The Bookstore on the Beach by Brenda Novak Published by MIRA on April 6, 2021
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How do you start a new chapter of your life when you haven’t closed the book on the previous one?
Eighteen months ago, Autumn Divac’s husband went missing. Her desperate search has yielded no answers, and she can’t imagine moving forward without him. But for the sake of their two teenage children, she has to try.
Autumn takes her kids home for the summer to the charming beachside town where she was raised. She seeks comfort working alongside her mother and aunt at their bookshop, only to learn that her daughter is facing a huge life change and her mother has been hiding a terrible secret for years. And when she runs into the boy who stole her heart in high school, old feelings start to bubble up again. Is she free to love him, or should she hold out hope for her husband’s return? She can only trust her heart…and hope it won’t lead her astray.
You’ll be hooked in no time! THE BOOKSTORE ON THE BEACH by Brenda Novak delivers a punch with enchanting characters, a compelling main storyline and so much emotional upheaval. The secondary storylines were competing with the meat of the story a tad much for me, but it was a really addictive read.
Autumn is a complex character. She has been searching for her missing husband for a year and a half, but this burning the candle at both ends life she’s been leading isn’t fair to her children who need her attention. She’s taking them to the beach town she grew up in for the summer and hopes to find peace with the next step in her life while enjoying that down time.
Taylor is a typical teenage girl in turmoil. She’s lashing out to protect her heart from the pain she’s suffering and trying anything and everything to numb her feelings. She’s got a secret that is going to change the life of everyone around her, but wants to enjoy the summer of a lifetime before she reveals it.
Mary has kept a major secret from Autumn for all of her life and as her finely woven web begins to unravel before her eyes, she is going to have to reveal her darkest secrets … no matter the cost.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants an emotional connection with a multi-generational family as they try to come to terms with family revelations that will change their lives forever.
