just fine and everyone falls into a routine. Autumn enjoys her time at the bookstore but can’t help thinking her mom is hiding something from her. Her plan is to avoid her old flame Quinn and settle in with her decision to stop searching for Nick. Sounds like a good plan until she comes face to face with Quinn and realizes all those old feelings never went away. Her heart is telling her to move on but her head is telling her she can’t.

Three generations of women, all with secrets they aren’t ready to share, will have to lean on each other to move forward. With family and people who love you anything is possible.