Beach House for Rent (The Beach House)

Sigh…oh, this book. Written with wisdom, love, and a perfect sense of timing, this is sweet, escapist summertime ChickLit at its best.I don't know how she does it, but without exception when I read a beach book by Mary Alice Monroe, I feel like I am AT the beach. I mean…sand in my toes, the smell of salt in the air, the roar of the waves. It's just so real.Cara Rutledge and her husband, Brett Beauchamps, both 50 years old and happily married for 10 years, are living the good life on the Isle of Palms, South Carolina. Cara has beautifully renovated and decorated Brett's small house on the other side of the island so it truly feels like their home. They have been sprucing up Cara's 1930s-era beach house, Primrose Cottage, in anticipation of a summer-long rental. And they really need that income, as money is tight with more bills than cash to pay them. The renter is Heather Wyatt, a beautiful 26-year-old artist, who is nearly agoraphobic. She suffers severe social anxiety and panic attacks, but she finds refuge—and possibly love—on the Isle of Palms. Meanwhile, tragedy strikes for Cara, and she retreats to the beach house in an unlikely arrangement: She becomes roommates with her renter. This is the story of how two women, who are reeling from deep and damaging emotional pain, find solace in the sand and ocean and in each other's care.Bonus: There are lots of fun facts about seabirds, shorebirds, and wading birds, many of which are endangered.This is the fourth in a seven-part series. While you can read this without having read the previous three books, I highly recommend that you begin at the beginning with "Beach House."

I absolutely adored this latest offering from MAM and could not put it down(what to do when you can't sleep at 4am ). As in all of the books that I have read by Mary Alice, it is always like coming home to me. In addition we are blessed by MAM's appreciation and love for all things wildlife in each of her books and this is truly a bonus for readers such as myself. In this book we are reunited with turtle's/nest's and protection, but in this offering we learn about shorebirds, seabirds and wading birds thanks to her extensive research, and the very threats that modern life and carelessness brings . Thank goodness for her acknowledgement for every challenge that life brings, MAM also offers insights to sanctuaries that provide for those injured at the Avian Conservation Center in Awendaw , South Carolina(I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the problem and solutions that these places provide just like the Dophin therapies in earlier books). Sometimes the author notes are extremely informative and I encourage all readers of these series to gain additional insights that they provide for the shaping of some of the characters . We learn so much and the love and stewardship these books bring to the reader are unending and form and endless 'obligation' to maintain the gifts that nature provides.Cara and her husband Brett could not believe her luck when she received an offer to rent out her late mother's cottage on the Isle of Palms late in the pre season for the entire season. There are surprises in this book, some of them not good ones, but then you never know how fate intervenes. Cara has the fortune of renting her beloved cottage to a young woman, Heather Wyatt who is plagued by traumatic events from when she was a young girl and her father David Wyatt reached out to Cara for the rental. Heather has always lived at home and at 26 perhaps it is time for her to learn to spread her wings as her Dad has recently remarried. Then there is Bo Stanton, who does work for Brett, and in this case is based upon a real person, but has his own destinies to fufill and the gifts he graced with. It is always difficult to close the book and start a new one, but the best experience/advice I can offer to any reader is to simply let this journey sink in, become a part of you and take from it whatever you wish-there are many gifts you will acquire reading any one of Mary Alice Monroe's books, each of them fulfilling all on their own . Beach House for Rent revels in them all.

The books came quickly and were in very good condition.

This is the 4th installment in "the Beach House" series from Mary Alice Monroe, and I thought it was great, although a little puzzling why she chose to essentially ignore Toy and her daughter ("Little Lovie"), who were central characters in the book that preceded this one ("Swimming Lessons"). Given the fact that so much groundwork has been laid regarding Cara's affection for her mom's beach house and how the Isle of Palms is her true home, I also found her decision at the end of the book to be puzzling. I'm guessing it is setting the stage for the next installment in this series.It helps to have read her other books, both in this series and her "Lowcountry Summer Girls" series, as well as other books she has written, as there are numerous references to characters from many of her works that you'll miss if you're unfamiliar with those books. If you have read the previous books, though, many of the characters in this book (Cara, Flo, Emmi, Brett, etc.) will feel like old friends, and even others will make cameo appearances.This author does a fantastic job of sticking to her story lines and keeping both product endorsements (as Dottiie Frank peppers her books with) and left wing politics (as John Grisham can no longer stay away from in his) out of her books. Aside from a couple of brief, but annoying - and COMPLETELY unnecessary references to the "climate change" hoax, neither of which is relevant to the story line - this one is no different from her previous books in that regard. There are no commercials and only the briefest of political references in this novel.Very good summer read for fans of lowcountry novels, particularly fans of Mary Alice Monroe.

I loved bed this book and all the others in this series. Mary Alice Monroe has a beautiful way of describing the surroundings including the smells and the weather so you actually can fully imagine the scene.Mary Alice Morning Monroe isn’t flippant about her character’s quirks, conditions or ailments and you love the characters as soon as you meet them.Thank you for another fabulous book. Now I want to join the Turtle Ladies.

I can hear the ocean, feel the heat and humidity. Strong characters with females being the most developed ones in the stories.

It’s a great read. Have enjoyed all of Mary Alice Monroe’s novels.She is an inspirational writer. Enjoy her Beach House series

Excellent summer read

Another great book by mary!! Have yet to read one of hers that I didn't love!