From the New York Times bestselling author of Night Beach comes a novel as alluring as a weathered cottage by the sea.The cottage is nestled along winding Sea View Road, set back from the sandy street. Surrounded by swaying dune grass, it’s a shabby little beach bungalow with an open back porch overlooking a sparkling Long Island Sound. A sign propped in the front window says: For Rent.Well, the … window says: For Rent.
Well, the cottage was For Rent … until one particular lobsterman booked a summer stay there. As Shane Bradford settles into the New England beach town of Stony Point, he unloads more than boxes and duffels. With his arrival, he unpacks secrets, and entwined histories, among his circle of beach friends. Old loves surface. New ones emerge, too.
Little Beach Bungalow follows Shane’s simmering summer days back on the Connecticut shore, and much is in store.
more
Dollycas’s Thoughts
The Seaside Saga continues right where Night Beach leaves off. Kyle and Lauren off by themselves trying to get their relationship back on track after Kyle’s brother took almost everyone by surprise when he showed up for their vow renewal. The rest of the group assumes Shane has gone back to his lobster boat. Instead, he found a little bungalow for rent at the end of Sea View Road and decided to stay a while.
The group finds out basically one by one that the man is still in their midst when he basically releases hurricane strength issues that rocks the lives of many of the group I have come to love over the course of this series. One character seemed to have a breakthrough but my heart broke for all the others. This was a very emotional read. There are touches of humor but not enough to really lift my spirits.
I love the beach setting of this series and the characters. The author’s words take us right there, on the scene of everything that happens. With the use of flashbacks, we get another visit back to the beach friends history that this time makes an upheaval in the current times.
I am going to be frank, I really don’t like Shane. I was on the fence at the end of the last book but this time he really rubbed me the wrong way. I understand he was hurt by things in the past that kept him away for years, but there are better ways to deal with that pain. I have become invested in these characters and they have endured pains of their own. We still haven’t gotten the whole Shane/Kyle story. I hope that comes out soon, so the characters I love can heal.
Ms. Damaio has a talent of getting her reader to feel deep emotions. She tests us and tempts us. She draws us in and holds us tight. While I don’t always like what is happening in the story I can’t put the book down. I need to know what happens next.
I don’t like that she leaves us with a cliffhanger either, but thankfully we never have to wait too long in between books. There are some major things that need to be dealt with so I am anxiously awaiting the next book, Every Summer. I also can’t wait to get back to what hopefully will be a more tranquil time at the beach.
Little Beach Bungalow takes the reader, once again, back to the beautiful beach town of Stony Point. We get to catch up with the lives of everyone in the community. It’s a community full of love, drama, and hopefully forgiveness.
Shane’s return to Stony Point stirs up a lot of emotions and feelings from the past. Everyone’s lives are turned upside down when he then decides to stick around. Can the past be forgiven and forgotten? And how are all of their lives going to change?
I absolutely adore this series and I love going back to this wonderful place with all the caring and gracious people who have become my friends. And I love how Joanne always leaves her stories with a little twist at the end that makes me want more.
Joanne’s beach books make me feel like I’m taking a little vacation to the sand and water and I love my time there. Little Beach Bungalow truly is the perfect summer read.
I loved this book. I loved the coin operated beach binoculars and the porch on the bungalow. The story makes you feel like you are right there with your friends. This is a great series and this one is my favorite. Joanne DeMaio is a great author and I highly recommend her books!
With this book in the continuing saga of the friends in Stoney Point we are learning more of their history and how the bonds of love and friendship can be really tested.
Everyone is excited for the renewal vow celebration of Kyle and Lauren’s tenth anniversary. Until someone arrives, seemingly uninvited, after an absence of 15 years. What his arrival causes is distrust and angst among the friends.
He is an estranged brother to one and a former lover to another.
Can the past be forgotten or even forgiven?
I love reconnecting with all the friends at Stoney Point and look forward to Joanne DiMaio writing her next book. I received an ARC for my honest review.
What an awesome and heart felt book. I LOVE all of the books that Joanne writes. She writes with her heart and you feel it in every word. Thank you for writing such great books!!
Little Beach Bungalow is the ninth book in the Seaside Saga series, and it’s my new favorite! When Shane Bradford returns to Stony Point he stirs up anger and resentment with his brother and some of his old friends, but he also stirs up long-lost feelings and memories with one of them, creating problems none of them could foresee. I found this story to be extremely emotional, full of secrets and pain, and tender moments that stole my breath. The characters in this book are like old friends now, and their personalities, their imperfections, their longings really come to life. The setting is perfection, from the cottages to the beaches, from the inn to the rocky coastline. Although this is book 9, this book can easily be read as a standalone, as enough background is provided to acquaint new readers. I highly recommend that you read all of them, to watch as their stories and relationships evolve, getting to know all of them from the beginning.
As with all the other books she has written about these beach friends as she is telling their story you feel like you are right there with them. Feeling their high points as well as their low points. I just can’t seem to get enough of them.
Each book picks up where the last one left off, but she tells enough of the story in each book that you don’t feel lost. I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t seem to get enough and then it just ended It’s not fair that she ended it like that, now I have to wait for the next book. But I have to admit, once I get my hands on her books I can’t wait to read them. Sometimes I forget to turn the light off and go to sleep knowing that if I don’t I will be exhausted the next day, but that’s ok.
Love her stories and can’t seem to get enough of these beach friends. If you haven’t read the other books of hers you need too, and then you really need to check this one out, you will be so glad that you did.